One of my very favorite places to pick up dinner on a busy week night is Smokin’ Pete’s BBQ in Ballard. I always have a tough time picking between the pulled pork, which is a little greasy, but super delicious, and the smoked chicken, which has a wonderful smoky flavor. Smokin’ Pete’s old fashioned barbecue sauce is a slightly spicy delight. They have some of the best fries in town. And though I don’t eat them, Trixie (who is a good Southern girl) claims the greens could be straight out of the south.
We’ve never eaten at the restaurant, instead choosing to take our treats to go. So I can’t comment too much on the service. They have live music a few nights a week, and it seems like a perfectly pleasant place to have a meal.
Smokin’ Pete’s has a display case full of fresh baked desserts. I highly recommend the lava cake – a few seconds in the microwave turns it into a gooey piece of chocolate cake. Their pies look geat, though I haven’t tried them yet.
Smokin’ Pete’s brings a little bit of the south to Ballard, much to our delight.
Rating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
Filed under: Ballard Lust, Food Lust | Tagged: Ballard, BBQ, fries, greens, lava cake, smoked chicken
Really? We tried it once and hated it, maybe we just ordered the wrong stuff? We tried a place on Stone Way just North of the lake, can’t remember what the name was but it was pretty good.
You should give it another try. Order the chicken. There’s no way you won’t love it, unless you’re without taste buds.
My partner and I went to Smokin’ Pete’s once, and the guy behind the counter was INCREDIBLY rude to us. When I asked a simple question as to the size of a particular sandwich, this worker went OFF on me as if I’d just shot his dog and burned his house down. It was truly surreal, and I couldn’t believe the way this guy was talking to me (yelling, actually). I don’t know if he was having a bad day and just decided to take it out on me, but we left Smokin’ Pete’s and vowed never to go back. I highly recommend avoiding this place. There are several other barbecue places in this area where the staff actually treat customers like human beings.
I agree with Chris on the place on Stone Way. We went several times when it was Rowdy Cowgirl, and several times since it’s changed to Ro Ro’s BBQ, and we’ve always found the food to be great. Consistently delicious BBQ sandwiches and sides (baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad I think, etc.) Don’t be intimidated by the large dog out front–he seems harmless and just as friendly as the folks inside! I’m not a big fan of country & western music, but it fits the theme of the place and sets the stage for a nice southern, homecooked meal.