Memphis Smoke

Meh.
Drove by this place a lot as it is on 11^th and Main, a crowded intersection. We’ve been meaning to go, and finally had the opportunity to stop by. I should have read all of my peers reviews before doing to… The brisket was very dry, and there was nothing impressive about the food here.
That being said, the live music is not bad, and it gets crowded with the music. More crowd reflects inverse-​proportionately to the service and the service level went down greatly.
TIP: DO NOT COME HERE FOR FOOD, COME FOR MUSIC AND DRINKS.

Wildly disappointed. The brisket is super dry and tough. The dry rub ribs lack flavor and the mac and cheese reminds me of the now defunct Wendy’s super bar. Which was my fav part because the Wendy’s super bar was my number one spot to eat when I was 7. Sad. The greens were pretty good, but who goes somewhere to eat a side dish?

I reeeeeeeeeeally don’t understand how people have rated this with 4 or 5 stars. Maybe it’s because I live in Virginia and I know what real BBQ is so perhaps I should cut Michigan some slack for their attempt (just like I would never order a Philly Cheesesteak anywhere but Philly)
The service was below average, just like their BBQ. But I do give them a point for the cool upstairs patio section, which I suppose would be the only way to get me back there.

Really Memphis Smoke? $ 4.75 for a Bud Light draft? I can buy a 6 pack for $ 4.75 (okay maybe not, but really close).
Glad my friend ordered the sweet potato fries and I tried one before I ordered some for myself. If you’re looking for good sweet potato fries, go to Lily’s, you won’t be disappointed.
Looking forward to see if the Rosie O’Grady/Cantina Diablo’s folks can do better when they take over the space.

It’s important to note my rating has no reflection on the food here… according to most Unilocalers this place serves some ass-​like food. With that said, this is a great place grab a drink. On my most recent visit I was able to enjoy some live music (mix of jazz and blues) and some well-​made drinks.
Closer to 10pm I made my way from the main floor bar up to the rooftop. Although you will find the typical Royal Oak «crowd» here (those who believe there actually in NYC), it’s not as in your face as other places nearby, ie. Commune. I would suggest getting there by 9pm on summer evenings as it did get crowded fairly quickly and seating is limited.

Easily the worst BBQ I have ever had. I went a few years back and thought it would be nice to eat upstairs on the roof and enjoy some fresh air. Little did I know that my meal would be served in a styrofoam container with plasticware. I was expecting so much more from the food. Reading the menu it’s seems hard to decide between ribs, pulled pork, brisket etc. and then all the sides to go with it. However, once you receive your food you realize it really wouldn’t have mattered. The food is so dry that even drenching it in one of their BBQ sauces can’t salvage it.
I gave them a second shot about a year later and it was literally an identical experience. The food was terrible and when you get the bill it makes it that much worse. Did I really just pay $ 40 for this? I’ve heard rumors it is closing and reopening under new ownership or with a new theme. That would surely be a welcome change. Don’t waste your time at Memphis Smoke unless you are going for drinks and drinks alone.

Have you ever had really over cooked chicken or ribs that took forever to chew. If not, eat dinner here and you’ll experience it.
Place is terrible. Staff is OK, not the friendliest, not the most prompt, but gets the job done.
The food is a disaster. The only things I’ve enjoyed there have been the appetizers. BBQ place it is not. McRibs are a better option.

I may be a self-​proclaimed BBQ snob but I will give anything a chance. This place looks great, has a great vibe and a wonderful location right in the heart of Royal Oak but that is about it for the pros.
With my experiences, BBQ places usually stuff me silly with food but this place had small portions (cleaned my plate and was still looking for more (and I’m petite)), the food was just ok (nothing special about it), and the music was loud and horrible (it wasn’t even blues nor rock)!
I guess if you’re in Royal Oak and in the mood for it — then it will be a valid option but I don’t see myself returning to Memphis Smoke any time soon.

Blame it on the barley pops, but I loved this place. This was one of the last stops in downtown Royal Oak for one of my best friend’s recent bachelorette shindigs. Granted, we stopped here towards the end of the night, so my mind was a little clouded from the liquid nourishment I had been consuming but I think that’s probably the most acceptable state of mind you should arrive in a place that has that smoky-​bar-​essence/​bluesy-​music kinda feel.
The food is meh. Someone from our group ordered a few appetizers which were nothing more than «commercialized BBQ» as one reviewer put it at best, but… the music!
The music. I (among many others!) was out of my seat the whole time when the funky, bluesy band was at it. A little bit of history: I did read that Jack and Meg White met here while Meg was bartending, which could add some cool factor points for some people.
To fully appreciate the best quality of Memphis Smoke come with a fun group of friends when there is scheduled live music. Drink some cheap, American beer. Get out of your seat. Don’t focus on the food.

My boyfriend and I went here on Saturday for our anniversary. We had never been and heard good things from people we talked about it with. We had a 7:30 reservation and expected to stay for the live music later.
We got there a little early and sat at the bar and had a drink. The bartenders were not very attentive, but it was fine.
We sat down. and ordered our drinks and the pepper-​jack cheese sticks for our appetizer. When they came about 10 minutes later, they were extremely overcooked and crunchy. One of them didn’t even have any cheese in it!
We ordered our dinner and salads after eating our appetizer. We waited about 20 minutes and the salads finally came. We both got the Caesar salad, and I was a little disappointed. The salad was fresh, but the croutons were small and soggy, and there were way too many on the salad.
Literally TWO MINUTES after our salads arrived out dinner arrived. I hate that! Give me some time to eat the salad! Anyways, I got wet ribs with coleslaw and mashed potatoes. The ribs were not juicy at all, but the BBQ sauce was okay. Overall, I was not very impressed. I was expecting a lot more out of a BBQ joint. The mashed potatoes were good, though. The coleslaw obviously came from Gordon’s Food Service or something similar, and you could tell it was straight from the bag. The cornbread was okay, but I didn’t like it enough to finish it.
My boyfriend got the prime rib and the sour green beans. The green beans were horrible! Bad flavor and super soggy. His prime rib was cooked right, but it was barely seasoned and had little flavor (I tried it). The «horseradish» that comes with it is actually horseradish sauce and was lacking the kick I look for.
By the time we were done eating it was almost time for the show to start. We were looking forward to hearing some good blues, but we were so underwhelmed from dinner we just decided to leave.
I might go back just for the music some time since we missed it Saturday, but I won’t be going to back to eat. I can get better BBQ at Famous Dave’s.

If you are looking for amazing barbecue– you probably should not come here. The food is edible, but not amazing. They occasionally have some decent brews on tap, but their prices sometimes seem a bit unnecessary.
What they do have going for them? The live music– You can catch some pretty good tunes. Also– even though I hate myself for enjoying it — I have had a few pretty good nights up on the roof in the summer. It gets a little ridiculous on the weekends, but it all depends on what you enjoy.
If you are on the roof, you are going to want to go ahead and use the bathroom downstairs in the main restaurant.

Why? Why? Why?
With the multitude of different types of barbeque present in the US, you would think that at least one of the types would be done well here. I am a huge fan of dry-​rub ribs because they are usually so full of flavor, so moist, and just darned good. Memphis Smoke has killed this genre of BBQ, though. The ribs were dry and tough. The seasoning was just Chili powder. Really? What in the world were they thinking. I couldn’t finish the meal.
Some novice decided they wanted to open a restaurant, but I don’t even think they try the food. Nothing was balanced with the exception of the Buffalo Shrimp. I liked the Buffalo Shrimp. I can give a star for those and the service. I really don’t want to remember any more of this place, though.

I used to come to Memphis Smoke with a my best friend and her mother and we’d split salads which were a great lunch option.

I’m a southern girl at heart and I *LOVE* my pork cuisine, but something goes terribly wrong at Memphis Smoke. I think its the BBQ sauce, it doesn’t taste that great, its a little too spicy for me, and they put WAY too much of it on everything!
I would like my BBQ to taste like its been on a grill all day, or in a smoker. Please do not drown in sauce!!! If i do go back here ever, it will will not be of free will, but I have to say I’ve learned my lesson and will ask for all sauce on the side.

We decided to try Memphis Smoke after finding an Entertainment coupon for buy one get one free up to $ 7. We go inside and look at the menu only to find that there are absolutely NO items on the menu under $ 7. We asked the server about this and she just shrugged. Way to trick people into the restaurant!
We decided to eat anyway. The food was really quite mediocre. How can a restaurant call itself a barbecue joint and only have ONE type of barbecue sauce?! It wasn’t bad, but it really wasn’t amazing either, especially considering I can eat at Slow’s for the same price and get waaaay better barbecue.

In all honesty, this was my first time visiting Memphis Smoke, and, unless I frequent the area more, I don’t believe I will become a regular there.
I ordered the ribs, and I should have known something was a bit odd about the establishment when the waitress asked me if I wanted them «wet» or «dry.» OF COURSE I WANT THEM WET! IT’S BARBECUE RIBS, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!
At any rate, my chief complaint with the meal was that the side portions were rather large compared to the food portion. However, I will give them this: it was not expensive, but I’ve gotten better deals at carryout establishments in the city (see my review for Uptown Barbecue in Detroit). My date ordered the Cobb Salad, and it was huge! Needless to say, I take it most of the patrons don’t come for the food, considering it was practically dead in there around 5pm on a Wednesday. Then too, if it were about the food in there, they’d probably be out of business.

I’ll be brief and quite honest. The BBQ served here is very generic and middle of the road. There’s nothing here — no food or dining experience — that makes a culinary warrior leave thinking «Wow — I can’t wait for the next time I come back here!» Nope. What you will find are average portioned Middle American BBQ dishes that are made in a very mediocre fashion. It seems to me that the key to success that they have adopted to survive is by dimming the lights, putting music on (whether live or stereo), and having a loud and happening atmosphere to keep people having fun.
If you are coming here solely for really good BBQ — then I must forewarn you that you may be disappointed. If you are coming here with a group to enjoy some BBQ food in Royal Oak (as the options are limited to this venue in the immediate area) while in the company of good people, drinks, and laughter — then you may be able to compromise with the average cuisine the dish out here and let the ambiance suffice for the food.
Lastly — I was not too fond of the brief and snappy service either. I make it a point to be very respectful and kind to staff — and when they are snappy in return, it really makes me question their ways.

Let’s get the positive out there. I enjoyed the sweet potato fries.
There. Now that we’ve done that, let’s talk about the bad. Beer selection is good but there are bars down the street with better prices and selection. So clearly the reasoning to come here is the food, right?
Right?
Welcome to Memphis Smoke, the absolute worst barbecue joint I’ve ever suffered through. Their ribs are downright nasty and the catfish is, again, some of the worst I’ve had. Pulled pork is an abomination to the dish as well. I don’t know what these guys do to all their meat but it tastes like they went in and purposely removed all the flavor. Then they dribble a little bit of watered down sauce on it and serve it up to you.
I love barbecue and I have half a mind to call the Royal Oak Police Department because Memphis Smoke has committed a hate crime on my plate. Alas, poor palate, I knew ye well.
I wonder if they left the flavor back in Memphis …

Great!
Good beer.
Great appetizers; good portions.
Even better barbeque.
Pulled pork = good.
Good desserts.
I’ll definitely go back.

Somewhat mediocre food that’s at least somewhat reliable… The atmosphere at times is somewhat interesting. I guess they often have live music at night. Their upstairs deck has cool giant mushrooms that make the place look cool.
I never really leave here feeling like I had a great meal, but I’m generally satisfied.
I usually get some form of pulled pork, it’s hard to screw that up too badly… This past visit I had the ribs… with a dry rub and sauce on the side (which is how many places in Memphis do it…). The ribs were edible, not great though. One end was burnt and I think I was just eating them for the sake of eating…
Sides here are pretty unexciting. Fries weren’t good, though crisp. Cole slaw wouldn’t float in Memphis. Honestly I only ordered them because I hadn’t looked at the sides list but wanted to order quickly since the band was so loud I couldn’t really communicate well with the waitress. So I more or less just pointed to things.
There was a live band that was pretty good, though I kept laughing because the lead guy was a total nerd… There weren’t all that many people there to watch them, and it wasn’t that early or late (10pmish)… I got the sense that half the people in the room were friends of the band.
Overall this place has BBQ that’s on par with your average TGIFs… so it’s not great, not bad, just OK… It seems to be one of the few options for BBQ in the area, which is probably the only reason I end up there.
Oh, and the Barenaked Ladies have played here a few times???