Holy Smoke Central Texas Barbecue — Restaurant in Markham

This is my second time having Holy Smoke. I saw their enticing menu and reasonable pricing on Uber Eats and thought- cool we have a BbQ house in the Yonge/Steeles area! On my first visit, picking up in person, I ordered 1/2 beef brisket and tried their combo for 1 that has a nice helping of their 3 main meat offerings- beef brisket- I got mine moist (just the right amount of fat), turkey slice (tender) and jalapeno cheddar sausage (flavourful). It came with a slice of white Texan bread , onions and crinkle cut pickles. I also ordered their slow cooked beans (warm and smoky) and famous macaroni salad (creamy with just the right bite- a bit of heat and crunchy vegetable bits). I was floored with their Original Holy Smokes BBQ sauce (bold and grillin'...) and Tangy Gold (balanced tangy and sweet). My kids and I really enjoyed it, especially the buttery soft brisket slices and I-know-why-they-call-it famous macaroni salad and we knew we had to have it again, but this time with my husband home and on a special occasion.

I had been eager to order from them since New Year's Eve (they were closed) and tonight I msged the store to make sure they were. Dino, the owner corresponded quickly and we exchanged a friendly conversation, with me placing my order directly with him. I went with 1-1/2 lbs. beef brisket, moist, 1 lb. pork ribs (fall off bone tender with great seasoning), beans, macaroni salad and potato dill salad. He told me he will include some pecan pie slices 🤩 (omg, sooo goood), and generously packed a slice for everyone in my family (and an apple pie slice as he only had 4). It just so happen that my husband's bday is tmrw and this was a prelude celebration dinner! How perfect were the surprise pies!!!

The order was prompt, handed to me by two friendly servers, exclaiming they also put extra bbq sauces and bread, so there's lots to go around. I was happy to try their famous espresso bbq sauce this time (nice and robust), but I also got their 4th- sweet honey bbq in the mix, so now I've tried them all, and they are all good. My fave is the Tangy Gold which is mustard base. Holy Smoke really made our dinner a special one! I look forward to sharing some of the extra sauces with my neighbours who are also bbq lovers!

Currently located in Wimpy's Diner, there is ample parking in the small plaza and it's easy to get to on Yonge. If you love Texan style bbq and all the classic fixins with homemade salads and specialty bbq sauces, you'll enjoy Holy Smoke ... thank you Dino for everything tonight!! My hubs says 👍! We'll see...

Food: 1 Star Value: 1 Star Overall: 1 Star

I recently ordered from Holy Smoke Central Texas Barbecue via Uber Eats, drawn in by a "buy one, get one free" deal that seemed too good to pass up. I was excited, expecting a hearty, flavourful barbecue meal. Unfortunately, my experience was nothing short of disappointing.

To start, the quality of the meats was unacceptable. The ribs were clearly made from old meat—dry, tough, and completely lacking in freshness. They had none of the smoky, fall-off-the-bone tenderness that good barbecue ribs should have. Instead, they were chewy, overcooked, and had an unpleasant aftertaste, making them difficult to eat.

The chicken was even worse. From the first bite, I could tell it had been previously frozen. It had that distinct, unpleasant aftertaste that comes from being stored for too long, with none of the juiciness or rich, smoky flavour you’d expect from a proper Texas-style barbecue.

The disappointment didn’t stop at the meats. The sides, which are supposed to complement and elevate the meal, were equally subpar. The macaroni and cheese was a complete letdown—it was incredibly soggy, almost as if it had been overcooked and left sitting for too long before being served. Instead of a rich, creamy, cheesy texture, it was watery and mushy.

The cornbread was another disaster. Normally, cornbread should be soft, moist, and slightly crumbly with a subtle sweetness. What I received was the complete opposite—it was dry, dense, and rock-hard. It was so tough that it was nearly impossible to bite into, and even after attempting to warm it up to salvage it, it remained inedible.

To say that this meal was disappointing would be an understatement. Barbecue should be comforting, smoky, and rich in flavour, but this was the total opposite—stale, bland, and poorly prepared. It was evident that little to no care was put into the preparation of this food, and it tasted as though it had been sitting around for far too long.

Even with the buy one, get one free deal, this meal was not worth the price. I expected a quality meal and ended up with something that tasted like leftovers from days ago. I will not be ordering from Holy Smoke Central Texas Barbecue again, and I would not recommend it to anyone looking for authentic, well-prepared barbecue.

xx...

Wassup, I am back with the most honest reviews ever known to humanity.

On a Friday evening, my father and I decided it would be a good idea to order something, since my mother was out with my younger sister, and there was no way we were going to come anywhere near the oven.

I treated myself to some pulled pork, since I am the biggest fan of pulled pork. And my dad took some ribs with pulled pork as well. I was so excited while waiting, like "oh hell yeah, I love pulled pork." I was so disappointed after it came. I stopped playing my Roblox game with my friends to get some food. I even risked my life for it(on Roblox, we played a super scary game, alright).

I grabbed my food from the kitchen and headed back upstairs to eat. I took a bite and realized that it was dry. I decided to go all the way downstairs to grab some BBQ sauce I added to my order. Oh, how I wish I had never added that. I add it, mix it, and finally take a bite. What in the holy mother of Mary is that? That sauce ruined my poor pulled pork even more than it already was. It has an extra unnecessary taste, and it burns my mouth.

I did not get to enjoy my pulled pork at all. My dogs did, though! Make sure to...