What an awesome experience with the food and service! YAZ the bartender was really sweet and made the best cocktails! 10/10 would recommend! And get the lemon pepper wings read more

I can't speak to the ambiance of the establishment as I had take out. There was a wait, but not extremely long. The brisket was delicious albeit a little fatty. The BBQ sauce was phenomenal. The baked beans were fine. The Mac and cheese was OK. I would go back and try something different like links and collards. Overall good. read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

Customer service- HORRIBLE. Food is barely just ok... Either way I will not be back. When we walked in, no one greeted us or acknowledged our presence. We stood there for seven minutes before someone finally came over and stood behind the counter, waiting for us to speak first and place our order. There was no greeting, no offer to help, and no basic courtesy such as asking how they could assist us. The lack of acknowledgment made us feel unwelcome from the moment we arrived. Unfortunately, the experience did not improve after we placed our order and sat down to eat. The brisket was cold, dry, and lacked flavor. The sides were also served cold, which made the entire meal disappointing. Additionally, we were provided with only one serving of barbecue sauce for the brisket, which was especially frustrating given how dry the meat was. Basic customer service, properly prepared food, and serving meals at an appropriate temperature should be standard expectations. The combination of the unwelcoming service and poor food quality made this a very disappointing dining experience. I wanted to bring this to your attention because this is not the type of experience customers should have when dining at your establishment. read more

First time visiting Smokin' Woods BBQ on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland. My wife, teenage son, and I drove over from Sausalito to try it out, but unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. The sides were good, although they seemed reheated. The chicken was extremely dry, the ribs were decent, and the brisket was good. The biggest issue was the customer service. On a relatively quiet Saturday around 2 p.m., the woman who appeared to be the host or server seemed more focused on her phone, with AirPods in, than on the customers. There was no greeting when we entered, very little communication when ordering or receiving our food, and no follow-up to see how everything was. I noticed similar behavior toward other customers, including people picking up orders. A simple hello, a warm welcome, and basic attentiveness make a big difference. I've seen many businesses come and go, and hospitality is an important part of building a loyal customer base. We wanted to leave with a reason to recommend this restaurant to friends and family, but the food was inconsistent and the service left us feeling unwelcome. I hope management takes this feedback constructively because local businesses deserve the opportunity to improve. Good brisket, decent ribs, good sides, dry chicken, and disappointing customer service. I wish I could give a more positive review. read more

Good BBQ spots in the SF Bay Area are difficult to find, especially as compared to places like Texas, St Louis, and Charlotte which I've all tried. Smoking Woods offer decent BBQ if you are craving for some smoked meat. Options include BBQ ribs, brisket, chicken, pulled pork, pork spareribs, etc. The meats do have some smoky flavor to them but in general, I found the meat a tad dry. The beef brisket was very dry; the pulled pork was better; and the pork spareribs were in the middle. The BBQ sauces were good and I would recommend the slightly spicy sauce over the original. Prices were reasonable. I was pleasantly surprised with the sides. The Brussel sprouts had a nice char, and mixed vegetables had a nice crunch. The potato salad was also tasty and the potatoes were not overcooked. The Mac and Cheese was OK. Was disappointed they did not offer fries as one of the side options. Smoking Woods has a nice sports bar and is fairly large to entertain groups, have drinks, and enjoy some smoked meats. Service was kind of slow. It was fairly empty when I was there but it still took a decent amount of time for the food to come out. read more

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Excellent BBQ! My first time here as I actually drove down to this area to order some Thai takeout recommend by a friend, and they didn't open until 6! Big mistake on their part, so I looked across the street and decided to try Smokin' Woods. Excellent service from taking the order to serving me a beer while I waited for special brisket and chicken thighs, along with green beans and Mac n cheese. And throwing in a free dinner roll. I was pleasantly surprised as the brisket was super tender , the medium spicy sauce was just the right amount of spice and the chicken thighs had a great smoky flavor. And a dinner roll super soft! I would highly recommend it. read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - BBQ brisket and chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

BBQ is not cheap But you would expect a certain quality Ordered the two combo plate which is about $30 with tip The rib tips were mostly bone or dried out pieces. The beef brisket was tender but lacked the Smokey flavor The Brussels sprouts were crisp but a tad too salty Baked beans were good as was the dinner roll Order was ready early but lacked any utensils or napkins in our to go order read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - Dried out rib tips or mostly bony pieces - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

After work Easter dinner. We finally dined in here. Really good BBQ spot. Glad we came here. Everything looked so yummy when it came. Good flavors from everything. My favorite was the mac & cheese and brussels sprouts. The meats were so tender! Although, I tried a piece of pork link, for some reason, I didn't like it. It seemed too grainy. The ambience was chill, and they have full bar. Nice and spacious. My only complaint is that I was trying to order & the phone rings & the host took the call. What I learned in customer service in my 20 years +, you attend to the customer in front of you first. Phone calls can wait. When she got off the phone, other workers came over and they started talking about what's next in their schedule. Still, I'm over here, waiting to order the rest of the stuff. That what the unprofessional part of things.. Glad we still came here to try. It still earned a star to come back! read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - Great combo Easter 2026 - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

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While I ordered this on Caviar, none of it was good. The pork ribs were tough, undercooked or overcooked not sure just didn't fall off the bone, utterly inedible, more like Chinese spareribs from a take out only hole in the wall. The brisket was undercooked, which I normally find in California. The baked beans tasted like someone dumped a pile of sugar in them, the string beans had a very off flavor and were overcooked as well. The honey bun didn't even taste good - how do you ruin a fricking piece of bread? The only thing that was OK was coleslaw. read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - My plate - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

Ordered on line to pick up - 3 meats combo plate. Beef brisket, beef sausage and 3 pork ribs, collard greens and potato salad sides. The collard greens were very good, potato salad tasted like store bought (pass on this one). The pork rib was fall off the bone decent, the brisket was dry (I was really looking forward to a juicy brisket but that's not what I got), the beef sausage is a pass next time (dry and weirdly chewy). Also you must show ID to pick up your order and sign for it - that's the cost of doing business in Oakland. There must be theft in picking up take out orders, sadly. read more

Happy hour deals are 10/10. Yas is the sweetest bartender ever! James & Yas are in hospitality for a reason! Cheap marg & yummy sliders on happy hour menu for the games. Sound system is amazing. (: read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

I visied Smokin' Woods BBQ, for the very first time on Tuesday, August 4, 2026and unfortunately, it will also be my last. I placed my order at 7:15 p.m. and didn't receive my food until 8:30 p.m. The only reason I finally got it then was because a gentleman who had been working in the back came up front to help and pushed my order along. Waiting over an hour for food when the restaurant wasn't even packed is unacceptable. It was obvious they were severely understaffed. The employee with the red braids who was taking food orders at the bar told me it was only her second day, and there was no manager on duty. From what I could see, there were only two people working in the kitchen, plus the employee who eventually came from the back to help in the front. While they were handling a steady flow of walk-in customers and DoorDash orders, the staffing situation clearly wasn't adequate. What made the experience even more frustrating was that I was dining with a group, and several people who placed their orders after I did received their food well before mine. After waiting for a long time, I was finally told the delay was because I had ordered macaroni and cheese as my side, and there was a 45-minute wait for it. Had someone informed me of that when they realized the delay, I would have gladly chosen a different side. Ironically, they did come back to tell me they had run out of pulled pork and asked me to choose another meat, so they clearly had opportunities to communicate. It makes no sense that they failed to mention the issue with the macaroni and cheese at that same time. Unfortunately, the food itself didn't make up for the wait. It was bland overall. The long awaited Mac and Cheese unfortunately was just okay. The collard greens greens had far too much vinegar, my bbq chicken thighs were dry and my son couldn't even eat his ribs because the meat wasn't cooked long enough--it was so tough that it wouldn't come off the bone. I understand that restaurants have difficult days, but the lack of communication, poor organization, extended wait time, and disappointing food made for a very frustrating first experience. I hope management addresses the staffing and communication issues because no customer should have this kind of experience. read more

Smoking woods has been my go to BBQ spot for years. I never tried the happy hour options and was very pleased with my experience. I went in around 3 on Friday. The music was GREAT! It was like top hits of hip hop & r&b. The restaurant was fairly empty during this time but as time progressed more people came in. The lemon pepper wings were delicious and the flatbread was decent. Adding their spicy bbq sauce to the flatbread took it to the next level. I wanted to get the banana pudding but they were out unfortunately. I can't wait to come back again and try the sliders and Hennessy bbq wings. read more

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Let me say that I have been meaning to come by for so long. Went in to purchase 1 lb of smoked beef brisket to make Texas Twinkies (if you don't know look it up and make them - so good). Not a lot of folks were dining in but seemed like a lot of take out and delivery action. The staff seemed thin and were working their tails off. That said, the wait was about 35 min and it appeared that vegetable items other than cole slaw and brussel sprouts may not have been on offer. The brisket was very good and the smoked flavor definitely came through. The sauce they provided on the side was also excellent. If they could get the orders out a bit more expeditiously I would run not walk back. read more

We pre ordered and PAID as soon as it opened to guarantee our food. We live around 2 hours away from this place and we drove there in the morning to pick it up. But as soon as we parked we were notified that they canceled our whole order! They didn't call us until we got there. They were out of beef ribs! It would make sense if it was later in the day but it was as soon as they opened. Why would the website let us pay for it but not actually be able to get it. The SERVICE WAS SLOW and wasn't willing to give compensation. We had to ask multiple managers to give us some. We finally got a 10% discount, but that is nearly how much we should have gotten. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. I would never want this to happen to others. read more

Tri-tip sandwich had plenty of smokey flavor. The sweet & smokey sauce was thick and bold. Honey butter rolls didn't need a thing and it all washed down with a well balanced blackberry lemonade. The hostess did a great job, I believe her name was 'Nay' . Enjoyable rustic atmosphere with good sounds.. Steve read more

My daughter took me here for Father's Day today. We picked it because they have beef ribs. This big ol' rib did not disappoint! It was the star of the show! We also had tri-tip, brisket, pork ribs, mac & cheese, and coleslaw. Disappointed that they did not have collard greens. Brisket was tender, pork ribs were yummy, and the tri-tip rub was damn good. But that beef rib was amazingly moist and delicious! And almost the size of my forearm!!! I would go back for that beef rib alone! The servers were friendly, especially that bartender. I tried to talk to the owner, but he was busy in the kitchen. Next time, sir. Glad to see you had Uncle Nearest on your Whiskey shelf, too. read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

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This is worth the drive weather you are in your car, biking, scootering, skateboarding or hitch hiking. These folks definitely know their BBQ! Perfect seasonings, great smoky flavor and definitely perfect portions. Good people highly recommend!! read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - Rib Tip Plate with collard greens and Mac and Cheese. Freaking Amazing!!! - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

Loved the space , I'm a huge sports fan and they have plenty of big flat screens to enjoy the games. The service was slow ,but I enjoyed my meal. Wish they offered impossible burgers as an option for pescatarian diners read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - Smoked Salmon, Green Beans, Potato Salad - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

Food is EXCELLENT however, trying to order from them is a nightmare. They always have to close ordering because they get so busy. I tried ordering yesterday and the ordering was closed at about 11:30 a.m. Because of this I ordered a day early (through Uber Eats). I keep getting updates but wanted to call the store to confirm. Glad I did because they didn't have the order and now at noon the ordering is closed for two hours. They should hire a couple of people just for take out orders for an order for four. After this it will be a while before I order again if at all. Update: at 1:00 they cancelled the order I placed at approximately 11:30 am. Second day in a row- you can't pay me to order from here again. Bad services ruins good food. Update two: I called them to express my frustration and sheer disappointment she listen said she would check on it - took my number and said she would call me back within 10 minutes. If I got a call the person reading this got one as well!!! If I wasn't done with them I definitely am now. read more

We went to Smokin Woods BBQ for our team lunch and the food was pretty good. The restaurant was a bit cold (temperature wise) and there wasn't much of a crowd during the lunch rush. We all had to get up to place our order because of an issue with table service. We also had to use plastic utensils which took away from the restaurant feel and our formal dining experience. On the plus side, the bar drinks looked good although we didn't try any; I would in the future. I ordered a 3 meat combo with smoked turkey, brisket, and ribs, greens and brussel sprouts. The ribs were delicious. Definitely give them a try if you're in the mood for good barbecue! read more

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Portion sizes are really small for the price. I ordered a 2 way combo with link, brisket. I literally got 2 slices of brisket and one link, 2 sides and I had to pay for a bun which was hard and dry. My total came up to 40 dollars. The place is great if you want to visit to have a drink and watch the game. read more

I give it two stars only because the atmosphere is great but this place should have one star only. Here's why: food poorly seasoned (greens were sour, mac and cheese was runny), every time I come they are out of big ticket items( tri tip, beef ribs, hot links), bbq sauce is literally just liquid smoke and disgusting, there's no cash accepted and they have children (who have no idea about specials and cannot take drink orders) at the front ordering station. Im desperately waiting for these restaurant owners to put the pride back into the menus and their operations. Would not recommend for food BUT if you want a decent vibe for watching sports in a nice setting this is your place read more

If I can give it - on this wait time I would. What is the purpose IF I asked my order ti be completed by 12:40 and I ordered it at 11:40am. Its 1:07 pm now AND still nothing. Gotta get better with this time and NOT CP time. We at work too! read more

Solid American bbq restaurant! The restaurant serves various bbq meats by the pound or you can get combo plates. I got the Threes A Crowd plate with brisket, beef hot link, and pork ribs with a side of Mac and cheese and potato salad. I also ordered beef ribs separately. The meats were all well seasoned and moist. The restaurant is clean and there is a lot of seating inside. The cashier that took our order could have been a little friendlier and didn't look enthusiastic about her job. The actual cooks and servers on the other hand were very welcoming and friendly. Parking in this area is all street parking. Overall a great restaurant to come if you are ever in Oakland read more

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Great place to eat and watch a game! There is ample seating indoors, outdoors on their patio where they have heat lamps, and in their parklet. There are many TVs inside and one outside as well. They do a great happy hour, currently $5 bites between 3pm-6pm Tuesday-Friday but best to check their instagram for latest updates. During big games it can get pretty crowded and noisy. They often have a DJ and space echos a bit so it's loud! Service was great, friendly and attentive. You order at the register and they will bring your food. For a counter service place, I was pleasantly surprised with how often they checked on us. The food was also very good. I highly recommend the mac n cheese which is creamy and has a baked top. The brisket was incredibly tender. The tri-tip was a bit dry for my preference. I prefer my tri-tip cut thinly and juicy, but it was still tasty. read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - Tri-Tip Plate with mac n cheese and collard greens - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

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First off, I drove all the way from Vallejo to this place and was hoping it wouldn't disappoint. The young lady at the bar, was great! She said she was new, but she did a fantastic job. She suggested the Mac and Cheese which was delicious! I ordered a half pound of brisket and a half pound of ribs. I also got a side of greens, which weren't to my liking, a slice of cake and a lemonade. The cake was a tad bit dry, but for the most part, just ok. The ribs were smoked and tender and so was the brisket. My preference though is the brisket. My son loved it and wants me to go back and get more brisket. I'll see you soon, so don't disappoint read more

Bought the three-way, which is brisket, pork ribs, links , along with two sides, mac & cheese, and the potato salad. The ribs was the highlight but because I save those for last, I ended up, unable to finish the second rib because everything was too salty. I didn't even want the second rib packed to go. It's not worth it. Flavors were all totally on point except maybe the mac & cheese. It was just too salty. read more

Service, Food.....everything!!! I love it here! And the owner engages and listens to his customers. read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - I am here this evening and look at these links!!!! I'm pleased!!! LOL!!! I love it here - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

Stopped here late Friday afternoon. They have a new host--she was very helpful! She recommended the blackberry beverage that was delicious--and it had real whole berries! She helped me with order for the beef brisket to avoid getting too much fatty meat. Decided to dine-in this time. Ordered the same combo. Good slices of brisket, ribs and beef were tender and smoked to perfection, mac n cheese was nice and creamy, and sprouts were delicious too! I sat enjoying my meal, I observed the service. The bar tender is great at keeping all the service flowing efficiently, while cranking out drink orders and still having a good time with customers! I love the casual seating, TVs at every angle with various sports showing, good music rotation that played low enough to still be able to hear conversations! Great vibe throughout!! read more

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Exemplary service- My cousins are visiting from abroad and I sent them to Smokin Woods for some authentic BBQ. They couldn't figure out the parking meter, and I believe the owner went outside with them, helped them with the meter, AND further gave some tips on parking with a rental car. But the food. It exceeded their expectations. They ordered the two's a crowd and were impressed with how delicious it was. They brought home some ribs for me, and we ate them over a course of days. They were delicious as leftovers as well. read more

For starters, the guy at the door, behind the counter, was hardly welcoming. He acted as though he was doing us a favor. You place an order with this fellow and then someone else brings you your meal. The venue was practically empty. I would presume on a weekend night of football it's jamming'. No one ever stopped by to ask us if we needed anything else or was everything alright. We had the pork ribs with sides. The beans were quite good. The Brussel sprouts lackluster and the ribs, while edible, were nothing special and dry so I dipped them in sauce often. My friends actually left ribs behind....and WE all love ribs. Perhaps if you drink alot and are into the game, food is not that big of a deal, but we went for the ribs and the cobbler, which they were out of, and won't be returning. read more

I've been eating at Smokin Woods for years, but what moved me to write this review today is that I really wanted their salmon plate and it wasn't there. As an alternative, I ordered their turkey plate. If this ain't the juiciest and most flavorful turkey I've ever gotten from a BBQ joint than I don't know what is. Love everything about this food! read more

My fourth time ordering from here in a Month. Hands down best BBQ spot in Oakland. The consistency is key for me and the beautiful waitress Dominique was so helpful in fulfilling my order. Thank you and I will be back but I gotta give it sometime before I get burnt out lol. read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - Small Pork Rib Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

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So I still come back & get takeout sometimes on my way home from work. Blackberry lemonade always on point & the food is still good! However today on my two meat combo I only got 2 ribs & one piece of brisket? They used to give more than this. I know cost are high but geeze! read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - Two 2 Meat Combo, ribs & brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

The first time I came to smoking Woods, the brisket was excellent. It was well seasoned juicy and moist and I have gotten other meals from out of there which I've been pretty good but I decided on Sunday, July 5 to go get some more I was pleased at how tender it is, but there was no seasoning no flavor. I don't know what happened. This isn't the first time this has happened before I ordered it before and it was good and then the second time it was not that great. It wasn't well seasoned. I don't know if they have some type of rules to seasoning their meat, but they need to. I am disappointed. read more

The food is always incredible especially with the spicy BBQ sauce and Nae is the sweetest most kindest person and goes above and beyond to make sure you have everything you need or want. My favorite BBQ in Oakland. Way better than that spot in Jack London. Where the bartender kept pressuring me to try foods I was allergic to after telling repeatedly. read more

Chicken and brisket was super dry. Mac and cheese was completely over cooked. Greens and potato salad had no taste AT ALL. This is my last time ordering from them. Ive tried to give chances multiple times because I've had good food from here but im over it. More misses than hits and this my last one. read more

Smokin Woods BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Oakland, California

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We came on a Friday evening and they were super busy I had no idea .. You order outside even for dine in orders after ordering you proceed indoors to find a seat i was flabbergasted& confused because you buy food and may no have a place to sit.. We luckly found seats at the bar. I'm not sure if it's the norm or only because it was a Friday but the wait was about 40 min for small bites Brisket sliders 3/5 the meat qaa very fatty and cheese not completely melted Wings 3/5 were cold when they came out but had an ok flavor Brisket plate 5/5 it had fat piece but the meats flavor was good it tasted smoked.. Mac & cheese wasn't bad but tasted like kfc .. Baked beans 5/5 I'm not a potatoe salads fan but my friend said it was up to par... you can taste the mustard Regarding ambiance it was crowded with few seats. It's a good venue I would try them again read more

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After paying online, you need to provide your state id and proof that you paid. They refused to even check the system to detail if your order is completed sooner. A stark difference from the spot I ordered from online every Sunday throughout Covid. This place in terms of smokiness in the meat and general courtesy went downhill. Why is it hard to get good barbecue in Oakland and not treated like a criminal. read more