Smoke Queen Barbecue
Barbecue restaurant · Garden Grove ·
Asian-inspired BBQ: brisket, pork belly, ribs, sides
Asian-inspired BBQ: brisket, pork belly, ribs, sides
"In Garden Grove, Winnie Yee turns out distinct Asian-style barbecue from three massive 1,000-gallon smokers and a welcoming cottage, drawing lines for smoked char siu, crispy siu yuk pork belly, and beef brisket. Her approach aims for balance, with sweetness and smoke interplaying with spice and texture; the mapo chili brings flavors rarely seen in Texas, while spicy cucumber pickles wouldn’t look out of place at a Sichuan restaurant." - Matthew Kang
"Pandemic pop-up sensation turned Smorgasburg vendor Smoke Queen opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Garden Grove in early 2024. Pitmadam Winnie Yee uses a trio of 1,000-gallon steel smokers to prepare classic American barbecue done up with Chinese and Malaysian flavors with unparalleled results. Best to head there with a group and order Yee’s signature meats like glazed pork belly char siu, prime brisket smoked over white oak, and the Sunday special: gochujang beef ribs. Sides like dirty rice, mapo chili, sesame-oil-spiked coleslaw, and honeyed cornbread complete the picture." - Matthew Kang
"In Orange County I encountered a Smoke Queen pit madam who runs a 500-gallon offset smoker and turns out weekly Chinese American delicacies, including rich, fatty slow-smoked char siu." - Eater
"Smoke Queen, a pandemic pop-up sensation turned Smorgasburg vendor, opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Garden Grove in 2024. Pitmaster Winnie Yee uses a trio of 1,000-gallon steel smokers to prepare signature meats like glazed pork belly char siu, prime brisket smoked over white oak, and gochujang beef ribs on Sundays only." - Mona Holmes, Matthew Kang
"Chef and pitmadam Winnie Yee is offering Asian-inspired barbecue pork ribs with chile crisp cranberry glaze during the holidays at her Garden Grove restaurant from now until the end of the year; a half-rack costs $24." - Matthew Kang
