A Generous Barbecue Lunch at SMOKED. in Great Falls

The aroma of smoking meat can meet you in the parking area at SMOKED., a casual Great Falls lunch stop where a brisket sandwich may be only the beginning of the order. This is a place to settle in over ribs and potato salad, build a plate with several meats, or pick up a bag of barbecue before heading farther down the road.

The format is pleasingly straightforward: order at the counter, decide between a sandwich, individual meats or a combination plate, then make the consequential side-dish choices. The menu has enough range to reward a little comparison, especially for a table that wants to pass things around.

Brisket, pulled pork, ribs and turkey provide the familiar barbecue foundation. Brisket also comes in sandwich form, a useful option when lunch needs to stay compact but a plateful of sliced meat still sounds tempting.

For a broader sampling, the combination plates are the move. Three-meat and four-meat combinations can be substantial enough to share or to leave a little for later, and they make it possible to compare the restaurant's styles of smoke without committing to one direction.

Pork belly burnt ends deserve their own attention. Rich, dark-edged and built for a small bite between lighter cuts of turkey or pulled pork, they bring a more indulgent branch of the barbecue family to the tray.

There are further detours for diners who enjoy digging into a menu: pastrami, hot links and cheddar brats have all appeared among the meat choices. Availability can vary, so it is best to treat those as happy possibilities rather than plan an entire lunch around a single specialty.

The smashed potato salad is one of the dishes that keeps surfacing in conversation about SMOKED. It has the home-style appeal barbecue needs alongside a smoky, salty plate, and it is not merely there to occupy a corner of the tray.

Macaroni and cheese is another strong choice, particularly the pork belly mac and cheese. Folding barbecue into a comfort-food classic may not be a subtle idea, but subtle is not necessarily the point at lunch when there are burnt ends nearby and cornbread on the table.

Spicy coleslaw and spicy pasta salad give the side list a brighter, sharper option. Baked beans offer the more traditional route. A multi-side plate is a sensible way to mix something creamy, something spicy and something slow-cooked.

Cornbread is a frequent must-order here, the sort of extra that quickly stops feeling optional once it arrives with the rest of the meal. It works with the meat, catches a little sauce, and makes a generous combination plate feel even more complete.

Small individual banana cream and pumpkin cream pies provide a tidy finish when there is still room. They also suit a takeout order better than a large dessert that has to be negotiated by a full table.

The smoked meat arrives with room for personal adjustment. Several barbecue sauces are available for tasting and pairing, including smoky options, spicier choices, Kickin KC Sauce and Carolina sauce. A mixed-meat plate makes the sauce lineup especially useful: a rib, a slice of brisket and a bite of pulled pork do not all need to take the same route.

Nearby pickles, pickled onions and pickled jalapeños add another layer. The tang and crunch are welcome against fatty pork belly or a rich forkful of mac and cheese, and diners can add them as generously or cautiously as they please.

SMOKED. has the easygoing energy of a locally rooted neighborhood barbecue restaurant: casual, busy and friendly without making the meal feel rushed. The staff is known for being patient with questions and for steering diners toward different meat combinations or a worthwhile side when the choices start piling up.

A packed dining room is not unusual during popular lunch periods, and lines can form before service. The restaurant has indoor seating along with an outdoor patio or terrace, so the meal need not depend entirely on finding an open table inside.

The welcome has small, personal touches as well. Even the sign out front has been used to greet returning and visiting customers, a simple gesture that fits the warm, conversational tone of the place.

This is a useful stop for more than a sit-down lunch. Takeout is common for people moving through Great Falls, including travelers headed onward with a brisket sandwich, mac and cheese and potato salad in hand.

When the dining room is full, a meal can also be carried out to the patio or taken elsewhere for an outdoor lunch. Some diners have brought their barbecue to the river rather than wait for indoor seating; that is an option beyond the restaurant, not a formal dining setup.

The portions also lend themselves to a little practical over-ordering. A big combination plate may produce leftovers, and it is easy to understand the impulse to add extra meat for the road after eating lunch.

SMOKED. is primarily a lunch destination, and current hours and service days are worth confirming before making a special trip. Dinner should not be assumed.

Free lot and street parking have been available, though conditions naturally vary with the lunch crowd. Reservations are generally not needed, but arriving earlier can make an indoor table easier to find on a busy day.