After seeing a play on H Street, I was looking for a place for dinner. While walking past The Smokin’ Pig, I was invited in. Taking up the offer, I had a great meal and discovered the best barbecue in DC.

The Smokin’ Pig is a relatively new establishment on H Street. Owned by Bernard Gibson, it opened in the Fall of 2020 with pitmaster Shawn McWhirter in charge off the kitchen. McWhirter has had a distinguished career in DC, beginning with Hill County Barbecue. From there, he moved to DCity Smokehouse and was instrumental to its success. I am not sure if McWhirter is still involved with Smokin’ Pig, as he has been hired by other restaurants in the area. Smokin’ Pig briefly closed in 2024, but reopened in January of 2025.

Menu

The menu at Smokin’ Pig is extensive. As you would expect, the focus is barbecue: ribs, pulled pork, brisket, and smoked chicken. It also has appetizers, sides, salads, and smoked potatoes. Notable appetizers are Chili Cheese Nachos, and Chili Mac. The sides are typical barbecue fare: Baked Beans, Collard Greens, etc… Some unique sides are Cilantro Slaw and Onion Straws. There are also some unique barbecue items, such as Salmon Jack Daniels, and smoked Turkey Leg (solo or stuffed with Mac & Cheese). Plus, there are four choices for burgers and three choices of Half Smokes (smoked sausage). It’s a lot to choose from. Fortunately they have a couple of combination platters.

My Meal

I decided to go with one of the combination platters. They have three: Smokin Aces, Chicken & Rib, and Family Meal. My server recommended the Smokin Aces. Consisting of 2 ribs, 1/4 chicken, and a choice of brisket or pulled pork, it has a good sample. I ordered it, choosing the brisket over the pork.

I loved everything. The brisket was juicy and tender, while the ribs had a great bite. My favorite was the chicken. It was covered with a rub that gave it unique flavor and a nice crunch.

The platter comes with a choice of two sides. Again following the waiter’s recommendation, I picked Baked Beans and Mac & Cheese. The beans had a good smokey flavor, while the macaroni was rich with a dense cheese. Fantastic!

Atmosphere

The Smokin’ Pig is one of the many bars along the H Street corridor. It stands out for having a rustic, barn like atmosphere. The wait staff is very friendly and did a good job of describing the menu and in making suggestions. I was there in the middle of the afternoon, so it was not crowded. It was also a hot summer day, too hot for me to try any of their drinks. I greatly enjoyed my meal and hope to go back to try their other offerings.