Holy Smoke Bbq

slander

New York

4.63/5  rDev +1.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$

Bar.
Buh.
Cue.
10

You'll recall that we were going to take in Holy Smoke on Sunday, on the way back from the Belgian Beer thing in October, but then we came back late Saturday night instead so that got nixed. Jay had eaten here and Scott told me that the beer thing was coming along nicely, so it was time to get out here already. Shouted Jay, saw the residence and registers and now we're gearing up for Mahopac via the back roads...

You could smell your way here as there's crazy good smokehouse waftage running down to Route 6. It's a red stand alone structure with a split rail stockade fence corralled patio on the end for exterior warm weather seating. A small "L" shaped bar inside seats 5. Mirrored back sectional units with shelving holding booze & bottled beer selections and a pair of towers of 6 taps each on the bar. A handful of bar tables here and there, and TV's mounted in all corners. The attached dining area is a large square room with wood plank floors and paneled windows with center wreaths. About a dozen and a half square red & white checkerboard clothed covered tables and a roundie in the far corners, green chairs, wagon wheel chandelier lighting, ceiling fans, mounted lamps, and small prints and dessert & macro boards on the walls. Décor is country, simple.

We split a jumbo BBQ wing app and then I had the pulled pork & St. Louis ribs combo, garlic smashed potatoes & Creole corn sides. It was just a huge mountain of food and it was all top notch BBQ. Wings and ribs were fall off the bone and the sauces were excellent. Everything, all of it.

12 taps. Good local & regional micros (Captain Lawrence Smoked Porter & Liquid Gold, Victory Hop Devil, Sam Adams Lager, Allagash White, Wolavers Organic Brown), and beyond (Avery Old Jubilation, Bear Republic Big Bear Impy Stout, Unibroue Trois Pistoles), imports (Paulaner Octo, Weihenstephaner Hefe), and a local cider (Doc's Hard Apple Cider). 4 different flights (Dark, Light, New England & Mixed Bag) of 4 samples each available, 5 ounce servings. Nearly

2 dozen bottles, mostly micros (3 from BluePoint, a pair each from Rogue, Anchor, and DogFishHead, plus offerings from Smutty, Magic Hat, Stone, Victory, Sierra Nevada) and some solid imports (Westmalle Tripel, Rodenbach Grand Cru, Ayinger Celebrator, Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout, St. B 12 & Tripel, La Fin Du Monde, Lion Stout, Lindemans Framboise). They also list another 4 "from the cellar" (being St B. 12 60th Anniversary, DogFishHead World Wide Stout, Captain Lawrence Extra Gold, J.W. Lee's '05 Harvest).

Service was fast, funny and friendly. Food is great and they're very interested in learning more and more about the beer thing they do here. When in Mahopac...

01-02-2007 17:07:19 | More by slander

mltobin

Connecticut

4.08/5  rDev -10.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$$

Traveling through the woods of Mahopac, you may come across this BBQ and craft beer joint. For those on this site, who enjoy barbeque food, this is a great place to check out at some point or another. They serve great craft beer, with taps including Troegs, Brooklyn, St. Bernardus, Green Flash, Victory, etc. and a pretty good bottle list. And that BBQ food, is damn good. From the pulled pork to the ribs, it hits the spot. And they have selections like salmon, steak or burgers for other food options. The owner knows his beer and is often on-premise. And when the weather gets warmer, they have some outdoor seating too. Nice place to eat and enjoy a beer, wish it was closer.

03-09-2012 02:42:48 | More by mltobin

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev -1.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

I have been here many times...my most recent was for the Oskar Blues and Weyerbacher series night on 11/12/11.
What a fantastic BBQ joint! The food is amazing. I grew up in Mahopac and was thrilled (but skeptical) when this place opened. It has deff improved since it opened (not that it was bad to begin with), but now its top notch. Huge portions and nice variety. One of the only places where you can get pulled chicken. They make homemade bbq sauce, and have unique apps and dishes. It truly has that local feel as Mahopac is a big little town...if you grew up/live in and around Mahopac, you will probably run into someone you know any given night.

But now for the beer...
They always impress with their rotating tap selection. I think its like 24 or so?? Plus nice bottle list.
They have several series events throughout the year; the most recent, Weyerbacher and Oskar Blues, was great. And these events get crazy packed, so get there early. They have reps from the breweries selling the beer as well. I have also been to the Victory event a while back which was great.

Its a little off the beaten path if you dont live in Mahopac or Put Valley, but deff worth a trip out no matter where you are.

I just wish they had a rotating cask!

11-14-2011 14:36:15 | More by DrinkSlurm

Ralphs66

New York

4.55/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

BBQ and beer...life doesn't get much better than that combination....well, yeah it does. At Holy Smoke. I've been here half a dozen times, and have had everything on the menu. The reason being; I always order the PigNic. It feeds 4 (maybe 5) and you STILL walk out with another 2+ meals in your piggy bag. A tap beer menu with 24 rotating brews, a bottle list out the friggin' wazoo and yet another for bourbons. Sent my girlfriend over the other night with two growlers, because yup, they'll fill em. Told her to surprise me and she came back with Victory Smokin' Oats and Stone Russian Imperial Stout. Hey, it's still kinda cold out and these two choices were perfect. Plus she brought me some baby backs, pulled pork and onion rings. I love her...

02-15-2011 17:21:16 | More by Ralphs66

paulieeck62

New York

4.63/5  rDev +1.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

You gotta check this place out. The food (you'll be bringing some home in a doggie bag)More than enough for the buck...The beer, forget about it..You can taste and learn all about each. The big guy who owns the place doesnt leave and knows everything and anything about all the brew...Besides, he is a great big guy who has a passion for it....Dont forget to buy a t-shirt (a bit humorous if you know what I mean)...
Great atmoshpere,good food, good people and great brew's...What else is there?...

Check it out....
****

01-05-2011 02:25:27 | More by paulieeck62

drewd0g

New York

3.95/5  rDev -13.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$$

Holy Smoke is a pretty solid place, especially for being in my hometown. The barbecue is definitely top-notch and really really good and the portions are huge. The beer selection is very impressive, there's about 20 some-odd taps all dedicated to craft brew. A lot of NY craft brew as well as stuff from around the country and the rest of the beer making world. The prices are pretty expensive and the serving sizes (of the beer not the food) are a bit smaller than competitors (10.5oz pour instead of 12oz on some beers, stuff like that). The staff is somewhat knowledgeable but not much in the department of conversation. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area and want a good pint. Everything they have on tap is very good quality and they have a lot of series nights and special beers. Prices on beer could be better and they definitely need happy hour bar prices.

10-30-2010 01:47:16 | More by drewd0g

WobblyPopsBrewin

New York

5/5  rDev +9.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

This is THE craft beer destination of Westchester and Putnam Counties. My love affair with Holy Smoke started two years ago when I walked in and was promptly served a pint of Thomas Hooker Liberator, I knew I was on to something very special. Needless to say, the past two years have been a blurry nirvana at the bar of Holy Smoke.

First off, this is the best BBQ you will find for hundreds of miles around, seriously. If that wasn't good enough, they strive to get the best of the best and the rarest of rares when it comes to craft beer. If a brewery makes two kegs of something, one winds up in the basement of Holy Smoke. It is truly a blessing to see a place that has the same passion for craft beer that we do - that same desire to seek out the obscure and adventurous and educate the masses.

Holy Smoke has 24 taps of all craft goodness flowing at all times. They have a bottle list that rivals god's beer cellar in terms of quality, with Vintage bottles that are a perfect compliment to the wonderful food. Growlers are available and unbelievable casks are featured at special events. They host a slew of Brewery Series Nights, where at least 6 taps are designated for the visiting brewery and huge outdoor celebrations in the fall and summer - where kegs go as far as the eye can see! Some recent tap favorites include Ballast Point Sculpin, Pretty Things Jack D'Or, North Coast Pranqster, Captain Lawrence Nor'Easter, Brooklyn Cookie Jar Porter, Troegs Mad Elf, Sierra / Dogfish Life and Limb and a Cask of Sierra Nevada Wet Hopped Harvest. Rumor has it Brooklyn Bourbon barrel aged "Dark Matter" Brewmaster's Reserve soon! You must go for yourself to witness the magic!

From the second you walk in the door, you are welcomed with smiling faces and the scent of native woods hard at work in the smoker. The owner Chris is an amazing Chef and one of the most approachable people you will ever meet, he has an intensity for his cuisine and the craft beer he serves and is always willing to take feedback and tap requests. The entire staff make you feel like you are at home- their charm, comforting food, and knowledge of craft beer is a breath of fresh air in this crazy world.

02-24-2010 16:30:56 | More by WobblyPopsBrewin

calise1122

New York

4.72/5  rDev +3.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$

Holy smokes is right! What a place... I walked in a few minutes after they opened on a Saturday afternoon. It also happened to be one of their monthly brewer nights with Victory in the house... they have 18 taps, and when brewers come they give them 6.

As I walk through the door I smell BBQ... not north east BBQ, but real BBQ. The smell is overpowering and actually takes away from my ability to smell the Victory Abbey 6 I started with.

I sat down with the paper, ordered my Abbey 6, and got ready to read the rags and enjoy my beer. But too many good people kept me away. Just great people at the bar, behind the bar, walking in the door, etc. The owner Chris is a champ... pulled out his inventory list to show me the kegs he has downstairs... let's just say on December 2nd Chris is unleashing 16 Belgium's ranging from Deranke XX to St Bernadus Abt 12 to Hopsinjour.

Chris is a hell of a guy, knows his beer, but also knows a crap load about wine and (of course) good f'n food. He puts on a special night every month... today was Victory, next month is Belgium mania, January is Green Flash, etc. During slower times he orders kegs of what his regulars wish for... just a grade A guy.

The company, as I mentioned, was great. People who love beer and conversation were littered around the place. Spent some time talking to a fella named John who spent 9 years at Three Floyds (they are only 12 years old... so let's just say he knows the place)...

They had about 20-25 bottles but no one was ordering a bottle of beer here, not with this tap collection:
Troegs Troeganator
Weihenstephaner Korbien Dopplebock
Lion Sweet Milk Stout
Weihenstephaner Heffe Weissen
Victory Abbey 6
Victory Hop Devil
Victory Storm King
Victory Ten Year Alt
Victory Baltic Thunder
Victory Braumeister Pils
Weyerebacher Autumn Fest
Southern Tier Crème Brule Stout
Avery Ale to the Chief
DFH Palo Santo Marron
Clipper City Weizen Bock
Oskar Blues Old Chub
Stone Smoked Porter

They give nice sized samples, they fill growlers and they fill, of course, pints.

I hate that this place is 40 minutes from me and not closer, just a great great spot.

Good job Chris, keep it going. Oh yeah, also had a bunch of BA mags on hand!

Brett

11-15-2008 23:08:42 | More by calise1122

soccerman7

Vermont

4.68/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

You can smell the place coming up on 6N if your windows are down.
The owner Chris has put together an amazing selection on tap. All micros and imports, and no macros. Changes fairly often the draft line up. Can even do flights and growlers. Had a few interesting ones - Smuttynose Big beer series Scotch, Miabock and Imperial Russian stout. Had a few Troegs and supports the local brewery Captain Lawerance.

The food is true BBQ to the form. Slow smoked and the portions are beyond intense (entree lasted for a full lunch the next day). The staff is friendly and fun, and the atmosphere is casual and laid back. The food alone is worth the trip, with the beer being a fantastic bonus!

08-22-2008 15:48:34 | More by soccerman7

madmanjf

New York

4.5/5  rDev -1.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$$

I've been meaning to come here for over a year but never got around to it, I guess it's too close to home :)

I managed to get down there on a Friday afternoon around 5pm. I was surprised how quiet it was, but I think that was just because they get a later crowd.

The beer selection is very nice. 18 Taps 100% Micro/Craft ... NO MACROS!

It's nice to see a Resturant who's primary center of excellence being the food will strive to extend the excellence to their bar.

Now I know this is BeerAdvocate and not BBQAdvocate ... but I must say the Ribs, while a bit pricey at the first glance of the menu, were OUTSTANDING.

If you like Beer and BBQ (who the hell doesn't?) then you should check this place out.

06-09-2008 19:07:18 | More by madmanjf