Texas BBQ is one of God's gifts to the Earth, notwithstanding the existential downside to beef cattle. A well-cooked beef brisket is something to behold. I beheld one at Smoque N' Bones the other night and it was yummy (that's cowboy foodie talk for 'yee haw'). My friends went for the rack of beef ribs, which arrived on a platter so large, we thought they mistakenly ordered the brontosaurus ribs à la Fred Flintstone. The ribs were tasty but alas dry. My brisket was also tasty but the texture wasn't quite the fall-apart goodness I've had at other establishments like the now defunct Adamson's. The ambiance of the place is perfect for the hip locale on Baldwin...a hint of Texan chic, if that's a thing. Very good service. In fact, I was going with three stars on the food but the service bumped them up to 4. Sharpen your spurs and mosey on down to Smoque N Bones, y'hear? read more

Smoque N' Bones - Interior: cozy, Texas chic - Barbeque Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

This review is about the 30 Baldwin Street location only. Ok, so the Duchess took me, our two adult kids, one significant other, and her sister out for my birthday dinner today. I have to say other than the company, the service and food was very very mediocre. The brisket was tough like it was cooked a day or two before and just reheated, the back ribs were pretty good but nothing special, the best part of the spread was the half chicken and wings. It's a shame because my son and I really liked the Queen St location so I picked this one thinking it would be a good meal. Gotta say it disappointing to say the least. I mean, it wasn't busy at all but we had to order pre-dinner drinks twice and our platter and extra plates came out in about 10 minutes. Obviously right from the pre-cooked microwave. As much as I enjoyed the Queen St location before, the food at Baldwin St has put me off ever going back to either. Too bad. It's getting hard to find a really good BBQ in Toronto. read more

We stopped by for a weekday dinner and loved every moment--from the warm, welcoming vibe to the last bite of our meal. Though the rain kept us from enjoying the patio, the cozy lounge and view of the bar made up for it. The space had a relaxed energy, perfect for winding down after a long day. We ordered "Whiskey Passion Fruit Smash" and "Maple Bacon Old Fashioned" from the drinks menu and the bartender put together beautiful and delicious drinks that hit the spot. For dinner, we ordered a BBQ Platter, including "Beef Brisket", "Pork Side Ribs", "Pulled Pork", "SmoQued Half Chicken" as the meats with the choice of "Potato Salad", "Creamy Coleslaw", "Mac N' Cheese", "Cornbread with Sweet Butter", "Brussel Sprouts", "Buttermilk Biscuits with Blueberry Butter", and "Chicken Poppers with Dill Sauce". The meats were fresh, juicy and tender, dressed with smoky BBQ sauce. The sides complemented our meal; creamy coleslaw was perfectly balanced; potato salad was great combination of mayo and spices; cornbread and biscuits were baked to perfection. The staff are friendly and attentive, adding to our pleasant experience. read more

This place is one of my favourite spots. It's been almost a year visiting here and the service was even better this time. (I've been to both Queen St. location and Baldwin location. I prefer this one because they have a nice big patio) This time we ordered a build your own plate with 4 different kinds of meat including beef brisket (my fav!), roast chicken, pork ribs, pulled pork, and sausages. Everything was so juicy and has nice charr flavour. Side dishes were very impressive too. I'll be visiting again for sure. read more

See all

Had a great experience here! The ambiance was a little rustic with a nice ambiance, the service was great, and the food did not disappoint. Started with the Caesar salad and it was loaded with dressing, Parmesan, and fresh croutons. One of the best Caesar salads I've had. We tried the platter for 2 with brisket, pulled pork, and fried chicken. For sides we got the brussel sprouts, sweet potato waffle fries, and Mac and cheese. All the sauces that came on the platter were very tasty and the bbq sauce was very good. The pulled pork was super soft and flavourful, probably my favourite out of the meats. The sweet potatoes were perfectly crispy and the aioli paired really well. Would definitely come back! read more

Smoque N' Bones - Caesar salad - Barbeque Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

I came here after a meeting nearby. I was craving some sort of barbecue, even though Toronto is not known for its barbecue prowess. The place is super nice. It's too bad I wasn't in a bourbon mood because the selection looks amazing. I was greeted by a very friendly young lady who gave me a choice between eating inside or on the nice patio outside. I chose inside despite it being a beautiful day in Toronto, as I was hoping to check the place out and soak up some ambiance. Again, this place is super nice inside. I waited for a long time before someone came to take my order. Ironically, it was the same person who greeted me and led me to my seat. I had actually searched for another place to eat and was about to book an Uber to get there when she came back. I asked what she recommended. She said the brisket or the ribs. I was in more of a brisket mood, so I went that way. Disappointingly, the entrees don't come with sides, so I ordered "shareable" portions of Cole slaw and brisket baked beans. The Cole slaw was okay. Definitely not to my liking but was almost passable. The beans, however, were a huge disappointment. They were undercooked, almost hard, and pretty much tasteless, despite being served with chunks of brisket. The brisket itself was okay. It was very moist and tender, cuttable with a fork. They slice the brisket very thin, as if for sandwiches. It also lacked much flavor. They gave me a teeny, tiny little cup of barbecue sauce that I rationed out to myself to give the meat a little flavor. Now, I'm from the southeast US, and I know barbecue. I suppose this is Toronto's idea of what barbecue should be, but it's not my cup of sweet tea. The service was very meh. The food was okay (but don't get the beans). If you really want barbecue, go to a place that knows what they're doing. read more

It was happy hour and I grabbed a bite from the happy hour menu. I opted for the pulled pork tacos and they were delicious. The pork was tender and had a great smoked flavor. The charred pineapple, pico and bbq sauce were the perfect toppings. To drink, I had the maple bacon old fashioned and this was one of the best I've ever had. They had some construction going on but the inside was cozy. Loved the fireplace, contemporary light fixtures and brick. The waiter was friendly and made great recommendations. The only reason I rated them a 4 is because I only had the pork tacos and didn't have a chance to try the ribs, brisket or sides to give a true 5 rating. read more

See all

The ambiance of this Smoque n bones is definitely nicer than the one on Queen, candles and warm lighting, jazzy music. Lots of seating for large groups Portions are large, I recommend you order the family style which includes sides and protein. The two person set can feed 4, we got that along with extra brisket. Solid BBQ, the ribs weren't as caramelized as the last time I went to the Queen location. Brisket and chicken was tender. We were served everything on a single platter, but the server didn't tell us that it was 2 person bbq sampler plus brisket, we thought it would come separately so we waited for 10 minutes (until our food got cold) Washrooms are in the basement. read more

See all

Some dishes were on fire, some were smoke and mirrors. Loved the brisket (lean, tender, and tasty) and brussel sprouts (warning: it's doused in a really sweet sauce... but I liked it). Didn't really like the pork ribs (good rub but dry and not fall off the bone) and biscuits (again dry, even with a delightful blueberry butter on the side). Service is attentive and friendly. Place has a great casual hang-out vibe. Prices are what they are these days. Overall, not the best bbq in the city but still a fun hunker-down-and-chowdown meal. read more

See all

The food here is generally good - cooked well, seasoned well (not too heavy) and not too greasy. My only comment is that the Brussel sprouts were a bit on the sweet side and were a quite sauce heavy. The highlight was the chicken wings, definitely recommend these. The service is good, but there is a very limited number of servers. When we went, I think there was only 1 server for the whole restaurant. Thus, service was very slow. Food is also on the expensive side. read more

See all

Worst conversation with two stupidest and not polite people in this restaurant. Called around 6pm ask if any table available at 7pm, got yes for answer, said I was all set. 10 minutes later, got the message said my reservation is at 7:45pm. Call the restaurant again, different person pick up and told me no table is available at 7pm, I said I have already booked the reservation,why this is happening. He simply said "because we don't have any table available." and no intention to apologize for the experience. Wonder how you got the job read more

Food was very mediocre. Nothing about it would bring us back for another meal. Very average. Service was good though.

I've been to Smoque N'Bones in roncesvalles which was a wonderful experience and this location is equally as amazing. We came here for a team lunch, a place I suggested! The outdoor patio has ample seating and great for groups. We opted for inside because of the wasps! Inside was equally as beautiful and spacious. Service is impeccable. They were very attentive! We order a lot of things for our group and we shared everything. Started with the pulled pork tacos, with pineapple salsa. The combination of the sweet smokiness and the pineapple was delish. Next was the platter of brisket, ribs, wings, baked beans, Mac and cheese, corn bread and the Brussels sprouts. The food was delish! I loved the Mac and cheese and the corn bread. I could have eaten an entire tray of corn bread it was so good. It was very nice consistency, not overly crumbly or dry, nice sweetness to it. And the brown butter....drool! The meat was great. I found the brisket a bit tougher but overall all the meat was flavourful and satisfying. Overall, we had a wonderful team lunch and I can't wait for my next visit. Especially when it get cold and I'm craving bbq! read more

See all

It's between 3.5-4 star for me. Had dinner here a few days ago. Wanted to check out their happy hour that runs from 3-6 pm. They started this promo a few weeks ago and I just got around to recently visiting. I tried the following: Bourbon Passionfruit Smash - Reg. $15.50 but $10 at happy hour. Drink consists of JIM BEAM Bourbon Whiskey, Passionfruit Juice, Elderflower Cordial, Lime Juice, Vanilla Syrup, and Mint. Really good drink, recommend! Riblets $10 during happy hour - they were nice and flavourful. It's like an appetizer so order more than 1 dish if you have this. Mac N' Cheese - $14 (Small) Bechamel, White Cheddar Cheese Blend Cream Sauce, Herb Butter breadcrumbs. Not a happy hour menu but side dish. Okay but nothing stood out in flavour so I would lean to another dish next time. Note - They promoted Happy Hour on Instagram but do not post a menu for it on website or anywhere else. When I initially asked server, he said they only offer it for drinks. I informed him about the post and he had to double check. Came back and said they are doing food: 2 pulled pork sliders, a chicken dish or riblets for $10 each. I think they should work on a proper happy hour menu because it doesn't seem like there is a clear communication to staff and this would help customers know what to expect. Overall, I would still revisit and recommend. It's a cute spot for dates, friends or work. Nice music that adds to ambience. Just would be helpful to post a happy hour menu if that is being introduced. At the moment I think I would recommend just going for happy hour drinks and ordering a regular dish. FYI - washrooms are down one flight of stairs and entrance to restaurant also has set of steps if mobility is a concern. read more

See all

This is a swanky barbecue restaurant nestled amongst the cafes and noodle spots in Baldwin Village. I was surprised at its location because this area is comprised of a lot of Asian spots - but Baldwin Village is one of my favourite neighbourhoods in the city so I was excited to visit. The restaurant gives off expensive, luxurious mansion vibes. The servers are all very friendly and attentive - and of course, the food is nothing short of amazing. I was blown away by the value on the Sampler Platter. You get to choose three meats and three sides. My partner and I chose the pulled pork, ribs, and brisket for meat and the brussel sprouts, waffle fries, and mac & cheese for sides. Nothing disappointed - everything tasted so good! My favourites would have to be the ribs because of how tender they were, the brussel sprouts which were perfectly crispy, and the mac & cheese. We came to celebrate my partner's birthday and they provide a little birthday treat - so I'd definitely recommend this spot if you're looking to celebrate a special occasion. read more

Smoque N' Bones - Barbeque Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came to smoque and bones about a week ago. Would give it a 3.5, but gonna round up to 4 star. Thought I would walk over with some coworkers for some BBQ lunch. The place looks really nice. Love the decor. If u into drinks, hope you like burbon. Lot of burbon options, they sounded tasty but didn't try, maybe next time. Staff was nice and it was good to see the manager/owner (not sure) pitching in constantly and helping the staff. Ordering is pretty easy menu is quite straight forward. We ordered a share meal for 2 and added 2 extra dishes, cause we like variety. In the shared meal you get 3 meats and 3 sides. You are not allowed to pick the same meat twice tried ordering double brisket, they said can't do that. We ended up choosing brisket, ribs and smoked turkey. We added sausage and chicken drums. For the sides we were allowed to order 2 of the same so we got 2 orders of mac and cheese and Lattes yam fries. The brisket is good if you get a nice fatty piece. Seasoned nicely. The ribs was everyone's favourite, really well done. Next time I would order one of those on its own, and it would make a delicious meal. The sausage was a bit dry but they give you mustard and some BBQ sauce so that fixed that. Chicken drums were good but a bit salty. Cooked really well though with lots of flavour. The turkey there was a joint consensus, it was our least favourite, being pretty dry and wasn't that tasty. The sides yam fries were good and I enjoyed the dip it came with. Mac and cheese was good but portion wise, please be aware it is tiny. Maybe the size of the bowl they give you miso soup in at a Japanese restaurant. Food overall was enjoyable and fun to share some BBQ with friends. Only negative was that the restaurant was pretty empty and maybe it was because we got there right when they opened at noon, but food took about an hour to come out. For a work lunch we were trying to be cognizant of time, that day we were way off on timing. We all kept checking our phones for the time as some of us had meetings we had to cancel because it took way to long. Price wise, if you get a BBQ sandwich on its own it's about $20, the share BBq platter is about $90. But BBQ in general is quite pricy. I would say it is worth the price, just be prepared to wait. read more

Smoque N' Bones - Ribs were the best thing they had. Would go for the ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

We came on opening day, 2023-06-30. They have 2 rooms of indoor dining and a nice outdoor patio. The vibe indoor and outdoor are quite nice, filled with little details.. There is soft country music playing in the background. There were about 6 of us waiting for the restaurant to open for the first time at 16:00. The food took a little longer to be served because they had to get all their grills, etc, working fully. The service was good. We ordered the following: 1. Pork Side Ribs ($23.00). 2. Cornbread with Sweetbutter (2 pcs, $8.50). Their signature BBQ dishes are: 1. Pork Side Ribs ($23.00). 2. Pulled Pork ($16.50). 3. Beef Brisket ($21.50). The Pork Side Ribs was a half-rack (7 bones). They meat-to-bone ratio was good, and the pork tasted great. There was the right amount of burnt bits. You can see the ribs being prepared through a window into the kitchen. The ribs and one side would be served on a wooden platter if dining in, which was what we did. It also came with a container of BBQ sauce and a brush to apply the sauce. The cornbread was probably the best we've ever tasted! Then, when you add the sweetbutter, it was beyond perfect! I managed to speak to Alex, the owner, and head chef. This is their second location. The BBQ recipes have been passed down and have been perfected over 13-14 years. The Mac N Cheese had to be approved by his niece and nephew.  We will have to come back to try their Mac N Cheese! There is free WiFi. The restaurant is only wheelchair accessible when using the outdoor patio. There are separate male/female washrooms downstairs,  so they are not wheelchair accessible. There is paid neighbourhood street parking. Review 2023-210 read more

See all

This is a relatively new location located on Baldwin Street. The restaurant has a nice outdoor patio with vibes that suit the area, trendy and popular. We went a little later at night and we luckily got seated. Even though they were winding down for the night, the wait staff were attentive and helpful. We wanted to try everything but settled for the ribs, brisket, and chicken sandwich. The ribs and brisket were tender and tasted great, as any smoked meat should! The chicken sandwich was equally great with an awesome full sauce. It's a bit on the pricier side, but that's expected for anything "smoked!" read more

See all

A new posh location located in Baldwin village. It has a beautifully built patio and steep stairs leading into a rustic looking restaurant. The smoke house offers traditional smoked meats and a wide variety of whiskeys/burbons? The items are a bit expensive, probably to be expected for a smokehouse + bar and would recommend it for special occasions. Ribs and wings - Ribs were seasoned and then smoked to perfection. The ribs were lightly glazed with their Smoque sauce to give a slight sweet heat. Red smoke colour was present in the ribs and they were cooked well and juicy. It did come with extra bbq sauce if you wanted to add more flavour, but I don't think it was required. The wings were only okay, we got it with the Smoque sauce (similar to the bbq sauce for the ribs) So I would not recommend getting that sauce if you are getting wings. The sauce was smothered on the wings, so it was hard to tell if they were even smoked or not. Potato salad - Interesting take on the potato salad, it had chunks of pulled pork that added chewy texture ontop of the potatoes. The salad was creamy and had hints of the sweet and sourness from the bbq sauce. Overall delicious and would recommend. The setting is grand, the food was delicious but service was a bit slow. Understandable as we came at lunch time, and they seem like a relatively new restaurant. I am looking forward to come back again, it is a bit expensive, so will be back in a couple months. read more

Smoque N' Bones - Barbeque Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

My favourite southern style bbq place in Canada. Their smoky ribs are to die for. Grab some sausages, with their chicken and some corn bread. Don't sleep on their mac and cheese. read more

Came here for Summerlicious and it was quite good! The portion sizes were great and the patio was very lively as well - not too loud so still great for casual dinner conversation! All the bbq had great flavor but I will say I was a bit disappointed that the ribs didn't fall off the bone - they were a bit thinner but still quite tasty. I also really liked the dessert, the cheesecake was very light with a butter crust read more

See all

Spent $100 on really mediocre food that left me hungry and resentful. Do not recommend.

This hidden gem in Baldwin Village is truly one of the est smoked meat restaurants I've ever been to. You can't go wrong with anything you order on the menu. The flavours were indescribable. Don't forget to save room for dessert! Trust me!! read more

See all

Chicken wings - 5 stars Caesar salad - 4 stars Beet salad - 3 stars Corn Bread - 5 stars Baby back ribs - 5 stars Sausages - 2 stars Smoked Turkey - 2 stars Beef brisket - 2 stars Mac and cheese - 3 stars Tater Tots - 4 stars read more

See all

Service was terrible...waiter forgot items in the our dish...fried chicken was undercooked...how do you undercook friend chicken....waiter forgot the gravy and few sauces....purple slaw was terrible...too much cumin and spice..coulldn't eat....the waiter..who was manager. was rude....when asked about the missing stuff and then so we said we didn't want our food as it was undercooked and no flavor on the friend chickent....I heard the pork stuff is good here.....but didn't taste it....then when we came in....we are brown and latina women and he tried to tell us where to sit when there was NO ONE in the restaurant.....and then a white couple came...and he told then to sit where every they wanted.... the waiter also tried to get us to by drinks which we didn't want and then he seemed disappointed and the service was bad after that . The beet salad was the only good thing about this place!! read more

I saw a video on BlogTO and the video did not match the reality. The food was not good, dry and expensive. Also, super long wait time and bad service. read more

Hot DAYUM that sh!t was good! We had 7 people at a table and we all left pregnant with bbq babies. The atmosphere was a vibe. Javier took great care of us. Highly recommend. read more

Food was excellent! Both the pulled pork and the beef brisket sandwiches were tasty. I especially liked both of the cabbage toppings on them. Brussels sprouts were amazing. Sat outside on a beautiful evening, which is a great atmosphere but probably would have liked the inside just as well. Service was a little slow, but it didn't matter to us, since it was a really nice night . read more

What can I say about this place that people haven't already? When people discuss 'best bbq in the city' without doubt they say SmoQue N' Bones. And having tried many bbq joints in the city I can confidently agree. That being said, I don't just categorize this restaurant as a "bbq spot." It's SO much more than that. Everything including the creativity put into the food, the atmosphere, the hospitality, THE STAFF, and of course - the dishes - are outstanding. It's such a treat eating here. And if you haven't visited the new location on Baldwin I couldn't recommend it more. The patio + the interior are like no other restaurant I've explored in the city. It's truly one of a kind. I love it here, I love the people who work here and when I visit it's always more than worth it. You have to dine in to experience it. It's top 5 best spots in the city for me. And that's saying something. Taylor, blogTO read more

This place is awesome. Best brisket I've ever had, service was quick and super friendly, not overly crowded and good music but not too loud. The mac and cheese and tater tots were also outstanding. 10/10 highly highly recommend. read more

I ordered the mac and cheese delivery through uber eats and oh my god it was so delicious!! i'm studying for exams and this was my late night snack and comfort food (shoutout to chef joe for giving me a little extra!) the bread crumbs are the best addition, I will definitely be ordering again! read more