The Smoke Shack
The Smoke Shack is Citrus County’s newest local hole-in-the-wall in Crystal River, FL. This eatery is located on NE 1st Street, and you won’t be able to miss it as you get close… it is a food truck inside an outdoor dining area in front of a teal blue building. Most of their items are locally sourced and the meats are smoked daily in the truck. It is tastier and fresher than something you would receive from a name brand barbeque restaurant because the Smoke Shack goes above and beyond to make sure every person’s meal is made to perfection.
What do they have to offer you ask? They offer a variety of delicious smoked food such as brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, and they even have a Cuban sandwich! They have signature sandwiches to choose from as you wouldn’t see in a bigger establishment, but that does not matter once you taste their food. It is one of those types of foods that melts in your mouth and when you get full, you want to unbutton your pants to make room to chow down more food. Some of their signature BBQ sandwiches include: “The Brickhouse Brisket,” “The Fat Daddy Pulled Pork,” “The Odd Bird Chicken,” “The Big Shack,” and my personal favorite “The Nashville Chicken.” Each of these sandwiches come topped with their Memphis style slaw and sweet fried onions and they are placed inside their delicious garlic butter toasted bun with their famous roasted garlic aioli… who could turn down this savory food? The Nashville chicken is a little bit different than the “Odd Bird Chicken” because it is seasoned in their secret spices and topped with their homemade ranch dressing, pickles, Memphis styled slaw, and the sweet fried onions. So, if you like a little bit of spice, it is highly recommended to devour this scrumptious masterpiece.
For you non-meat eaters out there, there are vegetarian choices to choose from so you do not have to miss out on eating at this establishment. The two signature sandwiches they have that are vegetarian are the “Muchin’ Manatee Veggie Sandwich” and what you get on it is grilled Bella baby mushrooms with fresh rosemary, roasted red peppers, basil leaves, sautéed red onions, smoked mozzarella with it being drizzled in olive oil and balsamic vinegar which adds an exquisite taste to this sandwich, and it is served on their Cuban bread…doesn’t this sound utterly amazing?! The other vegetarian option you can choose from is the “Open Face Caprese” and not only is it yummy, but they also added a unique touch to this meal with its cinnamon caramelized peaches that were bought in Georgia and then they have the smoked mozzarella, basil leaves, and vine ripe tomatoes and it is drizzled with olive oil and balsamic glaze as well. I recommend this unique caprese with its grilled peaches… it was surprisingly delicious and fun for the taste buds.
It is only assumable that you are going to go to Smoke Shack for their barbeque but wait until you look over their homemade BBQ sauces. They have five different sauces to choose from. Try them all for some mouthwatering goodness. The sides on the other hand are also a tough decision to make when choosing what you want to eat. Most of the sandwiches come with a side of fries and these fried potato slices are, personally speaking, the best french fries I have eaten in a long time or pair it with their grilled watermelon salad. This grilled salad does sound a bit strange and pushes some people away because they are afraid to try something new, but this unique side bursts with flavor in each bite that is taken.
When you are waiting on your meal to be done, you can stop in their gift shop and browse around because you might find something you like inside. There is always something for everyone and what’s better than getting a knick knack from a hole-in-the-wall to help promote their local establishment even more. It is all about supporting the local businesses in Citrus County.
This barbeque restaurant has such a great atmosphere with its friendly and helpful staff, and its amazing, mouthwatering smoked delights that end up making your day spent in Crystal River even more perfect especially after being out on the water paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, or scalloping. If you do not know where to go to rent out a kayak, paddle board, or water bike, visit Paddles Outdoor Rentals located in the teal building next to the Smoke Shack. So, go ahead and stop by the Smoke Shack, you will not be disappointed by the food, quality, or service.
If you want more information about the Smoke Shack click the button below.
Fun Facts:
They smoke their pork and brisket for a period of 14+ hours.
The meat is all fresh and comes directly from the butcher shop.
All the produce comes from a local produce stand.
The bread is fresh from a bread store from Tampa.
Head Chef, Christian, works to prepare all the foods fresh daily.
The co-owner, Christopher Brown, of the Smoke Shack, also owns Paddle Outdoor Rentals and Crystal River Water Bikes.
Christopher helped opened up the Smoke Shack along side his brother-in-law who is all about meats and taught him how to smoke them.
The owners are foodies and love traveling to different locations across the U.S. to try new and unique foods.
The smoker is a smart smoker and can be managed by phone.
There are 30 plus employees for the paddle boarding and food truck.
DoorDash and GrubHub is coming soon.
Plan on opening at more locations.
