Traditional smokehouse BBQ is cooked low and slow over wood or wood-fed coals, not finished in a gas oven with liquid smoke added for flavor. Brisket, pork shoulder, ribs, and sausage go into a smoker for hours, sometimes overnight, and pick up a real bark and smoke ring from the wood itself. St. Cloud has 13 places working in this style, ranging from small counter-service smokehouses to full sit-down restaurants with their own smoke pits out back. The style, wood choice, and rub recipes vary from spot to spot, which is part of the appeal, but the fundamentals of good smokehouse cooking stay the same across all of them.
Check whether the meat is smoked on site, what wood they use (oak, hickory, and applewood all cook differently), and whether brisket is sliced to order or held in a warmer for hours. Ask how long the smoker runs and whether ribs and brisket are made fresh daily or carried over. A good smokehouse will happily tell you this. Also look at side dishes: house-made beans, slaw, and cornbread usually signal a kitchen that cares about the whole plate, not just the meat.
We weigh consistency of smoke quality, meat tenderness and moisture, sauce and rub quality, value for portion size, and service speed at peak hours. For the full ranked list of St. Cloud's best BBQ restaurants, see our ranked BBQ guide. Details on how we score and weight each factor are on our methodology page.
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4 businesses, scored on recent reviews. The order weighs each business's overall score by how much of its reviewed work is traditional smokehouse bbq, so a lower-scored specialist can rank above a higher-scored generalist.
Reviewers consistently praise the pizza quality and staff warmth, with several ordering weekly or since 2018. Mozzarella sticks, wings, and specialty pies like bruschetta draw repeat visits. However, some report burnt crust, wrong orders, and occasional staff rudeness that left them unwilling to return.
Jimmy Bear's BBQ draws crowds for catered events and comedy shows, though the dining experience has been volatile. Food quality swings wildly-reviewers praise sauces and sampler portions but report bland pulled pork, dry brisket with no smoke ring, and poorly maintained side dishes. One recent visit described filthy conditions, with sticky floors and unwashed tables. Service ranges from attentive (staff named Victoria and Vinny) to indifferent, and pricing consistently frustrates diners relative to what they receive.
Quality varies visit to visit, but when it lands, the ribs and brisket draw loyal return visits. One visitor from the UK came back twice in a week. Staff greet you warmly and help with ordering. Sides like mac and cheese and banana pudding earn as much praise as the meat itself. The kitchen struggles with consistency. Some days the brisket is tender and worth the drive; others it arrives dry or lacking smoke. Third-party delivery has brought food on passenger seats and missing sauces. Best visited in person and calling ahead to confirm hours.
Regulars praise the breakfast, sauce selection, and staff speed, with many finding the hickory smoke and fair pricing consistent over decades. Recent visits tell a different story: meat dries out, portions shrink, and the space shows age and neglect, leaving some questioning whether the food quality has shifted alongside the rising menu costs.
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Last updated 2026-08-19