Woodpile BBQ Shack

We ordered the pulled chicken sandwich and the three meat combo platter (platter had the ribs for a $3 up charge, pulled pork and the cheddar brat) For the sides we chose the macaroni and cheese as well as the coleslaw. All the food and meats were delicious. Their outdoor eating area was clean and nice. This is a great stop to visit when you’re craving good barbecue food and enjoy eating in a perfect heart of Clawson city setting.

From outside the smell is like the Death Star’s tractor beam (that's a good thing) and will pull you in without room to escape. Technically everything is outdoor porch seating. Having spent 16 years living in Texas this place reminded me of a typical roadside BBQ joint replete with country music in the foreground. I only sampled a chopped BBQ brisket and enjoyed it. To me the meats taste great, however are more neutral compared to the many smoked offerings you might find down south. With a myriad of sauces available at the ready you can find something that’ll suit your taste. Here you’ll order from a window and then find a seat and they’ll bring it to you. I’m looking forward to checking these guy out soon again. As far as price points, it’s more competitive than others in the area. I love the taste. Quick update: I went back with the family and they loved it. I sampled many more meats.

We tried Woodpile and it was incredible! The food was amazing — the meat just falls right off the bone and is packed with flavor. And don’t even get me started on the cornbread — it’s to die for! Perfect smoky BBQ, delicious sides, and great portions. Can’t wait to go back for more!

It was great experience. Delicious food. I was trying special brisket melt sandwich with coleslaw. Worth every penny!!!

First, the food is delicious. Brisket is excellent. Had the flat and it was still excellent (point is the more flavorful part of the meat. Mac n Cheese is also good. The baked beans are not traditional - a tad bit of sweetness, but most of the flavors are BBQ and heat. Second, the Mac n Cheese had bread crumbs but it did not cover the entire diameter of the container - not a huge issue. The Brisket looked small for a lb. We weighed it and it was 0.72 lbs with the container (weighed on triple beam scale) and we paid for a pound. The beans filled about 3/4 of the container (Mac n Chz was to the top). Overall, one of the better BBQ around but unless it was a fluke, a bit of integrity issues with giving you paid for.

Ok BBQ. I loved the Mac N Cheese. The brisket was decent as was the sausage. I didn’t care for the ribs very much but I enjoyed most of the house made BBQ sauces. It’s not a bad BBQ spot but if there’s a Famous Dave’s nearby, I’d recommend going there.

Went there for lunch today with 6 people. We did one bill (has to be easier that way). The two women working today acted as if they were inconvenienced by us being there. Ask a question about the menu? How dare you even ask. One of my employees asked what sides there were when ordering. She didn’t even speak but just pointed at the sign. Barely acknowledging our existence. They are the reason alone that we will not be back.

Brisket melted in my mouth Portions were good Jalapeño sausage was tasty I didn't have any sides but my homie loved his! Really like how its set up, plenty of seating, and the service is quick

Dinner with a co worker. He had a pulled pork sandwich, he says outstanding! Sides of Mac and cheese , and bake beans. Great ! I had the three meats. Ribs, brisket, and pulled chicken. Excellent!! Double collard greens...delicious!

We ordered carryout therefore, this is only a review of the food. We ordered a shareable platter and extra brisket. BRISKET - The brisket was outstanding. It had an excellent smoke ring and was not dried out. Had a mix of point and flat and the flat was juicy too. Will order again. PULLED CHICKEN - Ok. A little dried out without great flavor. Won't order again. PULLED PORK - Above Average. The pork was good, but I have had a lot better and feel my shoulder is better. Smoke was average. It was tender and an ok sized portion. SAUSAGE - Excellent. The homemade jalapeno smoked sausage was excellent. This along with the brisket made for an enjoyable meal. I will be ordering this a lot more here. Don't know if this is an option, but if this was served with some fresh or pickled jalapenos it would knock it out of the park. The woman at checkout was friendly. If you haven't been there, there is only outdoor seating. I will be back when I am not smoking my own meats.

I saw a post on r/BBQ about Woodpile and so many people recommended it that I decided to stop by over the weekend to get the Pit Master Platter. At Woodpile, you line up in the front to place your order, then you take your number and select a table in the back. The staff will bring your food out for you and after you're done, you bus your own table. All seats are outside only - several picnic tables nestled along the road, and a large covered area in the back. There are fans running on the ceiling to help cool you off, but this isn't a place I'd go if it's really hot and humid out. Luckily it wasn't too bad the day I went. Pit Master Platter ($25) - This comes with a huge variety of meat and you get to select two sides of your choice. Ribs - The ribs are pretty bad. Tough, chewy, and dry, the trifecta of bad bbq characteristics. The ribs here are barely better than a pre-made grocery store rib. The rub is the only highlight. (2/5) Pulled Chicken - The chicken is moist and tender and still retains the natural chicken flavor through the spice rub. I didn't think it needed any of the sauces at the table to dress it up. (4/5) Pork - Not bad at all. They actually have a legit Eastern NC-style vinegar mop here - didn't expect that since most places outside of NC add ketchup/tomato base (more Western-style) or mustard (More SC-style) to their Carolina-style bbq sauces. Probably because most people don't know how to use it. The mop is a little sweet, quite tangy from the apple cider vinegar, and with just a small amount of spicy kick. The squirt bottle they use is not appropriate for the consistency of the mop. It squirts out with high pressure, resulting in the sauce splattering everything. At any rate, it pairs very well with the pork, which is smoky, not too dry, and pulled well. (4/5) Brisket - They give several pieces of lean brisket and several more fatty pieces. The brisket is smoky and quite peppery on the exterior. The lean pieces are not too dry but not something I'd ever clamor to eat. The fattier pieces are superior - great flavor and tender, and also well rendered so that it doesn't feel like you're eating gristle. There's a good amount of bark in the platter, but none of it is crispy. (4/5) Cheddar Jalapeno Sausage - The sausage is the best meat on the platter, with gooey cheese, a bit of a kick from the jalapeno, with a texture that is perfect for sausage; not too chewy, soft but with a bit of a snappy bite. (5/5) Collards Greens - A bit tangy from vinegar, quite spicy from pepper especially if you let it sit. There's a small amount of shredded meat mixed in. The greens are cooked until tender and delicious. (4/5) Pit Beans - Super sweet mix of tender cooked beans with the tiniest amount of dried brisket mixed in. Not sure if this is pre-made/food service bought, but it kind of tastes like it. There's nothing really special about the beans. (3/5) At each table, there's a wire basket of five different barbecue sauces you can use. They have Carolina vinegar, Shack Sauce (hot and sweet), Sweet BBQ (no heat), and Honey Mustard. The last bottle is ominously labeled with a fire emoji. I've only visited a couple of BBQ places in Metro Detroit (due to the fact that they've all been sub-par so far) but I have Woodpile at the top for now. The meat isn't top tier, but it's good enough to satisfy any BBQ craving. Bathrooms - Single unisex room kind of hidden. It's behind the unlabeled door in the front of the building Overall rating of the food this visit: 3.71/5

My boyfriend and I came here on a Saturday afternoon, and it wasn't very busy at all. They have a window you can order from, and you can choose to sit at picnic tables under umbrellas to the side, or they have a large covered area in the back. We got the Pit Master Platter so that we could try a variety, and it was plenty for both of us to share. Our favorites were the smoked cheddar and jalapeño sausage and pulled pork the best. The ribs were tough and probably our least favorite. The meat was seasoned well and had great flavor, more than what I've tasted at most other barbecue places. The sauces were good--we liked the Carolina Vinegar and Spicy (it wasn't that spicy, but it was nice to have the option).

bbq is great! The sides are pretty good also. There's only outside eating but it's under a covered area. It is wheelchair accessible except the handicap parking spot doesn't have enough of a striped area to get your wheelchair out comfortably. Staff is nice. Prices are not cheap but not extremely expensive. The sandwiches are huge.

Best BBQ you can find! Clawson resident here. Outdoor and indoor seating are available. They have the best ribs, brisket and mac n cheese. Not a fan of their sweet potatoes I think it's too sweet. Love their hot sauce. My nephew loved the brisket and the ribs. I think next time we'll order their sandwiches

This is my first BBQ place since moving to MI, and it definitely wasn't good. I ordered burnt ends, which did not appear to be burnt ends and they were stewed and covered in a lukewarm sauce. I've never ordered meat that came out already sauced. What's the purpose of putting the other sauces on the table? Mac and cheese was bland and also cold. Corn bread was straight out of the fridge and very very sweet. Not impressed.

I got the pulled pork by the pound and the sweet bbq sauce. I'm impressed by the flavor and the smokiness-when I opened the box at home, the smokiness perfumed the air. It felt like I was at the restaurant with the delicious smell! The bark on the pork is delicious and in some areas you can see the smoke ring. There was a small piece of bone (as someone who makes pulled pork from pork shoulder/butt, it happens sometimes!), but no gristle. The pork is seasoned so it's salty enough to be put on bread without it being too bland, and super juicy from the soaking of juices. It doesn't really need the sauce, but the sweet bbq sauce isn't overly cloyingly sweet. There's no spiciness to the sauce, which is perfect for me. They offer several other sauces too, so I'm sure there's something for everyone.

This is my new favorite bbq place. This stacks up to Southern bbq. Tried all the meats and sauces and all are good. Sides and pies are great too. Local Light from Shorts brewery is on special. It's mostly outside style seating but it's covered and screened in. Good service as well.

Good food. Their corn bread is amazing But their potions r measured & small. Most things on the menu are pricey The one in Madison Heights just b4 John R road. The waitress at the time was not pleasant. We just made the best of our meal since we were all together.

Ok... as a Texan... it's pretty good. My kids (2&3) are in heaven with the Mac and cheese. I had brisket. Very tender. Outdoor seating is nice. Had a live musician she was good too. Would come back.

Woodpile is always delicious, especially the sweet potato mash! We love going here, either to eat in or take out.

This is my new favorite BBQ place! We ordered one of the family meals with 2 lbs of meat and sides. It was delicious. It's not often I crave leftovers but I couldn't wait to eat more of it that was leftover the next day for lunch. The meats were so tender and not fatty at all. And their sauces were all tasty too. Even the cornbread was delicious. We'll be back soon!

Always great barbecue and sides. Also the service was always very prompt. I moved to Texas so I unfortunately won't be able to return. I was expecting some of the barbecue down in Texas to compete with this place and it still is my favorite since moving.

This was sooooo disappointing the BBQ sauces were flat and tasteless. The barbecue was tasteless and everything was al a cart. Soooo not worth it. Service was slow and the menu has been chopped down to only a few items. This would be okay if the food was excellent. The bbq was dried and not much smoke tasting. The homemade smoked sausage was the best thing. The drinks weren't tasty as well. I felt like I was visiting an older person homes bbq that cooked with no seasoning or salt, and fat free.

The Smokey bbq flavor is definitely there. The meats are all tender and juicy! We went around dinner time and didn't wait long to get our food, they were fast. For the amount of food we ordered, it was decently priced. Loved their signature bbq sauce. The rib tips and brisket were my favorite!!

The Woodpile Brisket Reuben Sandwich always keeps me coming back for more! If you're looking for a good spot to get BBQ in the metro Detroit area, check out Woodpile. I've been to quite a few BBQ places in the area and what stands out about Woodpile is the flavorful meats! My favorite thing to get is the Reuben Sandwich and it comes with their homemade cornbread and your choice of their in-house BBQ sauce flavors. As you can see in the photos, this sandwich is big and messy but all the flavors from the special sauce, cheese, and coleslaw blend so perfectly together. The brisket is tender and packed with flavor. I also like that when you order take-out they leave the top off the sandwich so it doesn't get soggy. I haven't tried that many other things on the menu because this sandwich is so darn good! This place is also a nice go-to in the summer and fall because they have an outdoor seating area and a full patio/indoor bar. It's a great place to catch up with friends over good food and even better vibes. In the fall/ summer, they also have LIVE music outside!

Very casual fast dining setup. Order at window and they bring food to your outdoor dining patio or picnic tables. Food was very good ordered the brisket Reuben which was very good. Recommend trying the honey mustard bbq sauce with it.

Inconsistent. I'm a brisket fan and I've had some of the best brisket there - and some of the most mediocre. Sometimes it has been eye-poppingly flavorful; so much so that I wasn't sure I could finish it. Sometimes it has been so bland that I wasn't sure I wanted to finish it. (Although the candied bacon has remained consistently good.) Unfortunately, I've had far more of the bland experiences the past few years as I've watched their prices soar - and had them add a default 10% tip for picking it up at their window. As someone who did my time working in restaurants, this isn't a tipping situation and trying to force me into one just makes me mad. Eight years ago, this was the place I told new hires at my company to go for lunch. Now, this isn't even top 10. Time for them to reexamine their business.

Pretty upsetting experience - first time trying this place and hate it already - missing dessert from my order, no utensils, unacceptable! Won't be coming back. GO TO SLOWS! Update - it gets worse! I wrote this review before actually opening the lid on everything! They also forgot one of my sides! No: dessert, wrong side, no utensils - $31.27

Awesome real smoked BBQ. People are very nice always serving food with a smile. Enjoy the outside deck while watching football or baseball.

The brisket is awesome. We really enjoyed it. We ended up getting 10 lbs and some pulled chicken & pork for a birthday party. The pulled the chicken is good but the pork was a bit fatty. Would definitely stick with the brisket.

The 6 of us said everything was great! We had Brisket, Burnt ends, pulled Chicken sandwich, Mac & Cheese and Coleslaw plus cornbread. We did a carry out and everything was individually packaged and easy to determine what went to whom. If I could offer up a little advice however, it would be that these meats are a little too spicy for someone who can't handle spicy! Had to tone it down with rolls or put it on a bun! But it was still a great meal!

Love BBQ? It doesn't get any better than this! My husband & I split the Pittmaster's Platter - generous servings of smoked pulled pork, chicken, brisket, cheddar jalapeño sausage & ribs. We chose Mac & cheese & baked beans for our sides. Also couldn't resist getting a piece of cornbread. It was all smoky and delicious...& more food than 2 of us could eat.

Came in for lunch during the week and everything was just okay. The service was quick which was good. I wasn't a fan of the beans, but the lunch combo was a good deal and they could accommodate a large party with no notice. The cornbread was good and moist and honestly my favorite part of the meal. Maybe it's better on the weekends. I'll have to make another trip. Also I'm pretty sure the heaters weren't working so it was pretty cold. I'm sure it's great in the summer!

This place is absolutely amazing! All the types of meat that we had were absolutely delicious and well made! Sauces and serving was great! Service is quick and friendly. And ambience outdoors is really nice on a lovely day. Will be coming back for sure

Awesome food and a great variety of beer and liquor, the ladies that works here are awesome the management treats everyone with the upmost respect and they take care of their employees

The brisket is heavenly. Collards were nice and bright. The sauces however need some work as either vinegar or sugar overpowers.

Their food is good but I had a pretty bad experience the other night with their employee being rude at the check out window. Got there an hour before close and it felt as though we were being rushed through the entire process and half the restaurant was already closed down. The person taking our food order was not friendly/nice at all. I will be going back because I love their food but it was a pretty disappointing experience.

This is hands down the best BBQ restaurant bar today...the food is amazingly delicious margaritas are awesome...customer service is a 5 star...definitely will be back for more Greg

A little skeptical at first, but I've been going back for a long time. I love all the offerings and have a hard time deciding every time... so I go combo platter. Nice folks, always with smile. It's rustic, and ok dining there the summer, but we do takeout in the winter.

Woodpile is one of our favorite local BBQ joints. Their food is always quite consistent (our faves are the brisket and ribs) and they have great specials every now and again. This last time, I went with the BBQ tacos and they were excellent! Their sides are great - the sweet potato mash is my favorite. I do wish they had another veggie option on their everyday menu, but that's just my opinion, doesn't change my view on the food at all! The staff has always been great and we continue to come back! Give it a try, grab your food and sit on their back patio which is appropriate for every season.

Absolutely delicious! My boyfriend and I split the 2 meat combo and it was more than enough. We chose the pulled pork and the pulled chicken. Both were well seasoned and very juicy. Such good flavor! Our favorite side was probably the mashed sweet potatoes (but the mac and cheese was right there with it). Definitely will be back!!

Don't get me wrong here, this is a great food place. GET THE CANDIED BACON!! Anyways, came here after looking for something to eat in the area. Looked at places in Ferndale and Royal Oak and settled here. Wasn't what I was expecting, but the food was great. Saw an enclosed patio type seating area. There Wasn't real clear instructions on how to order. Went to the counter on the right side thru another door. Reminded me of a takeout counter. Ordered our food and sat down. They did bring our food to us. Portions are great, we did not leave hungry and still had food leftover. My only true complaint is the food was only so/so warm. When I order food from a restaurant I expect it to be hot coming out, this wasn't. Other than the temperature of our food, everything was great. I will return again, but order take out only.

Woodpile for the Win !! I was lucky enough to stumble upon woodpile a few years ago when they where just getting up and running !! So now back in the areas for work I had to see if they could deliver a great BBQ meal .. again.. I ordered the three meat meal : pulled pork, burnt ends and ribs with slaw and beans. The beans had the sweetness I like but the beans are not my fav (big plus meat in the beans) the slaw as in point and pairs great with the pulled pork and sweet bbq sauce. The ribs are solid and even without any sauce have lots of flavor. The burnt ends are covered In sauce but had great texture and flavor. An added bonus : nice size portions of all three meats (I know we could all use more but portions are solid) ...

I'm not sure they're smoking anymore... no smoke smell on the walk up. No smoke in ing on the meat. Not sure what's going on here

I definitely gotta say Woodpile has the best BBQ in Madison Heights, they food is always amazing and the drinks are great as well, I definitely recommend the BBQ Mack and cheese it's off the hook it's definitely one of my favorites the entire team that works there are beyond amazing and helpful they all help each other and most of all the restaurant is always clean..

We stopped at the Woodpile BBQ as a local recommendation. I picked the Two meat platter. It comes with two sides and I picked Greens and Mac and Cheese. This was a great meal. The meat was very tender and juicy. Worth the stop as it won't disappoint.

Brisket cooked to perfection! 12 hour cook wrapped in butcher paper. Everything was perfect about it! There was no need for sauce. 3 pieces of candied bacon, mac n cheese, and a tangy bbq beans. #spicemeister approved 5 star BBQ.

I met friends for dinner here in August. This is a unique spot given the parking situation. There is a smallish lot and then street parking. To get into the lot, you must enter from Main Street. You can park on Main Street or on the side street if you aren't lucky enough to get a spot in the lot. You order from the front and then you have to wait to here your name called and get your own food from the counter. There is a slightly enclosed patio and then some picnic tables. Social distancing is sort of a thing because every party was sitting at their own table. However, no tables in the patio area were blocked off. You needed to wear a mask when ordering and there was hand sanitizer at the cashier station. The menu is typical BBQ options. However, they do run out of items. There is not a large variety of sides that are gluten free. There are no dessert options or at least none that I cane remember that were gluten free. It was good but not necessarily somewhere I have to go back as I like AC in the summer

Stopped by last night on a whim. I never see a lot of cars in the lot, so I generally assume they're either not open or not popular. In general, the food was just meh. Sides were particularly disappointing. Mac-n-cheese was dull. No flavor at all. Could easily have been from a gallon GFS tub. Cole slaw was dull. Tator Tots are Tator Tots.....hard to mess those up. The sides in a BBQ joint should carry the meal just as strongly as the mains......this is not the case here. Mains were okay. Chicken was excellent but the burnt ends were very fatty. There are other BBQ places in the area that put a lot more effort into their food than Woodpile. We'll be taking this one off of our list, sorry to say.

Delicious! The lunch special is such a good deal, too! Can't wait to go back for another pulled chicken sandwich!

Ordered the pulled chicken, baked chicken, roasted turkey, 2 sides of honey mustard coleslaws. After paying and ordering. The woman that cashed out and took our order informed me they were out of the baked chicken, seems odd to run out before 6pm, but whatever. I would have liked some beans but they only had the beans with bacon. Not into pork at all. The pulled chicken was cold, came out less than 5 minutes after our order. The roasted turkey was still warm at least. The pulled chicken wasn't bad, a lot of dark meat, ends that looked burned too. Taste was decent. The roasted turkey was good, slightly dry but had some herby flavors from the roasting process. Better flavor than most places though. The honey mustard cole slaw was also not bad, may have liked it better if it was freshly made today, wasn't as crunchy as I like the slaw. The sauce selections aren't bad either. The pineapple habanero had good heat, but was much too sweet for me. I stuck with the Shack BBQ sauce, though that was too mild and sweet for my liking, it was the better option at least. One guy asked how our food was, not the woman that took our order. We said it was fine. It's a cafeteria style atmosphere, I guess. There is self serve water and to go containers left of the bar. Do keep in mind the seating area is a heated enclosed porch, it could be really cold while eating if it's ever colder than 38 degrees F. The heat source is by the woodpile stack by the to go containers, sit close by to get some heat.

Amazing bbq, good beer selection, and overall good dining experiences. I love how even in the winter you get the eating outside feel with the patio the way it is. One of our go to places for lunch/dinner.

Oh yummy!!! Can't wait to get back to try the other items on the menu. I had their lunch special with the pulled pork, sweet potato mash for my side. Decided to get the Blueberry/Peach Crisp too. The pulled pork was so good with the mustard sauce. The sweet bbq sauce was decent as well. If you get the blueberry/peach crisp, plan to share it. It's enough for two people.

Friend and I were craving BBQ so we decided to ride over to Woodpile. We both got the Texas Trinity combo - brisket, ribs and sausage. Got a side of pepper jack Mac and cheese and the seasonal side of cucumber salad. The brisket was pretty good, the ribs were okay, but I wasn't super crazy about the sausage. I'm originally from San Antonio so I'd like to think I'm a brisket snob. Everything was pretty good, and it was a decent price. You order inside then sit outside. There are a bunch of tables and a small bar setup. It was pretty hot today but they have ceiling fans. There's a variety of sauces on the table, I liked the sweet sauce. My buddy cleaned his plate, so I'm going to say he liked it! One of the better BBQ places in the area!

The food is great. The server was great. The cashier was nasty and disgusting with her ugly attitude and ugly face. I watched her be rude to ever customer before me for no reason. Nasty attitude entitled trash. You would have gotten a 5 star but with being so unappreciative your lucky your getting 3. Food is good but I'll never spend my money here again. I'll go to House of BBQ right across the street. Amazing menu at House of BBQ. Little short girl with glasses at woodpile needs a new job. Happy to spend my money where they appreciate you. To you who are nice at wood pile... thank you for your service.

The food is good and the prices are reasonable. Have only done carry out from this place but have always be satisfied with the food and service.

Wow! This place knocked it out of the park. I made a 30 second phone call and ordered food for 40 people. Pick up was easy. Food was delicious and plentiful. Will definitely go again! Chicken and pulled pork- scrumptious!