Best BBQ in the Bay Area hands down. The flavors a great and not overwhelming. You get great southern hospitality here.

What a gem of a restaurant! We were looking for some bbq on a Sunday funday and were so glad we stopped by. It's in the grocery outlet plaza. Order at the counter and sit and enjoy kind of place. It's decorated simply with a tv that was playing ufc and we were welcomed by Tim who was so warm and hilarious our entire visit. First thing I noticed was how fairly priced the place is. 1lb of brisket is 30 dollars, potato salad is 5 dollars and soda is 2 dollars (some places charge like 4 bucks for a can!) Ordered, sat down and enjoyed some convo with the order and our food came out in about 10min. If there's one thing to get, it's the brisket fries!! Oh my word, the sauce and cheese all go so well with the bbq. I like how their sauce has a kick to it and isn't overly sweet. The brisket was really tender and smoked well. I personally enjoy fattier pieces of brisket but I bet if I would've asked for those cuts he might've accommodated. The smoked potatoes salad is almost a must. Very unique style of potato salad and pairs well with everything. We noticed they also do catering, and the prices for that also look very reasonable. Would definitely considering using them for our next party! read more

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What a special place. Ordered the brisket sandwich and it was absolutely on point. Get it hot because it has a spicy kick that isn't unbearable. The sides did not disappoint either. If you can judge this place on collard greens alone you won't be disappointed. What really sets this place apart, though, is Tim, the owner, and his staff. They are incredibly kind, welcoming, and genuinely make you feel like part of the family. read more

Restaurant seems very casual. Parking isn't the easiest but manageable. The owner was working the register and was super friendly with the family that was ordering while I was waiting. My interactions were limited. I ordered my food (2 meat plate, brisket (fatty), ribs, Mac and cheese, corn bread) to go as I was grabbing it on my way home from errands. It smells delicious. Very smoky. I had high hopes. I live no more than 15 min from the restaurant. When I got home and went to plate myself a serving, I was instantly so sad. The brisket was so dry that even the bbq sauce didn't do much. The ribs have a very nice smoke flavor, but not much else. The Mac and cheese didn't have much of a sauce on the noodles. The cornbread tasted like it may have been made from a lemon cake mix, fluffed up with cornmeal. Maybe try different things if you go. As it seems like people generally love the place. read more

The South Smokin BBQ - Pork Ribs, Brisket, Mac And Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Hayward, California

I brought my family for Father's Day to the south smokin BBQ. For being a holiday the wait was short and we ate there in the restaurant. This place did not disappoint. Everyone in my family loved the food. I don't think there is anything on the menu that isn't good. Potato salad, the beans, the greens ! The sauce is 10/10. The owner was present and makes you feel at home. You feel a part of his family and that you came to your neighbors bbq. This is a must try. We are definitely returning customers. Best bbq in hayward! read more

I was trying to decide between giving this place a 3 or 4, however, the food itself is about 4 out of 5 stars. The owner is friendly and brings a southern charm to his customers so that's a plus. However, it just didn't blow me away enough to give it the full 5 stars. Also, for what I paid the portions weren't that large. The Mac n cheese is basically kraft, and the pulled pork was pretty ordinary. I would go back and try their ribs or brisket next time. Also, the food came out awfully quick, which is good but perhaps a concerning sign? read more

Some of the most amazing BBQ experiences that I have had! The food was absolutely incredible so juicy tender and the portions are massive for the price point. Staff was so nice and fast with everything recommending some perfect items great place to have dinner. read more

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My friend asked me if this place was good and I said YES! I came here from the yelp event, and the brisket was a standout. A well flavored brisket at that! He came here for the brisket cheese fries which he enjoyed, it also came in a large portion. Also the fried pickles is a must try side. It was a little saltier than I remember but still good. read more

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Man loook just come down here and try them out the food is insanely good just off the one meal I have I'll be coming back everytime I'm over here at the beat shop and more. You get a hefty amount of food to eat from and in a Togo box as well so I can take it with me when I'm done. Go in and talk to the owner it's well worth it we had a good chat and it made me want the food even more as well as the respect and enjoyment of a friendly vibe. Also the meat is very tender and juicy meat Come enjoy the food and get a warm welcome while you're here! It's worth it! read more

The South Smokin BBQ - Brisket Cheese Fries - Barbeque Near Me - Hayward, California

Cozy counter-order spot with a robust menu. Ordered the 2 meat combo with ribs and brisket and it was enough food to feed two! Ribs were delicious - juicy and tender. I'm not a fan of the teeny tiny chopped up brisket - I much prefer the slices, but it was okay. Not a lot of huge flavor and a tiny bit dry, but once you pour BBQ sauce on it - it's nice and tasty! The Mac n cheese is your standard BBQ fare, not watery, not too creamy. Noodles cooked perfectly and not overdone. When they say the collard greens are delicious ... the collard greens are delicious!!! We inhaled this!! Also ordered the cornbread which definitely paired really well with the meal since you don't get bread with the combo. I believe the man who took my order was the owner - friendly service and patient as I looked through the menu and asked questions. I prefer this place than the other popular place in Castro Valley - just sayin! read more

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Tasty I loved eating here with my husband the food was super tasty we love the spare ribs and the macaroni bites read more

Was in the mood to mix it up a bit and decided to come to BBQ with the kids. It seemed legit so we ended up leaving with much more than what we planned. The owner Tim is the very definition of character and I hope if you get here you'll get a chance to banter with him. He's got that Arkansas charm turned on and will regal you with tales of his buddy from the military, a proper Cajun man who passed on some of the recipes for the sides. He would not reveal what meat he used to smoke and it may just be kept simple and smoked with charcoal. Brisket Cheese Fries: This was the star of my meal though I would eat something this heavy only a couple times a year. Delicious crispy fries topped with house made bbq sause, queso, and brisket. We let a couple sitting near us try a bite and they immediately went and ordered the same thing. Ribs: Kids liked this, they were delicious and didn't "fall off the bone" which is good. If its that tender its overdone. I thought they were slightly underdone and not soft enough, could use some more smoke flavor as well. Brisket + Pulled pork: These were also underdone and slightly tough. Both could have used more smoke and more time or less heat. Collard Greens: Only have had them this good in New Orleans and Georgia. If you want to try proper Collard Greens that should not exist like this in Cali this is the place to go. read more

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It was ok. The ribs are good and the brisket is mid. I know some people like burnt ends, I could take a little bit but too much is not for me. We got collards and Mac & Cheese sides. The collards were heavy on the stems and light on the leaves. Some people like that. I prefer more leaves. The Mac & Cheese was dryer and more solid like a loaf and it was lukewarm. That is a style that I know some people like, personally I prefer a creamy cheese sauce and the temperature to be hotter. I would probably return to get the ribs but nothing else. The service is great, the owner and workers are very friendly. I would not discourage anyone from trying this place, it just isn't my cup of tea. read more

I went there today for the first time, had a brisket sandwich. It was good but too spicy for me lol, next time I'll try the mild sauce. Don't pass up the peach cobbler it was really good The owner was real friendly and talked with us, he has a good sense of humor. I hope people will come and support this small business. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for a long time and been keeping an eye out on the reviews, and most of the reviews I read was that the meat is dried and has no flavor. Well now that I have tried I totally agree. I got the 2 meat combo with briskets and ribs for $39 plus tax. The brisket was so dried I couldn't eat it. Almost like beef jerky. The ribs weren't much better. Both had no flavor. This combo came with Mac & Cheese and greens, Mac & Cheese was a lil dried as well. The greens were the only thing I finished eating from the expensive combo meal. I came in on Wednesday at noon and the place was empty, not one customer. read more

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Omg, what a hidden gem in Hayward. The bbq joint is small, unassuming, but don't let the exterior and interior deter you from trying the best Southern BBQ in the Bay. The owner Tim is a very happy fellow and a true Southern gentleman from Arkansas. He shared stores with myself and my friend while we both enjoyed his delicious smokey 1/2 chicken, tasty sauce, amazing potato salad and buttery sweet cornbread. That one slice was not enough. It was perfect. The whole meal is a . Run and check out this BBQ joint. Already planning my next visit. read more

This place is f&$@ing amazing. I'm sorry but it does require the f&$@ing. Tim's collard greens took me back, like a full on ratatouille moment and the Mac and cheese is what Mac is supposed to be. Don't even get me started on the brisket or ribs! Tim is genuine gregarious southern folk and he'll let his food help you decide. The smoked potato salad is so tasty with the baked beans. You're going to need a little of everything to have the full experience. This was definitely a special experience for my first time here, and for that southern hospitality and the kick ass food, I'll be back; hungry for more. :) read more

We went for lunch today and it was amazing. We had the half chicken with Tim's suggestion and it was more than enough for the two of us. The cornbread and smoking potato salad was also amazing. We will be coming back for sure. read more

It's tucked in the corner in case you drive in and expect a huge sign. It's to the left of the car electronics shop. I always go to that grocery store but I didn't know it was there until we yelped coz we wanted to try another barbeque place. - We came an hour before closing so parking was easy. - Cashier greeted us wearily so we (4 of us) decided to take the food out because we felt not welcome for coming in so late. - Place was okay, but didn't check closely coz I was distracted with the college finals game on the big TV. - We ordered 1lb tri-tip, 2lb brisket, 2 mac&cheese, fried pickles, fish & chips, and brisket fries. I was really disappointed with everything. Tri-tip & brisket were dry and no flavor. Good thing they gave lots of barbeque sauce. Pickles very sitting in oil in the container. They didn't wait for the oil to drip lol! Had to toss that out. Mac&cheese was measly, and pasta overcooked! So that was the discussion in the kitchen that I saw! They only had enough for one serving and they divided that into 2 boxes lol! I would have not mind if they said they only have one serving of mac&cheese left instead of being deceitful about it. Just this dishonesty merit this 1 star, or none if I can. Fish&chips was meh, had to dip it in tartar sauce. My family had a terrible dinner. We do NOT recommend, even to try, this place. read more

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Living in Fremont 30 years now it's been really hard to find good BBQ. So since I lost the bet on the Pacers Knicks series, I had to take my friend out to lunch. The location was Fairly easy to find you walk in and it's very open with tables on the left and your food counter on the right . Friendly service was patient and explained the dishes and combos.. The owner was there and very friendly, helpful and clearly proud of his restaurant. I ordered Osumi combo with brisket and pulled pork. The brisket was maybe a little bit dry but both had good flavor. I got the smoked potato salad but preferred my potato salad a little bit sweeter. Same with the beans they were more Texas style then sweet barbecued beans. My friend got the brisket and ribs. I even ordered a rack of ribs to take home. I'll post on those later after I eat them for dinner tonight. They give you plenty of food by the way. read more

The South Smokin BBQ - 2 meat combo with brisket pulled pork and 2 sides - Barbeque Near Me - Hayward, California

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Loved this spot! The brisket fries were so tasty perfectly cooked and full of flavor. I really liked that you can choose your BBQ sauce level (mild, medium, or hot), which made it even better. The service was excellent too very attentive, checked in on us, and even asked if we wanted more BBQ sauce. You can tell they care about the customer experience. Definitely will be back to try another meal! read more

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Tried this place a few days ago and am so sad that I'm from out of town. I had the sandwich meals w two sides and I loved the cornbread and Mac n cheese. The brisket sandwich is not dry as people have previously reviewed so maybe things have changed up. I didn't catch the owner's name but he was really fun to talk to. Inside the restaurant was some funny signs too. read more

The South Smokin BBQ - Brisket Sandwich, Collard Greens, Corn Bread - Barbeque Near Me - Hayward, California

We recently tried The South Smoking BBQ and it was fantastic. We ordered the Big Daddy brisket, and it was absolutely delicious -- perfectly smoked, tender, and full of flavor. You can really taste the quality and care in the way it's prepared. The portion was generous and everything was cooked just right. read more

The South Smokin BBQ - Menu and what we ordered - Barbeque Near Me - Hayward, California

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Tim serves the best Southern BBQ in the Bay! You really don't have to travel to the South because he brought the flavor here. Everything was delicious, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. Great food and great service! Highly recommended! read more

Can't get much better than this thank God for Tim and his delicious barbecue. It was hard to find the place white sign, white building. Who cares great staff super friendly everybody in there is smiling, which tells me one thing. Yep, you guessed it so good thank you Tim read more

Best bbq in the Stack hands down! Been coming here for years and brisket is my go to. Highly recommend.

Food was amazing we had the 4 meat combo with our favorite meats being the brisket, ribs and tri-tip. We also got a 1/4 chicken and the chicken was so juicy and flavorful. We ended our meal with a peach cobbler which was a delicious treat. read more

1st Time Visit on 4th of July 2026. I ordered Big Daddy Tri Tip Sandwiches, Mac and cheese, & Cajun tater tots. Everything was Solid. Will Visit again soon. Tim is also a Good host while waiting for your Food. read more

Excellent ribs and sides Meat fell off the bone and had a nice Smokey flavor. Very friendly service.

I was excited to try this place since I've seen a lot of influencers post about this. It is really so close to my house, so I'm not sure why it took so long for me to try it. We tried calling to place the order a couple of times, but there was no answer so I figured they were busy. I placed an order online. We went to pick it up & when we brought it home, it wasn't what I expected. The meals came like a sandwich and the sides were small. It was about $50 for two meals. The smoky flavor was good, but the meats tasted overly cooked and overly salty. We got the tri tip and brisket meals with sides of collard greens, Mac and cheese, potato salad and tater tot fries. I asked for sauce on the side and it came in such a tiny sauce cup. I wasn't sure if it would be too saucy so that's why I got the sauce separately. I really wanted to like this place more but nothing really stood out and the over seasoning didn't do it for me. I've had a lot better BBQ. I gave it 3 stars because the owner was really nice and personable. It seems the customers are regulars and it gives a mom-and-pop vibe which is always nice. Maybe I just came on a bad day, but hopefully I can give it another try. read more

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Recently, went to South Smoking BBQ in Hayward. Had the brisket meal with 2 sides. It was great. Tasty and very filling. The owner was very friendly and made us feel very welcomed. If you are in the mood for a good BBQ meal, I would recommend this tiny restaurant. read more

Saw this place on tik tok and was excited to try it but unfortunately, it wasn't as expected. I walked in and the guy at the counter just stared at me and didn't say a word. I said "hey how's it going" to try and break the awkwardness he barely responded "hey." I asked him is this the menu and what's good and he just responded "yeah." After an awkward silence, I proceeded to order and sat down and watched him greet everyone else that came in warmly.. why, I don't know. I still had high hopes regardless of the service at the counter but unfortunately, it fell short. The brisket came out dry and shredded to pieces and the ribs were flavorless. The cornbread was very dry and tasteless. The Cajun tater tots didn't taste like it had any Cajun seasoning at all. For a $45 plate I was expecting much more. It just didn't have the quality of true southern bbq. read more

There's a hidden bbq place in a part of Hayward. We decided to try this place based on yelp reviews. The service is decent and wait isn't too long. There's many tables inside yet parking is ok. I ordered the brisket meal, the brisket was ok but on the dry side in my opinion. Needed more bbq sauce but still dry and the potato salad was hot and I thought it's supposed to be cold. read more

The South Smokin BBQ - Brisket Meal - Barbeque Near Me - Hayward, California

The South Smokin BBQ was the first place that popped up when I searched for BBQ on Google, so the family and I decided to give it a try. Before we even ordered, the owner, Tim, greeted us and was probably the coolest and nicest guy ever. We told him it was our first time and he let us sample some of the different items on the menu. I never even knew I liked collard greens before I walked in. We sat down at the nice open seating they have inside and when the food came, man it was life-changing stuff. Reminds me of the BBQ I had when I was back in Texas. Brisket was cooked to perfection and the hot BBQ sauce paired with it just right, the Mac and Cheese was superb, and the collard greens were amazing. Food and ambiance were awesome, 10/10 will come again. read more

The South Smokin BBQ - Food. - Barbeque Near Me - Hayward, California

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Wow, I've just had some delicious smoked barbecue potato salad y'all talk about delicious and the ribs were just as good so was the brisket. The peach cobbler was excellent. I give them 10 if I could they were just very hospitable and I enjoyed discussing football with the owner while we ate I'll be back when I come to visit my grandbaby again. read more

It's really not easy to find good bbq in the bay that's not overly foo foo for no reason or just no good at all. South smoking feels like bbq you'd expect to get down south. They make there own sausage y'all. I love that. Although i don't eat pork i def still appreciate that more wholesome approach. The service is inviting From start to finish. They have an extensive menu and they cater. The mac and cheese isn't the baked kind i know and love but it's def not that boxed swimming in powdered cheese sauce kind so many places offer. I'd give is a 7.5 outa 10. The potato salad is warm similar to German P.S., its rich its creamy slightly sweet. I also had thr brisket sandwich which i enjoyed from the beginning to the end. It blended everything right the brisket we chopped up moist not overly seasoned and tender. They gave you a good sized portion size and that bbq sauce thats also homemade is delicious. read more

The South Smokin BBQ - Brisket Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Hayward, California

I got tri tip at this place and it was so good. Brisket is the best seller. Have to try!!!

My partner brought me here to try some BBQ and get a full belly, and it did not disappoint! As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the owner with a big smile and true Southern hospitality, which immediately made us feel welcome. The service was fast we had our food within about 10 minutes. Everything we tried was delicious. The beans had a great smoky flavor, the mac and cheese was extra cheesy and comforting, and I had the brisket which was tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Great food and great hospitality. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

I was recommended this spot so I decided to try it out. We ordered the ribs, brisket sandwich, Cajun cheese fries, corn bread, and the Mac n cheese. My favorite item was the ribs; the meat was so tender and just fell off the bone. I would come back here just for that. read more

The South Smokin BBQ - Ribs, Brisket Sandwich, Corn Bread, Cajun Cheese Fries - Barbeque Near Me - Hayward, California

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Food is fantastic! The owner Tim is very welcoming. Any meat with cheese fries is amazing. All the food here is good. read more

The South Smokin BBQ - Pulled pork cheese fry - Barbeque Near Me - Hayward, California