Black Powder Smokehouse — Restaurant in Jamestown

A complete overhaul of an old gas station, this highly anticipated BBQ joint opened two weeks ago to much fanfare. How much fanfare? Black Powder was open for lunch and dinner during that time but sold out well before dinner every day. And while that is undoubtedly a source of consternation for many would-be patrons, the level of demand usually says something about the food quality.

It is, thankfully, not all hype. Black Powder has some of the best smoked meats in the Triad though enjoying them involves more than a little bit of luck. To wit: the restaurant opened at 11 a.m. this past Saturday, and my wife and I arrived just a few minutes thereafter to find a line to the door. Said line only grew longer as noon grew closer. Standing and waiting to order is a fact of life here.

At least you will be standing and waiting in style. The restaurant is handsomely appointed with a sleek bar area and a few long tables alongside more conventional seating. If the aesthetics don’t strike you as inviting, the wonderful smoky smell certainly will.

Black Powder’s compact menu is similarly appealing. The meats, available in quarter, half, pound, or sandwich portions, include pulled pork, chopped chicken, brisket, turkey breast, smoked salmon, and a rotating selection of sausages. Ribs and chicken quarters and halves round out the roster. They are joined by sides such as slaw (red or white), gouda mac n cheese, molasses baked beans, braised collard greens, Carolina caviar, pimento hushpuppies, and hot boiled peanuts (?!), all available in small or large portions.

Assuming the line doesn’t deter you, co-owner (a big, bearded guy from BBQ Pitmaster central casting) is an amiable presence at the carving station, and his staff are equally personable despite the constant influx of customers. Given the sheer volume, food wait times could be a whole lot worse.

For our early lunch visit, my wife and I split a quarter-pound each of pulled pork, brisket, and sausage, which we paired with gouda mac, white slaw, and pimento puppies. The plate looked amazing, a welcome relief to anyone who’s ever winced after glimpsing pre-sauced pork at Stamey’s. While the sides were smallish, we were able to cobble together a filling lunch for two for about $20, which was practically a steal.

The food was worth every penny and then some. The pork was a touch dry, but that was easily remedied by an application of one of the three sauces (Eastern, Western, and the far-superior BP Signature) available. The brisket – smoky and tender and fatty without being greasy – was outrageously good. We ended up with andouille as that day’s sausage, and it delivered both a spicy kick and a firm bite. The slaw was satisfyingly creamy and offered hints of carraway (?), and the pimento puppies were like the golden child of a hushpuppy and a jalapeno popper. The gouda mac delivered in the flavor department though it was rather thick.

Whether or not Black Powder Smokehouse becomes your new favorite Jamestown eatery/barbeque restaurant/converted gas station (apologies, Lindley Filling) or a colossal disappointment depends largely on the luck of the draw. Get in while the wait is manageable (ten-fifteen minutes) and the meats are in-stock, and it’s excellent. But catch them at the wrong time, and you may walk away jaded (if not...

Holy heaven on earth! Perfect from top to bottom.

Neat looking building. There is covered seating outside. The interior is surprisingly well kept with large finished tables, a small bar with bar seating, and a drink station. There are several TVs in the dining area. On the tables are four sauces to choose from. Some are sweeter with sugar/molasses or whatever and one was a vinegar type sauce. You can pick and choose according to your taste and I like that you have options.

I ordered the two meat plate (18.50). It comes with choice of several meats and choice of two sides. Here is the breakdown of my concoction:

Gouda Mac and Cheese: I like smoked/creamy cheeses so this immediately appealed to me. It is a baked version with deep smoke flavor and a little baked char on the top. Creamy cheese and the macaroni was baked with a perfect firmness. Excellent side. Can't go wrong.

Fries: This is the dark horse of the meal. The fries are soft inside with a crispy exterior. The seasoning is a slam dunk. You could make a meal of these. Damn good.

Brisket: Came with three large pieces and was a deceiving amount upon eating. The pieces were tender and moist. I tried a few sauces on it and you can do this to your liking. Another reorder if you are into brisket.

Chopped BBQ: Liberal portioning and they didn't skimp. Coarsely chopped (I like it better than finely chopped) with some char throughout. Moist and tender. This could be eaten without the sauces on the table, but I liked the vinegar sauce on this. Fantastic.

Each item on my plate was a reorder. Sure they offer other sides and meats but damn it would be hard to veer away from these.

The staff greets you upon entering. There were enough employees at the ordering counter to accommodate the number of folks who strolled in during the time I was there. I imagine the volume is heavy at certain times of day.

I was skeptical of the price on the meal but was set straight with the portioning and quality. Simply...

I had ordered my food through the online website. The ribs looked really good online but beware it isn’t the same. It doesn’t mention that it’s pork ribs online. Now I know this place is a smokehouse and I would say make sure that you like smokehouse version of bbq vs. typical bbq. I really don’t like smokehouse bbq so for me the ribs are a no. I only took two bites of my ribs, rice, and potato salad and I’m not even going to finish it. It’s not good! I was expecting wet ribs with good seasoning however these are just smoked and that’s it. You can get a side of bbq though. The bbq sauce doesn’t help either, no surprise there! I hate pork ribs because it lack the fat and meat quality that most African Americans like. The rice was boring but properly cooked. The potato salad had the most seasoning ever. The mayo was overkill. As for the atmosphere there is no indication of where to pick up to-go food and you’re met with a surprisingly long line. I’m glad I followed my instincts and just went to the bar and my food was there. The bartender today was really really nice and genuine. I would also avoid the teas. I’m also surprised about that because I do know that majority of the bbq spot know how to make really good tea. However the sweet and unsweetened was really nasty…maybe they need to switch tea brands. Also I would suggest this to be more elderly friendly, as a 29 year old African American woman I don’t see myself ordering or dining in again…So yea great people today but food is disappointing and disgusting. Im going to through away the 1/2 rack, rice , and potato salad because its gross and just make my...