Stateline Road Smokehouse — Restaurant in Napa

This place is simply amazing in the purest sense of the sentiment. Period! Hard stop! As you cross the threshold, you senses are met with the alluring effervescence of hickory, cherry wood, and seasoning that delightfully dance in the nostrils. Marquis greeted us with a bright smile full of joy watching our reaction to the scent while entering, knowing full well we were in “good trouble” as we began our dinning experience. He gave us spot on suggestions, that didn’t fail, and as he instructed us to follow our tray plate down the line, the fun continued. While taking the journey you run into a tall seemingly slightly shy worker, plating your sides, inspecting the arrangement of your proteins, engaging you in warm banter, while escorting you to the register to interact with more coworkers. As you meet the register, and the staff asks if you’d like any of the healthy and or adult beverage options, and curiosity peaks your interest in their adult slushy, the Jolly Rancher, that same line worker sneaks in fowl play. He walks up and squelches any vacillating thoughts of adding this tantalizing refresher to your ticket with a healthy offering of a sample. Not fair sir lol! Once you’ve taken possession of the mouth watering food, and drink, you continue to the sauce station for another tasting experience to select from 3 palate pleasing sauces that you can take to your table to create another complimenting food experience, if you dare. Once at the table in the down-to-earth environment, the obviously well taken car of staff, delights in bragging on that unassuming line worker, only to reveal that he is Darryl, the owner!!! Humbly working on the line alongside his staff, never asking them to do anything he isn’t already doing in harmony with them. As an added treat, while you experience memorable food orgasms and senses awakening flavors amalgamating in your mouth, the staff offers to bring Darryl over for a meet and greet. Darryl, the insanely talented 3 Star Michelin Chef, comes over and engages with this humble sprit that further makes you proud to have chosen his dinning establishment. Fielding all questions with poise and gratefulness, Darryl delights in immersive conversation only to be joined by his co-owner and proud friend/biggest supporter, Jeremy. He is the fun culprit and madd scientist of all their private, and themed events. As an added treat, Jeremy may offer you a tour of the establishment after you complete your dining experience. The tour blesses your eyes with beautiful visual artwork, murals, and a meet and greet with the work horses. The Monmouth smokers lovingly named Cashus, Clay, and Bestie, that look like heavy duty engines that power the entire restaurant. While on the tour, Jeremy will tell you of the Pit Master’s journey form culinary school to, studies in France, to the 1st establishment Darryl’s worked at that he elevated to a formidable restaurant, to his tour of the BBQ world thus, helping to develop this flavor mastermind’s formula for the best brisket I have ever tasted in my life, so far. Jeremy ends the tour with offers of group pictures taken on your person device, to commemorate your culinary experience. The food portions are plentiful, and your body will praise you for an experience that will have you begging Darryl to open up a Stateline near you. Be a blessing to yourself if you are in Nappy Valley, and experience the only black owed restaurant there with food that will literally blow your mind. Shout out to Angel at the register, our server and our female barista who’s name escape me. Apologies. The entire staff made us feel like VIPs as well as family. I am proud to type “JOB WELL DONE” Darryl and Jeremy!...

The atmosphere is good, albeit a little bit soulless. It just feels too.....ikea? In general I like it, a lot of nice touches. To-go boxes are out in the open, water is self serve, a place to wash your hands in the main room. Smart choices. The service is good. I enjoyed walking down the line watching as each station added things to our tray.

The food... (we went there for an early dinner at 5)

The ribs were a bit dry. The cook on them were good, nice bite through tender. Taste was good, there is something in the rub they use on everything that kept jumping out to me that I cant put my finger on. more of a smell than a taste, its pleasent though!

The brisket (1st order) was fantastic. Nice and tender, nice amount of fattiness, a little ribbon of fat left on when it was trimmed (i prefer texas style brisket, no sauce, but generally it was done well.) (2nd order) Overcooked, too tender. I couldnt move the meat to my plate without it falling apart. Even the stack of meat on our platter looked drastically different from the first order. 1st was nice shingles of meat, the second was a messy pile of semi shredded falling apart meat.

The burnt ends disappointed me. From what I witnessed, they separate the point and the flat) not sure if that is traditional kansas style, but not a big deal. More seasoning contact for both. They smoke them both. Then for the point (burnt ends) they cut them up, sauce...and serve. I dont know if they do smoke them again....it doesnt seem like it at all. They were even more tough than even the 1st brisket. Again, I prefer texas bbq, so the extra sauce that wasnt super sticky/burnt was not great.

Sides-

Mac-n-Cheese. Standard flavor for the cheese for a bbq place. It was fine. The topping felt like a napa twist that so many restaurants do that just feels unnecessary for good food. Just chefs being chefy. Mac was good though.

Curly fries, great. I assume they were from frozen then they added their rub. Fries are annoying to make fresh on that scale and be good (see in-n-out for standard homemade french fries...they are meh)

I didnt have the slaw, but the people I went with said it was good.

desert -

Soft serve, good (its soft serve...)

My gf got the peach cobbler. She didnt finish it. Seemed like the most phoned in thing. She said it was like canned peaches with some crumbles on top. She didnt finish it.

carmalized banana pudding - It was good. I ate the entire thing. It was pretty much Nations banana pie with some crumbled cookies on top. Not sure what was carmalized.... It was good. Felt like it was a fake out name vs was we got. Again, it was good, I ate the entire thing.

Something to note - We got there, ordered, sat down and ate. Most of the way through we realized we wanted more (to take out, and try a couple other things (more brisket, fries, deserts, soda). Since we got there before the rush it was pretty quick. I saved the table and the other two people went to order more. I was asked by 3 staff if I needed help packing up the food in my wait for more food. I felt awkward waiting. They needed/wanted the table for more people, but we were still finishing out food, and waiting for more food. Not sure what to do in this instance. Give up the table to hope to find one during dinner rush?

Overal, I would reccomend going. We are going to go a few more times, lunch and dinner, see how the food changes. I have wanted a legit bbq place in napa for a long while. I want them to succeed and get better. Stanly Lane bbq was good years ago, but their menu is...

Stateline Smokehouse BBQ is a must-visit spot for anyone craving bold, flavorful barbecue and an all-around great dining experience. From the moment you walk in, the aroma of smoked meats sets the tone for what’s about to be an unforgettable meal.

The food here is simply phenomenal. Their beef burnt ends, BBQ sausage, and brisket are the stars of the show—each bite melts in your mouth like hot butter, bursting with smoky, tender goodness. The sides are equally outstanding; the curly fries with aïoli dip and mac and cheese are absolute must-haves, perfectly complementing the rich, savory meats. And don’t miss out on their wine slushy drinks—they’re a fun, refreshing treat that adds a playful twist to the meal.

The atmosphere is as welcoming as the food is delicious. It’s kid-friendly, with large TVs playing sports on Sunday, and a lively yet laid-back vibe enhanced by great music in the background. The thoughtful touches—like multiple hand-washing sinks and easily accessible bathrooms—show the attention to detail that makes this place stand out.

What truly sets Stateline Smokehouse BBQ apart is its exceptional customer service. The staff are all friendly, attentive, and genuinely invested in ensuring a top-notch dining experience. All workers and the owners, Darryl and Jeremy, even make it a point to visit tables and check in with diners, making you feel like part of the family.

For dessert lovers, the strawberry cake and seasonal apple crumble topped with soft-serve ice cream are pure heaven. Do yourself a favor and save room— you won’t regret it.

Stateline Smokehouse BBQ delivers on all fronts: delicious food, a fun atmosphere, and customer service that goes above and beyond. Whether you’re a barbecue aficionado or just looking for a great meal out, this place will exceed your...