Smokestack Urban Barbecue

We were craving smoked wings & BBQ and were willing to drive a bit to try a different place. This place did not disappoint. Atmosphere & service was good.
We ordered chipotle wings and honey-​habanero wings. Not as oily as the ones at Fire Fly’s but messy eating just the same :) We ordered ribs & brisket. The brisket was moist not dry — the way I like it. Lots of protein. lots of leftovers. It was great. The Apple slaw was really good.

This place serves AMAZING BBQ definitely my favorite BBQ place in worcester. The ambiance is really nice and casual and the drinks are delicious. You should definitely make sure to try the cheesy grits with shrimp and the smoked chicken.

Great
A great meal. Watched The Pats v Chiefs. Had a combo plate. Ribs, brisket and pulled pork. Great flavor. Three choices of sauce, tried them all partial to the Kansas City myself. Chipotle chicken wings were really good. Just enough spice and hood size too. Now for the service. It was ok. We sat at that the bar and the bartenders were a bit forgetful. It was not that hectic so we were surprised by this. One bartender spent too much time talking to her friends. But they were really nice This would not stop me from going again I might add. The beer was cold the game went in my favor and the BBQ was delicious. Make this spot a stop for BBQ in Worcester.
Thanks

I have to say that the atmosphere is not one that i usually subscribe to, but the food makes it worth the while! It’s not the same barbecue you get in the south, but for New England it’s as good as you can get! incredible pulled pork and chicken fried steak. the prices are fair for the portions you get and the quality is second-​to-​none! I will always come back when I need a fix!

I am a barbecue fanatic and smokestack lives up up to that. I’ve had the ribs and the brisket. The brisket is some of the thickest I’ve had, which makes it fatty but also delicious. The ribs are also very good and has the smoke ring that should be there. I love the barbecue sauce that is at the table; it’s yummy enough to try while you wait for your food! The platters come with corn bread (which is moist and yummy) and delicious with butter on top. The service is why I only give this place 4 stars, and it’s rather expensive. I went to school in the south and am used to cheap and delicious barbecue. It does the trick for Worcester and will return.

I’ve eaten here a few times and I think it is probably the best BBQ in the Worcester area. It is reasonably priced, they have a very busy bar and overall the food is very good. I made a mistake of having a gumbo during my last visit and I knew as I ordered it that it was a mistake. Too bland, too thickened and it desperately needed a rice garnish!!! Now I know that brisket is a time consuming preparation (I own three smokers) but the serving size of my wife’s brisket was far too small and she is not a big eater! Tasty but small is just as bad as not tasty! The drinks were awesome and the place was jammed so I will try it again!

I’ve been to smoke stack twice now in the past few months and they did not disappoint either time. Friends in the area swear by this place and are regulars, and I can see why. Their atmosphere is urban and laid back, playing country music new and old. The waitresses have always been friendly and knowledgeable. I’ve sat in the bar area both times I’ve gone and found a seat quickly, even on a busy Saturday night.
Their cocktails are unique and run around $ 6 which isn’t bad. Last night I wanted to try their maple whiskey mudslide, but unfortunately they were out of it. I can’t wait to go back and try that. I had a Corona-​rita instead and a few beers. They have local Wormtown and Wachusett beer on tap, as well as many other favorites.
If you want the best wings in Worcester, this is your place. Simple and tasty, they have a few flavor options to chose from. Their nachos are pretty good, and I’ve also had the chicken quesadilla which I almost got again last night. Last night I got the half chicken with corn bread, mac and cheese and cucumber salad. I couldn’t tell you which was my favorite part, each piece of the meal was delicious! Guess I’ll just have to keep coming back to try everything else that looks amazing on the menu. Everyone I was with last night ordered something different and they all loved their meal. Not one complaint.

Came up from providence best bbq I’ve had in a long time ask for Dave awesome server, the t-​shirts are fly too super clean and comfortable atmosphere!!!

Super yummy food! Started with the nachos (which are super yummy homemade BBQ chips smothered in cheesy meaty deliciousness.) I had a brisket sandwich, it was tender and delicious! Fries are some of the best I’ve ever had, thin shoestring cut tastiness! My boyfriend had the kitchen sink sandwich, which is a big meaty mess (good mess!) including brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and bacon — a delicious mess indeed! As for service, it was super fast yet we didn’t feel rushed at all. Definitely will be back!

Solid, solid BBQ in the heart of Worcester. The wings were excellent, great portion size for an appetizer. The BBQ combo platter was great, definitely above what I expected to find at a joint on Kelley Square. Both the food and beer are on the pricey side, but there’s a great selection and very good quality. The staff has been super friendly every time I’ve visited, and I enjoy sitting at the bar during lunchtime so I can banter with the bartenders and get some recommendations. Expect a fairly expensive but great meal here.

Great BBQ. Love their beef brisket and fried pickles. I tried the meat combo plate and all of the meats were succulent, tender, moist but not gristly or fatty. Nice beer and dessert selection to round it out. Excellent wait staff and good service.

Generic, utility barbecue. It has all the ambiance of a chain restaurant, and food to match.
I had the barbecue sampler; pork ribs, brisket and pulled pork. There was barely any smoke flavor to any of the meats. The ribs were more baked than barbecued. If there was a smoke ring, it was obilterated by being so tremendously overcooked the only moisture remaining was taking refuge between the bones. The brisket was gelatinous, and without flavor. The pulled pork was likewise dry, and flavorless.
Sides were barbecue beans and collards. Both tasted like they came from a can. In fact, I’ve had better from a can.
They have three types of sauce, all of which are essentially ketchup. No spice, no flavor. I ended up dumping a half bottle of tabasco over everything.
I think this place was set up to give people a more exciting feel than going to Chili’s, or Applebee’s, but without the risk of having to actually eat good food.

After reading a few reviews l, I decided to give this place a try. I wasn’t disappointed. Customer service was awesome and the food was great. I ordered the shrimp and grits from the starters menu and it was delicious. A little salty but still really good. Hopefully, they’ll had it to the main menu as an entrée and serve it in larger portions.

It’s an OK place… loud, big tables, limited menu. I am not much of a BBQ fan… I went with friends for a party. What I did have was good. Pulled pork was dry… disappointing. Fried pickles delish… Fried oreo cookies… over the top!

Solid BBQ for Massachusetts. I shared a combo plate with chicken, ribs, and pulled pork. For sides we got slaw and beans. The sides were both pretty good, far from spectacular but better than you get at most BBQ places in the northeast. I can’t put my finger on my finger on exactly what my complaint with the meats is, but I’ll just say they were too moist. I suppose that’s better than too dry. The chicken was the best of the three, super tender and well seasoned. Smokestack also has New Orleans dishes like Po’boys and such which I’m intrigued to try since I heard the owner is from Louisiana.
There are two bars, one outside and one inside. The beer selection is pretty good, especially considering a lot of other area BBQ places don’t serve alcohol.

3.599 Stars
First off, I really like the layout. The main dining room is spacious and has an unfettered simplicity. There is a portal doorway between the the indoor barroom and the dining area; it has less open space but it’s cosy. There are more reclusive spots away for the bar if you prefer more privacy. On the right side near the front there is door that leads to covered tables and an outdoor bar that is covered. It is an urban setting with not much scenery but if like the being outdoors it’s an nice hangout. I think I’ll try it once the Indian Summer kicks in.
We ordered the brisket «stack”(3.5./5) and the pulled pork sandwiches (4.3÷5), cut them in half and shared. I enjoyed the pork a slightly better, the brisket was good but had a little more «chew» than I like, in sandwich I would prefer thinner slices. We also added a wedge salad w/​the house bacon, for balance. We tried the 3 sauces, the orange-​tangy was most like a South Carolina (⁴⁄₅). The sweet sauce was a (2.5÷5) not really KC but just ok. The more picante sauce also had a subtle vinegar note (⁴⁄₅).
We will be back to try the BBQ plates and delve more into the sides, missed the fried pickles this visit.
* parking on either side of the restaurant, and metered city lot diagonally across the street.
* simple menu with less items and I like that.
* Taps were not working this visit we drank mixed drinks and bottled beer.
* Staff was attentive and friendly.

Very good mac and cheese. Love the wing challenge. It was so freaking hot, but still flavorful. For southern food in east coast it was very delicious. Ribs are saucy and delicious. A little pricey, but still worth going too.

She called one of the most memorable bacon cheeseburgers in recent memory.
I called the Brisket Rueben (sic) a «really, really f*cking good» sandwich.
We’re both right.
Smokestack strikes me as a scalable not-​so-​down & dirty BBQ joint that’s primed to franchise, like, tomorrow. It’s stylish and universally appealing, it’s kinda edgy and kinda tongue-​in-​cheek…
It’s serving fall apart brisket with a smoke ring thicker than a pencil.
A bit lean yet loaded with flavor from a dry rub (and the wood, undoubtedly), beef is stacked on stacked on stacks in that reuben, before being topped with an apple slaw, Swiss and a house-​made remoulade. The marble rye wasn’t overly buttered — matter of fact, it may have been toasted, and it held together perfectly with the sloppy wonderful inside. Simply delicious.
The only shadow were the fries, which when right, were thin and crispy. Half the batch were soft and cool, though, so you might be facing an overloaded basket in the oil.
Still, that sandwich. Git it. GIT IT. Free soda refills. Outdoor seating and a private bar. Doooooood heaben.

Went here again last night for dinner. We started out with the habanero wings again. And again lip smackin’ good! I had the fish tacos… Yes again. The best fish tacos I have had like ever! And hubby had the ribs. Fall off the bone goodness! Moist and great flavor. Bits of chard ends… Ooooommmmmggggg! So good! He also loves the corn bread.
Insider tip: they have burnt ends but it’s a secret not on the menu item. You just have to ask for them…
When we got there we were told it was going to be 45 min for a table, we found a seat at the bar and got lucky with another opening up right next to it, score! Tables seems to turn over very quickly though. Even if we had to wait for a table it’s well worth it!

Half rack of some very good spares.
Thick rubbed with cumin and plenty of brown sugar. An slightly soft bark — not particularly crisp or brittle.
The ribs are meaty and trimmed nicely. Very juicy with a minimally noticeable amount of fat. A pink coloring from smoke reaches almost to the bone. The meat separates from the bone with a decent amount of resistance.
Eaten at the bar with a couple of pints, the corn bread, collards and Mac ‘n cheese are all very good as well.
Collards are crisp, chopped small and piled high.
The macaroni is made wih a bread crumb topping and sharp white cheddar. Creamy and al dente.
Polite service, a pleasant bar setting In a slightly shady area of town. Go here frequently — can’t wait to try the wings.