Smokie’s Tavern

If I could give zero stars I would. This place is very close to my house. Have previously ate in and had okay experiences. Never anything wonderful. The other night we were wanting some pizza. Figuring we would try something new and being that it’s right down the street we thought we would try Smokies. What a terrible mistake. We ordered a square pizza and an order of onion rings. Not only was it just a bucket of grease in the middle but opened the box to reveal a round pizza. Giving the benefit of doubt my boyfriend and I each took a bite. Saltiest pizza I’ve ever had in my life. Neither of us could even stomach a whole piece. Onion rings were also a salty greasy mess. Batter had all fallen off due to amount of grease to reveal burned giant onion slices. Called to complain. The women didn’t even apologize. In fact when I told her I had ordered square pizza not round her response was «Oh when I took your order I was busy in the kitchen.» What a joke. I will never be returning. Such a shame as it is so close to home.

Food is pretty decent, little priced on the high side and seems like the portion sizes went down from the previous owner. I think they open too late on the weekends. But food is good so will return

Kind of a 2 ½ to 2 ¾, but what the hell, I’ll give it 3 stars (2 seems harsh, but I don’t disagree with anyone who says that). It’s nice to have them around and not a bad place to grab a bite, but It’s WAY out of date décor-​wise, with a menu that definitely skews to the older crowd. Think Wyandotte’s very own Bill Knapp’s and you get the idea. If your grandma is still alive, this is the place to take her to.
That said, wait staff generally gets the job done, execution of the food is middle of the pack, soups tend to run on the salty side, but the entrees don’t, and they usually have some fine desserts. As for the dishes, everything from the sandwiches to the pizzas to the pastas to the steaks to the fish n chips, etc… is capably prepared, but nothing outstanding or featuring any real nuance. You’ll get a solid meal for a fair price, but not much more.
I fully acknowledge that not everything needs to be a farm-​to-​table gastropub, or feature molecular mixology cocktails from hand-​crafted, small batch distilleries, but a touch of 21^st Century sensibility (or at least a new coat of paint) could easily move this place up a star.

My husband and I love smokies. We love it here so much we even had our wedding rehearsal dinner here. We are frequent visitors and we have had the experience everytime. It doesn’t matter how busy they are, the man running the show in the front (I believe an owner) stays calm and has it handled. As a former store manager I am pretty picky over all but I never have a complaint here. Our waitress gabby remembers who we are everytime and that’s huge for customers. Personalizing service, great food with generous portions-​5 star in my opinion!
I loved the special touch last night of the man walking around playing music at the tables.

Discovered this place as a result of an online coupon. We heard Smokie’s was worth a visit from the grapevine, and the menu is amazing — I was excited for an entire week preparing to eat here.
Some other reviews dinged the place for ambience — I think this is irrelevant. It is classy but reserved. It avoids being stuffy. There are some TVs above the bar so guests can watch sports events if they are so inclined.
We started with the calamari appetizer, because it came with lemon caper sauce and I *ADORE* lemon caper sauce. The sauce was a homerun — I would buy it by the bucket. The source meat, though, was atrocious. The chef here deserves an award — he/​she apparently took horrible frozen pre-​breaded calamari strips and made them tender, and put them in an amazing sauce. I order calamari all over the world, and I’m saddened that a Gordon Food Service prepackaged product was all he/​she had for starters.
The salads were above par. I loved their house made Thousand Island dressing.
For my entrée, I chose the BBQ combo — ribs and chicken. The chicken was a bit thin and dry, but the sauce was on point. The ribs were great, which saved this place from a 2-​star review. I loved the not-​too-​sweet tangy sauce and they were super tender and fell off the bone at my very whim. My companion’s ribeye was tender and cooked to perfection, but there was almost no seasoning on it. The same steak seasoned in my kitchen (but cooked by this chef) would have been a masterpiece.
Smokie’s was so close to great that I feel bad giving it three stars. I wanted to give it four stars. But we waited to order a LONG time after we were seated, and there were several other missteps in our service experience. I asked for a water alongside my beer with dinner, and the server didn’t bring it until I reminded her twice.
I feel that even if I didn’t have a coupon, this meal was solid and the value was there, even though it’s expensive. My qualms aren’t with the chef, but rather with the management that seems to be handcuffing a culinary expert with poor decisions designed to save a couple bucks on the margin. Given that this is a Wyandotte cornerstone, I hope this place isn’t going anywhere, but if they want me to return, they need to up their game just a little bit.

I didn’t really enjoy it.
I ordered the lettuce wraps and onion rings. Understanding that this is not an Asian restaurant, I was willing to give some leniency on the wraps. They were decent. I just had two issues with them — 1) the sauce served on the side was really heavy. 2) The chicken mixture looks like it’s a lot but it’s sitting on a mountain of dried noodles. It was the first time I’ve ever run out of chicken when eating wraps (I’m usually asking for more lettuce).
The onion rings were impressively huge! They were a bit greasy though and began to coat the back of my throat. I was only able to eat 3 bc of the greasiness.
I had some issues with the place as well. They were playing Fox News on the tv. As a staunch Democrat I felt uncomfortable immediately. I will never understand why businesses chose to show something as divisive as politics in their places. I came to eat a good meal, not feel defensive before I even take a seat. Play sports or a game show…
Last thing… they have a cute wall mounted juke box that you play (for money). Problem is the music is really low. You can barely hear your songs.
Service was good though.

I wrote a review this restaurant about a month ago and decided to write an update on my recent experience. It appears that someone on the Smokies Team must read Unilocal because they improved on a number of issues I cited from my first visit.
Background info: this visit was with a date who wanted some ribs. Being in Wyandotte at the time, Smokies appeared to the logical option, and we decided to give it a go. We were a party of two, on a Friday evening about 7:30pm or so.
First, the waitress was well above average. She was friendly, personable and made our evening enjoyable. Enough so that we provided her with a 50% tip.
Second, she disclosed that the sweet potato fries had a coating on it before we began our order. This is a nice improvement from my last visit where no disclosure was provided.
Also, my friends loved the ribs! He stated the sauce was tangy and not too sweet and I wonder whether Smokies made slight changes to the recipe, or whether our palettes simply responded differently.
To wrap it up, I think a Smokies is constantly evolving to be better. Sometimes, people are quick to provide feedback when something is bad, but rarely go back and provide insights on whether a firm is trying to change. I can honestly say that Smokies is trying, and I look forward to seeing how they progress.

I was leaving my art class at the J.D. Center for Arts and Culture and something smelled really good. When I mentioned it, I was told that the Rotary Club had Smokies cater their luncheons every Tuesday. I asked where Smokies was and went there for lunch. I had a pulled pork sandwich with homemade potato chips. The pulled pork was delicious — probably the best I’ve ever had. The chips — they were chips. What can you say? I was surprised by the décor and agree with Amy that it is a «bit lacking.» As to going there for an anniversary dinner, not where I’d want to go. Take me somewhere REALLY nice.

I’m not sure that I shouldn’t be giving this place 5 stars except for the fact that the ambience is a bit lacking. Its not terrible I just think I would be more inclined to go here for a special occasion such as an anniversary dinner if it were a bit cozier and more intimate. That being said, this was the most solid meal I have had from start to finish in a long time, and my spouse agrees. The service was excellent, very attentive and friendly without being overbearing. Our needs were well anticipated and not once did we find ourselves sitting and waiting for anything (except the bill, but some restaurants are big on not rushing you out the door so I can let that one slide. The wait wasn’t terribly long.) We have been searching for somewhere to get a really good prime rib for awhile. Theirs did not disappoint. Ordered medium rare, it was done perfectly with just the right amount of fat to make it juicy, tender and flavorful. Seasoned just right with a nice rind and no tough spots… evenly delicious throughout. Their horseradish sauce was a bit different than most places and I loved it. Wish I could figure out what made it unique so I could make it at home. We both had salad with very good (tasted like homemade dressing) and all very fresh ingredients. A side of mashed potatoes with gravy, also both excellent and served with au jus that I have not been offered anywhere in awhile. Side note… the bloody Mary which I always order any time I have red meat out was also delicious to the last drop. I have eaten here many times in the past but not recently, and based on my total experiences with Smokies I would definitely recommend. Its not hip or trendy but what they do, they do right! I will add this to my list of «go to» places for sure!

Not the place to go with a large (6 plus) group. Problems every time with cold food, steaks not done right, or being seated and not eating for an hour and a half. Manager Scott just does not seem to care, and that is the reason I am writing this.. Offers insincere apologies. Last trip, 4 plates sent back and 1 complaint on a portion size out of 10 people. Garlic shrimp consist of plate of pasta and sauce with 5 little shrimp, not jumbo. Deliciois, but they could be more generous with the shrimp. Plus, we were in there for over 2 hours after we were seated immediately with a reservation. Time before with 8 people, 3 out of 4 steaks were sent back, 2 meals semt back cold. That was in January sometime.. Plus another 2 hours sitting at the table.
In fairness, when we dine there with2 or 4 people, i have no complaints. We usually go in the lounge area. The other pasta dishes are great. I know not to order the steak. (Great when cooked correct but hit and miss) In the meantime, we will go elsewhere when we have over 4 people in our group. Maybe they will figure out the large group thing someday.

This restaurant has been around for a very long time. I don’t think they have ever updated the décor. It could use a nice modern makeover. The food here is good or at best average nothing to overly exciting and nothing horribly terrible. I have always had good experiences with my meals and service has always been pretty over the top. You can tell that customer service is important here. The menu could use some cutting it is quit large and a little overwhelming. A fresh smaller seasonal menu with some staples would work very well I think.

Every time I’ve ever gone here I had a great experience. Last time, we had a party of 4 adults, one child and one baby. We walked in the door and had to wait for like 30 minutes for a table and the only place to wait is a cramped hallway right next to the door where people are constantly coming in and out, letting in cold air and cigarette smoke. My poor son! I wanted to bolt the door closed!
As we were waiting around in this cramped hallway sitting on strangers’ laps, I couldn’t help but notice the little light fixture hanging from the ceiling had a buildup of like 2 inches of dead bugs sitting in them. Cool.
The server was awkward and made my fiancé’s daughter cry because she asked when her food was going to come out and she said «It’s not, I forgot to tell them about it.» She was joking… the burger came out a second later… but I didn’t think it was a funny joke at all.
My food was so-​so. I remember the food being of high quality and I was not impressed this time. Sorry Smokies, you guys really blew your reputation this time.

Always a solid choice. Food is great, prices are fair. Sometimes a long wait though.

Best pizza in town and right around the block, reminds me of clementes kinda, good thin crust style! Best cheese mmmmm makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Worth a visit or carry out!!!

My husband and I started going to Smokies about 4 years ago when we moved nearby. We were ecstatic to find a place so close to home with good food and reasonable prices. Then the business was sold. The new owners made some positive changes and we continued going… but then we started to have a problem with our steaks not being cooked correctly. I would order «medium» and get «medium well» or even «well done». Sometimes I just ate it and the one time I brought it up to the waitress, she ended up bringing one of the new owners (Tom Mercurio) over. Instead of agreeing that my steak was overcooked, he disagreed with me and told me it was «medium», when it definitely was not. And he came off as argumentative and cocky. My husband was not happy about his attitude towards me. After that, I started ordering it «medium rare» to try to get «medium». Now mind you, over the years, we have introduced many new people to this restaurant and brought in groups of people. The last group included my son, his fiancée and her parents. My son ordered a «medium rare» steak and when it arrived, it was «well done». I wish I had taken a picture! He showed it to the waitress and it did end up being taken off the bill. A couple months after that, I saw Smokies had posted on FB that they were hiring a cook. I commented that I hope they got one that could could cook steaks correctly since we love eating there and that we bring new people there. Instead of addressing the comment and concern, it was just deleted. Then I sent Smokies a FB message regarding my comment being deleted that was not answered either. That was the last straw for me and we now take our business down the road to Savannah’s where my steak is ALWAYS cooked correctly. Management needs to be more sympathetic to customer concerns, especially regulars who bring in new business.

I have been meaning to write this review for a long time. went there with my family for my parents anniversary. about 16 of us. first off they screwed up our orders, 3 orders were wrong, one order was forgotten about. but the biggest complaint i have is that they added the gratuity to the bill (which i understand is common for large groups)
but the added gratuity was added about five items down on the bill, hidden in the bill.
my fault for not looking closer, but i would assume like most places, its at the bottom, not hidden between 2 cokes, and a beer. so the waitress that was lousy, and a bad attitude got tipped twice.
I WILL NEVER COME BACK and will make sure I tell everyone I know what a ripoff this place was.
one star is to much for this place

Exceptional! Only problem with me saying this is… I admit, I have only had 3 menu items. My choice never changes. My 3 picks:
Loaded French Fries and as an App. Ummm, yeah! They are crisp fries on the outside and a little soggy inside. Just the way I like them. They are smothered in cheesey goodness and best of all, the plate is big enough to share!
Here is where the money is at… PRIME RIB SANDWICH! Insert drool emoticon _​here_​
Soooooooo ridiculously yums. The meat is tender, juicy, and not stringy. The bread is just the right blend of crunchy and soft (similar to the fries). The zip sauce is to die for. Not bland like most places and not overly salty also like most places. I upgrade and order onion rings with mine. If you like rings, do the same. They are thick sliced, evenly breaded, and come with a zingy (not overly spicy) ring sauce.
They get 4 stars because the bathrooms could use some freshening up. Not the most pleasant place to pee.
As for the staff… full 5 stars. Awesome service! Yup!
So yeah… go here! You will thank me later.

Their pizza is delicious! I have also had their prime dip sandwich for lunch, it was fairly good… there wasn’t enough dipping sauce for the entire sandwich. They were way too under staffed. Our waitress dropped off the food and we didn’t see her again until it was time to drop off the bill. I never was able to get a refill on my pop. I think I am going to stick to take out of their pizza.

This place is such a hidden gem! I’ve been here multiple times and I’ve loved it every single time. The menu is much bigger than I expected it to be – lots of choices in appetizers, sandwiches, salads, soups, steaks, chicken, pastas, and fish. Make sure to get the mussels as an appetizer – they’re amazing! When you walk in, the left side of the restaurant is a quieter room with lots of booths and tables. If you want a more intimate dinner, sit on the left side. If you’d rather go somewhere to watch the game, turn to the right and sit on the bar side! They have a few circular booths and lots of bar seating.
It’s wonderful food, nice ambiance, and friendly service!

Wow, what a hot mess. Came here for dinner with the fam, because we want to support local businesses, but Smokie’s did not impress. Here are the issues:
1. No hostess. The manager was seating folks, but he was running around like a chicken with its head cut off and we waited a good five minutes until he finally acknowledged us. I’ll give him credit because he was honest — the Wyandotte mayor came in and he was the priority.
2. Lack of food. They were out of the perch and the dessert I wanted. Lame.
3. Messed up order. I ordered the filet and I’m 99% sure they gave me a sirloin instead. I was hungry and didn’t feel like raising a stink, but it’s kind of annoying to pay $ 20 for a $ 12 menu item. I should’ve said something, so that’s my bad. My bet is that they were out of the filet, too.
The two stars come from a couple of my family members who liked their dishes. Next time I’m back in town I won’t be coming back here.