Mule Car Smokehouse — Restaurant in Ontario

This place is huge. Located in a beautifully restored historic fire station, Mule Car Smokehouse immediately impresses with its airy, open layout, exposed brickwork, and vaulted ceilings  . The casual yet trendy vibe is elevated by leather booths, a stylish full bar, and inviting outdoor patio seating—perfect for relaxed meals or catching Sunday Funday games  . As one visitor remarked, “a spacious, beautifully decorated former fire station” with “original exposed brick work” made the setting truly “stunning” . Mule Car delivers a compelling menu of Texas-style barbecue and Tex‑Mex, featuring standout smoked meats like brisket, pulled pork, tri‑tip, spare ribs, and smoked wings .

Spare Ribs: Tender, juicy, and expertly seasoned—an immediate favorite for many  . Brisket: Smoky and flavorful, though a few diners have found varying texture—from melt-in-your-mouth to slightly dry, depending on the cut. Pulled Pork, Smash Burger, Tater Tots & Onion Rings: The pulled pork is savory and satisfying, while the loaded tater tots and crispy onion rings are frequent side hit picks.   Sides & Drinks: Cornbread with honey butter is a crowd-pleaser. Drinks like the Strawberry Smash and Arnold Palmer are often praised for their inventiveness and refreshing quality   On the beverage side, the full bar offers creative cocktails and mocktails—with some hiccups noted in drink consistency

Mule Car Smokehouse offers a combination of relaxed, historic ambiance and hearty, flavorful barbecue. Whether savoring spare ribs, loaded tots, or a creative cocktail, you’ll find plenty to enjoy. While service may occasionally lag, the quality of food and warmth of atmosphere make it a repeat-worthy...

This was my first (and likely last) time eating here, and the experience was beyond disappointing.

We sat for nearly 20 minutes before anyone even acknowledged us with water. No server came by, so I ended up walking over to the bar myself to order drinks—not once, but twice. For a restaurant that wasn’t even busy, that level of neglect is inexcusable.

When our food finally showed up, it was cold. My kids didn’t want to touch it, and honestly, I don’t blame them. At that point, I didn’t even bother asking for sauces or drink refills because I knew we’d probably be finished eating before we ever saw our server again.

The atmosphere didn’t help either. The big open space creates an echo chamber where every conversation bounces around, and the music just adds to the noise, making the whole environment overwhelming instead of enjoyable.

Even small things—like kids’ sodas being tiny and gone after two sips—were frustrating, especially when refills seemed impossible to get.

I came in wanting to like this place, but between the nonexistent service, cold food, and overwhelming noise, there was nothing redeeming about the visit. Sadly, there are too many other restaurants that actually care about their guests for me to ever...

I saw that they recently opened a Tex-Mex bbq place. They have a weekday lunch menu and happy hour. I went during the weekend right when they opened so no wait time. I got the tater tots with pulled pork ($15), 4 spare ribs ($12), a side of street corn ($7) and a side of coleslaw ($7).

The seating area is large and airy with large windows in a historical building. The air con is strong with large sitting booths. The tater tots were crispy with melted cheese, sour cream, pulled pork, and chopped green onions. The street corn and coleslaw came in a small pottery bowl. The coleslaw was well marinated and the street corn was very heavy with lime juice, with cotija cheese, mayonnaise, chili powder, and chopped corn. The spare ribs were tender and the marinade made the meat kinda sweet. It comes with sides of pickled white and red onions, and sliced pickles. The onions needed to pickle much longer since they tasted raw and sharp, not a strong vinegar taste to them.

They also have a bar and a good variety of drinks to choose from. They do have outdoor seating towards the back of the building but the area was closed. The restroom is clean. The staff is nice. The have street parking and a parking garage...