Bogart’s Smokehouse
Barbecue · Lasalle Park, St Louis
Restaurant in St Louis, United States
The Read
Low-and-Slow Soulard
Chef
Various
Dress
Casual
Why go
A strong pick for casual St Louis barbecue lunch, especially when value and ease matter more than a dressed-up room. Bogart's Smokehouse is better for a food-first daytime stop than a wine-led dinner or formal celebration, with 2024 Opinionated About Dining Cheap Eats recognition backing up the value case.
About Bogart’s Smokehouse
For St Louis barbecue, consider Bogart's Smokehouse when the goal is a casual daytime stop rather than a dressed-up celebration. In a city with many kinds of restaurants, Bogart's Smokehouse sits clearly in the barbecue lane.
The appeal is direct: the verified cuisine is barbecue, the verified dress code is casual. If the assignment is a different kind of St Louis meal, compare other options such as Eleven Eleven Mississippi or Sidney Street Cafe. If the assignment is a casual St Louis daytime stop built around barbecue, Bogart's Smokehouse is the better fit.
Choose it for casual barbecue, not a polished night out
The decision is simple: go during its posted daytime hours and treat it as a food-first stop. The current schedule runs Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 am to 4 pm, with Monday and Sunday closed. That timing also means it is not the natural choice for an evening dinner where later hours are part of the plan.
A useful trust signal is external recognition: Opinionated About Dining listed it in its 2024 Cheap Eats in North America ranking. For readers scanning the full St Louis restaurants guide, this sits in the practical, barbecue-specific lane rather than the dressed-up dinner lane.
Where it fits in a St Louis plan
Compared with Pappy's Smokehouse, the natural cross-shop comes down to timing, convenience, which one is easier for the day's route. Compared with Polite Society, Bogart's Smokehouse is the more direct choice when barbecue is the priority. Compared with Broadway Oyster Bar, it is the more focused call for barbecue, while Broadway Oyster Bar is another St Louis option.
Make this a daytime barbecue anchor, not the whole occasion. For a broader stay, pair it with planning from the St Louis hotels guide, then use the St Louis bars guide or other St Louis planning resources to build the rest of the day.
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Bogart’s Smokehouse reads like a working-class classic: an old Soulard storefront where the smell of pit smoke announces the kitchen before the building does. The piece emphasizes the neighbourhood’s nineteenth-century brick character and the restaurant’s devotion to low-and-slow barbecue techniques, positioning it among serious American smokehouses. Service is direct and no-frills—counter-driven and time-limited—so the experience leans into food-first authenticity rather than frills. That focus on craft, heat management and finite daily production gives the place a quietly authoritative, classic barbecue vibe rooted in local history and culinary discipline.
Best For
Bogart’s is best for mid-day barbecue runs and anyone intent on tasting thoughtfully smoked meat rather than a sit-down evening meal. With hours from 10:30 am to 4 pm and a habit of selling out, it functions as a lunchtime destination for neighborhood regulars, visiting barbecue fans and casual groups who don’t need reservations or a formal service style. It’s not a dinner spot or late-night venue; instead it rewards early arrival, a communal counter dynamic and diners who appreciate the rhythms of low-and-slow cooking and finite, freshly pulled pit product.
Ordering Tips
Plan to arrive early and be decisive: the pits are loaded the night before, produce meat by mid-morning, and the operation closes when product runs out. Because service is counter-only and there are no evening hours, popular cuts like ribs, pulled pork and burnt ends can sell out before mid-afternoon. The write-up highlights that the kitchen isn’t holding or reheating product, so expect a rotating, finite selection—ask the counter staff what’s left, move quickly when you see what you want, and accept that timing is part of the experience.
Planning details
Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- 10:30 am–4 pm
- Wednesday
- 10:30 am–4 pm
- Thursday
- 10:30 am–4 pm
- Friday
- 10:30 am–4 pm
- Saturday
- 10:30 am–4 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Location
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Where to Go If This Does Not Fit
Choose Pappy's Smokehouse if the group still wants barbecue and the timing or location works better. Choose Broadway Oyster Bar if the plan has shifted from a daytime smokehouse meal to a casual evening with a broader social feel.
Restaurant context
How It Compares
Against Pappy's Smokehouse, Bogart's Smokehouse is the direct barbecue cross-shop. Pick whichever fits your route and timing better; both make more sense for casual dining than for a polished special occasion. If barbecue is the non-negotiable, keep the comparison inside this lane rather than switching to a broader American restaurant.
Polite Society, Eleven Eleven Mississippi, Sidney Street Cafe are better fits when ambiance, pacing, wine matter. Bogart's is stronger for value and a quick daytime meal; those peers are better for a date, client dinner, or meal where the room is part of the spend.
Broadway Oyster Bar is the better alternative for a looser evening plan, especially if the group wants seafood-bar energy rather than a barbecue-focused lunch. For easiest decision-making: Bogart's for barbecue, Broadway Oyster Bar for a casual night out, Sidney Street Cafe or Eleven Eleven Mississippi when the occasion needs more polish.
Explore St Louis
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Bogart’s Smokehouse guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Bogart’s Smokehouse
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bogart’s Smokehouse | St Louis | Barbecue | 2024 OAD Cheap Eats in North America Ranked · #633 |
| Polite Society | St Louis | No published awards | , |
| Broadway Oyster Bar | St Louis | No published awards | , |
| Eleven Eleven Mississippi | St Louis | No published awards | , |
| Sidney Street Cafe | St Louis | No published awards | , |
| Pappy’s Smokehouse | St Louis | Barbecue | 2026 OAD Cheap Eats in North America Recommended2024 OAD Cheap Eats in North America Ranked · #2152023 OAD Cheap Eats in North America in Recommended |
How Bogart's Smokehouse St Louis compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead should I book Bogart's Smokehouse?
Verified details for Bogart's Smokehouse list barbecue in St Louis with casual dress and daytime hours, but they do not confirm reservation or booking information. The posted schedule is Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 am to 4 pm, with Monday and Sunday closed. The 2024 Opinionated About Dining Cheap Eats in North America ranking is a useful recognition note, but the setup should still be understood as casual and daytime-focused. Check the venue's official channels for the latest details.
Can I eat at the bar at Bogart's Smokehouse?
The verified information does not confirm bar seating or a drinks-centered setup at Bogart's Smokehouse. Treat it primarily as a casual barbecue option in St Louis with daytime hours from 10:30 am to 4 pm Tuesday through Saturday. If you want a different St Louis setting, Broadway Oyster Bar is another option to compare.
What are alternatives to Bogart's Smokehouse in St Louis?
Other St Louis options to compare include Sidney Street Cafe, Eleven Eleven Mississippi, Polite Society, Broadway Oyster Bar, Pappy's Smokehouse. Bogart's Smokehouse makes the most sense when daytime timing and barbecue matter most.
What should I wear to Bogart's Smokehouse?
Keep it casual, since the verified dress code is casual and the venue serves barbecue in St Louis. Its posted hours are 10:30 am to 4 pm Tuesday through Saturday, with Monday and Sunday closed. Check the venue's official channels for the latest details.
Is Bogart's Smokehouse good for a special occasion?
Only if your version of a special occasion is relaxed barbecue rather than a formal dinner. The 2024 Opinionated About Dining Cheap Eats in North America ranking is a recognition note, the daytime hours reinforce that this is best planned as a casual daytime stop. For a different St Louis meal, Sidney Street Cafe or Eleven Eleven Mississippi may be worth comparing.
Is lunch or dinner better at Bogart's Smokehouse?
Bogart's Smokehouse is not listed with dinner hours. Its verified schedule is Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 am to 4 pm, with Monday and Sunday closed. If you need an evening meal in St Louis, use a different option such as Polite Society or Sidney Street Cafe.
