The Smoke Joint Review

After a long evening show at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, finding a spot open for a late dinner or drinks turned out to be a little harder than I thought it would be for Fort Greene. It seems that many of the places nearby close around 11 p.m. or midnight. Luckily, my dining companions and I slipped in to The Smoke Joint just before the kitchen closed. The restaurant was still full, so we were seated at the bar. We ordered fast and after a minor glitch, the food came soon after. 

I had ordered a half portion ($8) of the tender smoked chicken, but they were out of the dark meat. As a result, we got two huge portions of white meat. I was a bit disappointed as I prefer dark meat, but once I tasted this, my doubts evaporated. The chicken was extremely juicy and flavorful. A light layer of barbecue sauce coated the skin of the chicken, but there were bottles of barbecue and hot sauces on the counter, so you could season to your taste.

The pulled pork platter ($10) came with cole slaw and pickles. The meat — slow-smoked shoulder, pulled and dipped, according to the menu —was a bit too dry and required a heavy addition of the sauces (which I really liked).

The sides ($4 each) were terrific — we had the four-cheese mac & cheese and the Bed-Stuy potato salad.

And lastly, the chopped beef barbecue sandwich was made with shredded beef short ribs and brisket.  It fared better than the pork did in moistness and was a hefty sandwich for $7.50.

The Smoke Joint is an affordable barbecue place worth hitting up if you're in the neighborhood. And even if you're not, the food you get for the prices makes it more worthy than a lot of other joints around the city.