Smoke & Barrel Awards

Smoke & Barrel Restaurant Review:

Right along 18th Street in Adams Morgan, this casual restaurant competes with a lively array of eateries of every stripe. Indeed, finding a barbecue place near an Ethiopian restaurant underscores the neighborhood’s diversity. Alas, Smoke & Barrel may offer great bourbons and great beers, but its barbecue really does not rank with other smoky places in the metro area. One exception is the unique barbecue brisket nachos, dripping with melted cheese and chunks of zesty brisket. The kitchen offers a range of traditional barbecue dishes, but purists may wonder why duck leg quarters and salmon would share a menu with pulled pork, beef brisket and ribs. Perhaps the truest element of this place is the platter of ribs --- dry-rubbed or wet and a version in-between; the ribs are meaty enough, and the accompanying chipotle honey butter satisfying. Desserts include the requisite banana pudding, but you may want to try something a little less Southern, such as the double chocolate cheesecake. Smoke & Barrel also hosts beer and bourbon events.