The BBQ Shak & New Hampshire Smokehouse

This is the real deal. The best BBQ I’ve had in New England so far. Stopped by this place past Saturday while visiting the White Mountains, and we just made it in time—like many spots in the area, they only operate from April to October, so we caught them in their final days of the season. We managed to snag the very last of their smoked brisket and went all in with a full rack of ribs and a side of coleslaw. The BBQ here isn’t classic Texas-style; it leans more toward comfort food, especially when you opt for one of their house sauces. Since Scott doesn’’t crank out BBQ in high volumes, the meat doesn’t come fresh off the pit. Instead, it rests in an aluminum container and gets gently reheated on a pan. We chose the whiskey sauce, which delivered a nice tangy punch with a touch of sweetness, though not as sugary as a typical BBQ sauce. He poured a generous amount of it onto the pan at the end. Both the brisket and ribs were incredibly tender, with the Whiskey sauce complementing the fatty bits perfectly. As for the coleslaw, it was refreshingly light. Made with just cabbage and a simple seasoning of mayo and peppers, it had a clean, crisp bite that was the ideal palate cleanser between those rich, meaty bites. Simple, yet incredibly effective at balancing the indulgence. Sad to see that Scott will be closing up shop until next April, but we’ll definitely be back for those ribs when the season rolls around again. Honestly, you can skip all the other BBQ joints in the area.

This is worth the drive! Ribs are fall off the bone, the brisket was fork tender, and the pulled pork was delightful! The mac and cheese was gooey. The corn bread was lovely. All of it was SO good!

Scott is a phenomenal, out of this world pitt master. He is a BBQ visionary and I could not praise this man more. We ordered Ribs, Pulled Pork and Brisket with Mac and Cheese, Beans and Cornbreads. From start to finish, all of the meats were juicy, falling apart, succulent and straight up delectable. Scott also has an arsenal of sauces from Whiskey BBQ to Teriyaki, the seasonings and sauces were so complex and full of depth, everything was a 11/10 from start to finish. Scott even gave us a taste of pulled pork with various sauces. Here it was our first time. My son and I have been to over 20 BBQ places and this by a canyon stands as our #1 place from now on. Order a plate, grab a beverage and enjoy the best BBQ in NH hands down!

This is a great find. We had no idea of the existence of this shack until we googled it and we were in the area. All the positive comments are justified. The BBQ is delicious no matter what you order. I wish it was a little warmer (the food) but since it's already AUtumn, it probably was hard to keep it warm. We sat on a picnic table and enjoyed the sun in our back while enjoying delicious food.

What a delightful surprise. I was very skeptical when we drove up, but once the food was served, I was quickly reminded not to judge a book by its cover. The man behind the shack may be serving some of the best brisket on the East Coast. The brisket melts at the tip of your mouth with the perfect combination of fat and meat; the sauce perfectly complements the brisket. The chicken is smoked to perfection; the Mac&cheese was great wish he served a larger portion. Worth the stop back to Massachusetts every time can’t wait to visit again.

The owner Scott is friendly, funny and very talented. We got our dinner to go and he made sure to wrap it properly so it wouldn’t spill in the car. He engaged with my 4 year old niece and cracked jokes with my sister and I. The food was amazing, we got the smash burger on Mac, pulled pork with beans and potato salad, brisket plate with beans and coleslaw. Generous portions and perfectly seasoned.

Scott at The BBQ Shack is a Master at what he dose! I've been going there since 2018 when I discovered it and I have Never been disappointed, and I have Never left hungry. No matter what you get there, it's all done constantly every time, his BBQ is hands down the best I've had.....And I've eaten a lot of BBQ!! From the homade Whiskey Sauce which is my new favorite rite down to the last bite, it's always absolutely amazing, a lot of care and attention goes into the food. I've brought 15ish new people and All have been Very happy. Keep it up Scott, your doing it rite and il be back on a few weeks for round 2 of the summer!!

Food was so fresh and so good. Makes food right in front of you. Tailors the spiciness to your liking. Ribs fall of the bones, brisket is so tender you will not need a knife, and the mac & cheese was so creamy. Cant say enough about the food we got. Very nice guy who has experience and knowledge about what he is doing. We will be back for sure.

Unbelievably great tasting ribs. NC style pulled pork, coleslaw, and cornbread were good too. We didn't want it to be over. Friendly service. Willing to chat, explain the cooking styles, offer samples of the sauces. Customizable options. This is outdoor dining at picnic tables, so it is probably only takeout in bad weather. We enjoyed eating outside.

Just as amazing as always with the friendliest owner you will meet who really cares about his craft. Bbq is on point with Texas last time I passed through

Been by this place a few time. Stopped in-today! And the food well one of the best rib dinner i have had! They fell off the bone , they tasted amazing! Had some potato salad and it was pretty good as well! The man running the place is the nicest sweetest guy ever! We will def being making this a regular stop!!

Such a good experience! Amazing BBQ, seriously one of the best I've ever had. The service was amazing. The owner is very friendly, he fed our dog some brisket and sent us home with some extra chicken scraps to give to him in his food. He's truly a master of his craft and it left our bellies so full!

Brisket reheated in fry pan????!!!! yuck. definately not real BBQ. You can be the nicest person in the world, but you can't fake good food. Won't be back.

amazing food homey atmosphere and a friendly owner!!! our food was great definitely will be coming back

Drove 125 miles and landed here at the BBQ Shak. The reviews were good, the food not good. The man working inside was nice and friendly, we ordered two brisket plates. The person heats up brisket in a frying pan, killing any possibly of a good brisket . Why they do this is beyond me. This is Not good BBQ The coleslaw was pure white and was full of sugar. The Mac and cheese was gross. The corn muffin was ok If you know good BBQ , I would skip this place

So DELICIOUS. and INEXPENSIVE. easy to miss but if you are anywhere by the area I highly recommend eating here. I was looking for a place for lunch while I had my dog after a hike and this place seemed promising. Really happy I stopped. I recommend the pulled pork sandwich and potato salad!

I'm completely confused by the rating here. Like some recent commenters I lived in Austin for 20 years and have had some good Q around. Some of the descriptions of the food just don't match up with the experience. We ordered three meats - ribs, chicken and brisket. The chicken was solid, the brisket was a C and the ribs a B. the sides were very forgettable- with the Mac almost inedible. I went back to double check if most of the 5 star raters were "one post raters" but that not the case. I've not been let down by Yelp in a long time - this was a MISS. I mean - it's cold brisket, cold ribs and cold chicken that he reheats in a frying pan - could it really work well? Perhaps NH is such a BBQ desert that this is what gets 5 stars - who knows. Man even RUDY'S BBQ which is a Texas chain kicks this places a**. Sorry.

Owner is super nice. He really knows good tasting Eastern style Bbq and sides. He is really nice, friendly and gives you options for flavor/heat. Lot of meal choices and outside tables. We just stumbled upon it on a road trip. The next time it will be a destination. He gave our dog a bone as well. 2 thumbs up!

very disappointed the brisket was extremely fatty, the rice in the Tex Mex bowl was half cooked/probably would've broken a tooth if I kept eating it and food was cold by the time we got back home with it.. short ride home. sad because we had a great experience before and now will never give it another chance.

Okay, so we have driven past this spot the last couple of years and it's literally a shack set way back with a bunch of tables in what appears to be a huge yard - little to know curbside appeal but do not, I repeat, do not let that stop you from getting some delicious food! The owner Scott was super personable and entertaining. Take the time to read the signs and know your options as you wait behind someone. You order and he whips everything up on the spot, one man show. I have to say the brisket was my absolute favorite and I used the spicy bbq with it. The Mac and cheese is very creamy if that's the kind you like. The corn muffins with honey butter, well my 3.5 year old thought they were a hit. The chicken bbq and teriyaki pork were delicious as well. I also purchased some of the seasoning he had for sale and can't wait to make my ribs. There are a bunch of tables with umbrellas, a stations to grab condiments and utensils. Have a seat and just enjoy the food. The smoker area "The Pit" is right in the back. Overall, it's like a food truck but smaller and stationed.

We have been eating here since he started his 1 man show. The food is always excellent. From reading some of the 1 star reviews, I would say if your from Texas than maybe you wont like it HOWEVER We think it is delicious, reasonably priced, Large portions. Scott is a great guy who simply makes excellent food . Try it!!!

Listen, this is one guy and his pit in the back of the shack and it's delicious and there is some real pride of ownership here. Does it have to be the most authentic to Texas bbq? No - and here's why: It's NH. And it's delicious. We have driven past this for years on weekends and have either gone by too late when he was sold out or we had to be home and couldn't make a stop. My husband wanted some pulled pork for his Father's Day gift after a long day of swimming in the river and this just hit the spot. Inexpensive, fresh, tasty sides. Great conversation from a welcoming and friendly chef and host. Easy outdoor eating in a beautiful part of the state. We left full of a few different sauces, pork, coleslaw, hot dogs, and mac and cheese, and not one thing to complain about here. Will be stopping by this lovely spot again very soon.

First off you don't serve your meat from out of the refrigerator that you cooked the day before and heat it up on the stove. That feels like you're serving me left overs for full price and calling it fresh BBQ. The guy was nice but the prep and cockiness of his BBQ wasn't for me. He has 2 good sauces and the beans were good but the brisket and ribs were not. The pulled pork was good and had a nice bark but I'm Assuming its on the same program as the other meat. Corn bread was good too. In Texas this wouldn't fly or any other respectable restaurants. I hope all the best but we won't be back. As far as comparing this to Franklin in Austin, this BBQ isn't even in the same league as franklins, Franklins is a 10. This place I would give a fairly low score just because of how it was served. If you want large portions and re-heated meat this place is for you.

What a cool find! I love stopping at a small business and eating great food! The owner is great and his food is wonderful. We got a plate of pulled pork, a brisket plate both of these were amazing but the brisket was amazing! The Mac n cheese was a little odd but it was also addictive. Kind of tasted like nacho cheese and elbow noodles‍ The coleslaw was amazing and the potato salad was good. The chili cheese dog was huge! It does make the bun really soggy but it's tasty. The kilbasa was ok, it wasn't charged or grilled and I'm not sure it was smoked either. We would definitely stop again.

Excellent food, great price, very nice owner. I've never been to this spot before. The owner gave us samples of several things he was working on as soon as we walked up to the window. We got the pork ribs, beef brisket, beans, cornbread and coleslaw. All were fantastic. I usually hate coleslaw (too sweet, too much Mayo), this has the right amount of zing to balance the richness of the meat. The ribs and brisket FELL APART in the best way possible. The spot is picnic tables only. He does take out and catering. Anytime I'm within 30-40 minutes, i am coming back here.

Wow! This place was amazing. We rented a like house for the week in Laconia and wanted a great place to order takeout. This was that place. The service was amazing (before buying anything the owner gave us a taste test), and the food was really incredible. It was some of the best bbq I've ever had. The family also loved it! Everyone was really happy with our meal, and I would highly recommend getting some bbq from here.

I don't know that I have ever had better BBQ. Hole in the wall place on the side of Rt 104 in New Hampton. Driven by it plenty of time, didn't see it. The owner runs it, makes all the food fresh, 7 days a week. I asked him when he closes for the season, he said when the first real snow falls. The owner was pleasant and hospitable. The food is amazing. The owner gave us samples to try. Prices are more than reasonable. Selection is great. You can get just a few ribs, a piece of cornbread and mac n cheese for under $10. Seating is all outside, there are tables with umbrellas. After we finished eating I thought a wet nap would be good, (not much to wash, it was finger lickin good). l Went to grab an extra napkin and noticed a jug of water labeled hand washing only and paper towels. This is a great place. Plenty of food for the money, great value. If you want fancy, keep driving. If you want great bbq at great prices, this is the place to go.

No frills, good cookin! Friendly character that can cook some BBQ. Great food fast and a pleasant experience. Pulled pork, ribs and baked beans were all on point. Honest, wholesome and delicious. Thanks Scott and will be back! Cheers, Carson

This is a must for any BBQ lover. We never miss this on a trip to the NH lakes region. Owner is friendly food is delicious menu is great with many choices at very reasonable prices. We will definitely return soon

Uggh! And that is being generous. All the 5 star reviews just have to be friends and family . Cold day old rubber brisket reheated on a propane stove. The flies love the place though.

Delicious food with fantastic sauces. The owner knows bbq and sauces and will let you taste anything. This is a place I'd stop by if I'm the area.

The food was great but the drive in atmosphere reminds me of Motel Hell. A clean up is in order

Holy crap. Don't judge this place by its exterior - the guy behind the stove is a master. He was running this place by himself when we stopped by and gave us some sample to try and very yummy! We went with the whole rack of ribs, brisket plate (you get sides with that) and a bowl of the pulled pork chili. The ribs were falling off the bones - we just sprinkled some seasoning and bbq sauce and oh mah gawd. The brisket takes him 30 hours to cook to perfection and only 5 minutes for us to devour. The little mini muffin cornbread is also a must try - he puts honey on top and I think that's the secret. Overall this is a little gem on the road side - if you happen to be driving by this; give it a try! He's open until end of November.

Wow, the bbq here is delish! Scott obviously loves to cook and even started us out with samples! We tried the pulled pork, with his own bbq sauce, the fall off the bone ribs and the kielbasa. Everything is finger lickin' good! This is a take away (or eat outside at the tables) type of simple setting, there is no indoor eating available. But if you are driving by, the sweet bbq aroma calls you in from the road! You MUST try it!

Wowzers! The BBQ here was outstanding. Everything we had tasted great but the ribs had to be some of the best around. They literally fall off the bone but without the meat crumbling off. Not to mention his seasonings makes everything taste amazing. The only reason for the 1 star missing from this 5 star review is the mac and cheese. While it went well with his black pepper seasoning. The cheese sauce was too watery and kinda processed tasting but I appreciated the bam of cheddar on top. The owner made coming to this shack an experience in itself. He has so much passion for the food he's serving he literally gives you a back story as he prepares each dish (and yes it does take a while), cooks the ribs in the sauce and then shows you for approval and makes suggestions to make the meal even better. there is a good chance I will be coming back each time we are in the area just for those ribs and maybe even one of his seasonings.

Yes, it looks like a food truck outside of a house with a ton of large garden statues scattered about. Now shut up, pull in, and get the best damn grub your dollar can buy! Best BBQ joint I've been to in a while and certainly the best in the area. The owner, Scott, is a passionate and talented pit master and he's extremely friendly to boot. Very causal, eclectic, laid back environment; hang out or bring home. Either way, do not miss the many barbecue offerings found here.

Excellent!! BBQ and more including catfish and hotdogs. The BBQ pulled pork melted in my mouth and the ribs were very good. Both had a Smokey flavor that was obviously from the process of slow cooking. The sides were also very good. The prices are very affordable. Don't drive by drive in.

... This place is one of the few in New England that is the real deal First off it's all outdoors, out of a food truck that stays in it's own property (doesn't move from parking lot to parking lot ever) Nice picnic tables outside. Plenty of Options! Super friendly cook! And AMAZING BBQ! No Combo meals though, that's Okay. Got me some ribs with mac and cheese and beans. Ribs are the best ribs I've ever had. I'd say I've been to almost half the BBQ joints in New England and this guy undoubtedly has the best tasting, best quality Ribs out of anywhere! The texture and tenderness of the meat was perfect! Rule of thumb is usually the less meat on the bone the better the flavor, well although it wasn't a huge amount of meat on the bone it was still pretty good amount and it tasted like heaven. The Rub! definitely a salt and pepper with an amazing spice mixture that worked perfectly! He even showed me how he introduced a bit of moistness back into the Ribs in a frying pan right before serving them! I didn't have the stomach to tackle another meat when I ordered so unfortunately I didn't try the Brisket or Chicken but he did give me a sample of the pulled pork and even that was incredible! I'll be back soon enough to try the rest. Brisket looked incredible though. Mac and cheese was ... Velveeta But that's Ok! Tasted just fine. But the Beans! OMG, That was an experience! Beans were cooked to perfection! And the flavor was like a bean gravy. Usually I get a nice sweet bourbon apple zing to it but these beans were Awesome with their own flavor. It was Amazing Baked Beans That Tasted Like ... Baked Beans! I didn't even know it was a flavor until today! Loved Them! Easily Top 5 In All of New England!

After a hike around Mount Major, we came across this BBQ joint. It appears to be hunkered down in front of his (the owner's house). There's actually a decent amount of parking. He also has outdoor seating, which is surprising, consider today's current dilemma. Since it was only him, the wait can take quite some time...then there's those dang Davids who order BBQ Chicken, 1 Full Rack and ALL 5 sides. Everything was prepped ahead of time and he just throws it into the frying pan. The ribs still showed some pink and tasted much better on site. There wasn't any pink on the chicken, but it was cut up and tasted like someone just poured BBQ sauce on (Dad's words). My friend enjoyed the ribs as well, it was a good amount and got us full pretty quick. The sides were pretty standard, but I liked the cole slaw and cornbread. There are no combos with the dishes, but prices weren't that crazy anyways. All in all, I should've finished my meal on site, because it just didn't taste the same at home.

TLDR - AMAZING! This place makes the best brisket and pulled pork I have ever had - by far. I almost always avoid getting pulled pork at BBQ places because it is almost always dry. Because of the way Scott prepares his meat, his pulled pork is the exact opposite of dry. I tried the ribs, pulled pork, brisket, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, and mac and cheese - and it was all delicious.

This bbq is absolutely outstanding. I'm no expert, though I've had BBQ in the Carolinas, Texas, and Tennessee and this is as good as any of it. I had brisket with Mac, and cole slaw. Girlfriend had pulled chicken over Mac with a side of potato salad and it was all top notch. Additionally, this guy is a real character who clearly loves what he's doing. Get here!

I've eaten at Franklin's in Texas and many of the best places in Kansas City and this is among the very best I've ever had. Very tasty, homemade bbq. Outdoor seating, spread out and distanced. We ate the ribs and brisket, everything was customized to our exact preferences by the owner who is very friendly and knowledgeable about BBQ.

We stumbled upon this place when we were road tripping in NH and it was such a nice surprise. Everything is SO SO good! Owner Scott is a very friendly fella who is also a BBQ scientist. I've had BBQ from all over and his brisket is hands down the best I've ever tasted. But the real surprise is actually his sides - from coleslaw to baked beans to his cornbread - this man knows how to cook and bake! In fact we loved the cornbread so much we bought a half dozen to bring back to our cabin with us! This place is a must if you are traveling in NH!!!!

This one man gig is UNREAL! We got the pulled pork sandwich and pulled chicken sandwich. Both were unbelievable. The pork was fresh and juicy. Just the right amount of fat to give it flavor, but not to the point where the sandwich was inedible. The chick was also tender and juicy. We got a few sides of Mac n cheese and it was a hit. He tops it with fresh cheese which is a nice touch. I'd kill for one of these in Massachusetts. The price point at this place compared to back home is amazing. We would've paid almost double for the same meal back home, with half the quality. Check this place out it you're in the Winni area!

Scott, the owner, is a really nice guy and makes some fantastic BBQ! I got the chicken thighs which were smoked with hickory wood. Well worth stopping by

Absolutely delicious! Owner and chef, Scott, not only gave friendly and amazing service, but also served the most delicious food. Really great spot, will definitely be returning. High recommended!

So delicious, we went there on our way from new york to Mount washington and found it through Yelp. You will be surprised how delicious everything is! We had ribs abd brisket both very good. We will come back for sure

This might be the best bbq I've ever had, pulled pork with spicy tomato was unbelievable. Very juicy meat, sauce made fresh for each customer, friendly owner, gave us samples. To all of those bad southern bbq places I've been to, shame on you. This NH bbq should make you weep with shame.

Felt save because of the ole tofu outdoor seating. Not crowded. Delicious food. We had pulled pork, pulled chicken, ribs, Mac and cheese and beans. All was amazing. Kids were happy too. Def worth stopping for this hidden gem.

I never write reviews. But Scott is a gastronomic genius. My boyfriend eats meat-- I don't. So I never thought I'd be the one writing the review but the food is freaking phenomenal. Coming from NYC, we did NOT expect NH to blow us away food-wise. But it did. Best baked beans I've ever eaten and his seasoning was so good, we bought a couple to take home. My boyfriend could not stop raving about the brisket. So we went back for ribs, pulled pork, pulled pork Mac n cheese and potato salad. Apparently one of the best briskets he's ever had. Better than anywhere in Tennessee, Texas, either of the Carolinas and anywhere else we've been. Scott is such a sweetheart too. He made me things off-menu just because I didn't eat meat and it was absolutely amazing. The Mac and cheese with his red seasoning literally disappeared on my plate-- and I am NOT a big eater. We need to get this guy on Chopped ASAP. Can't recommend this place enough. #teamScott

Stopped by and ordered the ribs , some potatoe salad and coke slaw. The gentlemen there was very pleasant and let us sample the bbq sauce and the salad. The ribs were tender and tasty without being salty. The salads were delicious. Would recommend it .

I've been here 3 times now and each visit was delicious! Great prices and the best flavors. The food is so good and juicy. Ribs are my fave, but pulled-pork is amazing too. Be sure to get a side of Baked beans and potato salad. Don't skip the Mac and Cheese bowl either. Open seasonally, so be sure to visit when you are in the area!

Food was amazing! Best BBQ EVER!!! Owner was extremely nice and friendly. The ribs literally fell off the bone, they were so soft I could eat them with a fork. The brisket was my bf's first brisket and will be his last because we will only be going her for bbq from now on! Also, the mac n cheese was so good and don't even get me started on the corn bread. Best corn bread of my life, my favorite part was that it has a slight hint of lemon.

Seriously the best BBQ around!!! The owner, Scott, takes such pride in his food and it shows! He loves to make people happy with his food, and it shows, as he literally beams when he sees your face light up. His food hugs your soul!

The best food we had in the Lakes region. The owner is very friendly and takes tremendous pride in food - not just the meats, but also the ingredients and preparation of the sauces. Teriyaki sauce on pulled pork just doesn't sound right, but I'll give it a try next time. The tomato based BBQ and apple cider vinegar sauces were fantastic. We ordered the applewood smoked chicken breast and pulled pork were exceptional. Baked beans were very good, but I wouldn't order the mac and cheese or potato salad again. I will try the coleslaw and corn bread next time. Great food and huge portion sizes with two servings from each plate. Highly recommend!

This place was amazing! Service with a smile and knowledge I wasn't expecting to find in NH. The cornbread was mouth watering and the meats smoked to perfection!

We pulled in to The shak 30minutes after it said they were closed online but he still served us no problem. Then he took time to help us find what we wanted, showing us the different cuts. he also Let us sample some sauces/meat free of charge. I got pulled pork and my friend got the brisket plate. The meat could not have been any better, but you add his house sauce to it and it will blow your mind. The only complaint I would have about his business, is that it's too far from my house!