Sneaky’s and Smokey J’s: Any Good?

Published on Friday, June 24, 2011, by Colleen Hubbard / Edit Post

Barbecue places are not rare in the Bay, though aficionados argue that truly excellent 'cue can't be had for love or money here. How do the new shops stack up?

At Smokey J's BBQ in Berkeley, flavorenhancer voted yes on the baby back ribs, beef brisket, and bargain basement prices. slipson seconds the smoke flavor of the brisket and recommends the potatoes, which roast under the fat drippings of rotisserie-cooked chickens.

Sneaky's, the barbecue pop-up that appears at Rebel, a bar in San Francisco, also wins approval from SteveG for value—the two-meat plate was "appropriately huge" for $24, though a few reviewers found the ribs dry. Of note: The location means that Sneaky's offers more and better beers than the average barbecue spot.

An interesting side conversation on the Sneaky's thread supposes that all our local barbecue suffers from what North Carolina–barbecue loyalist mikeh says is a two-way miss: too little smoke infusion or too much one-note flavor, with no happy medium.

Smokey J's BBQ [East Bay]
3015 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley
510-647-8442

Sneaky's [Hayes Valley]
1760 Market Street, San Francisco
415-431-4200

Discuss: Smokey J's Q House – BBQ in Berkeley
Sneaky's BBQ Settles Down at Rebel in San Francisco

ALLSan Francisco Bay Area Digest
POST A COMMENT |2 Comments

COMMENT

  • I happened upon Smoky J's yesterday and got their pulled pork sandwich. AMAZING! I was on the way to play a gig at the Starry Plough and wanted a cheap snack. Walked away with a sandwich I can't stop thinking about. The pork was pulled straight from the pork shoulder (as opposed to the typical pre pulled and thus dry and stringy pulled pork I find at most places). A nice bed of cole slaw, a...+READ

    I happened upon Smoky J's yesterday and got their pulled pork sandwich. AMAZING! I was on the way to play a gig at the Starry Plough and wanted a cheap snack. Walked away with a sandwich I can't stop thinking about. The pork was pulled straight from the pork shoulder (as opposed to the typical pre pulled and thus dry and stringy pulled pork I find at most places). A nice bed of cole slaw, a little sprinkling of dry rub and a side of their bbq sauce (which I kept, it's in my fridge).

    I took it back to the club and all the boys in the band buzzed around me like flies. They tried to hit the spot after the show but it was closed.

    Yeah, Smoky J's kicks ass.....-COLLAPSE

  • My fave in the Bay Area is SMOKE BBQ --> http://www.smokebbqsf.com/

    you should do a review of their food!!!