Salt + Smoke — Restaurant in Concord

We recently visited your new South County location on Rusty Road. While the service at the bar was quick and attentive and management made a point to welcome us and thank us for coming, the food unfortunately fell far short of expectations.

Our friendly and professional bartender took our order, and within seconds, a food runner was already placing the dishes in front of us. Initially, we assumed it was a mistake—it wasn’t. While fast service is appreciated, receiving food less than a minute after ordering raises serious concerns about freshness and preparation. The deviled eggs tasted distinctly of refrigeration, literally, and the chicken skins were black, cold, and rubbery, and tasted overwhelmingly burnt. We were unable to finish the meal, as it was simply inedible.

Regrettably, this is not our first underwhelming experience with the brand at other locations. Given Salt + Smoke’s strong reputation in the St. Louis market, we find it difficult to understand how the food quality continues to fall short.

We tipped and paid our bill respectfully, but felt compelled to share this feedback in hopes that culinary leadership takes a closer look at execution standards. Guests expect and deserve food that reflects the pride and popularity of the brand—not dishes that feel rushed, poorly prepared, and served to the public at a...

I was not the person ordering the food, my father in law and wife ordered a big meal. The meat is pretty good. The macaroni was good and the beans. The potato salad and Cole slaw are horrible. Get you some southern black friends to make your potato salad and cole slaw and hush puppies. Y’all are getting away from the fundamentals and getting too creative. The deviled eggs were good. You need yellow gold potatoes or Yukon potatoes for your potato salad. The consistency for your deviled eggs needs to be what you have for the potato salad, smooth. I don’t mean mushy potatoes but let them potatoes cook longer make your potato salad and let it sit up for a day. You don’t need cheese. I will give you my grandmother’s potato salad recipe if it will help. Take a trip to North Carolina do more research. Creamy coleslaw not science experiment coleslaw. Hush puppies are way too big and sporadic keep it uniform and classic. Less is more. I’ve got the South Carolina mustard sauce and that’s ok but give the Midwest some eastern NC that cooked with the sauce in it and constantly added during the cooking process. If you can listen to my suggestions, you’ll be number in the entire area...

I hate to post this, literally hate it, because I was so excited to try their food, but sometimes bad reviews help provide feedback, to change. The food was not good. Honestly, I cook significantly better than this, and I think that’s the most disappointing part. You go out because it’s easier, and better than home, and to enjoy good company, this just wasn’t good at all. The beans, overwhelming with tumeric, the pulled pork, heavy maple smell but very little flavor; honestly, the name says salt and smoke, I don’t know if salt or smoke was used on anything. The pulled pork had butter I guess from the bread dripping everywhere. The only thing decent was the fries. Had the hush puppies too, if it wasn’t for the butter, cardboard would have tasted better. Even the service was sub par. It was awkward that the girl was standing there with a machine when I had to select a tip, because I felt pressured to leave a 20% tip for service that did not deserve it. The only truly friendly person was the girl, and youngish man who sat us. Will never go back, would have felt better setting 65...