Hickory's - Horbury — Restaurant in Wakefield

Who doesn't love a Smokehouse, and I have been dying to get down to the new one in Horbury since it opened.

Food/drink ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We skipped starters and went straight for Mains. 4 out of 5 of us had the Bird and Beast burger which was actually incredible, the piece of chicken looked small but actually every bite was well balanced with beef, chicken, hashbrown, salad and the amazing burger sauce. The other person had ribs and in summary, you can pull the bones out of the meat with ease and the flavour is like a party in your mouth, unbelievably good! We grabbed onion rings and beans as sides to share and again both were top notch. The sour cream with the onion rings was a nice soothing addition to the whole meal but the amount of flavour in the beans with brisket blew my mind. Then we went for desserts and again the majority hit the Fro-Co which is frozen custard, and really plain and uninteresting to look at but a gorgeous way to end the meal with a really creamy texture and delicate custard flavour, really enjoyed it. Then someone had to get that cookie sandwich. Which is just pure indulgence and whilst a real challenge after a big burger, well worth having a go at.

Worth saying the pale ale is also very good, accompanied the whole meal very well.

Location ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Just a short drive from Wakefield towards Horbury, we found it super simple to find. As you approach the building kind of stands out as somewhere a little different.

Interior ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ It's new but is meant to almost feel a bit worn down. In a strange way I think in 12 months the place will have the character to fit the decor with natural wear and tear but overall what a great atmosphere to dine in

Service ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ So this is where the experience was compromised a little. They were super busy when we arrived so we were late being seated even though we booked, but they made up for this with a free round of drinks (unfortunately we had to remind them of this when the bill came - awkward!). Then they whole evening they were just slow at clearing plates and taking orders. We would have probably had another round of drinks if they had asked. But when they did come they were really friendly so overall they did okay.

Price ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mains around £16-20, desserts between £5-8. Cannot really complain!

Overall ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ So there are a few bits around the service which really do need to be addressed but ultimately the food and atmosphere is just too good not to give this place 5 stars. And I cannot...

Hickory's Smokehouse Horbury

So after three visits I thought I'd share our experience here.

▪️Service - Outstanding! We didn't book a table for any of our visits and each time have been seated within minutes - one occasion after a little tetris was done with bookings to squeeze us in during the busy Easter holidays. All staff and management share the enthusiasm for what they do and it comes across in the customer experience. You are supplied with a bottle of cold water and popcorn within minutes being seated Today we were invited to go see the smoker in action (despite the place being busy) and were given some Hickory wood for our smoker 😁👌🏼Thank you. We can't wait to fire up #bonkabillssmokerzuk

▪️ Food & drinks - Believe me when I say you won't find meat anywhere as tender, juicy or tasty as here!! Every meal we've enjoyed has left us wanting to come back for more. We will eventually work our way through the whole menu. A great kids menu too. They have a great creation station for the kids to top their frozen desserts - this goes down a storm with the ks. Great selection of cocktails, largers, beers, spirits, soft drinks etc.

▪️ Price - I feel this place is fairly priced. The product is worth every penny without a doubt. I know the service charge isn't welcomed by some, but I personally feel reassured that the brand recognise the work that goes into providing the service that is delivered by their employees and this is one of the ways to ensure that level of service is provided. Happy staff will always go that extra mile - it's not rocket science. For those who really don't want to pay it can ask for it to be removed.

▪️Facilities - The place has had a make over, this fits with the American theme. It is inviting, warm and comfortable. The ladies 🚺 are beautiful decorated & spotlessly clean - the husband tells me the gentleman's 🚹 clean toilets (very manly response 😆) They have a cinema for the children - talk about taking child friendly to a whole new level. What an elite move Hickory 👏🏼 🙌🏼. There is also an outdoor play area for the kids, so they are well catered for. There is also ample outdoor dining/seating options for the grown ups too. This isn't your ordinary outdoor experience either; fire pits, water bottles and blankets to keep you warm. Can't wait for a summers afternoon tipple here 🍹

Cannot recommend this...

This was my 3rd visit to Hickorys, on the 2 previous occasions I had ordered the waffle, but this time I wanted something different. My son and daughter-in-law had taken me for a meal for my birthday. I am a straight talking person who will quite readily voice my opinion if something isn't right. On looking at the menu I found there wasn't anything I could order from the starters as there are lots of things I just don't like, so my son ordered their starters as a side dish to accompany their main meal. Again, I had the same problem with the mains, there were just too many things on the mains which I can't eat ie: onions, pickles , peppers etc. So after studying the menu I decided on the pulled pork, it came with pickles but I thought I would just ask for them to be left off, I am allergic to cucumber, ( it makes me violently sick). On trying to order this meal, I was asked what pickles I was allergic to and basically told that this wasn't the meal for me as it was cooked in apple cider vinegar, (I don't have any issues with apple cider vinegar) anyway the waitress then said she would get a tablet and go through the allergies with me. However well intentioned this may have been, I had by now had enough, so I ordered the 3am mac n cheese. That was a mistake. I ordered it with fries which were cold and the chicken on the mac n cheese tasted like it had been cooked in salt. I left at least half of the meal, and as I said I'm a straight talker but I could see the disappointment on my sons face so I kept quiet. The waitress asked me if I wanted a box for my leftover food ( only if I wanted to give it a decent burial). I politely refused. By now, I just wanted to leave , but I was presented with a donut on a birthday board with a firework in and had happy birthday sang to me. If the floor would have opened up I would have gladly crawled in. I hate being the centre of attention. I was now ready to leave as I had a banging headache from the ridiculously loud music. I think its safe to say that that will be my last visit to Hickorys. Disgraceful response...