Smokin Al's Bbq

What Smokin Al's Bbq does

Smokin' Al's Famous BBQ Joint is a privately held, founder-owned barbecue restaurant founded in 2003 in Bay Shore, New York by "Smokin' Al," a barbecue enthusiast who traveled the U.S. studying regional smoking traditions in the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas City, Florida, California, and Texas. The company now operates primarily from its Massapequa Park, NY location (4847 Merrick Rd.), with the original Bay Shore site also referenced; the firm is small (1-10 employees per firmographics) and serves the Long Island market across Nassau and Suffolk counties, indicated by dual 516 and 631 phone numbers. The restaurant specializes in authentic low-and-slow wood-smoked barbecue, cooking brisket and pork for 12-13 hours and ribs for up to 6 hours using indirect heat, wood blends, and moisture regulation, with proprietary sauces, spices, and sides developed by the founder over 20+ years. Menu offerings extend beyond the main barbecue menu to gluten-free, meatless, fantasy platters, cocktail, dessert, and "secret menu" categories.

Smokin' Al's makes money through four primary revenue streams: dine-in restaurant service, takeout orders (in-person and via the MenuDrive online ordering platform at order.menudrive.com/smokinals), and party/event catering with food trays for gatherings. Pricing is itemized à la carte and is not publicly disclosed on the website; full menu prices are accessible only through internal site links. The company claims to have served over 4 million customers since opening, signaling a long-tail, high-volume consumer base rather than enterprise contracts. Marketing is conducted through an active Instagram account (@SmokinAls), an email newsletter list, and a content-rich Squarespace website, with no paid digital advertising or delivery marketplace presence documented.

The business is structured as a sole proprietorship or small private company with no disclosed investors, parent entities, subsidiaries, or funding history. The brand is a registered trademark (Smokin' Al's®). Smokin' Al's faces no documented AI, technology, or regulatory disruption risks and operates in a stable but competitive Long Island casual dining market. There are no patents, certifications, M&A activity, leadership changes, or restructuring events in the source data; the founder remains the central figure and primary owner-operator.

Name

Smokin Al's Bbq

Legal name

Smokin' Al's® Famous BBQ Joint

Website

https://smokinals.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Smokin' Al's is a privately held, founder-owned traditional barbecue restaurant founded in 2003 in Long Island, NY, serving authentic low-and-slow wood-smoked meats to individual diners, families, and catering customers via dine-in, takeout, and online ordering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Barbecue Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual (THAFABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family-Style Restaurants (THAFACAC)

Keywords

• Barbecue restaurant
• Smoked meats
• Catering services
• Casual dining
• Online food ordering

Headquarters

HQ city

Massapequa Park, NY

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Dine-In and Takeout: Traditional restaurant revenue from dine-in customers and takeout orders, operating at specific hours (Mon-Thurs 11:30AM-9PM, Fri-Sat 11:30AM-10PM, Sun 12PM-9PM).
2. Catering Services: Party catering services offering food trays for events and gatherings, available through dedicated catering page and ordering system.
3. Online Ordering: Digital ordering through MenuDrive platform (order.menudrive.com/smokinals) for takeout and pickup orders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Smokin' Al's is a traditional barbecue restaurant that slow-smokes meats (brisket and pork for 12-13 hours, ribs up to 6 hours) using various wood blends and serves them through dine-in, takeout, online ordering, and party catering channels. The restaurant operates from Massapequa Park, NY, and offers specialty menus including gluten-free, meatless, fantasy platters, cocktails, desserts, and a secret menu.

Product overview

Smokin' Al's is a single-location barbecue restaurant offering smoked meats and sides. The core product is the Main Menu featuring slow-smoked barbecue (brisket, pork, ribs cooked 6-13 hours) supplemented by specialty menus including Gluten Free, Meatless, and Fantasy Platters options. Additional offerings include a cocktail menu, desserts, a secret menu, party catering services, and online ordering through MenuDrive. The restaurant operates from its Bay Shore location opened in 2003.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Menu The primary menu featuring Smokin' Al's signature slow-smoked barbecue items including smoked brisket, ribs, and pork (cooked 12-13 hours for brisket and pork, up to 6 hours for ribs). Targeted at general diners and families seeking authentic wood-smoked barbecue.
• Gluten Free Menu A dedicated menu of gluten-free barbecue options for customers with dietary restrictions. Targets diners with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease seeking safe barbecue options.
• Fantasy Platters Premium combination platters featuring an assortment of smoked meats and sides. Targeted at diners seeking variety and sampler-style barbecue experiences.
• Meatless Menu Plant-based and vegetarian barbecue options for customers seeking meatless alternatives. Targets vegetarians, vegans, and flexitarians dining at the restaurant.
• Cocktails Barbecue-themed cocktail menu complementing the food offerings. Targeted at dine-in customers seeking beverage pairings with their barbecue meals.
• Desserts Dessert menu featuring sweet treats to accompany the barbecue meals. Targeted at diners seeking a complete meal experience.
• The Secret Menu Exclusive off-menu items available to regular customers and those in the know. Targeted at loyal customers and brand enthusiasts seeking unique offerings.
• Party Catering Full-service catering for parties and events, offering barbecue trays and platter options for groups. Targeted at event hosts, party planners, and small businesses organizing gatherings.
• Online Ordering Digital ordering system via MenuDrive platform allowing customers to place orders online for takeout and pickup from the restaurant. Targeted at local consumers preferring convenient remote ordering.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: Award-winning regional BBQ chain founded in Syracuse, NY in 1983 with multiple Northeast locations. Highly comparable to Smokin' Al's as a Northeast-based BBQ operator with wood-smoked meats, dine-in service, and a loyal regional following.
• Memphis Championship BBQ: Regional BBQ franchise serving Memphis-style smoked ribs, pulled pork, and brisket with dine-in and catering services. Comparable to Smokin' Al's on traditional smoked-meat menu and event-catering offerings.
• Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse: Iconic Dallas-based BBQ institution founded in 1910 serving traditional smoked brisket, ribs, and sides with dine-in and catering. Highly comparable on craft BBQ heritage, founder-led brand identity, and 20+ year reputation depth.
• Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que: Regional BBQ chain (20+ locations) based in California serving slow-smoked meats with full bar and dine-in service. Comparable to Smokin' Al's on smoking technique, dine-in atmosphere, and dedicated cocktail/beverage program.
• Sonny's BBQ: Regional BBQ chain founded in 1968 in Florida, now with 90+ franchised locations serving slow-smoked meats. Comparable to Smokin' Al's on low-and-slow smoking technique and family-style dine-in experience, though primarily Southeast U.S. footprint.
• Famous Dave's: National BBQ restaurant chain specializing in slow-smoked ribs, brisket, and pork with dine-in and catering. Directly comparable to Smokin' Al's on smoked-meat menu, wood-smoking cooking method, and catering services, though operating at much larger scale across multiple U.S. states.
• Mission BBQ: Fast-growing BBQ chain founded in 2011 serving traditional smoked meats with dine-in and catering, now with 100+ locations. Comparable to Smokin' Al's in core product (smoked brisket, ribs, pulled pork) and counter-plus-catering revenue model, though with national footprint.
• Dickey's Barbecue Pit: Large BBQ franchise (500+ locations) founded in 1941, serving slow-smoked meats with dine-in, takeout, and catering. Comparable on smoked-meat core menu and multi-channel revenue model including catering trays and party packs.

Broad incumbents

• Smokey Bones: Casual-dining chain (60+ locations) with a BBQ-focused menu including smoked ribs, brisket, and pulled pork. Comparable to Smokin' Al's on smoked-meat core menu, though broader casual-dining positioning and full bar program differentiate the experience.
• Texas Roadhouse: Large national casual-dining steakhouse chain (600+ locations) with smoked and grilled meats. Adjacent comparable on wood-smoked/ grilled protein menu and family-style dine-in, though broader American steakhouse positioning rather than BBQ-specialized.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/smokinals
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smokin-al's-bbq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smokin Al's Bbq