There is a barbecue spot in Searcy, Arkansas, that has quietly earned a 4.7-star rating from nearly 700 reviewers, and once you taste the food, you will completely understand why. The smell alone hits you before you even reach the front door, a thick, slow-drifting cloud of hickory smoke that makes your stomach growl on command.
Owner Thurman McCroskey spent over a decade perfecting his craft before opening his own place in 2019, and that experience shows in every single plate that comes out of the kitchen. From fork-tender brisket and fall-off-the-bone ribs to creative burgers, golden catfish, and homemade sauces that span multiple regional barbecue styles, this spot covers an impressive amount of ground.
Whether you are a lifelong barbecue devotee or just someone who appreciates a genuinely good meal at a fair price, This Guy’s Smoke N Grill at 2030 S Benton Ave, Searcy, AR, delivers the kind of experience that keeps people coming back again and again.
A Dream Built on Smoke: The Origin Story
Some restaurants open because someone spotted a business opportunity. This Guy’s Smoke N Grill opened because a man named Thurman McCroskey had a dream he simply refused to let go of.
McCroskey spent more than twelve years working in Searcy’s local food industry, including a long stretch as a cook at the beloved Whistle Stop BBQ and Burger. When health challenges forced the previous owners, Mark and Lorri Petty, to close that location after thirteen successful years, Mark personally encouraged Thurman to carry the culinary torch forward.
McCroskey opened This Guy’s Smoke N Grill in 2019, right in that same familiar spot on South Benton Avenue. He credits his church community, his wife, and his family as the backbone of the restaurant’s early success.
The result is a place that feels less like a business transaction and more like a labor of genuine love, and that warmth comes through in every plate that leaves the kitchen.
The Address, the Atmosphere, and the First Impression
Right at 2030 S Benton Ave, Searcy, AR 72143, you will find a spot that manages to feel both familiar and exciting the moment you arrive. The parking lot is generous, which matters more than you might think, and the restaurant even accommodates tractor-trailers, a practical detail that road-trippers genuinely appreciate.
Inside, Christian music plays softly in the background, and the walls feature cheerful animal art alongside inspirational quotes. The overall vibe is tidy, warm, and relaxed, the kind of place where you immediately feel comfortable settling in for a long, satisfying meal rather than rushing through it.
The staff greets you with the kind of easy friendliness that does not feel rehearsed. Many employees have worked here since their high school years and have become part of the restaurant’s extended family.
That continuity of care shows in how smoothly everything runs, and it sets the tone for the entire dining experience before a single bite of food even arrives.
Brisket That Earns Its Reputation One Slice at a Time
Brisket is the benchmark by which serious barbecue joints get measured, and the smoked brisket here clears that bar with room to spare. The exterior bark is deep and slightly crispy, giving way to meat so tender you can cut it with a fork without applying any real pressure.
Brisket earns 53 mentions in customer reviews, making it the single most talked-about item on the entire menu. That kind of organic enthusiasm is difficult to manufacture.
It comes from a slow, patient smoking process that coaxes maximum flavor from every cut, and from a pitmaster who genuinely understands the difference between meat that is merely cooked and meat that is truly ready.
The aroma of the smoker hits you the moment you step out of your car in the parking lot, and by the time the brisket plate lands on your table, the anticipation has been building for a while. That first bite absolutely delivers on the promise that scent made outside.
Ribs, Pulled Pork, and the Full Smoked-Meat Lineup
Beyond the brisket, the smoked-meat lineup at This Guy’s reads like a checklist of everything a proper Southern barbecue menu should include. Ribs clock in at 51 mentions in reviews, with customers consistently describing them as fall-off-the-bone tender, which is exactly the texture a good rack should achieve after hours in the smoker.
Pulled pork, with 46 mentions, is another crowd favorite. The meat arrives juicy and deeply flavored, carrying enough natural smokiness that sauce becomes a bonus rather than a necessity.
Smoked sausage, pulled chicken, and a smoked half chicken round out the options, ensuring there is a protein for every preference at the table.
The street tacos deserve a special mention here. Three tacos loaded with your choice of pulled pork, pulled chicken, or brisket come in at a price that feels almost too reasonable for the quality you receive.
They have quietly become one of the most recommended items for first-time visitors looking to sample something a little unexpected from a barbecue menu.
The Smoke Stack Burger and the Art of Going Big
Not every barbecue restaurant knows how to build a great burger, but This Guy’s approaches the task with the same serious enthusiasm it brings to the smoker. The Smoke Stack is the showpiece of the burger menu, and it earns every bit of the attention it receives.
A half-pound hand-patted Angus patty serves as the foundation, and then things escalate quickly. Smoked sausage, crispy bacon, pulled pork, and a generous pour of house BBQ sauce get stacked on top, creating something that requires both hands and a little strategic planning to eat.
Some customers order it with a chicken breast instead of the beef patty, and that substitution works beautifully with the smoky toppings.
For those who prefer variety, the menu also features a Mushroom Swiss, a Black and Bleu, and the legendary Cheese Monster. The boldest option is the 8-patty Bacon Cheeseburger challenge, which the restaurant cheerfully offers to anyone confident enough to attempt it.
Plan at least two hours if you go that route.
Golden Catfish and the Fried Wonders of the South
Catfish earns 23 mentions in customer reviews, which tells you something important: this is not a menu item that was added as an afterthought. The catfish at This Guy’s is fried to a perfect golden crisp on the outside while staying tender and flaky inside, the way a well-executed Southern fried catfish should always taste.
Each order comes with hushpuppies, which rack up 17 mentions of their own in reviews and are described with genuine enthusiasm by regulars. The combination of crispy catfish, golden hushpuppies, and seasoned fries on the side creates a plate that feels complete and deeply satisfying without requiring any embellishment.
Panko-breaded fried shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce and crispy chicken tenders round out the fried section of the menu, giving diners plenty of options beyond the smoker. It is a smart move for a restaurant that wants to welcome every member of a family, including those who might not be in the mood for barbecue on a particular afternoon.
Appetizers That Steal the Show Before the Main Event
A great appetizer round sets the mood for everything that follows, and This Guy’s takes that responsibility seriously. The Fried Dill Pickle Chips arrive hand-breaded and golden, delivering a satisfying tangy crunch that pairs well with almost any dipping sauce on the table.
Mac and Cheese Bites offer a creamy, cheesy interior with a hint of jalapeno heat that sneaks up on you pleasantly. The Spicy Cheese Curds are not shy about their heat level either, and the Pick 4 Sampler lets you build your own combination from the appetizer menu, which is a smart option for groups with different preferences.
Fried Green Beans and Fried Green Tomatoes also appear on the starters list, proving that the kitchen applies the same careful technique to vegetables as it does to proteins. One note from experienced visitors: when a menu item is labeled hot, treat that warning with full respect.
The ghost pepper option is genuinely intense, and it is not a bluff.
Homemade Sauces That Span the Barbecue Map
Few things reveal a pitmaster’s true philosophy more clearly than the sauces on the table, and Thurman McCroskey has put real thought into every bottle at This Guy’s. The sauce lineup reads like a tour of American barbecue traditions, covering Memphis, Kansas City Sweet, Texas Bold, North Carolina, and the restaurant’s own House and Smoke N Grill blends.
Each sauce is made in-house, which means the flavors are fresh, intentional, and genuinely distinct from one another rather than variations on a single base recipe. The Carolina sauce pairs naturally with pulled pork, while the Texas Bold works beautifully against the richness of brisket.
The House sauce sits comfortably in the middle, a reliable crowd-pleaser that works on nearly everything.
For visitors who fall hard for a particular blend, the sauces are available in jars to take home. It is one of those small details that turns a meal into a lasting memory, and it gives loyal customers a way to carry a little piece of Searcy back with them wherever they are headed next.
Sides, Salads, and the Surprising Depth of the Menu
Potato salad earns 25 mentions in customer reviews, which is a remarkable number for a side dish and a clear signal that the kitchen does not treat accompaniments as an afterthought. The sides menu covers baked beans, creamy mac and cheese, crisp coleslaw, potato salad, purple hull peas, corn on the cob, fried okra, and onion rings, giving every diner at the table something to get genuinely excited about.
The salad section also holds its own, with options like the Smoke N Salad topped with pulled pork or pulled chicken, and This Guy’s Chef Salad featuring smoked turkey, smoked ham, crumbled bacon, and a hard-boiled egg over fresh greens. These lighter options make the menu accessible to diners who want quality without the full barbecue-plate commitment.
Sandwiches extend the range even further, with choices like This Guy’s Club on toasted Texas toast and a hearty Fried Steak Sandwich rounding out a menu that genuinely surprises first-time visitors with how much ground it covers beyond the smoker.
Desserts, Souvenir Cups, and the Sweet Details That Matter
The Caramel Brownie Splosion is the kind of dessert that makes you forget you were already full. A warm, gooey brownie arrives topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, chocolate drizzle, and a crown of whipped cream, creating a presentation that is genuinely impressive for a casual barbecue restaurant.
Homemade fried pies, which earn 16 mentions in customer reviews, are the other dessert worth planning ahead for. They carry the kind of nostalgic, homemade quality that reminds you why classic Southern baking never goes out of style.
Hand-dipped ice cream and creamy cheesecake round out the sweet options for those who prefer something a little less dramatic but equally satisfying.
One small detail that customers consistently mention with genuine delight: the drinks are served in cups you get to keep as a souvenir. It is a simple, inexpensive gesture, but it lands well every single time.
Little touches like that are what separate a restaurant that feeds you from one that actually takes care of you, and This Guy’s clearly understands the difference.
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