1130 Dublin Rd.
Columbus, OH 43215
614.485.0227
website
At this point Columbus has over three dozen craft beer shops so everyone of them need to differentiate themselves a little bit. Located on the Dublin Road corridor, and not really near any major of residential areas in walking distance, Smokehouse gets it done by offering a great selection of barbecue on top of the standard beers. So in spite of that location and it still has a pretty decent crowd on weeknights and during lunch hour. The beer is pretty good but there really is something to be said for a good barbecue, and this place most definitely fulfills that.
The menu was full of all of the classic barbecue dishes with a thick, almost stewy beef barbecue sauce topping them. Some things to like:
- Barbecue ribs: Classic baby back style ribs serve on the whole bones with a smoky well done park, and then a little bit of that sauce for good measure but not too much. Exhaust really does make a difference, it’s not too sweet but it does at this lip-smacking tanginess.
- Beef brisket: Long sliced cuts of steak again with a nice smokiness. For good measure probably best and a sandwich, just because the meat only needs a little bit of sauce and some pickles to put it over-the-top.
- Pulled pork: This point is chopped, not poured long strands of meat, so the texture is a little bit different from what you might typically think of, but that allows more of the gristle to enhance the flavor. Also recommended as a sandwich.
- Burrito: Stuffed with beef brisket with veggies and cheese. You worry the meat would get lost in this one, but not at all the case. The meat only needs a little sauce.
- Meatloaf: A little smokey, a little sweet, a little salty. You might not think it at first; actually, this is perfect barbecue.
- Barbecue Quesadilla: Stuffed with brisket, pork or chicken and some black beans, adds a new dimension to meat, cheese and happiness.
- Cobb Salad: Topped with bacon, crispy chicken, eggs. Yup, all of it.
- Spicy Fish Tacos: Cajun spiced flaky cod, an Asian slaw, fresh cilantro and sweet chili Sriracha sauce stuff these two massive tacos. Lots of flavor. Fine with a simpler side like fries.
- Craft beer: The options for beer here are more narrow and certainly focused on what’s locally popular. A few key ales and middle range beers produced here are the fan favorites. My recommendation is to stick with the lighter beers and the smokies to match the barbecue.
The restaurant has a very specific kind of decor, heavy on the wood inside to make it feel kind of like an old barbecue place. It’s most certainly got the contemporary beer addition to it though, with an expensive bar and a lot of brews on tap, some of it’s own making and others provided by Marie’s elsewhere in the city. In these ways it’s kind of more of a traditional restaurant with a strong emphasis on it good beers.
Service is pretty good, food comes extremely quickly especially on weeknights and the crowd is usually pretty manageable and you can come in and eat without much hassle. Price points are pretty good too, even in the evenings some of those sandwiches and smaller plates will fill you up without breaking the bank, which is good because barbecue can run and very expensive prices, especially the better quality stuff.
This is one of those breweries where you just have to come in and try to food because it’s so good. There are plenty of good things to drink there at the same time, but an empty stomach is a must to fully get everything you can experience here.
Recommendations
- Sandwiches are a cheaper way to enjoy some of the meat dishes, and yet still feeling.
- The in-house peers are good, particularly the lighter ales.
- Ribs are awesome!
Another Food Critic 