Smokey Joe's Coffee Bar in Cheltenham

Came across this place on a first visit to Cheltenham, attracted by the town's reputation of a popular, thriving and quality place to visit. We had a pleasant enough welcome and found the place had a quirky feel with its eclectic decor. The waitress greeted us and invited us to look at the specials menu. We placed our order and waited. We could see that the menu said that the food wasn't 'fast food' so were prepared to wait. One item was brought out but the waitress couldn't identify what item this was. We eventually figured it out my daughter in law took a bite and discovered the pulled pork was cold. Two 'Sloppy Joes' came next of which the Chilli Con Carne was also cold on both buns. (Not refridgerated kind of cold but allowed to go cold so must have been just left to stand somewhere ) The chips came out which were obviously freshly cooked. We challenged the waitress whether the food was meant to be cold, she took it all away and asked if we wanted it cooking again. Another waitress came over and apologised and offered a complimentary drink. My Son in law asked to see a manager but we were told they were not around. He asked why the chef hadn't checked the heat of the food. The chef turned his back. The waitress apologised again , saying that they had been really busy earlier in the day.....? My son in law's chicken burger eventually arrived but covered with all the dressings that he'd ask to be omitted. The only meal which was satisfactory was my grandson's Mac n Cheese. We were again advised that our replacement food would still take an extra 15 minutes. By this time we decided to cut things out and leave. We paid for the Mac n cheese and drinks and left. We were even offered a 20% discount for a return visit. I'm sorry but I value my health far too much and as we are from the West Midlands, won't be back in Cheltenham any time soon. I have never experienced such shocking service which went from monumentally bad to worse. I really felt sorry for the waitresses who tried hard to make things right which is all it needed to be.

Terrible service, terrible food, do not visit

Went for lunch. Short staffed (only 2 working bar and kitchen on a Friday lunch time) Many groups got turned away 30 mins after sitting down order was take, food was nice. Staff felt rushed due to lack of help.

Love the atmosphere, especially in the back. I can highly recommend the peanut butter and jelly burger - yes, you read that right. It really works!

Great music venue with lots of space and good atmosphere.

Come for a milkshake but not the food. My grandmother cooks better…. £13.50 for a burger where the Pattie was terrible, was meant to come with coleslaw but didn’t and the Mac and cheese… I have no words.

It's pretty chill there. Food and milkshakes are amazing!

Used to be cool, but now staff are miserable, coffee is bad and drinks are overpriced.

It's ok... The decor was cool, the staff was friendly. The burger patties and bun were a bit dry and didn't come with fries. We ordered a large portion of skin on fries and it wasn't American style fries. It was English chunky chips. The food was freshly made. Kids menu was disappointing though. 2 fish fingers isn't enough for my 3 year old let alone my 6 year old. Overall it was okay but I think they should give a couple more fish fingers for the kids

A lovely little diner that served a range of food & fabulous cocktails! We arrived for food around half 7pm on a Saturday evening and we were the only ones in there and therefore not much atmosphere other than some quiet music in the background. The staff were attentive and gave you recommendations too! I'd certainly come back again 👍🏻

Really tasty meaty BBQ Burger and Chicken Burger. Good mix of other customers made it feel like a cool welcoming place! Update: peanut butter jelly burger is amazingly good!

Fantastic 1950's themed cafe/diner- friendly professional staff and great food! A truly hidden gem in Cheltenham

Really delicious food and cocktails, friendly service. Went above and beyond for a query

Food was basic,reggae music made up for it tho,great dj

Fantastic cocktails and setting up for a. Reggae Night so will be returning for the next one later in the year

What a great experience ! After living in Cheltenham for many years, did not even know that this place existed, it used to be an old slot machine arcade many years ago, and naively still thought it was. Interior is so quirky and fun, plenty of things to look at and the American Diner feel is defiantly very present. The service was outstanding, with a server who was very friendly, polite and attentive. We ordered our food and when it came to the table was a great joy to see, plenty of it and was hot. We took our 11 year old grand-daughter and she absolutely loved the whole experience and is already asking when we can go again. To some the prices may seem higher than some places, but be reassured that this is great value for money and we would happily pay these prices again. The staff did a great job. Advice to the management - ADVERTISE MORE - YOU NEED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE MISSING OUT ON 😊

We discovered Smokey Joe's recently and visited for the first time last weekend. We loved everything about the restaurant - the friendliness of the staff, the quality of service, quality/taste of food and of course the retro style ambience. The prices were also reasonable. It was our first visit, but definitely not the last 😊

Seen a video on fb promoting a gig here. What a treat! Brilliant band - Two Ways Home - delicious food and great service. Excellent atmosphere. Quirky interior. Loved it!!!

Smokey Joe's is an American Dinner but they are very polite with the atmosphere, service and quick at doing the food you orded

Gorgeous venue for a birthday; amazing space with great amenities

Great venue tucked away in the middle of town! Would recommend :)

Very disappointing unfortunately. Had been looking forward to taking my kids here - but was left extremely disappointed with the food. On the menu, it says that it’s ‘not fast food as it’s fresh and takes time’ to prepare. I don’t think so. Chilli cheese fries were dry and congealed, truly awful for £7.50. The buns didn’t taste fresh, the burgers dry and salad poor. Chicken goujons dry and chewy. The waitress, although very pleasant, needs to understand not to start clear the table when you’re still eating. When you have 5 Guys burgers around the corner, they need to make more of an effort. I like to support local businesses but this was not a good experience at all. The jazz music in the adjoining room sounded ok and the kids didn’t seem disappointed thankfully. Not worth £68 at all.

Absolutely great night , watched some brilliant comedy acts . Meant to get there earlier for food but didn't. Definitely will be back , such a great atmosphere, oh and really lovely cocktails 🍸

If you're a regular at McScrundles or the Burger Bishop then this establishment is going to shock you to your very core as you will actually be able to remember it and for all the right reasons. On entering it has a charming, slightly retro but eclectic décor with still manages to well evoke the American diner atmosphere. The staff on a Saturday evening were attentive but not pushy and we were served promptly. The choice of food was excellent and what we ordered came quickly; the flavour was outstanding, the memory of it still triggers involuntary salivation! One of the real benefits was that this establishment is licenced, ergo, should one choose, then you can have a beer with your meal, (or even without a meal if that's your wish). The real star of the show for me however, was the "Hard" milkshake; this was a revelation! It was epic! Well done all at Smokey Joe's and if you haven't been there, then you should as your taste buds will love for a long time afterwards!

Came here for the DnD meetup, the service was excellent and the atmosphere amazing -- I recommend the hardshakes, they have very generous portion sizes!

What a great place, great vibe but the burgers, red meat and the chicken one just need an added flavour, or options to add a flavour. The nachos were ok , lacked some cheese, only a vey small amount on there and there was no sour cream available, chips great… will go back and hopefully burgers will be less bland… but loved loved the venue..x

Never knew this place existed. Nice place for a drink and I will be going back to try the food.

I have to say, I am absolutely wowzerred by Smokey Joes. Held my 21st birthday party here and the staff were nothing short of incredible. The atmosphere was just impeccable and everywhere you look there’s something funky to admire. I couldn’t recomend a party here more. They get everything sorted for you so you just arrive and have a ball. 11 stars out of 10 for me. Thankyou Smokey Joes. take my advice and check this spot out. Their food is incred and drinks are top notch too! l

Great alcoholic milkshakes! Eclectic vintage Americana vibe.

Staff were excellent, small music area which was great, had a grand evening, I'll definitely go back

We had a fab stop with the extended family. The kids LOVED their milkshakes and the adults rather enjoyed the cocktails! Loads of fun, thanks

Nice food and decent drinks collection. Service at the bar is a little lackluster. Great atmosphere, with regular events including love music, comedy and swing dance.

An unusual venue which is worth a visit if only for the Americana. Food was alright with good serving sizes but not going to win any awards. Cocktails with special offer were decent. Pricing reasonable and the staff pleasant. Place needs a good clean - good coating of dust and toilets pretty grim, strong smells of chip fat - or, perhaps it's time for a full refurb and relaunch. The monthly comedy event was decent for a local event, MC did a good job trying to liven up the audience.

Sadly we didn't enjoy our experience at Smokey Joe's. We found it too expensive for the quality of ingredients provided. We had a chilli cheese dog, sweet potato fries small side, chicken goujon small side and two children's meals. An adult milkshake, child's milkshake (£2.75 surcharge on kids meal) and an adults soft drink. £47 later we left hungry because we didn't want to eat much of what was presented to us. My daughter was given a chipolata style frankfurter in a cheapy bun with some tasteless chips. My friend's son couldn't get through his chicken goujons due to some of them being dry and hard. My chilli cheese dog was presented in a cheap bun with cheap cheese on. I'm undecided if the chilli on top was homemade or from a can? Perhaps we picked the wrong things. The milkshakes I would recommend but not the food. The floors need cleaning, move the furniture to do the job. It's a shame as the place has a good atmosphere. A more authentic experience needs to be provided.

Nice American diner in middle of Cheltenham, regularly concerts lovely staff

Tiny portions, much smaller than last visit in August, food not great, very disappointed and won't visit again. Gone downhill with food and service.

Excellent food and great service. The decor is fab and really sets the scene! Lovely cocktails and atmosphere too. Would really recommend if you fancy the American diner experience!

Visited for the open mic night, great atmosphere!

Super helpful, lovely atmosphere and great food. Loved the hard shakes and general decor!

Love love love this non commercial diner, been coming here for years and it just keeps getting better.! Unique cocktails, milkshakes. With soft drinks /coffees and other alcoholic drinks available. Yummy dinner food. I had a alcoholic themed milkshake and was given the rest of the drink that didn't fit in the glass as extra for same price. Decorated all over the bar is vintage decor. At the back there are retro arcade games. Some of these are free to play. Friendly staff and great atmosphere 😊

Lovely old style place with proper arcade games in the back.

Set in the 80s you can get the full experience here Food is always amazing Service is great and always quick

What an amazing all-around experience we had here last night, at Smokey Joe's! One thing to note was that it was so quiet in there that we almost had the place to ourselves. We can only pressume this was cause there was so much sports on that day elsewhere. What can I say our service was impeccable, made us feel very welcome. To top things off, the reason we had gone last night was for the free retro games night. Really took us back in time. Even the detail in the decor and the memorabilia throughout the diner, it had real special touch. Just absolutely beautiful experience, we will definitely be back again 😊

Very rude, food cold and definitely will not be back

Lovely American style diner with a good selection of American beverages. The milkshakes were fantastic and the food was really tasty. It is a little pricey, but it was still reasonable value.

We had one of the most tasty burgers and chips here, not to mention the coleslaw salad was so so yummy. The cocktails were spot on and the dessert was super delicious. I wouldn't miss a chance to go back anytime. The atmosphere is cosy and easy-going, almost feels like a gathering between good friends. But the best part of it all, it's the American style pub, something I've only seen in movies and always dreamed to go to one day.

Quirky. Good burgers. Interesting decor. Regular live music.

Loved this place! The decor is so cool! We had really friendly service and great food. The nachos were HUGE! Also enjoyed the chocolate brownie.

This place used to be great, perhaps it still is, but it certainly isn't for breakfast. The arcade is great (although many of the machines are broken). However the breakfast was appalling. The staff are a mixed bag, the guy is very friendly, but the lady who works there wouldn't stop swearing loudly, which my children could hear, as we were sat right next to the staff. The breakfast was terrible. Streaky bacon that wasn't crispy, it was just soft, inedible fat. It was so fatty and undercooked that even after cutting it to small pieces my 4 year old chocked on it to the point staff started calling an ambulance (after being shouted at for someone to do something to help). All dishes came with this disgusting undercooked bacon, which meant hardly anything was touched. When my son recovered from chocking, we paid and left. In short, we paid high prices to watch our son choke on horrendous food and learn some awesome new swear words.

Went here based on previous reviews for a birthday meal, we were left standing at the door for a few minutes ignored by staff, then made to feel unwelcome by one of the guys behind the counter gesturing at the waitress (who was very pleasant) to go and serve us, then proceeded to look very put out we’d ordered food Had a stand up comedy night on, absolutely fine, but everyone was stood around on their phones and basically ignored us, so decided to go elsewhere after we had our mains. The food itself was fine, but given to us on tiny plates so didn’t actually feel like a meal. Shame, the diner looks great and I love a good burger normally.

Smokey Joe's has always been a great venue. The new menu is fantastic and the service was second to none.

Fabulous decor and an outstanding friendly service to match !. The milkshake where amazing the food was nice good value for money two milkshake and two mains 33 quid.

Great venue, great food, although menu is changing so some of the items we wanted weren't available anymore. Will return soon.

Jipwell took me out back and did unspeakabale things

Cracking little pub. Lots to see and great vibe.

A great venue for a Nashville themed birthday party! Stephen was a great help in the lead up and on the night and the event was made even more special with a one night only themed cocktail menu!

Great! We've been before and we'll be back! Good (although not sophisticated) food at very good prices, with cheery service and an enjoyable atmosphere.

A little bit of America good choice of food

Lovely little one off American diner themed restaurant in central Cheltenham. The staff were lovely and welcoming, the atmosphere was lovely and the food was ok. We purchased the Classic cheese burger and the chicken, bacon and avacado burger... both came with a side of chips and salad, however the burger was a little dry and lacking quantity of the additional toppings.

Went here Friday March 3rd for Laura Davis concert, singer was fine, but staff there were very unfriendly, we hadn’t been before, on entering we were just left standing so I approached the counter vying for attention and was ignored, finally someone came but told no food serving now, Even thou I could see them playing someone else’s up, I assumed as a diner we would be able to eat there at 7.15 as there was music there but we were told no, and they were really not bothered to even apologise also no seats to watch the singer, disappointed in this place Had to keep my coat on all night as it was cold there, fire left to go out as the logs were behind the singer :/

Great atmosphere, served nice foods

Stumbled into this place completely randomly while on holiday, ended up being one of the best parts of the trip. Cocktails, burgers, and awesome arcade machines, in a unique venue. I'd visit Cheltenham again just to come here.

Saturday lunch time - quirky diner, pulled pork burger and steak sub amazing, will definitely be back when back in Cheltenham

Went here for some and drinks. All the reviews and the promo material on Facebook said amazing food, great food etc. And all I can say is there must be a some sort of tunnel everyone else went down that led them to another restaurant and we ended up in this place. The food we ate didn't taste of anything, i wouldn't say it was bad or good because I couldn't actually taste it to make that decision. If you blindfolded me and told me to eat it I wouldn't be able to decipher what it was I was eating. All i could think was burger king is over the road i wish i was eating that instead of this. We ended up going somewhere else for dessert. Cool theme but that's the only good thing about it. You're better off forking out and getting some m&s burgers and buns and sticking back to the future on at home. Same effect, better quality.

So dirty. It's a good idea for a fun diner style restaurant but the place is absolutely filthy. The floor looks like it hasn't been cleaned in a long time, dust everywhere, dying plants, stained tables. Unfortunately their coffee is very poor also. We ordered a flat white and received a weak, very milky coffee.

The look and atmosphere was amazing, the food however not so much, they were out of a lot of stuff and what did arrive was underwhelming.

Unpretentious, friendly and helpful staff, and decent food. For our son's birthday breakfast this was a winner. Fab

This is a tucked away, kooky diner that you wouldn't expect to find in Cheltenham. The front is American diner themed, and the back bit has lots of memorabilia and a wood burner. If you loved Stranger Things, the arcade games will delight, and if you like a bit of history the artefacts will be for you. Food is cooked fresh so more expensive than the fast food burgers you'll get across the road. Staff are friendly and helpful. A great alternative to the soulless options nearby.

Such a cute gem! Really lovely staff and really good food but most of all a great atmosphere. Really takes you back to 1950/1960s America, will deffo be back!

So lovely to gig in your place !! Lovely people thank you !!

We went there on Saturday for lunch two adults and our 14 month old daughter. We waited for 15min for the waiter to come to our table to take an order. As our daughter was very hungry we specified for the childrens hot dog to come first before our food is cooked and at that point no one notified us that they are 2 people down and there are massive delays with food even though there were only 10 other people in the restaurant so it’s not like they were massively busy. Our drinks took another 10min (two draught pints) and the food took 45min from the time of order and our daughter’s cold hotdog sausage in a dry roll with nothing else it in came last, it probably took them 1min to prepare it. No one brought us any knifes and forks which we had to get ourselves from the counter and overall it was a bit uncomfortable experience as you could see the cook getting angry every time the order came in which made us feel awkward. We didn’t want to make a scene at the restaurant so after we left we made a complaint straight away. We were told because we ate our food they can’t give us any compensation even though we asked to be met half way after paying £50 bill for it and their response was quite rude calling us impertinence etc. they offered free three meal vouchers which we have declined as we don’t want to go back, it was the worse experience we’ve had with any restaurant.

Wonderful place 😎 Loved the 1950s Retro Americana themed decor. Lovely staff and The Satellites thoroughly enjoyed playing there for Not The Vicar's Tea Party 3 😉

Me and my husband went her for my birthday meal. The food was delicious, the whole diner was so clean and the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. There was a function on in the large room but this only added to the atmosphere and fun. We had hot dogs and theses were top quality, so tasty and cooked fresh. We had a great time and definitely would recommend a visit to anyone. Will be going back for a repeat visit soon!

Found whilst Googling the area. Tucked away from sight but easy to find. Great venue with attentive staff. Service was quick and food cooked to order, not sat waiting ti be eaten. The food was tasty and well presented. All at a reasonable cost. If you want a touch of retro, this is the place to eat.

A cool independent spot with authentic American diner vibes!

Very cool style, but plain basic food that wasn't cheap enough to be worth it even for a casual meal. Synthetic tasting milkshakes, and the Philly cheese steak was like chewing bubble gum. Friendly service, very cool venue, lots to look at and enjoy.

An awesome retro diner, every visit is a step back in time, really cool 50's style with lots of genuine memorabilia, including a working juke box! The staff are always attentive, chatty and friendly. The food is absolutely delicious, you'll have a little longer wait because its all freshly prepared which isn't a problem, as it all comes out perfect. Oh and I highly recommend trying a cheeky, boozy milkshake too 😋

Quirky American style diner, full of memorabilia and Insta opportunity! Had beer and hotdog. Friendly staff, great prices

As happens all too often when I ordered a coffee there were no diabetic sugar substitutes, otherwise an awesome place to wile away an hour, sadly unless the spend a relatively small amount on sweeteners I am unlikely to return.

One of the nicest places to eat.

I used to go to Smokey Joe's in my early teens. It's kept its vintage appeal and brings back so many memories. The staff are fantastic and I love the American themed food. Thank you all

Was in Cheltenham for the first time, as an arcade, pinball, mancave retro stuff enthusiast I found this place online. I’d say very tastefully decorated, even the seats are of the correct colour. The hotdog was great. Pleasant staff. I found everything I wanted to see in jukeboxes, signs, pinball machines (although they were not switched on), old arcade machines and more. Hope to visit again

Fantastic to be back at Smokey Joes, my son is home from Uni and asked for a nostalgic trip here, for brunch n the brilliant arcade games. Food was fab we had a mixture of waffles for the youngest ones and chicken, bacon n avocado burger and a classic dog with fries for us big kids, all washed down by the best milk shakes in town. Really recommend this place the food n shakes are great, staff friendly and if you love all things retro the interior and music is fab, its like space travel to the 1950's once you step through the doors 🍽

The place looks great but unfortunately we were not there to eat they have a small stage at the back for live gigs we had a great evening

A little treasure hidden away just off the High Street. American diner style is great.

Fantastic food and a great atmosphere. The retro arcade machines are great fun for kids and grown ups alike. Try the salted caramel shake!

Was there Saturday for James Maddock gig. Have been a few times before for gigs but never had food until Saturday. We had the bacon cheeseburger & the barbecued pulled pork burger. They were a bit slow coming out but were well worth the wait. Juicy burgers and the barbecued pulled pork was amazing!!! Lovely staff and great atmosphere just wish there were a few more seats available as we ended up on some high swivel bar seats that weren’t very comfortable for me and my arthritic joints. James Maddock was brilliant

Returned to smoky Joe's after a couple of years and the quality of food is just really good. Food and drinks were tasty and 2 for £10 cocktails was a treat! Prompt service and friendly staff! Will be returning more often for sure.

This is a really fun spot with quirky decor. Went with a family group of 4 and were really impressed. Waiting staff all very attentive, quick to take our order and bring drinks/sauces etc. We were particularly impressed with the hot dogs and the nacho bowl (this was huge and delicious!)

Quirky , American type diner, so many things to look at. Staff were lovely. Never been here before , but will definitaly be coming back

I went to a gig there. Two and a half hour train to get there. Stayed in a Hotel nearby, and went in at 4.30pm before the gig, to get somewhere to sit. Had already paid £15 for a ticket with Ticket Source, and checked all tickets had not been sold. I spoke to a member of staff about getting somewhere to sit. I explained I had travelled to get there, and mentioned I was not well I really am not well. No you cannot sit down if you have not booked a table. Tables are all booked. So a bit of an impasse. Then asked if I was eating. How is that possible if all tables are booked ? I left furious. I did go to the gig as Iknew one of the Band. I had a chair in the end. Amazing. During the gig a dubious looking couple came in and sat in the only remaining 'booked' table. No food. No questions from staff. Nothing. Don't go.

A small local American style dinner. Great food, quick and fresh. Cocktails were fab. Not too overly priced.

Nice enough food. Pleasant staff. Fun arcade machines.

Service Friendly staff Drinks speed ok. Food took best part of an hour. They had three tables in but waiter did explain it might be a little slow Food Awful. Breakfast burger bap was fine. My sons kids hot dog was fine. My daughters kids burger was burnt and dry. And half the size of the bun. My New York 'Gourmet' hot dog was nothing short of criminal. £11 for a dry skinny sausage that resembled a Pepperami. In texture, looks and width. The bun was 10 times the size of the sausage, was stale, dry and fell apart. No smoked cheese. Just some diced tomato and gherkin. How on earth is this Gourmet. Turns out the kids hot dog is exactly the same size sausage and fries. Albeit in a nice looking brioche bun. Fries were fine. Overall this was awful. The chef (teenage kid) attempting to cook needs a bloody good lesson in cooking.

Visited as a family on an early Saturday evening - food was brilliant, milkshakes amazing and great service and decor. Can’t wait to return!

Disappointing. Visited the Café today for my daughters birthday lunch and we were very under whelmed. Food was below expected standard, everything felt very cheap- condiments were supermarket own brand. Not what we expected to find in an American diner. Will not be returning.

We went here for our works Xmas do. A last minute change from buffet to served individual food due to the change in covid circumstances. I have been here before and it's a lovely little American diner. I love the 50s era so I was here with the 50s dress and victory rolls in my hair! We hired a silent disco and had a dance floor to ourselves. There's a bar for drinks. And a gaming area with some retro games machines. We didn't use those but the dancing and disco was fab. Sorry if we were drunk and noisy!

Went as a treat with the children and waited a long time firstly for drinks and even longer for food. The service was very poor, despite not having lots of customers we waited 1 hour, 30 mins for food. Some people walked out after waiting over an hour. They were very obviously short staff so we were patient but then the food came and we were left so underwhelmed. Chips were the highlight!!!!! So much potential but so poorly executed.

Fab 50s diner decor, good food at a reasonable price. Good for families at lunchtime. Kids aged 10 and 14 loved the milkshakes.

Lovely nostalgia decor (see photos). Lovely coffee and food. But way too expensive!!! Coffee x2 + Breakfast burger x2 + hash brown x2 = £24.40