House of ‘Que in Hoboken

One of the newer establishments to make Sinatra Drive in Hoboken its home is House of ‘Que. They have legendary pitmaster, Mike Rodriguez, originally from Salt Lick BBQ in Austin,Texas, who oversees the menus and the smokers. This fact alone sets the tone for a great BBQ experience.

As you walk in you instantly succumb to the laid-back, fun-loving feel of the picnic-style tables and the cafeteria-type setting. There is a great bar with a ton of TVs: clearly they are gearing up for some serious sports viewing. The first order of business was deciding on what cocktail would go best with the inevitable onslaught of meat. I feel like I have to go back just to check out more of the cocktails! (The Border Buck and the Apple Jack iced tea are high on my list.) My favorite of the night was the Driftwood Sunset Punch, which included house made lemonade and peach puree.

When our food came out, we were graciously presented with the Pitmaster’s Pick. This consisted of sausage, brisket, chicken, and ribs. Being presented with such a gorgeous tray of BBQ is the stuff dreams are made of. The standouts on this plate were the flavorful sausages and the fall of the bone ribs. The ribs were juicy with good bark on them. The brisket was more of a lean cut, so ask for fatty if that’s your thing! The chicken was well seasoned.

As exciting as the meats alone can be, one can never pass up the side dishes. There are plenty to choose from but don’t miss the brisket chili and the cornbread pudding. Together! The brisket chili is tender and spicy, the cornbread pudding is sweet and creamy—they make the perfect pair. Also not to be missed are the collard greens. They melt in your mouth and you might think you are eating pieces of a smoky butter. (If only it were OK to eat a stick of butter, right?) It will be tough, but make sure you save room for the peach cobbler (a la mode of course)!

House of ‘Que doesn’t stop at the food—it also offers up a variety of entertainment. Live bands perform weekly and there’s a “Dueling Pianos” show every Saturday night. This is definitely the place to bring a group of friends or family. House of ‘Que left me excited for summer and the prospect of sitting at one of the bars with the garage doors up…wearing my cowboy boots as I sip on a Driftwood Sunset Punch, while eating ribs and cornbread pudding, and taking in the skyline.

House of ‘Que
340 Sinatra Drive
Hoboken
201-706-8755