Holy Smokes BBQ London — Restaurant in London

I recently visited Holy Smokes BBQ in Bow, London, and if you love authentic, smoky, halal BBQ, this spot is a must-visit. The moment I walked in, the rich aroma of smoked meats set the tone for what turned out to be a flavour-packed meal. We started with Cowboy Wings, which were perfectly crisped and served with a creamy cajun dip—bold, smoky, and addictive. The Chicken Salt Fries were another standout side: golden, crispy, and seasoned just right with that savoury kick only chicken salt can deliver. For mains, the Ol’ Smash Burger was a solid hit—two well-smashed patties with gooey cheese, pickles, and their signature burger sauce in a soft brioche bun. A no-fuss, delicious classic done right. The real showstopper of the night, though, was the 7ish Smoked Short Ribs. These were incredible—fall-off-the-bone tender, deeply flavoured, and clearly smoked with care over hours. If you’re into BBQ, this is the dish you go back for. We also tried the Brisket Loaded Fries, and they did not disappoint. Juicy pieces of brisket were layered over crispy fries and topped with coffee BBQ sauce and pickled red chillies—rich, spicy, and moreish. One dish that didn’t quite hit the mark for me was the Spicy Chicken Burger. It looked good, but the chicken was a little dry and lacked the juiciness and heat you'd expect. That said, it was the only low point in an otherwise excellent meal. Service was friendly and efficient, and the vibe was relaxed with a cool, casual interior. It's clear the team is passionate about BBQ and serious about getting the flavours right. Overall, Holy Smokes BBQ is an East London gem for meat lovers—halal-friendly, full of flavour, and serving up hearty portions that leave you satisfied. I’ll definitely be back (those ribs are calling my...

This place is located in quite an interesting place. It's in this industrial park a few minutes away from the station and there are quite a few BBQ places in this area. Came here on a Saturday at around 7pm. It wasnt busy at all possibly due to the weather, as it had been drizzling all day.

The service was great. Very accommodating and friendly. Our outside table was wiped dry of the rain. The food came out very quickly. Probably took around 5 mins total.

We ordered the smoked short ribs, the smoked brisket bun, and the Cajun fries. I thought it all tasted amazing.

The short ribs had it's meat falling off the bones and I think was cooked bang on. I enjoyed the simple salt and pepper rub as I thought it really highlighted the taste of the meat. It had a nice developed bark. The pickles are much needed and are great at cutting through the richness of the fatty meat.

The birsket bun was great as well. I enjoy the balance of flavours as the brisket paired well with the coffee BBQ sauce. I think it really added to each bite. The birsket itself was tender and juicy. It probably could have been a little juicier but that's where the extra sauces come in to help out.

Chips were solid and crispy.

Overall, I really enjoyed my meal here. It's a nice treat to have and I think the price is appropriate for high quality BBQ meat. It's a little out the way and seems like it would be perfect on a nice sunny day. If you're in the area and want something special you should...

This is so bizarre as the other person below me has had the same experience. It also seems like it happened at the same time. My brother ordered from here & 3 members of our family are currently suffering from extreme food poisoning. My mum is going to A&E now as she won’t stop throwing up & her stomach cramps are severe, I’ve had to take 2 days off sick from work because of severe stomach cramps and diarrohea. The only people in our family who were saved from this are my sisters who don’t like meat & they ordered their own chicken meals elsewhere and they are absolutely fine.

The reason I will say AVOID this establishment is not because of this issue alone but because of their behaviour & lack of manners. When we called up to discuss getting at least a partial refund if not all (we threw 75% of it in the bin) the manager or staff member whom we spoke to was aggressive and LIED that they’ve never had this issue before.

Clearly reading the reviews MANY people have had the same food poisoning. And if you all have a look at the establishment’s responses to some of the negative reviews they are very aggressive, hostile and ill-mannered! Very rude responses. Seems like a toddler is running this place as they can’t seem to take accountability.

It’s ok sometimes to get it wrong in terms of food quality but to be rude to your customers is...