Sugarfire Smoke House

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 7.75 to 8/10. Maybe. Rolling in, I had my hesitations about the place, based on its location in a suburban planned strip mall development, but also with it being a chain from out of state, as this is 1 of 12. That said, when I walked in the door I was pleasantly surprised, as I was instantly hit with a nice waft of oak floating through the air. In traditional bbq or fast casual fashion, you order cafeteria line style, choosing between individual meats, combo platters, sandwiches, burgers, and even salads. Opted for the Meat Daddy platter as it was a taste of pretty much everything and was a pretty affordable price for how much food you get. Started with the brisket, which shocked me at how good it was, but after that, all of the meats mostly let me down, with a small upswing at the end with the cheesy garlic mashed potatoes. Service was on point, and the place had a laidback chill environment/vibe to it, with 90’s-2000’s rock and alternative playing at a low volume, while the staff cracks jokes with each other. Not the best place to get bbq in Colorado, but certainly not the worst either. Without a ton of close other options in Westminster/Thornton, it’s a okay spot to stop at, but isn’t worth a special trip on its own either. Would come back if people invited me, but also not making a stop unless it’s directly on my way

Date Visited: 5/4/2025

Address: 14375 Orchard Pkwy #100, Westminster, CO 80023

Day of the Week: Sunday

Time of Day: 11:15 AM. Open at 11:00 AM

Owner: Mike Johnson and Chad & Jamie Green

Website: https://sugarfiresmokehouse.com

Number of Years in Business: Opened June 2018

Number of People in Line: 2 people were already sitting down before I walked in and 23 came in after me over about 45 minutes

Regional Style of BBQ: Blend St Louis/KC/Memphis/Texas

Total Cost: $44.99 with tip. Ordered the Meat Daddy Platter. Came with 1/4 lb brisket, 1/4 lb of pulled pork, 1/4 lb of turkey, 4 ribs, 1 sausage, and two sides. Choose the brisket mac & cheese and the cheesy garlic mashed potatoes. Also came with a fountain drink, so I got sweet tea and ordered a Gravity Amber on the side (separate charge at the bar)

Type of Wood: Oak & cherry

Type of Smoker: Electric or gas? (Unsure, as I didn’t see a trailer or pit out back and couldn’t see into the kitchen)

Type of Seasoning: Salt, pepper, in-house blend

Best Dish: Brisket

Best Sauce: Texas Hot

Best Side: Cheesy garlic mashed potatoes

Interior Description: Sitting inside a newer built strip mall, in a planned suburban shopping district, there is seating for probably close to 100 between the indoor and outdoor options. Inside has concrete polished floors running throughout, with a combination of black corrugated steel, brick, and stained/reclaimed wood aligning the walls and the ceiling. It has a new age bbq vibe to it, without being overly corporate or cookie-cutter about it. You order traditional cafeteria line style, leading you into the fountain drinks, sweet tea and bbq sauce station, before flowing past a fully stocked bar into indoor and outdoor seating options. BBQ sauces and paper towels adorn every table, with mostly metal chairs, stools, and wooden benches available for seating

Pro Tip: Stick to the brisket and cheesy garlic mashed potatoes and avoid the pork options

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 8.5 to 8.75/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Served as lean slices for the platter, the brisket has a nice smoke flavor that comes through with each bite, and was well seasoned, but could have used a little bit more. That said, they did have a nice peppery finish to them. Even though the lean slices were from the end, they were all juicy and well trimmed, with just enough fat to them. Minimal smoke ring to each piece, but a really solid brisket overall and would get again. For being a St. Louis style bbq spot, I had slightly lower than average expectations for the brisket, so was pleasantly surprised when it was as good as it was

Baby Back Ribs

0/10 Ranking: 7.25 to 7.5/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, others (maybe paprika or the house rub)

Description: Bland is the first word needed to describe these ribs. Was surprised they weren’t sauced, especially with being St. Louis style for bbq, but that unfortunately didn’t help its cause. While they looked appealing and well seasoning from the outside, they were unfortunately pretty flavorless, with minimal smoke or seasoning coming through. That said, they were mostly well cooked, as they were tender and had a nice meat to fat ratio, but just didn’t have enough pulled together to make it one to get again. Skip it

Pulled Pork

0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 7.75/10

Seasoning: Unsure, but minimal

Description: While it was a juicy pulled pork, it was slightly overcooked and was, similarly to the ribs, rather bland. Low level of smoke coming through and have to search a bit for seasoned pieces. No bark to speak of, leaves this one on the not to order again list

Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage

0/10 Ranking: 7.75 to 8/10

Description: Whole sausage link, sliced up. Had a little bit of snap to the casing, but was mostly limp. Creamy interior, especially with the melted cheddar cheese, that has a nice spice kick with the jalapeño coming through on the backend. No real smoke flavor to speak or to be found, but still an enjoyable cheddar sausage for yourself or to share, but nothing special overall either

Turkey

0/10 Ranking: 8/10

Seasoning: Looks like the house-blend

Description: Really juicy turkey that’s thinly sliced. Not a ton of seasoning or smoke coming through, but it was cooked perfectly, with it being tender and moist to each bite, but I would have liked some more smokiness to come through. Not a must order, but would get again to split with the table

Sauces

Description: Didn’t officially review any, but tried them all with Texas Hot being the best, but they were all pretty average

Sides – Brisket Mac & Cheese

0/10 Ranking: 8/10

Description: Sauced and chopped brisket on top of the mac. Not the biggest fan of the sauce they used, but the mac was super creamy with the noodles being just slightly past al dente. Good dish, but also needs more seasoning to it. Would get again though but not a must order

Sides – Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

0/10 Ranking: 8.75 to 9/10

Description: Heavy on the garlic in all the best ways. This one may stick with you for a while, so fair warning. That said, they are worth the potent breath, as they are velvety smooth, with some very small but enjoyable mashed pieces still finding their way through in each bite. One of the most flavorful mashed potatoes I’ve had at bbq spots in Colorado, would absolutely order these again