Adam’s Smokehouse

If I could give this place more stars I would. Talk about finger licking good. Never have I ever tasted ribs like Adams… the flavor was just… I cant even find the word beside so very good. I had the potato salad as well and typically I am picky about who’s potato salad I eat and this was on point. It was good. I also had the burnt ends or burnt tips ohhh wow that was delicious with the sweet jane sauce lets just say I stuffed my face. Unfortunately he was sold of out chicken. Staff was very friendly and welcoming just awesome customer service. Not sure who the gentleman that was talking to me and my husband but he was great very down to earth. I can see why this place has such high reviews. I went back the next day as it was my last day in the area before I headed back to Chicago and it was closed. With huge disappointment… I thought about this place the whole way home, never will I find a place that is this good… I will be back. ;)

My favorite BBQ joint in STl is Bogart’s with Pappy’s coming in at a close second. However, Adams smokehouse has made me think twice about my rankings. Their ribs are the most tender I have ever had-​which is a blessing and a curse lol. I love tearing the meat off a rib with my teeth but at Adams the meat literally falls off when I pull one apart… sigh. Any who, their beans are delicious (not too sweet) and their potato salad is good. I think because of the popularity of BBQ places listed above this place doesn’t get enough recognition. If I ever have family/​friends coming into town I would take them to BBQ joints like Bogart’s/Pappy’s just for the experience but if I just wanted great tasting BBQ without the long lines I would definitely come here.

When I travel Bbq is what I seek out I have eaten it everywhere, It’s a passion and this place rocks !!!, A must stop.

We loved eating here they have some of the best BBQ around and the ribs may be the best I’ve had. The best part of this place is the customer service. Every time we have dined here they have went above and beyond to make sure we have a great dining experience. I wish all places had customer service like they provide. We will be headed back very soon!

Wow wow WOOOOOOOOWWWW. Per previous posts, I’ve a high standard for my BBQ, specifically KC BBQ. Adam’s BBQ set a new standard for ribs. Superbly smoked, that perfect balance between tough and tender. They then baste them with an addictive sauce. Not sure what specific flavor/​spice (s) they use, but it is a beautiful blend of hot and sweet. Having eaten their ribs, I can die a happy man. Literally, in my final moments, I will think about my family & friends, the sweet baby Jesus, and Adam’s ribs. Burnt ends and pulled pork were also delicious. Sauces were great, too.
Applesauce is the best side there, imho. The lady also enjoys their beans, but I have yet to try them.

Excellent BBQ and a friendly team bring you a fantastic, uncomplicated dining experience where the quality of the food rules. The pit beans are a notable highlight. The coleslaw is decent. Have yet to try the potato salad but a little bit of additional variety in the sides could be a great thing if they wind up resembling those amazing jumping out beans.
The pulled pork is the real thing and the portion sizes are generous for a very reasonable price.
A must try BBQ place that is known as one of the top 3 in St. Louis.

Love this place… soo awesome burnt ends nom. nom… baked beans fabtastic when in the south Hampton area this is a definite go to place

Wings are to die for!!! Great baked beans and nice down to earth peeps! Thanks for the samples the first time!

Sometimes when you visit a neighborhood restaurant on the frequent, you forget to update your reviews. I had no idea that I had not updated my opinion of Adam’s since my initial review. With Adam’s being on Ian Froeb’s Top 100 STL Restaurants for 2016, it is time to update my review.
Numerous times when I have come for lunch, I have selected their signature smoked salami as one of my meats when doing the Pick 2 Plate. It has always been a perfect companion for my other two favorites beef brisket or turkey breast. Today I went with Ian’s «Must Order» and enjoyed the Salami Sandwich (6 oz).
As I order my sandwich, the cashier recommended adding brown mustard as my condiment. Being a fan of brown instead of yellow mustard, I grabbed a couple of packets to try on my sammie. For some he may be right, but not for me. I agree whole heartedly with Ian, give me a dab of Cranberry Cayenne Sauce (my favorite) and that sandwich is a winner. I am not a fan of white bread, but it was fresh and soft. What I think would make this sandwich go over the top is a hearty beefsteak rye. I think next time I’ll get mine to go and rebuild it at home.
My two sides always seem to be the same, or at least one of them does. I love their pit beans, I think they’re most likely one of the best if not the best in the local BBQ joints. Their overly creamy and sweet cole slaw has grown on me and slowly has won me over. I normally prefer an oil & vinegar cole slaw, but this one has it’s merits.
Some would say, the staff is overly friendly. I say it is southern down-​home hospitality. They just want everyone to feel welcomed and they treat everyone as if they were from the immediate neighborhood. That is why Adam’s is in the Top 100 Restaurants in STL — it has good food and good service.
When: March 16, 2016
Why: Lunch & STL Top 100

Pulled pork and brisket sandwiches are great. I stick with beans and potato salad for sides.
Howevever, tried the ribs over the weekend and what a disappointment. Way too salty. Even with some «sweet jane» sauce. Won’t be ordering those again. Way better at Bogart’s.

Heard lot of good things about this place.
Went and it took a long time to order as the guy was walking another couple through the menu and explaining bout BBQ. I was hungry
Got my order and they forgot ribs but the kind lady brought me some out. Honestly if I would not have tasted the ribs I would of scored it two stars. The ribs made it three stars. So did her customer service.
The Brisket and pulled pork was tasteless and needed sauce to make it something. As a BBQ competitor such as myself I felt that there was a clear lack of rub on the meats.
The home run ribs were only tasty because I think he sauced them n the smoker and they had some flavor on them.
The beans were amazing. The coleslaw not so much it was like cream soup coleslaw. The potato salad was good not special but good.
The key question will I come back? In a competitive BBQ town with so many choices, I just can’t see it. I can’t see myself going out of the way for BBQ with no real identity to say wow that was awesome.

Don’t come here if you want to stand in line for 30+ minutes or risk your favorite meat being sold-​out once you finally make it to the counter. Do stop in if you want top tier barbeque without the hassles involved in dining at the renown competition.
Adam’s Smokehouse is easy to root for, a small, unassuming establishment with hometown pride lining the walls in the form of framed St. Louis iconography. The staff betray an earnest interest in serving you. The radio plays the blues while you wait 5 minutes for your meal. Watch the to-​go orders fly out the door, and you can tell the neighborhood is in love. Why isn’t their reputation wider-​known? Perhaps because they aren’t boasting about being the best and aren’t creating buzz through creating scarcity. Adam’s, rather, appears content making very, very good barbeque and letting the limelight shine on the businesses that have ulterior aspirations.
As to why I give them 4 instead of 5 stars: 1) the intriguing cranberry cayanne barbeque sauce was too short on the cayanne for my taste, 2) the apple sauce was served cold and, as such, too reminiscent of its mass-​produced brethren, and 3) they offered neither warm potato-​based sides nor housemade chips. All told, the above three deserved to knock half a star from an otherwise perfect score. Such are the constraints Unilocal forces upon us.

Fantastic. But every time we try to find new bbq in this city we find out it’s the same owners as Pappys and Bogarts lol. There is a conspiracy monopoly going on folks.
Ribs are great though a tiny bit sweet for me. Cooked to absolute perfection. The burnt ends were phenomenal. Nothing short there of. The tri tip is also very good. Delicious baked beans (a
Little sweet though) and fantastic pasta salad. Potato salad not to my personal liking. Only thing missing is some pie.
The friendliness of the staff is palpable. Help with menu selections and people checking in on us. Someone described the different ribs and marinades and differences on their meats compared to Pappys and Bogarts. I mean it felt like family. Will be back to try white meats.

We strolled in with 9 people and were instantly greeted and seated. The people working here are super friendly and want to accommodate you. That being said we ordered a little of everything. The ribs fell away from the bone and melted in your mouth. The pulled pork was tender and full of flavor. The turkey was juicy and delicious. The portions were huge. The reason for 4 and not 5 stars is there were only 3 sauce choices and only 1 was a standard barbecue sauce. I tried two of the sauces and they were both very good but there was not a smoky choice. The sides were okay. I thought the pasta salad was the winner out of the coleslaw, potato salad, and beans. The sauces for the sides were vinegar based. Overall it was an excellent experience with amazing food. We will be back.

My great friend and I met for lunch September 30. I arrived early — to get a parking spot in their small lot behind the restaurant.
Burnt ends are only available on Wednesday.
The cash register guy was incredibly personable. When I told him I only wanted meat, HE GOT IT and offered some choices. I also said no bread.
My friend got a burnt ends sandwich with pit beans and potato salad. The pit beans looked rich and flavorful. The potato salad looked mustardy, but not too much. They both looked solid. He said they were good.
Other sides: coleslaw, Billy Goat chips, applesauce and pasta salad.
I got 5 ounces of burnt ends and 5 ounces of tri-​tips. With a Diet DP for ~$ 18.
I tried all three sauces: Carolina Vinegar, Cranberry Cayenne and Sweet Jane.
The meats stood solidly on their own without sauce. I don’t like sauce, because it masks the meat flavor.
Nonetheless, I liked the Sweet Jane best, followed by the Cranberry Cayenne. The Carolina Vinegar was too spicy for me.
The burnt ends were fabulous, meaty, tender and luxurious. The tri-​tips were sliced thin, rare, juicy and flavorful.
Lovely attendant monitoring tables to remove plates, etc. She was very kind. Brought us to-​go vessels WITH, if desired, little covered cups of sauces. I got the Sweet Jane and the Cranberry Cayenne to take home with my meat.
And she offered us a dessert. A metal pig sculpture dressed for the season and filled with «fun size» candy bars. I snagged a KitKat. He snagged a Three Musketeers. Her (the pig) seasonal garb was a Cardinals uniform.
They’ve got sandwiches; plates; combos; carryout combos; BBQ salad; meat by the pound; and sides by the pint, quart or gallon.
Meat offerings include: pulled pork, smoked salami, turkey, chicken, brisket, tri-​tips, ribs and burnt ends (Wednesday only).
My to-​go vessel was enough meat for two additional meals.

Definitely glad I found this place. Some of the best bbq and baked beans in the city hands down. I usually go with the brisket but it’s all delicious. Check the hours and may want to call and order for carry out and to make sure they have the meat. Cause they sell out. Good Eats & Cheers!

The people at this place are amazing. Absolutely amazing!!! The guy at the register was super helpful and full of suggestions. My husband explained that we were interested in getting a ridiculous amount of meat. He immediately suggested the Pick Two platter to to just buy a selection of meats by pound. We decided to go with the latter. They were already sold out of Turkey (at 4p on a Friday) and apparently they only have Burnt Ends on Wednesday (I’ll have to come back for those). So we went with the Salami, Pulled Pork, Brisket and Tri-​Tip. I don’t know that my husband had a favorite — he covered all of it with their sweet sauce and loved every bite. I have to say that my favorite was definitely the Salami, although it’s texture reminded me of bologna. Another unique thing I noticed was the fact that they slice their brisket really thin, which I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere else. But just like everything else, it was super tender and had a beautiful smoke line.
When we were almost done eating, Mike came over and introduced himself. He just wanted to make sure that we were happy with everything. He even stuck around just to chat as well. Obviously, just a really nice guy.
I will note that parking could be tough. Their small lot was full and we got lucky and found street parking right in front. I can’t imagine what this place is like when they’re busy!

I have been disappointed too many times to even be enthusiastic about never been tried before barbeque places so I wasn’t expecting much coming here. It’s a small place and parking was a little tricky but once you get in there, you will immediately be greeted by a smiling face (at least that’s my experience!) and some warm greetings. For an early Friday evening, the place was already out of turkey and beef brisket so I should have taken that as a hint as to how good this place really is. Forgive me for ruining the surprise… I couldn’t help it!
I ordered a pick 2 plate with their smoked salami (I am living a little) and tri-​tips which came with 2 sides: slaw and pasta salad. There is no wait-​service here so you do get your own drinks and pick your table. They have the usual softdrinks as well as sweet and unsweet tea or water. They bring your food out to you and you get to enjoy at your own dining pace. When you are done, they do bus the table which is nice.
So let me tell you about the stuff that really matters. The food. First, I tried the slaw and then the pasta salad and they were both good, fresh tasting sides. Then the tri-​tips… I was speechless. They were sliced thin like you would eat in a sandwich but the meat pieces were not dry at all! I was pleasantly surprised with how much you can actually taste the rub within the meat pieces. Wow! The smoked salami did not fail to impress me either. It had such amazing flavors that I did not have to use any of their sauces except for the purpose of just trying out their flavors. They have one called Carolina vinegar sauce which oddly complimented the meats. It was my first time trying a vinegar sauce and I have to say, I was quite impressed. They have a sweet sauce which is more or less what you would expect a barbeque sauce to taste like and a cranberry cayenne which had a nice kick. I have had so many barbeques I have tried but this one did not disappoint. Maybe being pessimistic paid off? In any case, I was so glad I came and tried this place out and I encourage you to do the same!

I put barbecue sauce on almost everything. I’ve tried dozens of sauces, and consume the stuff on a near-​daily basis. Still, I’m nowhere near as passionate or expert about barbecue as the fine folks at Adam’s. Sure they have a delicious lineup of sauces, but they also have a large menu of carefully-​chosen meats, sandwiches, and sides. Many of the meats come from local vendors on The Hill, and it’s clear that the guys here are proud of their selections. Don’t believe me? Ask them a question about meat or sauce and be prepared for an in-​depth answer.
Adam’s is a small place, and a little hard to spot if you’re not familiar with the area. But there was no obnoxious 2 hour Pappy’s line and there were plenty of open seats inside. I made a special trip to eat at Adam’s, and it was well worth it. I suggest you do the same.

Okay, let me start by saying that Adam’s blew my expectations out of the water. My boyfriend and I came by for lunch a few weeks ago, and both got the pulled pork plates.
The first thing that struck me was their customer service. I knew I wanted baked beans (they are my penultimate test of how good any bbq joint is, after the meat itself) but couldn’t decide between the applesauce and potato salad for my other side, so I asked the man at the register which one he preferred.
I wound up getting the applsauce, but when they brought out my meal, lo and behold, it had all three sides on it! They brought me the potato salad to try at no extra charge.
Now, onto the food itself. I think their BBQ is probably in the range of how good Pappy’s and Bogart’s is. At least equal to Pappy’s. I still prefer Bogart’s over any other BBQ in the city, but my boyfriend thought Adam’s was better, so try them both and decide for yourself.
Their baked beans are a million times better than Pappy’s, and even better than Bogart’s in my opinion, which I did not expect AT ALL. Smokier, Spicer, sweeter, and all around more flavorful than anywhere else in the city. Adam’s definitely set a high bar with these.
Their applesauce also beat out Bogart’s in my opinion, which isn’t easy to do! Adam’s apple sauce is the same chunky, homemade style as Bogart’s, but have a better overall consistency/​mouthfeel and are just plain sweeter. Not overwhelmingly sweet, but perfect.
The owner of Sugarfire should come take notes and see how it’s done.
Adam’s is pretty f*©%!#& delicious!