Smiley Guys Smokehouse
131 Joerschke Dr, Grass Valley, CA, 95945
Smiley Guys Smokehouse Menu
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Address :
131 Joerschke Dr
Grass Valley, CA, 95945 - Phone (530) 274-2933
- Website https://www.smileyguyssmokehouse.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
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Rod S.
Great brisket and tri-tip! Tender and full of smoky goodness. Some staff are super friendly but a few are not really interested in customer service. Sauces are outstanding! I can't decide which was my favorite. They were all delish. My only complaint about the food is the mac n' cheese: not much flavor and more mac than cheese. Definitely a place to stop anytime I'm in the area!
(4)Tina G.
Really great BBQ, a little hard to find, but good beer, good food, dartboards, pool tables, what more can you ask for!
(4)Brien W.
I don't want to bang on them too hard but the pulled pork was dry and over cooked/smoked, the ribs had a great sauce but we're way too fatty, How do you screw up cornbread when you are a BBQ spot? The beer menu was great too bad I didn't have one. My girl stated the hibiscus cider rocked. It was not worth the $45.00 and we won't be back.
(3)Geoff T.
This is currently one of the best eateries in grass valley/nevada city for the price and the only good bbq shop. Their sauces are awesome! Brisket, tritip, and pulled pork have never disappointed.
(5)Samantha S.
The first time I ate Smiley Guys was at a friends wedding and it was pretty decent for the setting. I then had it again at the restaurant and I was happy with what I got. Though I initially thought it to be a bit over priced I changed my mind as soon as I saw the portions. Love that they offered many different choices of sauce to put on the meats of your choice. The Mac N Cheese is to die for!! Also on that night the servers/cooks killed it. They did an amazing job getting the food out quickly and it was super busy that evening. Over all I highly recommend this eatery and will be going back.
(4)Shera J.
Came here from the recommendation of a friend. I'm glad I did because I never would have seen this place otherwise. When I showed up I was really surprised to know that everything was natural and organic... And bonus... They had cider! Great food great service... I will be back :-)
(5)Natalie S.
I visited about a month and I will never eat there again! Their BBQ was okayyyy... but what really disappointed me was the macaroni and cheese sauce being pumped from a nacho cheese dispenser right in front of my eyes! To make it worse that mac n cheese was at least 8 dollars which was ridiculous for just cheap watery cheese... such a shame because I love BBQ and macaroni and cheese with a meal but if I can make it better myself at home then what's the point of leaving the house??
(1)joe f.
Late Review..I visited Smiley Guys Smokehouse in December of 2014. I was in Grass Valley for the Nevada City Christmas Festival and was looking for a place to eat that wasn't fast food or a chain restaurant. Yelp helped us find Smiley Guys Smokehouse. Fun place. Lots of activities. Group near us was playing a board game and in the back of the restaurant it was trivia night. The pulled pork was delicious. The Smokehouse has lots of different BBQ sauces and I sampled all of them. Great sides too. Everything was fresh and hot and the service came with a smile. I don't remember the servers anme but I could tell he was genuinely proud of the food he was offering. If I'm in Grass Valley again I'll be back!
(4)Len B.
When I close my eyes and think of a barbecue joint this is it. Pool table darts and damn good ribs . If you know BBQ the smell tells it all. I wish I had something like this where I live.
(5)James B.
Another sad decline of a business/restaurant that has GREAT FOOD, but such poor service. I wanted to order a plate with no side, and the girl at the front couldn't figure it out. Sorry that you hate your job so much that you feel the need to ignore and take it out on the customers honey, but the reason you are there is because of us. I wanted to pass along a suggestion for the owner (a great person!), and she ignored me and obviously couldn't have cared less. Trust me, if you continue to behave that way, your job will disappear! I did speak to the person serving food, and he was able to hear me also, but seemed not to care too much either. If you treat your customers this way, believe me, we will go elsewhere!
(2)Patrianna A.
Yummy! We love the chicken sandwich and the tri tip. Homemade sauces really make it stand out. I used to like their Mac & cheese. It was a whole lot better then the stuff they have now. I gave the new recipe a try twice but it's flavors just aren't there for me. They have a lot of beers on tap, which seem to be popular and every Sunday night they have football on three HDTV's We like to get here before the bar type crowds, cause they can be loud and it's very difficult to get a seat. Sometimes the meat is really amazing sometimes it's just so so. But we like to go cause they are the best place to get some good quality smoked meats! 3.5 stars!
(3)Amelia B.
Jesse c. I really appreciate you responding to my post (all though I'm seeing it years later....) I've been in smiley guys since and I think you guys are running a great business. And (again) GREAT FOOD! The last two times I've been there you're staff has been on point and I've had a good time. I apologize if my previous review was taken as a negative reflection on your business, was more constructive criticism as a customer but I should've done it privately, but that's also why I would like to publicly apologize and say- smiley guys is a great place.
(5)David C.
Took extended family here for a quick bite. Fed a party of nine for 80 bucks. Excellent food great service good atmosphere large selection of beers. We order the family picnic which gives you a choice of two meets and three sides. The brisket was fantastic the try tip was excellent and the pulled pork was good too. Wide variety of saucesand healthy sides available.
(5)Bryce S.
I do not have much experience with BBQ places, or the many styles thereof. I can't say its got this Texas this or Missouri that. But this place is darn good! A local auto shop told me about it since I had some time to kill. I am glad they did! this place is great. They have so many different kinds of BBQ sauce its crazy! The environment was pretty neat for this style of a eatery. Couple pool tables, some TV's, and hugely open in side! The chicken sandwich I had was awesome, I have come back and ordered the same thing 3 times now. I haven't tried anything else yet because it is always so good, but I will have to branch out here pretty soon I'm thinkin. Definitely worth your time to stop in.
(4)Frederic C.
Smiley Guy's is bad ass. It is not traditional barbeque. Everything here is certainly tuned for a California palate. But it's delicious. I think if people view this less as a traditional barbeque establishment and more as a California interpretation, they will have a much better time. The variety of sauces is exceptional. Many of my friends take some sauces to go for other uses later. The Peachy Keen is delicious, their mustard barbeque sauce is great, their spicy sauces have immense kick. Their bleu cheese and ranch dressings are some of the best bleu cheese and ranch I've ever had. The ranch is packed full of flavor, with lots of great dill. The meats are all delicious. The pulled pork, the tritip, the sausage, the brisket... it's all great. You can't go wrong getting any of the dinners. The sides are great. The macaroni and cheese could be creamier, but it instead tastes like a really good pasta with a strong herb flavor and good bread crumbs. The slaw is nice and powerful. Their french fries are godlike. They are like In-N-Out fries in terms of savoriness without the tendency to be burnt or overcooked. Dip them in ranch or bleu cheese and enjoy. Their potato chips are great. While I personally tend to avoid the slaw and the beans, none of their sides are bad at all. I'm just too addicted to the fries. I personally find the sandwiches to have slightly too large of bread and be a little dry, even after adding sauce. Nowadays, I order the salads, which are delicious and benefit from a very hefty serving of meat. Their angry mac and cheese is incredible and really unique. Every special I have ever had from the board was absolutely worth it. I wish they offered their Cobb salad more often: What a treat that was. Their wings are great. If you like a more traditional really crispy and soft wing, this is not the place for you. But if you like a hefty, meaty wing, theirs are all great. Every one of their new flavors is an excellent choice. I usually get the medium hot sauce, but the Chinese BBQ is also fantastic. Their desserts are also great. I have enjoyed every one of their cheesecakes. They are thick, creamy and indulgent, with lots of great fruit flavor. Contrary to other reviewers, I like the ribs here. For me, the traditional thick molasses-style barbeque rib is actually a waste. I prefer a Chinese style rib. The ribs here are a perfect balance of both approaches. They cleanly come from the bone but still have a little bit of bite, and the sauce is noticeable but subtle. I add a little bit of teriyaki to mine and it is an assault of umami flavor. Other people I know getting the ribs add whatever they please. The service has been fantastic. Everyone is really nice and always has been great whenever we have brought big parties. There's a huge smile on everyone's face. They joke and laugh with the customers. They never make you feel rushed and always act like they're eager to see you return. Contrary to George G.'s review, I think the staff is really excited and passionate about their work. I wish I could give the place five stars, but there's a few things on the menu that could do with improvement. I absolutely agree they would benefit from a more traditional thick sauce that Americans are used to. I also think that the staff would be very wise to tell people that the meat is more of a palette for them to bring their own choice of flavors and that the sauce section is supposed to be the centerpiece of the menu. But all of my friends figured that out without guidance. I recently gave the owners the suggestion for a smoked sausage hot dog with their delicious nacho sauce. I love hot dogs and I hope they implement it. In any instance, this is the kind of place that if I have a little money to spare and someone asks me to go I will jump in the shower like I'm on fire. I look forward to eating here, and that's a good thing.
(4)Kim B.
Very disappointed. Ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Was a little surprised when the sandwich came with no sauce. Would have been helpful for the server to point out that there were a variety of sauces available located next to the soda machines. The pulled pork itself was tender and moist, but because the roll was so thick it came off dry even with the added sauce. The cole slaw was so dry that I thought I was simply eating shredded cabbage. My husband ordered a side of potato salad with his meal. It too was extremely bland. Again, very disappointed.
(2)Chris S.
Awesome food. Had a prime rib French dip! Amazing. Great sweet potatoes chips! This is a hidden gem in Grass Valley!
(5)V F.
I'm not a big BBQ person but the meat is fine, the produce sides are great (try the kale slaw), the beer selection is better than most, the sauces are nicely done & offer something for everybody, and the salads are compelling. Okay, the sandwiches are compelling, too.
(4)Hannah M.
I'm surprised at how many good reviews there are...the sauces are TERRIBLE. The environment has potential and I do plan to check out the bar on trivia night. However, the only good things on the menu were the chicken and the garden salad.
(3)Madi B.
I was a little disappointed with this bbq spot. The meat was good, the beer selection is great but all the sides are horrible. They need to change the recipes... The slaw was way too dry. The beans had too much cinnamon flavor and the potato salad has no flavor at all.
(2)Tommy F.
Good place to get some GOOD barbeque! Really good well seasoned meats, REALLY good sauces, I had the Ragin Monkey Sauce... Luved it!!! I'll stop in again the next time I'm in town visiting my pal Jon across the street! Can't wait for the patio to be finished! Can't wait to see the Sneaky Tiki's to play there!
(4)Mike G.
Tried for the first Time on a Thursday night. Arrived @ 5:00 they were out of brisket, Had ribs found they only had ribs on Thursday thru Sunday. The ribs were cold tough and tasted like they had been frozen. They have a show kitchen and I noticed the meet products are wrapped in plastic rap
(1)Bee B.
They serve the most amazing pulled pork sandwiches ( your choice of 3-4 homemade bbq sauces) kale slaw or cole slaw, sweet potato chips or french fries or baked beans and ribs. Thats just to name a few of my favorites at this place. They always have my favorite beer on tap. My friends and I have enjoyed playing corn hole, pool or darts there. Great food, drink, atmosphere and friendly staff.
(5)George G.
I'd been looking forward to trying this places for over a year and I'm sorry to say, it was a waste of time and money. This area is ripe for good BBQ - I used to judge a competition in Penn Valley, and BBQ fits right in here. Yes, they have lots of great beers and the place is really more a local sports bar than a BBQ joint. When you walk in a girl at the counter takes your order after you've mastered the menu from the wall. It's pretty, but a little hard to understand and that seemed to be the same experience for those I watched after I placed my order. The counter girl knew nothing about BBQ, so questions asked were not well answered. Hard to blame her - she had only worked there 2 weeks. Failure of management to properly train. I asked if the ribs could be served dry and was told they were already "cooked with sauce." Glazed - ok, I ordered a 1/2 rack and mac-n-cheese. My companion ordered a 1/2 pound of pulled pork and "kale slaw." This place has a fair amount of non-traditional offerings for such a limited menu. She also ordered the sweet potato chips and we both grabbed a brew. $41 bucks, plus they have a space for tip on the receipt - not sure what for. When our food was ready we were called to come and get it, along with whatever else we needed. OK, the food. Companion's pulled pork was very good; nice smokey flavor, slight tang and ample serving. Sadly, it was cold. Kale slaw was actually rather good too, but these are HUGE sides, like a full cup plus and it's just hard to eat that much. A typical BBQ joint would offer 2 sides about a 1/2 cup each to break up the monotony. Her chips were also good, but not great and it too was a large serving. My ribs failed on every level. They were huge for a half rack. I expected them to be glazed during cooking but sadly they were covered with even more sauce just before serving and AFTER cutting. I said I wanted them dry, so extra sauce was the last thing I expected. After wiping the sauce off a rib I noticed there was no smoke aroma. I bit into the big meaty rib only to find it undercooked, tasteless and cold. When I say "undercooked" I mean the meat did not come cleanly off the bone, not that it didn't fall off the bone, which is overcooked. If these ribs were in a competition, most judges would disqualify them. Such a waste of piggy! The mac-n-cheese was really awful, as many others here have mentioned. While the mac had a cheddar yellow color, I swear the dish was dairy-free. Not a bit of sauce or cheesy flavor - notta. Instead there was some bread crumbs with herbs, rosemary and thyme maybe, that infused a weird flavor into the dish. Others have mentioned this too. But ownership just doesn't care; they don't care enough to train their staff, to warm meat before serving, to actually bring your food or to see if your satisfied. Which really means they don't care if you return and I won't. I have to wonder what they think when they clean-up a table and see 1 rib sampled, the rest of the rack not touched and the side uneaten. No doubt they just don't care.
(2)Scott B.
Clutch! This place I found on yelp wanted good meat. Well anyplace u can order meat by the pound is a place for me. The different kind of sauces and sides are amazing. You can watch the game play darts or just hang out grab a beer and eat some great BBQ. I will be back keep up the great work!
(5)Mrs. K.
My husband and I went on A date ..........very friendly staff but flavorless meet. A bit pricey on a glass of wine $6.00...... I buy the same wine for $10.00 a bottle. The darts and pool were fun, and they didn't charge for it. Over all I would go back but not to eat meat just fries and beer and wine...with the darts and pool.
(2)Patrice G.
Dinner was a dud. The concept of this place is great, but they really need help with their recipes. Having been involved in catering and the restaurant industry for nearly 40 years, I can honestly say that these guys needs some serious cooking lessons. We ordered the tri-tip, chicken, and ribs. Sides were the coleslaw, baked beans, mac n' cheese, and cornbread. We also tried 4 of their barbeque sauces. We never eat red meat or ribs, but have relatives who do, so we purchased the tri-tip and ribs for them. The best thing was the tri-tip. It was moist and flavorful. The chicken was on the dry side, and wasn't all that great. The ribs were so-so. As for the sides -- The baked beans were headed towards "chili bean" flavoring (also very spicy-hot), instead of a nice lightly-sweet barbeque flavor. We did not care for them or eat them. The mac n' cheese was downright dreadful. It had way too much rosemary and sage in it (really overpowering) and something so spicy that it was completely inedible (we threw it out as the kids wouldn't touch it after the first bite. Even for the adults with more "mature" palates found it too weird to eat.) They should totally rethink this dish because whatever "creative" version they are serving is just gnarly. The bread was really, really boring and flavorless (call Dupre's and get their bread. It's local and super tasty). The coleslaw was also boring. I read one reviewer who said the coleslaw was flavorless and needed vinegar. Well they must have read that review, because ours had vinegar flavor, but was unfortunately still flavorless despite the over-abundance of vinegar. The barbeque sauces were also really bad. Luckily we had done carryout, so we were able to dig a bottle of sauce out of our fridge to at least make the meat edible. These foods served here (baked beans, coleslaw, mac n' cheese, barbeque sauce) are American classics that millions of housewives have made for decades. It is not difficult to find someone's mother or grandmother who has great basic recipes for these items and copy what they did... so really there is no excuse for the food not being really outstanding at a place serving such basic fare.
(1)ben b.
Fun place. I only go here ON Mondays for team trivia and get the wings. And a beer. from t he great beer list they have, all well chosen micro brews. the Wings, well I always get the hot ones and they are the best anywhere in the area. (they could stop running out of them on Mondays though.....) not typically with the Reds red sauce these wings are different, hot and sweet and with the house made delicious bleu cheese dressing a fine meal by themselves. I love em. the game is fun too lots of teams great prizes. the staff, even though they don't serve or anything are wonderful as well and are very accommodating.
(4)Megan M.
Sorry, babes, but I had the food. It was not very good. My daughter and I both, could not even finish our meals. It looked so cute and seemed to be a fun place to hang. Too bad about the food though. Seems as though other people really like it. Oh well. Maybe I came on a bad day. Probably won't return.
(1)Sam W.
This place is amazing. It does not look like much but their food is great! It is a little pricy but it not too bad. The dirty mac is WAY better then the original Mac. The wings are also amazing. Since moving here I wanted to find a good place for wings and this place is amazing. The wings are really meaty. It was great. The staff is also very friendly and helpful especially if it is the first time you have been there.
(5)Caroline K.
I'm up in grass valley visiting my father and we picked this joint to visit after the DMV for lunch, it was pretty empty inside with only one other group of people eating. We ordered the tri tip nachos, which were okay, nothing to write home about. The cheese sauce used on them was pretty awful, I avoided chips that had the sauce on them. My father got the tri tip sandwich which he enjoyed. I ordered the beef brisket platter and got a tri tip platter, which was a little disappointing but it tasted fine so I didn't say anything. The Cajun fries were probably the best part of the meal. We ended up paying 37$ which I don't think was worth the meal, and is why I probably won't ever come back here, I just wasn't that impressed. They had six different varieties of BBQ sauce and I ended up settling on the sweet annya which was the only one I found I liked. Nice service though, the lady at the counter had a nice smile and helped us with good customer service, so there's that! :)
(2)Iheartdurt ..
MY FIRST TIME! I cannot even wait to go back!! The food was delicious - I had a blood orange/tangerine cider with my food and it was awesome! Unless you're into spicy, I would avoid the Raging Monkey BBQ sauce - the Memphis is where it's at!! The carnitas was sure tasty but then again, all of the meat was. Quite possibly the best place to go to watch a sporting event as well! I didn't pay but I glanced at the prices which seemed reasonable. Maybe try the sampler to start off with if you don't know what you want!
(4)Cord N.
My Chicken Sandwich was 2-Stars. I am not sure what "Uncle Jesse" is up to, but this Chicken tastes so overly marinated it leaves an odd sour flavor in your mouth. The Chicken also seemed over-cooked and and Very Very Dry... Moving on, the KEY to a good Sandwich is the BREAD! Smiley's Sandwich Rolls don't seem too fresh (find someone local and get Fresh French Rolls please!) Combine Dry odd tasting Chicken with a dry roll -- uh oh things are not looking good. I did enjoy my Coleslaw and Fries ... I will pass on the bread-pudding next time. My buddy I went with was gripping about his Mac n Cheese saying it was flavorless. I love the concept of the place. It is is a great location and has beers and TVS! I only eat white-meat (chicken / fish) , but I will return to this place and give them a few more chances... More than likely, once this place gets my food right, I will raise my review Stars. This place needs some good smoked or BBQ chicken because what they are serving now is not up to par. Also need to take a trip to the South and learn how to make quality mac n cheese.
(2)Kelly H.
I'm a big, big fan of this place. It's really just what this area needs. It's a great place to hang out, lots of sitting space (it can be packed without the sound being overpowering) and there's free pool and darts! The beer selection is great and local, LOVE the trip tip which is moist and delicious. Also love the mac and cheese, fries and huge selection of special dipping sauces. I crave it often. My friends and I frequent this place happily. Not fine dining by any means but incredibly tasty, fun place to share with friends. A+
(5)Angela D.
I am going to keep this short and sweet as there is not much to say. 1) The food was served somewhere between cold and luke warm. 2) The pork and tri tip were moist, the brisket and chicken were very dry and not a notable smoke flavor on any of it. 3)The mac and cheese isn't cheesy. It is bland with a funny seasoning. 4) the service is very slow and they were out of corn bread and C02 so the soft drinks weren't available. We were in at 1:00 on a Friday. Not busy at all so I am not sure why they would be out of corn bread and the meat was not being held at a temperature that is safe for food service. It should be hot or cold. I prefer bbq hot. The sauces are all very strong and would have been the only flavor you could taste if I had liked any of them. My children would not eat the food and my kids are really good eaters. All in all we feel like we wasted $35 dollars and we are still hungery. This is not a reflection on portions...but on how edible the food is.
(1)Hilary H.
They have a trivia night every Monday at 7:30pm and it is super fun. The food is great and they have wonderful beers on tap. Smiley Guys has become a super fun gathering place for Nevada County with great food. It's a great place to hang out.
(5)Cheyenne B.
Tried this place for the first time tonight, it was a waste of $35. I had the brisket, which was dry and had no smoke flavor. The sauces they have available are absolutely horrible, way to much vinegar flavor in every one of them, it completely overpowers any taste the sauce might actually have. The fries were extremely salty and the slaw was blan. Oh and lastly they gave my 2 year old a coloring book and a cup full of crayons while we waited, thank goodness he dumped out the crayons on the table right away because we found two broken shards of glass mixed in with the crayons! Why they have the tipping option before you even see how the service is I have no idea but thank goodness we didn't tip any because the "servers" don't do anything, we got our own drinks, food, sauce, and utensils and also had to clean up our table before leaving. Definitely not going to be wasting money on this place again!
(1)Nicholas R.
SOO GOOD!!!! I like the pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw on it & one of their many delicious home made BBQ sauces!!!
(5)N And P.
I love the beef brisket!! Only down side is you come out of there smelling like smoked meat, but totally worth it!
(5)Jake W.
Chicken was good..briskit was shredded beef with no flavor..fries were excellent..Mac and cheese was just noodles with bread crumbs..I traded them for potato salad..potato salad tasted like horse raddish and potatos..save your $25..and go elsewhere
(1)Ken M.
If you want a roadhouse environment that is funky, with killer bbq. The sweet potato chips are to die for. They have an awesome number of handles for the beer lover. If you want to go Man VS. Food style try the Triton. Guaranteed that you will leave on a stretcher....
(4)Brandeen M.
I have no complaints here. Everything I've had has been good. Meats are good, sides are good, sauces are good and a nice variety of each. Food holds up well when getting it to go.
(4)Rain W.
So we saw this place online and liked the option for the sandwiches, salads and combo plates. I chose the brisket salad which was sizable. The meat was cooked well and I was glad that this place doesn't pour sauce on all its meat. Gluten free options and I loved the blood orange, tangerine, apple cider. It was strangely empty because it was before dinner but still nice service. Strange was how high the bathroom stall doors were in the bathroom. Otherwise a decent place to eat.
(3)Kristian C.
Traveling through, Yelped good BBQ in Grass Valley, found Smiley Guys! Cool place, Darts, Pool table, and big screen TV's. I ordered 1/2 rack ribs with the mac and cheez. 6 big ribs and large helping of mac & cheese were served up. Ladyfriend ordered pulled pork and slaw. Nice tender meat and several choices of sauce. Good food, Hot and Juicy! I would come back with friends for beer and darts next time. A great hang out place.
(3)Kate G.
My family and I went to Smiley Guys on a Friday at 5pm and they were out of nearly half of the menu items. The restaurant was fairly smokey (possibly due to poor ventilation from smoking their meats). The acoustics were bad and there weren't even that many people in the dining room. The ambience also needs a lot of work. We ordered chicken, fries, mac and cheese, baked beans, jalapeño poppers, and coleslaw. The chicken was dry and the bread that came on the side was Sarah Lee at best. The baked beans weren't bad, but they tasted more like chili. The mac and cheese wasn't very cheesy and the pasta was overcooked. I wanted to like this restaurant, but I left feeling disappointed.
(1)Sierra S.
This is an informal barbecue and beer joint. You stand in line to order, they bring your food to your table, then they ask you to bus your dishes. They have a pool table and dart boards. A lot of their business is takeout. Now that I have lowered your expectations, let me say that they offer an excellent pulled pork sandwich, a variety of microbrewed beers, and very friendly service. One warning about their selection of barbecue sauces: some of them will wreck your food. They have about half a dozen choices, to squeeze onto your meat. Taste before dousing your sandwich. Last time I just ate the sandwich plain, without adding anything, and it was excellent. The cole slaw was bland, but this is basically just a meat sandwich & beer kind of place, and for that, it is very good.
(5)Amy L.
Awesome Sampler platter!!! I was with 2 dudes and we still had left overs!! Great prices!! Awesome Beers on tap! Friendly Service! they didn't smother the meats in sauce to cover anything up! they have an amazing selection of Home Made Sauces that i could drink!!! Peach BBQ Sauce was so good! the bread was soft! (i have Braces haaha everything was tender and i had no problem eating the bbq) Rad Job Smiley Guys!! Keep up the good work!! See you soon!
(5)Cassy M.
Delicious food. I went here with my lovely fiance and my best friend for lunch. for starters there was next to no one in the restaurant so it was a nice quiet environment. Im sure its more rowdy in the evenings. The service was great. They have so much meat and delicious side dishes to choose from. I ended up getting a large salad with tempera. (reminiscing to my vegan days) It was delicious. Not only was there a wide selection of dressings but this was not your typical iceberg lettuce salade with a couple of carrots and tomatoes thrown on for color. This was mixed lettuce with tomatoes avacado carrots kidney beans cucumber cilantro. It was an awesome salad. My fiance got the ribs and he said they were delicious. I tried one of them and it was good. I have never been a big meat eater but this was a restaurant I would definitely try again and I really enjoyed the meat i did taste. In addition to delicious food they had an awesome environment. THere was local art on the walls that just blew me away. There was a pool table, dart boards and a bar. It was a beautiful combination of class and bbq. Would highly recommend.
(4)Mick C.
Great food, great place! I've talked to Jesse a few times, very passionate about what he's doing and a great addition to the local business community. The dart boards area bonus! Stop in and have some great food and fun!
(5)Rick D.
Nice place. Good brews. Games, TVs and a patio. Now for the bad news. I requested that there be no pickles anywhere near my plate. If you are like me and HATE pickels, you'll understand my review. When my meal came, pickles!! (Strike 1). When I asked the guy behind the counter to remove the pickles he grabbed them with his hand, leaving a pool of pickle juice still on my plate. (Strike 2). I had to ask for a new plate. My sandwich(?) consisted of a pile of pork, that was tasty, and two little slices of a baguette. I don't know how I'm going to make a sandwich out of that. (Strike 3). This was my first visit there after hearing many good comments. At this point, I won't return. I don't know why I would.
(2)Myra A.
My boyfriend and I decided to split a full rack of ribs with a salad and fries to go along with a couple bottles of craft beer. Let's just say we were super impressed by the portions (It could have easily fed 3 hungry people), quality, and flavor of each thing --even the salad was amazingly fresh and much bigger than a "side". Their fries are what In-n-Out's fries wish they were... and the ribs-- wow. Perfectly seasoned, tender, meaty... and although not necessary, they also had a great sampling of awesome housemade sauces. In the background: some locals playing pool and good classic rock (i.e. Hendricks) in a man's den atmosphere. Loved it.
(5)Danielle S.
This was a huge bummer. We ordered sandwiches and that consists of shredded meat- which I could make better in a crockpot and two mini breads you would use for artichoke dip. Plus it was stale. I couldn't believe I paid for this
(1)Lori F.
Loved the sampler! Split it with my boyfriend and it was a perfect dinner. Pork was a little dry, but tasty. Trying all the sauces was fun. Hard to pick a favorite. Got a small side of sweet potato chips. It was more than enough for both of us and if I lived closer, would be very addicting... Draft root beer was yummy...
(4)Tony L.
I absolutely love Smiley Guys smokehouse. It has become a tradition for my Dad and I to eat here on Saturdays after work. They have a ton of beers to choose from and most of them they even have on tap. I have had the pulled pork sandwich every time I have gone and it is always soooo tender! You even get to fill small containers with the bbq of your choice. I love this because I can experiment with different mixtures of their sauces. TV's, Darts, Outdoor seating. Also, they have quite a few local artist displaying paintings and photos to decorate the walls. A great local eatery! Check them out.
(5)Alison A.
Fabulous, I was happily surprised by this place - especially that they source local organic and small-farm raised meat & produce. Nice large microbrew selection too. A little on the pricey side esp for lunch.
(4)John A.
I just tried this new place and met the owners the other day. I decided to review because I see a very suspicious review by Ashton. He joined, gave one BBQ joint a glowing review and Smileys a poor review all on the same day. Seems like a case of sabatoge to me! Unfortunate to see useful sights abused. Smileys is a brand new restaurant in Grass Valley. They seem like really good guys and have made an attractive and comfortable place that will continue to evolve as they settle in. I enjoyed my pulled pork sandwich very much and look forward to trying more items from the menu. The restaurant business is a tough one which I use to be in for years (not as an owner). These guys deserve a fair shot at it and the support of the community. Best Wishes to Smiley Guys! Go check them out!
(5)Monique B.
There is no reason not to go check out this place. Don't be swayed by the one-starers, go see for your self, we did and we were not disappointed. YES there is BUTTER for the cornbread! As a new business he is still working out how it is all going to work out. We found out that his meat comes from the Longhorn Meat Co. in Auburn, which markets itself as CA free-range meats. I loved the chicken and I love that you can try different sauces. He has great beer on tap, and the whole place is nice an clean. He will soon be doing ribs and that I am looking forward too.
(4)Zoey J.
My friend talked me in to trying it last Friday and it was such a disappointment! The guys who work there are definitely friendly, and I wish their personalities could over come the cold, flavorless food. The tri-tip sandwich was cold, the meat had no smoke flavor of any kind, and the sauces offered didn't enhance the meat at all. Serving cold meat on a cold, thick, generic sourdough bun didn't make the meal enticing. The coleslaw was without any flavor at all - couldn't even taste any vinegar. Honestly, if the food doesn't vastly improve, I don't think these guys (nice as they are), are going to make it. I paid $12.50 for a lunch I couldn't even finish because it was so bad. I hope they can turn it around, but I won't be be back. ** I should mention, be careful of posting a negative review of this place. Shortly after I did, I received a very nasty message via Yelp from someone claiming NOT to be affiliated with the restaurant, but ripping me to shreds. Class act...NOT **
(1)Felicia Y.
So delicious! In laws were visiting and needed a quick dinner to go....Smiley Guys to the rescue!!! Got the family picnic with tractor pulled pork and uncle jesse's chicken. Both meats were deliciously moist and flavorful with just the perfect smoke. Love their selection of barbecue sauces, great for dipping all their tasty meats but it is really so good that its not necessary to drown it in sauce. Their homemade baked beans are incredible with unique spices and love their fresh cut french fries. Sweet potato chips and coleslaw were both good too. Love that they used mostly local, free ranged meats. Thought it was very reasonably priced and was way happy with our take out order. Actually so impressed that my hubby and I had to go back the next night to get one of their many local tap beers and try their ribs. Their ribs are fantastic! No bbq sauce necessary. The meat was tender and oh so flavorful! Falls off the bone but doesn't disintegrate, the way I like it. We loved sitting at the bar and watching the Giants play. Nice casual atmosphere, looked great for big gatherings or families. They have darts and a pool table too. We'll be back with friends. Keep up the good work Smiley Guys:)
(5)Barry F.
I love this place. great atmosphere and great organic foods.
(5)Ryan T.
Food is great. Been there 4 times in a 3 week period. They've had some troubles running out of food, but what new business wouldn't. They need some decor up to cut the echo sound, but it is a BBQ place, not a fine dining restaurant. Cornbread is moist and delicious. Good selection of sauces also. Been there about once a week since they opened. Still tastes great and consistent. Great people that work there.
(5)Steve K.
Likely the best bbq in town even if its the only one in town. Try one of the many beers on tap to wash down some of the hottest wings I have had. If you are a monster eater try the Titton challenge. Best bet would be the tri tip or brisket.
(4)Teresa T.
Went in 2nd night of opening. For just barely starting their business I was happily satisfied. They didn't have their full menu available yet and was very honest about items that weren't quite up to par so suggested we didn't order those. That right there shows me attention to quality! What we did order was really tasty and does the smokehouse BBQ title justice. My chicken was very tasty and very moist. Coleslaw was very good and not too much vinegar like a lot out there. Baked beans has great smokey flavor and a little kick of spice but not too much. Looking forward to corn bread went they perfect it enough to offer. Great selection of draft beers. Large dining area with a relaxed casual family style atmosphere. A section is set aside with dart boards with which I am definitely going to try out next visit. Staff is very friendly and matches the name "Smiley Guys" perfectly! Can't wait to go back when any kinks are worked out and decor us all up and finished. Updating my review above! (1/22/12) They get a full five stars now from my original 4. They have perfected their items and they are de-lish! Last night went to the first Saturday Rib Night. Sooo good. No need to drown the ribs in a bunch of sauce. The flavor right out of the smoker is perfect. Meat came right off the bone. Played some darts had a wonderful beer on draft. Great family atmosphere! The cornbread is one of my favorite items and has to be tried. Moist and flavorful enough not to need butter but they do give butter on the side if you need it.
(5)andrew t.
Love their Tri-tip, and they have Lagunitas on tap.
(5)Lisa G.
3.5 stars. We liked the beans, pork, peach BBQ sauce and the fries. The prices seem reasonable and the place shows pride in ownership. It is clean and colorful inside. The front of the restaurant needs a garden and some outside tables. Less plastic would be good ( water cups, BBQ sauce containers). Lots of waste. Bring your own maybe? The owner was friendly and the beer list was comprehensive and interesting. We will return.
(4)Jenna J.
Finally went for the first time after hearing good things and was glad I did. I am really happy to have this spot in my neighborhood. I had the pulled pork and it was juicy and delicious. My husband has the brisket which was also juicy and delicious. Plenty of great beers on tap- we had a Ballast Point Sculpin IPA and I also saw Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Racer 5, and Eel River. They have about 10 different styles of BBQ sauce that they make themselves. The side salad was huge, fresh, and organic with baby greens, seeds and cherry tomatoes. They bake their own bread and their meats are mostly local, organic, and free range. The place is big, with bar seating as well as tables inside and out. They have big screen TVs, pool, and darts. Service was a little slow but very responsive and friendly. It looked like they didn't have quite enough staff to handle everyone inside and the to- go orders when we went for lunch on a Thursday afternoon. I will definitely be back-gotta try the sandwiches, fries, corn bread, etc. They also have tempeh that claims to be so good that it will convert meat eaters. Based on the quality of the rest of the food I would expect that to be delicious too.
(4)Josh R.
Great Food and excellent list of brews! Comfortable atmosphere for the family or hanging out with buddies.
(4)C B.
We had pulled pork, brisket, cole slaw, fries, beans, bread and corn bread. Everything tasted great!
(4)Lars O.
Beside the actual location, these guys have it down. Largest beer selection in the county, quality meats and vegis, super great service, and finally a real hot sauce (raging monkey). A great hang out with darts and pool too!
(5)Joeseph S.
I change my review from poor to good. They still buy local and natural meats... Thank you Smiley Guys for keeping it real!!
(4)Kim F.
As for local places, this one is the best. Used to travel nationwide for work, and have been fantasizing about getting a great BBQ restaurant in town and these guys finally delivered. It is still young, and they are improving all the time. Our service has always been just fine, but we also recognize this is not a full service restaurant. You will not have someone waiting on you hand and foot - This is not like Lucille's Smokehouse in Roseville which we did not care for. As for sauces, they don't serve K.C. Masterpiece or Bullseye, so if that's what you're looking for, you're not going to find it here. They have a fantastic selection of sauces that are quite varied, from sweet to blazing spicy and if memory serves me, they make them from scratch. As for beans, there are no Golden Retrievers advertising their homemade beans. We love them. They're made from scratch also. They're different and not sweet like pork and beans... The cornbread rocks, the beer selection is the best in town, the salad is some of the best in town for a meat joint - there's no iceberg lettuce being served here! You're getting mixed greens. They offer regular french fries or sweet potato fries, macaroni salad that is not mayo based and some other side dishes. The coleslaw definitely has it's own spin. We have always had the mixed platter with a variety of meats. I am not a fan of the brat personally, but the other sausage that my husband usually orders is fine. The rest of the meats have always been great. We haven't had the ribs and I suspect we won't because we feel like my husband makes the best ribs around. This is a nice place where you can take kids or go hang out with your friends and have some great beer. I have recommended it to a ton of people who have all enjoyed it, in fact we often order from here for working lunches now. We have even brought our visiting friends from Europe here and they were very happy. Sidenote: I don't rate restaurants on their exterior appearance, I rate them on what they're serving, having said that the atmosphere is clean and basic.
(5)Roger S.
In town visiting. Was dying for some BBQ. I almost passed this place up from the outside appearance. Inside is actually more inviting than the exterior, but basic. I got BBQ pork platter with coleslaw and beans. The meat was awesome! Five great sauces to choose from. Beans had good flavor and spice but they were too firm and the consistency was too watery. Coleslaw was average, not creamy like other BBQ places I've been to. Service prompt and friendly. I did hear one person complain that their sampler platter of meat was too cold. The guy at the counter kind of shrugged his shoulders ans that was pretty much the end of if. So in summary, the meat was good, but I didn't finish my side dishes. I'd give it a 2.5 if I could.
(2)Big E.
Had the tri tip platter. It was really good and i like the self serve bbq sauce set up. Really good variety of quality sauces and meats at a reasonable price. Pulled pork next!
(4)Gunnar R.
Reading the reviews it looks like people either love this place or hate it. I love it. I've had a few items I'm not a fan of. That being said I there is a lot to love for me. The chicken salad is fantastic. Lots of chicken that is very flavorful with a very nice salad. The tri-tip and the sweet potato chips are amazing. I haven't tired the ribs, but my kids have and they love them. The outside of the building is nothing to look at, but the inside has it's charm and the owners seem like great guys.
(4)Wilson M.
I have been waiting for a good bbq and smokehouse in the area. Smiling guys uses high quality meats, makes their own sauces, and just generally cares about quality. Their pulled pork is great, as is the brisket. Also have some great beers!
(5)Ipabum m.
Best BBQ in town and an awesome beer selection! Have to try the pulled pork or brisket. Watch out for the Raging Monkey sauce!
(5)Taylor T.
My girlfriend and I were quite disappointed with this place, which was a shame because we were really looking forward to it. The prices were high considering the quality of the food. The sauces were thin and watery, and did not have much flavor. What kind of a place serves cornbread with no butter? My meat had very little flavor and I didn't even finish it, which says a lot since I am a major meat lover; were we supposed to rely on the sauces to flavor the meat? My girlfriend's pork was decent, but it had a bizarre hard thing in it (we're guessing it was a bone), and they did not allow us to sub our sides; you have no choice but to have your meat with cole slaw, which is a major bummer since we both hate cole slaw. There were a couple of nice things about this restaurant-- it had a nice casual dining area-- but overall I couldn't recommend it to anyone. Here's hoping they try to work some of these kinks out.
(2)Kim M.
My kids love going to Smiley Guys for the food, darts, and pool. The food is awesome with great beers on tap. It's a nice easy place to take your family and enjoy a meal. All of the staff is very friendly and upbeat. I love the sauces which are warmed know along with the yummy sides. My boys love the beans, pulled pork, and cornbread. All of their meat comes from Longhorn in Auburn. This is a great addition to the community!
(5)Jen S.
I've been back numerous times. Eat in, take out, it's all good! Their salads have crisp, fresh romaine, chopped veggies and their balsamic dressing is excellent (a tad too thick for my taste, but I still love it.) Bringing home a pound of prepared, delicious meat is so helpful to us working moms. Their chicken is moist and flavorful and the pulled pork is amazing. Friendly environment, family place, and each time I go in, there are more and more customers so I know they will make it (thank god!) and the prices are spot on. Thanks Smiley Guys for bringing some great BBQ to our town. Jen Nevada City
(5)Heidi K.
My husband and I love Smiley Guys! It's yummy, affordable BBQ food. Very friendly people and a good atmosphere. I'd highly recommend it!
(5)Nelson M.
Really great place. Serious brisket, lots of flavor, nice bark, and just enough fat to make it tasty without being unpleasant. The meat stands on its own but they also have a nice complement of sauces; classic Texas, a hot sauce, Carolina vinegar, a sweeter sauce, etc. Everything's made fresh and to order, the coleslaw in particular was deliciously crunchy and not overly sweet. Round the place out with a relaxed place to play pool, throw darts, or enjoy 15+ different beers on tap and I'm looking forward to being back soon!
(5)L H.
Tri-tip was flavorless and rubbery. Pulled pork, flavorless and dry along with the corn bread that seemed as if it had been baked the day before it was hard and cold. We try other sides and appetizers and they were nothing to be proud of either, over coooked and flavorless. They have an AMAZING selectin of draft beer which is a shame since their food needs a lot of improving.
(1)Shell C.
Soo impressed with this place! Finally a real southern BBQ joint in the area. The owners are very friendly. I tried all the BBQ sauces and they were all so good. My favorite was the sweeter one (well because I have a sweet tooth). The homemade beans are divine. I wish I could get the recipe. I have only tried the pulled pork sandwich because I can't get anough of it. It is hard to find a really good pulled pork and these guys have pulled it off. Worth every penny. The bread they use for the sandwich is also very fresh and yummy! I don't understand why there have been some negative reviews for this place because it is real good. I have told all my friends/neighbors/ coworkers/ customers about this place because I would be heart broken if this place didn't make it. We need more good food places like this in Grass Valley. They even have a pool table!
(5)Paul M.
Great place with a wide selection of BBQ sauces and meats. Pool and darts too. Friendly helpful staff. No corporate B.S. franchise this place is downhome.
(4)Jane S.
Ok, I'm a vegetarian, so maybe its not fair for me to review a BBQ joint, but I grew up in the South, going to BBQ joints and eating the sides (baked potatoes, beans, mac 'n cheese). I've been here twice and tried salad, corn on the cob, french fries, and mac 'n cheese. Salad is OK, but one time the lettuce was too wet and was kinda soggy. The second time it was fine, but just fine. No fresh tomatoes, even though they're in season (tired cherry tomatoes instead). Mostly crisp lettuce with a couple of wilted pieces. Red peppers, carrots, sunflower seeds, cukes, and pickles (the pickles seemed weird). Corn on the cob was fine. Fries were fresh and home made. Mac 'n cheese, which I've tried twice, was not good. Some strange seasoning, and dry and not cheesy. A BBQ joint should have good mac 'n cheese. The beer selection is great and the staff is friendly. Lots of room and darts. I'd come here again with a group of friends for mostly beer and maybe some fries. I'd eat elsewhere unless I give up vegetarianism, which is unlikely.
(3)B F.
Had the brisket special today. It was really good! Keep it on the menu!
(5)