A new spot to score barbecue and more has made its debut in the neighborhood. The new arrival to Assembly Square, called The Smoke Shop BBQ, is located at 325 Assembly Row.
This is the third location for the Smoke Shop, which also has outposts in Kendall Square and at the Seaport. Owned by World Barbecue Champion chef Andy Husbands, it showcases slow-cooked, competition-style barbecue like brisket, pork ribs, hot links and burnt ends, which have earned "Best of Boston" awards from Boston magazine and the Improper Bostonian.
In addition to smoked meats, the Smoke Shop offers side dishes like cornbread, fried okra, pimiento mac and cheese and zucchini salad, and sandwiches ranging from pulled pork to catfish po'boys.
The Smoke Shop BBQ has gotten an enthusiastic response thus far, with a 4.5-star rating out of two reviews on Yelp.
Sara S., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on July 15, wrote, "All-around great place to stop for barbecue and a drink. My husband and I have been here twice so far. Both times we got the pulled pork sandwich with a side of baked beans. The barbecue is cooked to perfection."
Yelper Tanya L. added, “Stopped by yesterday to try out the barbecue. Got the brisket plate that comes with two sides, so we decided to try out the mac and cheese along with the slaw. Brisket was flavorful, but a bit on the dry side."
Intrigued? Stop in to try it for yourself. The Smoke Shop BBQ is open from 11 a.m.–midnight on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday and 11 a.m.–1 a.m. on Thursday-Saturday.