New Owner Alert! Happy Hour on Saturday! Best experience here in a long time. The staff is happy and they are loving the new owners. They had a game of darts going on in the party room with some regulars. We were pleased to see the new happy hour menu. We had the Bbq sausages and the jalapeño poppers. More changes are coming! Revisit this gem in Fair Oaks! read more

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We had lunch here around 1:30pm and were seated immediately. The place felt like a house converted into a restaurant with bar and a room with TV near the restroom. The vibe was very relaxed. We ordered the food and it came out pretty fast. - Smoked wings: wings are good and tender. The sauce was good but nothing spectacular. The veggies that came with the plate were not fresh - BBQ brisket sandwich: good sandwich. The bread was soft and the coleslaw was crunchy and well seasoned. The fatty brisket was good and flavorful but for the price, I was hoping to get more brisket. The tatter tots were crispy and good. - Kids cheeseburger: it was okay. I'd say it was a slider instead of burger. But the bun was soft and the patty was well cooked. The fries were good and crunchy. The kids menu said that it came with kids drink but we got charged for an ice tea. read more

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2/26/2026 - Fair Oaks, CA They serve the most delicious smoked brisket dip sandwich ($21), which I had on this visit. We are never disappointed when we eat here. Owner Steve is very friendly, the food is delicious, and the bar area is comfortable. The restaurant seating is very rustic with a fireplace and big picture windows. Nice place to grab just a drink and appetizer, or a full meal. read more

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My husband took me here for a lunch date as he has been there before for a business luncheon. The place was super cute and had lots of wine bottles on the walls which I thought was super nice looking. The only thing is while we were there one of the wine racks fell off the wall and wine shattered on the floor but the workers cleaned it up pretty quick. But that's besides the point. The point I need to make is about these sandwiches that we had! Omg they were amazing!! I had the smoked pastrami and it was so juicy and tender that it was melting in my mouth and the mustard that came with it took me back to when I would get these sandwiches in Germany. It was so amazing. The tots were seasoned just perfectly and had the right amount of crunch! My husband had the brisket French dip and said it was very tender and juicy as well and the dipping sauce was really flavorful. Overall it was a nice lunch date with my love even though some wine was destroyed in the process. Will definitely go back again! read more

Smokey Oaks Tavern - Brisket French Dip - Bars Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

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SOT is a cool little old school western feeling tavern in fair oaks. I went during lunch service and it was pretty good. Service was quick and friendly. Good came out fast too. I got the pulled pork sandwich and it was very filling. It wasn't too wet from sauce and very tender. The bun was also of very good texture. Prices seem fair given that it is bbq. Give them a shot! read more

Awe. Christmas Eve. First of all thank you for being here for our group. Wonderful fireplace and holiday decorations made a nice touch. Not very busy. Four staff seemed on duty. Service seemed slow for all patrons. We were a party of eight. Food came out in to the table on at different times. With that being said no one complained about the food. read more

Smokey Oaks Tavern - Bars Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

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We have been wanting to go to this place for a very long time, it surely did not disappoint, the drinks were fantastic I ordered fish and chips my girlfriend got the cowboy up burger , for dessert we shared a banana budding. I would say the coleslaw that came with the fish and chips didn't have a lot of flavor and the lady finger part to the banana pudding was very dry but the pudding was fantastic that is why I gave 4 out of 5 stars. Our server was wonderful and we will definitely go back. read more

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Drove by this place many times and decided to grab lunch here today! We got seat fairly quickly and the wait time for food wasn't long at all! The food was very delicious and fresh! We enjoyed everything to the last bite! The service was good and professional. There weren't too many people there so that made us feel more special as everything we requested got done very quickly! The ice cream was the best part! So delicious and creamy! Inside was very clean and great seating arrangement! read more

Smokey Oaks Tavern - Bars Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

Wow! I was super hungry and had passed by a bbq place on the way into Mather. When I pulled up, there was writing on the windows saying they'd had a baby and would re-open 9/6. Yelp to the rescue again. I search BBQ places and see Smokey Oaks Tavern in my neck of the woods. So, I meander over in late afternoon traffic. There is plenty of parking out front and the walking in, I found myself at the junction of a very attractive bar and a very inviting restaurant. I was greeted right away and asked for ribs to go. "Do you want sides with that?" "Nope. Just the ribs." Had a delicious glass of American whiskey while I waited. When they brought out the ribs, with bbq sauce on the side, the fragrance was AMAZING! I got enough for the whole family. The smoke flavor was impressive, the meat tender and the sauce a little sweet, not much heat. But those ribs were properly smoked. I'll be back for sure! read more

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This is THE PLACE TO GO!!! I was blown away at how tasty the food was and service was FANTASTIC!! We even got a chance to meet the new owners! They are awesome. We got a full rack of ribs which were, hands down, the BEST ribs I've ever had!!! Also got some Mac& cheese & chocolate banana bread pudding with ice cream on top for dessert (thanks to the waiter for recommending this dessert!) Highly recommend stopping by, they also have a nice bar if you just wanted to stop in for a drink read more

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Quality of food, family orientated quick service definitely going back again ....... read more

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This is definitely a comfort food restaurant. Nice selection of hamburger and hearty sandwiches. I had the French dip which was quite tasty with the exception of the au jus which was very salty. The meat was flavorful and tender and the bun was nice and soft. I had the brownie for dessert which was served warm. After a heavy meal, it's a good desert to share. It was very good. The service was excellent! From the man who took my reservation over the phone, to the bartender who greeted me to the server. A+ on customer service! The restaurant is casual and comfortable. Feels very much like a neighborhood restaurant. read more

Smokey Oaks Tavern - Brisket French Dip - Bars Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

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Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Seating: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Parking: 5/5 I came in the afternoon on a Saturday and it was pretty quiet, not too busy. A great place to relax with friends or family, and lots of indoor seating at the bar or tables. There's a private parking lot so plenty of free, easy parking. The seats were comfortable: metal chairs so sturdy but hard back with comfortable cushioning on the bottom. I ordered two entrees: The Melt Sliders with Sweet Potato Fries ($16) and The Bleu Sliders with Tater Tots ($15). The food was delicious, the fries and tater tots were perfectly fried to be crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. The Sliders were portioned well for someone not looking to eat a whole burger, and tasted great with the toasted buns. They were loaded up with fresh vegetables of lettuce, tomato, and onion which in my personal taste overwhelmed the taste of the meat patty, but overall Sliders were a great lighter meal. The host greeted me upon entry and seated me quickly which could be because it wasn't too busy. My server was kind, welcoming, and very quick to address my needs so 5/5 customer service. Unfortunately, they were out of dessert but I would return to try it! Definitely a great place to return to. read more

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Nice restaurant off of FO BLVD. Has a large bar which was full on Friday night and about half the restaurant was full. Good and fast service. I got the fish tacos and thought they were delicious and I am super picky about fish. The tater tots and crispy brussels were fine, not great. My husband's BBQ plate had good flavor ribs but a little overcooked and the sausage was way too spicey. Overall good and worth a try read more

So amazing almost want to keep it a secret!!! From the moment you walk in you feel like an old friend! The menu was incredible, I wanted to try everything, so we ordered a selection and it was better than we could have dreamed. The Shrimp cocktail will keep you coming back again and again. They have leveled up everything, the Mac and cheese with pulled pork was served in a hot skillet with so much flavor. The team seemed to know exactly how to pace our meal and drinks were kept full. Can't wait to go back, again and again! read more

What a cute and tucked away restaurant! The menu has tons of variety too. We opted for the bbq platter and upgrade the tots to the loaded tots. They were good, but the tots became soggy after a few minutes. We also ordered the fish tacos, which were good but a little on the dry side. I asked for extra aioli sauce and it made the tacos perfect. However, they give you a massive piece of fish on each tortilla so it's definitely worth your money. The smoked wings were also outstanding! Such good smokey flavor and good sized wings. Try to sit by the window at the front of the restaurant, it's just a good view and great atmosphere. read more

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Everyone server/bartender here is almost always drunk. This is the second time we've come in and the waiter and bartender are so drunk they forget to put our order in. We waited and waited for our food, and finally asked for the check. The waiter seemed surprised that we were upset to wait over an hour and 20 mins for food. Then when we got our check the happy hour prices did not reflect our receipt. The smoked wings are great, but the service is terrible. Will not be returning. read more

I love this place. Whenever I'm in the area. I make time to come in for dinner and a drinks. This place is solid. The food is good. Good beer selection is good and the staff is always nice. read more

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To be honest this place was a spur of the moment pick. Thankfully the stars were aligned in our favor. The place had wonderful servers. Very polite and helpful. We enjoyed the food very much. read more

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We've been here quite a few times now. We live on the south side of Rancho Cordova, about a 15 minute drive away, but it's always a pleasure to stop in if we happen to be passing by. A lot of times, we'll stop in for a drink to wet our whistle before heading home from our son's house. The bar is cozy and friendly. Daniel is a great bartender and we always enjoy the drinks he makes for us. Tobin has been our server on a few occasions when we've stopped in for a meal, and he has been friendly and attentive to our requests. Smokey Oaks Tavern Owner, Steve, is awesome. He always greets us with a friendly smile and asks us how we are. As I may have mentioned in other reviews, their brisket French dip is insanely delicious. As the restaurant's name might provide a clue, they smoke their own meats! To perfection! read more

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Daniel (10/5 stars) First off, if I could give separate stars for Daniel I would. Daniel is an awesome server, this place would fall apart without him. He was hustling between tables while others were just standing around. Tall white dude with the backwards hat... what were you doing? You get paid to be there? I really hope you're not the manager, while Daniel was hustling, you pushed in a few chairs and that was about it for the hour+ we were there. Didn't help out your servers when they were clearly doing 95% of the work and as it got busier. Food: 3/5, the potatoes were good but seasonal veggies were nothing special. We ordered our steak medium and they were well done. Daniel took them back to the kitchen for us and had them cook some new ones for us. (Not Daniel's fault) they were chewy and I'm pretty sure unseasoned, no flavor, but at least they came out medium rare. read more

Coworkers and I came here after work. Unfortunately no happy hour menu. Service was quick, ambiance was chill. read more

Smokey Oaks Tavern - menu as of July 2025 - Bars Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

This was one of those "let's try something new" kind of nights. I'm often in the area and have seen this place forever but never stopped by to eat. It's a nice place with friendly staff and a "homey" feel... it looks and feels like a friend's living room more than a restaurant. I had the Smoked Meats entree and they let me sub a side salad for the fries. The Smoked Meats is a neatly stacked trio of hot link, ribs and pulled pork. It all had the great smoked flavor I was looking for. The salad was nice and fresh... just enough! I'm glad I dropped by, and will definitely keep them in mind in the future. Seems like a chill place to have a drink or two at the bar as well. read more

Smokey Oaks Tavern - Smoked Meats - that's a split open smoked hot link on top of ribs on top of pulled pork. - Bars Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

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Appears to be closed/out of business .. despite the fact that their website took my reservation and confirmed it. Nothing on their website indicates that they're closed. Major bummer when you roll up with a carful of ladies looking to lunch. :( read more

Just attended S.O.T.'s brunch service and holy MOLEY was it good! My mother and I were greeted warmly and seated right away. Lovely ambience of a cozy, "welcome home" restaurant. Courtney served us with a glowing smile and a welcoming vibe. The chilaquiles were delicious and the ham & cheese omelette was hearty with a healthy side of home potatoes. Will definitely go again! Thanks! read more

We were excited to try this restaurant super close to the house, everything was just okay, nothing to phone home about. There's always cars around outside and looks packed, this made it really high on the list to try. Food was 6/10, can't really go wrong with a burger and tater tot's (they had run out of French fries, not sure how that happens). Also, the Mac and cheese just tasted like warm milk and flour. We will not be returning to this restaurant. read more

The online menu is more extensive than the menus offered in person. I had the bbq brisket sandwich. The bbq flavor was nonexistent. No taste to it at all. The side salad was fine. Plus my sandwich was not hot, not warm. On the cold, room temperature side. My friend had fish and chips. Fish was fine , he thought. The fries looked like they had been soaked in water. Limp fries. Ugh. Sad because it a cute, friendly place. read more

Everything was wonderful. The restaurant is so cute, with a fireplace, cute decor, and football. It met all the marks there. The two gentlemen running the place the day we went were amazingly attentive, engaging, and provided the best service. The food was excellent. The fish and chips were the best I've had in a very long time, and trust them when they say get the tots... perfect crunch and flavor. Definitely recommend and will return when we're in the area. read more

They really need to improve their service. It feels like they try and they mean well but they don't have actual server experience. The female bartender was kind and helped seat us. Must've been close to 10 mins before we put in our drink order, app and kids food. Took another 10 to get the drinks and app and kids food came. Fries were lame - plain and overcooked. We didn't bother ordering adult meals since the server didn't come back for so long. We asked about recommendations for meals but the male servers just don't know how to sell. The dude with tattoos seems nice but doesn't carry himself professional enough to be a server. The other dude was nice but needs a lot of training. He doesn't know how to anticipate needs (like refilling drinks, checking on food/drinks in a timely manner). It feels like just a few random people thrown in a restaurant job. I didn't want to waste $30 on food I didn't think was gonna be good or come out hot. I think the owner needs to invest in a good restaurant manager to turn this place around if they want to be successful. read more

The smoked wings were to die for -- perfectly seasoned and full of flavor! The owner was super outgoing and made some really good drinks. Service was quick and friendly, and they've got a solid IPA on tap. You really can't go wrong with this place definitely coming back! read more

This restaurant is not bad. I went there with my team, and they all liked it, but I was so happy. The service is really good, the restaurant is not too loud, and the food is okay, not as good as I expected. We reserved ahead of time, so there was no wait. I personally ordered the BBQ set and it was way too much for me since I my stomach was somewhat filled from the appetizer, wouldn't recommend order that if you already ordered appetizer. read more

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We stopped by Smokey Oaks Tavern for lunch to celebrate a heavenly birthday, and the experience was wonderful. The food was delicious, but the real standout was the service--attentive, kind, and truly exceptional. The staff made us feel welcomed and added a special touch to our visit. It was a meaningful and enjoyable meal, and we'll definitely be back. What we ordered: Crispy Brussels Sprouts (a must) Grilled Artichoke (decent but probably wouldn't order again) Calamari (tasty) Brisket French Dip (the rosemary roasted brisket took this sandwich to the next level) read more

First time visit was a pleasant one. The interior is roomy with bar area and sitting allowed for some privacy instead of one open room. My family and I were able to visit without overcoming other tables talking. The food was generous in portion. Everyone liked their meals. The burgers were juicy and tasty. The chicken was drier meat that expected, but the taste was good. The dirty tots appetizer was a hit with the family as it had a little of everything they liked. Staff was attentive and friendly. Parking was easy in the lot, but wonder how that will be on a busier night. Located on a main road, finding the place was easy. We will be back for sure. read more

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Service is a little off but I'll go into that shortly. Food & drink were excellent. I enjoy a good bourbon drink and their honey bourbon smash was in my top 5 drinks I've had. Really refreshing for what it was and the price was reasonable. The food was solid, my mom liked her salad & had enough leftover for a snack later. It's much bigger than the picture suggests. I liked their homemade tartar sauce on the side of the fish and chips. Not the best I've had but I wouldn't be sad if we ate here again. Ok the weird service situation. Only two employees that I could see other than the cook in back. Guy manning the bar was on his toes working as well as he could. After we sat down though, he ran out to the store next door because they ran out of Diet Coke. Totally get it and I'm guessing the other guy wasn't allowed to take orders. So we had to wait for him to get back and situated to even place an order. He was nice and also made the fantastic drink I attached. A little bit later this guy stumbles in who clearly was not a morning...er well lunch person I guess. He stood there playing with his phone, chatted the guy at the front than came around and stood in the way of the bartender who was clearly trying to keep up. Still was playing on his phone. It became clear he either works or owns the establishment. Seems sort of backwards to slow down the one person truly working. He tried to make small talk but the hangover from either the coke binge or drinking the night before definitely inhibited his performance. He basically said he hated getting up before noon. Weird thing to say but also pretty obvious based on how he was on the struggle bus. Needless to say, I hope the service improves because this place would be an option I'd frequent and recommend to others IF they can get that guy to do more than stand there playing with his phone and complain about how noon is unreasonably early . read more

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Loved this place! Delicious buffalo wrap, top-tier beer choices, and an inviting atmosphere. Service was top notch. Highly recommend checking this place out. read more

Smokey Oaks Tavern - Buffalo wrap - Bars Near Me - Fair Oaks, California

This place is awesome , been coming here for awhile Staff is awesome , food is great thanks for keeping the community with good spirits and good food read more

Great service and open seating! Everything was delicious. The highlight was the smoked wings! Would be back for those. Delicious Everyone was happy with their meals. I recommend trying this place out if you haven't yet. read more

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Loved the Southern comfort vibe here! The fried chicken was juicy, and the atmosphere made me feel right at home

I would've never gone to Smokey Oaks Tavern on my own, but I was meeting up with a date so I took one for the Yelping team. I am always open to checking a restaurant out and giving it a chance. Upon arriving to Smokey Oaks Tavern, I noticed that parking is really hard to come by close to dinner hours. I almost couldn't find parking until other customers pulled out of their spot and I quickly pulled in. There is a bar area with a lot of seating and then a whole separate dining area with a fireplace. The whole restaurant is actually fairly big. As others have mentioned, it has a very homey feel and it feels like you're eating at someone's house. I don't drink so I can't comment on the drinks, but that bar was packed that night compared to the rest of the place. As for the food, my date and I ordered the Ground brisket nachos which came with refried beans, shredded cheese, pico, sour cream, guacamole, and shredded lettuce. We also ordered the S.O.T. Dirty Tots which was recommended by the waitress as a customer favorite. The S.O.T. Dirty Tots came with fried tots, pulled pork, melted cheese, BBQ Buffalo Cream, jalapenos, and green onion. If I'm being honest, I nearly forgot to review this place because the food and the place was not very memorable. The food was just okay. It wasn't bad and it wasn't amazing either. I remember the service being just okay as well. There was nothing there for me that stood out to the point where I was thinking, whoa! I must tell all of my friends about this place. If you're in the area and you're hungry and not picky, sure, check the Smokey Oaks Tavern out. However, if the parking lot is packed and you can't find a parking spot, go elsewhere. This place is not worth driving around trying to find a parking spot. Gas is expensive. read more

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Poor service, cold vibes. I ordered the Chicken Quesadilla appetizer, what a mistake. It literally had no flavor, I kept eating it thinking- there's got to be something in this quesadilla somewhere. Alas not to be.... read more