Smokey Jo's

Great food with a good open dinning room. Really enjoyed the onion rings.

I got the brisket and the meat itself was good. I ordered 2 sides and those were gross. The coleslaw looked like old vegetables were used. I saw a lot of browned pieces in it. The steamed vegetables were a joke. Just a bunch of broccoli and cauliflower stems and just a few carrots and squash. Better attention should be spent of the vegetable options. I tasted my friends stuffed mushrooms and those were really good. I tried a slide of the cheese and sausage pizza and it was dry and not a lot of flavor. The entertainment rocked. It was the original song night and it was really good. The service was good. I can’t complain about that. They were really nice and attentive.

Delicious food. Went for breakfast and got the country fried steak... my word was it good! Friendly staff and awesome price to portion ratio. I am new to the area and I am exploring all the restaurants here.

First time here, definitely not the last! First off, our server, Alexa was awesome! She was on top of things and very friendly. The food was hot and delicious! Hubby had the burnt ends and I can attest that they were YUMMY! I ordered the Cajun chicken salad. It was big and tasted really good. I appreciate the fact the manager came by to check on us twice to see if we needed anything, in addition to our server. The atmosphere was very chill. Good music and great vibe. Wish I knew about this place sooner!! A+

I had the pleasure of dining at Smokey Jo's recently, and everything from start to finish was top-notch. Our waiter, Summer, truly made the experience unforgettable. She was incredibly friendly, attentive without being overbearing, and had great recommendations for both food and drinks. Her positive energy and professionalism added so much to our evening. As for the food absolutely amazing! The smoked meats were tender. Everything tasted fresh and cooked to perfection. You can tell the kitchen takes pride in what they serve. I highly recommend Smokey Jo's for anyone craving great food and even better service. Ask for Summer if you can—you won’t be disappointed!

Alexa is one of our favorite servers! She is attentive and kind. Great burgers, salads, appetizers and just a fun atmosphere!

Pulled pork and the brisket chili were delicious. The brisket was surprisingly tough, but maybe it was just my slices. Chicken was OK. The North Carolina zing (mustard) sauce was definitely the best.

Truly the first good experience at a restaurant in 2025. Great staff, great location, great patrons and excellent food. Outdoor seating with industrial heater bars kept us all warm late at night.

First time here, definitely not the last! First off, our server, Alexa was awesome! She was on top of things and very friendly. The food was hot and delicious! Hubby had the burnt ends and I can attest that they were YUMMY! I ordered the Cajun chicken salad. It was big and tasted really good. I appreciate the fact the manager came by to check on us twice to see if we needed anything, in addition to our server. The atmosphere was very chill. Good music and great vibe. Wish I knew about this place sooner!! A+

Save yourself the time and money you'll spend. If you enjoy bbq this place ain't it. Food ranged from inedible to just ok. Mac n cheese- gross, they used something akin to nacho cheese. Husband spit it out. Mashed potatoes- mystery orange gravy but husband guessed it was made from carrots. Husband threw away. Smoked wings- they were ok. Main problem was how small they were even though it's marketed as Jumbo. Onion rings- meh. Fried pickles- thumbs all the way down. Tons of breading compared to the pickle. Ribs- just ok. Family ate them but only because it was expensive and not disgusting. Garlic parm fries- thrown away Burnt ends- omg where do I begin. First, what they gave was not burnt ends. It was chunks of meat with no fat, no crisp, lol not even slightly charred. It looked like meat that came from a crockpot. It had the saddest single line of bbq sauce across it. It wasn't nasty, but not good either. More importantly it wasn't what we ordered. Super disappointed. I was excited to find a place with such an extensive menu. I didn't ask for a refund, but really should've. Father's Day meal was ruined. 0 stars for food.

The food and service are great!! Russell our servicer was phenomenal. We will be back!

The food was amazing as was the service!! We will definitely be going back!! Got the shrooms for the appetizer- I would have that for a meal! The sampler platter hit the spot- so much food was left over! Got some bread pudding to take home- portion was so big I had it twice!

Easy seating and quick & friendly service. Seems like a town local bar/restaurant. Large menu with great food. My weakness was the Cajun chicken nacho's.

Good BBQ but doubt ask for Bread, I was charged $4 for Two (2) pieces of almost stale white brea!!!

Have always had great service and food. The musical entertainment is nice as well. The ribs were perfect. We all liked the pork chop, chicken breast and burnt ends.

Cool place with good food. My cod didn't seem fresh as menu claimed it was hand battered. One piece was hard, but resolved. Cod was OK. Would not order again. Wife loves their salads and pickle fries. BBQ is very good but not great. 2nd best in area next to Bombers. The wings are also very good, but I hesitate to order at $14.50 for 6 wings (not whole). That price is insane. Please adjust your price and I will eat them more often. Beer list is meh. Breakfast was better than the dinners I have had. Pricey but acceptable due to creativity and how good it was. Impressive breakfast.

Been living in Crete for 25 years this place never disappoints. Staffs are always friendly

The food is really good and the atmosphere is fun. I would recommend this place to people that like bbq.

I wouldn't go there for the ribs. Full slab was dried out with barely any meat on them. For the price I was very disappointed.

Great food! Great service! Very clean place! I had the buffalo shrimp, which was excellent. My compadres had the nachos and a pepperoni pizza-- everyone was happy with their meals. My server, Allison, was very knowledgeable about the menu and made excellent suggestions. Both Allison & and manager, Barb, made us feel welcome & right at home. Thanks

Lots of good, some bad. Food can be great, but also inconsistent. Service can be great, but sometimes understaffed and overwhelmed. Live music is a good draw, two bars with TV's, and some slot machines. Outdoor seating is nice, plenty of room. Solid BBQ, chill vibes, cool place to hang out just off the downtown Crete strip.

Looking for a place on a Monday that was open. We had seen this a few times and figured now is the time. Sadly, they were out of two items I asked for so I had to settle on something else. Understandable but could have been told that by the waitress when she handed the menu to us. Drinks were good and we started out with the cheese bacon jalapeño dip. It was overly creamy but decent. They give chips and a garlic bread. The bread was the better choice as you can spread it on. My friend had the pulled pork flat bread which was recommended. She said it was okay. I got the ribs. It came with a voice of sauces and I got all four to taste. For me, 2 of the 4 were good. I like a sweet heat and less vinegar taste. The ribs were okay. They needed the sauce. They fell off the bone but not in the freshly cooked today way. I was told the Mac and cheese was good. Nah. However the grilled veggies were the best thing on the plate. The atmosphere in the place is nice, garage doors open on a nice day. There looks to be a separate bar in the rear but open to the restaurant so it is quite a large place.

Wow! So me and my teammates won a national tournament back in November. Fast forward to today and we're having team practice in Illinois for another paintball tournament coming up. After we shot the crap out of each other we went here. Being kind of new to the team I didn't know this place is a staple for after practice team dinners. Right down the street from Badlandz Paintball Park! I walk in and BEHOLD our picture where we won back in November is hanging on their wall!!! I've never been on any business wall! I was super proud of that moment! I know I know. I'm getting to the food. I ordered the burnt ends with Mac & cheese and baked beans. The burnt ends had a lil too much fat for me. I did get to sample their smoked chicken wings and that's definitely what I'll be ordering the next go round! OMG! So delicious! Honestly never tasted anything like it. To put the icing in the cake, the owner of the restaurant came to watch some of our games and even started the buzzer for us a couple times. What a way to build the community!!!

My parents just moved to unincorporated Crete and found this place. They have been here several times in the last month and today they took me. I'm going to say, WOW. I ordered a burger. I'm kind of boring and plain. Sorry. The burger was fantastic. The bun was so soft and fresh and the pickles were the best pickles I've ever had. Our waiter said they make them there. I had a side of Mac n cheese and that was the best restaurant mac n cheese that I've ever had. I'm not exaggerating. I highly recommend this place. It's cute, the food was amazing, the staff was so nice. We'll be spending a lot of time there. For sure!

It's a hit or miss in n the service, sat for awhile before we were waited on , got drinks the way the waitress was didn't wanna try for food..

They have good breakfast items. As a bar - terrible pours. So if you're a beer drinker you're good.

Came here on a Friday night with my in-laws for a table of six. Service was warm and friendly and attentive. Ambience is casual and the music on a Friday night as a welcomed highlight. We started with cheese, curds, and burnt ends. Every bite was devoured! Very delicious. For entrées, there was a platter, a few slabs of ribs and the chicken. I absolutely loved my chicken it was perfectly cooked and the original sauce hit the spot, I got the girls vegetables and slaw on the side. What was a great meal!. Everybody who ate the ribs found them to be not as good as usual, and brought that to the servers attention, everything else on the combo platter was well enjoyed will be back to this place as it is a hidden gem in the south suburbs.

We gave them 3 opportunities . 1st great 2nd dry rib tips and burnt ends told the replacement would be the same 3rd breakfast can't mess that up wrong. We had to get up and get our own coffee , asked repeated for refills, never seen the waitress after she took our order and dirty silverware not once but 2 times. This last list on 6/2 well fell coming in the door not one employee came to check if ok. Mac and cheese under cooked . Even informed waitress that I fell to let mgr know was told "watch step" was on the door??? Well that "watch step" does not mean you as the owner ate not liable.

The food was okay. But it was somewhat pricey vis-à-vis the somewhat small portions. I'll go back eventually.

Great food, service and hospitality! The team works hard and it's a comfy, homey atmosphere! Bands are there on weekends too! Remember, tip in cash and save your wait staff taxes!!

First time here...Lunch atmosphere was chill, food was great, and service was top notch!

I gave this a place second chance. All I can say is check your food if your getting a yo order. I had to go back after I was at home about to eat. Had to go back they remade my husbands order but mine I just didn't want it anymore nor did I want a remake. So it was a big damn deal for a refund. So I left without a refund or food. I'm sooo not ever going back. Was it because of my skin color. Himmmmmmmmm. I'll never find out !!!

I recently visited this "establishment" and had to leave before I even had a chance to try the food. Sadly the experience still leaves a bitterness I will not soon forget. To get to the point... a waiter publicly mocked my sexuality. The way the situation was handled shows evidence the staff is not trained properly on interacting with the modern world...especially the LGBTQ+ populace. Not planning to return. A special thanks to "Russel" for making our experience one that took me all the way back to my high school cafeteria.

This place is amazing!! The food is phenomenal!! The waitress are friendly, attentive to your needs, the atmosphere is great for lunch or dinner. The bands on the weekends are amazing too. Highly recommended!!!

Both the breakfast and the dinner foods are amazing. The staff are all kind. The out door bar and dinning area is beautiful

If you have not tried this place, you are missing out Big Time!!! If you have been here, then we all know you come here often. Best food atmosphere and people in the South Side This is my must eat place whenever I am in Da Heights.

Haven't had it in a while. The Ruben was rubbery and nasty. The salad had black spots all over it. Ive tried it several times and I had to look to see maybe it was a bad review I left so they were giving me bad food but no it's just bad food lol.

Burgers are legit Fries are bomb If you like fish and chips definately get em here. So fresh and flaky My friend had the brisket and loved it. Salads are good. The pizza was decent but the sauce was sweeter than what I typically enjoy. Service is friendly and quick The Establishment is clean and they do live music events quite often. Definitely a nice place to stop in and grab a bite to eat. Price point is mid-range but with the food choices it's worth the cash

Came here for breakfast on 12/15/23 around 10:30am. Bartender said hello, when we came in yet, two waitresses were gabbing at the back bar. We sat by the stage, for 15 minutes, no service, no acknowledgment, no menu given. We must be ghosts yet the place was dead too. So we walked out. Wonder why!! Won't be back...on to the next.

I bought a rib tip with no meat on it. Nothing but bones. Obviously they don't know asthenic barbecue. If you want real barbecue you may have to go the Pit Stop on Lincoln Highway then the wait time is long.

I usually don't leave online reviews but today I decided that I will. Today I placed an order at Smokey Jo's which is roughly 10 miles from my house. I ordered chicken fingers and burnt ends and selected the option to have them tossed in BBQ sauce. Shame on me for trusting that the order was correct and not checking the bag. I get home and low and behold there is no BBQ sauce. I can see if they some how forgot to cook them in the sauce. But they didn't have any BBQ sauce on the food or in the bag. So I almost let it be but then I noticed that some of the chicken fingers had been fried with no batter. I order burnt ends office and no that there is a process to smoke them accordingly but these were some of the crappies burnt ends that I have come across as of late. I called the restaurant to voice my concerns. The young lady who answered the phone says "oh we have a new cook in the kitchen, would you like to come back to pick up the BBQ sauce. Well of course I don't want to travel 20 miles for BBQ sauce, not to mentioned they should have been tossed in the sauce when being prepared. The young lady didn't offer to make any ammends so I requested to speak to a manager about it but then they put me on hold for 20 minutes. You can clearly hear someone pick up the phone every few minutes to place me back on hold. I'm usually willing to chalk it up as a bad restaurant experience but in this case I felt as if they were totally dismissive. I expect to be treated better when opting to spend my money with an establishment especially when I choose to skip over so many other options, and tipped the staff for the carryout. With that being said be sure to check your food and play at your own risk but I will not be returning.

Good food put me in a coma lol. Very good attentive waitress and on point. Went too lunch with wife and we enjoyed the energy. Thanks

It's ok. I don't understand the hype, people seem to love it. The meet is good, but the sides are not. The Mac and cheese was just gross. We give it a chance like once a year but we won't be anymore. This experience the food wasn't good and the time before the service was a nightmare. We won't be back

We've been here 20 to 25 times. The food has always been hit or miss, and seems to depend on who's cooking, but we've found the hamburgers a safe bet. I did a birthday celebration on a bad day, and brought guests there, we've been less since. It can go from really good to really bad, and everywhere in between. Never have complained on bad days.Today was the first time we've been in since last summer. The servers have always been wonderful, and a friendly environment. Why we've gone back. We each ordered a burger basket and a drink, we were in a bit of a hurry, we had been out enjoying the weather. But decided to go there instead of a drive-through, decided revenue for a local business is good about now. It was Culver's or there, wanting to patronize a local business was why we chose over Culver's. We're locals. One order was for a bacon cheeseburger and the other for a blue cheeseburger. The server came out with the order and the blue cheeseburger had blue cheese dressing on the side. Not the biggest deal, and I could sense when she took the order that it could maybe go wrong. New. The burger I ordered came with a variety of cheese choices, and blue was one of them. The barbecue sauce wasn't on the other burger, but we didn't bother, in a hurry. The other had already been taken back. We didn't want to wait longer. He ate a dry burger without complaint. When the server returned with the blue cheese burger about 10 minutes later, there was a bowl of crumbled blue cheese on the side. I explained it should be melted on the top. She didn't seem to know the menu. She said she checked with another server and she told her it was on the side. Why not the cook? I asked her to just remove the sandwich from our bill so we could go. He was almost finished with his food, and we had a lot to do when we got home. It seemed like she couldn't remove the order, and protocol would be for the manager to check with the customer. She asked if I wanted to speak to the manager, I said sure. The manager came out and said they would melt the cheese on the SAME patty, and we're into 20 or 30 minutes since the food came out. Gross. Was I going to get that same side of potato salad with the mayo too? Anyhow, I'm trying to be nice and get out of there. I asked for my bill to be adjusted, and she seemed hesitant to do that and got really nasty fast when I just didn't want the OLD food at this point. Wait, it gets worse. When the manager came back, she had the nerve to charge me 2.25 for the one glass of iced tea I had (to got with my meal). Anyhow, I've worked as a server over 15 years total, and never once have I seen them not just take the drink off the meal being refunded. I asked the manager, "seriously?" I wasn't being nice at this point either I just wanted to go, get through a drive through and get home at this point. We had been there about an hour, and the food was out pretty fast. We did have to wait some to get menus and have or orders taken. They were busy, so that was fine. Next, we were left us at the table for another 10 minutes or so without collecting the money. So the games are on. I've worked in food service a long time. When I walked in to see if someone could take our money, there's the manager with the mask hanging off her chin, the other severs all had them on. She had it on when she came to our table outside. I took a picture, and the class act she is, stuck her tongue out. I'll see if I can find the owner tomorrow. Anyhow, I've worked at several restaurants, and never once have I seen them not refund the drink when someone returns the meal. Yes, I drank 3/4. Repeat business is generally valued. Then, most places will offer something so they get the repeat business unless the person comes in and complains all the time, and usually this type is just complaining for the free stuff/repeat offenders. Easy to see this wasn't the case, the order was wrong two times. We just wanted to eat and go home. Seemed like she was trying to squeeze every dime she could, and it was plenty busy, so peculiar. Waitress was really nice, but under-trained, and just not ready to be on the floor. Manager is just foul, from her attitude to her appearance, dirty looking, and I was far from well groomed today. We had been out hiking. So my standards were pretty low today. This was like hungover biker chick with a nasty attitude that rolled out of bed, threw on a tank-top (sleeve tats, whole nine yards) and went to work. Seriously, she was so bad, like, did you even brush your teeth and put on some deodorant today, type of person. Had she been my server, I would've walked. Anyhow, I'll never go back. It's not the cleanest place to begin, it is a bar. The trying to serve old food, and being nasty when I won't accept it, floored me. Food has to be kept at a certain temperature so people don't get sick. The "Managers" should know this.

We love the food and staff at Smokey Jo's. We order food from Asgard Arms all the time and they never disappoint.

A resounding yes is what you will hear from me. Yes this place is a Bar, Yes this can qualify as a sports Bar Yes there is Bar food here. That being the case, this review represents me know where I came to eat. A Bar!! If you are expecting chateaubriand look around, you are in the wrong place. Granted there are a couple great looking items on the menu and what we had tonight exceeded my expectations for Bar food. Moral of the story, know where you are and what you are going to eat and you won't set the bar higher than it needs to be.. Food was good and the staff was pretty well on point.

I stopped by for lunch and saw they had a buffet . This review is based on the buffet my friend ordered off the menu and that was four star quality . For the price point the buffet was okay . One soup and one dessert was put out . The pizza crust looked and tasted under cooked . Two chicken items and one beef BBQ was tasty . Popcorn shrimp was okay . The mixed vegetables where roasted or grilled and very good . The conversion of this building to a bar and grill is layed out nice . Several glass garage doors open up to the patio during warmer weather . Hostess and waitress where pleasant and attentive . Good place to have a drink and hang out .

The only thing smoking in Smokey Jo's was the blues band. I ordered the rib tips, got home it seems as if it was never hot, the bake beans had been watered down till the taste was gone, and the coleslaw was sour or tainted, all for $18.00 I'll choose another spot for barbecue

Found myself in Crete for unexpected business. Asked one of the locals where to stop for lunch and Smokey Jo's was the recommendation. When we walked in we saw two Sheriff's Deputies and the Fire Chief having lunch so knew it would likely be an alright place to eat. There are three garage doors incorporated imto the building and on this beautiful afternoon the doors were open to let the breeze flow. I was told the building was converted into a restaurant/bar from a one time carwash. It was readily apparent this place often hosts bands. It appears evening entertainment is Smokey Jo's specialty and I wish this was someplace I would be near to experience. I ordered the large pulled pork for lunch for $12. I thought my portion size was a bit small for the "large". I received two sides (coleslaw & fries). I thought the fries had great flavor but were a little cold and again a small portion. I enjoyed the coleslaw. I would love to return here in the evening. The food experience was average but I really like the vibe and decor. I've never found myself in Crete before and am not likely to be again. (Being a Wisconsinite & Packers fan my biggest disappointment was seeing the televisions tuned in to news about Bears training camp).

Delicious food, great atmosphere, with live bands on certain nights. Best spot to eat/have a night out in town.

Was a first timer and i didnt dine in i ordered catering. Came here because Docs Smokehouse wanted $650 for the same thing i ordered here at Smokey Jo's for $300 less... was i skeptical of the quality and taste? Sure was. Boy once that tender brisket and juices hit my pallet - i knew i was so happy and no stressed. The brisket was very well cooked and wel rested. Great flavor and bark. Very tender and juicy. Perfect smoke balance too! Pulled Pork was delicious as well. Great smoke flavor and tender pulls of meat from that swine! Ribs, not fall off the bone. And to be honest i like to work a lil bit for my rib meat. (Fall off the bone is technically overcooked). Rub was great and the original bbq sauce that was brushed was plenty. Not caked in sauce, great flavor and like i said had to work for the meat a little. Was perfect for my liking. Mac and Cheese - was icing on the cake! Just a little extra goodness for the plate. Couldnt to wrong! Cindy the owner was so nice and the staff was friendly as well. I will definitely be back to dine in and try some food off the menu. Thank you for an amazing experience!

All the money they make and they have hard to read/see printed paper menus. Sandwich I ordered was plain and sloppy.

This is the first time I dined here. My wife and thoroughly enjoyed our meals and service. I had the half slab of ribs, Cole slaw, and onion rings. She had the rib tips meal, vegetable medley, and French fries. They have a large selection of beers. I was impressed that at least a dozen types of beer are on tap. They have so many more that are bottled. The service was very attentive and good. I will definitely be back to this place soon!

Found the service to be outstanding from the manager Barb to the server Carina made sure everything was perfect. The music playing in the background was just enough to hear but didn't drown out conversation. Our food was done to perfection the burger to the steak sandwiches

One of my favorite BBQ spots and now breakfast spot too! Great atmosphere and family friendly.

It's not great. :( I DO like dive bars and that's what this is: a dive bar. Golden Tee. Dart Board. Slot machines. Wooden tables. The food though, leaves a lot to be desired. First, it IS overpriced for what they're serving. Second, they claim they're a scratch kitchen. For those who don't know, a "scratch kitchen" boasts they make their food from "scratch", meaning they're not buying meals that have already been prepared. Sure, they can prepare them themselves beforehand, depending on the meal, which may be the case here. I tried to order a the cheese/jalepeno/bacon appetizer without bacon. I was told it's premade and there's no way to get it without bacon. I browsed the menu and ordered the MARGHERITA FLATBRED. For anyone who has had anything "margherita" before, it's typically tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil and salt. Sometimes some places put other toppings too. The description on the menu says, "The Neapolitan classic of tomato sauce and fresh basil." First, I was surprised that it had tomato sauce and no tomatoes but hey! They can do whatever they want. I love basil so I ordered it. See the attached photo. This is what I was served. I got a flatbread with melted mozzarella (not fresh) and raw tomatoes. They were still pretty slimy and not really cooked. Zero basil. Zero tomato sauce. I went with a friend who also ordered a flatbread and hers too didn't have basil. We asked the waitress who immediately said the menu changed and they no longer use basil. I asked why the menu still had incorrect items and she said she didn't know. She left and came back. She then said they were simply out of basil. I asked why my friend and I weren't notified so we could have had the option to order something else instead of raw tomatoes on cheese. She said she didn't know. A little while later, a manager came over and apologized and said it was the kitchen staff's fault for not telling her they were out of an ingredient. I said again, that's fine if you're out, but why not let me know? She didn't know. She said she'd take 10% off of the flatbread price which is mere cents. I said that's fine. I didn't eat it. I'm not sure if it's worth going back.

Good steak and good pizza so far that's all I've tried. Steak was cooked perfectly, pizza was also excellent.