Joker's Cajun Smokehouse

Overall this place was pretty mid. We came on Tuesday around 6pm during the rush of people trying to see Barbie or Oppenheimer at the theater across the street (us included). They sat us but prefaced by saying it would be a 30 minute wait for food. We had time, no problem. They were out of a lot of stuff. It was Margaritas for $10 but they were out of Limes and lime juice. So no cocktails with lime. They were out of fried chicken, they were out of all kinds of stuff and while I do feel for them, I also feel like this ultimately comes down to some level of mismanagement. The waiters were being slammed and had the unfortunate task of telling everyone that food was taking a long time to come out AND they were out of half their menu. When the food came out, we all ate because we were hungry, not because we enjoyed the food. We’ll put it that way. One person got a burger, the other got I think a Poboy of sorts, if you could call it that. And I got Gumbo and Jambalaya. You can judge for yourself based off the photos but neither were very good. I can make better gumbo and jambalaya than this place. I was disappointed.

Update in summer of 2023: We went back after the amazing experience we had at their crawfish boil a year ago. And it was quite disappointing. Both the gumbo and the jambalaya were extremely salty! It was too salty we had to stop eating it despite drinking multiple glasses of water throughout the meal. Which is sad because they give a good amount of shrimp both dishes! The fried shrimp appetisers was also a generous portion, but had been fried too long they were hard. Very sad that this place has gone downhill. Leaving the original review below so you can see what we did love about the place in the past. ORIGINAL REVIEW WRITE UP: Went to their all-you-can-eat crawfish boil today and it was a great time! Look at the photo of the hefty helping of crawfish that comes with corn, potatoes, and andouille sausage! The crawfish was extremely fresh and weren't over cooked! We had 3 trays each of crawfish! My only tip would be more seasoning in the boil water-the Chef came out to check on us and was only more than happy to give us more of his seasoning. After talking to the chef, we found out his gumbo roux is a dark tan brown roux and is thicker like a stew and less like a soup. We knew right then that we had to have a bowl...and if you look at the photo, it is spot on! One of the best gumbo in the city! Peppery and hearty, the flavours of the "holy trinity" of gumbo making shine through the dish, and he finishes it with okra and a generous amount of the proteins (we had the chicken and andouille) and loved it! The venue has a great covered outdoor patio which makes you feel like your in Lousiana at a crayfish boil eating outside and drinking a beer. The only bummer is that their pots are in their kitchen so you don't get to enjoy watching or smelling the boiling crawfish and spices of a typical crawfish boil outdoors. What lacks in getting to watch the boil, is made up with the fact that the chef came out to talk to each of the tables before it became crowded. We had a blast and will be back soon for dinner service!

I went in a couple weeks ago, and when I see "Cajun smokehouse", I think of flavor and good food. I was disappointed with service and food. The service sucked, the guy who took our order, was on the phone the whole time and talking to his girlfriend. Like what?!? Wasn't really around when we needed him, and till we asked for the checked is when he was finally off the phone. Now, the food. I was highly disappointed with that. We ordered the gumbo for the appetizer, that honestly tasted like water with white rice, and only had 2 shrimps. The cornbread was burnt and just hard (didn't eat that). The collard greens had no flavor, and the Mac and cheese was warm on the top and cold at the bottom. I would say the only thing that saved was the ribs. The ribs had flavor and fell the bone. The other 3 meats, was not seasoned nor hot. Overall it wasn't great.

Stopped in after the movie. Not a huge variety of food to choose from, I opted for a salad, my son had the brisket, salad was ok, son said the brisket was good. Parking in front. Affordable prices. Fast friendly staff. Apparently they were out of alot of menu items.

They make you feel at home. Tim was a awesome server with one of the best old fashions I've had. I highly recommend the sampler plater for the bbq. Cajun wise get a cup of the gumbo. Jambalaya, and red beans and rice. And if you have room a order of wings make sure to ask for Jokers hot sauce. Can't say enough good about this place .

Went for dinner on a Friday and there was plenty of seating (let’s change that, people!). We ordered chicken tenders, hush puppies and burnt ends for apps and the tenders and the burnt ends were awesome! I liked the hush puppies but I think they may have had seafood in them, so that threw me. The jambalaya and the gumbo were soooooooo good. My bf got the 4 meat platter and it was good but it definitely didn’t beat the max and cheese with brisket that mg sister got of the fried shrimp po boy that I got! The bread on the po boy was so soft and good. The mashed potatoes with the gravy, oh my gos. Everyone agreed hands down our favorite. Wow. We would drink that gravy. Finally, the desserts.the caramel nut brownie cheesecake was amazing, honestly. The blueberry cobbler was good. The cocktails were ok & I don’t recommend the corn bread.

I love this place - I’ve been ordering from here for almost 3 years now. Service is always very friendly and accommodating. There’s not many places with their good hours that offer smoked meat in the area - that is a huge plus. I love the variety of sauces and dry rubs - options are always great. HIGHLY recommend for appetizers AND mains - the food is great- I just think they need better marketing and they will be busier more often ❤️‍🔥

Even if you've been following the folks behind Joker's, you'll still be surprised at what they've come up with this time. The amazing Cajun dishes that they've been serving up at the French Market (and at Local 22 before that) are here in force. Their gumbo is as good as or better than the best I've had in New Orleans. But there's something new here: obscenely delicious barbecue. Most BBQ restaurants can hold their own in one or two kinds of meat; you're either a brisket place, or a pulled pork place, or a ribs place. Very few manage to do a respectable job at multiple meats. Joker's turns every meat it touches into delicious smoked gold. You need to try their burnt ends. You need to try their pulled pork. Their smoked chicken is amazing, and that's something that's generally an afterthought anywhere else. Get their collard greens - you won't be disappointed. And their homemade sauces and pickles are fantastic. Honestly, you can't go wrong here. The folks behind this place are passionate about what they do, and have been doing it for a very long time, and it shows.

I moved here from Kansas City in 2019 and this is right up there as some of the best BBQ I've had. The smoked wings and burnt ends were incredible. Definitely worth the trip to this hidden gem!

On my second visitbut this time I was disappointed but it wasn't the service or the food. I asked the bartender/waiter for I he said we're out so Iced Tea. How about Lemonaid? Sorry, but we're out of Lemonade too! I ordered water. Now for my food order. I ordered Blackened catfish Po'Boy but I already had Thea Plan "B" just in case they don't have catfish. The waiter had to check and see if they had catfish so I said if you don't have catfish I'll take the pulled pork sandwich sandwich sandwich, he came right back and said we have catfish. The sandwiches come with fries, and a good amount of fish, nice and tender they give you a generous amount. visit the food was good, warm bread, spicy sauce.I liked the Charred shrimp Po'Boy better than the catfish that I got last time. .

I'm torn. Based on both Yelp and Google reviews, I was thinking more. I had it noted for BBQ but Google referenced it for its gumbo and I was in the mood for that. I ordered some tenders for the kiddo and a order of gumbo and cornbread for me. Let me just say out of 5 I would give the gumbo a 3. It was flavorful, the roux was a great color and base. Plenty of chicken and andouille. So what happened? The rice. The rice which is key to any gumbo was undercooked. It was Saturday night after a snow storm and headed into below 0 temps. I was not about to go back out and drive to find something else. So I just combed through. Before someone says it's just rice. Let me clear I love rice and rice is quintessential to gumbo just like most creole dishes. Rice not good. Food not gonna be go. More upsetting was the cornbread. I actually jumped into this first and honey let's call it corn sponge. There was nothing to embrace. I had to pull a corner off and it was a struggle. Cornbread though harder crust is should almost remind you of a cake inside. A dab of butter or not. Not sure what was happening. The server was kind. There were a few tables filled but it was not that busy of a night. I would love to try the bbq but after sharing this experience, it's too much of a risk. Maybe they rock on bbq and Cajun is secondary. U try and let me know.

Came here today with the wife,had the full slab.place was crickets,but expected seeings that it's memorial weekend.my wife ordered the sausage.and the waiter said there's no coleslaw ?then she said fine.ill take the cornbread.sorry it's going to be 30-45 min to make ?so she ordered just the sausage.I ordered the full rack,and macaroni and cheese, it came out dry and burned, I didn't eat it all took the rest to give to my dog. I remember coming here when it was fat willies this place is fat willies terrible food, terrible vibe just not good quality product.. very disappointed

We have eaten here several times when attending movies across the street at The Regal Theater. Each time has been a very laid back and chilled visit, with three of those visits sitting at the bar. Let me start off by saying that they do have a sparkling wine, Caposaldo Prosecco, so you know they already have a hook in me. Standout dish for me when I go there is the Mac and Cheese with brisket and a piece of that corn bread they make. The corn bread reminds me of Jiffy corn bread mix in terms of the sweetness. It is almost like you are eating a corn cake. That corn bread is delish and I love to crumble it up into the mac and cheese. The first time I got this dish and crumbled up the corn bread into the mac and cheese, the server was floored. He said he had never seen anyone do that before, but that it looked pretty tasty. He was not wrong. The Queen likes the Jambalaya a lot and The Doctor the pulled pork and brisket. We have had the burnt ends and those were surprisingly good. I threw some of those in the red beans and rice and that was great. The servers and bartenders are great. I have had some interesting conversations with them and they are always on top of things. If I had a complaint about this joint is that they sometimes run our of certain foods later in the day, like the corn bread or brisket. Not a deal breaker to stop me from coming back. But you know when you have your mouth fixed for a certain food and don't get it, it leaves you all kinds of hangry. There is street parking on Western, which is what I always do and never had a problem with it.

While looking for some restaurants in my neighborhood that I haven't tried yet, Jokers turned up in my search. It's not on a main stretch and is on a block that doesn't allow for close parking. But I ordered takeaway. I noted the parking situation just in case I'd return for a sit-down. Nevertheless, I ordered blackened catfish, red beans and rice, and cornbread. The catfish hit the spot. The red beans and rice could use a little more seasoning. The cornbread is more sweet than savory. The restaurant was not as busy as I would have expected. I have a feeling it's because of location and the parking situation. Unless you're taking public transit or a rideshare option (e.g., Uber or Lyft), having to scout for a parking space that won't result in getting a ticket may be a concern. As good as the food may be, Chicago's parking can be a deterrent.

WOW - this is *really good* bbq. Joker's was actually a restaurant that was talked about on an Avondale community group on Facebook, and I screenshot the post for next time I was craving bbq. Fast forward to a Sunday afternoon with no plans and my partner and I stopped in for lunch. There is street parking and the garage for the movie theater, so parking is no issue here. There is a really artistic mural outside, plus patio seating for warmer weather. This place is a little divey, but in a really special way where I walked in and was transported from Chicago to a bar in the French Quarter. It's an awkward shaped space with a bar and a dining area. There's a small stage and today had a great guitar duo with well known covers. The singer was incredible and while it was loud, it was a fun environment. It's almost like you're getting table service for a counter service type meal/environment here, and is not formal. Today we started with the burnt ends, which were absolutely incredible. I could eat a bowl of these every day forever and die happy. They melt in your mouth and are cooked perfectly. I ordered the brisket po boy, which was no frills, but really satisfying. The bread was fresh and soft and toasted perfect. The brisket of course was delicious. My partner had the pulled pork sandwich, which comes on a bun and dressed with slaw. They both came with these skinny little French fries (that I smothered in sauce and enjoyed like there's no tomorrow). I love the food here. My only struggles with were the music being so loud that we could barely have any conversation, or engage with our server, and also our server seemed overwhelmed or uninterested, although wasn't unkind. We will definitely be back and I'm so excited to have a go to bbq spot in the city now!

This place is small but so worth stopping by. Our go to is the burnt ends, combo plate (1/2 brisket, 1/2 spare ribs), Mac and cheese and the dirty rice (seasoned rice with liver). The burnt ends we take home because it is a lot of fat to eat the brisket and burnt ends. They reheat fanatically. Service is friendly and helpful and the food comes relevantly quickly. Both times we came I've been quiet and chill. I'll stop by anytime I'm close for the brisket. It is the best rub and super juicy. This is walking distance to Maplewood Brewery and Revolution brewery.

Came here for dinner before heading to the movie. Heard of this place and pass by it multiple times. So we decided to come. We sat by the bar and we immediately got the menu. We order the combination plate where you pick four meats and we also order half smoke chicken with two side: corn bread and Mac and cheese. There street parking.

The smaller, tastiest flavors ever! Move over heavy BBQ! Joketr's serves it up in cute over-sized ramekin ever!! Directly across the street from IMAX. Come early before the show!

Been following this Joker's Smokehouse for awhile on FB. I finally made it out to their location. I like how it is located right next door to theater. Decided to grab food here after our movie night. We came on Fat Tuesday which probably wasn't the best idea but it turned out great anyway. We started off with two hurricanes. It was busy because Fat Tuesday so we opted to leave and come back later. Staff was trying to keep up with the to-go orders, the bar, the restaurant. Seemed to be overwhelming for them but they did it with a smile. The owner also came by and hung out with us. It was very nice to hear about how the business got started and the love her husband has for New Orleans cuisine. I have been to New Orleans on three different occasions. My family is also from Louisiana so I take this cuisine very seriously. I would love to come back to try more dishes. Since it was Fat Tuesday and they were slammed, we opted for quicker meals. Plus we had too many drinks and needed quick food to survive Ash Wednesday. lol For food we got the Shrimp Po Boy and husband grabbed Catfish meal. I really enjoyed the Po'Boy and the fries. My husband liked the flavoring on the greens and catfish. We were both underwhelmed on the mac and cheese. Enjoyed that they had right hot sauce. They did not have any tartar sauce. Our hurricanes were just as good as Pat O'Briens. Would love to hear next Fat Tuesday playing music: blues, jazz, zydeco, bounce of the region. Tip: Go see a movie, get $2.00 parking and then eat here before or after.

I pre-ordered food for my family's Easter dinner this year. Kelly was a dream in working with me to accommodate what we wanted and didn't require a minimum number of people. On a morning where Kelly and John were waiting to replace a glass door that vandals had broken at the restaurant, they still personally delivered my family's meal. I cannot say enough about the customer service - beyond expectations. Beyond expectations is exactly how all the food was, too! We had multiple dishes, smoked meats and cornbread. It was so good one of the youngsters who had never eaten ribs before, ate four bones! Highly, highly recommend!

Exceedingly average food that reminds me of some restaurant rescue show where everything is just warmed up in a microwave. Solid bark and taste on the brisket but not juicy at all. Fries were pathetic, limp and soft. Cornbread had no taste at all. Mac and cheese was good. Wouldn't have again.

The food here was so bad. The service was fine but it was just horrible BBQ. Bad chili, bad baby back ribs, and most inexplicable a terrible brownie with vanilla ice cream desert. I mean, the ice cream was full of ice bits, like the cheapest Wal-Mart vanilla ice cream. The brownie like is was made from a generic mix. There is no way this restaurant will last. Awful.

This was supposed to be birthday dinner out with my wife and daughter. What a bust. I can think of one good quality. Collards we're too salty to eat, pulled pork was dry, fried chicken po'boy was crispy but flavorless, hush puppies were straight up gooey raw inside. The staff stated they were short handed, and would have tuned us away except we had a reservation. We should have bailed out right then. They later blamed the slow service on the movie rush, but there was only one large party an 3 other tables when we arrived. I had hoped to find some quality Q, but this a complete disappointment. We of course skipped desert.

the food was so good and the service was so nice. They were understaffed but did their best to give us a great experience. They have perfected the dark chocolate colored roux for their gumbo. It's the best over had in Illinois. staff are super friendly and attentive. Food was amazing!! Kids loved it and said best food ever.

My daughter wouldn't even eat there macaroni. This place straight up sucks yo. Nothing compared to the Fat Willy's that used to be here. They need a new chef/owner.

Great food. Loved the Gumbo! Loved the smoked chicken. Fantastic homemade bbq sauces!

I came early. 1st customer of the day. Ordered 1/2 slab of ribs. I was served within 5 minutes. I figured they were yesterday's ribs heated up in a microwave. Service was great. Ribs mediocre. I will give it another try. The people working there aim to please.

Just hands down the best Cajun experience in Chicago. The brisket is top notch. The staff was great.

Killer BBQ. May be best I've ever had. Shredded pork was phenomenal. We also shared a 'pick 4 platter' which contained generous portions of beef, pork and chicken. Service was friendly and upbeat. Highly recommend. Dino

I just did a review on Green street Smoke Meats Bar B Que restaurant! THAT PLACE makes Joker's Smokehouse taste like dog food. The measure of GREAT Bar B Que is you LOVE it WITHOUT bar b que sauce! At Joker's Smokehouse you NEED the bar b que sauce!!! I had 1/2 pound of of their beef brisket. It was not bad, but it was not good either. After eating at Green st Smoked Meats, it like comparing Pequod's Pizza to Leonas Pizza. If you come here, make certain they give you sauces. The Mac n Cheese was horrible and their greens were soury tasting. I dare you to eat at both here and Green st and prove me wrong!!!

Came here with my cousin before a movie across the street. We were sat instantly and the space was pretty slow for a Saturday night. The service was also slow but very friendly. I had the pulled pork and it was good - my cousin enjoyed his food as well. This is a nice spot to have dinner if you're not in a rush.

The service is good. The waiter was super nice. They were out of the pulled pork. The chicken wings were good but the blackened chicken was very dry. Both types of ribs were really good. The hush puppies were delicious with the chipotle aioli. The worst item was the brisket which was dry and leathery. Sausage was nice. Ambiance was a little bare.

Listen. In this climate you have to be patient when going to any restaurant. But what I want to get across first is that the meat is truly delicious. We had the meat combo platter, problem was we got Chicken when we asked for Brisket. Such is life. All good. Wife ordered a cup of Gumbo, after what seemed like a 15 minute wait, Gumbo and half of our appetizer order arrived. Gumbo was cold. Wife ate it still because she was hungry. Such is life. Hush Puppies were solid. I also ordered Chicken Tenders and those arrived 15 minutes after our dinner portion arrived despite me mentioning to the server that since they didn't come out earlier, "don't worry about getting them. It's fine." I guess I should had been more explicit about not wanting it. In addition, my wife ordered a side of dirty rice. Never made it to the table, such is life again. The server did apologize excessively about the wait and being short staffed, as they were also servicing a private event. So I can imagine how much stress they were under to be everywhere. I still tipped 20% when I justly could have tipped 5 or even 10% but the people in hospitality positions rely on tips and I didn't want to be that asshole to demonstrate an example to improve service by withholding a gesture of appreciation. The wait was tolerable, the cold soup, and orders that never came or came insanely late is a little hard to defend. That's just poor communication or execution. Either way, I assume when this place gets the proper staff together to meet the demand of patrons I might return or I might just come back to get the food to go. A 15% discount coupon was given to us and other tables by the servers, I can appreciate they are doing the best with what they got. But the servers desperately need more help.

We ordered burgers and pulled pork sandwich, and then after they told us they were out of both. Also, we got a caesar salad which was inedible- the dressing wasn't caesar, it was just oil and anchovies. The waitress was fine but not exceptional service. Also the table was dirty when we got there. This was all at 6:30pm on a tuesday when the restaurant was nearly empty.

Went there before a movie at Regal across the street, and glad I did! Food was amazing, drink choices were great, outdoor seating was peaceful in their covered patio seating. Ordered the brisket 1/2 lb, and it was plenty of meat! Delicious brisket made well. 2 sides were generous portions, recommend the Mac n cheese.(wish I took a pic, but ate it before I could stop myself) Will be going back, definitely recommend.

Christian is a waiter extraordinaire. He never tired of our endless questions about spice levels of each item and sauce. I can recommend the light as air fried catfish, well seasoned collard greens and buttery cornbread. Very reasonably priced. The recipes and cooking techniques bring this casual Cajun smokehouse to gourmet level. Across the street from the Regal Theater on Western and Schubert, an easy choice for after the cinema. LOL but don't wait for a film to try out this food. Afternoon and early evening Family Friendly. The staff are industry vets and bring their fun to the table. Let's support these folks.

You're better off going to Offset. We have tried Joker's a couple of times since moving to Bucktown a few years ago. We have typically ordered for pickup, but decided to go to the actual establishment for the night. We know our BBQ and have gone to several of the best places in the city - we were hopeful for this one to be better than our first experience, but we were ultimately wrong. The Place: 2/5 stars The actual restaurant is in a solid location, but it's a bit hard to find the right door and harder to find parking. The parking isn't something they can control, but putting a clearer sign above the door of where you should enter instead of a small notification to use the other door on the brown entry way most restaurants use - that would be helpful. The A/C was on, but it's roughly 65 degrees out today, so I'm curious why you're wasting the money on top of making it extra drafty for your customers? We got to choose our table - we chose a 2-person table so that we wouldn't take up much room. I'm unsure why we didn't choose a larger table given that it was only us and one other couple in the entire place. Either way, small table, lots of clutter, and drafty location. The Food: 2/5 stars We ordered the smoked wings as an appetizer. They were dry but had decent flavor. We aren't big on the side veggies in our household and thought "maybe they just won't", but were surprised to find out that they were served on top of a literal salad. We made it work and kept going. My partner ordered the brisket, which was dry and tasted like pot roast. That's not how brisket should taste, especially considering the price of brisket cuts. Brisket should be juicy and at least have flavor to it. I wouldn't be surprised if this was just some sad pot roast they dressed up to make you think it was brisket from the taste of it. The fries were great! We loved them - keep it up. Lastly, my ribs - they were pretty ok to say the absolute most that I can about them. I've had ribs from many places and have seen a large spectrum. These ribs were flavored in a way that would make you think beige was a party color. The chipotle sauce helped a bit and they did fall off the bone. I just don't know why we would celebrate structural integrity without taste. There was a lot of food for the price with the ribs. My only regret is that there is so much beige taste still in my fridge. The Service: -5/5 stars Yes, I'm saying this is negative 5 stars of service. Don't worry, I still tipped... but I've worked in the food service industry for nearly 20 years and I have actually never received service this terrible. Let's begin with the appetizer. When you bring out an appetizer, it's typical to have plates. We actually had no plates and had to eat our chicken on top of napkins. N A P K I N S. Not only that, but they never gave us any other napkins, so we were actually using old used-up napkins from the plate left over from the appetizer. I couldn't decide if the move to never clear any plates was negligent or strategic given the fact that we had to continue using the same napkins that were already dirty. The person who served us was a rookie, and so much so that I would never have made the kinds of mistakes they made even on a training day. We actually didn't get full drinks and the drinks were never even offered for a refill. They never came back to check on the food after we started eating or to see if we needed anything else... or to bus the table. I've served in restaurants (think busy diners and breakfast places). I've served in catering (think weddings, events, and backyard soirees). I've been a bartender for yachts, bars, and again at events - I've even served celebrities back when I was in LA. That being said, I would never make the mistake of not asking to refill a drink, not clearing a table, and not giving people plates to eat off of. Please, full-stop - read that again: *Not giving people plates to eat off of* That is absolutely appalling. While I did tip a standard amount, the person looked down at the tip after receiving the machine back and seemed shocked, walking away quickly. In truth, I'm not tipping 20% or more for the kind of negligence we received. But that's not all. On our way out, the person walking in (another employee who had been at the bar the whole time chatting with the server) not only didn't say anything as we left, but blew past us instead of letting us walk through. It's a small thing, but it's big when you have gotten crappy service the entire night. If you do go: consider making it a camping trip. Bring your own napkins and silverware. Perhaps a couple of plates. Remember that, when camping, you should always take your garbage with you so as not to disturb the experience of the next campers since you're likely the only people taking care of the campsite.

Server/bartender Christian was great and fun to talk to. I got the half slab and the burnt ends both very good. Also I the dirty rice was fantastic. Enjoyed my time here before a movie! Def gonna come here before every movie now.

Had dinner here tonight with my son and husband and we will definitely be returning here! It was empty when we got there so we were a little worried that might not mean a good thing but that thought quickly changed once we got our appetizers! We had the smoked wings and hush puppies to start with... both were amazing! If you like wings, definitely try these! Nice a crispy in the outside and perfectly smoked! Loved the hush puppies too! We then ordered the 1/2 slab of ribs, half pound of brisket and half pound of pulled pork to share along with a few sides. The portions were HUGE!! And absolutely delicious! (Ive added pictures of the pork and brisket after we had already started eating through them...couldn't wait, it was that good!). Everything was seasoned just right with the perfectly crisp edges on the brisket as well! They do have a drink menu but we didn't have any this time around so I can't comment on those but if you're there for the food, you're in for a very pleasant meal! We're already looking forward to returning!

We were nearby and went in on a whim, and were really pleasantly surprised. It's excellent. We got the gumbo, baby back ribs, and some sides. The sides- The cornbread is actual cornbread, dense and slightly savory, not the super sweet stuff I've had at some BBQ joints. The Mac & cheese is very rich, if you like yours with some flavor and spices (I do) you'll like it. The red beans and rice were likewise pure comfort. The gumbo is real gumbo, dark and deep, and was the star of the show in my opinion. Highly recommend the gumbo. I won't bother trying to describe it more than that, it's just real good and I'll be coming back just for the gumbo, especially when winter really hits. I'm not much of a ribs expert (as much as my partner is), but I tried some and they were also real good, smoky, not too sweet, not greasy. My only wish is that they throw in some veggie/vegan gumbo options, so I can bring some of my non-meat-eating friends along. It's quality food and I'll be back!

Amazing food. I especially love the gumbo and fried catfish, it's super delicious. I'll definitely return

We found this spot going to a stop on our route. The brisket poboy an gumbo were amazing. Can't wait to go back on my off time an have some drinks an try other items on the stellar menu. The service is also awesome!! Definitely worth the drive from your neighborhood or burn or even while you're visiting Chicago. Will make sure to grab pictures next time. The smells had us going straight to eating.

I got to go food... Mac and cheese, potato salad and gumbo. (Haven't tried gumbo yet) but the other sides are flavorless. very disappointed. Meh! Also- no napkins or utensils given.

Best smoked chicken wings I've had. Brisket was also delicious. Highly recommend the Carolina sauce.

Great addition to the neighborhood! Everything we had was delicious, especially the pulled pork and red beans and rice.

So ... I'm hoping I can post this without any Stars so I can come back and give a proper review ... UPDATE: turns out I can't ... but in good faith and based on a small portion of what I had, I'll give 5 Stars for the comedy of the events outlined below: . . Had some of their ribs at a friends house ... it was verrrry good. . I called a day or two before Christmas to place an order for pickup and got the Answering Machine saying they'll call me right back. I was already driving and got there before they called me back - thinking 'no big deal, I'll place order & grab drink while I wait. I get there to find the place locked up and a sign saying they'll be reopening Dec 26th. I go back on Dec 28th ... still closed and still the same sign on the door saying they'll be open on Dec 26th. Tried again almost every day thereafter by phone or swinging by. . Found out they stayed closed through the week and past New Years. . They're called "Joker's" ... I guess "The Joke" is on me ... LOLOLLLLL Ya got me good Joker's. I'm still hungry for your Ribs, so hope to see you this week.

The burnt ends and fried pickles are excellent starters. The combination plate with 4 items did not miss. The brisket was excellent (and quite honestly the best I've ever had), the spare rib was smoky and flavorful, the chicken was moist and perfectly seasoned, and finally the pulled pork was juicy and left me out of room. The collard greens AND corn bread were fantastic. I will definitely be returning.

Went here on a Saturday afternoon after visiting the nearby Maplewood brewery. The restaurant was surprisingly empty. We both ordered poboys, and both were delicious. The sauces that came with them were all pretty tasty especially the yellow one which I think was mustard based. The staff were all super friendly as well. Will definitely stop by again the next time we are in the area.

Ribs were dry and cold, hush puppies were stale, and Mac and cheese or should I say Mac and water. The only thing that was great was the water. I wouldn't recommend it.

A new favorite. Friends wanted to find something new and different for my birthday and correctly decided that a new Cajun place was the answer. Everyone enjoyed the night immensely. Started with several shared appetizers (definitely try the burnt ends) and then I had the Chicken, Sausage & Shrimp Gumbo. Took enough home for a light lunch but regretted that decision because it made want to go immediately back for more and could not spare the time from work. Three of us went back and were, again, delighted by the food (this time I had the bar-b-que sampler - it was dinner, the main elements of a great breakfast scramble, and a 2 rib snack). I have to make mention of the cocktails - the bartender is exceptionally skilled and creative. I had the best Sazerac I have had outside of New Orleans and the rest of the group found his service exceptional both nights.

Honestly really bad. Everything was dry, ribs, cornbread, chicken and their fries were soggy. Just a horrible experience such a waste of time.

I so wanted to love Jokers since it took over Fat Willy's space. The pulled pork sandwich was so greasy the bun fell apart with one bite. So much grease made the fries limp. I won't be back. At $15, there are better sandwichs elsewhere.

Picked up food for Super Bowl family party. Arrived to pick up order scheduled for 4:00 and walked out at 4:50. Not cool. They apologized but didn't offer to take anything off the bill or throw anything in for free. 50 minutes late and nothing?!?! This after listening to a very loud (awkward) fight between the front of house and someone in the kitchen. The wings & brisket were delicious. The pork and cole slaw were both more Cajun to me than BBQ which is fair ... just not my personal preference. The gumbo and cornbread, however, were just truly bad. I also asked twice to be sure an array of sauces would be included and got one container of classic sauce and three tiny samples of other sauces. We really wanted to like it but there are too many other good, reliable BBQ places to give this another shot.

gumbo was terrible,very flavorless. wouldn't get again & wouldn't recommend to anyone ever. not even my worst enemy. if u could give it zero stars i would.

Nice smoky flavor on chicken bbq etc - the Cajun rice with sausage is just enough spice - great service as well

We were excited to see a BBQ place back in this establishment. Unfortunately, our first experience was underwhelming. Our server, albeit friendly, didn't seem to know (or have) a lot of recommendations nor know a lot about the menu items or beverages. They were out of gumbo, ribs were dry and food was overall, average. Stay away from the fried pickles unless you like a lot of sodium. We may give it one more shot and hope it was a one-off experience.

We live in the neighborhood and after Fat Willy's closed in the same location (which we frequented) we were praying whatever took its spot would be amazing (and preferably BBQ). Welp the food gods answered our prayers with Joker's. You can't go wrong with any of the smoked meats and salads and sides are fab too.

I was hoping to really enjoy this place, as I often crave BBQ. I ordered the St. Louis ribs and gumbo shrimp. Unfortunately, the ribs were almost inedible, as they were cold, burnt and extremely dry. The gumbo was not tasty at all and while the sides (potato salad and slaw) were of large quantity, they weren't anything special. In addition, when I went inside (ordered pick-up option), the two staff members in the kitchen were standing around talking and not wearing masks.