J'S SMOKEHOUSE
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★⭑
District: Food Truck; Papillion
Texas-style BBQ
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Lunch; Takeout
Standout Dishes: Ribs; Pulled Pork; Burnt Ends; Brisket
James Hawk had no professional restaurant experience, but through years of smoking meats in his backyard, he developed a product he thought good enough to sell. That led to a food truck, which led to a pop-up in his parent’s karate gym, and now a permanent space inside the American Legion in Papillion.
His rapid ascension might seem like nirvana to fellow home cooks, but they don’t see the 90-hour weeks, the money spent on endless experiments, and the headaches that naturally come with food truck life.
It’s those factors, along with James’ drive to overcome them, that make J’s Smokehouse one of the best BBQ restaurants in Omaha.
J’s Smokehouse specializes in wood-smoked Texas-style barbecue slow smoked over premium oak wood. The result is brisket, pork, and ribs with a deep smoky essence, but not one that overwhelms the palate.
As soon as you pull up to the American Legion in Papillion, where J’s Smokehouse currently resides, your nose is filled with wondrous, smoky scents wafting from the pair of giant smokers out front. There’s a good chance that James himself, carefully tending the meat, will be there to greet you.
The brilliance of J’s Smokehouse’s meats starts with the simplicity of its rub. Rather than layer flavors by adding a myriad of ingredients, J’s sticks solely to salt and pepper, allowing the perfectly-smoked meat itself to have the leading role. These simple ingredients also create a brilliant crust with just a touch of spicy flavor.
All of J’s meats stand out in their own way with a distinct personality. The Ribs are enormous, more meat clubs than a meal. With just the right amount of fat, they’re tender and pull away nicely from the bone with a gentle tug. The smoke ring is pronounced, and the rubs gives them a crusty, caramelized bark.
The Brisket can be ordered lean or fatty, and I’d direct you toward the latter. The fat makes each piece juicy and succulent, not to mention ridiculously tender. And the peppery crust adds a welcome salty hit.
The Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage has a firm outer case that produces a nice snap and protects the juicy meat inside, which is flowing with sharp cheddar. And the Burnt Ends are worth a trip alone if they’re on special. These meaty cubes are so tender and fatty they practically dissolve in your mouth. They also have a tremendous bark, and the cranberry BBQ sauce adds a sweet tanginess.
The Brisket is rich and moist, featuring a stunning pink smoke ring and just the right amount of fat. But if it’s beef you seek, you should visit on a day when J’s offers its Burnt Ends as a special. These meaty cubes are so tender and fatty they practically dissolve in your mouth. They also have a tremendous bark, and the cranberry BBQ sauce adds a sweet tanginess.
All that said, perhaps no meat exemplifies James’ smoking prowess like the humble Pulled Pork. You’ll find this as an option on every BBQ menu, but that’s usually just because it’s expected. Not as much care or attention goes to this meat as brisket and ribs.
That’s not the case at J’s, where the pork is rich and fatty, pulled into tender ropes of swine goodness. This fat has rendered during a low-and-slow cooking process, allowing it to melt into the meat.
The consistency of the meats is stunning. Each is tender and juicy and seasoned with the same rub, yet they all have distinct flavor profiles. And while J’s offers excellent versions of regular and spicy BBQ sauces, these meats are so good they need no additional flavor.
James’ dedication to his craft is best shown in the smoked meats, but it carries over into his side dishes. Even at Omaha’s best BBQ joints, the sides tend to be mostly forgettable. But everything at J’s, from the creamy white-cheese Mac & Cheese, finished with a crisp bread crumb topping, to the sweet/savory Baked Beans, amped up with hunks of brisket and a slight mustard-y tang, is excellent. Even the Coleslaw stands out, as the lettuce is crisp and the dressing adds a nice sweetness without being too mayo-forward.
J’s Smokehouse offers its meats in a sandwich or atop mac & cheese or nachos, but the taste of these proteins is so satisfying on their own that they don’t need any extra help. My advice: stick to the meat itself and leave yourself as much stomach space as possible for this protein bonanza.
James may be the head of the business, but the whole family is involved. When you visit, you’re likely to not only see James, but his mom, dad, or sister working the counter or filling a catering order. The entire crew is friendly and more than willing to tell the story of how this backyard BBQ dream grew into one of Omaha’s best BBQ joints.
Because that’s exactly what J’s is. The truck started in 2021, so it doesn’t yet have the reputation or history that some of Omaha’s more established BBQ hotspots do, but I’m confident it will. The brisket is excellent, the sausage juicy, and the ribs can sit at the table with any in Omaha.
James was once a weekend BBQ warrior, but his hard work has taken him to another level. And his dedication to the craft makes J’s Smokehouse absolutely worth a visit.