Big Hoffa’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que

This is the American Dream in action: a locally owned business with an owner that’s present, friendly, and attentive doing his thing and doing it very, very well. And I’ve never received anything less than excellent and friendly service from everyone who works there, too! This is one of those places where you can feel like a regular after only a few visits.
It’s apparent the level of care put into the quality and flavor of everything on the menu. Whether it’s the standard barbecue items like pulled pork or beef brisket or one of the many unique sandwich and bowl creations they offer that incorporate those items, you’re guaranteed to get one of the finest examples of barbecue flavor you’ll find anywhere.
I can remember when it was just the smoker in front of the building before there was an «inside,» but it’s been almost a decade since then. I’ve seen this business grow… and STAY! In a world where even chain restaurants come and go all the time, you don’t stick around by being crummy. It’s busy virtually every time I go – and for good reason: they make good food and treat people nice. These are simple concepts seemingly lost on many places these days, but Big Hoffa’s definitely gets it!

Everything is fantastic here, but there is one clear standout. Try the smoked sausage. Its smoked and then deep fried. You get an amazing juicy snap with each bite, and the flavor of the sausage is complex with a hint of spice.

Big Hoffa’s seems to be an institution in the town of Westfield. Being new to the area, driving by the place practically everyday, and the word of mouth from co-​workers and family, my husband and I decided to give Big Hoffa’s a try. The first time we went there we ate outside (a favorite thing to do when the weather is permitting) and the second visit we ordered take out. We ordered the same thing both times. I got the ½lb. barbecue pork on a plate with 2 sides, mac & cheese and baked beans, and 2 garlic butter rolls. My husband got the ½lb. brisket on a plate with 2 sides, mac & cheese and cole slaw, and 2 garlic butter rolls. The inside of the restaurant has a pirate theme to it which is kinda unique, though I’m not sure what pirates and barbecue have in common, but I’ll play along.
Both the pork and brisket (both a little greasy) are delicious and smokey the sauce has sort of mild not spicy taste to it. The baked beans were tasty and my husband enjoyed the creamy cole slaw. The mac & cheese was decent the first time, but sort of chalky the second time around– disappointing. The rolls have been consistently yummy, warm and quite soft. Our second visit we decided to get some of their peach cobbler for dessert, and it was alright. Kinda runny and full of cinnamon. Their Sassafras Sweet Tea is actually quite delicious! A bonus is the 32oz. souvenir cup.
I’m willing to go back to Bog Hoffa’s for a third try, but am looking forward to trying other barbecue places in the area.

Carry out, pulled pork, Mac n cheese, Cole slaw and rolls. Really, really good! Employees very friendly. Definitely going back.

We went to Big Hoffas a couple of days ago. We don’t concentrate on the side dishes all of the time. It was our second or third time there. My husband likes to get the sides. He says that they «don’t suck». We have had BBQ all over these United States and Big Hoffas ribs can compete. I always go for the ribs wherever we go. At Hoffas you can have just meat, you are not forced to buy a combo meal or add anything on. I felt like having for ribs like I always do. Big Hoffas ribs fall off the bone, are tender and very tasty with your choice of sauce. My husband said that his sandwich was very good. We find the atmosphere friendly and welcoming. We love eating out on the patio on a beautiful spring or summer day. Even in the fall it’s beautiful outdoors. We like Big Hoffas and we will continue to go.

There are lots of great choices here. The pulled pork and beef brisket are my favorites. There are a lot of specialty dishes there. I am not sure I have had a bad side dish. The rolls are great, I like there better than having the meat on buns. Not a ton of indoors seating but if you live close take out is great.

I’m really confused by everyone else’s experiences at Big Hoffa’s. If there weren’t 150 other reviews I’d assume they were padding their rating, but as it stands this is unexplainable.
We came here the other night. They were very efficient in working the line and preparing the orders, but the food just wasn’t very good. I ordered the ‘Meat on a Plate’ with pulled pork, baked beans, mac and cheese and the meal came standard with two rolls.
The pork was pretty tasty, but was also completely soggy and drenched in grease. I ate about a quarter of the baked beans and mac and cheese (these aren’t massive servings or anything) but didn’t see any reason to eat more. The baked beans were mushy and bland, and the mac and cheese equated to what you’d get at a Kroger prepared food counter. The rolls were just rolls. I don’t think any of this justifies a fantastic or even good rating. I’d rather just go to a City BBQ.

I’m not sure I see the magic. We came on a weeknight, but it was crowded as promised. The interior of the restaurant was dimly lit and windowless, but we wanted to sit outside anyway because the weather was awesome. They have a nice patio with lots of seating. Ordering was surprisingly quick and easy. The prices are good (slightly higher than fast food).
Overall, I was pretty let down by the food. I ordered pulled pork, and it came to me already sauced (what kind? what heat? I don’t know.) The pork was smoked and had a nice pink ring and some char, although it was really, really wet. Like watery wet. It tasted good, but I’ve definitely had better. I was relatively disappointed with the sides – I thought they tasted OK, but it was all so clearly previously frozen. For me, great side dishes are a part of the BBQ experience. The mac and cheese was tasty in a Stouffer’s kind of way. The fries looked like they were maybe double fried – extra crispy, but good. The rolls reminded me of those really fluffy rolls that are served in a cafeteria. I didn’t find them to be garlicky at all. And, literally every single thing on the plate needed more seasoning. I think Big Hoffa’s gets a lot of recognition for their combo plates, but maybe that’s because the individual components aren’t so great on their own?

If you’re visiting Westfield, you must eat here! They make the most amazing layered sandwiches here. I can’t remember the names, but I dream of them some days (yeah, that good). Think bun bottom, pulled chicken, buffalo sauce, man-​n-​chz, fresh hot fries, coleslaw and bun top. The pulled pork, and brisket are really good too. One thing I do not like is their iced tea, it was awful! I’ve also ordered carry out quite a few times and they really do it right.
Atmosphere is very casual, and there is an awesome antique mall next door.

Are you looking for a calorie-​laden, waistline-​expanding, food baby-​producing, nap-​inducing fat feast? Have I got the spot for you!
Big Hoffa’s is the kind of place that serves the kind of food you secretly want to throw together but can’t bring yourself to do in front of potential judging eyes. Don’t worry, there are no judging eyes at Big Hoffa’s. Rather, you’ll see the eyes of creative types who deeply appreciate BBQ concoctions like The Hoffanator (seasoned french fries topped with pulled pork, mac ‘n’ cheese, baked beans, and house made ranch sauce), Davey Jones (mac ‘n’ cheese topped with pulled chicken and ranch), and The Barbeque Sundae (baked beans topped with the smoked meat of your choice). It’s a place of acceptance and sauce, artistry and hearty proteins, wonder and awe of how someone was brave enough to think outside of the smoker.
So come, come and applaud the innovative imaginations behind the BBQ of Big Hoffa’s (and don’t make on doing much else the rest of the day). Your food coma awaits!

Good BBQ, great sides, and a LOT of creativity (check the menu) make Big Hoffa’s an easy pick on the north side of Indy. I’d call it a «hidden jewel» but the place is consistently packed!
If you’re someone with experience with «great» BBQ, the meat is not going to blow you away and purists may be shocked with some of the sandwiches on offer. Heck, there may be people put off by the pirate theme (yep, there’s a pirate theme. I’ve never asked why). Personally, I find myself headed back time and time again for the novel sandwiches and absolutely delicious cayenne potato salad, coleslaw, and sassafras sweet tea.

Quickie Review: If you have a hunger for BBQ Big Hoffa’s will fill that empty void.
After growing up in Westfield I had never been here till now and I’m happy to say that is was a positive experience. I can see what everyone has been talking about in terms of the BBQ. I got the Marley and it was definitely sweet with a kick to it as they said. The staff is very friendly.
If there would be anything negative to say is just that the sides tasted a bit generic. I had the mac and cheese and it could have used some added flavoring to compliment the BBQ. That’s coming from someone who’s tasted many mac and cheese’s through the years so my taste buds may just be spoiled.
I look forward to many more visits and can’t wait to taste all the other BBQ options!

Big Hoffa’s makes me miss living on the north side. Hands down my favorite barbecue joint in/​around Indy, so far (including the metro area).
The exterior gets me every time. Located on the south end of a giant pole barn, Big Hoffa’s is easily found by simply following your nose (and looking for the big honkin’ smoker outside). The barn is painted to resemble a small town with various shops painted on the siding. Some of them are real and you can walk inside, others are just painted on for fun. Don’t waste time, though. Amazing barbecue is calling for you.
Inside BH’s you’ll find a small dining area with pirate themed décor. You may even get a cutlass to hold your sandwich together. I can’t even give you recommendations here because everything I’ve ever tried is very tasty. The sauce is sweet, the meat is tender and smoked perfectly.
Side note: While you get a heaping helping every time you go dine in, their catering seems to skimp. I went to a wedding catered by BH’s and was disappointed with the portion sizes offered.
It’s about 45 minutes from me now, but I’m still planning a trip with some of my barbecue loving friends to introduce them to the Big Hoffa experience. It’s so great.

I was pretty excited to check this place out after reading the reviews. It looks like a barn from the outside which was a little odd. It also looked much larger from the outside. Seating was limited but only because it was so busy. Actually that was a good sign. It was very busy with both dine in and take out orders.
I went with their signature sandwich The Buccaneer. It was huge and had pulled pork, slaw, and fries on it. I went with their Mac and cheese and beans for sides. The pork was tender but didn’t have much of a smoke flavor which was a disappointment. The Mac and cheese was ok but not the best. The beans weren’t very good at all and usually BBQ places have great beans.
I had their sweet tea which was very good and their prices were great! Very cheap for the amount of food.
I would try this place again since its obviously popular and I must be missing something. Compared to Joe’s BBQ in Kansas City this place is a fail, but for Indiana BBQ it’s pretty good.

4 stars for their creative, playful, and solid bbq menu specialty items like davey jones, teriyaki bowl, hoffanator, saigon special, etc. The meats are tender and tasty. Pretty decent sides, rolls are buttery and fluffy soft, and you can even get jasmin rice (2 thumbs up). And though their bbq sauce is excellent, I do wish they offer other sauce styles for those times you wish to try varieties (mustardy, spicy, vinegary, etc). Excellent peach cobbler. Friendly service, and menu items priced decently.

Yum, yum, and YUM! Talk about some signature BBQ dishes. I’m a HUGE fan of Big Hoffas. My favorite dish is the Davey Jones:
Macaroni and cheese
Pulled pork
Barbecue
Ranch dressing
Quite possibly one of my favorite foods in the world. Their fries are pretty damn good too.
The only reason I’m giving four stars is because one of the staff members is extremely unfriendly and nearly puts me in a bad mood before getting my food. It’s also a little pricey based on the portions. But it’s worth it.

Excellent. My sandwich was really good. I had the Buccaneer which had a half pound of smoked pork topped with coleslaw. The meat was cooked well and it alone would be perfect, but the addition of the coleslaw really made the sandwhich and I can see why this is the flagship sandwhich.

Finally! A worthy BBQ joint in the north suburbs. This place reminds me a lot of the BBQ shacks you find down south (US, not Indiana). Basically a shack (even though it is housed in a big building, I still call it a shack) with limited seating and a lot of carryout business. Order at the counter (be prepared — depending on the time of day, there may be a long line; don’t worry it moves quick) and wait for your name to be called.
The meats are basic (pulled chicken, pulled pork, brisket, pork ribs — no sausage, no whole chicken, no sausage) but done well. You can see the giant smoker out front so you know it’s real BBQ (low and slow).
The meat is truly tender (i.e. fall-​off-​the-​bone) with a nice pinkness (the mark of proper BBQ).
True BBQ aficionados will order the meats plain, but the stars here are the crazy sandwiches. They’re topped with all sorts of sauces, cole slaw, fries, etc.
Also, don’t miss the sassafras sweet tea (they also have regular sweet tea).
Big Hoffa’s also have bowl of jasmine rice (!) topped with various meats, sauces, accoutrements which intrigue me. Sounds like a good reason for a return visit.

I have no idea how I have never heard of this place. I am sure I even have driven by it and missed the GIANT smoker in the front?!? It’s next to the Westfield Antique Mall. I actually found it on the Unilocal Instagram page with a photo of the Hoffanator, which is fries topped with mac and cheese, baked beans, pulled pork and ranch. A crazy concoction that sounds amazing! Messy, but yummy. We got there with only 45 min before closing and it was so hard to decide what to order. I changed my mind at least 5 times before finally just getting the Davey Jones, which is mac and cheese with pulled chicken and ranch. It was very good and filling. I got the ranch on the side. I am not a huge ranch fan, but I dipped a few fries in it that I stole off my husband’s plate.
His sandwich was huge and I stole a handful of fries since he had a large amount. I really wanted to try the Hoffanotor, but it just seemed like too much for me and the Davey Jones was perfect.
They have some out door seating, but we sat inside. The whole place is decked out in pirate gear.
I would for sure go back. I am now obsessed with the sasafrass tea! I have never heard of such a thing and I love Ice teas! I had 4 glasses. We’d worked ouside all day in the heat and it was the perfect thirst quincher.

Hubby and I discovered this gem last summer. It’s a hole-​in-​the-​wall, no frills, super laid back joint with pirate décor and fast, friendly service. We recently visited again last weekend. Holy cats is it a hoppin’ place! The line was out the door, but we had our food within 10 minutes. Seating can be an issue, especially on the weekends, but people seem to move in and out fairly quickly.
I opted for the ½ pound brisket with mac n’ cheese and fries. The brisket is delicious, not dry, flavorful and complete with burnt tips, yum! It’s a bit greasy down towards the bottom of the portion, but nothing gross. BBQ is add on your own which I love, the more sauce, the better! Their house sauce is sweet, tangy and rich. The mac n’ cheese is so cheesy and stringy, love! Fries are crispy and seasoned. Their ranch is a must for the fries! The garlic butter rolls aren’t anything special but you don’t come for the rolls.
It’s extremely affordable, about $ 17 for two large meals. Great atmosphere, low key. The employees are always smiling and food comes out fast. One of our favorite places to eat!