I desperately wanted to love Caplansky's. Unfortunately, I went in craving Schwartz's. A primal craving for the best smoked meat in the known universe makes it essentially impossible to judge any other smoked meat on its own merits. Sadly, while Caplansky's might do in an emergency, the smoked meat isn't up to snuff. The smell and appearance were promising, and I liked the spice mix a lot, but the texture was off - it seemed almost mushy instead of melting in your mouth like it should. However, the fries were good, the service was friendly, the beer selection was well-chosen, and the rest of the menu was interesting. I'll be back. It just won't be for smoked meat.