I'm not going to be able to say enough about this place! The sauces were all great but the food is AMAZING even without adding a sauce. Our waitress was perfect and very helpful. The inside of this place looks like it could come out of magazine. It was just wonderful to finally visit after passing by it over and over and over. read more

See all

After reading the reviews I was really looking forward to eating at Smoke on the Water while in Elkins for a ski trip. I am a pescatarian athend the menu had some interesting fish and seafood items. I got there on a weekday during happy hour and sat at the bar. Since it was half off for happy hour I started with the Smoked Trout Dip which was one of the items I really wanted to try. The dip came out really quickly and was a very nice looking plate, crostini and cucumber slices were nicely arranged around the scoop of dip covered with crushed nuts. The dip was decent, although flavors were a bit muted; I was hoping for more of the smoke flavor and having the trout make a bigger impact. Not bad, but not an item I would order again. Next up I tried the Smoked Salmon Poutine. A good sized portion of sweet potato fries topped with a generous amount of house smoked salmon, feta cheese and creme fraiche sauce. All of the ingredients were high quality and well prepared, however the dish didn't quite land as poutine since all of the elements other than the fries were served cold which muted the flavors and meant that the cheese didn't melt. This dish missed all of the hardiness and warmth that I associate with poutine. I came to Smoke on the Water hoping for big flavors and while the food was good and they used quality ingredients I just found the flavors to be a bit mild an underwhelming for me. A bit of a disappointment, of course your experience may vary, especially if you are having the actual BBQ. read more

See all

Another great visit. Everyone's meal was fantastic. We took advantage of the weather and ate on the deck. Waitress was outstanding, even on a busy Saturday evening! read more

Smoke on the Water has great food and service! The atmosphere is great indoors as well as outdoors on the deck.

Pretty damn solid BBQ, especially give that you are very close to the "middle of nowhere". BBQ portions are MASSIVE and they, shockingly, have multiple local beers on tap. The outdoor deck is also really nice, I recommend you sit there. read more

Carry Out Orders: **Make sure you check your order before you leave. Visiting from out of town and staying in a hotel. Placed the order with the nice hostess and trusted the kitchen would fill our simple condiment requests. Drove all the way back got into the room and no condiments or add-ons that we ordered. No lettuce or tomatoes for the burger & sandwich or even Catsup for the fries. So needless to say got dry, cold, basic meals. It wasn't busy to excuse this mistake. Very disappointed. We were looking forward to a great recommended meal. Smells so nice inside and staff were very friendly. Hoping for a good meal after a day of exploring the area. If you go, dine in and DO NOT carry out. read more

Smoke On The Water - Dry Mush, bacon Swiss burger - Barbeque Near Me - Elkins, West Virginia

Great bbq place. Recommended by a local. Wife had brisket sandwich and said it was excellent. I had pulled pork and sweet potato fries. Sauces were great. One complaint, nothing I ate was even warm. Pork had great flavour but u could tell it had been sitting for a while. Fries limp and cold. Waitress was really good. We got there late lunch early dinner which might account for lack of freshness. We'll be back. read more

Great atmosphere and our meals were delicious. We will visit again. Hope to eat outside on our next visit.

Excellent experience at Smoke on the Water. While the weather was warm, we still sat on the patio and it was quite pleasant. Service was quick and efficient. My wife loved her Brisket sandwich, and she is a BBQ snob from Kansas City. The Smoked Meatloaf sandwich was everything I was hoping it would be. At first I thought the tater tots we got were fried in old oil as their color was off. But it turned out that there was a seasoning on them that caused the color variant and they were delicious! read more

When visiting this area I can never find decent food Smoke On The Water is a gem ordered food to bring back to hotel the pulled pork and beans were outstanding also had the Moogoo burger can not say enough about this place also nice touch without asking my to go order came with napkins and utensils this is a plus when traveling! Check this place out ribs melt off the bone so tender and flavorful epic place read more

Food was superb and delicious, We came to West Virginia for a train ride . Then it was suggested to try out Smoke on the Water, The food and drinks were worth it. My wife and myself really enjoyed it !!!!! read more

We were traveling home from New River Gorge, North, and this place was recommended to us even though it took us off our path and out of the way, It Was Worth It! I loved the rustic and interesting decor, the menu had everything on it and the patio area looked great. We ordered the smoked shrimp that were to die for ( I have never had this before), smoked wings and the overstuffed pulled pork sweet potato. My only complaint was I asked for no coleslaw on the potato and it was still on it ( the server did offer to get me a new one but I was so hungry at this point it didn't matter). The portions were huge and we had more food than needed with plenty of leftovers to take home. I wish we lived closer to return but if ever in the area again we will be back. read more

They catered a small memorial dinner for our family, and it wasn't good at all. The food was dried out and cold. Had flavor but the cater service didn't keep the food hot or moist or anything. I wouldn't recommend for catering at all. read more

Passing through we decided to stop in for a bite to eat. Sat at the bar and the bartender was great. I order the pork stuffed sweet potato and my husband ordered the chicken dinner platter. Both were delicious! 10/10 recommend you his family owned business! read more

Defiantly one of the best restaurants around the Elkins area. We went a couple of times on our visit in. read more

Smoke On The Water - The beautiful river running next to the restaurant - Barbeque Near Me - Elkins, West Virginia

See all

Really bad dining experience yesterday. From the time we got out of the car and smelled the sewage smell from the neighboring campground I should have known that it wasn't going to be a great experience. We had to wait for almost two hours to get our overpriced food that I would describe as mediocre. When asked, the waitress said that the Mac and cheese was homemade, which it was not, she didn't tell us that there was an additional charge for some of the sides. After receiving the bill we realized that she had included gratuity for a party of five when the restaurant policy states gratuity included for a party of six or more. Overall, not an enjoyable experience and I wouldn't recommend. read more

Nice restaurant with Good BBQ for Eakins The restaurant is large, with both in and outside seating and has a great vibe. There were a couple of large parties so we ate outside, which despite being late October was perfect. The 4 of us split an order of Burnt Ends appetizer which clearly the best item on the menu. Except for the cost, I could have made a meal on these alone The wife enjoyed her pulled pork dinner, but did not like the Mac and Cheese The business partner and I split two dishes. The 1st was a Full slab of ribs, which is reasonably priced and very good. The 2nd was an overpriced, three pieces of Brisket, without out flavor The wife and I both liked our order of sweet potato fries. Our party also enjoyed their nice offering of microbrewery and national beers read more

See all

Food was good and a solid B as far as rating. Service and environment were also as expected. More attentive service would have moved up the grade. It's difficult to have bbq but get the sauces 1/2 way through the meal. Not a huge deal but that's why I am holding this at 3 1/2 stars read more

Visit this when we are in the area. Great food and fun to visit. Love sitting on the back deck. Our waitress was pleasant. Bathroom is clean. Food was good we had the chicken wings, burnt ends, brisket and ribs. read more

See all

12-31-22 The food was great and we received it very quickly. But we received 0 refills on our drinks and our server was very rude and seemed to be angry about being there! read more

Smoke On The Water - Barbeque Near Me - Elkins, West Virginia

We come to Elkins to have dinner here and watch fireworks each year. The food is fresh and tasty! Baked beans are some of the best. Must try the trout cheese ball! read more

This place was awesome. Out in the middle of nowhere. The best pulled pork I've had in awhile. The service was outstanding. And being in the woods made the atmosphere great. They have indoor seat but why would you want to sit inside when you can be outside with nature. I say give them a try. If you're in the area. You won't be disappointed. read more

5 stars to the burnt ends, Mac n cheese, pickle fries and side of green beans. They were all fabulous! 4 stars to the smoked chicken wings and ribs 3 stars to the brisket (cooked before, reheated and dried out), bbq baked beans (too sweet even though the mix of beans was nice), and the chicken bacon wrap (tasted fishy) Loved the ambiance and the river just outside. And the service was right on point. Would definitely go again to eat the 5-star items! read more

Great food in the middle of nowhere. Sit in or out. The smell of rubbed meat slaps you as you enter. This was my first time here. I will definitely be back. read more

Smoke On The Water - Pimento cheese dip and burnt ends - Barbeque Near Me - Elkins, West Virginia

See all

Although the place seems to be very popular in the Elkins area, three out of five of us ended up getting sick after eating there. And none of us ate the same thing. We ended up traveling with others and they wanted to eat there, so we stuck to eating bar food and were OK the second trip. Because of the lack of consistency, we avoid it now. read more

Probably one of the better restaurants in Elkins. Good service. Food fine. Nice Greek salad and salmon burgher and pulled pork platter.

Gave this restaurant a second chance but I don't know why so Shame on us. The food here is poor, this isn't bbq at all it's broiled food with a bunch of sugary sauces for you to flavor with no flavor, We have been here twice and unfortunately had the same server I think Jenn which she is just miserable and rude. Clearly doesn't want to be there. Save your money and go elsewhere, also the disgusting patio is full of flies! read more

Visited Saturday of memorial weekend around 7:00pm. Tables were full but we only had about a 30 minute wait. Our table had the pulled pork sandwich and brisket platter. Kids ordered the chicken nuggets. Food was delicious and our server Tracy was a sweetheart and very attentive offering great recommendations for food and dessert. Our kids' only complaint was there were not a lot of kid food options such as pulled pork, chicken or fish. read more

This is a beautiful restaurant, there's a huge deck outside with tables. The food is good, but not a whole lot of variety. The prices are outrageous. Service has always been good. read more

I love that they are offering weekly specials in addition to their standard menu offerings. The smoked meatloaf sandwich that is a special is SO good. One of my other favorite things to order is the stuffed sweet potato - comes with pulled pork, cole slaw, BBQ sauce, and shredded cheese (I think). If I had one request for this particular dish... it would be to rub the sweet potato in olive oil, salt, and pepper before roasting. To make the potatoes just as much of a standout as the rest of the dish. My husband really likes the Magoo burger and the Turkey, bacon, Swiss sandwich. Their zucchini plank appetizer (a special) is great! The zucchini is cut thick enough to still have some integrity and bite to it. We really like this place. read more

My husband and I both had sandwiches and they were both very good. Our waitress was attentive and very nice. I would definitely return if I'm in the area . read more

This was a great place for a family dinner. Everyone was able to get what they wanted and leave stuffed and happy. The waitress was able to help everyone and remember what we all ordered. I would highly recommend this place. read more

Stayed in Elkins on a fishing trip. Went to get BBQ. Got ribs the first night. They were great! The BBQ sauce here is very unique with a plum sauce flavor. So good. Next day got an Angus burger with beef BBQ on top. Added fried onions, fries, mayo, ketchup and BBQ sauce. One of the best burgers I have ever had. I wished I lived closer, I would eat here all the time! Great staff too! read more

Cliff Notes Version: Cold food. Terrible service. Nice location. Choose another lunch/dinner spot! This is one of the most difficult reviews I've ever written, mostly because by the end of the visit we finally received good food, and it's a beautiful location and nice environment... but that's the end of the good news. We arrived 5 minutes after opening to hostess stand staff who seemed nothing less than annoyed that we had walked in the door. We were seated and waited nearly 10 minutes for someone to return for our drink order. We were told about the specials of the day, one of which was fried oysters, which we ordered along with the Super Duper Sampler entrees. Several minutes later our waitress returned to tell us there were no oysters. No big deal, we would choose another appetizer. Too bad she never returned to get the new appetizer order. Our entrees arrived very quickly and looked delicious... wings, a mini pulled pork slider, brisket, and shrimp - all smoked. I got the first bite close to my mouth and realized it was cold. The shrimp and brisket were stone cold (like they had been pulled straight from the refrigerator), the pulled pork was room temperature, and the wings were slightly warm. Not one single item on the plate was hot. We sent back both of our plates via a waitress who took away our food without a single word. A few minutes later, she returned with the same two plates of food that were now warm, though not hot. We tried to figure out if they simply warmed them in the microwave, or ?? To our surprise, the food was good. Nothing to write home about and not worth the price we paid, but it was good. Unfortunately we never saw our waitress again, not even for drink refills, until she brought the bill. I'm not one to leave half way through a meal, but in hindsight we should have paid for our drinks and left when we were served cold food. This was our second stop here. The last visit was more than a year ago and we had a less than desirable experience. We decided to give it another chance today, and it will likely be our last. read more

See all

Excellent food and Service. There's a beautiful deck overlooking the creek for outdoor dining. We brought family visiting Elkins for the first time, here for a fabulous meal and dining environment !! read more

What a lovely surprise to visit Smoke on the Water, both to my eyes and stomach lol. If you live in or are passing through Elkins, this is definitely worth the stop. The servings are large and taste wonderful. They even have options for vegetarians and gluten allergies (as I have). And what could be better than sitting outside (under cover) listening to the sounds of the stream and some nice tunes. The service is quick and servers are very friendly. Finally, there are quite a few drink options and it appears family and group friendly. I will definitely be back. Thanks! read more

See all

Visited this place numerous times. Always been great good and service. The building itself is something to see. Indoor or outdoor seating is great. It's a "must visit" restaurant in the Elkins area. read more

Wow! Just wow! We stumbled across this restaurant by accident and boy, are we glad we did! What a fantastic experience! We were seated outdoors, with the pleasant sound of a babbling brook as ambiance. Our waitress was friendly, super attentive and happy to make suggestions on drinks and menu offerings. We shared delicious burnt ends as an appetizer. My hubby's Moscow Mule and my drink - a hillbilly juice I think - were both delicious. Our entrees were generous and perfectly prepared. I had the sweet potato with bbq, slaw and cheese on top. It was AMAZING! Hubby had brisket and it was too much to eat. Food arrived fast, despite being very busy. Definitely worth a stop or a special trip! read more

After three years of coming here we were finally able to get dinner hear. Pretty classic BBQ fair with options of six different sauces. Try the pimento dip for sure. The food was good but our server Karli made the experience. Ask for her. read more

we'll pass on any pulled pork dishes. It had the mildest of simple smoke flavor to it and was on the dry side. They do offer several types of sauce, which I appreciate. The rest of the burger was excellent. Perfectly cooked medium and the spicy bbq (which wasn't spicy at all) went really well on it. House chips were ok. I also got a side of hushpuppies and potato salad. The menu stated that they would be $2 if added to an entree but we were charged full price. The hushpuppies are sweet and have whole corn pieces in them. The potato salad had a really good base, but sadly the potatoes were nearly raw and hard so I barley ate it.. That made me sad, because it would have been one of the better potato salads I've had. Waitress was nice but when asking for a suggestion she replied everything was smoked in house and all of it was good....so that wasn't any help. Service overall was ok; a wee bit on the the slow side. They do up charge for credit cards (we don't mind, but it's not noted anywhere we saw for those who do take issue with it and don't like to be surprised) and the tip suggestion is based on the post tax credit card total. Small issues, but they all add up. read more

See all