American Way Smokehouse

This review’s for the BBQ. I love barbecue I’ve had Lexington style in North Carolina, Memphis style in Tennessee, South Carolina style out of Spartanburg, and of course, the brisket out of Texas. I usually give a lot of grace when it comes to BBQ, but this one I just couldn’t. The brisket had zero seasoning and tasted like someone slow-cooked a leather boot in a crock pot. No rendered fat, just sadness. The sauces were actually quite good, the coleslaw was solid, and the pulled pork was… fine, like a participation trophy fine. But the brisket? Criminal. See photo… that little pile of disappointment set me back $50.

The food was better than I expected. We received a free large bottle of BBQ sauce because we spent 40 on lunch. The bakery items, which I didn't get to try this time around, looked soo dang good!!

This place is my happy place! The food is amazing plus the shopping is fantastic. I can always find something for my home. The people here are kind and very helpful.

Come for the shopping stay for the bbq! I’d honestly give this a 7/10 on the smokehouse scale. Delicious treat when you need a break from shopping. But be prepared if you go on the weekend, this place is a big deal!

Although the food is good, and pricey, they have the new tipping software manipulation tablets. We are getting worse with this type of tipping manipulation to avoid owners paying workers properly. They have it default to 20+%, and goes down from there, with a forced "other" for custom to enter zero manually, or a lesser tip. This isnt a restaurant where they help fill drinks, or serve at the table so why would I pay not only 15%, but your suggestion of 25% default? This is such a huge problem with the new credit card tablet software systems. 1 star for this and only 2 stars if the food is halfway decent. I get my own drink, I wait in a long line to order, and all you do is drop the food at my table. Pay employees better, raise prices more if required! I'll tip after, cash, generally, if the total experience was amazing, not immediately at the software. This is manipulation due to the fact you have to navigate to find the other button and people feel guilty as the employee looks at you and people behind you.. meal in photo cost $24 with tax and the $3 side upcharge tiny chili bowl. You want me to tip you $5 (20%), or more by default, just to bring me my food? I still tip the dollar and the guy changed his attitude when he saw it. It shows that's how they thrive, and rely only on customers at a cash register which should be fully automated at this point.

Yummy Tri-tip dip ! The fact that this place is attached to Merchant Square makes for a wonderful experience! All ready recommended to family and friends! Love this place !

The food is so delicious! The costumer service is wonderful. It was out first time here, and the guy behind the counter answered all our questions and gave us recommendations. He let us sample some of the food to make sure we liked what we were ordering. The atmosphere is very nostalgic. It’s a laid back relaxing environment. I recommend this place to anyone, and I want to come back.

Bought a Cuban today. Waited 15 minutes past pickup time to get the sandwich. When I get home, the bread is stale and it's full of pickles, even though I asked multiple times for no pickles and it's clearly on the receipt. Went back and got a fresh bun with no pickles...

In my opinion, this small business located inside the American Way Smokehouse still has the best cookies around! The Tattered Apron baking company produces in small batches made from scratch. To update my review the cookies cost $5 each. The seasonal pumpkin, lemon poppy seed, sugar and chocolate chip flavors were calling my name. I ended up choosing the oatmeal butterscotch and didn't regret it! Fresh, soft and delicious. I'd buy this variety again!

A must try if your in the chandler area. besides the food being good the restaurant is connected to an antique store which adds to the vibe. service is good, always help in answer questions about 5he menu. As for the food, we got pastrami sandwiches, mac&cheese and tri-tip chil. Everything turned out great.

So for my birthday, I wanted to go try a place I had never been before and my girlfriend agreed. I saw this place a while back on the morning news show I watch and they were RAVING ABOUT IT. It's fairly close to us so we decided to go after we went to a movie. The place is cool enough inside and the decor is extremely unusual because it's part of an antique store! The guy that helped us was unique as well. We think his name is Drew but not sure. I'm not sure why this kid was the face of the establishment and the one running the register and helping customers because, to me, he had the personality of the buns the sandwiches came on. I especially didn't understand because there was another guy, Micah, who was the friendliest, most outgoing, happiest person I've come across in a long time! He was AWESOME! Anyway, so we ordered our food, a pulled pork sandwich, a Cuban Club sandwich, and a 2 meat platter with chicken and ribs. I'm not sure what all the hype was about because the all of the food was pretty flavorless. The ribs were not only NOT fall off the bone but they seemed way over cooked, hard, and hard to eat. They were not even as good as the ones we got once from the grocery store when it was the last rack available. The chicken was so dry, that I struggled even swallowing the piece I tried. That meal came with Mac N Cheese and my girlfriend was going to put salt on it because it had so little flavor. The Cuban Club sandwich was barely eaten because it was not good. The pulled pork, again, dry, dry, dry, dry, dry. The slaw was weird and the potato salad didn't taste like potato salad at all. We got some of their cakes (deserts) because it was my birthday and we took them home, well they were dry and heavy and after a couple bites (one from each of us) they went into the trash as a lesson learned. I have to say, the only part of this meal that was tolerable was the free water we had, luckily it seemed filtered. This seems like one of those places that, because of its backdrop and because the news decided to feature it, it became a fad that people go to just because they saw it on the news. For $60 for the meals and another $25 for the deserts we tried, I will never return here for a meal NOR would I recommend anyone else do that.

How do you not have brisket on a barbecue place? Our first time to try this place hurt some people say that it's pretty good but we walk in and try to order and they immediately tell us there's no brisket at 5 o'clock so we walked out.

The only great thing about this place is the antique store. I would give that place alone 5 stars but unfortunately it is connected to the American Way Smokehouse which was absolutely awful and disappointing. The potatoe salad was not edible, the Mac and cheese had 0 flavor. I got the 2 meat combo with chicken and ribs which were both dry. All of the desserts were dry and seemed old. Definitely not worth $90 bucks. The staff wasn't that great either at the restaurant side. I will be back to the antique shop but the restaurant never again.

Came with friends. Looks unassuming. You order at the counter, grab a table and they bring the food to you, pretty quickly. The ribs were very meaty and delicious, some of the best ribs we have had in Arizona. The brisket was also great, very lean. The baked beans were also great. The Tri tip arugula salad was also delicious. And the half portion side was very large. We will definitely be coming back.

My family and I went on a Sunday to try this place for the first time. Customers order at the counter and then are given a number to wait for their food to be brought to them at a table. We moved through the line quickly and the wait time was good considering they were busy. The portions were small and the premium brisket was mostly fat. The mac and cheese had little flavor. If we go back, we will try the sandwiches.

As a vegetarian- I really appreciate the BBQ Jackfruit sandwich option here. I'm from South Carolina, and I'd never heard of such a thing before moving here. The pastries are also very impressive, and even though the sandwich always fills me up, I like taking one to-go. The staff is always friendly, and the line moves quickly. I'm not usually big on counter service, but for this place it works. Make sure you go on a day when you have time to look around the antique market.

First time eating bbq here. The desserts are awesome especially the brownies. The bbq not so much. The brisket was very dry and too salty for my family. The ribs were better than the brisket. The sides were good especially the beans and potato salad. Probably would not return.

From the moment you walk in, the ambiance makes you feel like you're in a Western movie. I like how easy the menu is and honestly, the barbecue and sides they have are absolutely delicious. I took my order to-go the first time, but next time I'll plan to dine in because even the seating area looked adorable.

We stopped by the Merchant Square antique mall today and had lunch here. Now, I'm not normally a fan of BBQ because it's usually way too sweet. But here you add the sauce you want and it's not too sweet. We loved it! I had the smoked Turkey sandwich. Havarti cheese dill aioli, lettuce & Turkey on sourdough bread. It really hit the spot! Others had the smoked brisket and a tuna sandwich. They both expressed the same thing. Yum! As Arnold said, 'I'll be back!'

The most amazing bakery! Cookies are the best! The brownies are not to be missed! My favorite was the breakfast cookie! Staff is so helpful! Don't miss this place!

The food is amazing !!! I had the pulled pork, potato salad and baked beans Also the cookies are sooo moist and delicious too

My mom suggested we stop in for lunch today. It's. a really cute restaurant with vintage signs and decor. There was plenty of comfortable seating. Restaurant and bathrooms were very clean. We both chose brisket sandwiches. The bun was of superb quality. The sauce was good. The brisket and slaw were okay. The service was superb! The prices were reasonable. Lunch was filling so we ordered cookies to go. There were so many options making it difficult to make a decision. I tried the chocolate chip walnut and peanut butter. They were soft and flavorful! Absolutely great cookies! They also had scones and brownies. I'll definitely stop in again next time I'm in the area!

What a delicious barbecue place this is. So much fun because it is inside an antique mall. People shopping while I was eating. The beef brisket was really good and tender with a smoked flavor. The pulled pork was fantastic. They have three types of barbecue sauces on your table. I liked the spicy one. I will definitely be back!

We popped in to get takeout for dinner after wandering the antique mall the restaurant sits in. The yummy bbq smells got us they have tons of seating indoors and outdoors. The menu posted is straightforward, not really describing what you get with and on the sandwiches, etc. So it was a little bit of a surprise when we got our food home. I ordered the brisket, which came plain on a sweet roll of some sort. It had a good flavor but definitely needed some bbq sauce to moisten it up. My husband got another type of meat that came with cheese and spinach on regular sandwich bread, toasted. I enjoyed his a bit more. It came with two pickles and one small side of slaw (were we missing one?). The Mac was pretty good. Nothing extraordinary. A little more guidance on what we were getting would go a long way.

Pulled pork and slaw were delicious! Smoked turkey was so dry, probably old and was practically inedible even with a ton of sauce on it. Mac 'n cheese lacked flavor and was bland. Love the location but the food left a lot of disappointment!

This restaurant was a disappointment. It was definitely not the bbq we were expecting. The meat was deli meat at best and served cold. The only hot thing on our plate was the microwaved macaroni and cheese. Seating was limited. Staff was disorganized and flippant. I will never be returning here. On top of everything we were sick for the rest of the day!

I am absolutely shocked that I have not previously reviewed this place. We love coming to Merchant Square and Highland Yard quite often, but the best part is grabbing a meal at the American Way Smokehouse. We usually get a couple of different sandwiches and then split them, plus the addition of a bag of chips and either a fountain drink or a classic bottled drink. Each sandwich also comes with coleslaw and a large pickle. Some of the best are the Smoked Brisket, The Market Dip, and the BBQ Chicken. So good. Each table has a selection of sauces and a paper towel rack. Don't be afraid to get messy while devouring your delicious food. To top it off, they have amazing cookies. We like the Snickerdoodle and the Birthday Cake. We usually sit outside depending on the weather. There is a Yelp discount for first-time visitors. The staff is always friendly, and service is always top notch. Next time you're in the area, do some antique shopping and grab some great food in the same building. You'll be back.

Food is pretty solid, the cookies are what brings me back but they're never consistent, it's frustrating. Inside an antique store which is cool, ambiance is standard, it's clean. Customer service is absolutely horrendous! They are rude as ever, no personality at all, unfortunately that's very consistent, extremely disappointing. Im big on customer service so it takes my review down to 2 stars from 4.

Stumbled upon this BBQ place and it was good! I ordered the 2 meat plate which comes with 2 sides and rolls. I got the brisket and tri-tip with potato salad and mac and cheese for an upgrade. The brisket and potato salad were delicious; brisket was tender. Tri-tip was a chewy and a bit dry. Mac and cheese is not worth the upgrade; it wasn't cheesy and only had cheese on the top while the pasta was buttered. They have BBQ sauces on the table to use but you'll also be given a cup with your meal. They also have baked treats that look fresh, but I'll try that next time. It's located inside/next to an antique store which is really cool to explore after eating. The cashier was really nice and helpful when helping me decide between potato salad or coleslaw. The leather benches are pretty worn out. We chose a table and didn't expect the bench to sink you in.

Why haven't I checked out this market like BBQ, bakery, and antique shop joint sooner! Definitely a hidden gem with lots of character and "booths" to peruse. I'll have to come back to try some actual BBQ since what caught my eye to visit was the bakery (Tattered Aprons). They have an ample variety of cookies that will satisfy any type of craving - chocolate walnut, coconut chocolate chip, orange Creamsicle, snickerdoodle, etc. I ended up getting the coconut choc chip ... was it the best cookie I have had? Maybe not, but it was pretty tasty and only $4. I also tried the blueberry lemon scone ($5). Usually I'm a cookie over scone person, but in this case, it's the opposite! The scone was plump and stutted with blueberries. The only thing I wish is that it was a little softer. All in all, I'll be back! If you're looking for a unique place to check out, this is your place!

American Way Smokehouse specializes in smoked foods. Even the eggs for their egg salad are smoked! However, I wouldn't say they excel in BBQ specifically. I would recommend their sandwiches and other sides over their BBQ plates. Service has always been really friendly and we've had no issues with ordering online for pickup or ordering in person to eat in. They offer fun kettle chip flavors and so many unique sodas in the antique shop side. As they specialize in smoked foods, it does smell pretty smoky inside, which may permeate your clothes. My partner and I have enjoyed their sandwiches more than the BBQ. Sometimes the sandwich bread can be cut strangely and you'll end up with one piece being much smaller than the other. If you love smoked foods, you may enjoy their potato salad. It's very smoky and savory. If you prefer a sweeter potato salad, this may not be for you. Pricing is on the higher side considering their sandwiches especially aren't that large. What's unique about American Way Smokehouse is that it's attached to their HUGE antique shop. It's fun to stop by for a meal and then browse their antiques. The antique side is a bit like a maze as it just keeps on going and going. I wouldn't go to American Way Smokehouse for their food alone, but some highlights to try are their smoked sides and speciality sodas. I would say it's a decent stop if you plan on shopping next door.

This is hands down the best BBQ spot in the valley! The food is always amazing (best corn chowder ever) as is their selection of cookies, bottled sodas, and sauces! The food is always served fast and hot with a smile. The ambiance of sitting in an antique shop makes this place that much more appealing. You're able to eat and walk it off with a journey around the store.

People who run the joint are fabulous. Meats are Smokey & authentic bbq. Cookies to die for. Great to was it down with a cold beer

American Way BBQ & Kielbasa delivers bold, smoky flavors and classic comfort in a casual, welcoming setting. The kielbasa was juicy with a perfect snap, and the BBQ had that slow-smoked tenderness you look for--especially the brisket, which was rich and flavorful. The sides were solid--cornbread was sweet and moist, and the coleslaw had just the right tang. Service was friendly and fast, though the atmosphere could use a little polish to match the food quality. Overall, a great spot for hearty, satisfying BBQ. Just a few small tweaks away from 5 stars. Will definitely be back!

American Way Smokehouse is by far one of the coolest and most unique restaurants that I've set foot in. I had no clue how cool it was, I just put the nearest restaurant in my GPS because my family was starving. The smokehouse is located inside of a GIGANTIC antique market. Like... the size of a Walmart. It has this charm to it, like you are in Rural Texas and not Arizona. That old, musty smell. Lots of older veterans eating. Old, worn booths with cracked leather. A fridge FULL of color coded sodas. The place is definitely old, but it adds to the charm. We ordered quite a few menu items. We both got a Pulled Pork Sandwich, (I got baked beans as a side, my mom got Mac N' Cheese. Sides are an extra $4). I also got a cup of the Corn Chowder. The Pulled Pork Sandwiches come with spicy coleslaw and a pickle. The food in general was pretty good. The Pulled Pork Sandwich was excellent- slightly sweet bun piled with pulled pork-- which was lean but not too dry. The Corn Chowder, Coleslaw & Beans were also delicious. The only thing that was a bit disappointing was the Mac N' Cheese. It was a bit bland. I ordered a Sugar Cookie on the way out. It was a bit too sweet, but definitely homemade. I would come back and just skip the Mac N' Cheese or cookie. It seems like the sandwiches are what's good.

I love all of the American signs and flags. You can eat outside in the patio, even in swings or benches and chairs. You can eat inside with groups or on a date. I love being here, the food is always fresh, and the green beans are amazing. I love that you can try sizes of sodas. You can have vegetarian or meat. There is even a kids menu. I love to bring my family to car nights and then eat inside for dinner together. Tonight we're on a date hubs and I. The staff is always friendly. My dinner was hot in all the best ways. The restaurant is nice and clean. I come often, I'll be coming back very soon. I love it here!

Excellent BBQ and the cookies are amazing! The staff are so nice and always make our experience enjoyable. The vibes are perfect too! We love this place it's on our frequent rotation. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Bonus they carry a bunch of soda options in glass bottles.

This is the best cookie I've ever had outside of how mama used to make it. The service was really great. Really helpful at the counter. And the ambience is really nice as well

I am from Texas and ready picky about BBQ but this place is amazing. I had the tri tip sandwich, andI will definitely be back

It is RARE that I enjoy BBQ anywhere. A lot of the time I feel it's pretty basic. But THIS BBQ. By far the best I have had in the valley. The store itself is also cool, huge antique mall which sure; maybe you might think to yourself "antiques?" Trust me, it's super fun to walk through and see all the stuff. But if you go for anything, go for the BBQ. We had the smoked pastrami, the smoked brisket, and the chilli verde. And the sauce? THE SAUCE! I could drink it was so perfect. It also has a bakery, so those cookies, fresh like ya grandmama made 'em! 10/10 recommend! Great food, decently priced, fun and unique experience. Can't go wrong!

Just came back the get another pulled pork sandwich for my wife and saw this sign. You've gotta be kidding me. Best ribs in AZ??? Change the Best to Worst and I agree with you.

There are so many options and all looked so good! Our table got the Harvest Salad with Pulled Pork, a side of kielbasa and the pulled pork sandwich. The salad was a great combination of ingredients and the pork just made it better. You order at the counter and they bring the food to you. Super nice staff that answered all my questions. Lots of seating and afterwords you can shop till you drop in the antique store!

Shout out to Brianna, Emily, and Camille! You are the heart of this fantastic eatery. Delightful, gracious, classy - and let's not forget the delicious food and generous portions. They make the trip worthwhile, and never fail to elicit smiles from my husband and I. Don't change- you rock!

This is a Great BBQ hidden gem. Staff was so friendly, atmosphere was enjoyable and food was fabulous! My husband is a real Texas BBQ person and this place is just as good. Nit to mention the fresh baked good that are made on site. So good!

Ordered 2 brisket bbq sandwhiches.. they claim to be Arizona best bbq.. if that's the case I won't eat bbq in Arizona again. I was underwhelmed by the tasteless brisket. Coleslaw was a 3/10 And bun was cold. I think for $14 the portions should've been bigger being that all you get is a bag of chips with the sandwich and a quarter sliced pickle. Antique store was cool though I just wont go back to eat there. All the employees were very nice.

The brisket is some of the best I've had in years. Ribs were just as good. The sides (baked beans and potato salad) were outstanding and they gave me a free bottle of BBQ sauce with my purchase! Plus they throw in a couple Hawaiian rolls. This place was just clutch. And their slogan is great "Freedom, faith, family, friends and good food. It's the American Way".

Overall food was good. Really great chili, my brisket plate had a lot of fat in comparison to meet and the Mac n cheese just wasn't good. We come here often and really miss the Asian chicken salad that use to be on the menu.

A BBQ joint with a bakery, and it's inside an antique store! Go now! Try the cookies, they were delicious! I also got the turkey sandwich with French onion soup and it was spot on! Stop here for a good time and a good meal! Service was friendly and the place smelled great!

The orange dreamsicle cookie was delicious, cinnamon bun was good as well bet it would've been better if it was warmed up. Wanted the smokehouse turkey sandwich was told they don't have and smoked turkey at all, got the deli turkey sandwich. The sandwich came with too many greens on it, it was half sandwich and half salad. Didn't like the deli turkey or the sauce unfortunately and there were all of these hair fibers mostly on the bread and a few on the turkey as if someone rubbed a sweater or yarn mittens on the food before serving. I was upset that this was my first experience eating here, I ate less than a quarter of my food and feel like it was a waste of $13 for a turkey sandwich that wasn't good. Ambiance was nice, we sat outside and the weather was beautiful.

Cute atmosphere, great service with kind and informed staff, notable high quality of the meat, decent sides. Felt a bit pricey at first but realizing it's a small business did help my mindset on that! Their slogan was "Food Family Freedom Faith &Friends." That's awesome. Honestly this along got them the extra star Also! FREE full size bbq sauce (which btw is incredibly delicious) with purchase was a great surprise! Definitely will come again!

My wife and I ordered a tri tip sandwich and a Cuban club. Both of the sauces on the sandwiches tasted like mayo and the meat was bland. Getting Mac n cheese was disgusting. With how cheesy it looked, it was surprising that it tasted nothing like cheese. The only redeeming quality of this place was the cookies. The food is not worth the price.

We love to visit the Merchant Square antique market--a massive complex of all kinds of antique stuff. But before we tackle that huge task of browsing and shopping, we eat lunch at the American Way first. A great convenience since both places are right next to each other. We get their bbq and a few sides (usually the chili tri-tip soup and the potato salad), and the dinner rolls come with the order. Those rolls are a big hit, just ask my son who can easily eat five of those rolls (need to remind him there's five of us who also might like to eat them). There are also cookies that come with meals. Due to the outside patio seating, my dog can join us. In fact, he got a small cup of tri-tip from the staff for being a good boy. By the way, the antique market next door is also pet-friendly. A win-win! :-)

OMG...the smoked corn chowder is fantastic!! My Dad loves their French onion soup. They also make fresh cookies on site...try the dark chocolate sea salt walnut!! I have only tried a few sandwiches, but everything is good and fresh! And the smokehouse smell is yummy!!

Great food! Soups, sandwiches, salads and more! Bring your wallet, you'll need it for all the other vintage goodies located inside! Photo shows a pastrami sandwich, comes with coke slaw and pickle, yum!

Very rarely do I say this about a restaurant but this place is perfect. Someone took a lot of care and love in setting up and training and creating recipes. And those cookies. Give that baker a hug. The pastrami is the best I have found in Arizona with fresh perfectly toasted bread and a side of yummy coleslaw. And normally I don't like the slaw that much. Even the tables were clean which never happens at counter service joints Please go try this place

Gave this place another shot today , The girl today and the guy they just are not friendly !!! It's so not fun to encounter people that are supposed to act somewhat happy and kind. Same as my last visit , they seem bothered to take orders and drop food at the tables. A smile. A how are you. And a THank you can go a long way !

I know it is a bbq spot but I have to say the bun of my brisket sandwich was the game changer. Everything we tried was yummy and good quality. We had a great time wondering the antique mall after lunch. The down home county store feel is what Craker Barrel wishes they could be.