Sweet Lucy’s Smokehouse

Eh not a huge fan of the smokey flavor. its ok. definitely not the best.

Amazing BBQ. Monday is all you can eat buffet. Super relaxed atmosphere. There is no waitstaff; you clean up after yourself. I have always left in the best kind of agony from stuffing my face.

Hands down my favorite BBQ joint in philly! It’s always consistent and has yet to let me down. Even when they are crazy busy, the food is always on point.
My favs are the smoked wings and ribs. Im drooling just thinking about them! Make sure that you order a side of their homemade buttermilk ranch for the wings! All of the sides are delish as well– I usually go for the Mac n cheese, chili, creamed spinach, or cucumber and tomato salad. If your looking for awesome BBQ in a clean/​no fuss spot, definitely check out sweet lucys stat!

This is an American south BBQ spot: no steak. JUST ribs and chicken. Some of the sides are better than one would expect, like collard greens, and the cucumber salad. The Mac isn’t anything special. It’s fun to dip the meats int the house BBQ sauce. I think I’d go again.

Had it take out for the first time tonight on way home back to NJ.
Was very good barbecue. We had the ½ rotisserie chicken platter and a brisket sandwich with mac and cheese, mashed sweets, cucumber salad, baked beans as sides. Prices and portions are good. Looking forward to trying other menu items.

Been here 2 weeks in a row and the Brisket and Ribs are excellent! I would definitely recommend getting the coleslaw, potato salad, and cornbread!

Maybe if I hadn’t just returned from a trip to southern Virginia where BBQ is a daily part of existence, I would have been more overcome with smoke ring lust for the meat factory that is Sweet Lucy’s Smokehouse, but it was that travel into the near South that had me wanting more Q, and Lucy’s was getting all the local accolades. It was the natural place to go.
The adaptive reuse of an old industrial brick and mortar was well done, and the layout of the plant was well conceived with nice «country» dining area, new bar with very good brew list, and an efficient order and table delivery system. Yet, their efficiencies cut some corners that should have been left in place.
As first timers not knowing the lay of the land, the order and sit down process had to be explained, and the ability to have Q & A with someone about the menu important. That was not really provided with pressure on the cashier to take orders as people stood before them and then accept payment. It was hard to ask about the various options and receive comprehensive answers. We ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork Platter, Half Rotisserie Chicken Platter and the Double the Fun (Ribs & Pulled Pork) Platter; all with Cornbread and a cross section of the many side dishes. The prices were reasonable, and the wait not too long. Going over to the bar in the dining room was easy enough, but required a second payment. Unless you knew you would have room for desert and ordered with the entre, another queue-​up was required. Easier for the business, perhaps, but not for the customer.
Then, everything arrived in styro and plastic wrap — a turnoff for both comfort and ecological reasons. Open your white foam package with someone sitting across from you, and the top of each was overlapping and in the way of the other. Awkward.
There was plenty of meat and ample sides. Yet, rather than using a confident dry rub in the smoker that would let the meat speak for itself, and allow a choice of saucy finishes, the plate arrived already covered in Kansas City style thick and somewhat salty/​sour dark amber glaze. This one size fits all approach denied a choice of flavors that is so elemental to the full BBQ experience. Personally, I prefer a sweet/​tangy bite and chew that comes from a St. Louis, Memphis or even Carolina smokehouse, but there were no table rockets with these options, and I was unaware of any sauce alternatives as a newbie. My Ribs were smoked well with pink ring, and it easily pulled off the bone. Still, I would have been happier with a different sauce encasing the experience. The Pulled Pork was soft and pleasantly chewy, but had a vinegar taste that was not my cup of tea. Again, allow me to mix in what my tastebuds prefer, and I would have been a happier camper.
The sides were all pretty good without any of them being standouts. On the other hand, the Cornbread was excellent.
Given the great beer choices and the generous portions, this could have been a full fledged BBQ riot with the ability to elect how I wanted the meal to cross my palette. I would gladly pay a bit more, or gorge a bit less, if given free choice (and be pleased with the meal arriving on a large swatch of paper rather than plastic).
So near, but yet so far.

i love sweet lucy’s! such great southern food. so so good. it’s always worth making the trip out here.
my top recs: pulled pork, memphis baby back ribs, coleslaw, baked beans, garlic mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and of course — cornbread!

AMAZING!!! The food here is absolutely delicious and it definitely takes you back to the South. Large menu for all your cravings although some of the prices are a little bit high. The ribs here are to die for… finger licking good. You order, pay and then take your number to your table. High tops are only used for «dine in» waitress services. You can sit anywhere else and they’ll bring your food out (no waitress service). The dining area is definitely small. We felt cramped up but there was a large party of about 8 in the middle tables. If you want cocktails you can go to the bar and pay for it there. Everything is divided if you are not getting table service. THE BARTENDER here is amazing. They have the most fun cocktails and specials. TVs are available for the sports fanatics. TAKE OUT is an option and quite frankly I’d totally get take out on the busy days because this place gets mobbed. Overall, I loved the food here, great quality and quantity. The service and employees were great.

Been going here for years and the food is always solid. Very good baby backs, mashed potatoes, cornbread, beans and sweet tea. I love love love the sweet tea! They now have a bar, but I wish it remained BYOB … $ 5 for a local beer? Sheesh.

Best bbq in all of Philly. Simply my opinion but I have a bit of background, (I’ve worked for years as a bbq cook, never for this restaurant either so I have no bias.) I have tried almost every bbq spot in the city and Sweet Lucy’s has impressed me the most. It’s a very off the beaten path location. I have not dined in so I can’t speak much on service as I have only taken out. The ribs however are phenomenal, not as extreme as falling off the bone but still very tender. The sides all very flavorful any time I have tried them. I would recommend Sweet Lucy’s above all else to anyone looking for quality, authentic bbq in Philly.

Although it was very nice of you to respond to my review, it does not really change anything. It still appears that I cannot get ribs over the phone if I call in an order on Monday nights. And now it appears worse because even if I call, you don’t seem to be able to sell them to me.
If the misinformation happened once, I would understand. But it happened twice on two separate calls to your business. I’m glad that you explained your practice to me, but it’s really the people who handle your phone calls that could use your message.

(3.5) ~ good overall food & service & they have a Bar:)
MY MENU:
* Cornbread = (4) very good & moist
* Carmelitta Bar (dessert) = (4) very good
* Sweet Iced Tea = (3.5) good
* St. Louis Style Ribs = (3.5) good
* Mac-​n-​Cheese = (3.5) good
* Smashed Sweet Potatoes = (3.5) good
* Cheddar & Corn Grits = (3.25) pretty good

Heard a lot about this place, so I had to try it. Walking in you got a wonderful smoky meat aroma. Menu is pretty extensive and has lots of options. But don’t be overwhelmed, the staff is helpful and you’ll most likely have a little wait in line to look it over.
First time here, figured I’d try as many things as I can. So I went with the triple meat combo. Ribs, pulled pork, and brisket, 3 sides of collards, creamed spinach, and coleslaw, also came with cornbread for $ 17.50…solid price.
Ribs were nice and smoky with a good spice bark on the outside of a juicy and tender fall off the bone piece of meat. Done very well, not my favorite ribs ever but they were good. I prefer a little sweeter BBQ sauce, but again they were good.
Pulled pork was nice, had good flavor, not my favorite ever.
Brisket on the other hand was superb. So tender and delicious. Loved it! Will def be ordering probably just brisket next time. Hard to find good brisket that is not real tough or fatty, so great job on the brisket! Mmm.
Collards were nice and tender with a lil kick. Slaw was good, I like it a lil sweeter, especially with a spicier/​vinegar based sauce.
Creamed spinach and cornbread stole the sides show! Recommend both of them.
Nice bar inside with lots of beer options. We will be back.

The best pulled pork and brisket sandwiches I have had since moving to the Philadelphia area. Reminds me of the incredible BBQ in south Texas. I’m open for other suggestions, but thus far this is at the top of my list.

As you drive down State road, you WILL smell the delicious wafts of yummy barbeque eminating from Sweet Lucys Smokehouse.
I had a pretty delicious bbq brisket sandwich with some bangin’ mac and cheese, and some, slightly less than bangin’ but still good creamed spinach. I called ahead to place the order and the woman on the phone said, «when would you like to come get it?,» and thinking that they would need a little time to get it together, I said, «as soon as possible.» «Ok, see you in 5 minutes,» was the answer, so if you’re hungry in a HURRY, they are not playing around at Sweet Lucy’s.
I’ll definitely be back to try some of their other fares.

This is our second time returning after the first unforgettable experience. I mean, the ribs that the hub and I had was perfectly on point the first time, the meat was tender and the sauce was just great.
Wish I could say the same about this time. Sadly the BBQ sauce was somewhat sour? Idk… It was just a bit weird. Nevertheless, we had 6 amazing sides to make up for that. Crossing my fingers that the next time I visit the sauce will be better.
*Brussels sprouts w/​bacon & onions and Mac & cheese are the most perfect sides.

Had dinner here this evening which happened to be a Friday night which allowed me try the smoked salmon platter (Friday’s only). The BBQ aroma hits you as soon as you step out of your car in the parking lot. When you walk in you order at the register and then sit while you wait for your name to be called. There is bar and a waitress came around and offered to refill alcoholic beverages. Food and non-​alcoholics drinks were self serve.
All platters come with three sides. There were many to chose from. I went with the mac & cheese, Brussel sprouts w/​bacon, and creamed spinach.
The salmon was delicious. The portion size was very generous. What I would consider two portions. It tasted like smoke salmon you would get at a Jewish deli but was a whole piece of fish. I have never had that before and I will definitely need to have it again! I just need to remember to go on Fridays. They did have a sandwich version that looked like it was available daily.
First tip about the sides, there is a board next to the register with additional offerings that are not listed on the large over head board. I changed my order last minute when I saw the extra items. The Mac & cheese was my favorite side. Super creamy and cheesy. Definitely not Kraft! I did not like the Brussel sprouts. They were hard to recognize as Brussel sprouts which I didn’t mind but they just didn’t have much of a taste to them. The spinach was cheesy and creamy as well. Too cheesy with the other sides and they came home with my leftovers .
The table drank Magners Pear cider which is a rare find and is a treat if you’ve never had it!
The service was friendly and look a reasonable amount of time considering how busy it was. This was a small gathering of friends that haven’t seen each other in a while. We stayed well past closing and the staff was kind about letting us continue to chat while they cleaned up.
Can wait I go back to try some other sides. Wish the salmon was available every night!

Oh my Sweet Lucy’s oh my !! I came, I ordered, I got messy. Sloppy goodness where you continue to lick your fingers trying to get every drop of that barbecue in your belly. If you’re not knuckle deep in those bones than it’s obvious you’re not a barbecue fan, and this is some pretty damn good barbecue my friends.
The best way to go about this my friends is to order the platter. Not only do you get some great mouthwatering meat/​chicken you also get 3 sides to go with it. Let us not forget about their homemade cornbread or a roll. (Cornbread wins all the time) Literally this is the best bargain, guaranteed to fill your tummy!
Ok lets dive into this review like little Andy to that plate of meatloaf in a Christmas Story. We’ve all seen this movie, if you haven’t then there is a little clip at the end of this review.
The Goods:
~ Spare Ribs Platter (5) Nice sized ribs that were or had that little smokey taste to it that slid easily off the bone. Meaty, full of flavor that was dressed over with their sauce that just melted in your mouth.
The Sides:
~ Mac and Cheese– WOW ! This was a great side that was perfectly baked to perfection. A creamy, flavorful, that simply just put a smile on any ones face. This Mac and Cheese is a must order even if you are lactose intolerant, you’ll forget all about that minor set back and just dive into this. Again this is a must order!
~Garlic Mashed Potatoes — This was ok, nicely blended with a good flavor to it, not over powering where its just garlic. (I’ve experienced some mess ups here and there) The one thing I wasn’t too much a fan of was the gravy. I am sure the next time I do venture off to Sweet Lucy I’d get this again, but I’ll hold the gravy this time.
~ Dixie Coleslaw– This was pretty good, not too tangy, nicely shredded pieces of cabbage. I really don’t have anymore on coleslaw, other than it was ok.
So now that we got the food down, well a portion of it, because Sweet Lucy’s has a GINORMOUS menu for you to peruse over and salivate.
I enjoyed my meal at their bar and had a great conversation with Shelby. Shelby is the bartender here at SL. She made sure I had everything I needed, to make it an even better experience.
Another great thing about this bar they now have is they support the local breweries. The beer gods and aficionado in you would highly approve of these bottle selections, along with a great liquor selection. A perfect combination, great meal, with a great craft. With Shelby there to accommodate your needs, you pretty much can’t go wrong.
Plenty of seating, clean environment, great staff, with an aroma of barbecue dancing around is what you’ll get out of this. I know I’ll definitely be back in this establishment. I’ve got to try their wings, I here they are fantastic!
Do it up, now get the cornbread and watch the clip below!

This is the best BBQ in the Northeast. The Monday night buffets are the best deal. I had my rehearsal dinner here and everything was fabulous!
The chicken, the ribs, the mac n’ cheese, everything!!! So. Good. It’s a really cool casual atmosphere and the staff is great. It’s also BYOB which is awesome because beer and barbecue belong together.
I highly suggest the ribs and mac n’ cheese with that freshly baked cornbread.