KINSmoke — Restaurant in Healdsburg

I drove 20 miles on purpose with someone because they said was worth the drive. Walking inside had a great local atmosphere. The smells were what you would expect in a bbq house. We decided to try the menu for two. We ordered chicken,pork and brisket for two. The platter came with corn on the cob,three corn muffins,a side of green apple slaw,and potato salad. Also ordered two sweet teas. We received our tea right away but upon tasting it the sweetness was overbearing and it tasted more like liquid sugar than tea. The platter came and it was probably about 5oz. Of each meat,three corn muffins,one ear of corn and two sides. One presentation it looked like a nice mixture of food except our first reaction was it wasn’t going to be enough for the both of us. The meat portions might not have been to terribly small except when you consider one chicken breast (bone in)one shredded bbq pork and one piece of brisket with about 1/3 of it to burnt to enjoy for $45 wasn’t enough. Now if you have two adults eating from one order and you receive one full ear of corn instead of serving either two ears of corn or at least cutting it in half beings no knife was given at the table, you say to each other what to do? Then you are puzzled on a again who will get the odd piece? Upon tasting the green apple slaw,had no signs of green apple and when I said something to the waitress she said it was in there And if I looked harder I would find it,then walked away. Ok so I looked harder but never found it or the taste of apple.The slaw was very bland with no signs of vinegar or flavor ,more of sweet mayonnaise. The potato salad looked and tasted great except the bigger pieces of potatoes (about 50%) were undercooked. To clear the undercooked potato problem they should be cut more equally. Possibly on the corn dilemma serve two full pieces and solving another problem by subtracting one corn muffin to help equalizing the cost and making the platter look fuller. I can tell everyone working there is totally into their job and it looked like the two owners or managers cared .While I think it needs improvements such as I saw it wouldn’t take much to make it great. Note: Needs opportunity for southern desserts (cobblers with ice cream ,sides of watermelon or pies) and perfect setting for coffee drinks. All additions are little work with high profit. Total bill was $60:00 with tip. Didn’t feel we got our fill but with a few thoughtful changes we...

Seems like a fun place, but the food was very underwhelming. I got a 2x2 with fatty brisket and dry ribs, vinegar slaw and seasonal vegetables (zucchini). The fatty brisket was somehow dry, particularly if you happened to not get a bit of the fat. Many pieces were basically all bark, it seems like they kept it smoking too long or didn't keep it moist. It was hard to chew through. The ribs were fine, I usually don't like a lot of sauce, since I really like to taste the barbecue, but the ribs were on the bland side. I wanted some mustard (I tried the sauces, none of which really blew me away), and no server around for a while, and I had to walk up to the counter to get it. The vinegar slaw was so vinegary, I couldn't eat the whole thing, but the zucchini was excellent, if underseasoned (thankfully they keep salt and pepper on the table). The corn muffins were cold (not room temp), and not so great. I will say the brussels sprouts were quite good, no complaints there. The server was friendly, but somewhat absent, and it took a while to get a missing utensil pack and extra napkins. Waiting for the check, my fellow diners didn't want to wait any longer, as the ice cream place nearby was closing. Finally got the check, and had to ask for a bag to take a lot of my leftover and to-go food. My family goes here every summer when we visit, but I'm not even sure I'm excited to come back next year, especially at the prices they charge (~$45...

Yummy! This smoked meat restaurant is a Healdsburg, CA local favorite. The meat, salads and sides are delicious. The ordering process is a little different than any other restaurant I've been to. The main food is ordered at the counter when you walk in. You don't pay yet. You pay at the end of the meal. After ordering you get a number on a plastic card. Pick out the table you want to sit at, and then place the number at the top of the paper towel roll at each table. I like to sit at the windows facing out to people watch. The meat is ordered by the pound, a half-pound of chicken wings is one of my favorites. They also make burgers and pulled pork sandwiches. And salads, today I had the half-size Ahi Tuna Salad with a side of corn bread. The salads come in aluminum cake pans with a rolled edge. The meat and sandwiches arrive on miniature jelly roll trays. Sauces! With a meat order, a six-pack of bar-b-que sauces is delivered to the table. Spend some time trying the different sauces. My favorites are the house and the espresso sauces. Drinks, depending on the time of day, the drinks are ordered when you walk in or after you sit down at a table. The paper towel roll is nice to have at the table as the meat and sauces can get a little messy. The good kind of messy. After the meal, the check comes in a cutting board clip board....