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I was recommended here by a foodie friend back in Sydney. Anita had visited the day before and it smelt amazing in the restaurant so there was no way I was missing out!
Service is attentive and lovely here. They quickly directed me to an empty table. There were so many mix and match options that I could’ve ordered one of everything but resisted the temptation. I enjoyed the range of small plate options that you could mix up with the larger plates. There is enough choice on there but not too much to be overwhelming.
I ended up ordering Salted Baked Beetroot, Goat Cheese, Hazelnut. This was a revelation of a dish as the textures and flavours they had on this plate was amazing. Soft beetroot served with oozy goat cheese, and crunchy hazelnuts made it a standout. Grilled Flat Bread, Wild Garlic + Parmesan. This was a nice cooked bread slathered with zesty wild garlic and shaving of parmesan. The star of the show was next up with Beef Brisket, Mustard Barbecue being served and the meat was melt in the mouth. Smoked to perfection. Had an accompaniment of Jacket Potato, Mustard Rarebit. This was an absolute treat of a dish. Soft pillowy potato in the middle topped with rarebit is a definite must have!
Finished off with a Sticky Toffee Pudding, Clotted Ice Cream. Shouldn’t have tried to fit in dessert but it was totally worth it. Decadent sticky pudding topped with a scoop of creamy ice cream is a perfect finish to this divine meal.
This is was a gem of a find, only because it has been on my doorstep all this time and I had no idea. I am afraid I am a carnivore and do not partake in eating fads be it serious or for show. It's meat meat meat all the way. And here you are not dissappointed. Different cuts a meat are mostly smoked, but you even get a bit of ceviche thrown in too. If you sit at the bar, you get to enjoy the theatre of cooking which is mesmerizing. Also major plus point is that its dog friendly, as long as said dog is small and sits on your lap of nearby. Not a spot for wandering dogs as its laid out quite tight and fulled up to the rim of diners.
Everything was amazing, every single dish we ordered was full of flavours and the meat are ever so tender, some just melt in your mouth. We wanted something a bit lighter in the mix, so we chose the aubergine and it was such a perfect option. The sauce, the texture and the toppings were absolute perfection
This place was f**** amazing. Being from South Africa, I was concerned that the meat would not measure up, but was blown away by each and every dish. Crispy ox cheek should not be missed. All the dishes we tried were spectacular, even the sides.
Service was prompt, friendly and helpful. Prices were good, even by African standards!
We dined at Smokestak on Sunday and it was our second time here - it was just as brilliant as we remembered. We ordered the crispy ox cheek and the brisket bun with pickled red chilli to start and were blown away by both. The mix of flavours and the tenderness of the meat is outstanding. Don’t pass up the veg dishes either! Another standout was the mushrooms on toast with some brilliant gravy / beef drippings. the salt baked beetroot as the coal roasted aubergine are so unassuming and yet possibly almost better than the meat dishes - which is saying a lot! We had the pork ribs for mains and beef brisket to share - plenty of food to share and so so brilliant.
Very good brisket but overpriced for the size of the portion. Jacket potatoes and veg was also extremely tasty. Overall great food experience in a very nice atmosphere but its a shame that such expensive portions are not enough to fill you up. One can easily eat 3 portions of the brisket...
Even though my WSM 22.5" is still waiting to be used after 4 years, I am lucky enough to still have the opportunity to indulge in smoked delights. Last year it was Meatmaiden and now I have the full London arsenal at my disposal. With the recent sad demise in my opinion of Pitt Cue Co, I've been looking elsewhere.
I am usually sceptical of places like this in london however I was pleasantly surprised! Delicious brisket, so tender that it melts in your mouth. Atmosphere is nice and there's a good vibe. My only complaint would be on the lady at the door who was difficult to deal with.
‘Meat fiends do Smokestak’?!. Which is all the introduction you need really…. This BBQ restaurant smells amazing before you enter and then you try the cocktails and food, I defy you not to love this place!
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It's supremely stylish for a BBQ joint. Black cutlery, elegant matt black dinnerware, staff dressed head to toe in black. Music was hushed and ambient. This was in contrast to the heavy, industrial mismatched furniture.
Service was fantastic. Warm, attentive, knowledgeable about the food, and totally unfazed by how busy and crowded it was. They looked pretty cool in their all black kit, too.
We started off at the bar while we waited for a table. There we had two orders of the baby artichoke from the snacks section of the menu. These had been lightly battered and deep fried with meltingly soft hearts and crispy leaves. Served with homemade paprika spiked mayo. Not exactly a carciofo alla Giudia but in the same spirit.
Afterwards when we got a table, my companion had wild mushroom and beef dripping toast. A very meaty tasting mushrooms on toast. I didn't mind the hint of marmite in the background, but imagine some people would object. Next to arrive was a slaw of celery, fennel, cabbage and onion. Fantastic texture because the veg had been spiralized into very fine ribbons. It was dressed with toasted almond flakes and caraway. Dressing was mostly citrus and sugar, without much oil. A very nice foil for rich BBQ meat.
Last to arrive were the thick pork ribs. Very large meaty slabs. There was a good layer of fat but this could be easily cut away if you don't eat that kind of thing. BBQ sauce had been charred to caramel and was not too sweet. Meat falling off the bone so easy to eat with a knife and fork. No fingers needed. Some lightly pickled cucumber accompanied the ribs.
Drinking tap water, a very filling lunch for two including service was £32. The only caveat is that it's better to order food to share here. The timing of food arrival is somewhat haphazard. One other little complaint. The hooks under the bar had been inserted at the wrong angle, so any coats or handbags you attempt to hang on them fall off.
Saturday night barbecue in Shoreditch is my kinda night out, and where better than the newly-opened Smokestak?. It’s heartwarming to see stars of the street food scene thrive and launch a restaurant of their own. While Smokestak’s branding has always been on point, the food market set-up has its limits, so it was exciting to see what founder David Carter had in mind when given free reign with the menu, design and location.
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The unexpected star was the amazing crispy ox cheek. There is literally no way I can imagine it being any better, and it exceeded all expectations.
The mushroom toast with beef drippings was a savoury was of flavour. Brisket was moist and the layer of fat was smokey and seasoned. I wish the portion size was larger however, it was quite a small serving for the price. The roast carrots and parsnips were my favourite veg side I tried. We also had the short rib but that was very lacking in comparison to the brisket, perhaps the other dishes simply raised the expectations too high.
The place has a very dark rugged vibe but I would have appreciated sensible bathrooms. I really dislike the trend for old style bathroom facilities and appreciate something way more practical. Some of the tables too have extremely rough wooden chairs which will snag on knitwear so be careful.
The food was great enough for me to put up with the other issues and I would highly recommend it as a lunch place. It is maybe not as great a dinner location as the dishes are quite pricey for dainty sized portions.
On the surface, Smokestak seems like the epitome of Shoreditch twittery. The restaurant’s name is barely visible above the door, the lighting is almost non-existent, tuuunes pump out on the stereo and the staff in their all black attire look almost to cool for skool. But, looks are often deceiving.
You would have thought that at my age, I would learn to keep my big mouth shut. I’ve had enough things not go my way in my eating adventures to know the truth of that first hand. The aforementioned sentences’ lack of tangentiality will be shown if you read on. In my quest to quench my hunger for meat, we visited Smokestak. A venue offering the smoker brought right to your table, with the choicest cuts of cow/pig/fish/other usually edible animal served with a minimum of fuss and cost.
It’s tempting to think of Smokestak, a new BBQ and smokehouse in Shoreditch, as being rather late to the game. Haven’t we seen this kind of thing before in London? Didn’t it all start with Pitt Cue all the way back in 2011, who were slow-smoking beef ribs and perfecting bone marrow mash in their little basement shop in Soho after taking the streetfood scene by storm? Or perhaps the real pioneers were Bodean’s, at the time (2002, astonishingly) really the only place you could enjoy such novelties as pulled pork or burnt ends, even if now they’re a sad shadow of their former selves?
The legend has a permanent home. This is big news for foodies across London and England. Smokestak with its legendary beef and pork ribs has opened its first restaurant. As an ever popular of visitors to Dinerama, Street Feast and Hawker House, Smokestak has built a large following and great fan fare.
Smokestak has found a permanent home a stone’s throw away from Shoreditch High Street station. And what a teeth-grindingly on-trend home it is. Minimal signage, an all-black interior darker than a UKIP voter’s soul and counter stools with almost zero foot purchase might look good, but are all woefully impractical. Then there’s the service which can cross interpersonal boundaries in its overbearing chumminess. Asking whether I’m happy with my life is the sort of existential question reserved for second dates, not whether I want still or sparkling.
The menu, more importantly, is a significant evolution of Smokestak’s original street food dishes and moves away from the American Deep South canon with interesting results.
Was recommended by a friend who has been wanting to visit the place since long. I had a booking and was given nice seating as requested while booking. The food was great and the atmosphere of the place was nice as well. The crispy ox cheek is a must have and the sticky toffee pudding is something you should definitely get to have a perfect meal ending.
Overall a wonderful experience!
Great food and awesome to see a fusion working so well. I'll make a call and say it's South American/Korean/North American styles of open fire grilling and Low & Slow Barbecue. Proper wood fire brisket in the middle of London. That's amazing.
All great food but the stand out was the pigs tails. Crispy crunchy with enough soft meat to melt it all together with a sweet Asian sauce. I'll be back and we'll have even more Margaritas next time.
Great meal - shared the short rib, brisket and the pork belly - all were different in their own way but fantastic! Also had the beet root starter as a side for my meal....mouth watering (and I am by no means a beetroot lover)!!
Sticky pudding was also one of the best I have ever had!
great service and fantastic atmosphere - highly recommend
A+++
Amazing food and great atmosphere. Restaurant is very busy so I wouldn’t go there as a large group. I think 2-4 is the ideal number of people.
What we ordered (2 people - shared everything):
- oxcheek - so so good! Flavourful but not overpowering
- brisket bun - our favourite. You have to get this!!
- beef rib - falls off the bone. Really good if you like softer meat with a lot of sauce
- brisket - very well cooked. Smoky.
Server was super friendly and helpful! Overall a really good experience. Not touristy or overhyped at all.
I was planning for a few months to visit that restaurant. I was worth the wait. On Friday, the place was absolutely packed, so I felt smug about booking a table well ahead.
The service was really great. Food was good as well. Maybe not the best brisket in London, but close to. Make sure to get the ox cheeks for starter, those are absolutely fantastic.
After following on instagram, the photos looked amazing. The atmosphere most great. The place was pumping and the smell of BBQ was so inviting. The service provided was good. Our waiter literally sat next to us and joked with us like we were at a family dinner. While the favours were good, our beef rib didn’t fall off bone like other said and was slightly tough. While the brisket burger was juicy and hit the spot.
Also just remember to read the “very small fine print”, and account for the 12.5% service charge.
Great BBQ restaurant serving high quality meat. The brisket was juicy and super tender. The dry aged rib was tasty but a little drier than the brisket. The appetizers were also quite fantastic, we had the crispy fat, the burnt ends and crispy ox cheek. If I have to select one, the crispy ox cheek was the best.
Great service and food. The pigs tails were my absolute favourite. I also loved the kale, aubergine and broccoli. The pork ribs were ok but really overpriced for the amount of meat. The rhubarb pudding was nice but needed more rhubarb. Great service and great cocktails.
This was stunning. Two of us split pulled pork, brisket, chips, slaw and sone sorbet. The meet was good. But the best thing was the slaw, just perfectly balanced. Service charge was added which annoys me but the service was quick and attentive so I would have tipped anyway. Only had space outside on a Tuesday evening so recommend booking.
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.
The food is fabulous. Would strongly recommend anyone to go here if they like meat and bbq. Even the dessert was exceptional
Amazing dinner here yesterday! Brisket was the most tender I've ever had, pork was delicious and fell off the bone. The crispy ox cheek and anchovy mayo dip were fabulous and the feta watermelon salad was refreshing - I just wish it was served a bit colder. Had the chips with the aioli dip, too. Rounded off dinner with the sticky toffee pudding - yum!
Minor things to improve imo:
- I wish they offered more veggie side or salad options; the peppers were sold out yesterday and that was a shame
- Chips were ok but I think potato salad would somehow fit better with the rest and generally the sides could use some more loving and creativity.
- the tables were really close to one another
Just incredible, great staff helping with a difficult allergy that is hard to sort in a BBQ restaurant. Had the brisket pork and flatbread all great dishes. Great cocktail menu and beers on tap. Wish it was closer to my home but also know how quickly my bank account would run dry if it was. Only gripe is tables quite close to one another but if it means more people able to eat the food it's worth it
Yes yes yes! The food was amazing. The best value for money restaurant that I've tried the past 5 years in London. So good taste, so good price. SO RECOMMENDED!! KEEP IT UP! Good job!! Try the ox cheeks and the 30day aged rib 🔝🔝
Great Angus steak.
Wings were amazing
Potato grilled was nice but it has pork in it which I don’t eat.
Staff were nice but could be better
Very noisy
Bathroom were too small and smelled bad.
Pricy.
You should book in advance.
Unbelievably good food. Simply there is no wrong on their menu. The best stake I have had in London.
What a place. It was super busy so make sure you book ahead. Drinks were served very fast and the waiters were all so attentive and positive.
Don't worry about any side salids here save them for tomorrow :). The meat was so moist and tender.
A place to definitely return to.
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Came here as family and ordered a few things:
Ox cheek - delicious! *
Pork bun *
Beef brisket bun
Pulled pork *
Belly pork
Beef ribs
Brisket *
Salad
Chips
The food overall was great, and we all enjoyed it. Just be aware that they put the aioli on the chips so if you’re not a fan maybe ask them to put this on the side. Their brisket is one of the best ones I’ve tasted so far compare to other smoke houses around East London, price is also decent.
I would say the thing that really let them down was the service. For any restaurant that charges service charge they should really train their staff about a service. We waited 10/15 mins to get ANY order, that means no one came round to ask about drinks and we were in front of the waitresses and chefs!
No one had checked once the food came, one of the waitress just continued to look at us and polish and have a chat with other waitresses next to the bar while seeing we were done. I had to call and ask for the table to be cleaned and the bill as we were all pretty frustrated by then.
Food was good, but it may be best to remove the service when not even a decent service was provided and staff are knowingly providing a subpar service.
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