Village Smokehouse

Did take out as we love the food. Reviewed order before I left but when I got home we discovered that my daughters fajita meal was just vegetables, nothing else. Also, no beans with the other three meals. But what really irked me is that almost 3 hours and 3 phone calls later no response from the manager. «Can she call you back?» Just doesn’t cut it especially when it doesn’t happen. You just lost long time customers due to your very bad customer service.

Waited 40 minutes to get seated even though there were empty tables and supposedly just one party in front of us. Of course many other parties were seated before us. After waiting another 15 minutes, once seated, for a waitress and then 20 for our food to show up we were told it was still 15 minutes away. Our 3 years old was starving as was I so we had to leave. There was no manager on staff but a couple of young hostesses who didn’t care either way. We used to come here often but will now patronize better BBQ a little further away. Stick a fork in it, this place is done.
Oh and there were eaten ribs on the floor. Also, they had no corn bread left. Insane.

Village Smokehouse has okay barbeque, but that’s by Northern (Yankee) standards. I had a brisket platter. Brisket here was a bit on the drier side, though very lean. The sauce here was okay. Cornbread was just okay. Beans were not very good: decent flavor, but the actual beans were too dry/​firm. Coleslaw here was pretty good. Itbis more a Carolina/​tangy style vs. the creamy style many in New England are used to.

Still the best so far. Cow and Pork Ribs, chicken, sausage, brisket in the Hawg dish are juicy and tasty.

The food was southern style delicious, the BBQ was off the hook, I’m full and in need of a bed.

Simply terrible. Definition of tragic. Meaningless. Pointlessly off the mark. Fraudulent to the level of offensive. Plastic 2 oz cup of beans FOR THE TABLE: «If you want more just ask!». NOTE: watch a 10 minute video on YouTube to enhance the flavor and quality of your product by 1,625%.
Awesome server, did the best she could with a don’t-ever-come-back-product. Stomach gurgling, crossing my fingers.

Nothing exciting about this place especially the bbq sauce. Store bought sauce tastes better. Trust me. The potato salad had toooo much dill pickle in it. But I will say the wings were decent and big. The baby backs were very tender. But I can’t understand a bbq joint that doesn’t have spareribs! Wow! Nothing exciting here folks.

My friend and I were looking for meat. We walked into the Village Smokehouse in Brookline and were immediately welcomed by the inconspicuous Riley. She led us to a table on the upper deck with a smile and curtesy with a swift exchange of the menus and drink orders.
The food was tasty. We suggest the Hawg after a long Friday grinding away in your cubicle… thirsting for meat. Come get your HOG on at the Village Smoke House in Brookline. PS… ask for Riley… she’ll also point you in the proper direction for a collar lowering.

The food was delicious! The service was perfect and the atmosphere was fun. They were very accommodating to my daughter with a disability and had an entrance we could get her wheelchair in without issue. Over all a great experience.

Gear bbq! Get a group together and order everything on the menu to share. The ribs, brisket, and chicken are a must. The sides are amazing. You need to get the stuffed jalapeños and a margarita to wash it all down. Seriously, this place is worth driving to and there is free street parking. Go get some grub nie

We went for dinner last night, myself and 3 girlfriends. Not very busy but to be expected for a Tuesday night I suppose. Our waitress was friendly and brought us everything we needed. Prices were good, although I kind of expected more authentic BBQ type foods. They don’t have mac and cheese! Isn’t that something that definitely goes with BBQ? Anyway, I got a burger and it was very good and the green beans i got on the side were very delicious as well. Potato skins were probably the best I’ve ever had. And the corn bread was really good too. Overall, we were very happy with our experience. Limited wine menu… but I guess BBQ places aren’t known for wine. Limited beer selection as well. We will go back.

Took our grandsons out for barbecue. Good ambience and menu for them and us. The Texas Ribs were a bit dry; we needed a lot of extra sauce to make them work. Sides of corn bread, beans, and Cole slaw were fine. Pulled pork sandwich the winner according to the twelve year old. In earlier times the infamous Death Burger was my favorite. The charred burger with mounds of fresh jalapeño and raw onions required two bourbons.

Too bad I can;t give zero stars. The food was terrible. I had the baby back ribs, which were dry and tough. I asked for extra sauce in advance and was given a small cup, not exactly extra considering that the ribs are served dry. And the waitress had the audacity to tell us that the beans are served «family style». I guess she meant a poor family, because the whole portion for the table consisted of one of those small cups for side dishes. I couldn’t believe that this was supposed to be for four people. My wife did say that the beans were tasty.
The sides of mashed potatoes were plentiful, which made the «family style» serving of beans all the more puzzling.
However, the worst part was the blaring music. They have speakers mounted everywhere and you cannot escape the loud music. I am no old man and can appreciate music, but why is it that they feel they have to blast my ear drums while I am trying to speak with my son while we are visiting him in college? I asked the waitress — twice — to ask them to turn down the music so I could hear my son. They didn’t bother! Why??? So much for customer service.
Needless to say, we won;t be spending our money here. There are many other BBQ restaurants to choose from.

Like a lot of folks I was really looking forward to BBQ in Lowell. Too bad they don’t have any here. They should change the name. All they have is burgers and frozen chicken tenders. Freezer burned no less. I used to come here for trivia night but they got a new host and he’s just not very good so I can’t even do that now. When I went they had no dessert. Nothing. This place is really a night club, not a restaurant. I tried that but some guy got hit with a bottle. So to review: the food is terrible and the night club is violent. I wanted to love you Smokehouse. I really did.

I wanted to take a friend to dinner and knew that he liked good BBQ.
I am not a BBQ connoisseur at all, but thought that a restaurant that pretty much calls itself the «smokehouse of the village» would do at least a decent job with BBQ and brisket.
Sadly, it was an embarrassingly bad meal that was only saved by the very nice server and my friend’s funny comments on the food.
I had been here before and got the stuffed jalapeños. They were very good back then (about a year ago), but I think they’ve done something to them since then. I can’t figure out how they made jalapeños NOT hot and tasty since that’s essentially what they are, but somehow they managed to do that. I ordered the Death Burger, which the server said was covered in jalapeños and onions. Even though I had been disappointed by the jalapeños in the stuffed jalapeños app, I thought that the ones on the burger would be tasty and hot, especially since they called it the Death Burger.
Nope. The Death Burger wasn’t any tastier than a standard burger with green peppers and onions. Actually, the jalapeños had even less taste than a sautéed green pepper would have had and there were a sad amount of sautéed onions. Even the burger itself was not tasty. The accompanying green beans were ok. I recently had a much tastier burger with a side of mixed veggies at a sports bar in Woburn. Yes, a sports bar had better food than this place.
Friend’s Texas Hawg was disappointing. He sent the brisket back because it didn’t even meet the definition of brisket. I tried the sausage that was a part of his meal and it had a strange flowery taste, not a nice juicy sausagey taste.
My recommendation:
–Don’t take anyone here if they know good BBQ.
–Don’t eat here if you want jalapeños to taste the way they should taste.
–Don’t eat here if you want a tasty burger.
–Eat here if you live in Brookline Village and don’t feel like walking another block up to Coolidge Corner where there’s a lot more good food choices :)

First, the good news, our server was great! I ordered the lemonade and it was shockingly bad, she completely agreed and wished she could tell people not to get it. She was overall super nice during the night.
Now the bad news. This has to be the worst BBQ in all of Boston. I got the Texas Hawg mostly because I wanted to sample everything. Of everything I got, only the beef rib was edible. Had to send the brisket back, TWICE, because I asked for extra fat or for it to be cut from point (best part) and what I got were thin slices of grey, dry strips that looked like old band-​aids. Sausage: no flavor whatsoever. Babyback ribs. How you can get babyrack ribs to be dry and tough is beyond me. I didn’t try the chicken, brought it home, hope that wasn’t a mistake.
The mashed potatoes were good. Beans were good too.
Please discount any positive review you see here on Unilocal.They are either a plant or from Maine, known for it’s «excellent» BBQ.

Not a great experience here. The waitstaff was very friendly, which I genuinely appreciate. The food, however, not so good. The brisket tasted like… nothing. I sent my sandwich back. My husband had a pulled pork sandwich that was mediocre at best. I also saw some things going on in their open kitchen that made me concerned about their sanitation standards. We won’t be back.

Amazing BBQ/​Tex-​Mex food. My coworker and I grab some delicious (and strong!) house margaritas very often. Good for groups, parties, watching a game etc. I recommend the southwest egg rolls & the death chicken fajitas.
I also love their staff! Extremely polite and friendly. One time I called in a take out order for a chicken burger and they gave me the wrong order (they were extremely busy so I understand it can get a bit crazy). I returned letting them know about the error and they wanted to credit me, make me chicken burger and let me keep the incorrect order as well! They care about their customers and want to keep you loyal and happy.

I’d really like to like this place. The wait staff are nice, at least. But the food is really shockingly, embarrassingly bad. This is some of the worst bbq I’ve had anywhere (not just in Boston, which is pretty grim to start with). Dry, flavorless meat, boring sauce, forgettable sides. I’ve tried it twice, on the off-​chance they were having a bad day. They were not. I could see them staying alive if the food were at least affordable, but it’s also really expensive for the ‘quality’ of the food.
There are so many better bbq options in Boston now that I just cannot comprehend how this place is still open. Either they re-​invent themselves and actually learn how to cook BBQ, or once all of their primarily 55+ clientele shuffle off their mortal coils, they’ll be shutting the doors for good…

So I’m going to start this review by saying that I’ve been at this place more than once. And the food here is awesome. From burgers to my favorite Texas Sausages.
The décor and ambiance here is is also very nice. Clean, homey, and overall comfortable.
The issue with this place is service. Our waiter completely forgot about our appetizer, and didn’t realize it until after the food arrived at the table. She also never checked up on us (granted the food was fine), but a refresher for beans, water, or bread would have been nice. And once we did get her attention it took about five times for her to get all the things that were needed. Let me add, that all of this happened when the restaurant was empty (aside from 2 other tables).
Overall my family and I like this place. But it needs to get its wait staff on par.
* I am now editing this review from 3 stars to 2. The waiter decided to comp us a dessert. We ordered apple pie. They brought us an apple pie with mold on it. I don’t know what to think of this place. They need to figure themselves out.
** I will add that the manager did come out and take care of the situation by comping the meal, but as the saying goes; what’s done cannot be undone.

Good prices and good portion sizes. My friend and I split «The Texas Hawg» platter which had a tasty selection of meats. Even with two of us splitting it there was still too much for us to finish. The potato salad, baked beans, and corn bread were all great too. We were seated quickly and our food was served fast which is always a plus. I’m looking forward to going back in the future.

I have been here several times and I always enjoy nothing more than a tender and juicy Texas style baby back ribs. It’s what I usually order. This time though we also ordered the ½ chicken BBQ as well which was very good. A tad on dry side but still juicy enough with the sauce.
I can’t speak for the rest of the food here but I can certainly say that if you are a fan of ribs then this is the place to go.
I decided to take away one star and that was mainly due to the service. We were ok for the most part but serving one tiny small cup of beans (which by the way is complementary) for 4 people is pretty bad. I’m sure we could always ask for some more but no one likes to wait every time your running out to ask your server. That should be an automatic thing and the severs should recognize that.
All in all it’s a great country style BBQ place.

Walk into this place and you walk right out of Boston. In here my hair comes down, my jeans are ripped and I’m convinced I’m riding home in a pick up truck with the windows down and my toes on the dash. And I haven’t even touched on the service or the food or the price.
The food first. Looking to explore more but the buffalo chicken tenders are the perfect combination of flavor, spice and crisp. The burger is phenomenal and the barbecue sauce a triple threat. Plus you get to watch your food being crafted over a glorious open grill in the middle of the restaurant. We have to further explore the menu but a good start.
Service. Impeccable. We only sit at the bar but everyone who works here seems invested in your good time and making this place great. And they pour heavy.
So in conclusion, come to the Smokehouse, eat well, drink well, and escape the north east.

I think this place is really a 1.5 stars, not a 2, but I’ll round up.
Seriously, have any of the reviewers giving this place top marks EVER had real brisket? Someone even commented on the quality of the brisket here! What!
Let me tell you: this isn’t even a place you should come just to get your barbecue fix. You’ll just be disappointed and sad, and then offended at the price. It’s super costly for what it is, it’s not a lot of food.
Then let’s talk brisket. Dry. Tough. Rubbery even? A slab of meat on a bun? No sauce. No edge bits. I love the edge bits. Where. Did. The Edge Bits. Go.
I had a margarita here, and it basically tasted like the mix you buy at the grocery store with tequila. It was one of the grosser margaritas I’ve had.
On the bright side, their bar is pretty (wood! I’m a sucker for wood) and they have Blue Moon, so if you just want to come here for beers then I can imagine it would be adequate. But, I wouldn’t really recommend it. I think there are a lot of other options worth exploring in the area, including a home cooked meal from your own kitchen.

Decent BBQ Tejas style in the NE. The portions are generous, they don’t mess around and give straight-​shooting advise and no frills BBQ. Sides and portions are generous.
The highlights were the baby back ribs and brisket — though I’d like to see the brisket more slowly smoked and tender.
Attentive staff in a casual atmosphere with inexpensive prices (monster of 4 types of BBQ only cost $ 26).
I’d prefer Sweet Cheeks or Red Bone — but wouldn’t say no if it’s convenient/​in the neighborhood and friends want to go.

Visited last night and plenty of parking. First plus! The waitress was great and service was fast. Also, some of the kitchen is open/​exposed to diners and I always like this at restaurants because it makes me feel better to be able to see what’s going on with food being cooked. It’s cozy, has a bar and booth options.
We tried the Stuffed Jalapeño’s for an app. Absolutely must try! They were filled with cream cheese, breaded, slightly spicy, and the perfect combination of flavor. They come served with their homemade BBQ sauce which is SO good. Everyone has their own taste with BBQ and I’m picky as well. I can honestly say I would buy this by the bottle and that’s a first for me. It’s slightly smoky, slightly sweet, a great tang, and not to thick or thin. YUM!
Cornbread. My favorite side at a BBQ joint, so I’m particularly harsh when tasting because too many places do it wrong. But here, the cornbread was warm, buttery, and moist with great flavor! It’s fair to say I would go back here just for cornbread and BBQ sauce.
Their signature dish is their pork ribs, so of course, we tried these. They definitely met expectations. We got the app portion and it was more than enough for 2 people to split. Tender, fall of the bone, smoky, flavorful ribs covered in their homemade BBQ.
Needless to say I would defintely come back.

We went to Village Smokehouse on a Saturday night, and there was no wait which was nice. The décor is old-​fashioned western, and the overall atmosphere is casual — this would be a good place just to hang out and eat some comfort food with friends or family. The meal started with corn bread, I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with a side of fries, and we shared an appetizer of stuffed jalapeños. The jalapeños were great — they’re nicely fried, filled with cream cheese, and generally not spicy except near the stem. The pulled pork was solid and came in a generous portion with a couple of pickle slices and some cole slaw. The BBQ sauce and sides were good but nothing special. The menu is pretty big (they also have burgers, sandwiches, and salads) and the prices are good, although some of the BBQ entrees are on the pricier side. I’d probably give this place 3.5 stars based on my first experience but would hesitate to give it 4 stars before trying more meats.

Village Smokehouse is one of those places you go to because it’s there, not because it’s necessarily good. If you’re in Brookline Village and you want Texas-​style BBQ, but you don’t want to travel more than a mile, there’s Village Smokehouse.
The food is… fine. It’s edible. It’s technically BBQ. But don’t rush to invite your Texan cousins here. The brisket is disappointing — dry, flavorless, and lacking in portion size. The pulled pork is better — saucy not dry, definitely not flavor*less*, but by no means an award winner. The quarter BBQ chicken is actually pretty good — moist, adequately sauced, meaty. The fries are probably their best item — thick, salty, fluffy wedges with a crispy exterior. The cole slaw is unmemorable. The free cornbread is fine because it’s free cornbread, but it’s otherwise dry and unremarkable.
The atmosphere bumps it up a bit. The large, carved wooden bar and oversized bar stools give the feel of an old western saloon. The drinks and the bar service are good, even with only one bartender. A handful of TVs for sports watching. My favorite part is the grill pit in the center of the restaurant that lets you see, feel and smell the heat and the food cooking on it.
Overall, not my favorite restaurant, yet I keep coming back. I guess that says something.

Had I reviewed before last night, I would have given this place a solid 4 stars, but my salmon was undercooked (and didn’t taste as fresh as it could have) and one of my dining companions’ usual order of blackened cajun steak was reportedly not good.
Still, I leave 3 stars as this place is still a fun and tasty experience. Their sides (with the exception of the very bland, card-​board tasting rice pilaf) are quite solid and my friends always say their steaks are good. One of them regularly opts for the beef ribs which look amaaaazing. (a big sigh as I’m still trying this «vegetarian» thing).
I am also a fan of their jalapeño poppers.
Oh, and they give you corn bread to start, which gives them a 20 point lead in my book :)
Definitely, definitely give this place a whirl. And don’t shy away if you don’t eat meat as the sides and salads are so good, you’ll still be satisfied.