Smokin’ J’s BBQ

The food was absolutely amazing. Had BBQ in many different areas, and this is up there with the best I’ve ever had. Only reason for 4 stars is how ridiculously hot it was inside the restaurant (maybe this isn’t always the case.) 5 stars for the food for sure though!

My buddy and I were craving some local bbq, so after doing some searching, we decided try out Smoking J’s BBQ down in Gulfport. We wanted to try a little of eveything, so we both ordered the combo platter, wings, and a quarter pound of sausage. We had green beans and mac & cheese for our sides. They had domestic beer buckets for $ 5, so we couldn’t pass that up.
The food came out pretty quickly and the service was friendly. The temperature in the restaurant was hotter than it was outside, which was less than pleasant.
The food ranged from tasty to forgetable. The wings were surely the highlight. They were seasoned perfectly and smoked to perfection. I would order these every time as my meal if we go back. They were .75 a piece and worth every penny as they were super meaty. The sausage was decent, but somewhat average. The ribs were incredibly tender, but sadly underseasoned. The same with the pulled pork, great smoke flavor, but lacked seasoning. The brisket was quite disappointing. It lacked flavor and was more like overcooked roast beef. The green beans could have been canned and had zero flavor as did the mac & cheese. Overall, for a highly rated bbq spot, we found the food to be pretty average except for the wings.
We will give them another shot in the future as they may have just had an off day. We are looking forward to comparing them to Dueces bbq some time this week.

Ordered a whole smoked chicken over the weekend from Smokin J’s and it was awesome. I was shocked how much chicken I got for less than $ 10. Easily twice as much meat as a Publix rotisserie chicken, and so much better! Chicken had an awesome smokey flavor and wasnt too saucy or slimey like most take-​out BBQ food. It was still hot when I got home and skin well seasoned and crispy.
Their bbq sauce was kinda disappointing. I ordered the spicy option and it was still weak sauce. All sugar and sweet with a little bit of cayenne powder. Kinda like they just doctored up kraft? Luckily good bbq doesn’t need much/​any sauce so not a deal breaker.
Overall though I’m excited to go back and try the Ribs.

OMG! I consider myself to be a Grill Master and these people did not let me down! Their smoked wings are really spicy which I love, so be warned if you don’t like spicy, don’t get the wings. The heat is from the seasoning and not any sauce, very well done!
The ribs are big and meaty and well cooked! And make sure you ask for the sauce on the side. This is some of the best barbecue sauce I’ve ever had. Smoky, spicy and very well flavored.
I have to say, coming from Chicago where rib joints are plenty but not some much here, this is my new BBQ home!

My wife and I were in St. Pete Beach for one of my best friends birthdays and the St. Anthony’s Triathlon this past weekend. On Saturday, I stopped by and picked up an assortment of food. We really enjoyed the Ribs! We’d definitely go back for seconds next time we’re in town!
Very nice staff, plenty of Southern charm!

My wife has been searching for really good brisket since first having it at Rudy’s in San Antonio over a dozen years ago. She’s finally happy! So many places have brisket on the menu that turns out to be sliced roast beef, but this was thick sliced and tasty. I had the ribs which were also excellent. Sides were very good, we both had baked beans & slaw. Our daughter & son-​in-​law had chicken, sausage, & pulled pork and were very happy with their choices. Will definitely return.

Cool place the food had good flavor but the ribs were terribly dry. Like turned to cotton in your mouth dry. I had a two meat, sausage and ribs as did the wife. One daughter had pulled pork that was pretty good just a tad dry. It’s an old house that’s been turned into a BBQ joint with seating outside and a little inside. We sat inside because of the ants on the tables outside. The sausage was good, the baked beans were really good, the pickle are terrific! Had heard great things and maybe we hit an off night but don’t know I will make the drive again to see. If you are looking for a BBQ hole in the wall this is it. It is a neat place and BBQ is one of those things that is up to each individual’s taste but you can only cover up dry meat so much with good sauce. Oh BTW, the sauce was really great too!

BEST BBQ EVER!!! This pretty much sums it up in three words. You can’t get anything bad here. Even their home made pickles are delicious. Portions are huge, sides are amazing, and their BBQ isn’t overly smoked. Highly recommend !!

Great ribs and coleslaw. First time but not last

This was amazing. I might be slightly biased since I used to waitress at another BBQ establishment in Tampa.
We spent a long time researching and came across smokin j’s. We were skeptical as its a walk up window at what looks like a house but don’t judge a book by its cover!
We got a 4 meat combo w/​3 sides to share. We went with double ribs, pulled pork, and brisket for meat and green beans, slaw, and mac n cheese for sides.
The ribs. I wish I could eat those again and again. They were absolutely hands down the best need ribs. The meat literally fell off the bone. The pulled pork was great too. The brisket fell short of our expectations, seemed a little over cooked and we didn’t eat it.
The sides were pretty well done. We really liked the coleslaw! It was really liquidy, but we drained it. The Mac and cheese could have used a bit more flavor. The green beans were good too, definitely a little different than I was expecting! They seemed like they were stewed green beans with tomato and onion.
The sauces. Honestly, wasn’t a fan. I love sauces of all sort but this was just okay. The spicy sauce had a little too much kick and didn’t mix well with the ribs or pork. Not sure if they make theirs or they buy it.
I would definitely go again… and again!

Outstanding BBQ. This is going to be a regular spot for sure. Nice staff, large portions, well priced. You will not leave hungry.

Smokin’ J’s is a tiny shack with a smoker out back right on the main street in Gulfport.
There is a to-​go window on the side by the parking lot. But, we chose to dine-​in, which is picnic table seating inside of a small house. It appears that the livingroom, dining room, and garage were converted into a small dining area.
The sweet tea is killer and so are the smoked chicken wings.
Rubbed ribs were decent, but not tender enough for me.
My least favorite of all of the items is the brisket. Very uniformly cut and lean. Maybe I will try to the chopped brisket next time and ask for some burnt bits.
Prices are decent for the amount of food you get, and the sides were good.
The house made BBQ sauce and spicy pickles are where it’s at. Make sure to try the pickles, because they are highly addictive and at least 50% of the customers end up buying a jar of them before leaving. Anything noted as «spicy» is liberally laden with black pepper.
Service was friendly and fast. Order at the kitchen and go up to pay once you are done. Pretty self explanatory. No table service really, more of a casual set-​up that is hassle free.
I’m not hooked, but I’m also not hatin’.

Great Texas BBQ, generous portions, great staff. I was in the mood for BBQ and trying something new. Smokin’ J’s didn’t disappoint.
Prices for food and drinks are very reasonable. It is a small place with picnic tables inside and out. You’ll order, they bring your food to the table, you pay before you leave. I will certainly be back!

Meh, I didn’t particularly like the food at this place but Brandon thought it was great! The meat was very tender and the ribs were definitely cooked correctly. He had the sampler platter which was a ton of food and he enjoyed it all. I had a pulled pork sandwich and i just felt like it was blah tasting. The sides that we tried were all good too, the chili was a little strange though.

Texans, it will satisfy that back home hankering! The green beans were so delicious, garlic, smokey and stewed tomatoes, so different but so good! I couldn’t leave without buying a jar of their house pickles, «sweet and sassy»! Make sure you meet the owner and his nephew, the story of how they started is fantastic! This place is not to be missed! From one Houston girl to all yall fellow transplants to Florida who are likewise always searching for the taste of home, you must give this place a chance!

I’m not often in the mood for BBQ, but when I was visiting a friend in Gulfport and we were both hungry, I found Smokin’ J’s would be a solid option for a to-​go order. It took maybe 6 minutes to place my order, pay, and scoot out, so I was pleased with their efficiency and friendliness while they were getting my order together. I did laugh a little when someone ordering after me had to repick things because the kitchen ran out of them; it happens to everyone.
The location is small and you can opt for inside or outside seating if choosing to dine in. I wouldn’t really call it a comfortable place by any means, but there’s nothing wrong with that.
I ordered the pulled pork and a side of potato salad and a side of green beans. The pork wasn’t fatty at all, and came with a couple sauces — a plain one and a slightly spicier one. People who like things a little burny will definitely want to supplement with hot sauce or something (my friend pulled out some sriracha once I returned), but otherwise it strikes me as pretty agreeable for the average person. The green beans were pretty standard, and the potato salad was good too.
Would I stop in if I was in the area and hungry? Sure. Would I go out of my way for it? Probably not.

Place is small and very simple. But the BBQ, is amazing! The portions are huge! The beer is ice cold and the people who work there are so kind. Picnic tables inside and out. They make Sweet & Sassy pickles and the slaw is creamy and sweet, very good! Great place to go and they do have carry out. If you have a craving for some great BBQ, this is the place to go!

This place was so very good. kinda on a «rough» side of town, but don’t let that scare you. especially since there are many inflatable yard displays to greet you with open arms.
We got to-​go ribs with all the fixings and everything was gone an hour after we got it home!
I talked about this place so much my family even got me a t-​shirt which I now wear proudly back in Milwaukee, WI :)

Had the sample platter. The pulled pork was good and moist, the brisket was good but not warm, the ribs were a bit hard… I prefer ribs with meat falling off the bone.
The mac n’ cheese was ok. The slaw was really good and well seasoned. The BBQ sauces were good. They had mexican Coke available which is a big plus since its so much better tasting than american Coke.
Overall, it was an uneven experience, with some highs and some lows. I’ve had better ‘que elsewhere. If I were to come back, I would take the pulled pork only.

Smokin’ J’s BBQ is fun, affordable, and delicious! The brisket is top notch, very filling, with a good balance of fat and meat (not overly fatty like some brisket can be).
The ambiance is quite rustic, in a sort of non-​intentional kind of way, but still a comfortable inside and the rustic feel adds to the experience. I have been here a couple years back when it first opened. I was impressed by the food then, and remain impressed today. However, the have increased their inside seating and the décor has also improved.
I got my fiancé the pulled pork. She was very happy with, and when I tried I bite I was tempted to run away and eat it all. I actually met a friend here on my last visit, I got the brisket sandwich and ordered the pulled pork to go. The gave me BBQ sauce on the side, but the portion of sauce was pathetic. They REALLY need to increase to size of the sides, especially because of how much meat they give you. Luckily, we have a very good BBQ sauce selection at home and thanks to a recent ship’n’dip gift I received for my birthday last month (3 months of delivery of different dips and sauces); I had some brand new BBQ delivered via USPS that very afternoon. Good Timing!
Nevertheless, I highly recommend Smokin’ J’s! It has a down southern BBQ feel to it, distinctly different that Urban Brew & BBQ (a very cool place, just different).