Arby's Smokehouse Brisket Review

Published: 30 June 2014

Created: 30 June 2014

Arby's is nothing if not creative.  But lately, their new fast food menu items have been a bit uninspired.  That has changed with the introduction of the new Smokehouse Brisket sandwich.  This is the fast food sandwich that Arby's was meant to sell. 

The sandwich inside the box (marked Special #4) is noteworthy for several reasons.  first, it's sliced brisket, a natural fit for Arby's modus operandi.  Next, it's loaded with stuff that plays well together: smoked Gouda, fried onion strings, mayo on the bottom and bbq sauce on the top. 

My only "beef" with this sandwich is that mayo is completely unnecessary.  If I had known it was there I would've asked them to simply sub more bbq on the heel.  Oh well. 

This sandwich rivals the outstanding Carl's Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger in the meaty, cheesy, onion-ringy, barbequey department.  It's juicy and delicious, with the thinly sliced brisket going down easy. 

Arby's could've cut several corners here and still had a decent offering.  For instance, they could have easily used existing Swiss cheese.  Or they could have used the just-as-available onion rings from their side menu.  But the extra mile is appreciated here.  I can only hope that Special #4 sticks around long enough to earn its own box and its rightful place on Arby's permanent menu.