If you're looking for barbecue in Chimney Rock, North Carolina, Chimney Rock Smokehouse is the kind of place that works especially well after a day exploring the village, Lake Lure, or Chimney Rock State Park .
Our family recently ate there and ordered enough different things that we were able to sample quite a bit of the menu. By the end of the meal, one thing was clear: brisket was the winner at our table. It was my favorite taco, Claire chose the brisket slider as her favorite, and Peter claimed the smoked chicken drumsticks as the best thing he ate.
We were seated right away even though the restaurant was busy, and our server checked on us regularly without making the meal feel rushed. Between the barbecue, outdoor seating, live music, and casual mountain-town atmosphere, this is an easy restaurant to work into a Chimney Rock or Lake Lure day.
One of the best parts of eating here as a family is that the menu makes sharing easy. Instead of everyone sticking to one entrée, we ordered sandwiches, sliders, tacos, smoked meats, and sides and passed everything around the table.
If you want one order that gives you a little bit of everything, start with the Top of the Rock.
The menu describes it as a barbecue sandwich loaded with pulled pork, chopped brisket, coleslaw, house red and mountain mustard barbecue sauces, pickles, and a smoked drumstick, all served on a toasted bun with a side.
It sounds like a lot because it is a lot—in the best possible way. You get pork, brisket, and chicken in one order, which makes it especially good if this is your first visit and you want to try more than one of the Smokehouse's meats.
We also ordered the slider trio, which gave us another easy way to compare the meats. It included one pulled pork slider, one pulled chicken slider, and one chopped brisket slider.
The pork and chicken were served with the house red barbecue sauce, while the brisket came with mountain mustard barbecue sauce. Claire's vote went to the brisket slider.
For the tacos, we ordered two smoked shrimp, one brisket, and one pulled pork. The brisket taco was my favorite.
Since our visit, the ordering format has changed. The current menu offers tacos as a choice of two served with jalapeño hush puppies, so what you see when you visit may be slightly different from what we ordered.
The entrées get most of the attention, but two of the sides deserve their own mention: the baked potato salad and Papa's baked beans. Both were standouts.
Peter had a much simpler answer when we asked what he liked best. His favorite item from the entire meal was the smoked chicken drumsticks.
The atmosphere is one of the reasons I would come back. Chimney Rock Smokehouse feels open and relaxed, with both indoor and outdoor seating.
Inside, you'll find standard-height tables, bar-height seating, and seats at the bar, while the outdoor areas give you more of that casual mountain-town experience.
We didn't order cocktails ourselves, but we saw plenty coming from the bar while we were there. The restaurant has a full handcrafted cocktail menu along with local beer and wine.
Live music was playing while we ate, and it completely changed the feel of the meal. Instead of simply stopping somewhere for dinner, it felt like part of our evening in Chimney Rock.
Chimney Rock Smokehouse posts a monthly live music calendar rather than relying on one fixed weekly schedule, so performers and dates change throughout the year.
They also host specialty events such as Dueling Pianos and Live Music Bingo. If live music is important to you, check the restaurant's current events calendar or social media before visiting.
There is more behind Chimney Rock Smokehouse than what you see on the plate.
The family-owned restaurant was established in July 2022 and built around slow-smoked North Carolina barbecue, homemade sides, burgers, sandwiches, tacos, and a casual gathering-place atmosphere.
Then Hurricane Helene struck Chimney Rock on September 27, 2024.
The restaurant remained closed for exactly 11 months. During the recovery, however, the building continued serving the community in a very different way. Volunteers used it as a meeting place, and meals were prepared in its kitchen for people working on recovery efforts.
Chimney Rock Smokehouse reopened its doors on August 27, 2025.
That history gives eating here a different significance. You're not simply visiting another barbecue restaurant. You're supporting one of the local businesses that lived through the devastation, helped during the recovery, and reopened as Chimney Rock Village began rebuilding.
One of the best things about the restaurant is its location. You can easily make it part of a full day rather than driving into town only for dinner.
If you're exploring Chimney Rock Village, pair your meal with a walk through Main Street and a visit to Chimney Rock State Park . And if your family believes barbecue should always be followed by ice cream, our Village Scoop review is the natural next stop.
If you're staying elsewhere in Western North Carolina, Chimney Rock Smokehouse is still within reasonable driving distance for a day trip. These are approximate distances and normal drive times and can vary depending on traffic, construction, and road conditions.
| Starting Point | Approximate Distance | Typical Drive Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hendersonville | 16–17 miles | About 30 minutes |
| Asheville | About 24 miles | About 40 minutes |
| Rutherfordton | About 20 miles | About 30–35 minutes |
| Marion | About 31 miles | About 50–55 minutes |
Absolutely.
The Top of the Rock has already earned a repeat order, and I would order the brisket tacos again without hesitation. Claire already knows which slider she wants, and I suspect Peter will head straight back to the smoked chicken drumsticks.
Next time, though, I want to leave room for a few things we didn't get to try—especially the Southern Green Beans and the Smokehouse Tomato Sandwich made with fresh local tomatoes, smoked corn aioli, and mixed greens on Texas toast.
Chimney Rock Smokehouse works especially well as part of a full Lake Lure and Chimney Rock day.
Yes. We found it easy and comfortable for a family meal. The menu has enough variety for different tastes, and the atmosphere is casual rather than formal.
Yes. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating, making the outdoor area especially nice when the weather is comfortable or live music is scheduled.
Our family's favorites were the Top of the Rock, brisket taco, brisket slider, smoked chicken drumsticks, baked potato salad, and Papa's baked beans.
Yes. Live music and special entertainment are regularly scheduled, but the calendar changes throughout the month.
Yes. The restaurant is in Chimney Rock Village, only a short drive from Lake Lure.
Reviewed by Family Critic, where we share honest family travel, restaurant, and experience reviews from places we actually visit.
— Ashley
FamilyCritic.com
