Spacious, unbelievable clean place, friendly staff, perfect for a quick stop during our road trip. With little kids, I'm always hesitant to try new places as I'm not certain how family friendly the place could be. Not here, we walked in and we knew immediately this was the right place for us. My husband and sister enjoyed their Texas trash plates while my little one and I finished the rib basket. read more

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The food and the service is pretty darn good. Employees are always friendly. Clean inside with televisions.

I didn't like the fried okra and the "spicy" sauce was just sweet. (Too sweet.) So why am I giving a 5 star? The brisket was that good. Holy shit. read more

I get lunch here every couple of weeks and the food is always ready pretty quick and it taste very good

Came here with my family. Employees were so friendly and the food was delicious. Definitely coming back .

Some of the things I love to do is dropping by a restaurant I have never been to before. I go in nonchalant and read the menu and make a order. It was a late lunch this time and I selected traditional Texas BBQ brisket sandwich with cheese macaroni and potato salad sides. There's a lot of sides to choose from too. There was no crowd at the time, so I just checked the place out a bit from the customer view point. It's a nice place with that Texas charm for a family style restaurant. The two women employees at this time were pleasant knowledgeable about the food. The menu was straight forward for easy reading, it was right on the wall but they were polite to answer my questions to help me make my final selection. It's definitely Texas casual and is family and friends friendly. They have a selection of soft drinks from a self service vending machine and self service plastic wear machine for forks, knives and spoons. It was fun to dial in your plastic wear. The BBQ brisket was excellent and delicious and flavorful and it was a great dine in experience along with the pleasant staff. They do not serve alcoholic beverages, so don't be looking for beer or wine. So I have to say if you in Hillsboro, Texas stop by and enjoy some Texas BBQ. It was a great experience and it gets my recommendation and five stars. That's what Bob was Eat'n at that time. Hmmm Good! read more

This was my first visit and I had the sliced brisket sandwich with potato salad and a coke with cane sugar. The food was outstanding and the service was friendly. Stopped by again and got another sandwich today and as always the food was great. read more

Glad we stopped here! The brisket was banger and everything else was top notch. They definitely put heart into their cooking! And they have a nice gift shop and the staff was very friendly and helpful! read more

Up in Smoke BBQ - Awesome stop for good home cooked texas food - Barbeque Near Me - Hillsboro, Texas

What an excellent find today. Expected god bbq but today I had a fantastic surprise. Very clean place including the restroom. Friendly ladies behind the counter and absolutely great bbq. The brisket was so tender. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm The ribs we also fall off the bone tender and full of great flavor. The jalapeño beans are a wonderful addition and the green beans were also a good find. Maybe next time I will try the deserts, they looked very good. But too much meat today to try them. Yes. This is on my return list read more

Up in Smoke BBQ - Very nice dining room and empty plate of what was Great ribs and brisket. - Barbeque Near Me - Hillsboro, Texas

You might say we are a "tad" addicted to trying brisket at different BBQ restaurants. We've tried brisket all across the south and other places too. So, when I saw that Hillsboro had a place with smoked brisket, we had to stop and try. It's all about the brisket with us. The restaurant was in a very convenient location and just off the interstate. It was nice and clean. Only a couple tables had customers but it was past lunch hour so that's about what one would expect. Staff was friendly, not overly friendly but also not unfriendly. All I ordered was the brisket so we could taste it. Like I said we weren't ready for a meal but we just had to give the brisket a taste. As it was being cut my mouth watered looking at the bark on the brisket. I love a good bark. My pieces were half and half but the order was very generous. Some were cut with bark and some with almost no bark. Then, came the taste test ....... but there wasn't much. We were disappointed. The brisket was on the "chewy" side with very little fat and almost no flavor. I tried the bark by itself and there wasn't much flavor in that either. Bark is normally loaded with flavor. Not sure what was wrong. Was this just an unusual smoked brisket we were tasting or is this the norm here? Not sure but we've certainly had better. read more

While the sides were decent, I do not frequent BBQ restaurants for the sides. I tried the three meat plate, brisket sausage and turkey. The turkey was edible. I tried one bite of sausage and one bite of brisket upon finishing each of those bites I feared for my health as they both had a taste I have never experience before in meat. Now let's talk sauce...decent BBQ can be made edible with good sauce. I experience another first in my life BBQ sauce that made the meal worse! The spicy sauce could be described as wing sauce but never should be referred to as bbq sauce again. See the image for the amount of meat I left behind. I absolutely love BBQ but wouldn't come back unless the place was on fire and I could piss gasoline! As you can see I could really care less about the service or the cleanliness of the place, my review is based strictly on food. read more

Up in Smoke BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Hillsboro, Texas

You don't notice it at first but I highly recommend this place, great meat, easy menu, and great sides! Just like home read more

Up in Smoke BBQ - Ribs and Brisket with Mac N' Cheese and beans - Barbeque Near Me - Hillsboro, Texas

Staff hardly spoke. Place was extremely quiet and awkward. Food was not great the only decent thing was potato salad which came out of a store bought container. Banana pudding was great though. seriously avoid this place. this isn't BBQ.... this is microwaved ass food. lubys is so much better , emphasize on the so much..., read more

We stopped here on the way to Waco. Now I know the competition for good BBQ in the Dallas area is tough so maybe it's not fair to compare to what I'm used to, but this place made me very sad. The brisket was chewy and covered in layers of hard fat. The two guys working were not very friendly and one of them sat down at one of the tables while we were in line. Then when he returned from his break, he did not wash his hands. All of the tables were dirty, and one of the guys was eating behind the counter. I'm disgusted by the hygiene. Please wear gloves or wash your hands. They were also selling old Christmas candy which was odd for July. read more

We've never been disappointed with any meal we've eaten there. Small and unassuming, but worth the trip or stop off I-35 if you're hungry

Food is delicious and staff are always so nice and friendly! Quickly became a new regular spot for us..Definitely recommend!

Meal: Lunch, eat in All Ratings out of 10: Quality of food: 8 Food to Spend Value: 8 Quality of Service: 7 Overall Rating: 8 I can't get enough BBQ when in Texas. While driving back to Dallas from Austin, I was curious to find a new spot I had never been. Hillsboro was going to make a good lunch spot timing wise, and Up in Smoke looked promising, so my son and I decided to check it out. I wanted to try a few things, so I went with a 2 meat combo. I chose brisket and sausage for the meat. It came with 2 sides, and at the recommendation of the cashier went with the okra and tomatoes and the turnip greens. The brisket had a nice smoky flavor (including the requisite smoke ring) that was very tender and moist. The sausage was also quite tasty and was robust in flavor. My son also had brisket with his kid's meal, and he loved it! Both veggies would not have been my first choice, but both were delicious. They had the right amount of seasoning without being overpowering, and they complemented the meats perfectly. The house BBQ sauce was also on point, and though the meat did not require it (a sign of great BBQ), the sauce was great and tasted amazing on the meat, too. The restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside and has a Texas country feel inside. BBQ smells dominate the air currents, making your mouth water upon entering. You order at the counter and find your own seat, so it is a pretty simple setup, but it works well. The prices seemed reasonable for what you got (including only $6 for a well-sized kids meal) and the quality was quite good. Up in Smoke was a gem of a find, and I highly advise you find them if you are anywhere near Hillsboro. read more

Up in Smoke BBQ - 2 meat combo with brisket, sausage, turnip greens, and tomatoes and okra - Barbeque Near Me - Hillsboro, Texas

Absolutely delicious! I had a brisket sandwich plate with spicy beans and Mac and cheese. Best BBQ I've had in a while (definitely the best in this area!). Spicy bbq sauce was great too. Also had a piece of the chocolate cake and I left a happy camper lol. Awesome customer service! 10/10 will stop here again. Sorry, I didn't take a picture of my plate, I was to excited to eat :) read more

On our way home from visiting the Silos, me and the hub decided to stop here for some grub to go. We opted for the 3 meat combo w/2 sides and chose: sausage, ribs, and brisket along with fried okra and fried squash. The service was slow. They cut their meat to order, which is commendable. But after tasting everything, I'm not sure why they do. I tasted no hickory, or any smoke flavor for that matter. The brisket was tender, yes. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no seasoning and the appearance of the meat was entirely gray (with no smoke ring.) The ribs were the biggest disappointment by far. Covered in an overly sugared sauce, the rib meat tasted tough along with an odd aftertaste. The sides are kept & served cafeteria style in tepid temperatures. I opted for green beans in place of the absentee fried squash that day. The green beans were probably dumped out of a can, and the okra was old and unseasoned. A positive! The sausage was good w/a nice snap. If you ever find yourself at this place, order that & you'll be okay. Otherwise, skip it and avoid. There were so many things missing with this "BBQ" spot! The service, decor (carpeted floors - gross), and food are comparable to what you'd expect from an elementary school cafeteria. There was no sight of wood being burned and no trace of hickory smoke indicating actual BBQing. Huge disappointment. read more

Up in Smoke BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Hillsboro, Texas

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Meat: 3 stars. Veggies: 4 stars. Great: Fried okra, tomato and okra stew, potatoes. Good: Ham, brisket, pulled pork. The meats are just nothing too mentionable and a but dry really. Mediocre: Corn on cob (heated too long), Mac and Cheese (slippery and simple gross taste). I am not responsible for not ordering the ribs. Wife's fault. I said pulled pork and she's the one who always orders the ribs. Friendly people for sure. read more

Sad to say places like this still exist in Texas... Pros: sausage, sauce and a lot of sides to pick Cons: brisket has no smoke ring and was chewy, corn was cold and way to expensive for small town BBQ Don't go here read more

Up in Smoke BBQ - No smoke and fats have not been broke down... not how you cook brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Hillsboro, Texas

Stopped here on the way through town. I'm not sure why I have never heard of this place. It is amazing! Crazy good ribs, perfect sauce and delicious sides. Give this place a try! Two thumbs up plus a toothpick read more

Up in Smoke BBQ - Ribs, Pea Salad, Jalapeño Beans, Spicy Sauce - Barbeque Near Me - Hillsboro, Texas

Staff spoke probably 3 words to us, when I asked for something they looked like they had never been spoken to before. It was completely silent and awkward, nobody was speaking. Food was not the best, the brisket was cold. I left with a basically full plate of food. The only good thing was the banana pudding. read more

Worst barbecue we've had. We ordered to go when we stayed in town for a night, and were excited to try a new BBQ spot. The brisket seemed like it was boiled, ribs were okay but definitely not fresh. They had a thick skin on them like they'd been cooked a day or two before and sat in a warmer. Really dry. I guess the older ladies were too busy flirting with my boyfriend and forgot my potato salad. Our stomachs were upset for the night. read more

Ted and Irene, I stopped in 3 Friday's in a row the food was descent I would even say good and planed on making this the family Friday night dinner. I went in this Friday evening, 6-19-20 at 4:45 and ordered the same thing, two -three meat plates and was planning on ordering a couple of sides and sausage. Well, I did not get that far. I WAS THORN OUT OF THE RESTAURANT(asked to leave). Here is what happened: I walked up to the counter and told my order to meat cutter. He was about to say something and this women next to him interrupted him and started talking loudly with an very aggressive tone that I could not do that I HAD to get a rib plate or toe ribs on the three meat plate. I was confused and puzzled and began to explain that on my last orders I received 6 ribs. She interrupted me and told me no I did not, basically calling me a liar, and said she was there last Friday night. I told her she was not there, it was younger girl and a middle aged man. She replied: OH I must have been gone. Then she started forcefully hitting her forefinger and middle finger on the stainless steel serving top, repeatedly saying she was the assistant manager and the don't do that it is only to ribs. The young man cutting the meat looked me and said if I was servers that it was a mistake and she wouldn't have. I was fine and said: "OK -well let's start with the first plate and said, granted in a bid of a sarcastic tone, it that OK. The young man nodded his head yes. If she would have just left we could have just proceeded with the order and all would have been well. Instead, she keep talking about ribs and I couldn't do that and said she was the assistant manager repeatedly. While looking at the menu (she still fussing at me) I started saying I don't care (not yelling but frustrated) just trying to get her to stop. She said:You know, I do not have to serve. I said: "You are the one yelling at me banging your finger on the counter ( I demonstrated he finger jabbing on the counter. She looked at the young man and said" Stop don't have to serve he". She asked me to leave. I left without a word. I mean I like barbecue but it did not matter to me. I just went to down the road to the next restaurant to spend my money. You are the one that it hurts because you just lost a customer. This was such a strange encounter. I took place over about 3 minutes or so. I was a bit shocked. Granted, I admit, I let her get under my skin, and could have handled the situation differently. Isn't her job to diffuse any situation, assure things go well, not antagonize and goad the situation. I tell you this because, I am also a business owner, and I would want someone to alert me of that this behavior is happening.. If this behavior continues to happen with other customers, your business will not survive Under different circumstance this could even leave you open to a lawsuit. I encourage you to speak to you other staff present and, if you have camera's, take a look. Just thought I would let you know. I have no interest of going back. Makes no difference to me. BBQ restaurants are plentiful in TX. read more

Stopped in there today on our way back from the last leg of our trip from New York City to Texas. We were craving barbecue and saw the signs on the side of the road so we decided to stop. We ordered the plate with multiple different kinds of meat and were very satisfied. We had regular sausage jalapeño sausage turkey ham and brisket. They even put a rib on the plate which was excellent. Besides were plentiful and fresh. The service was nice cordial and pleasant. The bathrooms were clean and so was the restaurant itself. read more

I don't know how this places gets anything more than 3 stars. I'll start by saying, you're going to need BBQ sauce if you're expecting any flavor from their meat. It's bland. Now then, for a full review... We stopped here on a busy travel weekend driving between Austin and Fort Worth. The interior (or ambiance) isn't too impressive. I get the impression the building was formerly a gift shop or kolache shop in which they crammed a BBQ restaurant. Bright overhead lights, whimsy decor, multiple big screen TVs with Fox News, country music. My wife and I both had the two meat plate. The sides were self-serve, which was kind of nice. In general the servings are large, including the meat. But one bite into the pork ribs and I knew we'd made a mistake. The first taste was a mix of semi-sweet pork and lighter fluid. As I chewed the bite further the chemical flavor subsided and the pork turned into a mellow, flavorless mass of tender meat. Brisket was also properly tender, but it just didn't have much seasoning at all. Begrudgingly I started dipping the meat into the BBQ sauce. The sides were okay (we had okra & macaroni and cheese), but that was just filler. The slice of pecan pie had WAY too many pecan halves in it and very little smooth, buttery filling. Oddly it was like a flavorless, mushy praline - but with hardly any sugar and too many pecans. The nice lady at the cutting board bragged about this pie. The service was decent. The lady at the cutting board was great, even if she doesn't have good taste in pecan pies. The gent at the register was casual and friendly. The entire restaurant was super clean - and the bathrooms are big and family-sized. Unless you're starving or need a big private bathroom, do yourself a favor and keep driving. There's nothing to see here. read more

Great brisket and spicy bbq sauce, stop by and try it out. Quick service and sides to choose from. No lines, no wait !

Yummy yummy BBQ! I just got out from the airport and I was looking for a tradicional Texas food place to have lunch. It was a great choice! They food are super yummy and the staff are super friendly! read more

Up in Smoke BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Hillsboro, Texas

On our way to San Antonio we decide to stop with our two kids. The parking lot was full so we felt good about stopping. However, there is not a BBQ or smoker smell when entering. The menu is your basic BBQ menu, minus chicken. I ordered pulled pork and the jalapeño sausage. Both were tasteless and drenched in sauce. The side items were okay. However, we stopped at 1:30 on a Sunday afternoon and everything appears to have been sitting out for hours. For the price for a family of four ($50), I expect real dishes and silverware. Everything is served on cheap plastic plates with plastic utensils. We can overlook everything for good service; however, today wasn't a good experience. This is definitely not a place we can recommend or one we will ever visit again. read more

The food was good and in line with most bbq places it's very causal with two TVs. The only reason for the 4 stars is we had to stand in line a long time and the stag is a little short on being friendly. But we'd probably eat there again read more

This place was straight up garbage. My girlfriend and I stopped by on our way through town and neither of us could finish our food. The sides we trash and the meat tasted like it was boiled. My stomach hurt for like 3 hours after. read more

Exactly what we were looking for! Driving from Austin to Dallas looking for a quick (non-fast food) place to grab a bite. Found this place on Yelp & decided to give it a try. Very good brisket & sausage, great sauce & very good sweet tea. Also very good Tx toast. Really couldn't have asked for more. read more

Up in Smoke BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Hillsboro, Texas

The Food was good we got the Taders with Trash. Filling tasty and great service and atmosphere for a stop while traveling. Clean and Covid 19 responsible. Hand sanitation required right in the front door. Masks required. I observed employs clean hands several times and put on gloves again. read more

My family went there yesterday and picked up 2 slabs of ribs to go. When we opened the package at home the meat was so dry we couldn't eat it nor give the dried up meat to the dog. Please check your to-go order before you pay. read more

DONR DO IT I did it 2 times so finally eating. It was calories and that's about it. Both brisket and sausage was almost flavorless rib were scotched in. Well the bathrooms were clean and they did have tea as well as the icecubes read more

Styrofoam plates and plastic silverware is what you get. Don't expect a nice sit down place. Meats were good. Side dishes not so much. The coleslaw was disgusting, which I think it's the first time I've ever said that. read more

Very clean restaurant with friendly staff. Food was fresh and hot. Reasonably priced the whole family was happy trying their brisket, sausage ribs, mac and cheese, and okra. read more

Great place to stop on 35 for some very good BBQ. They have a great menu and a very clean restaurant read more

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The meat was very dry, the bbq sauce was not that good. The sides were so so. One of the servers was very helpful the other was useless. I should have taken a photo of my plate because I left if full on the table and walked away. I would have given one star if it wasn't for the one employee that was helpful. read more