Entry No. 110 — the Denver file — filed under: bbq
Piggin' Out Smokehouse
From the road it's just a small red house on Morrison, which is exactly why people drive past quality brisket without knowing it. Inside and out back it's all mismatched picnic seating, foosball, and slow-smoked pulled pork, ribs, brisket and house sausage done daily. There's a shady back patio under trees and a recently added indoor room for when the weather turns. It reads like someone's backyard cookout that quietly got very good at the thing.
The story
Morrison Road cuts west toward the foothills, and if you aren't watching your speedometer, you'll drive right past a tiny red house set close to the asphalt at 9987. Look for the roadside sign with flying pigs reading "This way to heaven." Out back sits a heavy steel trailer smoker, streaked bronze from years of wood smoke and pork fat, where the pit crew loads real hardwood early every morning. It reads less like a commercial enterprise and more like someone’s backyard cookout that quietly got very good at the craft.
Inside and across the shaded rear lot, there's zero pretense: mismatched wooden picnic tables under mature trees, a dog-friendly vibe, and a foosball table where low-stakes grudge matches break out over butcher paper trays. When Colorado weather turns cold, an indoor dining room handles the overflow, but the shady patio is the real draw. They smoke pulled pork, ribs, chopped brisket, turkey, hot links, and house sausage fresh daily, paired with unexpected sides like green chile mashed potatoes and kale salad.
While the sign outside promises brisket, neighborhood regulars will tell you to lean heavily into the pork—the full slabs of ribs, slow-pulled pork, and spicy house sausages are where the smoke ring shines brightest. Because everything is smoked daily in limited runs, popular cuts sell out as the afternoon wears on. Order at the counter, claim a table under the trees, and eat before your preferred cut gets erased from the chalkboard.
What it's like
Pulling up to 9987 Morrison Road requires slowing down early—the small red building sits near the shoulder and looks like a residential house until you spot the on-site parking lot. You'll head inside to order walk-up style at the counter, balance a heavy tray of meat and sides out to the back patio, and hunt for an open picnic table under the trees. The patio line moves fast, but weekend crowds can wipe out brisket and ribs by late afternoon, so aim for an early lunch to get first pick of the smoker.
The move: Grab a tray of meat and sides, claim a picnic table on the back patio, and let a foosball grudge match break the ice. Cheap, hands-on, zero pretense — the kind of meal where you end up with sauce on your face and don't care.
📍 Before you go It sits on the south side of Morrison Rd in Lakewood, and the trick is to watch for a small red house rather than any obvious storefront — it's set close to the road and very easy to blow past, so slow down as you approach 9987. There's a parking lot on-site. This is walk-up, order-at-the-counter BBQ with no reservations for regular dining, and like any good smokehouse the popular cuts (brisket especially) can sell out, so come earlier rather than at the tail end of the day. The shaded back patio under the trees is the prize in warmer months, and it's dog-friendly; there's an indoor room when it's cold. Morrison Rd runs west toward Bear Creek Lake Park and the foothills, an easy pairing for a post-meal walk. Hours shift seasonally — check ahead.
- 📍 Lakewood
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoor or outdoor
Where: 9987 Morrison Rd, Lakewood, CO 80227 (small red house, easy to miss; back patio behind the building)
Hours: Listed ~11am-7pm daily; BBQ joints sell out of popular cuts, so go earlier rather than later and call (303) 988-2749 to confirm.
Pair it with
- Morrison Natural History Museum — Follow Morrison Road west toward the foothills to inspect real baby dinosaur footprints inside a storefront-sized museum.
- Rocky Mountain Punk Nature Art & Oddities — Drive three miles north to Wadsworth to trade barbecue grease for pinned-moth domes, taxidermy, and bone jewelry.
- Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls & Toys — Head four miles into Lakewood to browse a quirky, densely packed collection of 20,000 antique miniature objects.
- El Tianguis de Westwood — Drive east along Morrison Road into Westwood to explore an open-air Mexican market packed with micro-vendors.
Good to know
Where is Piggin' Out Smokehouse located and how do I spot it?
It sits at 9987 Morrison Rd on the south side of the street in Lakewood. Look for a small red house set close to the road with a sign featuring flying pigs; it is easy to miss if you are driving fast.
What should I order at Piggin' Out?
They smoke pork ribs, pulled pork, brisket, house sausage, turkey, and hot links daily over hardwood. Regulars strongly recommend ordering the pork cuts and ribs, alongside green chile mashed potatoes.
Do I need reservations, and how does ordering work?
No reservations are taken. It is casual, walk-up counter service where you order your food, take a tray, and find your own seating indoors or out back.
What are the hours and do they sell out?
They generally operate around 11am to 7pm daily (with seasonal shifts), but because meat is smoked daily in batches, popular cuts sell out early. Call (303) 988-2749 to check what's currently on the board.
Is there outdoor seating and are dogs allowed?
Yes, there is a shaded back patio under trees that is dog-friendly, as well as a foosball table and an indoor dining room for cold days.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · Westword · 5280 · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-07