Smokey’s Bar-B-Que
801 Milwaukee Ave S, South Cle Elum, WA, 98943
Smokey’s Bar-B-Que Menu
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Address :
801 Milwaukee Ave S
South Cle Elum, WA, 98943 - Phone (509) 674-2006
- Website https://www.smokeysbarbque.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :Closed
- Mon : Closed
Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : 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 : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Hannah T.
This place was amazing. The food was incredible and the view was stunning! Fun to eat delicious poboys and baked beans and coleslaw and then take a walk around the old railway trail out back. Off the beaten track but super delicious and wonderful friendly staff! Yum
(5)Jennifer M.
Very good BBQ! First time in. I had dinner and the chicken was so moist, the sauces were fantastic especially the sweet one. Be sure to try the corn bread because it was the perfect harmony of sweet, moist and fluffy. Im already dreaming of my next visit. This BBQ restaurant is top notch. Inside an old train depot tucked away in a neighborhood of a windy road. Like the signs says let your nose direct you to their place.Our patience paid off. We felt right at home. The service was great! I plan to tell everyone we know to go check it out including you! We will be back! Love Smokeys BBQ.
(5)Mc M.
Ribs were finger lick'in good! Seafood gumbo was so flavorful we got seconds. We got the potato salad and cornbread as sides and those were delicious as well. Look for the red fire truck since there is no signs on the building itself.
(4)Paul S.
The real deal. Surprised to find this in Cle elum. Had pulled pork, brisket, chicken - beans, corn bread, slaw., Roslyn beer. I'm a BBQ junky - this is good stuff - as good as you find in Texas and Kansas. The building is neat too. I'll be back.
(5)Tracey H.
I love barbecue and this place reminds me why! Just like when I was a kid. The potato salad taste like my grandmas. Love the ambience of the old train depot. New favorite place in Cle Elum!
(5)Jay O.
Smokey's is situated in an old train station which gives the place a very cool feel. I had the two meat combo with greens and beans. Very tasty. While you wait for your food you can browse the station museum just off the main dining room. When we were there the owner talked to us, and you can tell he really cares about his food. It's evident in the taste too. There's love, pride, and attention to detail in what he serves. I'll go back for sure.
(5)Susan C.
Recently opened. Excellent. I wasn't expecting it to be so good. It is a little difficult to find but really worth the search. Great venue. Outdoor seating. Even the collard greens were good, which were given to us as a sample because we said we didn't like them! Brisket was great. No fat. Corn bread great. We are heading back tomorrow to pick up a rack of ribs as a gift for a friend.
(5)Bryan Y.
Great tasting BBQ. Would make journey for it all over again.
(4)Amber R.
Just stopped by on our way through... We are from Bothell, WA. WELL WORTH THE DRIVE!! I will definitely be driving back for more of this fantastic bbq. Perfect smokiness, tender, sauces to die for. Potato salad could use more seasoning, but who goes for the potato salad? Am I right? Absolutely fabulous meat.
(5)Steve K.
My brother and I dined here recently. I have eaten barbecue all over the west. This is easily the best ribs I have found. We shared an order of baby backs and a half order of St Louis style ribs. WOW!! We took home as much as we ate. The meat was thick, the home made rub and sauces excellent and the owner a delight to meet and visit with. The sides of home made baked beans and corn bread were huge. Will be back often. Its only a five hour drive!
(5)Katie H.
This is the best barbecue we have had. EVER. Chicken fell off the bone and melted in our mouths. Pulled pork was so tender and moist. Crispy, crunchy cole slaw was excellent, with not too much dressing. The BBQ beans were amazing, not too sweet, not too smoky. The only weakness we found was the potato salad, which was a little dry and a little bland. There are weekend seafood specials that looked good but we really wanted barbecue so we didn't try them. Plenty of kids menu choices available.
(5)Mary M.
We had Smokey's cater a birthday party for 35 at a private home in Suncadia recently. The food was wonderful and James was great to work with prior to the event. Best BBQ baked beans I've ever had, tender delicious smoked chicken, pulled pork sliders and potato salad. Everything was wonderful. I highly recommend for catered events.
(4)Nicole T.
Absolutely delicious BBQ. The smoked ribs and brisket were amazing! Worth the trip. Best BBQ I've ever had.
(5)Kevin C.
Great Food, Great Service, Baked Beans were amazing. Will be back
(5)Nhat P.
Happened to drive by this area craving for BBQ. Found this BBQ place from yelp and decided to give it a try. It can be hard to locate as it's hidden from the main street. Once you find it, it's worth it. Food was great, service was very friendly, and I love the classy decoration inside as well. Over all 5 stars. We ordered half rack pork and pull pork. The rib was well smoked and full or flavor.
(5)Gilmore G.
Pretty much the number once choice in town to eat at. I gave reviews on Stella's and Gunnars coffee cabin and would avoid those two places if you aren't comfortable having a worker put your sandwich and salad together with bare hands that have touched pretty much everything. I informed the health department on both those places. But Smokeys is run differently. Its clean, kitchen workers have gloves and hair nets on and don't handle the food with their hands anyways, they use serving utensils etc. They have the best entrees, deserts, salads and ice tea in town! You won't be disappointed. We love every single thing on the menu! Really fun to sit outside too, the views are amazing from the porch. Love this place.
(5)Char C.
We had family visiting from back east so we decided to go out for a last meal before they left. We were all very disappointed. The smoke could hardly tasted and the BBQ sauce had no flavor. There price were rather high as well. For 3 BBQ meal, one beer and 2 sodas it was over $65.00. Won't be going here again.
(1)Abbey K.
overpriced for what you get. food was good, but served lukewarm instead of hot. i think this place could do better if they just lower the prices.
(3)Are J.
Perfect Brisket! Awesome Ribs! Real Smoked to PERFECTION BBQ. Along with great sides, including the best darn BBQ beans, Collard Greens, Crispy Cole Slaw, and more. Located in the restored South Cle Elum Milwaukee railroad depot, this is a fun trip, with an awesome meal in store. I am so pleased that these people have gotten this going, James and Brian are there to serve you a meal to remember. And, they want to bring you back with the authentic, soul warming wonder foods they serve. You order off the large blackboard, with a rather large selection,they have all kinds of BBQ, plus Po-Boy sandwiches, etc. Then take your seat, and they bring it all to you. They have a tip jar at the counter. Nice comfortable chairs, and nice tables. They also have a lunch counter, with old time fixed stools if you like the counter thing. There is some outside seating available as well. Parking is good. The people are friendly. I thought the prices were very reasonable for what they serve. My wife keeps commenting on the brisket chunks in the beans, yes, those beans were special, oh, and the corn bread, just plain good. I can not wait to get back and visit them again. Give them a try, you will be glad you did. Check out their page on facebook for hours, specials, and pictures. facebook.com/smokeybarbq… The depot is located at the Washington State Parks South Cle Elum Milwaukee Road National Historic District, with a walking tour of the rail yard right there. The Washington State Parks Iron House park/trail runs right in front of the depot. Have lunch and go for a walk on the trail. Do take out and eat out on the trail.....
(5)Bailey C.
This place is delicious. Moving from the South, I am always on the lookout for great smoked meat barbecue. The old train depot location is awesome, too. We ate fall off the bone ribs, not too sweet homemade cornbread, real cheese mac'n'cheese and freshly brewed sweet tea. My family also ordered a chicken sandwich topped with coleslaw and a lunch sized trainwreck. The trainwreck isnt pretty, but it is a delicious stack of everything you want to try: cornbread, meat with sauce, slaw, onions and cheese. We didn't get a chance to try the desserts, beer on tap or catfish, but we will definitely return to get a chance.
(5)Capitalist B.
Great BBQ in Cle Elum at a unique location. Food would hold it's own next to good BBQ in the South. Excellent for Northwest BBQ.
(4)Jeff G.
I have eaten here two or three times over the past two years. The setting is pretty cool. The food is just OK. I feel it is slightly overpriced for what you get. Its not the 1st place I think of for Good BBQ.
(2)Heather H.
One of the best Bar-b-Que places I have ever been too. Great beans my favorite- you can tell its homemade and made from scratch! Delicious!! Cornbread, ribs, it was all delicious!! Neat ambiance.
(5)Tara S.
I love the atmosphere on the patio, sitting on a restored train depot and looking at the trees while you eat is amazing. The food is delicious, the staff is friendly, and the desserts are worth making the extra room for. We ordered the chicken BBQ sandwich, the brisket BBQ sandwich, coleslaw, chili, cornbread, and mac 'n cheese; the chicken was a little bit dry (I suspect because it was the end of the day), but the sauce more than made up for it. We ended up taking bread pudding to go because we were stuffed, but it was fantastic when we ate it later. :) I wasn't sure what to expect due to the different experiences other Yelpers had before with this place, but... FWIW our food arrived quickly, was hot when it got there, and our drinks got refilled multiple times. Nothing was burned, and the portions were big enough that we were both very full before completely finishing everything. Not sure if previous experiences were due to slow days or lazy servers? Our experience was excellent.
(4)Gina L.
A very cool spot with an old fashioned vibe, but the food was not anything special. The pork meat was fatty and my pulled pork was lukewarm. Service was good overall except they didn't refill drinks. The staff is what made this place nice, as well as the cool railway museum vibe. I enjoyed looking at the history of the place while waiting for the food.
(3)Trudy M.
I'm still enjoying my meal in this restaurant as I am writing this review. I did NOT wanna pass up the chance to speak my mind. I ordered the 2 meat combo. I asked for recommendations on the meat. The 2 friendly ladies at the counter were happy to suggest the pork ribs and pulled pork. Holy PIG!!! It was yummy! The service is wonderful and the location is beautiful. There is Horse parking under the trees if you are on a ride on the trails. The plate is plentiful for me, I will share the wealth with my husband. We are vacationing from San Jose, Ca. Our first time here, amazing and beautiful town! We will be returning with the kids.
(5)Alex M.
I'll start with the positives: sitting on the back patio of the converted train depot provided a picturesque view of the mountains and Iron Horse rails-to-trails scenic pathway. Though an ideal setting, I don't understand why Smokey's receives rave reviews. Claiming to serve "award-winning" BBQ, I gladly allowed Smokey's to swipe my card to the tune of $13 for a pulled pork sandwich and a side of cornbread. Then the waiting began. Fortunately, if you sit at one of the back picnic tables, splinters will provide an all-consuming diversion from wondering if the staff sent someone to harvest corn for the cornbread. Seriously, bring tweezers! Perhaps this represents a picnic table user error, so I'll move on to the food. The pulled pork sandwich arrived after 45 minutes, loaded with a scarce amount of overly fatty and greasy meat, engulfed in mediocre coleslaw, and flanked by two sides of an uninspiring store-bought bun. While I think they made delicious BBQ sauce, I only tasted it on a few bites. When I opened up the sandwich, minimal sauce covered the trace amounts of meat. Perhaps they do make "award-winning" pork, but I'm in no place to judge based on my tiny $13 sample. Then the "cornbread." Oh the cornbread. Crisply burned on the outside with a fluffy cake-like substance on the inside (a texture I don't typically associate with cornbread). Tasted like a whole lot of nothing drenched in butter. It presented a worse experience for my palette than the sandwich. Now for the rating. Based solely on the food, I would give the place two stars, though admittedly I did enjoy the sweat tea. When you factor in service, Smokey's barely receives a single star - but I guess I'll round up. For a place without wait staff (you order at the counter), having the service factor into the rating so heavily represents an impressive feat. No one ordered before us and it took a self-proclaimed BBQ place 45 minutes to deliver a BBQ sandwich... To sum up the experience: splinters, store-bought buns, excessive wait time, nonexistent pork, unfortunately existent "cornbread," all wrapped up with a picturesque view. Skip Smokey's. Pack a lunch to enjoy during a break from running/biking on the trail. Enjoy!
(1)Carolyn H.
My boyfriend and I stopped here on the way to The Gorge. We ordered the three meat sampler (hot links, brisket, and pulled pork) with baked beans and corn bread. Everything was insanely delicious. I enjoy barbecue, but it's not something that I crave often. However, five minutes after leaving I was in immediate withdrawal and we had to go back for just a little bit more. Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection. I cannot wait to go back!
(5)Dave N.
Excellent food. Incredible view. Best stop off for lunch in a while. Next to a nice park, but a bit off the beaten path at the South side of town.
(5)Tobi B.
Really good bbq, excellent bratworsr. Would have liked to try the hot links but they were out. Gave me some wonderful hot sauce instead. Outside seating by the bike path but we couldn't take our beer out there which is mind blowing, hence the 4 stars. I don't care if it is a law, figure out a way to get the outdoor license. Are there blue laws in washingron? God I hope not, bit that might explain it. Anyway, go and enjoy! And don't forget to have the cowboy slaw, it was the best!!!!!
(4)Kristi H.
This restaurant is in a neat old train station in the middle of nowhere. We drove there in the dark and we felt like we were in the outer reaches of suburban Cle Elum when BAM, there it was. The interior has casual and fun decorations but it was quite chilly inside. After considering the menu, we went to order at the counter and for everything we ordered the lady had to call back into the kitchen to see if they had what we ordered. This seemed odd as it was a Friday night and even in Cle Elum you gotta figure Friday night might be one of their busier nights! Why would you need to check that everything (and we were ordering pretty standard BBQ) was available? I have a theory that cold restaurants (not cool like AC in the summer, but actually chilly, need your coat on cold) result in cold food as its been my experience in multiple locations. I made a bet with my husband that our food would be room temp or colder when it came. As I smelled no smoke and heard no sizzling or other sounds of cooking I figured that most things were going to be reheated (which I don't necessarily have a problem with... BBQ reheats very well). Unfortunately, I was quite right. I had the combo plate with brisket and ribs. Both were at room temp with the brisket having a colder interior. My husband had pulled pork and hot link. His link was pretty hot but pulled pork was tepid. The seasonings were really good actually, but the temp... what a bummer. My son had fried shrimp and that was freshly cooked and hot. The cornbread was bad... had a weird aftertaste from the margarine. I know it was margarine because the little cube of margarine served on the side had the same aftertaste. As a general rule I do not send food back unless its dire. I did end up eating the BBQ because it had good flavor. I just longed to heat it up properly and thoroughly.
(2)Naomi D.
Wow Yelp, you really failed me this time. I was expecting some decently good BBQ from the reviews, and honestly I was extremely disappointed. The ribs, brisket, and pulled pork were all dry and tasted like they had been cooked the day prior. The coleslaw was awful- a plain combo of cabbage, mayo, and far too much pepper. The mac and cheese was dry and nothing special. The portions were all very small and not worth the price. The horrible cherry on top was that we were the only people there and the food took about 45 minutes to get to the table...it was barely warm when it arrived to us. The single star rating is for the sweet tea and amber beer along with friendly service- the only positives of our experience.
(1)Cole P.
I was biking with a friend on the Iron Horse trail and stumbled upon this place. Not only was it right on the trail, but they had great food. Here is what I ordered: *Pulled Pork Sandwich* Really good, not greasy like another review. I am not too fond of coleslaw, but it went well in this sandwich. I would order it again *Potato Salad* I prefer a more sour taste with my potato salad, but this was not bad. It had lots of pepper in it, which I liked. *Corn Bread* Very good corn bread! I could tell as soon as it was brought out that it would be good. Many places I have been to before have extremely dry or overcooked corn bread, not here. It was extremely moist!
(5)April S.
Amazing baked beans and cornbread, all of the meats we had were delicious. Quaint little place looking out into the trees. Great atmosphere. Will definitely return on our next trip to Cle Ellum.
(5)Autumn B.
This place lives up to the high rating! I've had a lot of Southern BBQ and this definitely hits the mark. I had the Brisket Sandwich with a side of collard greens. A+ In a cool spot too!
(5)Bridget S.
I had the baby back ribs. I love ribs. I adore ribs. I could LIVE on ribs! And these were good ribs!!!!!! The sauce is a little different - my personal preference is more of a smoky/sweet, and this had quite a bit of Cloves? Cinnamon? not sure but something. Still - good sauce. The meat could have had a teensy bit more crust on it, but I don't want to sound too fussy because this was easily the best BBQ I've had in Washington State - hence the 5 stars The ribs were moist, meaty, tender but not over-done.. Husband had the pulled pork. He's not even a BBQ fan and he said it was good. Between us we had collard greens, potato salad, cole slaw and a corn muffin. All tasted homemade. I prefer a sweeter peppery cole slaw, which this wasn't, but it was still fresh. Loved the corn muffin. Gigantic. Moist. Corn taste. Another picky little bit - having moist towelettes available in a BBQ joint would be nice. Eating ribs is messy business. But there is a restroom with a perfectly good sink readily available, so it's salvageable. This restaurant is housed in the old train depot. Interior is fun, funky, original retro and connects to a small train museum. It's in the Iron Horse State Park, and you can walk a little trail through the old train yard. Great BBQ - it's just as well it isn't closer because I could eat the stuff every day.
(5)David P.
***You Must Try the Corn Bread and Sweet Tea!!!*** I moved here from Southern Georgia two years ago and have yet to find a good barbecue place in the PNW... UNTIL NOW! As all true BBQ enthusiasts know, this majestic soul food is more than nourishment, it is a lifestyle. This joint is tucked in the middle of nowhere and is a true gem. It gives true southern BBQ places a run for their money. Do yourself and your belly a favor and treat yourself to the best! This place is absolutely wonderful! True southern bbq.
(5)Scott H.
People were nice but food was dry & portions were tiny. Paid $30 and literally my wife and I rated this as the 2nd worst meal we've ever eaten out. Really a bummer as we were craving BBQ and are new to the area and really had our fingers crossed.
(1)Julie B.
Our large family stopped by after a weekend wedding in Chelan on our way back to Seattle. Yummy BBQ sauce and food! Super friendly service and we loved the atmosphere of picnic tables. Very clean restaurant and even the bathroom. Great place and wish it were closer.
(5)Todd K.
We arrived at this place on a slow winter day and James the owner was an absolute delight to hang out with. The award-winning barbecue was absolutely fantastic so glad we stopped here. if you're driving through this is definitely the place to eat for lunch! 2 miles off The main drag and so worth it!! The two meat 'train rack' was aptly named and it was so filling we had a roll out of there. So very glad we found this gem. Best bbq I've had in the PNW.
(5)Sandy P.
For a BBQ joint this place needs work. The food was terrible! I ordered a pulled pork sandwich and you would think for ten bucks it would be loaded with meat...not so much! Hardly any meat on it and the bottoms bin was so full of grease which I don't understand since it is pulled pork. The service was even worse...one person in front of house and she was taking orders, filling drinks and delivering orders inside and outside. I will never got out of my way to go here again!
(1)Kevin M.
Incredibly tasty barbeque in a hidden gem location in South Cle Elum historic Milwaukee Road Train station. The roads are clearly marked to get here and access a special meal of deliciousness unrivaled in the area. Clearly the ownership cares a lot about hospitality and getting things right. Their passion for flavor comes through in the clutch. Sauces are wonderful. Pulled pork Sando is on a chewy roll, but comes apart in your mouth with crescendos of flavor. Recommend the following sides: Collard Greens: A+++ Potato Salad: A+++ BBQ Beans A+++ Mac and Cheese: B - needs a bechamel base to achieve creamier consistency. Cole Slaw: A The 1/2 chicken was delectable. They have 3 squirt bottles on the table so you can dress up your bird. The Pork BBQ was super tasty, I could eat a ton of that. Another item we enjoyed was the plentiful catfish Po' Boy. Get you some!! That little sucker came flanked by two extra pieces of catfish on each end of the sando. Great call, i doused them with some Tabasco and shared with my compatriots. Overall, this lunch venue with its great BBQ, clean and pleasant dining room, hospitable owners, and historic location make this a great part of any trip to the area, or a detour off the freeway if you're just passing thru. Bring a cooler, and take some vittles to go!
(5)Justin J.
Amazing BBQ food! The fried pickles, baked beans and ribs are incredible! This place would be a fantastic stop after a bike ride on the John Wayne Trail. The beer garden is right next to the trail. Can't wait to come back!
(5)Adrianne W.
Loved the baby back ribs, some of the best I've had in the Northwest. We also enjoyed the beef brisket. We had excellent service. Sides were satisfactory, but the meat really shined. Tasty BBQ sauces but we wished there was an option with a bit more heat. Beautiful location.
(4)Keelan H.
Love this place! Stop by every time we are coming back from the East. Good authentic BBQ located in a cool old train station. Everything we ate here was delicious!
(5)Carole K.
Have had lunch and dinner here and love it! Love the BBQ sauces. I've had chicken and beef brisquet. They were both good. The chicken was moist. Will be returning.
(5)buck w.
After looking on Yelp and seeing the high rating we decided to head to Smokey's. The place is set in a railroad park and is a beautiful building. the lady behind the counter was very friendly and we talked about smoking meat. So now my expectations are high. I order a pulled pork poor boy with a side of beans around $10. My buddy orders the brisket plate with beans and coleslaw around $20 The "pulled pork" sandwich was boiled unseasoned pork roast on a 5" glorified hotdog bun with a small amount of a very mild tasting bbq sauce lightly drizzled on it and some very nasty coleslaw topping it off. The sandwich was inedible and was thrown away. The BBQ beans were nothing special at all but stomachable and I had to eat something for my $10. My buddies "brisket" seemed as if it was boiled unseasoned pot roast with a tiny amount of sauce drizzled on it. $20 buys you about 3 oz of this so called BBQ. Again his beans were fair and the coleslaw was bad very very bad (like it had turned bad and you would get sick if you ate it). The meat: unseasoned boiled meat with zero smoke ring. This is not BBQ! I'm not sure how they got their very high star rating either most of the reviews are fake or the people of Cle Elum have no taste buds and are just use to eating baby food. *note: All numbers are approximate as I don't carry a scale and tape measure when I go to lunch and don't like being called a liar. EDIT: All the food I ate there was fantastic as I have been told this by the owner in a couple of PMs and in the reply below
(1)Ara I.
We've had exceptional BBQ all over the Ol' USA. Smokey's BBQ is among the best. Thank you for having us!
(5)Jim L.
Great food! I had the hot link plate with BBQ beans and cornbread. The cornbread is the thickest I've seen. Everything was delicious.
(5)Court L.
We found Smokey's through its Yelp reviews and boy were we pleased. We come to the Cle Elum area often and have never been into South Cle Elum. The restaurant itself is in an old train station, and has a quaint feel to it. The people were all amazingly friendly and kept asking if there was anything else we needed, how the meal was, etc. We felt very well cared for. The BBQ was really amazing. I had the baby back ribs and they were cooked to perfection (not too dry and tough) and the sauce was absolutely fantastic. Not too sweet, just a bit of bite. Perfect. Obviously the chef takes great pride in his work, as there was a huge trophy case featuring all of the first place trophies Smokey's has won in BBQ competitions. I now see why. Other in my party had the sausage and reported it was awesome. As others have said, the cornbread is great too, as are the baked beans. We'll definitely be going back soon.
(4)Tyler C.
The food was delicious!! Fast and friendly service! Nice, scenic location! Best barbecue I'd ever had! The cornbread was especially delicious! It was even family friendly! I strongly recommend this restaurant!
(5)John Q.
The owner greeted me with a not funny joke then got my order wrong. The Mac N Cheese was microwaved as well was heating up the meat. Any time there is a microwave to heat or cook food in a restaurant I see laziness and unwillingness to go the extra mile. Only one person working - Not ideal but he did a good job juggling the people. They had many things on the menu that they could not serve. 3 of which I tried to order. Recommendation - serve only fresh things, get rid of microwave and only put things on menu that are available to serve. The BBQ sauce was amazing and that was about it.
(2)Diane R.
We've looked forward to eating here for months. This place is AWESOME!! The sides are beyond words (a bit spicy on the BBQ beans) and the meats were fall off the bone tender. Then you have their BBQ sauce. I took a bottle home. Classy staff and the train museum is a great way to wait for your meal!! We will be back the next time we're in town. Worth the short drive to South Cle Elum!!!
(5)Helan L.
Came late on a Wed evening with the family. While they were out of a lot of menu items, we were able to order a three meat sampler which was good. The woman behind the counter was more than accommodating and even gave our two girls complimentary ice creams. We definitely will be back...just a bit earlier in the day
(4)Donna M.
Decent BBQ in a funky converted train station. Nice waitress. Prepared quickly. Decent price.
(3)John B.
Great place right off the Iron Horse trail definitely worth stopping at for a pulled pork sandwich or a po-boy. Located in the old Cle Elum train station.
(4)Todd L.
Neat location at the old electric rail yard. The food was delicious although I wasn't a huge fan of the sauces. Our server was very friendly and helpful. Fun to sit on the deck on a sunny day or at the old fashioned soda fountain inside. I'd return for a BBQ fix.
(4)Gwen D.
They close at 8pm and we got lost on the way.. Got there 7:59 and they still fed us with a smile. Looking forward to some award winning BBQ. Thanks for being so accommodating to a bunch of out of town'ers...
(5)Jill P.
Right on ! Service from Eva and Kim off the charts exceptional. Food great great BBQ w pork & BBQ rib dinner w corn bread, salad. Potato salad and Mac &. Cheese. IPA Boot Jack on tap they even chilled my glass. Fabulous only suggestion is a softer butter w honey mixed in so hoes on cornbread easier. Loved this place !
(5)Christopher C.
Decent BBQ in Washington. I ordered the two meat platter and was a bit disappointed by the portion size (three ribs). It's better than most of the other BBQ places near Seattle.
(3)Linda H.
What a fun place to stop. The train museum and theme is too cool. Worth getting off the main road!
(4)Brandon S.
Incredible!!! Was skeptical that the great ratings were in comparison to other BBQ in the area: NOT THE CASE! walls are covered w/ BBQ awards from across the region. Had the 2 meat platter w/ ribs, brisket, corn bread, and potato salad. The meat was some of the best I've ever had, and their Sweet-Smokey-Sauce was out of control addicting. Dawn, the waitress, was so sweet and welcoming. DONT PASS THROUGH CLE-ELUM w/out coming to Smokeys. Little over priced, but worth every penny!!
(5)Steve R.
Wow, this is now our favorite restaurant in Cle Elum or Roslyn. Smokey (aka James) and his daughters are super friendly and the location is very cool too (although hard to find in South Cle Elem (south of 90)-- an old train station. Our family ordered a variety of food: Baby Back Ribs, Pulled Pork Sliders, "The Train Wreck", and a Chix Caesar Salad. We also had some sides that included Collared Greens, Cole Slaw, Fries, and Corn Bread. All of it was EXCELLENT. Smokey and his crew compete nationally in BBQ competitions. I am definitely going back when in Cle Elum. Also they have a back room for watching Seahawks games :) Hard to find a restaurant our whole family likes, but this was everyone's favorite.
(5)Chris F.
Cool location off beaten track in town w/very tasty food. obviously they take their bar-b-q seriously. Quick & friendly service. Glad I discovered this place on about my 1000th time driving by town on the highway.
(5)Darlene J.
Really good food smokeys has many awards for its delicious ribs,brisket,and pulled pork Staff is very nice and makes you feel as a regular customer Good deals great desserts One of my favorite eats
(5)Rich N.
Everything was PERFECT.... until I got to the bottom of my collard greens... a little ***dead cockroach*** was floating.... Keeping my cool, called the waitress, I think she was the wife of the owner. Told her about it. She was very surprised, but didn't do anything....not even an apology.
(1)Rebecca S.
Now that I've eaten here, I see no reason to eat anywhere else in Cle Elum. We happened upon Smokey's when bike touring, and promptly ate most of the items on the menu. Everything was delicious. I particularly liked the brisket, collard greens, and baked beans, but more than that, I liked mixing it all together. Throw in some mac & cheese and pulled pork, and you pretty much have the perfect food. They also have excellent sweet tea. The second time we came, we were driving to Winthrop, and realizing we would be in the vicinity, made a detour specifically to come to Smokey's. This is the best BBQ in Washington.
(5)Jay S.
The only reason this place isn't getting 5 star from me is because it was my first visit and I only tried 3 items - but boy, the brisket, corn bread and the collard greens were outstanding! We actually were looking for a DQ but could not locate it on the gps, but luckily we saw their sandwich board on the main street and followed it all the way to an old railway station. Very nostalgic place with an extensive menu featuring good old comfort food-it's all here, ribs, chicken, pulled pork, brisket, po' boy and catfish! (I will definitely try the fish next visit). The cashier was super friendly and answered our questions and was kind enough to come around and ask how we were doing and refilling my sweet ice tea-which was also very well brewed and not too sweet. After the delicious lunch we were thanked for coming in and asked to come back real soon-and you know what, even though it is out of our way, we'll definitely come back!
(4)Benjamin I.
Great place for old town character converting a country town railroad stop into a BBQ joint with a family section and "western style" sports lounge decorated with Jack Daniels Championship BBQ plaques and awards(good sign for BBQ lovers). They serve local taps and wine. Had the brisket and it was decent. Ribs were awesome, with a nice smoke ring and great flavor, no need for BB sauce even though their sauces are worth buying. Only recommendation is to increase rib portion in two meat plate. Other than that, it's worth google mapping this bad boy joint and driving the back streets of South Cleelum for this hole in the wall For authentic BBQ served with pride and quality effort.
(4)Bill S.
Merry Christmas Smokey's BBQ crew... it's not often that I eat at a restaurant twice & begin to feel like a welcome regular. No, their food is not absolute perfection but it's close enough to give them South Cle Elum's only five star food rating. :-) The place is a warm & delightful off the beaten trail find and it sits next to the John Wayne trail. Yup, Smokey's BBQ is near nature & is near perfect... Thanks again to all. #biLL
(5)Anne O.
Service was amazing, baby back ribs were fall off the bone good, brisket was tender and flavorful, collards were delish with little bits of brisket cooked in them, corn bread was dense and not overly sweet, side salad was simple but prefect, cole slaw was crisp and not too creamy, potato salad was, well, potato salad, but good...let's just say we went were there two night's in a row. Enough said. Best place to eat by far in Cle Elum, and it's locted in a historic building. GO!
(4)Allison E.
Amazing meal. We discovered Smokey's after a series of disappointments at Suncadia. The pulled pork sliders were absolute perfection and the collards were the best I've ever tasted. The baked beans are award-winning (no dispute there!) and the cornbread was just the right combo of buttery moist crumbly goodness. Kids get a good deal for $6.95, including a sandwich, side and ice cream. It's also worth noting that the restaurant is inside the old Cle Elum train depot on the south side of town. Beautiful, historic spot.
(5)Tiffany T.
What hospitality! We came here on Memorial Day after a long weekend at the gorge and were delighted to discover that Smokey's was offering free Po' Boy sandwiches for Veterans. My husband ordered his with brisket, which proved to be delicious. My half rack of St. Louis ribs fell off the bone. mmmmm. All the while, the owners, an upbeat couple who seem to genuinely love what they're doing, were attentive and chatty. The husband does the BBQ and his wife bakes their desserts - dream team! We also saw that kids get free ice cream, and every time they make a milkshake, a train whistle blows (the restaurant is in a historic train station). Adorbs.
(5)Eugene K.
Meat was pretty good. Side dishes not so much. Prices too high for the small portions.
(3)Naomi F.
Well damn. That hit the spot. Amaaaazing bbq experience which could only have been improved by hotter sweet sauce and better choice of channel on the tv.
(4)Marla R.
Smokey's has great food in a great setting -- historic railroad depot right next to an interpretative trail on railroad history. But what was an already great visit became even better when the owner randomly pulled out coconuts and had our kids and another family open them up and later took our kids out to the decorative but functional fire engine in the parking lot and let them work the lights and siren. Worth a stop along the way during a trip or a roadtrip worthy destination itself.
(5)Chris K.
My new favorite BBQ joint. Wow. Off the beaten path slightly. Well worth it to find. Best BBQ I've found in the Northwest. Cle Elum finally has a great restaurant.
(5)Julie F.
Awesome meal! Had the meat sampler with brisket, St. Louis ribs and pork, plus 2 sides, cornbread and coleslaw. There were four different BBQ sauces that were all tasty and unique from each other. All the meat tasted fantastic, especially the briquet. Service was friendly and they even had complimentary watermelon cut up to snack on while waiting- big bonus point for me! Will certainly go back.
(5)Kate B.
Some friends and I were on the road headed to Leavenworth for Oktoberfest for the weekend when we decided to try to find someplace to eat. Smokey's came up on our search and our Texan immediately decided we would eat here. Seeing as he's typically pretty picky about the whole BBQ thing I'll recount his opinion for you here: The brisket is fantastic as are their hot links. My brisket happened to be a little on the dry side but his was moist all the way through and he said it was delicious. Their sides left a bit to be desired. There aren't too many choices. Their cornbread was fantastic if you can handle corn bread with corn in it. Their potato salad was mediocre. We tried all of the sauces they had out. I'm not a fan of the pineapple one but their regular and spicy sauces were great. Very flavorful, not too thick or thin, and the spicy was not TOO spicy. Just the perfect amount. We initially used apple maps to try to get here but be advised that from 90 it told us to turn a road that did not exist so I would recommend using google maps to get here from the highway. It's a bit off the beaten path but totally worth the approx. 2 mile trip.
(4)Dennis L.
A nice little surprise to find in Cle Elum. Had the whole rack. Like the fact they don't hide it in BBQ sauce.
(4)Iva T.
We have stopped in Cle Ellum many times but never found a great place to eat dinner. Now we have it. Amazing flavor, great portions and the selection is extensive. On top of that a really fun atmosphere in and around the restaurant which is an old Depot. Love it when good food meets great revitalization of a historic locale, and nature all intersected.
(5)Sarah F.
Was excited to try this placed based on reviews but unfortunately it fell short. The service was slow and the food was bland. I love BBQ pork and was disappointed. Wanted to love it but won't be returning.
(2)Robin C.
Delicious fat free brisket. The potato salad was just like grandma used to make and the corn bread was great. Everyone at the table was rubbing their full bellies! Will definitely be back!!
(5)Keith C.
This is the best BBQ we have ever eaten. We ate the pulled pork sandwich kids meal and my son said " It was so good. I would go here again five stars!" my other son and wife split a train wreck and they said "there was no way to eat it cleanly but it was fun and delicious. Five stars is underrated for this place."
(5)John R.
Another visit last night. I stopped by and found the local utility company was buying the local community dinner as a thank you for enduring construction hassles. Thank you Puget Sound Energy. The dinner was fall off the bone tender and so tasty! And free - a rare treat.
(5)Caroline K.
We were driving to Chelan and decided to make a stop in Cle Elum for dinner. Based on some recommendations on yelp, we followed the yellow signs to Smokey's. We thought we were lost because we were driving in a residential neighborhood, but were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at an old historic train depot station. We walked inside and were warmly greeted. We looked the menu selections and decided on a few things to eat family style. The brisket, ribs, and chicken were great - moist, tender, and accompanied by a pretty good BBQ sauce. We also tried their seafood gumbo, rich in crab stock and pieces of crab leg, which was delicious. We ended up ordering a second bowl! If you go through this town, you must stop by.
(4)Justin B.
Awesome BBQ! A little off the main drag, but totally worth it. Totally great location, too in the old depot.
(5)Joshua L.
We ate here for the second time this past Friday. Once again, I ordered a Train Wreck: brisket and pulled pork, served on top of a generous helping of corn bread, and topped with a generous serving of house-made cole slaw. My travel companions did the same, and we agreed that this was about as good as it gets. They have five different types of BBQ sauce, so we tried each. The service is very friendly. We purchased the Yelp deal this time, and were actually the first customers to redeem one, so it took a while to get it to work with their register. No problems though, and well worth the wait. The ambiance of the old Milwaukee Road depot is very cool for families, and its position along the Iron Horse trail (which follows the old railroad bed) makes it a good place to snack during your hiking or biking trip. We usually stop in Cle Elum to eat en route to Spokane, and now we have a new favorite place to dine!
(5)Jadon W.
Absolutely wonderful food and service!! We will be here again! Fall off the bone ribs were a hit! I recommend to anyone looking for authentic bbq!
(5)Lee H.
Having grown up in the mid west and partaked in my fair share of bbq. This one of the best places I have found to eat some good BBQ. They have several menu items that I'm sure you will find what you're looking for and it's a good family place.
(5)Al S.
Keep in mind that I am a tough reviewer...especially for BBQ. So an "average" grade is not too bad, especially for the BBQ deprived Northwest. This place has been open six weeks and the counter help was extremely friendly and helpful. We grabbed a bunch of food here to take home. I would first mention that none of the meat had any smoke flavor on its own. There is a big smoker outside, so I'm not sure how it didn't take. The sauces were fair; like all BBQ sauces they had their individual nuances. My wife likes a sweet sauce and didn't like the red chili flavor in the sauces. I found them OK, but not remarkable. Here's the rundown: Baby Back ribs: Overcooked, but still good to eat. Meaty and OK with added sauce, but too dry without. St Louis Ribs: The best offering we had. Meaty, good bark, fair portion. The only meat that wasn't overcooked (but still no smoke flavor). Would happily order again. Chicken Leg-thigh: Also overcooked and a bit dry. Nothing special. Paired OK with the sauce. Pulled pork: OK; nothing special. I think pulled pork is the easiest thing to BBQ and they did an acceptable job. Beef Brisket: It came in two forms, slices and some shredded meat, probably from the ends. The sliced pieces were fine; cooked well, but not much flavor without the sauce. The shredded meat was badly overcooked. Just this side of jerky. I like BBQ meat so much I ate it with some sauce, but I would not have served this to a customer if I was the cook. Corn Bread: Good! Moist and flavorful. Not the typical dry, crumbly corn cupcake. We wished we had ordered more. Beans: Good, but nothing special. Too spicy for my spice challenged wife. The rest of us enjoyed them. Cole Slaw and Potato Salad: Very standard. OK, but nothing extraordinary. I do love BBQ and in spite of the shortfalls enjoyed the meal. But, there is a lot of room for improvement. Washington needs more good BBQ, so I hope they improve. I wish I could give then a 2.5 star rating, so I decided to be generous and round up.
(3)Rodney B.
Real BBQ is hard to find in the Pacific NW. I grew up in Texas eating at the hallowed BBQ pits (Kreuz, Louie Mueller, etc.). This new place in Cle Elum is nearly as good. It's way better than most of the alternatives around here. Everything is dry-rubbed, not hidden under too much sauce. And the pit-master smokes them just right. I haven't been often enough to know if he can deliver the goods consistently, but I'm betting he can. Eat here if you're driving on I-90.
(5)Peter W.
We found this place on Yelp driving over to Pullman for a football game. We got there before closing time and had a feast. They even threw a few extra ribs. My son had the pork sandwich and I had the mixed plate with ribs, chicken and brisket. Only complaint is it's a little hard to get to from the highway but definitely worth the drive.
(4)Jonathan B.
Saw the sign as we passed through Cle Elum and decided to try it out; we're glad we did. It's located in the old train depot, adjacent to an interesting state park exhibit about life on the railroad a hundred years ago. You will have to look sharp to find the directional signs through town. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff people gave us good recommendations. Pulled pork special was good, as were the baked bean and collard green sides. Cornbread was well above average! Baby back ribs were average, and the BBQ sauce was a bit short-portioned, although plenty of extra was available for free at the counter. Two kinds of sauces were available: original and pineapple; I preferred the original. Free refills of the iced tea were most appreciated on a hot day!
(4)T.T. H.
We stopped here by chance when exiting due to traffic. I ordered the train wreck pulled pork. It was so good! The atmosphere is great. The service good and the people down to earth. My husband got the po boy. I would recommend the train wreck to people who like to mix their food up because it's your meal and sides on top of cornbread. We're coming back. What a gem. There are picnic benches for sunny days
(5)Lauralee W.
Had sampler very good. Sauces were excellent. Greens are awesome. Owners very nice and welcoming! We will be back.
(4)Karen R.
What a gem! While driving around looking at real estate, I came up this amazing little restaurant tucked in an old train depot. When I arrived, I was one of two cars. By the time I left, the parking lot was full. Totally understandable. Their BBQ is really very good. They offer BBQ samples at the counter and sell their sauces. I'm glad I bought a bottle because they were light on saucing up my takeout box. I enjoyed the chicken and brisket the most, plus the corn bread (slight kick) and potato salad were yummy without being overly seasoned. The lady at the counter was helpful and patient and happily demo'd the train horn for my kids. Definitely worth a visit. And if you go with kids, order it to go and walk two blocks north to the neighborhood park.
(4)