Poughkeepsie's favorite BBQ spot serving slow-smoked brisket, ribs, and jalapeño cheddar links worth the drive from NYC.
Some restaurants are open seven days a week and taste like it. Handsome Devil BBQ is open four days a week and every bite proves why that matters. Thursday through Sunday, 26 Academy Street in Poughkeepsie becomes the kind of place people plan their weekend around, the kind of place that earns a 4.4-star rating from 173 reviews and inspires customers to drive up from New York City not once, but twice in the same trip.
The smoke does the talking here. Brisket gets the low-and-slow treatment until it's tender enough to pull apart with a fork but still holds that perfect bark on the outside. The jalapeño cheddar link has its own fan club. Pulled pork, ribs, collard greens, potato salad, chili, every item on the menu is made with the same obsessive attention that turns first-time customers into regulars who can recite their order before they reach the counter.
The staff matches the food. Reviewers mention them by name, call them amazing, and mean it. This is a small operation running at full throttle four days a week, and that focus shows in every carefully wrapped takeout order and every generous portion that lands on the table.
Handsome Devil BBQ runs a tight, focused menu built around wood-smoked meats and the sides that belong beside them. The brisket is the anchor, drawing regulars and road-trippers alike, but the full spread gives you plenty of reasons to order more than you planned.
Signature smoked meats include brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and the jalapeño cheddar link that gets mentioned in nearly every glowing review. On the sides, collard greens, potato salad, and chili round out a plate the right way. Portions are generous, packaging is careful, and takeout orders arrive in the same condition as anything eaten in-house.
Dine in or carry out, the experience holds up. The restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday, 11:30 AM to 8:00 PM. If you're planning a group order or a weekend pickup, arriving early in the afternoon is your best bet before the most popular cuts sell out.
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The restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday, 11:30 AM to 8:00 PM. It is closed Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
You'll find them at 26 Academy Street in Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. Street parking is available in the surrounding area.
Yes. Takeout is a big part of how Handsome Devil operates, and reviewers specifically praise how carefully orders are wrapped and packaged for the trip home.
The brisket is the runaway favorite, but the jalapeño cheddar link, pulled pork, ribs, collard greens, and potato salad all have dedicated fans. If you're going for the first time, ordering a mix is the move.
Given how popular certain cuts get later in the day, arriving earlier in the afternoon or checking their website at handsomedevilllc.com for any ordering options is a smart play, especially on weekends.
Multiple reviewers have made the trip from NYC specifically for the BBQ, with at least one returning twice in the same visit window. The consensus: absolutely worth it.
Generous is the word that comes up over and over in reviews. Customers consistently note that the portions exceed expectations, which adds real value to every order.
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