I was here for brunch. The Waiter was nice. This place is is clean but the floor feels odd my shoes were not gripping. Anyway the food was great. I want to come back for chips and ribs. Also quick service. read more

Redsmoke Barbeque - Rib tip platter - Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Not a bad BBQ place to check out in Detroit's Greektown. Was there for the auto show and work and decided to check out food options in Greektown, which seems to be a fairly safe place at night. The smell of the BBQ and smoke meat was pretty good to get me through the doors. The setting was fairly clean bar-ish theme. If you want to give a few things a shot I would recommend ordering the platter combos. I got the classic combo and selected the beef brisket and their sausage. The brisket came dry but they give you a selection of sauce to put on top after which has its pros and cons. Pro is that you can control how saucy you want it, but the flavor of the sauce doesn't get marinated in. The sausage was Ok, had a little kick to it but I wasn't too excited from it. I also ordered sweet potato fries on the side and that was interested because it wasn't just sweet potato fries, it was spiced with a little cinnamon which gave it a unique taste. Would I go back if I was in the area? Sure why not give it a chance again. read more

Went down here for a meal at one of my FAVORITE places to eat and was utterly disappointed and disgusted with what i saw inside the kitchen. The cooks had no masks on and I kindly informed one of the waiters to tell them to put their masks on. They complied initially and then once the waiter walked away they pulled their mask back down around their chin and even worse the male cook began eating food while touching and preparing other people's food. Appetite lost, we promptly got up and walked out without ordering any food. On the way out we informed the front of house of the terrible service and the manager just seemed liked this was something she wasn't interested in trying to resolve or make amends for. So sad to see one of my favorite places fall off like this. read more

Been here too many times it's cool, they have some excellent wings. Pretty much a flurry of bbq food great cornbread and sides. If you like salt get the jerk wings they are super salty. I had the smoked bbq wings before this and they are ok not as salty. I like the jalapeno cornbread it's like a cake and definitely filling, reminds me of jiffy. The service is pretty good it was neutral no issues at all, but nothing that made it stand out either. This place has a great selection of multiple craft beers that change from time to time. Unfortunately l the were out of Perrin Black, but I had bells 2 hearted instead. For our appetizer we had the fried pickles. The fried pickles were very good they come in the sliced form great for dipping, the sauce was even better had a little kick to it, I recommend the fried pickles.The chicken quesadilla roll I do not recommend. It comes with standard chicken, corn, tomatoes, cheese but the deep-fried shell was not good and super greasy. Overall I would go to this place again they have a great selection of craft beers excellent barbecue choices and some mac and cheese that I haven't tried but looks really good. read more

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We were told it would be an hour wait...it was 2hrs. Now grant it was after a Tigers game; which they won, and we were a party of 15. I understand the wait time. However they had a 2nd balcony seating not in use. For being so busy why didn't they have all sections opened? The food was amazing And came out quick. I had the pull pork. It is heaping and on a pc. Of Texas bread served with a water mouth corn bread muffin. I got for a side baked beans that was smothered in bbq sauce and had pork chucks in it. Totally amazing to the taste buds. I will definitely drive up to this place again. I live near Columbus, Ohio and will visit this joint next time I am in town. read more

What an amazing experience!!! My husband wanted to try a new bar b que spot and I used Yelp to find the top spots in Detroit. Red Smoke popped up in the top list. We are sure glad it did! The staff was amazing, the food was on point, and the atmosphere was inviting. We really enjoyed everything. Deanna our server was awesome too! Thank you for a great time!! read more

I work in the area and me and my coworker eat here often there seems to be a disconnect the last couple of times we have ordered from there but today was the last straw. I'm stirring through my sweet potatoes and there aren't many sweet potatoes instead I have a container of pineapple's and orange peels! This sides are not cheap so I want what I paid for. read more

Redsmoke Barbeque - Yams From Red Smoke - Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Was celebrating a birthday and our friends' anniversary in Greektown and decided on the $70 feast for four. I was initially concerned that the portion size for we four carnivores at the table might end up being glorified appetizers, but we ultimately got it anyway (after ordering six unnecessary-but-tasty jerk/naked wings) and boy was I glad we did! Out came a Carnivore's Platter of the Gods and - wow was it impressive. Juicy chicken, tender brisket, big 'ol thick ribs and what's with those... cornbread? Mmm... caramelized on the edges, like only a iron muffin pan can do, with little jalapeno greeness lurking under the surface - just like mom made them. OMG. Granted, we had ordered those six (uh, mutant?) smoky-tasty wings as an appetizer, but we not only had an EXCELLENT spread, we had crazy-heavy bags of meat-related leftovers for two more meals after. For four. Cheerful waitress lady dealt out five different sauces of increasing hotness (from "glorified corn syrup" to "Leathertongue 1000" or whatever). Mixing these, of course, was key to finishing up those PERFECT ribs to taste. I kinda wish they had roasted some of that poblano sauce action *into* the ribs (I like them thinly-sauced to caramelize and then re-sauced after, but I'm not at home), so no foul there. Everything that came out with the meatastic wagon of deliciousness (including the macaroni, green beans and cornbread) was REALLY FREAKING good! Mac & Cheese was *aged* mac & cheese and the green beans were al dente and the wife says the sweet potatoes were "mmf, sho guud!", so... If you're looking for a great soul BBQ joint, bring three of your sharp-toothed friends to pitch in for a $70 meat wagon and snarf down. Bring a toothpick too, 'cause damn. read more

Stopped in before a Detroit Lions game, the food was excellent! Service was wonderful. Friendly, without being too much! I had the pulled pork nachos and I will probably be dreaming about them for weeks! read more

I came here for a large get together with some of my friends. We hadn't tried or heard of this place before and the location of it seemed like it was on the outer edge of the area (next to a liquor store pretty much near Greektown. However, it was an awesome experience and we will all be returning soon. Myself and a guest split a brisket mac and cheese dish and got a few craft beers and mixed drinks. The food was very good and had just the right amount of spice in the BBQ brisket. Mac and cheese is always good at a BBQ place but it was especially good here. It's a bit loud but it could have been because we were the large table right near the kitchen. Nonetheless, if you think about it, you could start here and slowly make your way down Greektown because it's near the garage. I would recommend to start here for some food and drinks if you're bar hopping! read more

My Sunday Afternoon Experience: It's a household debate... Red Smoke vs Slows. Generally I prefer Slows but my wife talked me into going to Red Smoke on a recent Sunday afternoon. The patio outside was quiet, servers were attentive, and if I may speak my truth, the beef brisket and apple smoked chicken were perfectly cooked and paired well with all of Red Smoke's sauces. My only disappointment was the jalapeno pepper cornbread. Just leave the cornbread alone! It doesn't need the peppers. Additionally, it lacked the traditional texture and absorbent qualities of cornbread, which made for an overall cornbread fail in my mind. read more

So, bbq. I was not expecting to find GOOD bbq in Detroit, Michigan. This place serves a very good menu. My ribs were tender, tasty, the bbq sauce was a right blend of sweet n tangy, the Mac n cheese was quite delicious, and yes they have a full bar... I think the PERFECT bbq joint has the smokey smell throughout and doesn't look so refined. I do love the cleanliness in what they've done here and again soon I'll be at one if their tables... read more

I had the pulled pork sandwich and fries. The presentation was less than stellar to say the least. I also expected more fries for $3.99. There is a good selection of sauces, but none really stood out. The sandwich was good and the service was decent. read more

Redsmoke Barbeque - Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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great bbq option in greektown detroit. their pulled pork sandwich and collard greens are my favorites. they have a few different bbq saucy options which are all very tasty. service is consistently good and overall a good value for the money. parking can be challenging as it is located in the heart of greektown. read more

Usually can't go wrong at Red Smoke. My wife and I split the St. Louis style full rack with the sweet potato fries and corn bread. I'm not much of a sweet potato eater but those fries are good! Wife likes there corn bread. The Michigan Cherry and the Memphis Mustard are our 2 favorite BBQ sauces on the table. The other 3 have a bit more heat than what we like. Service was good and would come back again. read more

Redsmoke Barbeque - Nice bar setup and cookies while you wait. - Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

I'm not sure what to make of the food; I'm still waiting for it to arrive. This place needs a better expediter or front of house guy. I feel like they are content being slow as by the time you are sitting and ordered you are stuck there watching others eat. I think they survive on one time customers. ... Still waiting..... read more

Ice cold beer and fantastic Jerk Wings, with half a dozen awesome sauces. Six wings make a meal for two, so don't make the mistake of ordering them as an appetizer. Other favorite meals include the catfish and pulled pork. (How come no Burnt Ends on the menu?) Nearly all of the sides are excellent, especially cornbread, slaw, and greens. (Caution: If you come here after a game, bring ear plugs - the acoustics are terrible and the simultaneous yelling of a hundred+ Tigers/Wings/Lions fans will blow out your hearing.) read more

My favorite ribs ever, especially with the sweet BBQ sauce - Perfect blend of sweet and smoke!

This place has the worst service I've ever experienced. From the moment we walked in the manager was extremely rude and after explaining that we had a 20 person reservation he went on about how he didn't have it and was extremely obnoxious. After finally being sat with the rest of our group our waitress was extremely inattentive. Everyone ended up ordering at desperate times, out food was cold, waited 1 hr for our appetizers and after all that time our checks were impossible to split and receive. She came back wrote each order down, we even decided to split the table into only 3 checks and after an addition 40 min she came back with jumbled checks. I will never come back to this place again. Longest time I've ever spent in a restaurant while being I entertained. read more

Excellent food and service. Mack was an awesome waiter, very polite and professional. Would definitely recommend to anyone in that area. Brisket was amazing and very smoky. read more

Fantastic food and atmosphere . Diane our server was very friendly and helpful . Love that place!!!!

Fantastic barbecue and sauces!, service not so much. Came here for lunch on a Friday. Somewhat small inside so I would believe it fillss quickly and can get somewhat loud. Candied yams were okay. Jalapeño muffin was cold and dry. read more

Redsmoke Barbeque - Half-rack ribs (delicious) with Candied Sweet Potatoes and Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Muffin which was cold and tough. - Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Redsmoke is one of the best barbques I've ever ate in there was a short wait but me and my family came during a dinner rush. The brisket was tender yet flavorful,the catfish nuggets were amazing, and the ribs were falling off the bone and had a choice of five different sauces. The deserts choices were creme brule,vanilla ice cream that goes with the bread pudding, and key lime pie. My family had all of them and I must say good job mike and tasso (This is katies son) read more

Redsmoke Barbeque - Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Omg!! Food was amazing amazing brisket was so tender. Gumbo was superb the Cajun fish bites were out of this world. Ribs mouth watering. service was to die for our waitress Nyota was the best ever. Thank you for a great evening!!! read more

Redsmoke Barbeque - Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Been watching and waiting for this place to open its doors. A BBQ place in Greektown? Well, at least there's a Greek Salad on the menu ;) First off, the renovation of the interior, is absolutely stunning, they really did a fantastic job. My wife and went for a super long bike ride yesterday. From Grosse Pointe, to and around Belle Isle for the hydroplane races. Then to Greektown and back. The Staff was extremely friendly and helpful. The bartender and hostess were great, they let us wheel our big red tandem in and keep it inside the restaurant. The owner, helped our further when he saw us and put the bike in their back hallway. There are few places in Detroit with a good beer list, and when I find them, I am delighted. I don't recall exactly but they had 8 or 9 tap beers, all of which are MI brewed...I love this! One thing lacking on tap though is an IPA., Two Hearted will do in a jam, but I did suggest the owner look into Sacred Cow, as solid an IPA as you can find anywhere, and brewed by Arbor Brewing in Ypsi. I had and Erik the Red, my wife an Oberon. $5 for a 16oz, $6.50 for a 22oz. Totally reasonable. Now on to the food. I'm giving them a critical 4 stars, because they ARE good enough to pick apart, and I've tasted the best of the best. Started of with a Caesar and Fried Pickles app. They do make their dressing, and yes, it's awesome! They smother the salad in Parmesan, which you'll either love or hate. I would prefer shaved chunks, but to each his own, it was yummy. The croutons are the one part of the salad I'd like to see fixed. While they were light and airey, they had nothing to them, no garlic, no spice, just squares of bread, probably from their supplier. Here's where we ran into our first problem. We we only a couple bites into our salad, hadn't even touched the pickles, and BAM our entree was out. I don't know if it was a kitchen or server issue, but apparently it was all made at once, and hustled out. I guess some people might like this, but when we order appetizers, we want them as appetizers. by the time we got to our entree, it had already cooled off substantially :( The pickles... weird, but good. They used a cornmeal batter, something like you might find on fried okra. My wife loved them, I may or may not order them again, but they were good. On to the entree... cold entree. Had to have the pulled pork and brisket, after all, it's a bbq place, those are the go-tos. The pulled pork was very nice, and they have some great sauces. The MI Cherry Molasses... ridiculous. It has this sweet tangy cherry bite, soooo good. The Memphis Mudd was nice too and the Honey Mustard was great. I have two complaints (or opinions) in regards to the sauces. 1: They tend to rely heavily on corn syrup based sauces, and 2: There isn't really a "BBQ sauce." The brisket: tough call. We got lean side brisket. I think many people would be glad about this, not us. When I think brisket, I think melts in your mouth, no knife needed, fatty and juicy. Ours on the other hand was rather dry and tough. Luckily they had a nice cider vinegar au-jus to prime it with. The Corn muffin was ok, I would add some whole kernels to the batter. And the Jalepeno Corn relish was nice. I expected it to be sweet, since it was called a relish, but it was good regardless; and SPICY (which we love). Banana's Foster Bread Pudding, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That's all you need to know.... well, that and not for kids as the booze isn't cooked out. Had to have a second beer to finish watching the world cup final, or so we thought (it ended shortly after we got our next drink). The wife had a Final Absolution, a steal at $6, and I went for the Two Hearted. Total bill, $61 and change + tip. A bit more than anticipated, but that's what happens when you order $24 in beer. So all in all it's reasonable. I want to try the ribs, but $25 for 12 ribs, is a bit expensive, and it isn't even a full rack, where are those couple extra ribs going? All said and done, we will certainly be back. Go decide for yourself! read more

Which a hidden gem, the sever was one of the best I have ever had. She said get sweet tea and she was not wrong it was outstanding, I then asked what to eat and she got use some jerk wings also a burger with pulled pork and coleslaw on it and the taste was out of this world. Stop by when in the area. read more

Redsmoke Barbeque - Outstanding - Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Red Smoke has long been my favorite place to eat when I'm in Greektown and for good reason. The establishment itself has a great look and vibe about it. I love taking people here, it is often my first suggestion. Slightly comparable to Slows, it's menu has a ton of combinations for any kind of BBQ craving you might have. Every meat comes out succulent and cooked to perfection and each side is a great choice (I always want them all!).You can't go wrong with any choice you make, but my personal favorite is the Applewood Smoked Chicken with their delicious greens. As far as portions are concerned (I know it was mentioned specifically in past reviews) I can say that the amount I went home with last night as leftovers were enough for three people to snack on later that night after the concert we all went to. They gave me what seemed like half a chicken. No one I was with finished their meal-and my brother is a garbage disposal. And, a big plus, they gave me enough to-go sauce cups to be able to take home a bit of each one of their delicious sauces. Red Smoke is batting all aces with me, they have it all covered. read more

Went here a few times now that I work in Detroit. A few things... -Their portions are TINY for the money -Every meat is delicious. Portions are tiny. -The sauces are great. The Red Smoke one is my favorite. Super spicy. -Tiny tiny portions. -Knock knock. Who's there? Tiny. Portions. read more

Located near the end of the Greektown strip is RedSmoke BBQ. Looking from the outside in, the atmosphere & décor was alluring so I decided to finally go and check this place out. Being a Friday night the place was busy, the food smelled promising, and the overall atmosphere was nice. Now for the food review....before I go on let me just say that Slows BBQ has set the bar for me as far as any bbq food I will try from now on. Anyhow....the food at RedSmoke was just okay, which was disappointing b/c the place has a lot of potential (great location, awesome decor, but missing the bbq flavor). They really need to improve their bbq technique, especially competing in an area dominated my giants like Slows. Mind you, i was starving by the time we got here so even though the food was mediocre i was hungry enough to eat most of my meal : / I ordered the beef brisket sandwich, which was a bit dry and not enough smoky bbq flavor. The side of potato wedges were very salty and overly seasoned with something that tasted like Lawry's. read more

I feel conflicted about Red Smoke because I see the potential the restaurant has, but sadly they have disappointed me every time I've been there. The brisket arrived room temperature whenever myself or someone in my group ordered it. It is also bland and comes a top an even more bland piece of Texas toast that ingeniously serves as a sponge for any of the juices that may remain on the brisket. So the toast makes the meat dry, and the meat makes the toast soggy? Brilliant! I also made the mistake of opting for the candied sweet potatoes as the side for my entree (you get 1 side with an entree here instead of 2 like at Slows). I was under the assumption "candied" meant there would be some sort of marshmallows/brown sugar crust on top of the potatoes, but what I received was what I can best describe as a vat of baby food. The side was too large for one person and it was merely mashed up sweet potatoes with no topping. I tried muscling through it just to quell my appetite and since the brisket was a letdown, but after numerous spoonfuls of orange mash that barely dented the casserole dish I admitted defeat. My advice, go with the mac n cheese or sweet potato fries instead. I was kicking myself of going against the grain and getting the mash instead of the mac n cheese like the rest of my group. I've tried the fries and mac on different occasions and found both to be on par with other higher-end comfort foods I've had in the city. This past Saturday was the last time I think I'll go to Red Smoke. The group I went with was out for a bachelor party and they had arraigned to start the night at Red Smoke. Just like the first time I had gone (on a Friday night), I was surprised to see the restaurant semi-busy on a bustling weekend night in Detroit. Our group was one of two seated upstairs, and the rest of the tables remained empty for the duration of our service. We ordered our drinks only to have the server come back to tell us that they were out two of the beers. I had ordered a water with my beer that was forgotten when our drinks finally arrived. I asked again for a water, but was forced to ask for a third time when the waiter returned yet again without one. I hate to harp on the minor things, but as a waiter if you insist on not writing orders down I have to complain you if you forget, especially on multiple occasions when the place is not even busy. Another thing our server had forgot to mention before we looked at the menus was that they were out of chicken. Seriously, a BBQ restaurant in a large city on a Saturday night ran out of chicken, when they aren't even busy! I amended my order on the fly and went with the pulled pork platter instead. What I found with the pork were the same problems I experienced with the brisket. The pork was cold, bland and atop a soggy piece of bland Texas toast. Thankfully their sauces are flavorful and diverse, as it helped salvage part of the meal. However, no amount of spice in the sauce will offset the disappoint of getting yet another cold meal from Red Smoke. Oh, and they were also out of house chips that another member of our group ordered. The waiter didn't inform the person of this until AFTER they brought out the entrees and my friend questioned where his chips were. I really like the location, the decor and the attitude of the servers at Red Smoke, which is why I'm so conflicted about this place. I WANT it to be good (especially with how busy Slows is nowadays) but I find myself having mostly negative things to say. Again, the sauces are great, as are some of the sides, but the pork and brisket were underwhelming, which isn't something any BBQ joint would want to hang their hat on. read more

My friend and I visited Red Smoke Barbecue in Greektown on a Friday evening to give this new entry into SE Michigan's growing collection of barbecue places a try. Greektown was hopping, with lots of people wandering the area. We parked down the street in a pay lot and headed over. We were seated immediately, which ya gotta love. The decor is quite nice with wood floors and tables, designer serving dishes and subdued but not dark lighting. There are no TVs in the main dining area which is really great. There may have been TV in the bar area, but I don't remember. Nice. I ordered a combo plate as I like to do on a first visit. I chose ribs and brisket, my friend chose pulled pork and sausage. This provides a decent cross section of a place's barbecue offerings. I asked our server if they happened to have a burnt ends appetizer and she looked at me as if I had asked her for Labrador Stir Fry with kitten poppers. When I explained what it was, she seemed a little grossed out. I guess I can sort of understand...lots of places don't offer this, but it is the signature of someone serious about their barbecue. The food came out quickly enough, and once again was presented very nicely. There were four choices of barbecue sauces... Michigan Cherry Molasses, Honey Mustard, Mississippi Mudd, and Roasted Poblano, which seems to be the house sauce as it came with my meal. I favored the roasted poblano sauce as it reminded me of my favorite commercial sauce...Stubbs Mesquite. The odd thing here is that I didn't taste even a hint of heat. With poblano in the name I expected it to be marginally too spicy. The honey mustard seemed almost like pure honey, and the Michigan cherry was super sweet also...as you might expect with molasses in the name. I know some people dig that, so there ya go. The Mississippi Mudd sauce I have to admit I found very unappetizing. I don't have a lot of experience with this kind of sauce and I don't think I want to. Now, the very odd thing that neither of us could figure out was the small metal cup of liquid that came with both of our meals on the plate. After both of us tasted each of ours, we could not tell you what this was. It had no detectable taste, but just a little bit of fat in there, like a soup. I don't know if it was suposed to be Au jus or what. This was super perplexing. Portions were not what I would call large, but decent. Four ribs were in my order. Nicely smoked and tender. I opted for the roasted poblano sauce that came with the plate. The beef brisket was served on a piece of Texas toast. It was also nicely smoked and tender. The rub crust had a nice salty kick to it that I really liked. Pulled pork, sampled from my friend's plate. The first bite I got was very odd, but the second was better. More porky tasting that smokey. If anything, a little dry. The smoked sausage I sampled from my friend's plate...now here's where Red Smoke shined. This was a very tasty sausage put on the grill for just a slight bit of char and cooked amongst some onions and green peppers. This was REALLY the standout item here. When asked if I would like another sample I quickly said yes. This, I would return for, maybe in a sandwich form if they offer it. Very good sausage! For a side I had the black eyed peas over rice. They were quite good. I must confess, I don't remember ever having this dish much before, but it was tasty. In the end, my buddy and I agreed that sweetness seems to be substituted for spice at Red Smoke. The sort of house sauce, the roasted poblano, had a very corn syrupy vibe, the Michigan cherry sauce is like liquid candy, and the honey mustard is high on the honey. There are no options if youre looking for a sauce with even a tinge of kick. I didn't really detect any on the rubs on the brisket or the ribs either, sadly to say. I'd say if you like your barbecue more on the sweet side, you may really like Red Smoke. The nice, chill restaurant atmosphere and the smoked sausage push Red Smoke up a tad. (Check my 'Michigan Barbecue Landscape' list here on Yelp for a roundup of other great (and not so great) barbecue places in SE Michigan) read more

What a place. I can't wait to go back. Prices were kinda high but hey they wanna keep the riff raff out. I mean hey it's downtown detroit. The service was good. I had the andouille dog which was fantastic. Yould think for 10.00 yould get more than just chips for a side. All in all idiots back read more

After driving around Greektown for an hour just to get into a parking space, I was really looking forward to the great meal I was told I would get at Redsmoke Barbecue. But alas, I was not served the meal I was promised by several of the reviews I had read on various sites. The night started of with some of the fried pickle chips that weren't terrible, but nothing to write mom about - and the dipping sauce they were served with left something to be desired. I think it was trying to imitate a chipotle ranch, but lacked any spice. But hey, it's a BBQ joint, so I didn't expect much from the deep fried pickles. For my entree, I had the brisket with greens and the jalapeno cheddar cornbread. And I must say, the brisket, which the menu claimed to be smoked for 14 hours, completely lacked smokiness. I mean, c'mon. If something is smoked for 14 hours, it better have some smokiness to it! The greens and cornbread were my favorite part of the dish and saved Redsmoke from a one-star review. I'd go back, but only if I had other plans in Greektown because by itself, Redsmoke is definitely not a destination spot. read more

I have been here before when it first opened and I was unimpressed and I would have to say I still feel the same way a few years later. I love the two-level set-up and bar rail is close to the large windows looking at Monroe street in Greektown. Inside is clean and nothing looks out-dated. The staff is friendly and attentive. They have a decent selection of beer including draft and the prices aren't outrageous. I ordered a 16oz final absolution for $6. Now why am I not a fan? It's the food. I just don't care for it and would rather go to Slow's to fulfill my bbq needs. I do think Red Smoke has a better selection of sauces, but the food just isn't on par with my taste buds. Ive had the Texas Beef Brisket and wasn't a fan. It wasn't gross by no means I would just say, to me it wasn't satisfying. I ordered a side of Mac and that was tasty... I wouldn't say better than Slow's, I think I would say just as good. I also tried a variety of their apps and myself along with everyone else I was with was unimpressed. The fried pickles are cut too thin for my liking and have too much breading for how thin they are. The popcorn shrimp were sooo tiny I didn't event think it was shrimp. They had a gummy like consistency. The Crispy Chicken Quesadilla Roll was good, but pretty basic. Noting to be wow'd by. I would still say give it a try... maybe you'll feel differently. read more

One of the worst dining experiences I've had since moving to Detroit a year and half ago. After walking in and being seated, it took about 10 minutes to get our order in as we combined food and drink orders having been given plenty of time to think about the menu. We were missing a sauce for our table that didn't arrive until the third or fourth request for it. Food came out a good 50 minutes after we ordered, but was missing the mac and cheese and both of our orders of cornbread. The cornbread came out a couple minutes later while the mac and cheese took another couple minutes to arrive. Unfortunately, it was not worth the wait as it was cold in the middle and ridiculously hot on the outside. If I had to guess, I would definitely say it was microwaved. They took it back and brought out another one that was about 300 degrees, so they did technically fix the problem, although it was inedible until a solid 5-10 minute cool down period. As for the meat themselves, the back ribs (not baby back as I was pretty rudely corrected on) were not bad, although they were pretty sparse on actual meat. However the brisket was TERRIBLE. No visible smoke ring. No marbling. Super well done and dry as a bone. I mean DRY. I would be shocked if it was smoked the same day... or honestly smoked at all? So yeah... pretty much everything was bad. We talked to the manager about the brisket and their solution was to give me two rib bones to go and knock a dollar off the price. The entire post-dinner to paying took another solid 25-30 minutes. While we were there the table behind us sent back it's side dishes as well for being way undercooked, and the table across from us was paying and also speaking with the manager when we arrived, so from what I could tell they were 0/3. You'll never find me back at Red Smoke, and with all the great BBQ in town, I'd recommend you not go back either. read more

After my last visit, my previous review goes straight to the garbage and I am done with this place. You can have the greatest food in the world, but when you have rude inconsiderate employees it totally negates that. The wife and I went there recently before a Red Wing game as Pegasus had over an hour wait. We walked in and were immediately ignored by multiple waitresses and hostesses. Finally after almost five minutes someone acknowledged our existence, but looked around like a deer in the headlights for an open table. We ended up having to suggest one in the bar area that had been open the entire time we stood there waiting. Mind you the place wasn't that busy. To the naked eye I spotted at least 8 open tables. It was nothing a well trained restaurant couldn't handle. After a few more minutes a waitress comes to us and doesn't even give us a standard welcome greeting just a "What do you want to drink?" in a snotty tone. We both opted for waters and also were ready with what we wanted to order food wise. Literally 10 minutes go by and she had yet to bring us our drinks. The entire time I sat there watching her behind the bar flirting with a male customer giving almost all of her attention to him thus neglecting all of her other patrons. When she wasn't doing that she was counting her tips and making small talk with other members of the wait staff. Another five minutes pass and still nothing even after attempting to waive her down to see what was with the hold up. Finally we got fed up and the wife walked over to New Parthenon to check on the wait. As they had immediate seating available she called me and I said "screw it" and walked out as well. I can pretty much guarantee she never even noticed we left until our food was up in the window and that's only assuming she actually put the order in to begin with. read more

Redsmoke is awesome! Right in the heart of Greektown, we happened on the restaurant, looking for a quick place to grab lunch. Being barbeque fans, and checking the yelp reviews, we skipped across the street and got a table for 2. Redsmoke offers the a great atmosphere and location, easy to find, and the food makes it even easier to love. The pulled pork, brisket, and chicken, is incredible. Fried pickle appetizer? Sign me up. The sauces are frickin' good, too. Spicy, yummy, and no fuss. Please, do give Red Smoke a try. It's totally worth it. read more

Yummy Carolina ribs, fork tender brisket, tasty coleslaw, moist cornbread and awesome mack n' cheese all combined with reasonable prices & great service. Red Smoke is a contender when it comes to BBQ in Downtown Detroit. I will say I wasn't crazy about the sauces though. If I had to pick between Red Smoke & Slows, I would have to say Red Smoke has slightly better food and you have to factor in the fact that they have less of a wait, and they don't run out of shit!! My experience at Red Smoke was top notch and my only complaint was I had allowed more time then we needed to dine and found my self bar hoping more then anticipated, ha ha. read more

Red Smoke is a delicious alternative to Slows in Corktown. The wait has always been much faster and I think their mac and cheese is better. We usually park at Greektown Casino and stop here on our way to Tiger games. I'm a big fan of all their sauces and make sure you go there hungry because the portions are always huge. We usually get mac and cheese and sweet potato fries for our sides and both are very yummy. The jalapeno cornbread is also pretty good but I think I'd choose the mac and cheese over this any-day. I've tried most of their meats but my favorites are their brisket and their chicken. I'm a fan that they carry local micro brews on tap and the waitstaff are all pretty friendly and efficient. This isn't really a place to watch the a sports game even though they do have some TVs. If you are looking for a quick barbecue place that will get your taste-buds fired up then this is the place for you. read more

First, let me say I love BBQ. The taste and presentation of the food here was promising, but fell short for a few reasons. The service was, well, strange. Overall experience very middle-of-the-road. I wouldn't come here for a special occasion. Restaurant itself: Cool building. I love the pigs with the swirly design. Modern-feeling space. Seems like lots of seating. Great location in Greektown. Service: Strange. We came in around 8pm on a Saturday. No hockey game and any concerts or shows were already going on, so a moderate crowd. We walked up to the host stand and was told a 30 minute wait for a party of 4. We sat at the bar, tried to get the bartender's attention. My husband even asked her a question, she hurriedly answered him and basically ran away and never came back. Both of the bartenders seemed really busy and annoyed. We didn't get a chance to wait too long, for in about 7 minutes from the time we were told it was a 30 minute wait, we were being seated. Went upstairs to a half-full dinning area. Got sat next to about 15 middle aged ladies, even though there were more optimum seats. Server did not come to take a drink order for about 10 minutes. Did not even say "Hi" or "I'll be with you as soon as I can." To be fair these ladies we were seated next to were hard to please and wanted 13 separate checks. The poor waitress had to run all the credit cards. Now, I am no restaurant manager, but if I was her I would have let another staff member know that I was swamped and ask for help with the drink order at least. ANYWAY that did not happen. We had some sympathy for the situation, but she could have handled it differently. Ended up ordering the food with the drinks, just to get everything rolling since we were starved. Service mistake again when the appetizers came before the drinks. I could see our tray of drinks sitting at the end of the bar. The food runner served us and we were like "please get our drinks, they are right at the end of the bar, we can see them". He responded as if we were speaking Chinese. My friend had to wave down another staff member to please get our drinks that were just sitting there. Eventually someone gave them to us after we had started eating apps. Not a smooth move. Another service mistake, no plates for apps. Had to ask for water. Meals came out in decent time. After getting our food we were less anxious and the server was a nice person, we tipped well, but just not a shinning service experience. The Food: tasted good. But I do have issues, however. First was not impressed by the sauces. Two of them tasted a lot a like, and another two tasted a lot alike, then there was honey mustard. The Mississippi Mud was absolutely gross. The did not offer a vinegar-based KC-style sauce. I like a sour sauce. All of their sauces were very thick. Too much clove taste. Too sweet. I settled on a mixture of the Redsmoke signature sauce and Roasted Poblano. Sauce is a big deal for me at a BBQ joint. Fried pickles came out and were very greasy, so much so, they were shiny. They were cut into oval thin slices. The breading was good, but kept falling off of the pickles. I have had much better fried pickles, so I was a little disappointed. Catfish Nuggets app was the same exact breading as on the pickles and they offer the same sauce. Really? Cutting corners in the app department. If it is fried, you get this breading and this sauce with everything? Not a huge fan of Catfish, but tried some and they were ok. My husband and I shared the Triple Play of quarter chicken, brisket, pulled pork with cole slaw and mac & cheese. Everything tasted good. I liked the jalapeno cornbread they give you. Mac & Cheese was yummy. I liked their brisket and chicken very much. I was just longing for my sour sauce. The other couple we were with had the same thing and enjoyed theirs too. I was satisfied, at the time. My disappointment came later the next day if you know what I mean. My husband and I both had problems and so did our friends. Pretty sure something there did it to us. Not a doctor or a scientist, but I would guess it came from the food. Overall: Service is totally out-of-whack. The other staff members I observed seemed unhappy. Actually one of the first things our server said when we said "hello, how are you" is "I'm hot, I'm tired and I want to go home". There seemed to be plenty of servers, but they all seemed so stressed. Very weird that is why I wouldn't trust them to handle a nice birthday dinner or choose this place when you really want a quality meal, especially for a large party. If you are in the area and want BBQ, a casual stop, maybe choose Redsmoke. So unorganized. I want to feel welcome and I value what the staff of a restaurant does to make your experience the best it could be. Plus tummy issues the next day? I will pass on Redsmoke. With some improvements in customer service and professionalism, and a little more organization-this could be a gem. read more