Smoke BBQ Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Virginia

Amending this review due to a recent visit. Aug 2021. We were seated quickly and it was a warm night out on the patio. It wasn't packed when we arrived, but many tables were full and many families were finishing up. Our waitress came to ask about beverages and she quickly left and in a bit, brought back only my drink , which was wrong, and then she asked what we wanted, we asked about an appetizer, and was starting to write it as our order, when after hearing it, we decided against it ! So on the tiny piece of scrap paper on which she was taking orders for the several tables around us, we order an appetizer. She asked us if that was it before we could even begin to order dinner. My husband had questions about the cuts and prep of some of the things on the menu. He asked, she got our dinner orders and she rushed off. In a few minutes she returned and was almost throwing things on to tables as she hurried by - including my husband's beer. After about 15 min more, she came back to tell my husband that the restaurant was out of the entree he had ordered. He asked why it had taken so long to find this out..she told us they were really busy earlier and she thought they had one left. She got his next best, and said she could at that point bring out my dinner since it was up, and our appetizer. I didn't want my appetizer with my dinner, any more than I would like my dessert with my dinner ! We asked if she could just bring out the appetizer, and I could wait until my husband's new entree was complete. The appetizer was also almost thrown down. At this point, we told her that we hoped from that point on that he night would get better. She made some excuse about having been stressed from how busy it was earlier. My husband told her that it just wasn't acceptable to make that our problem. She apologized and was very attentive after this and slowed down and even managed to smile. Because we now understand the stress that the wait staff can experience when it's a busy night, although the food is good, we will be very very hesitant to recommend Smoke to others. : (

(2020) Thanksgiving smoked Turkey was outstanding !! Juicy and awesome smoky flavor ! Love it !! May never cook another...

Tonight was my first time at Smoke. My experience was terrible to say the least. We had reservations for 8 at 6:30pm. 2 of our party were unable to make it. They did not have a table ready for us. They offered to seat us at a small firepit. Not a place to have a meal and drinks for 6. We said we would sit there and have a drink while they got a table ready. We tried to order some bourbon. The waitress came back and told us they were out of what we ordered. So we ordered a different bourbon and she delivered those. We tired to order another round but was told we finished off that bourbon. By this time we have been waiting for our table over 30 minutes. Finally our table is ready. We are seated and order drinks, one of party ordered a different bourbon. When the waitress returned, guess what, they were out of that bourbon also! Then when I was served my beer the waitress sat the beer on the seam between 2 tables and the the beer spilled in my lap and filled my shoe. I understand things happen and I was not to worried about it. Ordered my food. The food was good, but not the best BBQ I have ever had. The portions were large is the best thing I can say about it. For spilling a beer on me the waitress offered me a dessert. I didn't want a dessert. I just wanted to get out of there and get my beer soaked clothes and shoe off. The kicker is that I didn't even get a free beer!

Smoke management, if your bar does not have items that are not on the menu, then update your staff or update your menu. They are paper and easy to update. Your servers are too busy to be running back and forth. Second if you have parties that have reservations and have an extended wait for a table, offering an app while they are waiting is a good practice. Third if someone has a drink spilled on them, minimum the replacement drink should be on the house and the server should ensure the manager is informed and the manager...

Update Sept. 26, 2019

1st my original 5 star review from 2 years ago "Great beef ribs don't need sauce. Really good collard greens. Best BBQ I've had. Service is usually quick."

Update. We decided to go there for a mid afternoon dinner. Arrived shortly after 3:00 place was very slooow. We both ordered burgers. My mother ordered a burger medium with blue cheese. I ordered the Smash Burger and was told it only comes well done. I added a starter of onion rings. 15 minutes later, no food. 20 minutes later still no food. 25 minutes later waitress still didn't know what taking so long. My mother asked if the cook was taking a nap. The manager in charge of the waitresses came out and explained that the cook had had to make a fresh batch of batter for the onion rings and our food would be out shortly. I told her when there is going to be a delay in getting the food out the customer should be informed ASAP. We could have skipped the onion rings and gotten our burgers 20 minutes sooner. She sent the general manager out who told we were going to get the onion rings for free. I told him you need to communicate with the customers. Right after that the rings came out followed by the burgers about 2 minutes later. My burger was very well done, dry and chewy. Mother's burger was well done as well.

We've had a couple other times when the service was a little slow but today was inexcusable.

We've been going here for many years. They are consistently very good on the BBQ. But they apparently don't put the same effort into burgers and salads. This wasn't the first time mother got a hockey puck for a burger.

Due to previous less than stellar service and low quality on anything that's not smoked I have to change my review to 2 stars from the previous 5 stars.

If they improve their service and quality on none BBQ they can earn their stars back but I'm not...