One of the Best BBQ Restaurants in NJ is Closing After 7 Years
One of the best spots to grab some award-winning barbeque food in the Garden State will be closing within the next couple of months.
But, hope is not lost fellow fans of all things smoked and rubbed -- not only will food from this eatery still be available from a food truck, but a second location under the same name will remain open and it's not too far away.
Rough business
If you have lost count of all of the great restaurants that have announced their demise over the past several months, you aren't the only one.
Just a few examples
- Voltaco's in Ocean City closed after almost 70 years.
- Nan and Pop's Kitchen in Wildwood closed, however, some of their food will be available at pop-up events.
- Life On The Veg closed its restaurant on Long Beach Island following 17 years of service; their Manahawkin location remains open.
- Cluck' n Crabs in Stafford Township is gone, too.
And that's just a few of many.
Now, there's a new one to add to the list -- sorta
Our culinary travels take us to Westwood in Bergen County where Kimchi Smoke says they will be winding down their operation on Center Avenue in the coming weeks.
Pitmaster and owner Robert Austin Cho recently took to Instagram to share the news.
We thank everyone who has visited us, supported us, dined in, took out, bought merchandise and sauce, ordered catering, wrote reviews, shared photos, posted photos, wrote blogs, articles, interviews, voted for us...
Cho also thanked everyone for helping to support his restaurant through COVID, saying, "It was a crazy time but we got through it together."
Northjersey.com reports the popular Southern-style Korean barbecue restaurant originally opened in Bergenfield in 2016, but it quickly outgrew the space. That's when it moved to Westwood. A second location in Ridgewood, just six miles away, opened last year.
And it's that second location that will remain open.
Doughnuts and BBQ? You bet!
"Kimchi Smoke is famous for, among many other items, its Chonut, a sloppy mess of a sandwich consisting of smoked brisket, crisp bacon, smoked kimchi, tangy cheese and Cho's signature Fatboy bourbon-chipotle sauce on a sweet glazed doughnut; its Not Cho Mama chili, smoked meat with baked beans; Cholander fries, spice-rubbed twice-fried French fries; and its ODB (Ole Dirty Bird), buttermilk fried chicken breast sandwich slathered with remoulade and sriracha," reports northjersey.com.
And those that have been there seem to agree, posting comments like these online:
My go to place for BBQ. Love the brisket but my favorite are the Korean BBQ ribs with fries and cornbread. If you are ever lucky enough to stop in when they have the Chominican Moro or Chominican Corned Beef Hash make it your business to order them, you won’t regret it.
Talk about delicious food! I had the Chonut 2.0 with brisket. It was a glazed doughnut sliced open with brisket, kimchi, cheese and scallions. I was a bit hesitant at first, but figured I would try it. It was beyond anything I have ever had before. The combination of sweet and spicy along with the tang from the sauce on the brisket was amazing! I would definitely recommend ordering the Chonut. I had ordered the pulled pork tacos. That had fatcho sauce, Koren slaw, remoulade and scallions. That as well was very delicious.
Currently best BBQ in Bergen county. Very creative menu fusing Korean and American bbq. Very casual spot with limited hours. Prices reflect the quality. Pretty hearty servings as well. The chef wins a lot of awards at bbq competitions all over the country. Best barbecue sauce you'll taste this side of the Mason-dixon!
Find it
For the next few weeks, Kimchi Smoke is at 301 Center Ave. in Westwood.
- From Atlantic City: 2 hours, 16 minutes; 141 miles
- From Newark: 38 minutes, 26 miles
- From Trenton: 93 minutes, 82 miles
Meanwhile, why not check out some of these other great BBQ places across the state...