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| - With a larger, more conveniently-located restaurant in Lawrenceville, Smoke's hype had gone through the roof, but I think it's finally slowing a bit. Is the hype worth a 2-hour wait? Never...but the food IS, indeed, quite excellent!
The new space is open and offers plenty of seating in comparison to its predecessor in Homestead, with old high school gym materials and industrial pig sculptures offering a nice reclaimed vibe that's so familiar these days. The staff is usually really nice and the food comes out quickly, so if you insist on waiting for a table, at least you know the table turnover is pretty fast! We usually just go when they open, and we're in and out of there in 30 minutes or so.
Obviously, admiring metal pigs and sitting on old gym bleachers isn't why you'd venture to Smoke. You're there to eat...and they serve up some AWESOME tacos. With their amazing buttermilk tortillas that continue to set the standard for durable vehicles for bbq smoked meats-to-mouth delivery, they already have an edge over other taqueria-inspired restaurants. Then, factor in their deliciously-simple tacos, featuring smoked meats (or potato nuggets, if you're not a carnivore), and it's hard to go wrong! My go-to options are the brisket taco and the pork, but I don't really discriminate, and I've had nearly every taco on the menu. Also, keep an eye out for the chicken & waffle taco, with cornbread fried chicken with cornbread fritters and blackberry (I think) jalapeno syrup. Unreal stuff!
The sides are good, too. The mac & cheese is filthy, and we always get the jalapeno apple slaw. That stuff is amazing! The special desserts that Smoke makes are also worth a try. They've always been heavy hitters that'll leave you in a food coma, but some of their pies are definitely worth it!
Overall, Smoke's hype is mostly warranted. We've been there countless times, and rarely walk away disappointed, but it helps that we go when the place is dead. I'd recommend you do the same! Enjoy!
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