The Nook Smokehouse & Grille

The Nook is a hidden place that offers a unique dining experience. From the outset, its exterior is an off-the-beaten-path location--draws you in. Upon approaching the door, the aroma from the kitchen hints at the promising meal awaiting inside.Stepping in, the vibe immediately impresses with its spacious, moderately lit interior that has a distinct country-chic, rustic vibe. Decorative firewood placements enhance the atmosphere, evoking the cozy impression that a fire is about to be lit.The menu is diverse, catering to a wide range of tastes and budgets. Lower-priced items are presented in a straightforward manner like you would find at a quick serve place, while higher-priced dishes arrive thoughtfully plated sides and garnishes. The sampler platter, in particular, was the most discussed dish at our table--a highlight that I regretted not trying.On a busy Friday night, the service experienced some timing issues, with dishes arriving at different intervals and temperatures. However, the staff and overall engaging atmosphere made for a positive experience, even in the rush. I would certainly return on a less hectic night to fully appreciate what The Nook has to offer.Overall, The Nook combines affordability with a memorable, rustic dining experience that stands out from the urban restaurant scene.

We were a group of 11 with a reservation on a Friday evening, so we knew it would be busy. Our server was great, but there were definitely some things to be worked out when it came to overall service. We understand that food won't always come out all together with a larger group, but there were a couple of meals that didn't come until everyone else was almost finished eating. And it seemed like it wasn't getting relayed to the kitchen as we had to keep asking the food runners. Also had some issues with drinks coming out, with some coming out without a long wait, and some that were ordered at the same time not being brought, and having to ask multiple times. And it was just glasses of wine, nothing complicated. There was also one drink that wasn't consistent in taste. We were told there were two bartenders, but the ingredients, and amounts of each of those ingredients in a cocktail should be the same as to not taste like a completely different drink. As far as the food, my husband and I each enjoyed different burgers. My husband got the Black & Blue and it was a bit on the dry side, but a great balance of flavors. I got the Smoked burger. It was perfectly cooked, and the flavors outstanding. The fries were very good, but I never got the ketchup I asked for. We agreed that the price point was very reasonable. The four people sitting around us also said they enjoyed their food. Overall, the food was good, and it's a great atmosphere, but I would probably choose a weeknight vs the busy weekends.

Stopped here for lunch while passing through, and can I just say this place is GORGEOUS! However, that being said, it was probably the best thing about this place. I wanted to like it, I really did - but, for starters, the service here was simply mediocre. The waitress seemed disinterested in helping us and didn't know the menu. Also, when we were ready for our check, we had to wait over 20 to even see our waitress to ask for our check and it was early in the day and very slow. We tried 4 of the appetizers on their menu to get a taste of all their options. We had the Pork Tots, Sliders, Soft Pretzels, and Onion Rings. The sliders are all different, with one being pulled pork, one pulled chicken, and one brisket. The Pork tots had pulled pork and smoked cheddar among other things. The soft pretzels and onion rings came with a choice of sauces and they were okay. Honestly, the only reason I gave this place 2 stars is the beautiful decor and the onion rings. The BBQ meat on the sliders tasted heavily of liquid smoke (not real smoke, but the one that comes in the bottle in the spice section of Giant Eagle) but lacked every other seasoning and they must have left those on the plate while the others were being made because the bottom buns were so soggy you couldn't pick them up. The brisket was dry and chewy. The BBQ sauces, they came with - did not help anything either. One of them tasted so much like just black pepper, it literally made me cough. One tasted like the grocery store BWW wing sauce, and the other was a sweeter sauce. The pork tots had the same problem as the sliders- the smoke flavor was just so overwhelming (not in a good way) that it made it hard to eat. Overall, I just can't see myself stopping again.

First time here and will certainly be back! The rueben was good, fries had a coating on them that made them so crispy and coleslaw was phenomenal! But...restroom needs some attention to detail.

Great hometown BBQ place to get some great grub in a comfortable atmosphere! It was a great stop for Friday evening food and drinks! We started with the tots and pulled pork. We had the fish and smoked prime rib for dinner. The prime rib is an absolute must! Took home a piece of buckeye cheesecake :) I probably wouldn't do the fish again, I thought the batter would be a lighter batter, but it was heavy and not my favorite. The one downside, I wished they'd make their own sauces. My tarter for the fish was in a packet, the horseradish sauce for the prime rib was from a bottle and the mayo was packeted. If the sauces were homemade, it would add a great touch!They also have great artwork displayed that caught our eye and we even got to talk to the artist himself. Overall great place to try!

Great barbecue with a wide variety of meats and fish. Good food had the ribs and half a chicken and prices reasonable. 5 star waitress and will repeat for sure.

I just want to warn others to CHECK WHAT THEY CHARGE you. I'm very meticulous about keeping my receipts. (On the customer copy I always copy what tip I gave and total I gave. Every month or so I go back through them to make sure I was charged correctly.) I guess the waitress wasn't happy with the 18% given and bumped the tip up to 21.5%. I only had a pop and a sirloin, no special requests or anything extra. I'm not going to call and complain about a dollar or two but just want others to know they may get overcharged. I also wasn't in a big group - there was only 3 of us.

First time here and we really enjoyed our visit. Ordered the sampler platter so we could try everything. All the bbq was tender moist smokey and delicious. We ate at the bar and were taken care of wonderfully. Very cool spot with a great patio. Maybe the only thing thing that could be improved is the generic wine list. We will be back

We had a large family gathering this past Saturday and had Up In Smoke catering provide the BBQ. Wow they did not disappoint, there was plenty of food and and everyone commented on how good the food was, yeah!This is the second summer we used UP In Smoke for our family reunions and will continue to use them in the future. Highly recommend

Extremely friendly and professional staff! Both the brisket dinner and the brisket bacon burger were fabulous! The meal was complemented by beautiful surroundings. Highly recommend The Nook Smokehouse.