Madison Restaurant Review: Smoky Jon’s #1 BBQ

So a few weeks ago I got a lot of hits and feedback for my review of Tom’s Red Pepper here in Madison. Some argued that I was a Minneapolis snob and that I looked down on Madison cuisine. Others thought I was being negative for the sake of being negative. Well I guess I can see how new readers stumbling across my reviews for the first time might come to that conclusion, but long time readers will know that I heap on the praise whenever the opportunity arises. Thankfully my stomach and my mind were recently treated to such an opportunity when I rediscovered Smoky Jon’s #1 BBQ last week.

Literally located in a BBQ shack on the Northeast side of Madison, Smoky Jon’s has been dishing out award winning BBQ since 1974. Now Madison doesn’t have plethora of BBQ choices but who needs choice when Jon’s does it all so, so well. The restaurant itself is a fine place to eat BBQ, filled with red and white checkered tables, but the standard mode at this place is take-out and last week my partner and I did just that. Since she works on the Northeast side of town I gave my partner my order and asked her to pick it up on her way home. While I had been to Jon’s a couple of times over the years, this was her first visit so she was a bit unsure of what to get. Thankfully Jon’s has always had a reputation for staff that wants to help you eat best. Upon arriving, my partner placed my order and told the counter staff what she was in the mood for. The worker knew exactly the dishes that fit the bill and was so spot on, that my partner later wished she had tipped her even more then she did. You expect this kind of service from a true BBQ stand and Jon’s doesn’t disappoint.

So what about the food already? First let’s talk BBQ and simply put, this is some of the best I’ve ever sampled. I went with a combination of a 1/3 rack of ribs and a chopped pork sandwich. The ribs are not the best in terms of meat quality as the pork wasn’t always bone tender however the smoky flavor of the meat was second to none. In fact, while I’m neither a dry or wet man specifically, I found myself wanting these ribs dry as the sauce, while quite good, was too distracting from the hickory smoke. If the ribs were slightly flawed, the chopped pork was perfection. The meat was truly chopped and not shredded like some BBQ joints try to pass off as chopped. The meat had been treated with the appropriate vinegar which perfectly complimented the sauce served on the side. The bitter and sweet combination was spot on. The soft bun the sandwich was served on was fresh and soft and completely innocuous which was as it should be. My partner had the Saucy-Q which featured melt in your mouth beef brisket smothered in the sauce. The beef held the smoky flavor against the sauce better then the ribs which made it the best of the 3 meats we sampled. A warning to those ordering by phone, the Saucy-Q is not on the web or take-out menus so make sure to ask.

Unlike a lot of BBQ joints, Smoky Jon’s prowess extends out of the pit and into the side dishes as well. The skin-on fries are some of the best in town and travel surprisingly well. The coleslaw is creamy beyond belief but could have used some more seasoning on our last visit. Spicy buttered corn is spicy…buttered…and corn, and a combination I’ve found unique to Jon’s. Mashed potatoes were surprisingly lacking as they simply did not have enough moisture to travel well and when that travel is less then 30 minutes, that’s disappointing. Last week the star of the sides were the sugar fried biscuits. Beignet like in their shape and texture, these nuggets of fried dough looked more like dessert then side dish thanks to their powdered sugar covering but in fact they were the perfect sweet to the savory of the smoky meat. Now I’m not suggesting you eat them together but the biscuits acted as an excellent pallet cleanser as I moved from ribs to chopped pork. Another excellent recommendation from the staff that we won’t soon forget.

Jon’s never feels that busy partly due to the fact that take-out makes up most of the business. They also have a boffo catering business and then there’s the traveling road show as they compete in BBQ contests from Minneapolis to Austin and all steps in between. Personally I’d be happy if they just stay put right here in Madison.

Smokey Jon’s #1 BBQ, 2310 Packers Avenue, Madison, WI 53704, 608-249-RIBS