Roll down the car window anywhere near 16400 S. Golden Road, and the sweet aroma of barbecue will lure you to Tin Star Smokehouse. The perfume of smoldering apple wood and mesquite mixed with smoky pork, beef, and chicken lingers in the air as you order from the shop’s simple chalkboard menu. There are no frills here: just a few bare tables and a handful of barstools pulled up to the window, but the straightforward offerings are all you need.

Chef Paul Schutt (formerly a chef with Work Options for Women), serves an array of saucy sandwiches, mixed plates, wings, and St. Louis or baby back ribs, as well as a couple of specialty sandwiches (apple wood–smoked salmon and burgers with garlic butter). If the kitchen isn’t sold out, don’t miss a plate of the hefty barbecue beef bones, laden with beautifully smoked meat and accented with red pepper honey. All entrées come with your choice of sides, including crispy hushpuppies, housemade chips, campfire beans, and vinegar-based slaw.

Tip: Take home the beef brisket, pulled pork, or pulled chicken, but ask for extra containers of extra smoky or slightly sweet sauces to accent the dry-rubbed meat.

16400 S. Golden Road, Golden, 303-279-0361