Woodpile BBQ Shack — Restaurant in Clawson

Woodpile is a pretty solid choice for Barbecue in Southeast Michigan.

After having been to some of the BBQ heavy hitters in the area, I had high expectations for Woodpile, as it has rave reviews, and many of my friends go on and on about the quality of the food.

If you weren't actively looking for a good BBQ place, there's a good chance you wouldn't happen to walk into Woodpile. It's not overly conspicuous, and the interior decor really speaks more to a southern hipster theme than a loud BBQ theme. Stopping by the restaurant for dinner on a Saturday, I was certain that we wouldn't be able to find a table at a peak time. However, I was pleasantly surprised! Apparently even with the cult following Woodpile has, it hasn't gotten to the point of popularity where it's impossible to get seating in the restaurant. The parking lot is quite small, so be prepared to do street parking in the area as it fills up.

The restaurant is split into the food counter and a bar/ seating area. There are plenty of items on the menu, but you may find that you're standing in someone's way as you wait at the food counter if you're looking through the menu. Make sure to take a glance at it before heading to the restaurant!

As far as the food itself, Woodpile doesn't disappoint! The meats tasted fantastic and the sides were prepared well. My one (somewhat awkward) complaint was that some of the food I ordered came out a bit cold, but I felt it didn't warrant any complaint, so I let it be. The food quality was good, but it does tend to be on the pricey side for what it is, so be prepared for that!

Overall, I'd recommend Woodpile to a friend, and if you're in the Royal Oak/ Clawson area, it's certainly worth a try! It may not be the best BBQ in Michigan, but there's something great for BBQ lovers here, and it makes for a...

Outstanding!!!

On a whim, I stopped by on a recent Saturday night and was pleasantly surprised. This place reminded me of the Texas BBQ shacks that my family stopped at when we visited family in the Valley. I actually thought Mary may have worked at one of them; what an awesome lady!

Woodpile, didn't appear to be the Hipster locale, it's layout was easy and very comfortable. Once you placed your order, you walked out and was greeted by Mary and your choice of Bourbon, Beer or a cocktail. There was ample seating and also a few picnic tables that were not under the awning.

As for the food, the folks in the City will be very impressed when the Team from Clawson, makes its way Downtown to set up shop. We ordered a sampler plate and as late as it was the food was fresh, tender and very moist. The brisket that came out was tender soft and succulent, just as was the pulled pork. The rib meat fell off the bone and had just the right amount of spices. Sausage and chicken was also very good. You can't go wrong with any of the meats, but the brisket is definitely something to come back for.

The sides we had consisted of macaroni and cheese, cornbread and coleslaw. I suspect, they have folks come in just for the sides; they're that good. Finally at the recommendation of Mary, we topped it off with some bread pudding and bourbon pecan pie ice cream.

The folks at Woodpile have something Great going on! I can't wait to visit with Bubba and the Team when the get downtown. In the meantime, I'll venture up to 14 mile to enjoy BBQ, like it's supposed be made.

P.S.: while I did taste the sauce they have and was fond of the spicy hot; the way the meat is made, sauce is...

A different four letter word besides ‘Wood’ is probably more appropriate here based on our experience. The meat itself was decent, but the sauces and sides were absolutely horrible. The mac and cheese noodles were way overcooked and the cheese sauce itself was bland and gritty. The cornbread was cold and tasted like it was old—reminded me of a cheap Jiffy mix. The sweet potato mash was gross. All of the bbq sauces were brutal.

What was worse, however, was the atmosphere. When we were there on a Friday night, there was a group in the back of the seating area ‘singing’ karaoke. The volume was cranked to 11, none of the participants could even remotely sing but, nonetheless, they continued to make noises into the microphone for upwards of 45 minutes, belting out horrendous renditions of 80s Motown songs and continuously stabbing the horn/whistle/beep sound buttons on the karaoke machine while they consumed food and drinks that they’d brought with them in plastic grocery bags. They even had a smoke machine that they’d activate on occasion that would waft its way over everyone’s food and the general dining area. We couldn’t decide if they were hammered or on drugs, or whether this was a standard attraction at Woodpile or if these customers (?) brought the karaoke machine themselves. In the latter respect, none of the restaurant’s staff said a word to them to get them to stop, but the other customers’ silence and the restaurant’s general emptiness on a Friday night was loud enough.

Certainly has room for improvement, I suppose, but I definitely can’t recommend it or see myself going back...