Reviews of Taino Smokehouse (Restaurant)

Chris P

Been here 4 times now and each time is a good as the last. Some of the best BBQ I have ever had. Everything from the pulled pork, to the brisket, and wings are fill of flavor and smokey goodness. The sides are great as well, my personal favorites are the baked beans and collard greens. Plenty of good beer and wine available as well. Seating on the patio is very nice. Dont be fooled by the appearance from the parking lot, this place is top notch.

John Otto

Amazing little spot away from downtown. Best bbq in CT

Sophy Lorraine Martorell

Excellent food and service! I sat in the outdoor patio that was very lovely and had a great vibe. I would recommend the skirt steak with Mac n’ cheese & sautéed vegetables. Also the red wine sangria was delicious!

Venetia Ndabian

Some of the best bbq I’ve ever had. The ambience was perfect(outside seating) our waitress was great and attentive. The drinks were good. All around a great place to go. As for the food OMG, if it was socially acceptable to lick the plate I would have. And the pricing was surprisingly cheap. Bottom line you need to go!

Jessica Forte

Great place with a huge outside area! Dog friendly too! Beautiful vines all over the outside. Great food too! Very impressed with the Mac and cheese!

David Gianotti

My favorite place, Food is fantastic and staff is awesome

Jonathan Wilson

Really good smoked BBQ. Pulled pork is the best. Kinda expensive. Outside patio is the place to be. Service is super friendly and fast. Would 5 star except for the cost.

Robert Bonvini

Everything was just great. Good fast service

David Wittig

Food Fantastic waitress was sparkling well worth the ride.

carlos ortiz

Great food one of the best places in Middletown easily

Rachel Carmody

Great food but portions a little small for the price.

Robert Grismer

Great back porch to hang out. Incredible food. A must visit on nice evenings.

Nancy Hayden

Great barbecue! Very casual atmosphere, super friendly staff. We loved the brisket, pulled chicken, mac 'n' cheese, and cole slaw. Definitely going back!

Michael Kelley

The food was amazing. We got there about 15 minutes before and there were people waiting. By the time we had water the place was full. Fantastic!!!

Red Lady

Food is awesome!

Jennifer Wolfer

Love the food, not a big fan of their ordering style now, but, food is always appetizing!

shawn kelley

I drove two hours to get here from Boston. The ribs were spectacularly done with the best sauce I’ve had anywhere. Just the tiniest hint of smoke and heat with just enough sweetness to make you want just one more bite. Denying yourself the chili or the Mac should be a considered a cardinal sin. My only regret? I should have bought way more - nothing like this anywhere near home. Looks like my truck is going to see some miles. Well done all around!!

Ella Rozycki

The website says they're open til 10, came from out of town at 9:20 and were turned away. That's false advertising

Kevin Millman

Looked like a nice place, was there about 7pm, the wait was 15 minutes but they ran out of a lot of things like, ribs, cornbread, coleslaw. Those are three of the things I wanted so we went somewhere else.

Elle C Hall

I've changed my 5 to a 2. They run out of many meat dishes purposely. The last 8 times I've gone they are out my only meat reason to travel there. Brisket. Delicious food? yes. My favorite: brisket dinner plate, mac n cheese. But don't expect to get the brisket or several of the other meats. I actually only had mac and cheese last time because they only had nugget type chicken left out of all meat. Years into business they do have knowledge of what runs out and should avoid it. But no they would rather make customers choose 2nd or 3rd choice. It's really bad business to run your menu out consistently... purposely. No excuses ...and once you're there sitting outside... at least for all of us which is usually 6 plus... we stay. And the servers are still great. Pretty plantings. Hope you read this business owner. I'm never recommending you guys again. 8 times in a row out of brisket, and other meats, let alone all the other times in inbetween when you actually had the first choice.

Joanne Manter

This was kick butt best ever BBQ chicken, ribs, baked beans, and greens! Happy people too. We are in forever.

Timothy Mosier

Great brisket. Great service

Al Lingua

We went there on a Sunday. Almost drove by it, because it's a very small place on the corner of Ace hardware. The barbecue was very tasty but everything was cold. I was very surprised, because it came out rather quick. The homemade bbq sauce was good. I just wish they serve the food hot.

Debbie White

Best pulled pork I've eaten outside of South Carolina. Perfect sauce! Slaw is good a bit vinegar-y for me but I still put it on my sandwich. My husband got the pulled chicken sandwich-also tasty. They have house made potato chips which we always think is a plus. We were driving to Hartford from Philadelphia for a concert and stopped here because we follow Van on IG. We missed him that day but those sandwiches were worth it. Next time we come up for a concert we'll definitely stop. We still have to try the brisket! Thanks for a really good meal y'all!

Zaquiris Lasanta

Great place food is great

Edwin Bartlett

The pulled pork was spit on, the chicken was very good, but maybe a bit more smoke. The Mac & cheese was incredible?

Ra No

One of the best BBQ spots in Middletown.

Jeffrey Moss

Amazing BBQ! The sides we had were incredible as well. The wait staff were very sweet and responsive. I definite must try for smoked meat lovers!!

Allison Prince

Personally not what I expected. I got the pulled pork sandwich and it was pretty dry with hardly any sauce on it. My friend got a burger and enjoyed it. Service was also not great- we were never given waters and our waiter wasn't really attentive. They were super busy though, might have had something to do with it. Otherwise nice place.

David Rodriguez

Good pulled porked sandwich but the potato chips were slightly too dark. Really friendly staff.

Joshua Flewelling

Excellent food. Cozy inside.

Thomas Donofrio

The barbecue is ok but the Mac and cheese is horrible. They need to fix the mac and cheese.

beverly villanueva

I love the food in Taino Smokehouse. Is delicious. Taino reminds me of Puerto Rico. Love it.

susan k

Outdoor space was nice, wait staff was courteous and food was awesome. Going back soon.

Luis Rolon

Best BQ i had in a long time!

Ryan Bouchard

By far the best smoked meats I've ever had, from there waygu brisket, pulled pork and smoked chicken. This is a must for smoked BBQ

Taina V

Service was quick, food was cold, bland and a bit pricy. We try to change up places and since this place has good reviews we decided to give it a shot. Didn't care for much of anything, the cornbread was awesome though. I have a stomach ache

Focus Local SEO

I like the place, but the quality of the food could be a little better. It's just that there's a lot of fat in the meat or I prefer lean. Overall though it's a pretty good place to go.

Isaac S.

Great food. Everything I ordered was amazing. Full of flavor. The only downside to this place is that they sell out of the brisket by 3pm on Sundays so get it early. Other than that... AWESOME!!

John Silva

I have been coming here for a few years now and their BBQ options are awsome. I love their patio outback. Its cozy and a nice atmosphere.

Alexandra Fitzgerald

The service was subpar—our appetizer came after our meal and wasn’t removed from our check despite that, the waitress was forgetful and made excuses, and the food took a long time to get out—but the food was worth the wait. The food is, in fact, AMAZING! It’s the DEFINITION of being worth the wait! I will wait for good food, and boy, were the results MORE than good! First, the appetizer, bacon pops. That is the best bacon I’ve ever tasted, hands down. It was clearly freshly smoked from the belly of the pig. It wasn’t crispy, but I don’t really like bacon too crispy, anyway. It had a bite to it, though, and the texture was great! The potato chips are definitely homemade, and incredible as well. Their chili is everything chili should be, and the baked beans’ flavor was fantastic! Mac and cheese had an interesting, kind of addictive sauce on it that I was into. Garlic mashed potatoes were stellar according to my father. Finally, the smoked corned beef—phenomenal! Even the fat had flavor, due to the seasoned rub that was on it! They also have a cornhole game, which is very fun and helpful to pass time away while the food takes that long time to get out. But overall, a fantastic eating experience! I would return for the food!

Cynthia Hayward

Fabulous place. Whenever I treat my family and friends to Taino to their succulent fried chicken, Corned Beef Reubens, or pulled pork or a nice tea, coffee or malt beverage we are never disappointed. The staff treats us Hayward's right and we especially love the garden patio.

Greg Russo

The most delicious bbq food I’ve ever had.

Stephanie Pineiro

Fantastic BBQ! Fresh and flavorful food. Friendly and welcoming staff. Brisket sandwich and ribs were great and the house made potato chips were a real treat. Even the blue cheese dressing was house made and delicious. Really enjoyed our meal here and can't wait to make an excuse to come back...it's worth the drive! Highly recommend!

Lisa Burke

The food is delicious and the portions are a good size. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is welcoming. I can't wait to go back.

Victoria Martin

Super great food & friendly staff!

Joe Gostkowski

Excellent barbeque. Key lime pie is great.

Phillip Mangiaracina

The barbeque was really good with decent portions, actually couldn't finish my meal.

Robert W. Pizzi, Jr.

Really good food. Their Tanios Mac-n- cheese is awesome. Voodoo sauce boneless bites are outstanding.

Michael Callison

Tainos is a small, unassuming smokehouse tucked away at the back of a parking lot. Don't let that fool you - the food is excellent. I ordered a brisket plate with potato salad and chili. The wait staff is friendly and attentive. The decor is the typical minimalist found in southern smokehouses/barbecue restaurants. I enjoy eating at Tainos - it has become my go to smokehouse in Connecticut.

Martin Krebs

Food and service was awesome

Theadora Werneke

Absolutely amazing. Service is spot on , food is out of this world. If you are trying to figure out if you want to try it.. just go now, you won't regret it I promise!

Carl Landon

Ate lunch there and it was terrific. Took friends there for dinner tonight and it was a disaster. Service was terrible - it took 30 minutes to get drinks. The waiter finally took our order and then we waited again for dinner. When the food finally showed up it was cold. The bar was so noisy that we couldn't hear our friends across the table from us. Had all the ambiance of a cafeteria in Greyhound bus station. Waiter tried hard but was alone and couldn't keep up - failure of management not him.

Marc Kagan

Loved the patio set up, makes you feel like you're on vacation or down by the shore. The Mac & Cheese was excellent and The Reuben was delicious. The meats are cooked perfectly. The staff is super nice and friendly. We are already planning on going back. Highly recommend!!

Leeanne Jake

The atmosphere was very casual. The food was tasty. Try the fried pickles. The meats were tender. Corn on the cob was fresh. The sandwiches were good size. Service was ridiculously slow. I suggest trying it as take-out rather than dining in.

RD C

Decent food, service is good and parking is quite easy. I have to admit the leftovers were better than the food while there but honestly I think bbq is just one of those things that tends to taste better overnight. The patio seating out back was being redone still however I believe the waitress said it will open next weekend.

Jasper Sha

Small joint, very popular, great food. Waitlist on weekends.

Harris Shovelin

Great. Even the simple things like slaw and fries are amazing.

Scott Paggioli

Excellent meals. Barbeque is very subjective but all that came this night said it was great.the wait staff was excellent even though the outside kitchen was being worked on so they had to go inside for most everything. The outside patio is very large plenty of room for larger groups.

Eric Bruckner

A nice selection on the menu from all kinds of BBQ,burgers,sandwiches and appetizers . The food is awesome,the staff and service was great too ! Next time we are in the area, we'll definitely stop in again !

Robert Castillo

Nobody answers the phone. Ive called 7 times with no answer. Ribs are ok tho

Ty C.

Support local business. Food is great. Drunken noodles with burnt ends. Good lawddddddd

Emily Martone

Great flavoring. Food is worth it

julio carmona

Must say food was great. Customer service was top notch!!!

Frank Pizarro

Best BBQ I've had in Middletown so far. LOVE the Mac n, Cheese.

Demetrius D'Alessandro

I love this place. We go often, and have tried most of the menu. All the food is so good, and the service is top notch. Try the primal fries.

Ralph Capuano

Love this place...we keep bringing friends and family...all rave about it. I've tried a lot of the menue and still have yet to find something I don't like. Service is great.

Alexandria Clayton

Ok I wish I took pictures but honestly, the food didn't last that long. Just walking in the place the aroma is amazing. I had brisket sandwich, my son had the tahini mac and cheese...which isn't a child portion stand I'm glad. (Leftovers!) My boyfriend had a buffalo chicken sandwich with bleu cheese and he raves about it. I'm glad we were in town to try this place out. 10/10 worth coming in to town solely for. It was a little cramped inside but there was a lot of people picking up takeout and I definitely would too. Oh, and there's 1 bathroom but no changing table. Not a deal breaker at all, at least for me. The food was bomb.

Patrick Raiola

Scrumptious pulled chicken sandwich. Waitresses are great.

Jen Churchill

A little surprised to order smoked sausage, had to ask for a knife

Johnathan Murphy

Amazing food! Came last minute the staff was very friendly and a tentative. if you want the good stuff however I recommend going earlier because they were out of stuff which is to be expected at this time of night. I got brisket and pulled pork with fries and chili and it was absolutely phenomenal! I highly recommend if you haven't tried it to try it! They need to hurry up and finish the one in Meriden so I can try that one.

Max Czellecz

This place is the place to go if your in Middletown. The food is great but a little pricey. There also opening a location in Meriden to.

David Beachy

They run out so early. Food is ok, a little burnt.

Jason Lambert

Smells great, tastes great, good appetizers, decent prices. Friendly staff, good outdoor seating. I tried the sausage, it was a bit dry but the taste was good. I'll definitely come back and try other dishes.

John Valk

After several attempts I finally got there at the right time and got the ribs before they ran out.

george flood

Absolutely delicious food, warm and cozy ambiance! The staff is very friendly and helpful. 6 stars

Andrew An

The perfect barbecue experience. nuff' said.

Home Stain

The food and service is far better than the last time I was here.( About two years ago). The outside only seating is nice but kinda want the option to sit inside. Only a few tap beer choices, but great beers they are. I liked the new menu. I had the brisket sandwich and a side of greens. It was great. The only thing I can think of is that they should offer a lean or a fatty option. (Mine was on the fatty side.)Iwill be back to try more.

Brendan Barnett

Get there at 8pm on Saturday when it says open till 10pm and they will be closed

Catherine Streich

Great outdoor dining area and delicious food. Beer and wine only. We split the 40$ 3 meat 3 side platter with 4 people and it was the perfect amount of food. Would definitely recommend for good bbq and atmosphere

Terri Tomlin

My favorite place to eat in Middletown! I have tried everything on the menu and most of the specialties! This is a BBQ fusion hot spot! From Asian inspired BBQ eggroll's that have Mac n cheese, pulled pork, mash, (I forget what else is in it) and comes with a delicious dipping sauce to. The Mac n cheese has big chunks of bacon on top, siracha drizzle and an explosion of flavor paired with the brisket

Cj E

Average food terrible wait staff only thing good is the scenery very small

Emma McCabe

The pulled pork is incredible but the mac and cheese tastes like Velveeta.

Michael Kennerson

So this is hard cause I’m a Texan and while this is good BBQ, it’s nothing compared to the South. However, if you’re not comparing it to South BBQ, this place is delicious. My wife and I eat here every other week, it’s so good.

Eliezer Perez

This is the best BBQ smokehouse in the Hartford area, maybe even the entire state.

Todd Abbruzzese

Loved this place. A delicious meal with sides that was just enough to fill me up and not break my wallet. I'm looking forward to their new spot opening up.

Stuart Paul Duncan

Really great service with wonderful food. Try to come in the summer when their patio is open! A really great place to hang out and eat.

Tony Gasper

In the cold months get there early for a seat in this cool small spot. In the warm months there's a nice patio

Anthony C

Best smoked meats in town! Expensive but worth it. Not something you can eat every day but is indeed a real treat. It is a small place so don't expect to sit down. Not typically for sit down dining. Take it to go and enjoy wherever.

Bree Pedro

Amazing food! Good service. Nice dinning area outside. A recommended to anybody looking for some good food and a nice atmosphere. Recommended the BBQ EGG ROLLS!!! For a appetizer amazing!!

S S

Delicious food and friendly staff. Always consistent meals, if you like what you had you can get it again and again and still enjoy it. Food is cooked perfectly and they make all kinds of adjustments based on what you like. I have come at least 7 times and they are always good. When it's nice they have a semi covered patio that offers great outdoor eating. They have beer and wine

Danielle

Love this place. Been there twice. It's not close to home but worth the drive if you like BBQ. The mac and cheese is awesome, as is their brisket. Both times the service was great. Will definitely be back.

J LeRoy Ward

Best brisket on earth.

Alison Doggart

Soooooooooooo good, I love this place. I don’t get to come here often, but it never ceases to impress. I ordered wings with Alabama sauce on the side. The wings are Smokey and grilled to crispy perfection, and unbattered. The chili is thick, a little sweet, Smokey and perfectly spice and flavorful. The restaurant itself is clean and put together with a comfortable sitting are, and the staff are friendly and on top of things, getting food out hot fresh and on time even during busy times. Thanks again guys if you read this, it was a pleasure as always.

Alan Stano

Food is good. Good service. Will dine again.

Lyle Bales

Being from the South it was a very pleasant surprise to find such well done BBQ. Even the sides were amazing! They even serve collard greens that are not easy to make and make well.

Peter Brown

Not liking the new "order at the window" paradigm on the patio at all. I don't go out to eat to wait on myself. This isn't Wendy's, Taino. Get back your "A" game.

debby davis

Great brisket, nice outside seating available

Lou Mateo

Food was amazing! Best bbq I had in ct so far. The only reason why they don’t get 5 stars was the wait staff, they came to us just to take our order and sodas and never came back I had to go to them to get more soda and to even pay the check.

Janelle Hein

Wait staff friendly and helpful! Food is exceptional. I lived in Texas, so I can say the BBQ is first rate. Do yourself a favor and try it!

Josh Eddinger

Just like mama used to make...that is if your mother was an expert in southern BBQ.

Andrea VanDenBroeke

We were lucky to get to sit at one of the picnic tables outside and did not have to wait long to do so. Tried all 6 meats and cheesy corn, collard greens, garlic mash, and coleslaw. Each meat and side was delicious, our party was blown away by how good each food item was. Beer on tap was tasty, and our server (wish I could remember her name) provided friendly, prompt service. I would definitely come back here when I am in the Middletown area.

Dina Dominici

Delicious food and very nice service...absolutely love it!

Christopher Joseph

Been here many times, and keep coming back for the best smoke house in cobbwctiConnecticut! !

Keisha’s World

This place has delicious food, great service and friendly staff.

Reuben Sprouse

The food at Taino Smokehouse is delicious. I recommend trying the smoked corned beef. It was incredibly tasty. And everything else was so good too. I really loved the corn muffins too. They weren't dry at all. Also make sure you get the mac & cheese. I will definitely go back.

Ray Aurioso

The food and service was great!!! Carrie the bartender was awesome

Melanie Voitkevics

So popular they run out of smoked food

ross k

Very good Smoked BBQ just a bit pricy.

Tammy Shea

Great food..friendly atmosphere

francese spivey

Have most of what you looking for

Kevin McManus

Loved it. Everything was great. Even the service.

Joe Pasquini

This place was delicious, great smokey flavor in the BBQ sauce, their fierce fries are a sensational table app and will provide enough to share for a decent sized group. Get in early however as this is a REAL smoke house and they could run out of your favorite!

JonG Studio

Very friendly staff and very good BBQ I want to smother everything in the yellow cheese

Jenn Temple

Fabulous outdoor space, excellent food. Dog friendly! Could not ask for more. Will say it was hard to find with Google maps, it's behind the hardware store.

Sean TheSimpleMan

The smell of smoked meat draws you in. And the taste does not disappoint. If you are in the Middletown area this is definitely a great spot for the BBQ person inside you

Julie Fitts Ritter

Consistantly great and they have a new location in Meriden.... Taino Prime. Check it out!

Javier Rivera

Brisket is mouth watering and melts in your mouth. I will definitely be bring a date there very soon lol

kenneth Hastings

Good food, ok prices. Get there early they end to running out of stuff frequently

Bryan Reis

Go at off times if you want to dine in as it is very small. Take out is a great option if you're nearby. Loved everything I had, will go back.

Kristen Johnson

I used to live in Middletown and loved this place! I visited just recently on a Sunday in February 2018. The food is FANTASTIC! I would describe it as GOURMET BARBECUE. Years ago I had a chat with the owner who said all his "Chefs" (not cooks) were formally trained and some even trained in Italy. I swear he said that, but not sure. The only thing I would recommend, is to avoid going on Sunday's. This wasn't the first Sunday I had been there where they ran out of Ribs. I suppose that is a good sign though! Better to run out than waste food! Small place, so call ahead for seating, unless you don't mind sitting outside.

alecm2017

Very good bbq

Miss Nelson

Little servings of Jiffy cornbread. Horrible slow lazy service. You have to leave the table to ask for things like a straw or a to go container. They barely check in with customers and there’s about six people back there. The floor leading to the bathroom is greasy. The front windows are filled with Flies!!! I’ve never seen so many flies in my life inside a restaurant. The greens were bland and warm. The ribs were okay. I don’t understand how they can charge $1 for a cornbread muffin the size of a mini cupcake so cold the butter doesn’t even melt.

Catherine Deitelbaum

Best brisket we have ever had! Crisp edges and tender inside. The sides were also delicious. The steamed vegetables, which had garlic and ginger, were craveworthy, made even more special bc they were at a smokehouse. I think this place does it all well! A small space for eat in, we went at 5:00 and it was jammed. They do have some outdoor seating and it looked like a larger outdoor area for warm weather. Service was quick and friendly. They have beer and wine too. Awesome

Hector Ortiz

The bbq is always done right. This time i went with wings with the Alabama sauce and that was perfect. Just the right amount of smoke and heat. Very flavorful!!! Then I ordered the house made sausages with bbq baked beans and mac and cheese. Oh my that was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Can't wait to go back

Carlton Shashok

Corned beef salty potatoes to much garlic sausage to spicy

Bogdan Kirilchuk

Great BBQ, very tasty!

Patrick Topitzer

Fantastic. I will be back for sure.

JJ Barone

Great BBQ. Really nice set up in back. Looking forward to their opening in Meriden!

Chris Ntoukiantzis

Food was great. Me and my wife loved the platter that we shared that was a lot of food for the price.

Valerie Peters

The food was delicious. Love the outdoor seating. Staff was super nice.

Dylan McCullough

Food is amazing, hands down incredible. They have a SERIOUS fly problem inside and outside the restaurant. Almost constantly hounded by them. Hopefully they take care of that soon.

Andrew Cusson

Awesome little place! My girlfriend had the brisket which was pretty good I had the spicy smoked drunken noodles which were amazing! It had fresh veggies and chopped up meat in a smokey sauce. I would definitely go back just for that but before we left I asked if they had a dessert menu. I had the fried cornbread pudding even though it was a hot dessert and it was a hot day it really hit the spot, my girlfriend had the special which was papaya guava panna cotta she described it as "Perfect."

Susan Dee

Awesome service. Had the picnic so got to taste everything. Brisket,cheesy corn, collards, corn bread. Everything was delicious!

Alex Fox

Taino is 100% the best, they have a amazing menu, beer list and atmosphere, if you have never tried them, you have to get the collard greens, best I have ever had. Go here! Do it! You won't be sorry.

Chris Sullivan

Ran out of q on a Saturday. Come on.

Rose Skiffington

Taino has good authentic BBQ.

Kate Ward

This place is AMAZING!! Absolutely have to try this if you haven't already. The portions are huge so plan on having amazing leftovers too!

Danny Strong

Awesome food, great service

James Mulhern

Small seating area inside, and service is fairly slow. Burgers and BBQ are great, and the outdoor patio area is amazing on a warm night.

Owen James

So good! Great for our large group outside on the picnic tables

Angel Morales

Fantastic place to eat everything was delicious

Thomas Sinclair

Food and staff were great!

Cleophas Lyons Jr

Great customer service. Every item i ate, i loved.

Becky Pullano

Great smoked meat. Pulled chicken with mac and cheese. Don't forget the corn bread

Lily Bartel

Food was great and it was nice to sit outside! Cant wait to see the patio.

Anthony Armetta

A cozy atmosphere, and incredible food. I ordered the corned beef dinner, which was some of the best corned beef I've had. For dessert, we had cornbread pudding (which in my opinion was more like a cake, either way, delicious). I would advise going there earlier in the day as opposed to later. If you show up late at night they will be out of a few things. The service was prompt and very friendly. Overall, great place to go if you love meat.

Jim Ruthers

We went for the Valentine's day special menu but this place has a place in our hearts because it catered a friends wedding. It was so good!