Joe Bosco Authentic Smokehouse BBQ

The flavor of the brisket was a little bit sweet and barely felt the smoke on it

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

Let me start this review by saying I am by no means a BBQ pit smoke master. I’ve been smoking meats for about 15 years. And I’ve made better cuts of flavorful meat.

With that being said, I’m not sure if tonight was an off night or what with this place. I’ve been here in the past however it was about 2-3 years ago. Back then the food was off the charts delicious. Tonight, I can’t say the same. My wife got the ribs. They were bland and mushy. No texture whatsoever. Fall off the bone? Yup! As a pile of snot. I got the burnt ends combo. The brisket was fatty and mushy and whatever the rub is had no flavor. The pork belly was even worse. I know pork belly is supposed to be fatty, but a chunk of fat with no meat is unacceptable. We both got the baked beans. The beans had zero texture, mushy and no flavor. It’s supposed to have brisket in it but I didn’t find any. The beans tasted and looked like they’d been reheated several times. To be honest, I’d say the meat wasn’t fresh either. It had similar taste and texture to when I reheat my meat that I smoke. Definitely not fresh. The Mac n cheese was about the best part of the meal. It was ok, but not mind blowing. And lastly was a corn bread. I’ve made better corn bread out of a box. If you’re looking for a good meal up in the Poconos, skip this place and and go to Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Burger King or Taco Bell. Overall, the food tonight tasted like dirt. And lastly the lady at the register wasn’t very friendly. When she asked how the meal was and I didn’t give the response she expected she kinda just repeated me with sarcasm.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 1

Service: 2

I go a brisket sandwich. It was very close to not being tender. It really had no taste. You shouldn't have to put sauce to get flavor. Sandwhich special and a drink with pork burnt ends was over 35$ not worth it to me

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Brisket

Update; cant believe we didnt put this place out of business i guess i need to post it on my platform. Space can be used for a better restaurant!!
Omg... I order food and then asked for BBQ sauce. SERVER SAID SORRY WE RAN OUT OF BBQ SAUCE. CMON MAN BBQ running out of BBQ sauce. Send someone to local Market and buy a gallon. Bad decisions. Atleast owner wrote back.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Incredibly overpriced and the food was meh. The bbq sauce was good so I drenched my sandwich in it. I spent $20 for a small portion of mediocre food. The lemonade was horrible too. Not sure if I went on a bad day but based on my experience today I will definitely Not recommend it.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 1

Service: 4

Totally overpriced, Totally under seasoned. I have never in my life had a rack of ribs that were tan colored. I needed to drench everything in BBQ sauce and it still was a 4 out of 10 for me.

Found this great place when in town. Atmosphere is great. Very cool looking place and the staff was so nice and accommodating!
I loved my smoked chicken gumbo but the "big mess" dish was a bit soupy and could have had more meat on it and done with out the sweet flavors. Unfortunately I didn't finish it because it was too runny, a bit too sweet and the fries got soggy. My husband loved his bbq cheese steak. Great place and I'm sure the rest of what is on the list is great! Absolutely worth the trip!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Amazing! I saw the recommendation on Pocono tourism and we stopped by whole there. They were absolutely delicious! Everything was great! Service was great, too We will definitely return next time we are in the poconos!!

I only got the St. Louis ribs with beans and Brussels sprouts and was very disappointed. Sprouts were way too salty and ribs were a little less tender than I like and not juicy at all. Almost tasted like they were yesterday’s ribs reheated. Taste was good but dry ribs and over salted Brussels sprouts is not what it should be. Beans were the best part.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 5

"Great BBQ with Passionate Staff – Joe Bosco Authentic Smokehouse BBQ"

We visited Joe Bosco Authentic Smokehouse BBQ for dinner and were pleasantly surprised by this gem of a BBQ spot. It has that perfect hole-in-the-wall vibe, where you can tell they’re all about fresh, flavorful BBQ. The hostess was passionate about the place, proudly sharing that their ingredients come from local farms, with some organic options, which added a nice touch.

We ordered a variety of items to try. The pulled pork on a potato roll was juicy and packed with flavor. While the bun got a bit soggy from the juices, it didn’t take away from the taste. We also had the organic pulled chicken and organic BBQ wings, both of which were moist and full of flavor. The mac and cheese was good too, though it had a familiar taste reminiscent of Boston Market, so I’m unsure if it was homemade.

The standout surprise was the hush puppies. With a perfectly crusted exterior, they practically melted in your mouth—little flavor-packed bites that were hard to resist!

The only downside was the cleanliness around where we sat. Near the garage door with windows, we noticed some dead flies and dust along the window sills, which detracted from the otherwise great experience.

Overall: A solid 4 stars for food and 5 stars for the friendly, passionate staff. If you’re a BBQ fan in the area, it’s definitely worth a visit!

Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

Staff: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

Parking: A hole in the wall off the main st. Can easily pass it by

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: BBQ, Pulled Chicken

Fries were lukewarm and too salty. Small portion of brisket.
Friendly greeting. Sold out of chicken.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 4

So glad we stopped into Jo Bosco Authentic Smokehouse BBQ after some hiking around the Del Water Gap. OMG, a Must Stop. Food was outstanding! we had the Brisket, Short Ribs, sides & more. The BakedBeans side with Brisket & Pulled Pork mixed in was like a meal on its own, mouth watering. Its a casual, seat yourself. The staff was super friendly & walked around to the tables checking if everything was good multiple times.

After ordering, I asked a simple question about how long it takes to smoke a brisket? Next thing we knew, I was introduced to the owner "mom" who brought us in through the kitchen (very clean & organized) & into the smoker room. It smelled so good in there. Then she sat down with us & shared her whole story of how the place came to be. Such a super nice woman, even gave us some dessert to sample.

Well worth the trip, can't wait to go back & try more!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: BBQ Ribs, BBQ, Pie, Sandwiches, Ribs, Brisket

Authentic BBQ right in the poconos. I had the beef short ribs over cheesy southern grits.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: BBQ

A great find! We were in area touring and wanted to eat. Saw someone online recommend this place so decided to give it a try and were very happy we did. Excellent food, good service, nice casual setting. We ate on the patio, which was clean and nicely decorated. The service is order at counter and pick up when ready, but the staff were all very friendly and helpful. Bathrooms were clean - however I would request a hook be placed in the ladies room as there was nowhere to hang my purse, which was a bit awkward. I had the taco trio and it was outstanding. The potato salad was great. The fries were great. My husband had a pulled chicken sandwich and baked beans and he said both were very good. I had sweet tea, which was great. Not sure when we'll be in the area again, but if we are, we would definitely return here!

Parking: Free lot with a sign directing to overflow lot.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Potato Salad, Pulled Chicken

Hands down the best burnt ends I’ve had anywhere in the country and some of the best BBQ in general I’ve ever had. I’ve had BBQ in Kansas City, the Carolinas and Texas and this beat all of them. Staff couldn’t have been friendlier and nicer. Can’t say enough good things about the place.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5