J's Smokehouse (96th & L)

[ChadJK]

J's Smokehouse
230 W Lincoln St (lower level of Papillion American Legion building)
Papillion, NE 68046
(402) 515-1983
https://www.jsmokehouse.com/
https://www.facebook.com/JSmokehouse/

J's Smokehouse has relocated to the space where Moran's Grill, Poppin' Smoke Southern Grill, and Monarch Grill/La Paz used to be located. They're in the lower level of the American Legion building near downtown Papillion. It is open to the public, so you do NOT have to be an American Legion member to eat at this restaurant.

J's Smokehouse previously operated out of the Champion Sport Karate/Jumpin' Jax building near 66th & Cornhusker Rd.

[nativeomahan]

I sure hope that someone can find the secret to success in this long cursed space.

[omaha79]

I sure hope that someone can find the secret to success in this long cursed space.

It's not all that cursed. Morans did fine. It's not the best space, but if you have a real plan, it can help. I don't think the Tired Texan people or the LePaz people had any sort of plan at all. just saw that Morans did well there and thought they'd follow suit. didn't work.

[nativeomahan]

Why would anyone go to the time, trouble and expense of hiring staff and opening a restaurant without a business plan?

[ChadJK]

Why would anyone go to the time, trouble and expense of hiring staff and opening a restaurant without a business plan?

Unfortunately, being a good chef/cook/pitmaster doesn't necessarily make you a good restaurateur.

[omaha79]

Why would anyone go to the time, trouble and expense of hiring staff and opening a restaurant without a business plan?

Good question, but lots of egos get involved when opening a business. 50% of restaurants fail out of the gate. Look at Papillion itself, you don't have to go far from the American Legion to find the difference between a good business plan and a poor business plan.

A couple of years ago, Piccolo Petes rose from the dead and moved their food truck concept to downtown Papillion in a modest bay. The owners thought this was a solid idea because there was some synergy with Twisted Vine next door along with a few other bars. But, the bay is a challenge. They didn't really partner that well with Twisted Vine from what I noticed. The food was just ok, not anything to make a destination trip out of. And, when people were drinking at Twisted Vine, they weren't thinking about eating spaghetti or heavy italian dishes.

They were gone within 4 months.

The bay was considered "cursed" even on here, and too small to truly be viable for a restaurant with only a few tables. Then, Sauced by Alfero moves in. Immediately selling out nightly. Jammed with to go orders. They partnered with Twisted Vine well and their sandwiches paired well with the beers the bar next door sold. The lack of tables and small space hasn't been a hindrance from what I've seen and I continue to see it highly rated and selling out nightly on local food websites.

It's all about having a plan, a quality product, knowing your niche, and executing within budget. Some can do it, some, like the Piccolos and Le Paz people, fail.

[Coyote]

Ribbon Cutting J's Smokehouse

[nebugeater]

J's Smokhouse posted on their facbook that they are moving

HUGE news everyone! We are MOVING! July 1st we will be soft opening our new restaurant at 96th and L at Place 96 Shopping Center, where the current @bigwaychickenandcatfish is located! We will continue to serve food at the Legion until our lease is up at the end of July.
Papillion, this is very bittersweet for us. It’s been a blessing for our restaurant to be a part of the community I grew up in. The last 3 years has been nothing short of amazing, and you all deserve the absolute best. It’s time for us to grow, and we can’t thank you all enough for the support This isn’t goodbye, you just might have to drive a little further to come see us
In the mean time, get some chicken and catfish from Bigway Chicken & Catfish and get some BBQ from us! We need your support more now than ever

https://www.facebook.com/JSmokehouse

[nativeomahan]

Like I have said previously, that hidden from view spot is cursed. Glad that J’s didn’t go bankrupt while they occupied the spot, and have lived to move to what they no doubt hope will be a much better location,

[ChadJK]

J's Smokhouse posted on their facbook that they are moving

July 1st we will be soft opening our new restaurant at 96th and L at Place 96 Shopping Center, where the current @bigwaychickenandcatfish is located!

What are we to infer from this? Is Bigway Chicken & Catfish going away when J's Smokehouse moves in or will they be sharing the space?

Like I have said previously, that hidden from view spot is cursed. Glad that J’s didn’t go bankrupt while they occupied the spot, and have lived to move to what they no doubt hope will be a much better location,

J's Smokehouse did have a steadier crowd than previous tenants. However, the parking lot would fill up fast and seating was limited.

I wonder where he's going to find room for his smokers and his wood supply at Place 96. Perhaps he's moving it indoors.

[Mr.Nuke]

What are we to infer from this? Is Bigway Chicken & Catfish going away when J's Smokehouse moves in or will they be sharing the space?

Bigway posted today on facebook that their 5 year lease on the space was up at the end of the month and that J's purchased their equipment.

[ChadJK]

What are we to infer from this? Is Bigway Chicken & Catfish going away when J's Smokehouse moves in or will they be sharing the space?

Bigway posted today on facebook that their 5 year lease on the space was up at the end of the month and that J's purchased their equipment.

Well, there you are then...

I really should get back on Facebook, but I'd miss the smug sense of superiority I get by telling people I'm not on most social media. lol

I really like the catfish at Bigway Chicken & Catfish, but unfortunately it's really the only thing of theirs I was into. I will have to stop by and get some more before they're gone.

[ChadJK]

J's Smokehouse is open in their new location:

J's Smokehouse
4725 S 96th St
Omaha, NE 68127
(531) 344-7703
https://www.facebook.com/JSmokehouse/

[Brad]

According to a couple Facebook posts from J's Smokehouse, they are struggling.

To be honest, I always forget they are over there on 96&L and I can get there from my house in 5 min.

Okay we are trying something out! Nights have been slow, if you’ve seen our last post you know that. It seems the consensus is we aren’t open late enough. So we are changing our dinner hours back to 4:30pm-8pm. Effective immediately. Come see us for dinner! Bring the family, we have awesome happy hour specials

[omaha79]

J's has been posting a lot that their current business level isn't sustainable. And, if people want them to stay open they need to come out. That's tough because they have really good BBQ and some of the best burgers in the metro. I live all the way down in Bellevue. So, it's not a regular for me, but it is worth supporting.

Same time, BBQ restaurants are hard to keep customers satisfied. The overhead is high on ribs and meat. And, all it takes is a couple of times of your customers showing up being told that they are out of something like ribs or brisket and it turns people off from making the drive. no easy answers there. It affects my decision making when I think about driving all the way out there to maybe be told that they are out of what i want. But, the next night I'll see them discounting ribs because no one came in.

[Stan]

When you sit and think about it, Omaha is kind of wierd in our food endeavors. BBQ doesn't have the same following here that it does in KC or Texas. People aren't lining up for BBQ here to sell a place out with the lunch rush alone, but they'll sit around and wait for the newest fast food chain opening or some decent fried chicken and raccoon watching. It's almost like J's needs to find a niche segment to make themselves stand out more like they move location to be part of Bushwackers or a bowling alley. Lean heavily into an identity that's a little more than just being good BBQ.

[ChadJK]

I like J's Smokehouse. Their brisket is superb as are the rest of their meats. For me, BBQ has a value problem. It started out as a way to take really cheap undesirable cuts of meat and make them tender and delicious. However, due to barbecue's popularity those really cheap cuts of meat aren't so cheap anymore and that's getting reflected in restaurant pricing. I'm just not going to pay $25 for lunch.

The best deal at BBQ places are usually the sandwiches. Especially, pulled pork which is always the cheapest option (and, honestly, the hardest meat to screw up). I prefer just the meat, but if you just want one meat, then it's sometimes a better value to order a sandwich and scrape the meat off the bun than order just the meat.

BBQ also has an availability problem. Done right, it takes hours to make good BBQ. So, they can't just quickly cook up more meat when they're running low. So, if they get unpredictable spike in business one day they're suddenly telling handfuls of customers that they're out of this or that for the day and that's just going to infuriate some people.

As for J's Smokehouse menu, their 1, 2, and 3-meat platters seem like a decent deal (if you're someone who likes sides, wants to try several of their meats, or likes to share the entree with your spouse) until you realize that choosing brisket for one of those meats is a $4 upcharge and ribs are a $2 upcharge. So, the only meats available for the posted price are their pulled pork and their sausage. However, no doubling of meats is allowed. So, if you get a 3-meat platter and you choose pulled pork for one meat, sausage for the other, you now have to choose ribs or brisket for the third. Both of which have an upcharge. So, it's impossible to get a 3-meat platter for the list price of $24. So, why is it listed for $24 when the cheapest option that follows their rules is going to be $26? If you got pulled pork, ribs, and brisket it would be $30 entree. I can go to Texas Roadhouse and get a 12oz NY Strip with Two Sides for $25 and it's a full service restaurant not an order-at-the-counter joint and it's steak not barbecue. I can go to Porky Butts and get that same $26 platter for $21.

You shouldn't have to guilt customers into patronizing your faltering business or tug at their heart strings to bring them in the door. Yes, that will work in the short term, but the question they need to be analyzing is why their food, service, and pricing aren't drawing people in. Otherwise, when the initial rush of people that stop in to "save the business" tapers off they'll be closing their doors. It's one thing to plea for business for some temporary unforeseen circumstances like construction in the area or a pandemic. However, it's not going to work when the problem is your business model.

They probably should have stayed located in the Papillion American Legion building where rent was likely much lower and they still drew a faithful clientele. It was also still rather close to their original location (and original clientele) off 66th & Cornhusker.

[omaha79]

I like J's Smokehouse. Their brisket is superb as are the rest of their meats. For me, BBQ has a value problem. It started out as a way to take really cheap undesirable cuts of meat and make them tender and delicious. However, due to barbecue's popularity those really cheap cuts of meat aren't so cheap anymore and that's getting reflected in restaurant pricing. I'm just not going to pay $25 for lunch.

The best deal at BBQ places are usually the sandwiches. Especially, pulled pork which is always the cheapest option (and, honestly, the hardest meat to screw up). I prefer just the meat, but if you just want one meat, then it's sometimes a better value to order a sandwich and scrape the meat off the bun than order just the meat.

BBQ also has an availability problem. Done right, it takes hours to make good BBQ. So, they can't just quickly cook up more meat when they're running low. So, if they get unpredictable spike in business one day they're suddenly telling handfuls of customers that they're out of this or that for the day and that's just going to infuriate some people.

As for J's Smokehouse menu, their 1, 2, and 3-meat platters seem like a decent deal (if you're someone who likes sides, wants to try several of their meats, or likes to share the entree with your spouse) until you realize that choosing brisket for one of those meats is a $4 upcharge and ribs are a $2 upcharge. So, the only meats available for the posted price are their pulled pork and their sausage. However, no doubling of meats is allowed. So, if you get a 3-meat platter and you choose pulled pork for one meat, sausage for the other, you now have to choose ribs or brisket for the third. Both of which have an upcharge. So, it's impossible to get a 3-meat platter for the list price of $24. So, why is it listed for $24 when the cheapest option that follows their rules is going to be $26? If you got pulled pork, ribs, and brisket it would be $30 entree. I can go to Texas Roadhouse and get a 12oz NY Strip with Two Sides for $25 and it's a full service restaurant not an order-at-the-counter joint and it's steak not barbecue. I can go to Porky Butts and get that same $26 platter for $21.

You shouldn't have to guilt customers into patronizing your faltering business or tug at their heart strings to bring them in the door. Yes, that will work in the short term, but the question they need to be analyzing is why their food, service, and pricing aren't drawing people in. Otherwise, when the initial rush of people that stop in to "save the business" tapers off they'll be closing their doors. It's one thing to plea for business for some temporary unforeseen circumstances like construction in the area or a pandemic. However, it's not going to work when the problem is your business model.

They probably should have stayed located in the Papillion American Legion building where rent was likely much lower and they still drew a faithful clientele. It was also still rather close to their original location (and original clientele) off 66th & Cornhusker.

You hit the nail on the head.

I do think that they probably need to be a place where there is some synergy with maybe a country bar or events area. That strip on 96th and L is just so random. There is nothing drawing anyone there. It's not a desirable place at this point. It's near industrial areas the strip includes a few bars (that have more clientele that would be there when the BBQ restaurant is long closed).

Now, to your point about the legion hall, I don't know specifics, but I'd heard 3rd hand that there was friction between the legion and J's. Don't ask me what that means because it was never elaborated to me. Just that they didn't necessarily get along and a mutual parting of the ways was best for all sides.

And, that was my point. Since that location probably has a decent rent, and it's not in an area like AkSarBen where you'd draw walk up crowds or event crowds, you really have to have a product that pulls people in. They can have that, but it's hard when people drive maybe 30 minutes to get told they are out of Brisket or ribs. Further to this point, I saw a comment on their post where someone is like, "hey, I'd make the drive from Ashland and buy dinner right now, but it will be the last time it happens if I get there and you then tell me you're out of ribs." Ribs and brisket have such a long cook time and high overhead as stated. It's really hard in a city like Omaha that values convenience, proximity, and price above all. We are quite cheap about our dining often. Chains like Cheddars, Applebees, and Chillis are often packed to the rafters. It is something I find disgusting about Omaha and our general lack of culture and rube mentality. We want nice things, but want them to be in our backyard and at bargain basement prices. Same point I've made when dumb dumbs in this city thought we could support NHL or NBA. What a joke.

I'm willing to pay for quality, and J's is fantastic on the food, but that new location also leaves osmething to be desired on ambiance inside. there is no patio. the inside is just kind of random decor. So, i will say for almost $20-$30 a meal, it doesn't feel like you're getting anything all that special. BBQ places try to kind of be divey in a lot of cities, but it's not a "date night" establishment.

Just a really limited niche segment and I think they are feeling the pain of not having a clear direction on the marketing side.

[HskrFanMike]

When you sit and think about it, Omaha is kind of wierd in our food endeavors. BBQ doesn't have the same following here that it does in KC or Texas. People aren't lining up for BBQ here to sell a place out with the lunch rush alone, but they'll sit around and wait for the newest fast food chain opening or some decent fried chicken and raccoon watching. It's almost like J's needs to find a niche segment to make themselves stand out more like they move location to be part of Bushwackers or a bowling alley. Lean heavily into an identity that's a little more than just being good BBQ.

Part of the problem is that, until the last 5-10 years, Omaha BBQ has been rather meh. Porky Butts and Smokin' Barrel have certainly been competitive with KC-level joints, but most other Omaha places were just local versions of Famous Dave's or Dickeys. KC is close enough that many people know what good BBQ is, and Omaha hasn't had that until the new places (Porky Butts/Smokin Barrel) opened. So people tend to shy away.

[nativeomahan]

I wish them well. I’ve eaten lunch there twice in recent months and the food has been very very good - KC BBQ quality. It’s only 10 minutes from my home but sadly I seldom am headed in that direction for any other reason so I don’t often think to have lunch there. Probably 50 other decent lunch places are closer to my Omaha home or in neighborhoods I often find myself in.
As to the prices, well, good BBQ is on par with good sushi in terms of price. It is higher cost than most restaurant food. People need to accept that fact. It’s not just the cost of the raw materials, it’s the extensive time commitment needed to produce the quality people expect when they are paying $25 for lunch and $35 for dinner.

[Brad]

With Porky Butt's closed for repairs and Smokin' Barrel selling every day, it has me wondering hose J's is doing?

[nativeomahan]

J’s just posted a photo on social media of their giant new smoker they have installed, and say it is helping them better regulate the cooking temperature.