knocked my socks off. barbecue was the last place i thought london would prevail but they proved me dead wrong. i would lay my life on the line for this sticky toffee pudding read more

Smokestak - Pulled Pork - Barbeque Near Me - Shoreditch, XGL

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Standout BBQ destination for smoky flavor lovers! Located in the heart of Shoreditch with an industrial, energetic atmosphere this place is a meat mastery heaven. Great quality at great price, can't beat that. Must haves: slow-smoked brisket, tender, flavorful and perfectly cooked. Literally melts in your mouth. Pulled pork on a bun, so tasty. FRIES! Get the fries. Casual vibes, friendly staff. read more

This place knows how to low and slow. Their brisket was phenomenal (beats some US spots I frequent). I had the pulled pork bun and was enthralled by the spicy green sauce. If you're looking for good food, fun atmosphere, and authentic BBQ.. This is it. Well done. read more

Smokestak - Barbeque Near Me - Shoreditch, XGL

Excellent BBQ meat joint. Not a place for a romantic evening but excellent for hungry people. The beef brisket burgers were particularly good. We shared wings for starters which were pretty good too. Service was brisk and friendly and the dishes were no time at all in coming to us. It was a bit off the beaten track relative to where we were staying but well worth the walk. Recommended. read more

YES! I was a bit skeptical of BBQ in the UK having been to many BBQ places in the southern USA. But gotta stay, it was all delicious. We got maybe four different meats, double order of fries/chips, drinks, it was all really good. I did get a bit confused with what the waitress was saying at times but it is what it is - this was a fun place that everyone should try. (Also, if you're wondering if you're at the front door but not quite sure, you're probably at the right place.) read more

Smokestak - Barbeque Near Me - Shoreditch, XGL

The food was amazing. The waiters were so nice and friendly and the food came quickly. The ambiance was just as expected with a bar around the kitchen and tables filling up the rest of the room. The lower level had kore tables and the bathroom which was nice and clean. I would recommend. read more

So good. Really. Competition bbq quality brisket and pulled pork. With super yummy bbq sauce (ask for extra). Sausage was also excellent and pork belly was good but a bit tough and over sauced. Excellent sticky toffee pudding as well. Super cool vibe and fast, friendly service. Even were excellent over email when I had to change a reservation. Nice kitchen in the dining room setup as well with great outside tables. read more

Solid 4.5 stars! Delicious food and good service. We came in as a large group after a work event. The order was prearranged and all went smoothly. Everything we tried was delicious. The beet salad was excellent, brisket was meltingly perfect and sticky toffee pudding outstanding! Try the Lucky's Syrah/Pinot Noir, goes well with everything! Definitely recommend read more

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Fantastic barbecue (coming from an American) in East London. The atmosphere was crowded and hip. While the food was great, there was also a layer of subtlety and depth you usually don't get in BBQ. Starters were both fantastic: perfectly smoked pastrami and incredible oxtail croquettes. Shared three mains, with the brisket being my favorite. Pork rib had great flavor (one large rib rather than a rack) while the lamb sausage was good but not as mind altering. Red cabbage was red cabbage but the burnt greens were one of the best sides I've had anywhere. read more

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Based on reviews I was really looking forward to Smokestak. The crispy ox cheek with anchovy mayo was delicious and tender, as was the pork belly with pickled cucumber. The smashed cucumber with peanuts and chilli was terrific. The watermelon, heritage tomatoes and feta was pleasant but nothing exceptional at all (the watermelon was a bit soggy). We also ordered the beef brisket with mustard sauce. We were shocked when the person bringing out the brisket alongside the pork belly advised us to eat the brisket first because otherwise "it will be dry" -- not a good portend of what was to come. And she was right. The first bite was passable, but each one after was dry and the meat had a terrible texture, it was almost mealy/ paper like. Needed every drop of the sauces to get it down as it wasn't flavorful either. I can't understand beef brisket being ruined that way. Would stay away from that as it was obvious it wasn't a one-off occurrence because of the server's unsolicited warning. The kitchen definitely needs to change the preparation of the brisket. The sticky toffee pudding was tasty. The room had a lively vibe, but it was uncomfortably warm on a warm evening. The service was very nice, polite, and accommodating. read more

Smokestack rocks! I live in the southeastern US which is known for its barbecue --smokestack measured up with the best of them. Dark and industrial, it's a cool setting and the owners/chefs are all business. By far my favorite restaurant in all of London. Would be an awesome place to see some live music, but now I'm getting greedy. read more

Almost as good as BBQ in the US! brisket was strong B+ rest of dishes were a solid B (all on US scale)... overall didn't blow my socks off but am spoiled with many US BBQs - great for London and occasional visit of hankering for smoked meat :) good service and a causal ambiance (small space and cramped a bit)... read more

amazing food, we had brisket, salad and sitcky toffe pudding. amazong service food was amazing, american style bbq with a uk flair read more

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Stumbled on this place walking around. Feels like they are on the brink of being great but need to make some tweaks to the dish concepts and clean up execution. Coal roasted aubergine, red miso, toasted cashew - 4.5/5. By far their best dish. Re-ordered it. Really nice toasty flavor on the aubergine and some nice pop from the supporting flavors. Brisket bun, pickled red chilli - 3/5. Could have been great but the brisket was dry. Sea bream crudo, grapefruit, pickled ginger, jalapeño - 3/5. Great components but too similar in texture, a crunch would really have elevated the dish. Sticky Toffee with ice cream - 3.5/5. Great dulce de leche type sauce. Decent chocolate cake. Burnt peach old fashioned - 3.5. Totally solid but didn't get any peach flavor. Trout wonton - 3.5/5 Salted caramel ice cream - 3/5. Nice salted flavor on top but got a little redundant and did not finish. Pork and Fennel Sausage - 3/5 read more

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The staff was friendly. We were 5 people sharing and the portion was quite good. My favorite was pork ribs, beetroot and bone marrow. I wouldn't recommend gochujang chicken wings though. I didn't expect much before coming but I had a great time and great foods here. The atmosphere was quite relaxing as well. read more

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Amazing food. We loved it . Very fresh food and testy . Ambiance also good .service also good

Good food but the taste and portion could be better considering the price. Ordered bone marrow, rib, pork belly (and 1 more I cant remember) - the rib was the best. read more

We've been noticing that barbeque is on the rise in London, and we ventured out while staying in Shoreditch to see for ourselves. Our journey landed us here on a pretty chilly night with a bit of a cue since we had no rezzie. It was completely worth the wait. The crispy ox cheeks, charred pork belly, and the 30-day dry rubbed rib were all a smoky, meaty, delectable experience! Top it off with the Sticky Toffee Pudding with clotted ice cream, and you are talking one tasty meal. We will be back for sure!!!! read more

Sure, I'm in Shoreditch. I'm from San Francisco. I'm getting BBQ in a hipster kinda spot. How cliche can I be? I don't care. Judge me all you want. Smokestak is legit. Booked a table for 2, seated promptly, meat platter after platter shows up. All delicious. Had I another few days in London, I would have gone again. read more

Smokestak - Barbeque Near Me - Shoreditch, XGL

This place is great! Pork belly rib, fennel salad, crispy ox cheek and brisket were all delicious! I'm sure everything is. Great vibe and reasonable prices as well! Would definitely recommend and will be back. read more

I'm a HUGE fan. Everything I've had here (except for the baby gem salad, I know.. I should've known) has been exceptional! Three words can be used to describe Smokestak: low and slow. If you come here, you definitely have to get the thick cut pork ribs. WOW. The meat literally falls apart. I'm drooling thinking about it now. These were probably the best ribs I've ever had, and I've had my fair share of ribs. I'd also recommend the brisket and the miso corn on the cob. Service is pretty quick and the ambiance is casual but trendy. This would be good for a small-medium groups and dates. Pro tip: I would avoid sitting at the bar again, as it's pretty cramped and the coat/bag hooks are less than functional. read more

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Food: 3.8/5 Price: 3.5/5 Service: 3.8/5 Environment: 3.8/5 American smokehouse with an artsy hipster upbeat vibe. It is street food barbecue at a restaurant basically. The staff were fairly attentive and friendly. We ordered the following dishes and I would recommend their veg dishes over their meat dishes (even though I am a meat lover). To me, personally, their meat and fish did not wow me enough. They were decent, but didn't have me jumping and craving for more/second visit. Coal roasted aubergine - enjoyed it. A tiny bit salty for my liking, still good enough. Salt baked beetroot, goat cheese, hazelnuts - SO GOOD that I want to recreate it at home. Loved the texture and favour combo Beef brisket - it was a bit pricey for its portion. It was literally two thin layers of briskets, glad I wasn't THAT hungry. The meat was tender and succulent nonetheless, but I had better. Whole cornish mackerel - forgettable All in all, I had a good time, but given there are so many restaurant options in London, I will not pay my second visit in a heartbeat. I am however happy that I have ticked it off my ever growing to-eat list. read more

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Meat fiends do Smokestak. Which is all the introduction you need really.... Smokestak is a BBQ restaurant with an open kitchen and all the large smokers inside. You get a big whiff of smoke just walking outside before you open the door and you walk away smelling very tasty! My friend and I were early for our table, so we waited in the downstairs bar. This isn't really a destination in it's own right, as the bartender told us it was more a waiting room for the tables above... However it felt like a speakeasy or a saloon out of a Western.. all rough cut wood (lots of wood!) and exposed metal fittings, including telephone/bell wires (nice touch!). We sat at the bar and chatted to the bartender (a fine arts student who, fittingly for Shoreditch, dabbles in street art too). Cocktails: Cocktails are focused on the strong stuff: think bourbon, whisky, rum. I tried the Plantation, a rum based cocktail, Tiva went off menu with a dirty martini (vodka = not my fault!!). When David arrived they tried a Burnt Peach Old Fashioned (like a sweet peach ice tea spiked!) and the Penicillin (to be prescribed to cure a lot of things, including colds), whilst I started on a bottle of red wine. Food: "snacks" Our bartender recommended the ox cheeks, so we totally had to go for those, and the waitress recommended the brisket bun, so we had a large one to share between the 3 of us. The recommendations were spot on, the ox cheeks slow cooked and then formed into deep fried balls of goodness. The brisket bun a great introduction to the brisket, with all the juices soaked up into the bun, it's making me drool thinking about it! Mains In addition we tried the pork ribs; the brisket plate; the mushrooms in beef dripping gravy on toast; the beetroot with hazelnuts and goats cheese; the twice cooked jacket potato - welsh rarebit styles; the fennel and citrus salad; the smokey red miso aubergine; the dressed iceberg lettuce (we need some veggies with all the meaty goodness going on). And we were stuffed!! (Note we ordered way too much, 3 plates each should be the limit and we went waay over that in our excitement). The pork ribs were super tasty and falling off the bone, the brisket plate was different cuts to that in the bun (which reminded me more of the American burnt ends), so tasty but also so tender (I really don't know how they do it!). The veggies were good too - I loved the aubergine and the jacket potato was a revelation. They cook them, then scoop the potato out, mix in with cheese and other ingredients for the welsh rarebit taste, then recook. The result is a deliciously moorish filling (like a mashed potato), inside a crispy skin (maybe even deep fried?) The salads were there to add green to the plate, but also to cut through the richness of the other food. The mushrooms were the only dish that didn't do too much for me - not a bad score! Dessert They have 3 desserts, there were 3 of us = we ordered all the desserts to try between us! The salted caramel was so good that I couldn't get a shot before it was half eaten! The plum crumble beautiful and David was so happy with the sticky toffee pudding. Verdict: I am totally coming back here - soo good, both food and drinks!! read more

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The food tastes as good as it smells when you walk through the door!! I ate at Smokestak last night after an event nearby. I hadn't booked, but my friend and I were lucky to get seats on the large communal table. It was really busy, especially for a Sunday evening, which is a good sign! The menu is pretty much different sharing plates. My friend and I chose a selection to share, 3 meat & 3 sides. We started with the Lamb Ribs & Mushrooms on Toast. The flavours were delicious. The lamb was a bit fatty for me, but that is my personal taste. Of course it all adds to the flavour and it tasted amazing, but if you're trying to be "good" maybe go for a less fatty meat. The mushrooms on toast was decent, plenty of toppings and enough to share between two. I was impressed with the starters but unbeknownst to me, The best was yet to come! The main event but sooo good! My friend and I shared the Beef Ribs, Beef Brisket, large jacket potato and spinach. The meat was mouth wateringly delicious. I didn't want it to end!! Smoked perfectly, seasoned perfectly, tender, juicy. The her the idea! When the jacket potato arrived, I didn't think it was for us, but I wanted to know what it was and I wanted it. The potato came topped with cheese and was fluffy and creamy on the inside and the skin crispy on the outside. It was a bit creamy for me (I don't like mashed potato) but once I got past the topping I really enjoyed it. I'm glad we had also ordered the spinach as well, as it was a lovely combo with the meat, potato & spinach. When I go back again, I would probably miss the starters and just have the main meal and possibly add another meat dish. Service was good, staff were really friendly and I can't wait to recommend it to others and return for more meat! The decor is cool; industrial style and very Brooklyn-esque. Be careful what you wear, as the smokey smell does tend to stick around after you leave so the smell might still be on your coat the next day. read more

Proper American style barbecue. The pig jowls were devine. The fennel side dish and the celery sidedish we really well done! I did have some remarks on the brisket and pork ribs being overdone but the taste was still great. Select but good choice of wines. I had the Stellenbosh red wine. read more

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This place was great!! Best barbecue in London. I got the pulled pork sandwich which was one of the best I've ever had. Also got the fries and a house made lemonade. Will be back!! read more

Smokestak - Pulled pork sandwich with fries and lemonade - Barbeque Near Me - Shoreditch, XGL

Very nice BBQ restaurant with exceptional service. The negative side is that prices are pretty high. I had the large brisket bun for £8.5 which wasn't particularly "large". However, the quality of the meat is awesome, it is really like biting butter and it melts in your mouth. They also have some good craft beers at reasonable prices. read more

Smokestak - Barbeque Near Me - Shoreditch, XGL

Great atmosphere, but very packed, booking is a must - also, your jacket WILL smell if you sit inside rather than on the terrace. I thought their meat might be dry, but beef was actually moist and full of flavours, so is the vegetables - very filling portions. Overall very pleasant experience. read more

Smokestak - Smoked beef, aubergine and greens - Barbeque Near Me - Shoreditch, XGL

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I really did not think i would visit the UK and manage to have the best barbecue of my life but it happened. This place was an unexpected surprise that I would highly recommend, be sure to make a reservation and be sure to order the pork belly and the short rib, you will not regret it! read more

Smokestak - Daikon Slaw, an incredible salad, potatoes and short rib - Barbeque Near Me - Shoreditch, XGL

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Delicious!!!!! We popped in for a quick bite before starting the nights activities. The beef brisket sandwich is absolutely delicious, there isn't much more to say about it. The peach old fashioned was the perfect cocktail to wash everything down. This is a must try if you love bbq. read more

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Amazing RIBs and great flavors and its worth it i had my friend there and he likes the meat he will take his brother there next time and am going too hahaha read more

Smokestak - What a good place - Barbeque Near Me - Shoreditch, XGL

Entering the door you get hit by a great smokey hint while the nice people sit you down and take your order. You can see the smoke rings on the meat which is a good sign. The meat is tender and flavourful nice and smokey and melts in your mouth. The only downside was the jacket potatoe which had it's skin just burned, black and painful... but the inside was tasty as hell :) Good staff, good mea selection, the portions are not too big but it's good because you get to sample and share a few with the table and get a better experience. Go and try it out for yourself. read more

Food here is incredible, enjoyed every dish and the cocktails are delicious. Service was fast and friendly! I would highly recommend the pastrami and aubergine, although you can't go wrong with anything on the menu! read more

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Great unique restaurant they know how to take care meat and special small dishes. Vegetables beef with mustard are delicious . Lamb rib was gorgeous . Great place for lunch in shoredich east end London read more

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First time in this place ! The atmosphere is cozy and dynamic ! The food is just amazing ! I didn't expected this, I would recommend the pork ribs ! I will recommend it and go back for sure ! read more

Dear Smokestak, I stumbled upon you following my nose around 11am, the sweet, savory, Smokey aroma traveled a whole block. Entirely too alluring to pass up! I walked around the neighborhood market for an hour waiting for your doors to open~ 100% worth the wait. Your rustic, reclaimed wood and leather interior is on trend but refreshingly unique with the cement walls and studded bar - very immersive. More importantly, though, is your food! Lord! I only sampled a few small plates since we had just eaten at the market, and I felt instant regret not saving myself for your fare! The Crispy ox cheek is one of the richest, crunchiest and juicy little meat cubes I've ever tasted. The Anchovy mayo on the side makes an umami bomb that was so, so intense. So rich I had to balance it out with your charred cabbage salad - the chorizo is listed in a way that makes it seem like an aside to the dish, but goodness if that isn't an item you could list on its own! The cabbage itself was indeed charred nicely for texture and flavor, and the underside still had just enough crunch to satisfy. Thank you very much for such a decadent experience - I'll be back next time I'm on this side of the pond. Lovingly, Dudefromcaliforniawholikeshisbbqmeats read more

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Overall - 4.5* Food - 4.5* Service - 4.5* Venue/ambience - 4* Value - 4.5* This is my second time at Smokestak, after missing the delicious meats last month. It was just as good the second time around. The restaurant has a unique industrial look with exposed wood and metal in dim lighting. We had to order the 2 starters again, ox cheeks which are tender and flavoursome, as well as the fried pig's tail in a sweet and smoky sauce. It definitely tastes better than it sounds. The standout dish has to be their beefy brisket. The most tender meat is paired with barbecue sauce and pickled chilli goes so well together, reminds me of Asian flavours. The beef and pork ribs are fall-off-the-bone goodness. We ordered some vegetable dishes to balance the meat; the smoked aubergine and grilled baby gem with back & walnut gremolata, which were good but takes a back seat to the stars of the table. Dessert was definitely worth saving some stomach room for. The salty caramel ice cream with hazelnut praline was divine, and the sticky toffee pudding with burnt butter ice cream was so moreish. Overall, another very satisfied meal! read more

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The food was well cooked, I meant cooked only... The snacks: pock jowl, beef cheek, padron tempura and pork tail The pock jowl was too oily and only 4 very very thin slides... we are not on diet... thx... The beef cheek was greatly cooked and with very crispy coating, the flavour was great and the meet was so tender! It just melts in the mouth! Fantastic! The padron pepper in tempura, the idea is good but was poorly executed as the tempura coating was so greasy and I normally can have a whole plate... but had one here and complete don't want to go close to that dish... Pork tails were cooked amazingly well! The meat was very tender inside and the grilled outside made the meat crispy outside as well, the BBQ sauce was just right! Could be a bit more smokey would be even better. The mean course: pork ribs, beef brisket, coal grilled aubergine, and a veg... The meat were all executed perfectly! But the sauce were just not right to fit the beautifully cooked meat... really let the meat itself down quite a bit... the sour taste was like having water added in and the BBQ sauce was used in most of the dishes and they are a bit bland... they could just add less water in maybe...... read more

I think I've found the best place to eat in London. It helped that I definitely had the best seat in the house - seat nearest the chef at the bar, watching them work away like beavers. The place is SO COOL it's untrue - check the photos. Very dimly lit, all dark wood and industrial touches. I was lucky to get in as I hadn't reserved but the extremely friendly maitre d' seated me immediately. The drinks menu came and straight away I was drawn to the cocktails - a burnt peach old fashioned now I'm very much a connoisseur and purist when it comes to old fashioned's, but this was absolutely up there with the best I've had. My snack came promptly - as did my main in fairness, approx 1 and a half minutes after finishing my snack - and was fricking delicious. Crunchy outside, soft ox cheek inside, perfectly seasoned, with a frankly ridiculously tasty nutty sauce to accompany. Main was brisket - on recommendation from I think Time Out London - absolute game changer. Easily the best brisket I've had. Tender, juicy, delicious. Melted in the mouth. With a side of celery slaw and almonds which added some fantastic bits and freshness to proceedings. At this point I was fully on the cocktail bus (tm) and went for a spiced plum sour (no point in mixing spirits, right?). Fruitier than the old fashioned but no less delicious, it was a perfect pre (and during) dessert drink. Which brings me on to... Dessert - Sticky. Toffee. Pudding. The three words that, when executed well, bring me the most joy in the world. And this, my friends, was executed to devastating(ly good) effect. Butterscotch sauce (always a winner), dense, flavoursome pudding, and deliciously creamy ice cream. A combo made in heaven. Had a quick chat with David the owner. Only 3 and a half months into this, their first permanent place, genuinely nice guy and wished him well! One downside - everyone else's food that was passed in front of my eyes looked equally delicious as mine and I wanted it all in my mouth. Actually two downsides - my arse went numb from the hard stool. Oh well. Place was absolutely packed - like literally no tables available as I left. Always a good sign, and absolutely for good reason. COME HERE. read more

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Understandably a very popular venue. Expect a fairly long wait, though there's a great little bar downstairs where you can wait for a table. The drinks on offer are really good though the downstairs bar area is quite small so may be a squeeze if a lot of people are waiting. Tables are pretty densely packed in so it is a bit of a squeeze and quite loud at times. A very lively atmosphere and great for groups and small parties too. The food on offer is very tasty, the beef ribs were particularly good and the brisket sliders too. Definitely worth a visit, the food is worth the wait! read more

Smokestak - Beef ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Shoreditch, XGL