It's often remarked that Kirkwood is like the CrossFit or the veganism of neighborhoods, in that people who live there would like nothing more than to tell you about it. Whereas, no one knows anything about, say, Maryland Heights, including people who live there. Did it always exist, or did it somehow spawn from the ether in the mid '80s? Who cares! Nevertheless, the little plaza in the center of town where this restaurant is located was shockingly empty when I visited yesterday, like New York in that scene in the movie Vanilla Sky. Was it because it was 112 degrees out? We can only hope that this newest Salt + Smoke location doesn't suffer the same fate as so many local restaurants that have been forced to wave bye bye in the past year or so. Inside was similarly empty. If you were to yell, and listen quietly, you'd hear a faint echo, like standing at the entrance to a cave. We were guided to a far corner of the restaurant, to a booth large enough to accommodate four grossly overweight adults, or as many as eight normal people. It's a surprisingly large, nice room. If the prices are the same, and she didn't mind eating barbecue, I'd bring a date here instead of the U. City location, for strategy purposes. Salt + Smoke is kind of a known quantity. The brisket is great, as is the weird bread that comes with it if you get it as a platter. I've gotten it as a sandwich, put enough vinegar-based sauce on it that it coats the meat and soaks into the bun a little bit, and it's as good as anything I've ever eaten, with the caveat that I was a deprived child. They give you the option of lean or fatty cuts, and if you're a guy, the only appropriate choice is the latter. Interestingly, they were out of both (strictly) fatty cuts of brisket and Kansas City-style burnt ends, despite the fact that they didn't have any other guests yesterday, as far as I could tell. I wonder if they just didn't make any, lest they were forced to throw it out at the end of the evening. They probably employ Palantir to ensure that their employees don't try to take it home to feed their children. I actually kinda agree with that. Children shouldn't eat better than I do. Certainly, mine wouldn't. When I was at the U. City location, a few weeks ago, I ordered an off-menu item called the Schmidt's Burger. It was insane. I can't even remember what all came on it, but it was like something Luther Vandross would have come up with if he worked there. This time, I figured I might try their Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger. I've seen these Oklahoma burgers before on social media. They're the ones with a lot of thinly sliced onions, right? Perhaps I was mistaken. The burger I got didn't have any onions. Either they were out or I should have actually read the menu. It came with bacon, natch, white American cheese, thousand island dressing... and that might be it. A single is like $14, or you can get a double for just two dollars more. If you don't have the extra two dollars on you, that's a real bummer. If there's anyone at all outside, you might consider trying to panhandle. Everything on this burger was good, but I wouldn't order it again. With no LTOP or anything, the vibe was more along the lines of a Baconator at Wendy's, but with much higher quality bacon. It might have benefited from the tartness of a ketchup, instead of the thousand island. Or maybe the onions I thought would be on it. In general, I'd say the burgers at Salt + Smoke are good, but not quite on a par with places that specialize in them--which I suppose is to be expected. The fries, on the other hand, are probably as good as any fries you can get. They taste nearly as good as McDonald's fries taste in my imagination. They're cooked in beef tallow, so they won't lower your testosterone. That could be key, if you're going here on a date. My not-so-inner eight-year-old wishes they weren't so big around, but you have to appreciate how sturdy they are. If I'm ever back--if this place lasts another six months--I might have to try the loaded version. read more

Salt + Smoke - Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger, Beef Fat Fries - Barbeque Near Me - Kirkwood, Missouri

Went for lunch here for the first time a few weeks ago only cause we were over there to go to Costco. First off, the barbq was ok. Got the pulled pork sandwich. Very small bun and it reminded me of an appetizer size. More fries than sandwich. They need to take serving lessons from barbq on the east side of the river. In comparison, tons better on east side and you get a decent serving vs St Louis's attempt. Didn't hold a candle to Mr Barbecue in Columbia/waterloo IL or the Beast in Belleville. Secondly, just my wife and myself. They sat us way over by the bar down the hall by the bathrooms. Could smell the bathroom air freshener every time someone opened the door. This place was not crowded. Nobody sitting at tables in bar. Could have made a request to move but after 3 bytes of the sandwich it was gone and I was over this place. Told Manager who was also our server on the table location. He understood and heard it before. In his defense, he didn't sit us there. But never moved us either. Overall the Experience was not worth the price! read more

Salt + Smoke is what I would call a new age BBQ experience. The basics are there, but there are a lot of new creations and combinations. I really enjoyed it. I had the pulled pork sandwich. It comes with coleslaw on it - which I love! (You can get it without.) Four different sauces to choose from - KC style, two levels of hot and a mustard Carolina. The fries were excellent. Crispy and salty. Service was excellent. Did a great job explaining the sauces. Inside was very cool. They had some sort of water leak in the bathroom. But it was clean. And I'm not going to knock a place for dealing with an infrastructure issue that could be awaiting a landlord work order. I'll definitely come back. read more

Salt + Smoke - Pork Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Kirkwood, Missouri

I just so want to love this place, it breaks my heart. The food is outstanding (wings, fries, ribs, hush puppies). The service is uneven and the bar is dirty. We arrived on Friday at 4:30. No one at the bar, but several used glasses, a fork, crumbs and handheld pay computer near where we sat. Wait staff friendly and not too busy, moved the glasses, eventually the computer but the fork, crumbs remained-no wipe down in the 2 hours we were there. They were not particularly busy during a Friday happy hour. Kind of sad. read more

Salt + Smoke - Barbeque Near Me - Kirkwood, Missouri

We ate here recently for dinner. The place was rather spacious and had a good atmosphere - kind of like a sports bar but more casual and comfortable. I had a BBQ pork sandwich and it was good. I liked their choice of sauces at that table that you can put on your BBQ. The people we went with got the burnt ends and they looked amazing. Our waitress was also friendly and accommodating. I look forward to going back here again in the future. read more

We came in just after the dinner rush. Seated immediately. Love the decor. And the subtle sound baffling. Our server checked on us at the perfect intervals. The wings were perfect. Moist, but with a crisp skin. Dry rub seasoning wasn't too strong or too meh. Right in the middle. The ribs were super tender. The Mac? Just as good as I'd heard. Each bite got more addictive. My partner said he wished it was just a bit creamier. He also got a similar plate to mine, but had brisket in place of the wings. He said the brisket wasn't bad, just a little dry. The popovers were meh. We brought them home, to maybe toast up and dip in soup. For cocktails, he had a manhattan and I had the spiced pear sangria. Love! Wish it hadn't been raining, because they've got a great patio. read more

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Ordered for anniversary dinner Sorry I paid way to much for medicore Food. They had 16.00 in fees before ever left the store Rib, s too tough, alot if chewing Chicken dry overcooked. Green beans , some one didn't followed the recipes. No taste I did not get utensils in the receipt I did not get bbq sauce request. Pickles were good. Too much money read more

Stellar service and great food at Salt + Smoke. Nice open seating area so you don't feel like you're on top of other tables. We really enjoyed our food, especially the White Cheddar Cracker Mac. The crackers give the Mac-n-cheese a nice texture. The creamed corn was also a wonderful side, but the beef fat fries, which I got loaded were probably the star of the show. Worth the upcharge! I got the wing plate and my buffalo wings were more of what I would call a sweet chili sauce, but I'm not complaining they were delicious and generously sauced. They were a tad spicy, but not so much that you couldn't eat them. They have GIANT eggy bacon and cheddar popovers that come with the plates. They also have the Lucky brand sodas, which I enjoy. Once again, our server was great and chatted with us, he was very friendly and answered my questions about the menu, unfortunately I didn't get his name. It's also very close to the Magic House, so you can stop by after a day of playing with your kiddos! read more

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We were excited to come for the grand opening, and love that it is walking distance from our house! The interior is nicely decorated with TVs and some music on in the background. Lots of seating inside and out, looking forward to enjoying the patio when it warms up more. We tried a couple of appetizers, including the deviled eggs, fried pickles and hush puppies. All were good, but the hush puppies were our favorite! We tried the walnut old fashioned and the spiced pear sangria, the sangria was out favorite. We sat at the bar and our server (Kelly) was super friendly and helpful. She explained the draft cocktails and helped answer questions to narrow our drink choices. Looking forward to coming again for dinner! read more

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First, the staff is top-notch. They really are great people; kind, warm, helpful. Truly. The rest, forget about it. I ordered a 3 meat plate/portion of all brisket. And I ordered extra fatty. Worst brisket I ever had. No lie. It was tough and stringy and very difficult to pull apart. The fattier parts were ok. But brisket properly smoked/grilled, is supposed to practically melt in your mouth. Not here. I just gave up halfway through and gave the rest to my dog. I feel terrible saying this, but it's no exaggeration. It's clearly not smoked long enough. There's a great place in Chicago called "Bub City" and it's not even primarily a barbecue restaurant, but they always consistently served beautifully cooked brisket every single time. Gotta say, the barbecue beans were tasteless as was the beef served in them. Really, no taste at all. My second side (for a small upcharge...I get it, reasonale) were these psuedo corn fritters. Again, practically tasteless. They served it with a maple cream which seems like a creative way to go, but frankly, I would have been happy with traditional corn bread. The popover that comes with every meal I just threw out. I was loooking forward to trying this place for weeks. I finally was able to get around to it, and my dog ate most of it. No thank you. I hate writing such a negative review, I truly do. But I couldn't find anything to be happy about. Sorry guys. read more

One of my top 3 BBQ places in STL, but this site has a major issue with flies if you sit outside. It was nasty. Not their fault but they had no fly mitigations in place. Maybe wait till it gets a little colder before sitting outside. We sat outside b/c we had a pet. read more

What an amazing experience! My family and I were in town visiting relatives in Kirkwood. We decided to bring in food for the evening and thawed barbecue would be a good choice. My aunt has said she had wanted to try here so we thought takeout would be a good idea. The staff was so friendly and helpful when I got there. After I ordered, I sat at the bar and had around while I waited for my food. The bartenders were super friendly and helpful and giving advice for a choice that I would like based on my preferences. When we got home, the food was excellent. The brisket had such amazing flavor as did the pulled pork. I also could not believe how good the pit-beans with smoked bacon was truly exceptional! The next time we are in town we plan to eat in and get the whole experience. Please support this place! You will not be sorry!!! read more

This is Salt + Smoke's newest location, in Downtown Kirkwood. I tried their South County location months ago, and found it disappointing. We tried again today and stopped in for lunch. Positives first: this is a bright and airy location. It's decorated well, it's spacious and it is clean. The waitress we had, Sierra, was friendly and gave us free refills. Sadly, the host and other people we dealt with were not friendly or personable, so it seems the staff is hit or miss. The food was good, but not spectacular. My Mom got the Pulled Chicken Sandwich, and we both agreed that it was missing something. The Pimento Cheese and Corn Relish that came with it lacked flavor. I got the BLT, and it tasted like something I could have made at home for $5. The Beef Fat Fries were delicious though. Once again, underwhelmed but not fully against Salt + Smoke. I just don't see the appeal, maybe it's just me. read more

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Come hungry! This place is so good, and the Kirkwood location is spacious inside. The outside was busy and the fire pit is a cute touch. You can't miss with the meat here. We both got the bestie combos with ribs and another meat, and all were awesome. Plus the Mac & cheese is probably some of the best I've had - super buttery and creamy. The service was also great. The staff were friendly and they refilled our drinks quickly. The food also comes out quickly. I'll be back! read more

Salt + Smoke - Bestie Combo 2 - Barbeque Near Me - Kirkwood, Missouri

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Walked in on opening night and they already had their ish together. Flawless meal. Appreciate how kid friendly and accommodating they are. Cant wait for warm weather for drinks on the patio. Well done, S + S. Welcome to Kirkwood! read more

Best Brisket sandwich I've ever had I strongly recommend to come here hungry because you're gonna get full really fast, it's a bit greasy, but that's what it is read more

Salt + Smoke - Bar area - Barbeque Near Me - Kirkwood, Missouri

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We came from California to St. Louis today, and after some rest we tried salt+smoke. Real old-school American comfort food--smoky, juicy sandwich, crispy onions, rich baked beans, and a classic burger with fries. Simple, hearty, and so satisfying. Definitely coming back. read more

First time at the Kirkwood location having only been open about a month. Familiar with the other locations at Ballpark Village and U City. Sat outside. Very good service and delish food and drink. Will be back read more

Salt + Smoke - What is left of the ribs beef fat fries pit beans brisket ravioli and Perfect Manhattan - Barbeque Near Me - Kirkwood, Missouri

Excellent service, the STL ribs were amazing and the ambience was warm and inviting. I will definitely be back. read more

Good, pleasant service (from Grace). Food was so-so. Liked the rootbeer. Also shared an order of hushpuppies and a Birria BBQ Quesadilla. The hushpuppies had a strange texture -- VERY spongy. I expected them to be crispy on the outside (and hot!) and light on the inside. Taste was only okay. The brisket was quite a thick cut for a quesadilla-- good flavor but difficult to eat. Au jus was good, but Alabama Ranch was not very good. read more

My parents and I decided to check out the new Salt & Smoke location in Kirkwood this evening. We had a wonderful time. The food was excellent and the drinks were fantastic. I had the pulled pork sandwich which was really good. The walnut old fashioned was amazing it tasted like maple syrup. The service was very friendly and wonderful. The atmosphere of the restaurant was pleasant, warm and inviting. I would definitely recommend and come back. Also put tater tots on the menu for a side. read more

Nice service and a very tasty bacon cheeseburger, not something I usually order, but it was worth the splurge. Kale salad also tasty. We'll definitely return. read more

Service (Stacy) was fabulous- one of the best servers I've ever had. The food was inconsistent. Pulled pork on the sandwich's was mainly fat and the quantity small. Burnt ends were dry. Mac and cheese was very good as were the fries. Popovers were cool to look at but burned on the bottom and lacked flavor. All in all, food could/ should have been better. Maybe the kitchen had a bad night? read more

Starting with the positive, the new restaurant is well decorated and simple which I feel is perfect for the vibe. Our server was kind and attentive. The food was hit and miss and the miss was a big one. The ribs were well cooked and flavorful. The brisket on the other hand was the worst I have ever had. In fact, three of us ordered the brisket and we all agreed. I would go as far as to say it was inedible. The meat was so dry! I have a hard time believing that a bbq place could mess it up this badly but they did. I wish the best for this restaurant, so I hope that they can get the food issues right because if they don't, I don't think it will last. read more

Excellent dry rub ribs. Caesar salad thick Caesar dressing was very good. Unbeatable deviled eggs.

Great, friendly and fast service on a rainy Friday night. Everyone enjoyed their meal. We brought guests from out of town, and they were very impressed. read more

We left feeling disappointed. We were excited to try this restaurant after a local had recommended it. The service could have been better, as the waiter seemed disengaged. The food wasn't terrible, but it was inconsistent--some items were good, others not so much. For what we paid, we expected a better experience. It didn't feel like a worthwhile. read more

Fantastic Salt + Smoke lunch on opening weekend! Th food was delicious as always! The new dining room is gorgeous and comfortable. Lisa and the rest of the staff were very attentive and personable. Will return! read more

Nice space. Greeter was not friendly which was off putting . Our server was. The lunch food was very small portions. Lots of loud staff congregating at the bar as they were not busy. read more