Pic courtesy of The Smoke Joint
Waiting half an hour or more for a table at this barbecue joint isn’t such a drag when you can taste your way around the impressively serious bourbon list (which includes cult favorites like Elijah Craig and Pappy Van Winkle, and roughly two dozen more well-curated, often hard-to-find bourbons, plus a dozen rye and American whiskeys). If you’re headed to BAM and about to run late, you can always skip the table and order your meat at the bar. As NYC barbecue places go, The Smoke Joint is pretty reliable. No, the state of Texas doesn’t have anything to worry about, nor do Kansas City or St. Louis or North Carolina (no real competition anywhere in these parts). But for carnivorous or soul-food cravings—and pre-BAM pitstops—the Smoke Joint does the job admirably, with 12-hour-smoked pulled pork (which you can also have on top of the Black Angus hot dog), smoky collard greens, spicy fries, and meaty barbecued beans.
The Smoke Joint. 87 S. Elliot Pl. at Fulton St.; (718) 797-1011
Prices/Features: Cheap/Drink Destination