This is my "must-go-to place" anytime I land in Milwaukee , it never fails me, the quality of the food is guaranteed, the service is never taken lightly, behind all of that must be a great leader who understands the concept of food, service and managing a team. Each plate coming out of that kitchen is a product of how the place is run. And so far the team has an A. Keep on smokin' read more

Literally...the best smoke restaurant I've ever been to. Place doesn't look like much from the outside, but it is well worth a stop. read more

Smoke Shack - Pulled Pork, Brisket, Corn Muffin, Beans, Cream Corn. - Barbeque Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Highlights/lowlights 1) great ambiance 2) great food! 3) average service We visited smoke shack with a group of 8 on a Saturday and SOMEHOW got seated right away! However, we were there around 2:30pm. I don't think they take reservations and the place is pretty small, so try and go at off times if you really don't want to wait. The ambiance is really cool! Feels like you are in a barn....but it's cool. Just go. The food is Austin-style BBQ and it is great! You can order entrees like smoked chicken, pork or brisket (all come dry and you add whichever BBQ sauce you want). You can also get sandwiches and shareables (hush puppies, wings, sweet potato fries). The food rocks and it's really fun to douse all of your food in one of five BBQ sauces! The only reason this doesn't have five stars is our drinks were pretty slow to get to our table and our server did not seem like she wanted to be there. Stop by if you are in the 3rd Ward! read more

Smoke Shack - Smoked pulled pork and seasonal veggies! - Barbeque Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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This is some of the best BBQ Milwaukee has to offer. The establishment is small, but themed beautifully and the outdoor area seems like it would be nice to sit in the warm months. The service was quick and friendly. The menu covered most BBQ requests, and seemed like most bbq places. The meat was good, yet seemed expensive for what you got. Keep in mind their Single serving of meat is a half pound. They offer two choices of meat for a much higher price, but you only get 2/3 of a pound. That is only a couple ounces more than a half a pound! Not worth it!!! My 2 meat plate (all brisket) appeared to be the exact same size as my wife's half pound single meat plate. Their sauces were not the best, but the brisket was very tasty. Careful coming during busy times, especially if outdoor area isn't open. We might be back. read more

We have been past this place and have been wanting to stop since they opened. Today was the day and we were not disappointed. We went early as I did not know how busy they got at dinner time, I knew the inside was on the smaller side and it was too cold to eat outside. We arrived about 4:15. Becky was our server and she was fantastic! As we have never been there before, she gave us good information on how they smoke their meats and told us about the different sauces. We got a complimentary basket of chips to try the sauces. We went during Downtown Dining and I chose the Downtown dining option they were offering. I had chose the Kansas City egg rolls, 3 meat combo which came with chicken, pork and sausage with sweet potato fries and a craft beer. ($25) Everything was great! The sweet potato fries are the best I have ever had. Done to perfection. Not mushy, just a slight crisp and the potato inside is perfectly sweet. Nice smokey flavor and I liked that it comes naked and I can put on whatever sauce I wanted, if I wanted. I tried all of the sauces of course and had some without the sauce. My husband did not choose the Downtown dining option, he went with a wedge salad, (huge $6.75)2 meat combo, he chose brisket and sausage for the meats and the baked beans for his side. ($18.50) The beans are a good portion, not the couple tablespoons you get elsewhere. I got to try the brisket and it was great. Tender and good smoked flavor. The slices were not the thin ones you usually get elsewhere, but were not too thick. Nice smoke ring. The sausage is a bit on the spicy side. Not too spicy, but it has a touch of heat. Put BBQ sauce on it and it tames down. As we came early, there were only a couple of people there. We were seated at a table for two with bar stools. The stools are a little cushy and comfy, but for a short girl like me (I am barely 5 foot) when I got off the stool, I was feeling for the ground. They are a little taller than a regular stool. When we were seated, I was about to put my purse on the floor when Becky pointed out the nice hooks on the wall, so I was able to hang my purse and sweater. I saw some people talking about the prices. It is not cheap to make this type of food and I feel they are within the right price range. It does not seem like they have tap beers. The first one my husband got was in a bottle, the second was in a can. No worries, they were both good. Lakefront IPA and Surly Furious. We will be back! read more

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Smoke Shack is classic, smoky barbecue in the heart of Milwaukee's third ward. It has all of the appeal and draw of the neighborhood, along with some pretty good food. Parking is extremely limited, so your best bet is to grab the first street option you come across. Once inside, tables are rather limited as well, so I can imagine during peak times, there will be a significant wait. The menu is decent. It is a bit pricy, but average for the area. I think my bbq dinner was about $25. The drink menu is solid, but not overwhelming. A few punch-style drinks, and an old fashioned. I had the brisket and ribs with macaroni, and everything was good. None of the items were the best I've ever had, but they were all above average. I would come back for sure. The salads are very large. one person got a Cobb salad, and it was enough to be able to eat from a few times. We did not get dessert, but I imagine it is tasty as well. read more

It's just not my standard of what a good BBQ chopped brisket sandwich should be. Very fatty. It should of been a lot leaner! They don't seem to care. Especially for nearly 14 bucks and one side. The server had taken it back upon my request. It was replaced with the smoked sausage sandwich instead my wife had ordered. Better tasting but need a sharper knife to cut through it. Kind of tough. Pretzel bun was so so. I suppose the good was that the server gave an extra side and our 2 Diet Pepsi's for free to compensate for the lack of a better BBQ experience. And, the chicken wasn't available or ready at lunch time either. I most likely won't be returning for this. Despite the friendliness. Maybe for a beer or a drink if in the Third Ward district. read more

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My BFF and I recently ordered for take out. The ribs were really dry , a bit tough and didn't taste like the ribs were smoked using any wood chips. There were a variety of bbq sauces you can choose from and they all were good. But too bad the ribs were not good. The smoked wings were pretty good and seasoned and came with ranch dressing. The sides were not very good (we had creamed corn (very odd taste) and coleslaw. The only side that was good (but not worth the charge for that) was the corn bread with honey butter. We will continue to search for another bbq place. read more

3 1/2 Stars for me. It's got a nice ambiance. The chips to start for trying all the sauces got me really excited for my meal and I loved all the flavors. My husband and I shared a nacho appetizer (it's yummy and big. Reasonably could serve 4 people or be eaten as an entire meal) and a 3 meat special with brisket, chicken, pork, and hush puppies. Brisket was my favorite. Chicken was a bit dry and bland but I think that is easily remedied with salt and sauce. The hush puppies are a nice texture but they are more savory with jalapeño baked in and I was more in the mood for a sweet cornbread. I also wish cornbread or hush puppies were complementary so that we could try another side and not feel like our meal was 90% meat. I think if I had ordered that as my meal without an appetizer I would have been disappointed. Next time I come I definitely want to try some ribs and dessert. read more

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Omg brunch brunch Try them fit brunch it's so good and the cinnamon roll was delicious can't complain lots of food for a great price and if you get in early on Sunday they have local artist performing Great look and feel to it wi be going back again soon read more

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I should start this review out by saying that I'm not a BBQ person. I'm just not into the tomatoey based brown sugar laden typical BBQ sauce, but decided to try smoke shack at my fiancé's urging. SO glad we did. I've been here for for brunch, lunch, and dinner at this point and everything from the brisket to the cinnamon rolls are just perfection. Our most recent trip was brunch, and we were greeted with a cinnamon roll that was HUGE. I ordered the burnt eggs Benedict and my fiancé got the chicken and waffles, both meals were amazing. The white sauce on my Benedict was possibly the best thing I've ever eaten in my life. And remember, I'm not about that BBQ life. Seriously if you haven't been here before, check it out. And if you haven't been for brunch, do it now. Definitely the meal they impressed me the most with. Absolute perfection. read more

Smoke Shack - Burnt ends Benedict. YUM. - Barbeque Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

SO GOOD. Tried out Smoke Shacks brunch and I now have a new favorite spot for brunch in the third ward! Their Cowboy Coffee was one of the best coffees I've had (you have to like super sweet though). It had bourbon cream on top but wasn't too overpowering for Sunday brunch. My friend and I both loved our "Count" sandwiches - which was one of the more adventurous sandwiches but worth the risk. Not to mention, the restaurant itself is really cute in a rustic way. Cannot wait to be back for brunch, and to try lunch/dinner next! read more

Smoke Shack - Count sandwich, B-Fast Waffle Fries, and Cowboy Coffee - Barbeque Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This please is very good, the vibe of the restaurant in side and out side is so refreshing and confortable, we selected baby ribs, brisket and sausage, everything was very good and the bbq options was great (Kansas, Carolina, Texas and House) the habanero was awesome. The sides...mac and cheese was perfect but the little corn bread balls with pepper were not good at all. The drink selection is ok and the staff is cery helpful and fun. I do recommend this place for the food, service and also for the location. read more

Smoke Shack - Barbeque Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I finally tried Smoke Shack for brunch and was pleased! I had the Pulled Pork Benedict, which was a creative bbq version of the classic. Poached Egg, fried green tomato, pulled pork, and an English muffin. Tasty! My only critique is that the dish is a little dry (maybe it would benefit from either fried eggs, or softer poaching? The eggs seemed more like a soft boiled egg than a poach - or add hollandaise?). We remedied this by using some BBQ sauce! Included home fries are excellent and crispy. Our group also enjoyed mimosa flights - fun and unique! This restaurant has the best COVID dining policies of anywhere in the third ward. QR code menus and restaurant-provided hand sanitizer. They ask that you wear your mask when you are not eating or drinking and the waitstaff is careful to keep their distance. The tables are also set up so that you aren't forced to walk by other dining groups or have passerbyers in your bubble. Thank you for these precautions! read more

Stopped in to try out the pop-up restaurant Brew City Biscuits being held at Smoke Shack. It was great! I think the biscuits are an excellent addition to the Milwaukee brunch scene. I would have enjoyed the biscuits more if they were less crispy and more light/crumbly. However, they were still very tasty. I had The Count biscuit - and there were so many different flavors that all complemented each other. It was a very unique mix of mustard & raspberry jam, but it paired so well together. The staff went above and beyond with service. They offered to turn up the porch heater nearby our table, and our waitress was so friendly. She went above & beyond to make us a Jack Daniels iced coffee that was no longer on the menu. Great experience overall! read more

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Everything was awesome!! The food, the decor, and the location!! Walking distance for all kinds of activities downtown Milwaukee. The only thing I didn't like was the Brussels sprouts they were little hard, I'll definitely go back if I'm in the area again. read more

Smoke Shack - Brisket and Pulled Chicken, Chipotle Creamed Corn, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cornbread - Barbeque Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Nice location, poor que. Pork was served with a nice dry rub sprinkle on top. Dry as cardboard inside. Flavorless. Same with the brisket. Mostly fatty, bark was also flavorless. Collard greens were cooked in burnt oil or something. Bad taste. Sweet and spicy beans were neither sweet nor spicy. Good service. read more

Staff was great! Menu was well-labeled for dietary restrictions.

A friend took us to Smoke Shack this weekend. Shack is right; it really is. But the food is wonderful, as is the service. We got the last open table, but a wait would have been worth it. The food is great. We had the sampler, which easily fed three healthy appetites. Can't wait to go back, and we're over an hour away! read more

Had a great lunch yesterday! The food was fantastic and the service was great. I will definitely go back. read more

Smoke Shack - Barbeque Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

My second favorite bbq restaurant. They are doing a pop up biscuit brunch for the weekends till sept as of now. The biscuits are large and delicious with certain fillings like Nashville hot chicken or pulled ham with jams or sausage gravy or beer gravy good options to choose from. They do also offer some of their regular bbq options as well. They also have some alcoholic drinks to choose from. Right now you need to check in at a small podium outside dont go in yet till you are told to do so. They do have a patio outside seating area as well and small amount of seating inside. It can get hard finding parking downtown area so give yourself extra time. Masks are required and they will explain what they expect for you at the table with wearing them and being able to take them off. I can't forget to say the bbq is so good too and the smoked smells oooo yeah thats the stuff read more

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Delicious pulled pork and bbq offerings! Patio seating was beautiful on a hot sunny day! read more

I LOVED this place! It had the perfect blend of a divey, bluesy atmosphere with yummy BBQ food! It really looks like a shack and stands out. I was sad that it was so cold because their patio looked like a fun experience. First you get a basket of homemade kettle chips and you can dip those in the different sauces. We also had hush puppies and candied bacon with sweet potato fries. There was not enough bacon in that and candied bacon is not too be missed. I had a brisket sandwich (without the bun) and sweet potato fries while son #2 had pulled pork with kettle chips. Although I offered him an alcoholic beverage, he said he was pacing himself for going out later. The service was spectacular. We had several visits for refills and to see how we were doing. GF buddies - all their sauce is gluten free! They have a few GF options and they are listed on the menu and some vegetarian options too. Check it out! read more

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Great selection of bbq sauces and sides. Meats are well prepared. Ambiance is very cute and cozy (located inside of an actual shack); service is friendly and accommodating. Only giving it 4 stars because I have had softer and juicier brisket in the past. read more

This would be a 1 star review if not for for the friendly service I received from bartender and server when I stopped in to pick up my brisket to-go order. Everything was downhill from there. When I got home, I saw that more than half of the brisket was entirely fat and inedible, and they didn't include the coleslaw that's meant to come with it. Pretty frustrating to spend $20 on fatty gristle and a few pickles. read more

Went here on a short road trip with the hubby. We weren't happy that they refused give us a booth and had to sit at the bar. I ordered the half pound of smoked ham with waffle fries which came with coleslaw and pickles. My hubby had beef brisket, sweet potato fries, cornbread, and a cup of coffee. I've definitely had better. The ham was slightly dry and the waffle fries would be better if they didn't add more salt/seasoning to them. I had to eat the ham with bbq sauce to keep it moist. My husband enjoyed everything but, said that he too has had better as well. We did try their bbq sauce and liked the kansas city and the house made sauce the best. However, we were only allowed to order from the weekend brunch menu and hubby would like to come back when he can order from the full menu. read more

Just like a lot of restaurants, they seem to be not as good after Covid as they were before. We ate there once before years ago and it was really good. Yesterday we ate there and we were very disappointed and we said that we will not be going back there. The server was extremely friendly. Can't complain about the wait staff. First we had the nachos off the starter and they were extremely good. They were different and we really enjoyed them my husband he had the ribs and they were just OK. I had the Count sandwich which was smoked ham and it was so dry. I thought I could spit cotton the sweet potato fries we're just OK nothing special I don't know if we just had an off day but we were extremely disappointed. I rather would've chosen a different restaurant in the area. read more

At Brunch, a complimentary CINNAMON ROLL is offered. Live music not great, but loving great patio weather. Can you just unplug this guy? We only 10ft away... GMonkey do: 2MEAT SANDWICH w/pork & brisket, sweet potato fries ToGo- omg this was great at work while everyone watched with jealousy SWEET POTATO PANCAKES- Savory w/Pulled Pork & Carolina mustard sauce- delicious, but better for lunch. Monkey eat half and took the rest to go. Beautiful day to walk with bag of food and wished for more time to enjoy. Can't wait to return. read more

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Ten buck lunch I've been dining at the Smoke Shack regularly for lunch since they first opened and the food keeps me coming back. Dinner choices are first-come, so get here early if you want something in particular! Pulled Pork Nachos - This is where it's at! You get a heap of tortilla chips with a perfect blend of melted cheese, veggies and sour cream. On top of all this goodness is what seems like a half pound of their pulled pork. It's so big you've got a 2nd lunch for later! Salads - I've had the wedge and fried tomato salads numerous times but my preference is the fried tomato with spicy dressing. It's sure to please! Sandwiches - The pulled pork here is exceptional! When they first opened they pushed slaw on top which added another buck to the price and made it way over my $10 lunch limit. The bun is great for soaking up their home-made sauce. Sides - Mac and cheese, corn bread, kettle chips, there is not a bad item on the menu. read more

Smoke Shack - Fried tomato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The first BBQ restaurant where the sides where better than the main dish, and that was good too. I passed on desert for a side of beans for later! read more

Absolutely delicious food and wonderful customer service. Don't leave Milwaukee without checking this place out.

I love the vibe and the drinks. Sides like greens and smoked mushrooms are pretty good. But the meat is not prepared properly. The brisket was so thick and tough it was barely edible. And the sausage tasted good but it looked liked it was boiled. Not a bit of char on it to crisp it up and make it taste good. They need someone to really focus on the bbq! read more

I had the brisetk sandwich and smoked mushrooms. Both were very good. The server was very patient with my younger children. Strong recommend for thos who like BBQ. read more

Great menu selections within a wood 'rustic' setting. Staff is attentive and friendly. Food is out of this world!

So so good! Went during lunch and sat inside, but the outdoor seating is very cute. I went with two coworkers and started off with the cornbread. We all were obsessed over it... not only is it served with the most amazing honey butter, but reminds of all of pound cake. Similar consistency and subtlety sweet in taste! Must have. I ordered a sandwich called Shack Daddy with pulled ham, hot link sausages and brisket. So so good! For my side I got mac and cheese and I would highly recommend. My two coworkers both ordered the PigMac, a sandwich with pulled pork and Mac and cheese on bun. They both loved it and enjoyed the fries they got on the side (one got regular and the other ordered sweet potato). I will definitely return. read more

Came in from out of town and was looking for somewhere with outdoor seating. Had the fried green tomatoes. Delicious. The fresh lemon shavings added a bright tone to the tomatoes. Had the Kansas City Egg Rolls--pulled pork and cheese in a fried egg roll. What's not to love?! They were tender and juicy inside and crispy crunchy outside. My grandson had the smoked brisket sloppy joe. He didn't leave a crumb for me to try. The meats are juicy and flavorful. I will definitely come back when I'm in town again. The wait staff were very Covid conscientious. They stayed away from the table and always wore a mask. I appreciated the courtesy and concern. read more

First time in Milwaukee and checked out this place based on reviews on Yelp. It lived up to the hype and it was a great lunch. The weather was nice so we took full advantage of the outdoor seating. The inside is very dark so keep that in mind if you're planning on dining inside. I ordered the special which was mac and cheese burnt ends sandwich. Highly recommend it. The burnt ends were spectacular. It is also in a nice area to walk around after the meal and there's the market a couple blocks away. read more

Smoke Shack - Burnt ends Mac and cheese sandwich. Cole slaw was interesting but I didn't like it / can't recommend it. Overall it was a very tasty meal. - Barbeque Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We paid 13 dollars for the naked pulled chicken sandwich (bun on side) and got this small, unpulled portion of chicken. Could have gone to the grocery store or arbys and gotten twice as much for the same price and quality. read more

Smoke Shack - Barbeque Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I called in an order of a Full Rack of ribs which comes with two sides. When I arrived to pick up my order, I also ordered a slice of corn bread. I left $50 on a $40 tab. When I got home, I found two slabs of 3 rib sections. I called the restaurant and the host did not pick up, I called the management and left a message. I did not receive a call back. Will not be ordering from this place again. read more

Very cool, cozy bbq spot! The pulled pork and brisket are cooked perfectly and have a great flavor, I suggest a little Kansas City bbq. The corn bread is by far the best I've ever had, so moist and cooked to perfection. read more