Smoke Bayou

LISTEN, food was NOT what I expected! It was seasoned, juicy, and flavorful. Our order was messed up - ordered wings in two flavor but they didn’t get it right. The oxtails - EXPENSIVE; ease up on the smokey flavor bc it made the gravy too salty. Mac and other sides was a hit! BUUUUT the customer service sucked so bad! Likeeeeee I spent $100 HERE, can I get a thank you? Welcome to our business? We appreciate the support?!?! Something!!! That was the worse part - did I enjoy the food? Yes! The customer service experience will always outweigh the cost or even food quality sooo yeah, that has to be better! I find that many black owned businesses lack that - WE want to support BUT something lacks one way or the other. Pls fix! I’d love to support again.

I have ordered from this restaurant several times and today was the first time I was disappointed with the portions size! I ordered a rib plate and it was noticeably less than my previous orders...I don't mind paying the stated price, but please don't switch up on what the customer gets for said price once you gain the business...I drove 25 minutes for 4 (four) ribs (w/sides packaged separately at request)...smh...pic included below!

For $20 I wish the Brisket on Toast came with two sides but it only comes with one and no drink. Sorry but I’m used to two sides and a drink at Couyons, Sonnys or Popsmoke for same price. But it’s so good that paying an extra $4.50 on top of the $20 maybe worth it for some. The waitresses and bartenders are really friendly and helpful but the one who takes the order… idk if she’s a relative or what but staff has been the downfall of many bIack owned businesses due to the number one complaint (in BR)... bad customer service. Sometimes you don’t need to let one go, just put them in the back somewhere. She barely even speaks and look at you like maybe she gets a check every month waiting on you to place the order. Or maybe she didn’t grow up going to restaurants and does not know the proper etiquette. Or she’s a relative that don’t give a you know what. But yeah, once you bypass her and the energy and food is great!

This place is filthy! The very small bathroom was ten times worst than these photos. The oxtails were overcooked and super fatty! The rice was not done. There was a sweetness to it that was not to my liking. And the plate was so piled up with the loose gravy juice so much so that it ran into the other food items. This presentation was disgusting. Not everyone likes their food to touch. Whole plate went in the garbage. And the cornbread was about as hard as my granite counter tops.

Enjoyed a wonderful lunch with my mom! The chicken was deliciously smoked, and the rib sandwich was tender and juicy. The mac and cheese was yummy like Velveeta. The smoked cabbage was a winner all day long. My only negative (if you could call it that) was the potato salad might have been a bit too mustard heavy. My mother said, "Kendrick Lamar would disagree." 😂 Will visit again.

The food was amazing!! The brisket was tender and moist, the Mac was also on point !! The service seemed a little disorganized but overall a good experience! Lots of take out orders !

Honest Review: I heard about this place and had to try it because lately I’ve been on a “brisket” kick. I love the vibe of this place. The staff is really friendly. I ordered the brisket platter that comes with two sides. I got Potato Salad and Baked Beans. The wait was about 20 minutes. While I waited, I ordered a beer from the bar. They have a full bar, but didn’t have a drink menu, which was a bit disappointing, so I’m not sure how much the cost of a cocktail is. I got my plate and was a bit disappointed. Well for starters, my potato salad didn’t appear to have any relish or eggs in it. But what was really disappointing was that brisket was not cut properly (against the grain). It literally looked like I had a slice of skirt steak and it was a bit tough (I ordered the extra fatty pieces); however, I am optimistic about this place and will return to try other food items.

Very disappointed… especially after reading all of the great reviews. The staff was very friendly, however it took 45 minutes before I got my food and I got there before it got crowded. Counter service with Most orders to-go. I dined in with plastic utensils. First, the brisket was good, not great. It was tender but had very little spice and no smoke flavor. The collards were under cooked and the onion rings were overcooked (in what appears to be old oil). 🤷🏼‍♂️maybe it was an off day.

By far one of the best in BR. My family goes at least once every 2 weeks. The food is consistently good. Everything we've had has been great. Ribs, sausage, brisket and of course the chicken

Everytime I eat smoke bayou it hits the spot. I usually go for the 4 meat combo which comes with 1/2 lb of brisket, half smoked sausage link, 4 ribs, quarter smoked chicken, and 2 of the pint sides (I like the baked beans personally, and add some rice to make it a meal if it's own). The service is friendly, even when there's a wait at times because they're a popular BBQ place. They have good Louisiana decor inside that makes it feel like a hometown spot. FYI, they are relocating to a new location. I was a little too excited when picking up my plate this past Friday to actually ask when they'd be at the new location, but I know the 30th of March was the final day at 4355 Inniswold Rd The new location will be at 10655 Coursey Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70816.

Food was very tasty and the quality was very good. Good options for sides but could have been better choices. The service was great but there were few ppl in the restaurant. The ambiance is ok - lots of tvs but most showing only the menu, nothing on them. Environment was too noisy from the kitchen and wait staff. For the amount and quality of the food it was pricey. Will think about going back only to try different main selections.

Happy camper the smoked cabbage was great aswell as Brisket was juicy and tender . Also the place was clean and friendly staff.

Okay so I have a couple gripes, but this little BBQ joint is pretty solid, all things considered. This place was recommended by someone from the area on Facebook so decided to stop in for lunch while passing through Baton Rouge. It was consistently busy the whole time I was there, which is always a good sign. The inside is pretty small so most tables were taken up but we were able to snag one. Many people seemed to be getting their orders to-go. This place has the option to dine-in but you go to the counter to order, which I don't typically prefer, but it's fine. Everything is packaged to-go so they don't ask if you're dining in. I got the 1/2 brisket entree which came with two sides. I knew I wanted the mac and cheese, but none of the other sides were appealing to me, except the potato salad but my boyfriend already ordered that as his side. There was a chalk board behind the girl at the cash register advertising a burger and fries. I asked her if I could get fries as my other side and she said no, fries are only for people getting the burger. Big disappointment. There needs to be a regular potato option besides potato salad. Other sides include baked beans, collard greens, and yams, and I don't like any of these. Nonetheless, I wasn't going to make a big stink about it so I just got a second order of mac and cheese. We waited a bit for our food but that was to be expected with all the people there. The lady who brought out our food was very nice and gave us their BBQ sauce. I'm picky about BBQ sauce. I really liked this one- luckily, because it's the only one they have so if you don't like it, you have to eat your meat dry. My brisket was good but soooo fatty. I'm lucky if I got to eat half of my 1/2 pound order. I hate when this happens because I'm paying for a 1/2 pound of meat but can't eat a good portion of it. The Mac and cheese was good. My corn bread muffin was really good. My boyfriend got the brisket sandwich and potato salad, which he liked. The potato salad had a pleasantly interesting flavor. I get the impression that the owner of the restaurant cares about his food and has unique recipes. Restaurant was clean and tidy. The restaurant is closed Monday-Wednesday, but thankfully I came on a Sunday so I did not miss out! I would definitely return if in the area again!

This was really good BBQ . It took a little longer than expected so next time I would probably call the order in. I probably wouldn't sit inside to eat because it's a bit Smokey but I will go back for a to-go plate for sure. There's a few other things I'd love to try on the menu. The brisket sandwich was delicious.

Very tasty, we had the ribs, chicken, pulled pork and several sides. The servings were very generous, the sides, delicious. Several other places have failed in this location, I hope they do well, they deserve it.

Service was attentive. The brisket was the best I've had in quite a long time maybe ever? I did ask for the leaner cut & well done portion. Lean but not dry or tough. Tender and with great flavor. The baked beans had ground beef and were so good. I finished every bite. I did bring home leftovers of brisket and potato salad and the potato salad was quite delicious too. I sat outside because the inside music was loud and if you're up for that, I'm sure that's a great atmosphere, but I enjoyed the outdoor patio and the quiet. Next time and yes, there will be a next time I go I'll have to try dessert because everything was so so good. I can only imagine how good the desserts are. The manager came out at the end of my meal to greet me to ask how my meal was. I asked if it was family owned and she said yes. I had read reviews here on yelp and somehow went to the old location, but the new location is was only a few minutes away on Coursey. if you haven't tried this barbecue place you're missing out. I'm still amazed how tender and perfect the brisket is.

Grea tsides meats of good quality ..chicken is the star here.seasoned very well and juicy!

Quick service, amazing smoked ribs, chicken and delicious smoked cabbage and smoked collards. You really gotta go!!

first time I ordered here food was great, came out quick! I wanted some more so bad I went back a few days later and was disappointed !!! My food took an hour TAKE OUT. My entire lunch break was spent waiting on food. I had to walk up to check if they forgot my order. I ordered the same plate as my first time.. food was mid. Mac & cheese dry. Chicken was good as usual... but I don't think I'll be back at least I know it's not worth the hype.

Food was just ok. Service was not very good. They need a lot of work with speed, working as a unit, and there were a lot of people standing around waiting for to go orders.

I really enjoyed the barbecue here as did my whole family. I had a short wait until food was delivered and it was presented beautifully for barbecue. Ribs were sliced and spread out on plates, very appealing and taste was great! Restaurant was clean and decorated nicely.

My family traveled from Chicago and wanted to try a local restaurant that cooked with the heart and soul you would expect from Louisiana. When I say the food here is amazing, it really doesn't describe just how delicious this food is. The meats are smoked on premises and you can tell that every side was made from scratch! I had the brisket entree with Mac and cheese and smoked cabbage. Absolutely the most tender brisket I have ever had! The sides were cooked to absolute perfection. Ambiance was great and gave you a true Louisiana vibe. The service was great. We did have to wait a bit because the kitchen was swamped with to go orders but our server was very attentive and communicated every step of the way.

My waitress/ server was Raven ( like the bird). She was attentive. I ordered the 4 meat meal, ribs, chicken, brisket and sausage with sides, smoked cabbage and potatoes salad. In addition, l ordered a side of ribs, yams and baked beans to sample more of their menu. Oh, also bread, garlic toast. I was very impressed with the quality and quantity of the food. The meats were tender, juicy, smoked-flavored and seasoned just right that it doesn't need sauce, although it is available. The cabbage had a slight kick to it but not too spicy; the potato salad was creamy with small chucks of potato but the tang was on point; the yams were sweet, buttery with a hint of vanilla and spice. The baked beans however, tasted like a can of Bush baked beans. My only complaint was that the food could've been served a little warmer. The price is comparable with today's economy. The restaurant was decorated with sports memorabilia , two large TV , animal heads and pig pictures. I learned it is a Black family owned business. Kudos, to them for providing an establishment that serve good "authentic " smoked bbq in Baton Rouge. It is worthy to patronize and like me l hope it will be your " go-to" for fine bbq. I highly recommend this establishment!

The food was delicious, however, I was told 25-30 minutes for my to go order & it took an hour. Also, the sides for takeout are much smaller than the portions I saw for dine in. I think they should be comparable. We ended up with a ton of meat & a minimal amount of sides. The sides were also turned over in the bag, with lids opening. It could have been a mess if I hadn't taken the time to arrange them before leaving the store. He gave me half my order & while I was checking my order & realized that the sides were missing, he then came back with the sides. After waiting an hour, that should have all been accounted for.

Sausage had wonderful snap and flavor. Chicken/ribs was juicy. Brisket was on point. Beans were a bit sweet for me. Cabbage was well spiced. I judge bbq restaurants by the bbq... 10 out of 10 highly recommend.

Still one of the best places to eat barbacue. Love n care every time I show up. The food is #1 service is even better.

These trifling workers/owners sent out some cold brisket nachos . Chips were fresh , brisket and nacho cheese was cold. I sent them back for a fresh order. They heated them same nachos up in the microwave and sent it back out chips deflated and soggy. $ 18.99 . You would think that they would the courtesy to have made them fresh the second time around. But No! This is sad, honestly I don't even think the health depth knows they do this microwave with beef and pork. Usually microwaves in restaurants are a code violation. I will need to look into this.

I don't remember exactly what we got but it was definitely a combo big enough for 2. Being from Texas this reminded me of home. I really enjoyed it. They were patient and answered our questions. The place is small but feels country cozy. Negatives. Cornbread is to small it should be a square piece from a pan. Also surprisingly the max and cheese was not worth it. Wish they had longer hours for dinner but i understand the once were out were out system. I'll be back where I can make it

Good Day in the Morning!!! This food was AMAZING! Always skeptical on reviews but THIS!!!! The pulled pork, ribs, smoked pig feet, the sausage, and the brisket! Ooooweeee. Finger licking good! And with the new LOCATION coming on Coursey. Mr. Calvin doing it BIG!!! Coming back tomorrow for the oxtail.

Bbq was the best that I have had in years . People don't sleep on smoke bayou. . Plates are heavy. Prices are reasonable.

Okay, let's start with the not so good parts of this review bc they were just observances and didn't really affect our meal. 1. We made it there at 11:45 or so and had about a 10 minute or so wait for our food. However, everyone who came in after us had at least a 30-minute wait or so after ordering, which made it a little uncomfortable for us. We were the only ones with food for the duration of our meal. As we were getting our check, the party that came in about 3 orders after us got their food. I'm not sure what that was about, but the food was so good, I was just happy I didn't have to sit in there and smell all those smells without any food. 2. It got really busy, and our waitress was also working the register, so it was just kind of slow. Okay! On to the great points. 1. The food. OMG! I loved everything except the sausage. However, I don't generally like sausage, so that's not saying the sausage was nasty. It's just not my taste anyway. My husband enjoyed it. The cabbage was delicious and had a smokey flavor. I'm not quite sure the types of meat that were added, but I know one was something smoked, and the other was diced sausage. The mac n cheese was creamy and seasoned well. The ribs!!! Chef's kiss! The chicken was soooo tender and well seasoned. It was juicy and hot! The brisket was pretty good. It was seasoned well, but the fat wasn't rendered enough for me, and it wasn't really hot. It was lukewarm. 2. The Bayou juice. Omg. I had a cup and a half and had a sugar rush for the rest of the day. I had to drink a ton of water to flush my system, but it was absolutely worth it!!! It's not sweet like kool aid sweet. It's more like a pineapple juice mixed with grenadine type of sweet. 3. The ambiance. It was cute in there and smelled good. It's a very humble setup, but the food quality makes it perfect. 4. Simple and straightforward menu. There isn't a lot of room to be confused with their menu. I appreciated that. I do wish they offered combos where you can pick your own meats instead of the meats being designated based on the number of meats you pick. So, in short (lol), we would definitely be back. We ate off of the meat, maybe 3 times or so. The total came up to $51. It was well worth it. I'm not sure if they are smoking the meat on site, but we definitely will be back!!!!!

My wife and I came here on a date since we both were off. By looking at the parking lot it looked packed. We were able to find a good parking spot. Service was good we seated ourselves to a nice booth like table. The wait wasn't to shabby. Our drinks arrived first. Let me say it was so good my wife love it. The food came out and it was sooo delicious. The beans and Mac and cheese lawwwdddd have MERCY was sooo good. The smoke meat was tender. Great food and service. I will definitely return to try the other lunch specials, pecan candy and banana pudding lol. We had a wonderful date. I'm glad she chose smoke bayou and it's black owned!!

Food okay. Prices too high for a lunch. Not going back. Better food service and much better prices other bar b Que places

The first time I came, I ordered a bunch of different things on the menu to try for myself. I saw a critic that kind of blasted the place so I wanted to make sure I was hearing the truth. But I definitely didn't! I forgot my order on the bar 10 days prior to getting it again. And I am so glad I did. I could make a meal out of just eating the greens. Perfect. Good potato salad but I'm sure mine is better but that's opinion. Everything was great. The service was great. The food was delicious unique in some ways but definitely better than most. Glad I didn't take the word of one hack before I tried it myself.

This used to be my little secret. Now, they have blown up...and for great reason. Smoked catfish, smoked greens, oxtails on Sundays, fire ribs AND THAT DRANK(lol)...it's all good. They haven't let me down yet.

Today I went by the location on Inniswold Rd. The sign in front of the door said they were at the 225Fest. I went over to BRCC to patronize this business and because I wanted to try their ox tails which are served on Sundays. Unfortunately, the oxtails were only served on a baked potato, and I didn't want that. I opted for a smoke turkey leg with pastalaya. I got a plate for my brother with a smoked turkey leg with jambalaya. I must say that the food is amazing! The meat was fall off the bone, smoked through and through, and the pasta was delicious too. My brother said that the jambalaya was amazing, the best he's had! The only suggestion I would have for this business is to provide your customers with take out bags. It was an inconvenience to try to carry 2 plates back to my vehicle because they did not provide bags. Also, I doubled back for 2 more order of jambalaya, and requested a covered plate, was told that they couldn't give me another plate as they were running low. This was 2:30pm, even if a store run was needed, it should have been done! I spent $66 with this business and didn't even have proper take out carriers/bags... The staff wasn't friendly, but perhaps they were too busy to smile, greet, or engage with their customers. But the food was great!!! 10/10

The server was very pleasant. However The brisket was dry and mealy. Everything had black pepper on it, and the size were so spicy we could not eat them. Something was burnt when we were there and it was difficult for us to breathe.

we ate lunch at the Coursey Blvd location. we enjoyed our food, the pulled pork sandwich was so full of meat I had a hard time biting in to it....but I managed the brisket nachos was a pretty big serving of tortilla chips covered with brisket, jalapeño, and bbq sauce. they were busy and the food did take a little while after we ordered. staff was very friendly and attentive. we will definitely be going back.

This maybe the best bbq I have ever had & I have ate me some bbq! Try the ribs, chicken and even if u dont like brisket (i dont bx its usually dry) this is like tri-tip tender. The smoke ring in all the food is super legit. Only thing missing was a white piece of squishy bread & a cold bottle of beer! Git'sum!!

This place is rocking and rolling with steady customers and a very pleasant experience. Great tasting and we all noticed that after we left we smelled like smoke which is a good sign of a great bbq place!

Food was good, but wait was sooooooo long. Was quoted 45 min to an hour max took over 2 hours to get my food. Ambiance was alright ordered takeout so didn't see whole restaurant. would not recommend due to their total inexperience.

To begin I went for lunch hour (12:30). The wait was 45 minutes, & it took 5 minutes just to get my drink. There was a sign that said something along the lines of "everything is cooked to order if you are impatient or want a refund because you can't wait, take a free pack of noodles; we wouldn't want you to starve" which told me immediately the wait would be long and it's something people must complain about. I'm super impatient in general so, I didn't like the wait time. Once I did get my food, they let me check my plate to make sure everything was as it should be (I really like this because they at least take the time to make sure your happy before you leave) ... the I got my $8.50 house punch they make. It's pretty good, kind of like an old school iced tea but, it was hot (no kidding) & they put very few ice cubes. At that point, I was a little frustrated like I probably won't be visiting again... BUT BOY DID I CHANGE MY MIND. The first bite of the rib, I decided I will definitely be back. It was so good, I asked my coworker if he wanted to try one (you know the food is good good if you don't wanna be stingy with it and share how good it is). The Mac and beans are perfect in my book. Potato salad was kinda mustardy so I didn't really care for it, but it was still good that I ate a few spoons. I didn't love the brisket, I'm assuming they throw it on the grill or something one more time when it's ordered because it just was dried out but the seasoning on the outer part was phenomenal. The bbq sauce taste like A1 sauce to me, kind of thick, seemed store bought, but I'm also not a lover of bbq sauce. I got one of the last banana pudding's & after eating it, if I don't ever want to go here for anything again, I will find a way to go for the pudding. It was PERFECT. Literally perfect, words can't describe. I give 4 because even with the wait, it was absolutely worth it, some misses in my book but overall great. $50 covered all of this.

Our party of six had ribs and pulled pork. We all were blown away by the flavor and perfect level of smoke and moisture in the meats. The sides of Mac&Cheese(exceptional), baked beans & coleslaw were delicious. Busy place, but service was provided as quickly as possible at lunch time. This business is a must try when in the area of Baton Rouge.

Best BBQ in BR! After spending a decade in central Texas where bbq grows on trees, I was constantly let down by the BBQ in the BR area until I came across this gem. . Skip the other spots, especially the chains in town and give them a shot asap!

following the positive feedback from yelp, we tried this place. some of the best BBQ I've had.

Whew!!! I'm not a big bbq person but I saw this place and reviews on TikTok so I decided to give it a try. I arrived right before noon on a Friday. The parking lot was full. I was able to park on the road. It's tiny inside and most patrons were getting to go orders. It was packed inside with only a few open tables. My husband and I decided to eat in. Our food took about 30 minutes. We shared one order of the 3 meat deal (ribs, leg quarter, and sausage) and two sides (Mac and cheese and bake beans). I added a side of cabbage. We had the Bayou Punch for our drinks, DELICIOUS!! Everything was AMAZING!! The mac and cheese and bake beans were the best!! We will definitely return to try more items.

Food is great! Best bbq in br. But service is so slow they need more workers to help out. Sat here for 1.5hrs AFTER i ordered

The food is great. Good old fashioned home cooked veggies. Tender, mouth watering smoked meat. Worth every dollar.

I was craving BBQ randomly, and what do you know, I hit the jackpot! You can definitely taste the black peppercorn for the BBQ, and I loved it! The taste is subtle but juicy and balanced. Here's what I ordered: 1. 4 piece meat combo: Sausage, Ribs (Favorite), Smoked Leg Quarter, and Brisket (Favorite) with sides of Mac n Cheese and Smoked Cabbage (Favorite). 2. Bayou Cane Juice: Imagine lemonade but not as tarty. I wanted more of it though, I admit. I'm definitely coming to this BBQ koint again when I'm near the area! It's that good! #LambChopOnTheGeaux #BatonRougeLA #bbq #smokebayou #foodie

The was food was great and the service was fast but the place is small if you're wanting to dine in. The atmosphere is family oriented. I'll definitely go back. The ribs melt in your mouth.

Best barbecue in Baton Rouge decides to awesome services is good my go to place for barbecue

Love the food here! Have been several times and have yet to be disappointed! I always get that yams, Mac and cheese, and chicken. Always fresh and tasty!

Best BBQ in Baton Rouge! Don't just take my word, go try for yourself! You won't regret it!

Excellent BBQ! Friendly service. Hidden gem. Great find! The food was delicious. I had a chicken quarter, ribs, cabbage and rice dressing.

Awesome food and service. Go there every Wednesday for their special. The food is consistent every time.

Excellent food!!!!! The best BBQ I've ever had!!!!!The owner is very humble and genuine.

Took forever to find a place in Baton Rouge that actually knows how to throw down on the grill. Absolutely LOVED Smoke Bayou and can not wait to go back! The sides were great, the meat was amazing. The only downside is location because it's so hidden but the steady stream of customers let me know that it is the spot for the best bbq in town. No other bbq place compares