A Barbecue and Bourbon Stop at Kloby’s Smokehouse

A plate at Kloby’s Smokehouse can arrive with brisket, pulled pork, ribs or sausage taking up much of the table, followed by the happy problem of deciding where to begin. This is a Maryland restaurant built for people who want smoked meat in a straightforward platter, but it also gives that same barbecue a second life in sandwiches, nachos, burgers and other less expected forms.

The mood is comfortable rather than hushed. The dining room has a warm, conversational character, with seating that works for a couple settling in over dinner as easily as a larger group sharing a few platters and a round of drinks. Attentive, personable service helps the meal keep its easygoing pace.

Brisket is one of the menu’s major players. It has shown up sliced on barbecue plates and tucked into sandwiches, but it has also appeared as a brisket cheesesteak, on nachos and in a chipotle brisket burger. That range makes Kloby’s a useful compromise when one person wants a traditional barbecue dinner and another has a strong sandwich craving.

The smoked-meat roster also includes pulled pork, pork ribs, sausage and wings. The brisket, ribs and other barbecue selections are known for their flavorful, tender, juicy side of smoking—the sort of food that does not need much ceremony beyond a fork, a stack of napkins and perhaps a little sauce.

For a fuller sampling, combination platters pair more than one meat with sides. They are generous enough that two lighter eaters may find one platter plenty to share, especially with a starter on the table. A sausage platter has included both spicy Italian sausage and chorizo, giving the barbecue spread a welcome bit of snap and spice.

The sides do more than fill out the plate. Brussels sprouts, hush puppies, macaroni and cheese, collard greens and sweet potato fries have all accompanied the smokehouse fare, offering the usual barbecue balance of green vegetables, comfort food and fried temptation.

The hush puppies deserve a pause of their own. Crisp on the outside and tender within, they bring a pleasing contrast to the softness of pulled pork or slow-smoked brisket. They are easy to keep reaching for while everyone is still deciding which sauce belongs with which meat.

A half-pound portion of pulled pork has been available for diners who prefer to build their own plate around one favorite meat and a few sides. It is a simple order, but a useful one: no need to pretend a meal has to be a grand sampler when a pile of pork, greens and macaroni and cheese sounds exactly right.

Kloby’s barbecue comes with multiple house sauces, and a sampler has included six choices. Sweet bourbon and honey habanero stand out as especially appealing directions: one richer and mellow, the other bringing some heat without turning the meal into a dare.

The menu’s non-platter options make the place more flexible than a standard smokehouse stop. The brisket cheesesteak has been served with gravy and fries, turning smoked beef into a particularly substantial sandwich dinner. It is less about restraint than satisfaction, which seems entirely appropriate here.

There is also a meatloaf sandwich served with mashed potatoes, a dish that sounds halfway between diner comfort food and a Sunday supper. Appetizers have included catfish bites and pork belly deviled eggs, two choices that can make a meal begin somewhere other than the familiar wings-and-pickles route. Catfish is another option worth noting for diners who want a break from pork and beef.

The bourbon and whiskey selection gives Kloby’s a dimension many neighborhood barbecue restaurants never quite develop. Smoke and brown spirits are natural companions, of course, but the breadth of the list has included sought-after names such as Pappy Van Winkle, Blanton’s and WhistlePig Boss Hog.

That makes it possible to keep the drink as simple or as exploratory as dinner. A beer such as Heavy Seas fits comfortably beside ribs and hush puppies, while an apple pie martini takes a sweeter, more playful route. The whiskey program is substantial enough to invite a slower after-dinner pour instead of treating the bar as an afterthought.

The restaurant has also hosted whiskey tastings under the Whiskey Wednesdays name, along with local-brewery gatherings called Thirsty Thursdays. Those events and their schedules can change, so they are best treated as a reason to check the current calendar rather than a standing weekly promise.

A dense Guinness cake offers a dark, brownie-like finish that is not overly sweet. After a plate of ribs, fries and sauce, that restraint matters. It has enough richness to feel like dessert without turning the last few bites into a sugar overload.

Kloby’s also has a connected ice cream counter, adding another possible stop after the main meal. It is a pleasant option for a table divided between cake people and ice-cream people, or for anyone who would rather take a cold treat than another forkful of something heavy.

Kloby’s works well when the group cannot agree on one exact idea of dinner. One person can go all-in on a combination platter, another can order a brisket-based sandwich, and somebody else can start with catfish bites before moving to whiskey. The restaurant’s relaxed setting gives those different choices room to coexist without the meal feeling scattered.

Parking has included a free lot with ample space, and diners have generally been able to visit without reservations. Happy-hour offerings have also been associated with the restaurant, though current days and times are worth confirming directly before making plans.