Smokey Chooks — Restaurant in Melbourne

Chicken = Amazing Chips = Incredible Service = Below Average

Would have been 5 stars if they knew what service was. I come here often and there is always an issue with my requests (which arent outrageous)

Example: I wanted a whole chicken, cut into quarters and have half then and take the other half home for my partner/the next day. I was told that they would do it this time but next time, they would have to charge extra. Kept mentioning that she needed to keep costs down. What costs? The plate that I return after I’ve dined in? It didn’t make sense. I literally wanted to eat half the chicken there and then take the rest home but this was a problem and couldn’t get an answer why. If they eliminated these little negatives it would be great but Sachin and his wife seem so concerned with making every cent/dollar possible at the expense of service and having repeat customers. All the reviews are accurate from a flavor perspective and there is no charcoal chicken in the area so they have cornered a market but if they just added a little bit more service, friendliness and an accommodating manner it would be 5 stars all the way which is a shame.

I especially like the “what’s for dinner?” Greeting to every customer coming in -...

Smokey Chooks is a top-tier charcoal chicken joint — no frills, no fluff, just seriously good food. It’s a classic get in, get out kind of place, and they do it right.

When I visited, they were busy prepping a heap of catering orders, so there was a limit on chicken per customer and a bit of a wait — but fair enough, I came just as they opened.

The charcoal chicken itself was the highlight — super juicy, moist, and flavourful, with barely any dry spots. The marinade was just right — bold enough to stand out without overpowering the natural flavour of the meat.

The chips were absolutely elite — some of the best I’ve had. Not sure what the seasoning is (tasted like a punchy chicken salt blend), but it was spot on.

Also tried the dim sims, which were surprisingly fresh and way better than what you’d get at your typical hot food bar. The potato scallop/potato bake was also a standout — fresh, not overly sauced, and had a great neutral base that balanced the...

A really tough review to write. The food is exquisite, one of the best and on that basis alone, I recommend everyone try at least once. I cannot fault it in any way.

However, it's important to set expectations accordingly as this is a small family business, not a large chain. Orders are extremely limited, prepare for rejection if you want to order even just one chicken. You can theoretically book an order beforehand but anything substantial makes it unfeasible. For example, ordering 2 chickens in the evening means earliest pick up at 6.40pm. This is not a criticism of the business - cooking charcoal chicken is a time intensive process and they need to manage their inventory carefully to avoid waste. I completely understand but the flip side to this is that unless you are local or are very flexible with your time to work around them, it just...