SMOKESTAK — Restaurant in London

This was my first time trying American-style BBQ, and I was not disappointed at all. I completely understand the hype now, and I’ve been thinking about the brisket ever since I dined here.

We came as a group of three to celebrate my birthday. The interior had a very industrial vibe, which was pretty cool. Even though the space seemed small, there was definitely enough room to feel comfortable.

We had an Italian rosé, which I personally didn’t enjoy. It was quite dark and probably just the wrong choice – I wish we’d gone for a red instead. However, that was literally the only thing I could fault.

To start, we had the padrón peppers and the burnt end tacos. Although messy, they were absolutely worth it. The ‘sumacy’ onions cut through the rich, succulent pork so perfectly, and combined with the soft tortilla, it was an excellent start. Then came the crispy ox cheek – cheeky and indulgent! It was just so good, and the anchovy mayo took it to another level. I feel like this restaurant is doing everything right; the use of pickled, umami, and vinegar flavours to balance the fattiness of the dishes is spot on, and they execute it perfectly.

Now, onto the main event. We had two portions of brisket and the sausage, paired with the raw broccoli salad, chips, and a garlic aioli dip that was to die for. The standout was, of course, the meat. The brisket was so melt-in-your-mouth tender that you could barely hold it with a fork – honestly, a spork or spoon might have been more appropriate! It was incredibly flavourful and perfectly balanced. The sausage was out of this world, with just the right level of spice and flavour, complemented by the perfect snap. The raw broccoli salad was a refreshing addition that I really enjoyed, although my friends weren’t as keen – but it was nice to have something fresh to cut through all the meat.

It was a lovely touch to receive a complimentary dessert for my birthday. The staff were fantastic, especially when it came to allergens. One of my friends has a peanut allergy, and they carefully went through the menu, ensuring no cross-contamination, which was much appreciated.

I’ll definitely be returning – it seems like a great place for groups of four or more. At £50 per person for the three of us, it felt decently priced for the quality...

Been looking forward to going here for a long time and was invited to join some friends for dinner. The food, cooked on the flame is amazing. Worth more than 5 stars. Absolutely stunning. Even the veggie options and all the sides. Super tasty, well presented and Decent size portions. The chef clearly understands flavor profiles of rich meaty dishes coupled with acidity of pickles, crunchy nutty textures and just the right amount of sweetness in their glazes.

Personally I'd do away with the paper sheets they serve the food on as they just end up soggy and torn up by the time you're finished eating. ( What is this weird trendy fad in all restaurants these days??? Must be an owners decision as chefs wouldn't openly choose this option )

Desserts were a let down sadly. The cookie sandwich was incredibly sweet and surprisingly dry. More like a shortbread than a cookie. Ice cream scoop just served in a small glass. No effort whatsoever to make them look desirable.

The cocktails were hit and miss too. Rhubarb sours wasn't the greatest and apparently not as good as they usually are.

The service was nothing to write home about. Had to constantly ask for more drinks and for top ups of the water. Also Felt like we were being forced out from the moment we sat down. On a Friday or Saturday when trying to turn tables, I could understand. On a Monday night though, not so much. Being asked if we wanted dessert while we were half way through the main course was the " undesirable, cherry on the cake" for me. Unacceptable service in my opinion.

One waiter even dropped a load of stuff on one of our guests and didn't even apologise properly or clean up the mess. Just acted as if it was a normal thing to throw a load of plates and cutlery around....

The decor was fun. Dark metals and woods in a "steampunk" kind of vibe creating a really nice atmosphere. Bathrooms were querky though did have quite a few drain flies hanging about. Not so ideal.

All being said, I would go back for the food and give the FOH another chance. Perhaps it was just an off night for them. These things happen.

Would I recommend going? Yes. Especially if you love...

Visited Smokestak this evening, stupidly didn't take any photos of the food as thought more would be coming out how wrong I was.... ordered 4 beef brisket, chips, and drinks. Honestly, I was left more in shock with the miniscule amount of food.

The staff we're great, shown to a table, the service was fast, the staff were polite and very professional. A+

The restaurant itself is dark, rustic, edgy, void of colour, no thrills, no nonsense, and straight to the point. I would describe as end of the world apocalypse meets wild west tavern, it does have its own unique charm.

We all ordered the beef brisket, and a tray of food arrived 10-15 mins after. I joked saying this must all be mine 😒 thinking maybe another tray would be coming out? But nope, that was it. 8 pieces of brisket, the first 3 pieces looked somewhat decent, and the remaining 5 gradually got smaller and smaller. As I served myself last, I was left with the toddler size portion that was finished in 2-3 mins, and that was me trying to eat slow.

The taste of the brisket was average, decent smokey taste, quite moist but boring. 2-3 bites into the meat, and you just craved another flavour as a distraction, like if started eating a chunk of gamon the more you eat the more you can't stand it, but that is my opinion I'm sure not everyone will feel the same.

I want to give two stars, but I can't! I wish I had checked google reviews before I arrived and saw the photos of the brisket. I'm going to sound over dramatic lol but the meal just ruined the whole birthday celebrations.

If you're able to afford £40-50 per person and give yourself a variety of different dishes to try/share I think it would be a great experience, but almost £20 for two bits of brisket on a tray, tiny container of mustard sauce to share between 4 people, just left me with a nasty brisket taste in my mouth.

I will say that I declined the discretionary 12.5% service charge. I felt so bad doing it as the staff we're great, but I wasn't willing to pay the extra £11.40 when all of us we're so hungry after, took the bill from £114 down to...