Smokehouse BBQ

Roadside smoke and cold beer on Maybank Highway

Smokehouse BBQ is a barbecue restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina.

Smokehouse BBQ on Johns Island is the kind of place regulars would rather you not write about — a small, unassuming roadside joint on Maybank Highway turning out steady pulled pork and ribs at prices that feel pulled from another decade. There is no concept and no marketing, just a pitmaster working hickory and oak and a counter that moves at island speed. It is honest cooking for people who live nearby and want good barbecue without a production around it.

The pulled pork sandwich is the bargain of the menu: piled high on a soft bun with slaw and a splash of vinegar sauce, it does more than its price suggests. The ribs come off with a clean smoke and a satisfying chew, and the smoked chicken holds its own. Coleslaw rounds the plate. There are no gimmicks here and none are needed — the whole appeal is a Johns Island counter cooking over real wood for people who found it and kept it to themselves.

• Style: Lowcountry / South Carolina Style
• Price: $
• Neighborhood: Johns Island
• Serving since 2005

What to order

• Pulled Pork Sandwich
• Ribs
• Smoked Chicken
• Coleslaw

How it scores — 8.0/10 overall

• Smoke: 8.0/10
• Bark: 7.9/10
• Tenderness: 8.2/10
• Consistency: 8.0/10
• Value: 9.4/10
• Atmosphere: 7.6/10

Visiting

• Address: 3377 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
• Phone: (843) 559-3300
• Website: #

Hours: Tue–Sat 11am–8pm

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