A fun time at Smoke Justis

I didn’t know much about Smoke Justis prior to my first visit, but I discovered many reasons to go back.

Located within walking distance of the courthouse in Covington, Smoke Justis is dedicated to sharing the history of a lesser known baseball team in the Federal league called “The Covington Blue Sox” that played very close to the building back in 1913.

The inspiration for the name “Smoke Justis” came from the nickname of a popular player on the team during that time. The sports bar has a casual atmosphere that offers a little something for everyone. We opted to invite another couple to join us that evening and found the ambiance to be perfect for a double date. The sound level made it easy to carry on a conversation while still creating an inviting atmosphere.

During our meal, we shared the Green Sox Box appetizer (hand-cut fries, topped with creamy cheese sauce, white cheddar, pickled jalapenos, diced onions, diced tomatoes, red onions and cilantro). This is a perfect app to share with great flavors.

Our favorite menu item that evening was the brisket slider. It’s tenderness and flavors are memorable enough to leave a great impression long after your meal is over. Our favorite sauce was the Kentucky Bourbon, which has a great kick and tastes great with the saratoga chips.

Craft beer fans will find plenty of local and national options. If whiskey is more your style, you will be very happy with the specialty options.

You can catch a game on a screen upstairs or enjoy live music on select nights. We didn’t have live music during our visit but I do need to mention that they played an incredible selection of ’90s music that evening.

Downstairs has arcade games, a pool table and shuffleboard. Shuffleboard definitely was our favorite! I’m not going to mention who won both times for obvious reasons.  

Another popular discovery downstairs was the self-pour draft station. You purchase a rechargeable card for $2.50 and then you load the card with however much you want. Each draft is charged by the ounce. The cost per ounce varies by the brand.

We really enjoyed our first visit to Smoke Justis, and it won’t be our last!