While visiting Hilliard from Texas for work, I wanted to experience how other states do barbecue, so I decided to try Smoke Licked Barbecue. First impressions were great. The restaurant was very clean, and the staff were incredibly kind and accommodating. They even allowed me to sample a few items before ordering, which I appreciated. Unfortunately, I arrived just before 5 PM and they were already out of ribs, which was disappointing. I ordered the brisket, pulled pork tacos, street corn, and coleslaw. The brisket was very tender and moist, but I felt it could have used a little more seasoning. The pulled pork tacos had excellent texture and were enjoyable to eat, but the flavor was mild enough that, if I'd closed my eyes, I'm not sure I would have identified it as pulled pork. The coleslaw was also a bit lackluster for my taste and could have benefited from more seasoning. The standout side for me was the smoked street corn, which was flavorful and easily one my favorite parts of the meal. Overall, the service and cleanliness were excellent, and the food quality was solid. I just personally prefer a bolder, more seasoned barbecue flavor profile. read more

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We tried them out for Restaurant Week 2026. Luckily for us, they had extended it another week! We were so impressed with everything we ate. Everything (except the ketchup) is housemade! The cashier/cook greeted us as soon as we walked through the door. Even though it is fast food, he checked on us a couple of times! Keep in mind, as other reviews have stated, it is set up for more of a takeout, as there are only two small high tops and no bathrooms. In the warmer months, there are two picnic tables right outside the door. My husband got the smoked turkey (nicely smoked with good bark and moist), mac & cheese (good cheese pull and not runny), pudding. I had the smoked chicken quarter leg (nicely smoked, moist, and covered with their signature sauce), collard greens (not at all spicy but good flavor), and bourbon peach cobbler. Both came with a choice of bread, and we chose corn bread. Nice and moist with a touch of sweetness. I usually drink water with my meals, but they had Jones ' sodas, and I always wanted to try one. The nice young man told me how much he liked the cream soda, so I gave it a try. It tasted so different (we think because they use cane sugar as their only sweetener) than say A&W's version. I really enjoyed it. We also wanted to try another side, so we ordered corn pudding. We were so impressed with everything, we took a to-go menu to look it over. The cashier/cook told us they have frequent specials and a loyalty program. Since we don't have a close fast fook BBQ place near us, I can see us coming here at least once a month! I am sorry I forgot to get pictures. read more

Everything you could expect out of a BBQ spot: Flavorful, moist, succulent, scratch made, well seasoned, good bark. I really respect the creativity out of their menu and the chances they take with unique dishes and appetizers. This isn't your run of mill BBQ place but instead a place that thinks OUTSIDE OF THE BOX and pulls it off masterfully. Customer service is Phenomenal. While I waited on my order the cashier was kind enough to let me sample TWO of their real cane sodas! Location wise it's kinda outta the way but it's well worth the drive and money well spent! We can't wait to return! read more

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Very impressive. Great food, interesting menu. Mainly carry out. A few bar type seats and a couple of tiny tables. I met a friend here for lunch, so it worked for us, but a group would not work. Service was excellent. Just counter service, but still, friendly and helpful and patient, and they brought our food out, and cleared off our table. We came at 11 AM on a Monday, right after they opened, so it wasn't busy. They have a specials board as you walk in, and they all looked very good. On the other side of the room is the main menu, and it looked good all around. I wanted to get half of the things. My friend got the Monday special, a burger with interesting toppings. He said it was very good, but that the meat got overwhelmed by all of the stuff on top. Cheese, sauce, pickles, several other things. He ended up eating it with a fork. I got one pickled egg to start. You can get six or 12. It was good, but I am glad I didn't get more. It has salami and jalapeno, which added to the flavor, but didn't make it exceptional. Just really good. I got the brisket smash burger sliders. They also have regular brisket sandwiches. Great burgers, great buns, just a few little toppings, so the meat was the star. I got the combo, so it came with a side, and I picked baked beans. OMG. Thick, flavorful, and a big-enough serving. Not spicy, but packed with flavor. I really liked them. There is so much else on the menu I want to try. It is really not near anywhere I go, so I will have to make a special trip, but it will be worth it. Negatives: limited drinks, basically Jones soda in a cooler. Also bottled water and Arnold Palmers, but I think that was it. Very flimsy plasticware. No bathroom, which, well, for old guys can be an issue. read more

Wow way to come thru on Super Bowl Sunday!! Cohort and I weren't invited anywhere this year so I had to scramble for last minute snacks. Deviled eggs were egg-cellent. Their wings are Ah-mazing!!!!!! Big meaty saucy portions. Mac and cheese yummy and don't forget to get dessert. We enjoyed the bacon brownie. No calories are counted today Service was quick and friendly. We ordered thru website. Super easy. read more

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First impressoons was the aroma. Let me explain. I expected to smell the meat being smoked the moment I pulled into the parking lot. I did not. I expected the building interior to float in the amazing smell of brisket tender and falling off the bone. It was not. But my first bite of smoked chicken was all smoke. Ah, there it was! When I arrived at home, my clothes "reeked" of BBQ smoke in a good way. I truly dont understand. We were only in the bar next door. Hiw/why do my clean clothes carry the aroma that wasnt in the air? Dibevin vs Carry out The restaurant itselfhas one small high top cocktail-like round table and a counter. There's really no "dine-in". BUT what it has is a pass-thru window with the bar next door; Overtime. (Note, Overtime opened at 1:00 the day we went for lunch at 11am.) plan acordingly. The four of us that met for lunch and ordered multiple sides and appetizers to sample as much as we could from the window and then grabbed an icy cold Mic Ultra from Overtime. In my opinion a beautiful match made in heaven. BBQ and beer. And while we were there, the sun came out burning off the last of the fog on this dreary January day. We sat inside but looked longingly at the Overtime patio and dreamed of warm days and eating outside Deviled eggs- outstanding! They lacked the heavy mayo coneistancy often found in deviled eggs but had a thin jalapeno slice on top. Really good! Handcut fries - Golden and crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. I personally am a salt-aholic who realized too late that there was a packet of salt and pepper inside the utensils package I wished I had used. We overheard the bar tender praise the mac and cheese after we we were eating. We didnt try it but maybe you should! Brisket sandwich is served toopped with slaw. The bun was soft and held the smokey brisket without falling apart. The sandwhich was my husband's. He ordered it without the slaw and he liked the brisket dipped in the dmall container of BBQ vinegaret. Tossed Salad vs the Cobb Sala. I debated. Both salads are the same size but about $5 difference in price. The Cobb came with smoked chicken. The tossed salad had less toppings but a list of smoked meats that could be added. I went that went with the tossed salad with brisket on top. I was served smoked chicken in its own container and didnt realize it wasn't brisket until my husband looked at our two meats and realized they were different. The kitchen was quick to graciously swap out the meats and I was able to try the brisket also. Apparently they have plain ol' ranch dressing but their house dressing is an "everything but the kitchen sink" ranch (my words, not theirs). I'm going to do my best to remember: jalapeno, cucumber, cilantro Ranch. I expected a kick but the dressing was completely mild. Chocolate Cake. My husband is a sucker when chocolate cake is on the menu so he had to try it. The size was appropriate. Not a Cap City Diner sized slice of cake but more than generous! We both liked the fudgey icing topped with a spinkle of chocolate powder and a dollop of cream that held its firm consistancy. The restaurant is new, has no seating and carryout business was brisk even for lunch after 1:00 on a Friday. We were the only one at Overtime eating Smoked Licked BBQ for lunch that day. Our food was served on a plastic cafeteria tray, each item in its own disposable container. That makes sense for a mostly carry out operation. But that was a lot of waste for the dine-in crowd. For a giggle, If you order from the window and receiver a buzzer to return when your food is ready. Read the back of your buzzer written by a non-native English speaker.. It said something like "when this makes noise and light, come take food please". We lauhed and repeated what it said when we went to the window. Obviously we were not the first ones to comnent on the directions and the staff no longer found it funny. Sorry, afternoon beer can make us inmature. The menu was large. Smoked Lick found many ways to showcase their meats and sauces. By the pound, sandwhiches, salads. Tacos, wings. I wanted to try the brisket chili but it was sold out. Next time! I recommend that you try Smoked Lick. It is new to Hilliard. Carry out may be best but you have the option to eat at Overtime Bar inside or on the patio in better weather. read more

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I will start off by saying if you are trying to sit down and eat with a large group especially, with kids this is not your spot. It is very small and only have a couple of small hightop tables. They do have a service window that's connected to a bar so I assume you can sit in there which offers alot more space but it's not kid friendly. As for the food... I think it is top-notch for the area. They have a pretty nice menu offering an array of texas bbq style smoked meats. I had the brisket which was decent, the smoked wings were flashed fried and have multiple options of sauces. They really won me over with the "texas twinkies" a jalapeño stuffed with cream cheese, brisket, and cheese. Which is then wrapped in bacon and smoked! Good stuff. They are 14.50 for 4 but they are huge. All in all it's a solid spot. More setup for take out which they definitely had people constantly coming in and out. I would definitely return for all the random specials they have. read more

Smoked Lick BBQ - Their "Texas twinkie" - Barbeque Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

We tried this place out and we were very happy with the food, food selection and the service. We had the 6 wings which were so tasty I would have ordered more. But it was Taco Thursday and they were huge tacos!!! Huge! Great price for excellent home cooked food. Downfall: not a lot of seating, drinks are limited and very high prices, $4.00 for a bottle of water. So, bring your own! No bathrooms. I am not sure if they share with the Oldtimers next door but better seating would be fabulous also. Those metal chairs are not comfy. But... since the food was so good, we will be back for sure. Supporting our locals. read more

Was very pleasantly surprised by this place! We got takeout, ordered through their website. I tried the smoked chicken leg and thigh, Mac & cheese and baked beans. My boyfriend got the brisket. Everything was pretty good! The Mac could have been a little cheesier but it had good flavor. Baked beans were phenomenal you could tell they really baked them, they were thick not runny like they were cooked in a pot. The chicken was super tender! Overall I'd definitely be back to try the rest of the menu they have a ton of stuff that sounds good. read more

Smoked Lick BBQ - Smoked Chicken Leg and Thigh - Barbeque Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

I'm giving you a quick background. I am from Chicago. I lived in Houston Texas for 15 years. Needless to say I know my barbecue. This was a waste of $55. I got 1/2lb. sausage, 1/2lb brisket, 1 pint of green beans, 1 pint of street corn, one individual serving of potato salad. This came with four Hawaiian type rolls. The meats came in black containers. Each meat had chopped green onions on top. That was very strange to me. Upon opening the containers, the aroma was not very appetizing. The sausage was not the typical sausage I am used to. It was very strange. The brisket also had the chopped green onion on top. The brisket was moist and tender. The green onions just ruined it for me besides the sausage just being weird. The corn was just OK. It was very watery which again I was not used to. The green beans were pretty mushy. When it comes to barbecue sauce, I am more on the sweet side. I got the house barbecue sauce and that was actually not too bad. The potato salad was actually pretty good! The service was very good. It is a cute little restaurant with minimal seating. I will be trying other BBQ. So far I like City Barbecue and Dickey's. read more

Smoked Lick BBQ - Sausage, brisket, green beans, corn, house, barbecue sauce, rolls - Barbeque Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

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Great quality and consistent food. Super nice people and happy to support local Merchants.

Been waiting for this place to finally open. Today was the day. I ordered a Brisket sandwich that came with fries. Also ordered the Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Coleslaw and a Deviled Egg. The Deviled Egg had a nice smooth filling with a very little mustard taste to it. Perfect for me. The Baked Beans were delicious, they had some peppers, pork and super smooth tasting sauce in them. Yum!!! The Brisket sandwich had a good amount of meat on it. The texture and flavor was phenomenal. They're also using a quality and tasty bun that held up to the meat and coleslaw on it. The coleslaw on top of it was just okay, I'm not sure that it really added anything for me. I would let the meat speak for itself and maybe use his sauce as I know it was really good. The Potato Salad was made with a nice creamy dressing and veggies but the potatoes were way too big for the dish in my opinion. The fries were another miss for me, over seasoned and needed cooked more. Will I go back, without a doubt, this was with a limited menu and their full menu has a lot of interesting items. read more

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Wasn't impressed at all food was dry and over cooked, green beans were not good at all they forgot my wings so I had to drive back. Just wasn't very good experience overall . I always try things once and I won't be coming back to this place again read more

Very good overall. The Pulled Pork, tastes to me like White Oak was used. Proper smoke flavor makes for legit BBQ! Please don't ever cut back on it! Was moist enough yet, not dried out. House BBQ sauce that comes with is nicely balanced, not too sweet, compliments well. Ribs were pretty solid, tender, albeit the rub was a bit over salted. I am a person who is more salt-sensitive, so it might be just me..... Mac & cheese was good, just enough creaminess which I find a little hard to come by, seems to be one extreme or another too dry or super creamy. Un-necessary scallions on top mac & cheese & halfway down the pulled pork I tried to dig around. Menu is pretty extensive, eclectic for BBQ. I'll be back to try other items. read more

Visited the place twice to eat theirs smoked wings, which are excellent! Good combination of sauces, but the smoky taste of the wings is the best. Very friendly service, and great place to have a drink at Overtime bar and eat their food. Perfect addition to this area, highly recommended!! read more

Food was fresh and hot. Excellent service and recommendations. Had the smoke wings with the spicy bbq sauce. Didn't like the deviled egg. About the norm for bbq spots around town in regards to price. read more

I had went into restaurant and ordered 3 items and waited and waited and they gave me a bag and when I got home there was 1 item missing and when I called they said they would take that off my bill and send me a gift card. Nothing happen and the portion of food was smaller then I would have hoped for the price. read more

The food was awesome. Pork Belly Taco to die for. Sit at the bar next store and grab a beer. Homemade taco shells yummy. Wish I lived closer. Service was friendly and spot on. read more

Awesome BBQ. best BBQ on the west side of Columbus. super friendly and helpful staff. small place but partners with bar next door for lots of seating inside and out. awesome combo. love to see local businesses help each other out read more

I know they are new and is in a quiet location. But this is a hidden gem for real amazing barbecue. The brisket is so good. I've been here three times. And I order their smoked lobster roll twice. I definitely recommend this place read more

Wow! Lunch was a great surprise today. I work for a Physicians office and a Pharmaceutical rep. brought us lunch from Smoked Lick BBQ today. At first I was thinking I wish it was City BBQ but then I ate some Brisket, Coleslaw and salad and it was a delightful surprise. I am going to stop in a get some for my family. I'm sure they'll be pleasantly surprised too! read more

All of our food was room temperature. Smoked wings and mac n cheese the only items i would try again. The sloppy joe lacked flavor and was served on a hot dog bun. Fries were not fresh cut, green beans again had little flavor and tasted as if right out of the can. read more

such a cool hidden gem. food was so good. had the tacos and deviled eggs. just a huge punch of flavor. so good