To set the stage, we tried this place on a Sunday night when a bird watching group was in town. I can't say for sure that they were involved in this situation, but the store was completely sold out of chicken. Maybe all that bird watching worked up an appetite for bird. We read reviews. We looked at the menu online, then we walked from our hotel to the restaurant, planning to order a tri tip sandwich and chicken nachos, which were advertised as having either fried chicken or pulled chicken options. When we arrived, we were informed that they were out of both pulled chicken and tri tip. Not to fear, I told the clerk that we would have he nachos with friend chicken. Alas, they don't sell fried chicken anymore. I asked her what proteins they DID have. Ribs and pork loin, deli sliced were the only options. I asked if the nachos could be made with pork. They could. We ordered that and ribs. First, the good: the homemade potato chips are excellent. The BBQ sauce isn't bad. Now that we are done with that, down to the reality of the situation. I should have known better. We had been staying in a hotel not a hundred yards away for two days and hadn't smelled any smoke or BBQ. When we got back to our hotel room, we opened the boxes. Plating was attractive. The chips are good. A small side note. There is a gas station near my parents' house (North Fork Minit Mart if you are ever interested in visiting the geographic center of California) that purchases pre-seasoned ribs from Costco and cooks them in a crock pot full of sauce. If you like the ribs at this place, you will LOVE those ones. There was no smoke, no smoke ring, no evidence of BBQ at all. The name of the place is "savory smoke"... but the food is neither savory nor smokey. Thr ribs were tough, flavorless and stringy. Even a little salt would have helped. The rub was strale and "muddy". I'm not one who wants ribs to actually fall off the bone, but these you couldn't even get off the bone. The chips were good. The "nachos" were the chips (which are good), covered in canned cheese, flavorless baked pork loin in this case and onions. The onions and the chips stole the show. The chips are good. Incidentally, there is a bar next door that seemed steadily busy. My recommendation is that "savory smoke" give up the facade that they are in any way a BBQ join, because they simply aren't, knock down the wall to let the bar expand, and simply make chips for the bar patrons. The meat was trash. Thr chips were good. This place should be ashamed of itself. read more

So, normally I avoid BBQ spots like the plague! Reason being (I'm sure we know why) but most are not that good. Dry, overcooked, horribly seasoned & so on. But! Not the case here. Let's start by saying, very friendly owners. Was greeted with a big smile & a friendly "hi, how are you". Very welcoming. Son (assuming) was working the front counter, who is also very friendly & accommodating. Reminds of the type people you would like to have as neighbors. Alright, let's get to the food! Going to keep this short & sweet (which I like doing, being that's what most really want to know). The Pulled Chicken Sandwich is great! It's juicy, not over seasoned, mix of thigh & breast, topped with their BBQ sauce & coleslaw! What more do you want? Exactly, nothing! Perfect just the way it is. Nothing over the top, nor gimmicky. I truly like this pulled chicken sandwich! The Fried Raviolis are also good, nice app to add. Looking forward to trying their Tri-Tip sandwich, hopefully it's as good! All in all: Very friendly service, great food, small menu, comfortable ambiance. Will definitely become among my favorite places here in Morro Bay. read more

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Came here and tried a few dishes. The tri-tip sandwich was really good and definitely the standout. The coleslaw was light and refreshing, and the buffalo cauliflower wings were solid too. I also tried the fried mac and cheese; it was okay, but not my favorite. Overall, if you're into smoked BBQ, this spot is worth checking out. read more

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Great little bbq/ burger dive. Right across the street from our Airbnb. We were walking around and decided to try it. The tritip is phenomenal. I got Onion rings as a side were delicious. The staff is very friendly and made sure our to go order had extra sauces and napkins. Highly recommend. read more

Savory Smoke - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Morro Bay, California

Slow service, and worst of all...when we ordered the lady standing next to the guy taking our order asks him "are these the ribs I had yesterday?" Not that the food needs to be fresh to be good, but I figure they weren't smoking on Sunday...so they were at least a couple days old and they were tough to get off the bone. This is typical of reheated ribs. They had an aged taste to them. Burger and homemade chips were very good. The BBQ sauce was good too! And the tater tots stay crisp for a really long time...super crunchy! read more

This place is great. The food and service were both great. We got the pork loin sandwich with onion rings and loaded tots to share. The portions are good size and the pork loin was so tender and with a nice smoke to it. It was juicy and the roll it was on was soft with a nice crispy toast on the flat top. The onion rings were nice and crispy. They did offer ranch with them but the ranch was a bit bland. It needed a bit of zest to it. The loaded tots were were huge. They were amazing . The service was amazing. We ordered at the register and they brought it out to us and checked up on us. Very friendly and we enjoyed everything. Definitely going back. read more

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It was okay. A little more expensive than I thought it would be considering how little bits of portions were provided. Hard to pick another BBQ place in a small town. I can say that I wouldn't recommend this place unless it's a last resort for food. read more

A new venture in Morro Bay that lived up to its name. Located in Downtown Morro Bay this business has brought a tasty locale for fans of bbq. The seating area offers two-person or multi-seat tables. My buddy and I both ordered the tri-tip sandwich. A pillowy french roll that is grilled and the filled with a good amount of their tri-tip, and dressed with a little bbq sauce. Staff were very friendly, and service was prompt. The only drawback was that they are not yet offering beer or wine. I look forward to my next visit to try their other menu items. read more

Savory Smoke - Tri-tip sandwich with tots - Barbeque Near Me - Morro Bay, California

Escaped the Valley heat for the Morro Bay breeze and ended up at Savory Smoke -- turns out the weather was the best part of the visit. Tried ordering the fried ravioli... they were out. Offered fried mac and cheese instead... also out. Should've taken the hint, but my BBQ craving pushed me on. The ribs came out with no smoke ring, no flavor, and the only "color" came from a mustard-yellow base. The pulled chicken was just as bland -- starting to think they're using an electric smoker, a.k.a. an oven in disguise. The good news? The loaded tots were fantastic -- hot, crispy, and piled high with toppings. Unfortunately, when the best thing at a BBQ joint is the tater tots, that says it all. If you're here to beat the heat, Morro Bay is worth the trip. If you're here for real BBQ... keep driving. read more

Was excited to try the new smoke house in Morro Bay as it has been awhile since we've had good BBQ in town. The spot is basically the same layout as the last place, very limited seating so no good for larger groups but just perfect four a couple of people to sit and watch Main St. Staff was nice and friendly and recommended the fried Ravioli. I'm glad they did, those were absolutely delicious. Ordered the smoked Tri Tip Sandwich and was disappointed. It was smaller than I had hoped, the bread seemed like the stuff you buy at the grocery store and the meat was overcooked and a bit dry. The bbq sauce was good, but not enough to save the sandwich. I definitely want to give them another try since I've heard lots of good things, but getting well done dry tri tip at a bbq place is not a good first impression. The meat had a nice light smokiness to it and seemed lightly seasoned, so it would be great to try when it is fresher. read more

Savory Smoke - Fried Ravioli - Barbeque Near Me - Morro Bay, California

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Decent BBQ shop with good bbq. Small seating arrangement, good price. Food was delivered quick. Recommended if you are in town.

Sat in Legends bar. Must say that this is a beautiful collaboration. Get awesome good and soda at savory smoke and eat and drink at the bar read more

Savory Smoke - Loaded tots. Is huge - Barbeque Near Me - Morro Bay, California

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Tri tip sandwhich is you gotta upgrade the side to tater tots. The sandwhich is thinly sliced but great portion.. And their ribs are great and generous amount also. New mandatory stop on morro bay. "This was not a paid promotion" read more

Savory Smoke - Trip tip sandwhich and tots - Barbeque Near Me - Morro Bay, California

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I would eat these all the time if I lived in the area. The smoked chicken was unbelievably good. The chips are the best homemade chips I've ever had. I want these again just from worrying the review. Great food! Great service! read more

Savory Smoke - The chicken nachos. - Barbeque Near Me - Morro Bay, California

The staff members were genuinely nice to customers and one another. The ribs were good and the onion rings were crispy. Limited seating.

I usually get the Tri Tip sandwich but today I tried the new Crispy Chicken Sandwich with Chips and man that was amazing! The coating on the chicken perfect and the chicken was so tender. Man it's gonna be a hard choice next time everything is so delightful ! Service was amazing ! Always a great friendly family atmosphere. The owners are great they always make us feel welcome. Will definitely be back next time in Morro Bay! read more

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Got the pork loin sandwich. Once I took a bite I realized why it came with almost no bbq sauce. The flavor was so good, the meat didn't need any sauce. Sooooo good. read more

The tri-tip is to die for! We just ate here for the 2nd time this week. The meat is sooo tender and is seasoned to perfection. Oh! The homemade potato chips are awesome too! Everyone who works there is so friendly too. read more

Savory Smoke - Outside - Barbeque Near Me - Morro Bay, California

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We ordered our food. Tri tip sandwich and ribs with onion rings. The employee had to check to see if they had ribs. After we sat at a table, we were told no onion rings were available. The ribs were flavorful but dry, coleslaw needed more sauce. The Tri tip was good but nothing special. Tables were clean but floor was not. It was disconcerting to sit and eat while the employee was sitting at another table putting on her eye makeup. We won't return. read more

Delicious! Our family drove up from southern California and were starving. We found this place as we were driving to our hotel and stopped in. The ribs were cooked deliciously. Their tri tip sandwich was tender and juicy. The flavor of both were absolutely on point. Meant to take photos, but our hunger took over. The owners were the sweetest. Very welcoming place, clean and smells delicious! read more

The owners Sean and Stephanie are absolutely a gift to morro bay and so is their food!!!! I always feel so at home at Savory Smoke and its a regular in my lunch rotation! I love the fried chicken sandwhich, tater tots, and the best onion rings in town! And of course all their specials for holidays are a hit. Last thing stephanie makes the BEST tomato soup i've ever had, its not always on the menu but when it is you must try!! read more

The best onion rings I've ever had - and I've had a lot over the years. Pulled chicken sandwich was great. Staff is super friendly.

I had the personal size BBQ chicken pizza. Enough for two meals. It was delicious. Took it with me. We have a Pizza Port in San Diego and I'm loyal to the brand. Have not had a bad meal. read more

Yelp Review for Savory Smoke PSA: Savory Smoke is a national treasure and must be protected at all costs. I'm telling you, the Tri Tip Sandwich is so ridiculously good I almost started crying into my sweet tea. This isn't just food. It's a culinary hug from a pitmaster who loves you. That 8-inch Tri Tip? Moist. Tender. Flavor so rich it should be paying taxes. I was two bites in and already plotting my return. It's the kind of sandwich that makes you reevaluate your priorities. Like, why have I wasted my time chewing on sad sandwiches when Savory Smoke exists?? Now let's talk onion rings. Carl's Jr and Burger King? Sorry, but you're not even in the same fried zip code. These onion rings are golden-crunchy dreams--so good I offered to write them into my will. Seriously. Guy Fieri would cry-flip his sunglasses. Gordon Ramsay would start a slow clap. And did I mention the DOGS? Sweet, soulful pups hanging out like furry angels, just waiting to bless your day with tail wags and deep eye contact that says, "This sandwich changed my life too." Do yourself a favor. Cancel your plans. Drive, bike, scooter, or moonwalk to Savory Smoke. Your taste buds (and your inner puppy lover) will thank you. read more

Came in on Easter Sunday and picked up some ribs and nachos to go. The food was SO GOOD! Can't wait to try more items. The restaurant was a cute and clean spot with friendly service. Thanks y'all, we'll be back read more

What we ordered: Tri tip sandwich Tri tip nachos St Louis ribs with tots Chicken wings Sandwich was perfect; great seasoning and perfect amount of smoke on the tri tip. Bbq sauce had a nice tang and the toasted roll held up to the massive amount of beef. Nachos seemed to have a homemade queso which was very complimentary to the green onions on top and the bbq sauce. Potato chips were a great twist! Thinly sliced tri tip on top was super generous. Ribs-perfect amount of bite, not too sauced, and perfectly Smokey. Epic tots, too! And the wings.....the seasoning was unique! Maybe some lavender and coriander in the rub, dunked in bbq sauce, dipped in their ranch. Amazing. Don't sleep on this new spot. Killer bbq by the beach in the quaint little town of Morro Bay. We'll definitely be back when we're back in town. read more

Savory Smoke - Wings with ranch. - Barbeque Near Me - Morro Bay, California

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Nice to have a good BBQ spot in Morro Bay.There is seating inside and outside. We ordered the pork ribs and tots to share. Plenty of food and was good quality. We will be back. read more

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We visit Morro Bay twice a year, and over the last few months had been hearing great things about Savory Smoke. , So tonight we gave them a try, and they absolutely lived up to the hype! We started off with the fried ravioli, and it was so tasty! Crispy on the outside, and creamy/cheesy on the inside. The marinara was perfect. My husband and I both had the tri-tip sandwich. The meat was so tender, delicious, and plentiful. The BBQ sauce was thick and not overly sweet, which we both prefer. The sandwich came with a side of their homemade potato chips, and we ended up bringing most of those home to snack on later. The service was excellent, and the staff couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating. They even brought over a small cup of "dog friendly " tri-tip for our pup! Savory Smoke will now be one of our go-to's during our visits, and I wish them much success! read more

I guess you need to call ahead because I showed up for dinner at 6 PM and they said the ribs were still in a box and wouldn't be ready for an hour. That's a first for me at a barbecue joint. read more

Good bbq. Owners were very friendly. Nice little spot to stop and grab a bite. You can eat in or take away. Outside street side is dog friendly. read more

I got the smoked tri tip sando and it was amazing! The bread is nice and thin and lots of meat. Cooked perfectly, good smoke taste. We also had the chicken which was sooo good and juicy. Not dry at all. I'm so grateful this is in morro bay! Please support so we can continue to have a diverse selection of food here! read more

Savory Smoke - Smoked Tri Tip Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Morro Bay, California

Just tried this place out for lunch. I had the tri-tip sandwich minus the aioli sauce and have to say it was very tasty. Smooth, smoky flavor with a splash of their Memphis style bbq sauce, gave it the tangy balance that area of the country is known for. Upgraded the side to onion rings. Nice and crunchy. Portions were very generous and I found the meal filling and satisfying. Got it to go although there are a few tables available if you want to eat there. It's nice to have a great bbq option for a restaurant in Morro Bay. Had the chance to talk with the owners. Super friendly and interesting folks. Will definitely be back again! read more

Tried savory smoke today and it's pretty good! Cute little place I love what they did with it! Fun decor! I tried the fried ravioli and holy shit they are so good!! Also got the southern style chicken nachos, however I didn't receive chicken they gave me tri tip instead.. still good but I wanted chicken. Service was wonderful, fast and friendly! Definitely will be back. read more

Savory Smoke - Southern style nachos. - Barbeque Near Me - Morro Bay, California

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Glad to have BBQ spot in downtown MB. The people running the biz are super nice. The chicken wings are "not" deep fried. Smoked and fried in oil, no breading. The fried chips are just OK. I can bbq tri-tip at home and burgers are burgers. I'd appreciate a little more variety. read more

Savory Smoke had only been open two days when my husband and I walked in. Really, it was the scent of smoked meats that drew us there. What's unique is right next door is the Siren bar where we watched completed orders pass through a connecting window from Savory into the bar!! I ordered the fish tacos - YUM. Smoked albacore (everything is smoked right there) and it's an open kitchen where I watched my food prepared by the owner, Stephanie. Her husband Sean was taking of business and laughing with customers. Truly, it was the best fish taco I've ever had. I can't remember what my husband ate (see pictures) but he gobbled down every bite. read more

Savory Smoke - Best fish tacos ever and...I think a pulled pork? Homemade fries, daily!! - Barbeque Near Me - Morro Bay, California

Ordered delicious tri tip sandwich!!! Sat at the beautiful window and enjoyed our food!! Delicious!!

The food tastes great besides the lady who said that her ribs were cold and hard while waiting for our order. Our tritip sandwiches are always good but recently we've noticed a decline in service. They forgot our tater tots and bbq sauce. After paying extra for the upgrade. And also tipping 20% for a cashier to take our order. In total we spent about 50 dollars for two dry sandwiches but meats great and tender. read more

Savory smoke tastes how it sounds. It's a small little eatery with a limited but delicious savory and smokey food. It's hard to find good BBQ on the Central Coast, so it was nice to find this place. The owners were working the joint at 9 pm and they made sure everything was done and served right. And even though they added tomatoes when we asked to hold them, they came out and acknowledged their mistake without us having to say anything. They made up for it with a free drink and plenty of sauce! And did I mention they're open later than all the other local restaurants! Nothing like being hungry when nothing is open in our sleepy town, well Savory Smoke was! We'll be going back next time we're in Morro Bay. read more

Food is really good. House made bbq sauce awesome. Service fast friendly, I definitely recommend this place.

Craved some local BBQ driving from SD and it was amazing the best friendliest service ever... St. Louis ribs and taters CHEERS