Smoqued California BBQ

After grabbing some drinks at a nearby bar my group was feeling hungry and my friend mentioned how good they thought Smoqued was so off we were. First impression it's a relatively small location but love the vibe and very welcoming staff!This was a Friday night and I was shocked how quickly my group was sat! The host walked us to our seats where we met Cody. This guy is awesome! He was super chill, helpful with the menu and very attentive overall! He recommended some food and off we were. I got the pulled pork sammich and my friend got the 420 Mac. No exaggeration I polished off my plate in minutes! Then helped my friend eat their plate of 420 Mac and VERY tasty!Long story short, great vibes, AWESOME service from Cody and great food!!

Vibes: When the food looked so good you forget to take a picture. Good beer options on tap and rustic vibes.Brisket & Ribs -- both tender to the point of breaking apart and falling off the bone. Hella good flavor and would totally get again. Sides: I really loved the green beans. They were super garlicky, flavorful and had a good crunch. The mashed potatoes were good as well but needed a bit more flavor. The Mac & cheese also needed a bit more flavor but overall was decent. My partner said the baked beans were decent as well. Paid parking lots around the area along with street parking. 2 BBQ sauce options to choose from: a habanero and house flavor. We didn't enjoy the habanero but my partner really liked the house bbq. Service -- super nice, quick and were very attentive to whatever we needed. Overall would definitely come here again.

So just when I think I've found the best spots for certain kinds of food--whether it's Mexican, Italian, American, or in this case, barbecue--I find myself being completely blown away yet again. Smoqued BBQ left me speechless today. I walked in expecting a decent lunch, nothing too crazy, but was I wrong. From the moment I stepped inside, the place smelled incredible. It's exactly what you'd want a barbecue restaurant to look like: oakwood everywhere, exposed brick walls, and rustic chairs that set the perfect vibe. They even have a great bartender who was super friendly and got my order in no time.Just 10 minutes later, my meal arrived. I ordered the sandwich expecting a standard portion with maybe a small side of mac & cheese, but nope--they don't do small here. The mac & cheese came bubbling hot in this generously sized cast-iron skillet, and honestly, it was a meal in itself!The sandwich? Ridiculous. I've never had caramelized onions and brisket come together so perfectly. The brisket was tender and smoky, the onions were sweet and silky, and the bun was soft and flavorful--basically, barbecue perfection in every bite.I have a running joke whenever I go to BBQ spots that I order the barbecue sauce with a side of meat because I'm such a sauce fanatic. And here, they didn't disappoint. They had two sauces to choose from, and both were out-of-this-world good.And the mac & cheese? Forget about it. It's probably the best--or at least top three--I've ever had. Served sizzling in the skillet, the cheese melted perfectly and formed these crispy, golden edges that were just amazing! (that's why they call it that on the menu!). It was creamy, cheesy, crusty in all the right places, and perfectly seasoned. Every bite had me laughing to myself because of how insanely good it was.To top it all off, everything was only $19! For the quality, portions, and flavors, that's honestly a steal. I left there pretty full and totally satisfied. This is definitely a spot I'll be visiting at least once a month.If you're a barbecue lover and you're anywhere in the Orange County or LA area, this place is definitely worth the drive. Trust me, Smoqued BBQ will leave you smiling with every single bite.

This place is bomb af! Definitely will return the staff were amazing when we came in. on this day it was so hot! and we got served drinks very quickly!The menu is straightforward and you can't go wrong with anything. They also have special type beers on the left side board.Again we will return when we come back to Orange.

Smoked brisket sandwich was good. Brisket pieces inside were tender and juicy and not too fatty. I liked how the sandwich nor the briskets didnt come drenched in sauce. The sauces are on the table for you to put as you wish. I enjoyed with sauces, the brisket was already flavorful and seasoned.

If you're craving some delicious bbq, you need to stop by here! I brought my kids and they loved it. Especially the Burnt Ends. We also ordered the Candied Bacon, Deviled Eggs and tried the Fried Avocado-pretty darn good, all of it!

We came to explore downtown Orange, CA while on a min vacation and found Smoqued. We were greeted and seated quickly. The restaurant was decorated for Christmas. I ordered the chili which came with a sweet corn muffin. My spouse ordered a two meat platter with brisket and pulled pork and it came with a pickle and two sides of his choice which were the candied bacon and tater tots. The chili was good and spicy just the way I like it. The brisket and pulled pork were tender and delicious. The candied bacon was really rich and yummy. The tater tots were hot and crispy. This was a great lunch. We couldn't eat everything so we had yummy leftovers for the next day.

Had dinner here with family to celebrate my father in law's birthday just like we did exactly a year ago except this time we left disappointed and never wanting to go back. From the food, to the ambiance, to the service.. Everything was BAD. Food was so-so. I honestly enjoyed the sides more than the main dish lol The resto in itself was ok, cute in a cozy type of way as it was dimly lit, but it was too damn hot in there. It was uncomfortable. Here's the main concern, the service.1. Waitress (dark haired lady w/ tattoos) asked who ordered the fries before putting it down and we all said its for someone who was seated at the other end of the table (we had a long table, party of 9), she still proceeded to put the plate in front of me who was seated at the end and even spilled the sauce in the process. All she said was "OOPS". Never came back to replace the sauce, never came back to clean up the mess she made and didn't even bother serving the fries to the right person. 2. Servers just kept walking by us, not once did they offer water refills, no one bothered to clean up the sauce spill. It took me a while to find a server and ask for water and some boxes for our leftovers. 3. The bald manager/host was HELLA RUDE. My brother in law asked for a bag for all the leftover boxes and this guy literally gives my brother a look, turns around and starts walking away to grab a bag. The entire time we were there he was pretty much in what seems like a bad mood lol every interaction with him was unpleasant and it seemed like he was in a rush to get us out of there.I hope they work on their staffing and the service for other patrons tho I lowkey wouldn't recommend this place to anybody and I have 0 plans coming back.

Food is good. Ambience is nice. Good music choices. Service is what stood out here. Laura A is spectacular. (I think the A must stand for "angel" because that's what she is.) She was so quick to help with a table spill, adjusting order and refills. She was busy but still on top of all of their tables. No real vegan options besides maybe a couple sides. A few vegetarian options.

Old Town Orange is our go to for our weekend treats! We're trying to visit each restaurant and check each of them out! Today, we visited Smoqued California Barbecue.Got a couple of beers.Ordered a Brisket Plate which is Brisket, dry rubbed with a house blend of spices. Also got a Pork Plate! which is pork shoulder rubbed with the same house blend of spices! Both are said to be slow smoked with Red Oak.For sides, we had Deviled Eggs, Corn Bread, tater tots and Amazing Mac and Cheese.How was it? Well, it was ok at best. Mac and Cheese was great, that much I can say. The place looked really nice, service was ok but the BBQ fell short. Let me put it this way, I liked the sides better than the supposed star of the show. #smoqued #oldtownorange #orangeca #socallocal #soso #meh #yelp #yelpelite #bbq #barbecue #brisket #pork #porkshoulder #cornbread #tatertots #beer #cheers #macandcheese #deviledeggs #socalweekendwalkarounds #pinoyfoodie