Arrowhead Smoke Works — Restaurant in Manhattan

I want this place to be successful more than anybody. I don't believe in going online to post a review and then never giving the place a chance to correct their mistakes, or grow to get better.

So in the interest of full transparency and accountability and making sure this place survives in our town for generations... Here are my notes:

We like to get a bunch of different meats and sides as a family, and then share everything at the table. The first time we came during the opening week we were so happy with the food and the experience. The price is high but so was the quality.

The second time we came the brisket was as tough as a tire rubber. Just couldn't even chew it enough to swallow, so it must have been some kind of fluke. I don't see any other reviews talking about that. Even so, if I owned a BBQ place I would want to know if something like BRISKET wasn't getting executed correctly. I don't want to trash this place, I just want them to live up to their potential here. After 15 years working in restaurants I know that regular loyal customers won't come back after even just one bad experience.

Finally, the sauces they have lined up are incredible, it's too bad they are room temperature and not being held correctly. I'm almost certain one of them had even turned bad. We have to have an ice hold that gets refreshed every couple of hours. Some places have a little mini fridge off to the side where all the sauces get held. The fact that they are sitting on tables and sitting out at the register is maybe not an issue for the food service permit or health department, but my point is that it's doing a huge disservice to this amazing food and the amazing sauces themselves. They are having a HUGE quality drop stored like this, and it's noticeable.

I'm going to delete all of this and make my five star review that I want to make if I were to hear back from someone just acknowledging that we heard the criticism and we want to make sure it never happens again, etc. IDK. But I would rather them see this review and take this seriously than have Manhattan lose another fine eating establishment from silent boycott. I would do anything to keep a place like this alive in our town and staying silent and never coming back to eat here just...

I recently had the pleasure of checking out Arrowhead Smoke Works BBQ, and let me tell you—this place is a great addition to Manhattan! I’ve been twice now, and both times the food has been spot on. I tried the brisket and turkey on my visits, and both were packed with flavor, cooked to perfection, and just melt-in-your-mouth tender.

The Mac and cheese with bacon is a must. It’s rich, creamy, and has just the right amount of bacon goodness to elevate it to a whole new level.

The sweet, golden, and ivory sauces were on point. Each one had its own distinct and delicious flavor that perfectly complimented the BBQ.

ASW staff have been super friendly and welcoming, which just adds to the overall great vibe of the place. Interior wise it's clean, inviting, and really makes you want to stay and enjoy your meal there. I definitely need to carve out some time to actually dine in next time instead of opting for take out.

ASW BBQ has earned a permanent spot on my go-to list and I’m excited to become a regular! If you’re a fan of great BBQ, do yourself a favor and check...

Good things come to those who wait. When I'm in the burbs, I typically have to bump ratings up a bit because the standards are lower. Well that isn't necessary here. This place isn't just suburban good it's just actually good and it by far exceeded my expectations. The atmosphere is excellent and there's a surprising amount of seating for a small space. The outside looks great too which makes me want to see what they do in the summer for outdoor seating. We ordered some beer, brisket sandwich, and brisket tacos both of which were delicious and meaty, but not too greasy or sweet like some places. This is the first restaurant in Manhattan that I could see people seeking out from out of town. I would say to just give the place a little time to calibrate as they tend to run out of food early because everyone in this town is thirsty for...