Review Up In Smoke - Footscray

Was super excited to try this place out as I haven't had ribs in quite some time. We ordered a number of items, including snack packs, wings and beef and pork ribs. The ribs were extremely underwhelming. Pork ribs in particularly felt too dry. The beef ribs had an extremely pungent beefy smell. Was difficult to eat, we weren't able to finish the beef ribs shared among three people. The pickles were a bit on the stronger side, and a bit too sour. The side side dishes were probably the highlight which says a lot. Overall, the quality of food here does not justify the price imo. The Bavarian at highpoint does 3 fold better ribs and the Bavarian is v average.

Was so excited to see a smokehouse restaurant open at Watergardens. Unfortunately, it was nothing but underwhelming. A mate and I decided to share the $68 platter, after splitting it between us what we had can be seen as the plate of food in the photo. $34 for that tiny plate of food is absolutely ridiculous. The tiny ramekin of mac and cheese is priced at $10 which is absurd, it's about two spoonfuls! We got a serve of chips that can be seen in the photos is priced at $9, that was about 5 chips each! Spent $43ea and I've come home hungry. Both the pork and beef ribs were dry and definitely not fall off the bone. The mac and cheese was good, there just needed to be 3 times more of it for the price. My biggest regret is that I didn't say anything before eating it, maybe I was hopeful it would actually fill me up, it didn't. So so so disappointing. If you value your hard earned money and actually want to be full and satisfied when leaving a restaurant then this is not the place for you.

Up In Smoke offered a great variety of bbq platters and drinks. The Texas-style bbq platters that we ordered were delicious; tender meat, flavourful sauces, and generous in portion. Loved the mozzarella sticks and Mac and cheese sides too. Service was friendly and the venue was spacious with an outdoor dining area. It was a great option for group dining.

Beef short rib and jalapeño sausage was the highlight. Pull pork and burnt bit brisket was too dry for our liking. Pickles and milk buns were a delicious compliment.

My partner and I were looking forward to try this restaurant. We got there and were seated at the table without water until we finished our meal. I thought it might have been self service but I saw other tables having water and glasses with them when they were seated. Service was a bit poor. I noticed and assumed there was a new waitress. She asked if we're waiting for our food because she saw us waiting for a while. However, she took food to the wrong table a few times including our ribs and brisket. Brisket was dry and plain. Not much taste to it. Spicy wings were just okay. Ribs were also plain and not as saucy so it was a bit dry. Let's just say we were disappointed and probably not coming back. Thank you.

Wow! Most amazing service and delicious food! What a find in watergardens! The meat is so tender and the pickles are AhMazing! We ordered The Rib Tray, and drank Stone Wood Ale (beer) as recommended by the friendly barkeep! Guys here are very helpful and knowledgeable. Their recommendations were spot on. Honest, and a spacious restaurant. Gives you a club vibe, come here with your mates for dinner and a drink, you won't be disappointed *wink* oh, and I don't have a picture sorry, it was too delicious so here are the remains. Haha

Made my way to Up in Smoke today and man am I happy I did. From the time you arrive to the time you leave staff are friendly, courteous and attentive. Explaining ordering options and support if needed. The restaurant is extremely comfortable and they have seating both inside and out. The price is very reasonable for the quality and quantity of food that you receive. Between three of us we covered a fair bit of the menu. From a jackfruit snack pack (not on the menu but available if talking to the staff to order at the bar) to hot dogs and meat trays. We had the jackfruit snack pack, chilli cheese dog, small meat tray and a serve of brisket. EVERYTHING was delicious. Not one thing would I suggest changing and the sides really do help you when facing down the meat options. Having them in sandwiches would also be great which is an option but if you want to try the genuine flavour of everything then the meat tray is the way to go. I will be returning to the restaurant for certain and can't wait to try the things I haven't already or try anything new they decide to bring to the menu. Returned post covid and my review still stands. Everything was amazing. We Tried the loaded potato (v) and The Chong! And definitely worth it when your vegetarian or vegan.

Fantastic place! Everything's delicious, although the pork sausages are sometimes a bit hit and miss. Fast and friendly service with good portion sizes. Easy online ordering via QR code. Could do with more of a kid's menu, but otherwise hard to fault. A definite.

When this place first opened it was amazing. Great range of tap beers, excellent food. Service was sometimes hit and miss but mostly great. The range on the menu was interesting but not too overwhelming. Admittedly it had been a while since we'd been back but the recent changes (smaller menu, barely any sides with the meats, no more apple slaw, ordering at the bar now, less interesting tap beer options, poor choices in music) just left the fiancé and I with no desire to go back anymore. The vibe has changed and not for the better. Super disappointing. Don't understand why places mess with a formula that isn't broken.

Was there day for lunch and it was amazing the staff where friendly and very helpful . My girlfriend and i ordered the big plate and it was out of this world juicy brisket . The pulled pork was melt in your month . The chicken sausage had a great flavor to it .all round a really enjoyable experience and i would highly recommend getting in to this place and have a great feed of bbq . Cant wait to come back

Just ordered takeaway from Windsor location. Appalling & expensive for what you get! All tiny portions! Brisket was dry, fatty and had no flavour. Tasted like old brisket heated up. Coleslaw was just warm mush. Mac & cheese was basically a cheese sauce. The pulled pork sandwich came in a half cm of grease. Ranch sauce actually tasted like pva glue. Hot sauce was just tomato sauce. And all the food was delivered pretty much cold. Girlfriend couldn't even eat anything. I've now got a stomach ache. Even the cat took one sniff of the brisket and ran off. Will definately never order from here again... what a waste of money �

We have been ordering takeaway from here ever since they opened. They were not a cheap takeaway but was worth a treat. These recent menu changes left us with 3 lousy slices of brisket for $10 and $18 for half a chook. I called asking where the sides were and they said the items are now cheaper and the sides are extra. It’s not that much cheaper and by far no longer worth it. Not coming back, From, once long time customer.

Been going many times bad service from the girl and food not good brisket was cold no taste was poor dont recommed to go there until change the staff and chef standard gone down hill

HANDS DOWN fkn worst place in Melbourne! Service was terrible, waited one hours for food to come and it wasn't even hot. Didn't even serve us the right portion even tho we paid for it and then had the audacity to see our receipt, after she found out kitchen fucked up she came back served the rest of our food and didn't really apologise..do not go this this fkn SHITHOLE!!!

Food was luke warm borderline cold like the staff and there was a hair in my coleslaw. Other than that the atmosphere of the place is great. Drinks were great too although $72 for 4 aperol spritz’s... these are about $12 in your average bar. Ridiculous prices.

Tasty food cooked well. Service was excellent, well planned dining area. We had an enjoyable dinner. However, menu is a bit light on and the meal quantity doesn't quite justify the price. Definitely the best "non Asian" restaurant in Footscray.

I booked a table of 12 for Fathers Day, this was the first visit for my whole family. Everyone loved their food and our Dad's loved the selection of craft beers. My family are not normally big desserts eaters but when you are faced with 'bacon praline waffles' and a 'chocolate stout pie' we all had to try and everyone loved the dessert too. The only disappointment was that (even though I booked a month ago and called to check on our booking on Friday) we weren't seated in the restaurant (which definitely has a much better vibe) but we're put in 'the corner store' at the front. It was like we were celebrating father's day in a milk bar and the service was very sporadic and ambiance in that area was lacking. Regardless of this I think most of us will go back again, for the yummy food.

Had a really crappy experience and despite coming many times this will be the last time I go here. Our sausage came out cold, we told the waitress and she offered to heat it up??? But we asked for a new one and it also came out cold in the middle, after we told the waitress again she went over to the kitchen and laughed about it with the chef? Quite loudly We didn’t want a free meal or compensation, just to inform them of the frozen sausage and we didn’t even get an apology instead we were just laughed at? So disappointing. Honestly awful service and experience.

About a month ago I ordered the brisket burger and it was awful. There were large (nearly golf ball size) chunks of dried up boot like brisket. It was inedible. I gave feedback to the restaurant via private message who apologised and offered to send me a voucher, which I didn’t expect my feedback was for their own purposes so I was happy- then it never came... I even followed this up and no response. I have dined here a number of times since it first opened and been happy with the food until now it appears the standards have dropped off which is disappointing. Won’t be going back anytime soon, a shame you can’t upload photos on here! �

The food was very good. This rating only goes to the male waiter, who first took out just one sandwich when I’d ordered two and kept saying that was coming soon but the wait was at least 15 mins. When I ordered the dessert I asked specifically for a dessert with no chocolate, since I’m allergic. Obviously the dessert came with chocolate and I mistakenly had some. He didn’t even worry about giving a refund.

The menu was confusing... you order 2 meals and it comes as one??? Not enough variety... Too much meat not enough sides... did not like the flavours

It was a beautiful meal staff were very friendly great atmosphere would highly recommend

Ribs and brisket melted in your mouth and pickles were sensational, mellowed out ambiance with great music playing. Great selection of local beers specially my favourite IPAs. Will definitely be going back to taste the rest of the menu and beers.

Lovely authentic American style BBQ food with friendly service and good selection of drinks. We made a booking and I would suggest this. Our only complaint was being sat under a heater and I thought we were cooked medium rare! The staff were more than happy to turn it off.

We dined here on Friday night - where do I begin -:<br/>Considering no one else was in this establishment except for the staff - we were left alone for quite some time before being approached- perhaps some water on arrival would be appreciated.<br/>Ordered our food - brisket I found to be dry the ribs were also dry - where was the sauce ?<br/>Chips were over salty - and not very well received .<br/>Was disappointed overall <br/>Will not return .

😱Lizzie’s first impression: drove past many times but never had an occasion to visit and I’m glad I did as it was sensational.<br/><br/>🍩Lizzie enjoyed: had the kebab snack pack and it was fries loaded with hot sauce and pulled pork. It was delicious. The mozzarella sticks were delicious and loved the smoked ribs too.<br/><br/>🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: I need to come back to try more of the dishes - the wings have not as much meat as I would have liked.<br/><br/>🥇Lizzie rates overall: a great place for ribs and pulled meats - a lot of flavour to it. There’s also ample of seating.

For decades now the suburb of Footscray has been synonymous with cuisine from the Asian regions that line Hopkins Street with a parade of color, smells and culture. However at the very top lies a gem that transports diners away from all the soups, noodles and udon…and that is Up in Smoke. <br/><br/>Up in Smoke is an American Barbeque Restaurant that specializes in smoky meats and delicious boutique beer that presents diners with a chilled vibe that one may compare to a Melbourne hidden-laneway-esque style. The décor is simple, yet unique and is managed by the successful owners of 8-Bit Burgers, which is located within a hop, skip and jump from Up In Smoke. <br/><br/>I could not wait to try the food that was steaming away from the kitchen and perused the appetizing menu for the best selection of American BBQ treats. I ordered ‘The Big Tray’ which I knew would give me a good taste of everything that was going to be great about this restaurant. <br/><br/>Well, when the food arrived, I was immediately impressed with the tenderness and taste of the pulled pork and brisket. The smoky flavor was everything that I was hoping for and much more. I fell in love with the Mac N Cheese that was incredibly creamy and thick, but also enjoyed pairing the sweet pickles with bites of sausage. The milk buns were soft and fluffy and I enjoyed creating my own little burgers out of everything that was in front of me. I felt like a little chef, adding a bit of pulled pork with mac and cheese and topping it off with pickles and pickled onions. I not only loved the flavors but also the experience that Up in Smoke delivers. I don’t remember the last time I had fun with my food!<br/><br/>Up In Smoke is definitely a must visit if you are in Melbourne’s West and craving delicious meats that are smoked to absolute perfection, or wanting to experience new and exciting beer. It definitely is a much-needed break from the over saturation of Asian cuisine and is worth every penny that is spent on beef brisket, pulled pork, sausage, ribs, fried chicken, wings and for dessert donut ice cream sandwiches. Yes you heard correctly, however sadly I did not get to try one this time around.<br/><br/>My verdict: Worth it for “The Big Tray” at $58.00. <br/><br/>Don’t forget to add us on Instagram @dadventuresofficial for all of our greatest pictures and up to date content. See you there!

Tuesday nights are the best I hear.

Ill start with the bad first.<br/><br/>The seating. planks of wood get very uncomfortable after a little while.<br/><br/>The ordering. You have to line up to order and pay. They do not have table service, even for drinks.<br/><br/>The price.It is a bit expensive.<br/><br/>The good.<br/><br/>The mac n' cheese was amazing. The sausage was amazing. The beef rib was amazing. The pork ribs were amazing. Even the chips were amazing. The pulled pork, brisket and the coleslaw were good but not as good as the other stuff.<br/><br/>About the coleslaw. It was too creamy. When Im eating rich food I want a coleslaw with a bit of zing. A bit vinegary or acidic. A kick.<br/><br/>Great place for groups.

Not sure if we got the day befores leftovers... looks fantastic but when we started eating it, the food was lukewarm at best.<br/>Will not be going back

Ordered the ribs, brisket and cheesy loaded fries, the brisket was super tender 😍 the ribs though we're unfortunately not falling off the bone or sticky, flavour wise was tasty though. Has outdoor seating with a bar and quite a busy crowd during dinner time, highly recommend as it's a got a good vibe for family or functions

Glad this place is close to my neighborhood.<br/>Would come here whenever I feel like a good american BBQ taste. Been here few times, I'm a regular now<br/>Heard they've got Wednesday Steak night, which unfortunately no longer there due to no high demand

Meat was saucy, however don’t come here on a empty stomach cause you won’t get full. Overall the setting is perfect for friends and family to come and chill and have a “small” bite.

What a great westside find! We had the little platter, mozzarella sticks and fried chicken. Good amount of food for two people and everything was super tasty. Epic tap beer selection - can’t wait to come back!

What a surprise in Footscray... often drive past and decided to stop. Friendly service and great atmosphere. We ordered big tray with beef brisket, pulled pork, sausage pickles ribs with coleslaw and chips. The meat just fell apart and melted in our mouths. Complimented with beer. Highly recommended and would go again.

Tried up in smoke for the second time. It's a great little spot in the West and is perfect if you're craving for some good mac and cheese and brisket.<br/>Wish the portion was more for the price of each platter. My favourite dish is definitely the mozzarella sticks

Bloody good meat, bloody good beer!<br/><br/>Have ordered from or eaten here more than 30 time easily.<br/><br/>Portion sizes are a little on the small size, but the meat is great.<br/><br/>Highly recommend the hop-nation NEIPA beer with your food!

Really nice bbq meats. Wish the servings were bigger, but still enjoyed it. Loving the pickles too! The onions even taste like pho!<br/><br/>Staff were really good and if I crave bbq, I'll be back.

Good food. Bad food-poisoning. Poor businessman-ship. Was here with my friend for dinner on a Sunday night, both of us got very ill. He had gastro all day and couldn’t go to work, I was sick all morning and wasn’t sure if it was going to be up or down. The food was actually delicious, but we both were just so sick the next day. I called the manager the next day to let them know what had happened (instead of writing this review), and the response I received from the owner was dismissive and defensive stating that “well no one else has called to say they got sick”. And proceeded to ask me if I was certain that it was the food at his restaurant that made me sick. Having had worked in hospitality myself in the past, my first reaction would be to apologize to customers for their experience, which he then eventually did insincerely and defensively. Doubt I’ll be coming back here.

Delicious, meltingly tender brisket and gooey flavoursome mac and cheese. Pulled pork was well cooked, not dry but not massively flavoursome. Chicken sausage was yummy, but the stand out was the poutine. Oh my god the poutine! Proper cheese curds and smoky thick gravy. I could have drank the gravy.

Great place for some american style meat. Came here for lunch and had the up in smoke sandwich with apple slaw and pickles on the side which was nice.

Tried this place bbq place up in Footscray and ordered the following: <br/>1. Burnt End Brisket Poutine - waffles chips served a saucy beef brisket loaded with molten cheese and pickled onion! Oh la la la.. my favourite of the night<br/><br/>2. Big tray - brisket, pulled pork, sausage served with a side of mac & cheese. A big call out to the unsung hero (not shown in the pic) THE MAC & CHEESE! Overall it was pleasant, the brisket was a little to dry. <br/><br/>3. Crumbed prawns. Crispy prawn with a mayo dip. <br/><br/>4. Nachos - good amount of guac n cream. Some caramelised pineapple to bring out the sweetness giving this starter a little twist. Plus a splash of bbq sauce. Different layers of flavours - sweetness, sourness and tanginess. Just loving it. <br/><br/>5. Half a rack of ribs. Good smoky flavours with right amount of sauce glazed on it. Delicious it was, just nothing special. <br/><br/>Was an enjoyable experience overall. Delicious it was, I just felt the smoked meat wasn’t the hero that I had hope for.

Good place for american/Mexican dining experience. Their meals were large and packed full of flavours. Love the loaded waffle fries and the addition of pineapple.

Unfortunately, our experience wasn’t so great.<br/>The Pork Ribs were dry <br/>Poutine fries was salty <br/>Mac N cheese was bland <br/>Free Range chicken was their saving grace.<br/><br/>However, with the employees lounging about and making remakrs such as “taking a sh%t now!” Really puts you off.

This place have a great atmosphere. When you go inside you can feel that beautiful smell to smoke, we tried the skewers, popcorn prawns, ribs and the small tray. The food is very tasty but for me the ribs don't was tender

Good vibe, drinks and food! It’s a good catch up place with outdoor and indoor seating. The service is also good and attentive. The food comes out relatively quick. Would highly recommend

This was another place i had been wanting to try for ages, yet none of the dishes ordered hit the mark.<br/><br/>The brisket poutine was too salty, with the gravy laid on heavy and a little goopy. The burnt ends were also chewy and tough.<br/><br/>The pork ribs were quite tender and came off the bone easily but there wasn't enough flavour in it. Had to dip it in hot sauce for a better taste. The chicken sasauge literally tasted of smoke, none of the feta, sage or pumpkin came through. Was really disappointed overall with the food, and there was no service to rate.

Tried Up in Smoke last night, food was good only downside was that the ribs were dry.<br/>Service was friendly although we were surprised that it was not table service. <br/>Good price.<br/>Effing hot wings are not for the faint hearted they are as the name suggests effing hot.<br/>We sat outside which was lovely in warm with heating on & a mild night.

Deliciousness! 💖<br/>It’s been our second time here and we love the food and the venue. <br/>The smoked meats are amazing. The sides e.g. chargrilled corn, Mac ‘n’ cheese are a beautiful compliment to the menu. Great job, guys! 👍🏻

We went here pretty excited to sample<br/>some ‘Murican style bbq. The restaurant itself was charming- great decor and ambiance. The music was slightly loud but not an issue. Thought their set up was a bit inefficient as they gave you the menus BUT you had to go to the bar to place your order and pay. Weird. Especially when someones ahead of you- not much room to stand in a queue. <br/>Now the food critique- meh! It was edible but lacked the oomph. We were expecting a good kick from the rub/marinate but what we were served was lacking. If it wasn’t for the smokey bbq sauce I don’t think I would have been able to eat my food. The mozzarella sticks were ok- the smokey bbq sauce was great but a strange accompaniment for the cheese sticks. Maybe stick to the traditional tomato saue. For dessert we tried the pumpkin pie- sorry guys another miss. It needed more spice. The meringue on top was a good twist. It really just needed more of the pumpkin, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon etc to bring out the flavour. They do have a well stocked bar- great choices on tap. Am sure it would be great in the spring/summer to sit outside. I’d give it another try to check out their other options on the menu.

I really wanted to like UIS, but unfortunately the meat that we received for dinner was just short of inedible. Sausage was flavoursome however the pork ribs and brisket were overcooked and bland. Sides were fantastic; Mac n cheese gooey, milk buns soft and sweet and the coleslaw helped add some moisture to the meat - but a smokehouse isn’t known for its sides. Maybe we received a bad batch of meat? Not sure, but not keen to give it another crack

Good food, ive only had it as take away but it is pretty good. Wish their menu was a bit more extensive. Price wise I think its a bit in the higher side but isn’t all bbq?

A really cool place with great food and great people 👍 A trendy and laid back look and feel, somewhere to relax. Brisket was tender, jerk chicken was full of flavour and all the sides were yummy. Best American style food so far for me in Melbourne. <br/>#fussyfigs #highlyrecommended #brisket #bbq #jerkchicken #delicious #yummy #tasty #melbournefoodie #melbournerestaurants<br/><br/>Follow me on Instagram @Fussy_Figs<br/>Facebook @fussyfigs

This place is amazing! Best beef brisket I’ve had in a very long time! This is only the second 5 Star I’ve given any venue! <br/>I had the beef brisket taco and the up in smoke burger and both were flawless! Can’t wait to go again to try some of their other creations.<br/>Service was friendly and the atmosphere was relaxed and casual . Great place to hang out for a drinks with friends on a nice summer night.

This place has a great selection of beers to accompany their bbq offerings. We ordered the meat tray with the standouts being the smoked sausage and pork ribs. The mac n cheese was goey and delicious and the bbq rub fries were tasty. Didn’t care too much for the milk bun which tasted bland. <br/>Will definitely go back!

I've never been to America so it's hard to compare this to the real deal; but I need to admit, if this is authentic then American food is the best food there is in this universe! Great to have a beer with some friends over these amazing burger and fries!! I wish they move closer to the city.

First time here since its opening years ago. We order the "big tray" for two. At first I was concerned that it may not be enough but boi was I wrong. We were stuffed afterwards! The sausage was our favorite.

Great place for some good American bbq. Cocktails and beer are good, and the food service is really fast. Cool place to hangout on a summer’s evening after work.

Waited an hr or so for food, bad experiences, waitress didn't even acknowledge us. When served meat was cold not worth the wait. Worst place I've been to, better places to eat out there than this joint.

Ordered the beef brisket which came with the milk bun, I thought it came with sides or at least the side of pickles, the beef had flavour which was okay and the milk bun was nice and sweet but very small compared to the serving of the beef you get. I also ordered the poutine which was good and made up for the beef brisket. Overall my meals were okay would like to try the ribs if I do come here next time.

Up in Smoke was a lovely place that had lots of parking and wasn’t too busy. The decor was great, there’s seating inside and out. I will start by saying that I’m not an expert on American-style BBQ. <br/><br/>I ordered the mozzarella sticks, mild chicken wings, mac & cheese, and doughnut ice-cream sandwich. The mozzarella sticks had a smoky flavour to them. The wings were really good and had a little kick in them despite being mild. The mac & cheese was a tad bland in my opinion. The crunchy layer was nice but the cheese sauce was tasteless. The ice-cream doughnut sandwich was amazing, would recommend. Food came out pretty promptly. Service was good.<br/><br/>Edit: I returned to Up in Smoke on the 31/8/19. I would now rate it two stars. The chicken in my burger was warm, not hot - like it had been sitting there for a while. Barely any chips considering they were $7. Would not return due to being poor value for money.

The food is ok. But the service is horrible on Sunday lunch times. Waiting at the bar take to long when there are three staff members on the floor just talking to each other...

I got the burnt ends burger.... so good. I didn’t want to finish eating it.<br/>I haven’t tried the rest of the menu - but loved the burger. Highly recommend

Haven't heard too many good things about this place which has led to putting it off for a while. With the public holidays other restaurants were either closed or had public holiday surcharges. Surely enough this place did. Not only did they not tell us about the lack of table service, they also left out the surcharge. All the meats were bland and dry. No flavour apart from the lamb ribs which were a special. Funny how they got the special right but the staples so wrong. Poutine says it had cheese curd but I'm pretty sure they were just mozzarella pieces. Overall quite a disappointing experience, makes it worse that they apply the surcharge. Chefs please check your seasoning.

Awesome atmosphere! Would highly recommend this place for chilling, drinking and eating some cheeky snacks rather than whole Neal's. Having said that, their brisket tacos were delishhhh

Dined here for friends birthday dinner. Decor, location and small we're all really lovely! Food kind of felt as if not a lot of effort nor consistency was displayed through the taste and appearance. Mozzarella sticks were not to my liking but if looking to dine here; would likely recommend the rack of ribs

Holy smoke! <br/><br/>As we are Toorak residents getting over to Footscray for dinner is a little far... we saw the Deliveroo Editions which is a fantastic idea!<br/><br/>A heap of restaurants across town in Windsor in a kitchen. The food we had tonight was epic. I can't fault any of it. <br/><br/>We had.. the waffle chips with burnt ends and cheese/gravy. Such a huge serve of yum. <br/><br/>The burned ends burger was a zillion times better than my other fave meatmother. <br/><br/>The picked onions were a huge serve for $2! So tasty. <br/><br/>Chilli slaw was a mouthful of flavour. The best? The smell of that smoked chicken and jalapeño sausage. <br/><br/>Mac and cheese the best I have ever had. Huge serve. <br/><br/>Overall I WILL be making the trek across town to come here - but please open one over our side!

Have had one good and one very bad dining experience at Up in Smoke, the latter of which has made me hesitant to ever return. It was a nightmare from the start, with our table booking being delayed, some of our drinks being wrong, and then half our mains coming out 45 mins after the others. <br/><br/>All in all I do think the food is good, but it is quite pricey for what you get and in Melbourne that price tag should include a certain standard of service with it.

Venue is awesome the outdoor seating area is perfect in Summer although inside is a little cramped. You should make a booking as this place is packed out most nights. Has a full bar with a range of specialty beers which is great. Hits- the beef brisket is to die for. Definitely the stand out meat on the Big Tray. The fried cauliflower & peanut munchie is insane! I’m not a fan of cauliflower but this was so delicious we ended up ordering another serve we loved it so much. The charred broccoli, almond goats cheese salad is great also. Misses- the other meats on the big tray are a little on the dry side. They aren’t near as tender as the beef brisket. The staff are friendly however aren’t as attentive as we would like, it’s actually hard to get their attention to order & simple things like serving water (after requesting it) are often forgotten. Hopefully the management sees this feedback & have a couple more staff on on busy nights as it would definitely make for a smoother dining experience! Overall love the vibes here & looking forward to the next visit.

Food is pretty good but portions could be bigger for what you pay. Mozzarella sticks were amazing but 3 of then for $8? Not great when they were size of my little finger. Had the ribs and split chicken. Flavour was there just lacked temperature meaning they were given to us almost cold.<br/><br/>The pros being a funky venue with friendly staff and an amazing beer list. Would I come back? Look probably but not in a rush.

Went here earlier this week as I love a bit of American style bbq. I did not love this American bbq and more than that, I did not like the service. We ordered burgers, meat trays and an array of sides. Burgers came out, waited 10 mins, meat trays come out, waited 10 mins, asked for the sides 20 mins after burgers came out- staff said ‘they’re coming’, 10 mins later simply asked when the sides will be ready as we were holding off eating the main event- again ‘they’re coming’ and walked away. Another ten minutes later we told them to not bother about the sides cause our meals were finished. Staff said ‘fine’ no apology, nothing. The food is average, the staff are terrible- a real disappointment.

Came here with my partner for dinner, atmosphere was great, staff were lovely and gave great service. The food was alright, pulled pork didn't have any flavour but the chicken was pretty good.

Amazing value for money, food was great, customer service was on point and great selection of drinks, will definitely be going back in the near future!

<br/><br/>I ordered all three tacos and each and every one of them came out cold! The mac and cheese was also cold which was cheesy, cold and horrible to eat. <br/><br/>The staff were kind enough to offer to take this off our bill and asked if I wanted to order something else however, I was definitely not willing to try something else considering 4 items<br/>I'd ordered were cold.<br/><br/>If you enjoy your food cold, this place is for you!

Venue is nice, with both j door and outdoor areas, and heaters to keep both areas warm in these cold months. Plenty of variety when it comes to beers and other alcohol but obviously most people go for the slow cooked food. The brisket and chicken was good but didn't blow me away, however the Mac and cheese side was really good but the burnt ends pouting was an absolute standout, super tasty, I'd go back just to have that! Service was pretty good, nice and friendly.

The food was bbq'ed perfectly. True wood fire style. Service was a little rushed, for a not-so-busy Saturday afternoon.<br/>We were rushed twice to order drinks. Food tasted awesome and had a nice smokey flavour.<br/>We had to ask 3 times for a new water bottle and in the end, we decided to grab it our self. It didn't seem like it was a priority on their list.<br/>Atmosphere was great. Great music from the 90s. Outdoor area in the front with a good selection of beers. We were able to hang around and chat without them rushing us out which was nice. I think this is a great place to hang out and catch up with friends.

Our experience was pretty average, to begin with it took 15 minutes after being seated before someone came and gave us a menu. <br/><br/>The BBQ rub fries were a let down, only because we had to pick out/spit out the uncooked fries ourselves. The beef brisket was a healthy serving size, and nice and tender, but it came out cold and was pretty bland - some salt and pepper could have saved it, but there was none around. The charred broccoli salad was tasty, albeit ice cold, which is fine for a salad I guess, but the charred broccoli definitely wasn't charred - maybe lightly steamed at best. <br/><br/>Ordered a pot, was charged for a pint. <br/><br/>All around, pretty underwhelming, but the place shows some promise, so maybe we'd give it another shot. Maybe.

Enjoyed a dinner here last night...my third time to eat at UIS. Enjoyed the tacos, mac and cheese and fries along with ginger beer (alcoholic of course). Friends enjoyed ribs and pulled pork. Everything tasted great. Service was excellent and food service was quick. Great spot for a local night out.

Can't tell you much about the ambiance or service as I ordered in and ate it like a hermit at home. Skipped the meat-centric options and went with their chicken sandwich (Still Smokin') and the pumpkin hummus. Wanted more from the sandwich, found it dry, lacking flavor and starving for more sauce. Hummus saved the day, perfect flavor balance that championed the pumpkin but still let you know there were chickpeas around. Spot on texture contrasted beautifully with the generous supply of corn chips, well-played!

Waited almost an hour for 1 platter and some poutine. Being smoked meat I would expect the food we ordered is already cooked and it doesnt take an hour to put it together.<br/>Most disappointing were the "burnt ends" in my poutine, it was just regular brisket sliced into strips. and there wasnt much of it.<br/>Brisket in the platter was very dry. I've smoked better brisket myself.

Hmmmmmm....so disappointing. No cab sav available, we asked for 3 different bottles, not available on a Saturday night... sorry...why? Aparently they had had a busy Friday night and had ran out.. no worries, there is a number of bottle shops around for stock, but ok. <br/>Ordered a bottle of chardonnay that disappeared with only one glass out of it! The food was cold and very ordinary. We left hungry...thankfully we had cheese and biscuits at home.... we won't be back.

After poor research to see if a new local restaurant was open Mondays, I remembered that Up in Smoke was also somewhere I was yet to try! Off we went and we weren't disappointed. We opted for the big tray. My favourite being the brisket and his being the pulled pork. Was good to try a few meats and sides. Service was attentive enough but could have been more improved in the drinks department as we did have to go up to the bar to keep ordering. Loved my Lychee cider. The beer on tap that was $2 pots/$4 pints/$6 jugs wasn't bad at all either. Didn't catch the name of it but I mean... that kind of value is enough for me the come back again 😎.

Fantastic decor, excellent and attentive staff ... sadly the food was tasty but you don't get a decent sized meal. I expect portion sizes to be small when eating Japanese food, but not at an authentic smokehouse. I'm not a huge eater but its not great when you leave feeling hungry and being $100 lighter for two people. Stuffed skins were tiny, brisket poutine had little meat and the tacos were tiny, barely entree size. If I do give it a second chance, I'll try the smoker selection ... I guess that is what they are famous for.

I wasn't impressed with my overpriced sausage, it looked ridiculous in the centre of my tray with nothing around it except for pickles in the corner and the world's tiniest bun. The vegetarian Taco was embarrassingly tiny, the rack was dry and drowning in sauce. I distrust any place that serves food almost immediately after you take the order, I like my meals freshly cooked. Staff were very nice, restaurant was comfortable, but I found the beer garden to be terribly basic, no character at all.

American feasting with a twist.<br/>Good service, nice atmosphere with inside and outside dinning options.<br/>I had what appeared to be a deconstructed burger, although it wasn't really what I had expected it was still pretty good. Fries were delicious a must try, however I was a bit disappointed with the serving size but luckily I had ordered extra :)

As soon as I hear anyone utter the words Up In Smoke, I’m taken back to my teens and immediately hear Dr Dre singing in my ear (if you’ve got no idea what the hell I’m on about, google Dr Dre Up In Smoke Tour) ‘hold up, heeeeey….’. Still to this day I know the words to just about every song, not bad for a tour that happened 17 years ago (now I’m showing my age!). So lets just say I was quite intrigued when I heard there was an American BBQ restaurant in Footscray going by the same name. Intrigue grew into excitement when I learned it’s brought to us by the legends behind 8Bit. Clearly mastering one type of American cuisine wasn’t enough, they had to have a crack at conquering BBQ too, and if packed tables every night of the week are anything to go by, conquer they have done.

Amazing food, service and overall experience. We ordered The Big Tray, half ribs, fries, mac n cheese, mild wings and mozzerella sticks. Everything was delicious, even more with the hot sauce. For a family of 2 adults and 3 kids (big appetites), what we ordered was enough and provided us with a good range of dishes. The atmosphere was spot on. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. We will return and recommend to all our friends.

Went in for dinner on Friday night and had a table booked. We were seated on the far end with no heater and it was freezing. Ordered the pulled chicken sandwich which wasn't too bad. The bun was very fresh and the chips were nice but everything was served pretty cold. We also had to wait a long time between the food being brought out. My partner ordered the sausage and it was literally a sausage in the middle of a plate with some bad pickles. For that price you'd at least expect some chips but of course chips are extra $$$. Friends weren't wrapped with their food either. They had run out of some things we ordered too and seemed reluctant to give a refund but maybe we caught them on a bad night. <br/>Overall it's pretty overpriced and probably wouldn't go again. Maybe better in summer.

Nice place to grab a drink but needs more smokiness on the meat . Service was amazing . Big selection of beers with a outside seatings. Will definitely be back to try more beer option .

Love the food here, everything I've tried here has been amazing, aside from the burnt end poutine. My only criticism would be that the serving sizes for the price you pay aren't very generous. Up in smoke is also a good place to go to try some hard to find craft brews.

Four of us arrived to a packed house on a Saturday night. No booking (website seems to suggest only groups of 8+ could book) but the personable and effusive staff worked wonders to seat us inside. As it was bustling, inside was fairly noisy, but not unpleasant.<br/><br/>The big tray ($48) had a good variety of meat with the pork ribs being the standout. Mozzarella sticks ($8 for 3) are crunchy and delicious with a little smokey bbq sauce. Good range of beers, we made do with a house lager which was refreshing. Prices ok, maybe bit on the higher side.<br/><br/>As it was a full house, food did take some time to come out...some improvement on getting the smaller items quicker would do wonders.

Up In Smoke is a barbecue, craft beer, and bourbon lover’s delight in Footscray, delivering on what it promises in a fun, vibrant space. It's owned by Shayne McCallum, who also owns burger joint 8bit.

Being based in the West myself I get excited when a new place opens up and Up in Smoke was no exception. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food but then again it was expected considering the other amazing venues the owners have.<br/><br/>The burgers were super tasty and satisfying and give the other BBQ restaurants in Melbourne a run for their money. The tacos and stuffed potato skins were also really delicious.<br/><br/>I would definitely come back again... and again.. and again.<br/><br/>Stand out dish - Brisket and Slaw burger

We've driven past this place countless times but never stopped ... until now. "It's cause it looks like you won't find parking," my husband said pointing at the mostly empty street, "but obviously once you actually turn in, there's plenty of parking." So for those of you worried about parking, there's plenty ... even though half are taken up by tradies working on nearby construction. <br/><br/>We got seating outside because the music was a bit too loud for us inside. Our Bub was asleep in the pram and Lord knows you don't want to wake a sleeping Bub with loud music! <br/><br/>We got the following:<br/>1) half rack ribs: 4/5 ... it tasted nice but wasn't as saucy as I expected plus the sides didn't taste that good <br/>2) beef brisket poutine: 5/5, everything about this dish was fantastic ... best poutine I've had in Melbourne so far <br/>3) chicken ribs in spicy sauce: 3/5, it wasn't too spicy but it was Ok. We must've eaten too slow because by the time we got to it, it was already cold and wasn't as enjoyable. Overall it was mediocre. <br/><br/>Service was good but we had to order at the side window since we were seated outside. <br/><br/>Decent drinks menu but my husband didn't like his beer which is very, very rare indeed. He had some kind of sour beer which tasted good for the first few sips but got progressively unsavoury.

Not much had changed, same old classic delicious bbq, very satisfying.<br/><br/>Small tray, $33, is a good feed for two without being over the top.<br/><br/>This day the pork could have been more tender but the beef was just calling apart on bite and so tasty.<br/><br/>(2019)<br/><br/>---<br/>(2017)<br/><br/>Tasty bbq. Great sides to go with the bbq meats. Good value for family/group dinner. And going with a group helps without being able to order a variety to share. Pretty popular place so book ahead.

Modern industrial interior with comfy seating and a relaxed vibe. Hipster chic without the pretentiousness. The food is DELISH! All kinds of tender smoked meats, healthy & hearty salads, tacos, burgers and american-style sides. Everything on the menu is mouth watering, it's hard to choose. Good portions for sharing and really great prices. Staff are friendly and attentive. The bar makes this venue perfect for a mid-week boozy catch-up with friends. Nice beer garden for the warmer months too. It's a yes from me!

Sorry I have to do it u guys have mastered the ribs to die 4 if u r looking for ribs u got to come here .<br/>Friendly staff great food the ribs wow it so reminded me of a place in la called daddy's girls grill not around since twin Towers so when I was told up in smoke has ribs to die 4 I was no way .but yes way if they delivered to the city or opened up a shop in the cbd I would be in heaven ..sorry I have to say it again THE RIBS ROCK tender juicy so yummo<br/>Positive foods switched off from the review I was lost 4 words ribs ribs ribs and ribs<br/>Hehehehheheh<br/>Service 4.9<br/>Food or should I say the ribs 10<br/>Staff 5<br/>Would i recommend yes if just for ribs<br/>All up u score 10 out of 10 just cos of the ribs<br/><br/>

Up in Smoke is one of my favourite BBQ Places in Melbourne. Great food and quality food! Hate how it gets so busy and really hard to get a table. The BBQ ribs are really nice. Will keep coming back here. Love it.

My GOD!!!! The UP IN SMOKE Burger... <br/>"BRISKET BURNT ENDS, AMERICAN CHEDDAR, CHILLI MAYO SLAW, BBQ SAUCE" 😏 <br/>hands down the BEST burger I have ever had. 10/10<br/>Friendly staff, great service - definitely will be back!

Located in what seems like an old petrol station, and definitely popular with tradies in fluoro at lunchtime, this place is a winner! Great craft beer selection, and fabulous chips, tacos and sandwiches as well as outstanding mac & cheese. Forget the rest, this is the best!

I LOVE UP IN SMOKE! I've eaten here twice already and will be coming back again without a doubt. <br/>It's a big, spacious venue with a easy-going vibe and nice service.<br/>Both times I have eaten here I've been so excited to start eating that I forgot to take photos of the food which is really saying something! (... Or I was just super hungry haha)<br/>Pretty much everything I've ordered has been delicious! Great menu that is being executed superbly!<br/>I would recommend and will no doubt return here when I feel like some fantastic smokehouse, American food! Hopefully next time I'll even have the self control to take a few photos before I start eating too!

Great food! Great bnt! Superb parv! I was blown away! The food was superb! The bnt complimented it! What more can I say?<br/>I am a huge fan of eating swine! There is one thing I think that is missing though from the drinks menu, Rekorderlig!

Perfect time to arrive at Up in Smoke located off Dynon Road in Footscray, as the heavens opened up and down came the rain even if it was just for a brief moment. Arriving just after opening at 12pm and as we had skipped breakfast, we were keen to have a good feed of all things meat.<br/><br/>Up in Smoke definitely delivered with the goods as we ordered a few options in order to get a good understanding of the flavours that the apparent $20k smoker was able to produce. Slow cooked anything is always going to be mouth wateringly delicious so we got straight into with an order of Pulled Pork $15.0 and ½ Rack of Pork Ribs $20.0 which were both accompanied by soft milk buns and delicious pickled vegetables. A grilled octopus salad that came with smoked cherry tomatoes, pickled beetroot, rocket leaves, kipfler potatoes and a green goddess dressing that perfectly brought all the ingredients and textures together. From the lunch special we ordered Poutine $15.0 (we think) and boy did it satisfy with a gravy to die for and chunks of smoked pork shoulder (or was it beef brisket? Either way DELICIOUS). One missing ingredient for us just by preference, was the lashings of cheese. It came with half a handful of small balls of what we think was mozzarella or bocconcini but didn't quite hit the mark for us however, even without this the Poutine was amazing.<br/><br/>Up in Smoke is definitely a place to try when you're in town where you'll enjoy somewhat but not quite southern style American-ish food where you can enjoy a good feed with friends or family served by friendly and attentive staff. It's has a tonne of space for everyone; a beer garden in the front for those just wanting to hydrate with some craft beers and it has the main dining area where there are concrete table tops and black-leather chairs. Up in Smoke is a young and modern establishment that pays homage to the 70's and 80's with its old school flavours and vibe (and the name too). Check it out and you may find us sitting next to you enjoying some smoke again too!<br/><br/>Till next time, this is Our Foodie Find!

Have been here a few times now and have generally been underwhelmed. Great service, but average good. The Mac and cheese was a great serving size but lacked any flavour whatsoever and there was no salt and pepper on the tables to season! I've really wanted to enjoy this place but haven't had a great meal thus far. Willing to give it another go as I love the vibe, but won't be doing the Mac and cheese again.

Back in my hey day, there was no such thing as American BBQ. BBQ meant you had a few snags on the barbie, a few hammies (burgers for non-strayans) and some chicken wings. The only time I could appreciate and drool over smokey ribs and fork tender brisket was when Man v. Food premiered their first season. Thankfully, people have realised there’s a lot of foodies and heaps of potential in the Westside of which Smokehouse 101 and Up In Smoke has created their business around. Yes, I know – there are heaps of cool and hip BBQ in the North and East but we Westie’s need lovin’ too! I absolutely adore Smokhouse and have put off trying Up In Smoke for the longest time due to hype and lines.

Came here for lunch a few weeks back as I am a fan of the smoke house meats. Since we came for lunch we could only get the burger, which was fine. I had the brisket burger which was nice without being spectacular and my wife had the pulled pork which she wasn't overly impressed with. The layout of the place including the outdoor area is pretty nice. However I had the guy who served me have a crack at me and wanted to know why I was taking photos, maybe he was having a bad day, I'm not too sure. I felt like telling him so I can get online and give you a shit review.

Came here on a Monday originally but the place was closed for the day due to having a party of some sort. On the second attempt came back and wasn't too impressed to be honest. Ordered the mozzerlla sticks which came with a bbq sauce which were good. Ordered the pulled pork from the smoker menu which came with a tiny bun some pickles and some other veggies. Overall was ok but for $15 was a small serve. My wife got the up in smoke burger. Looked like they left half the filling out because it looked tiny compared to their beefed up instagram photos. I tried some it was ok. Also tried the chips the seasoning was ok on these to but once again pretty small serve that comes as a side for an extra $3 with any sandwhich. Will stay away from this place i think.

That was amazing!!!!!<br/>Food was 15/10<br/>Service was awesome.<br/>Will most definitely be back.<br/>Well done to the management of arranging a table for us on a busy night.<br/>

Smoked meats, with a great beer selection and kickin' fit-out, what more do you need? Mac N Cheese and the Big Tray are the stand outs - get there early in the afternoon and pick a spot out in the sunshine.

Great food and good beers on tap. We had lots of munchies and enjoyed the nicely blackened corn on the cob, light hush puppies (although prawns were MIA), delicious guac, miso cauliflower and tasty spicy smoked wings. Service could be better outside.

No where near the best BBQ resturant in Melb. My husband is from Texas the bbq state!!!!! We felt the menu was very over priced for the quantity of food served. They didn't bring any sauces for the chips or a dish of bbq sauce for the ribs now that is a must when you serve ribs. Not sure if we would return.

Wasn't blown away. Not that the food was awful, it was mediocre at best. Nothing makes their menu stand out and for the price... definitely won't be going back. The Big Tray $48 supposedly feeds 2 people easily.. definitely not the case. This was a serving for 1

My girlfriend wasnt really a fan of this place. I didnt mind it at all. We got the brisket, chicken taco and mac n cheese. Surprisingly i liked the mac n cheese the most. Everything else was ok.

Good vibes, staff are lovely.<br/>Food wise were alright...<br/>Had the burgers and they weren't bad.<br/>The mac n cheese however tasted like they've put those cheese slices out of those plastic packets, heated it up and stirred it... was very sickening!<br/>Wouldn't come back, have had better.<br/>Take your lover or friends to try once only or take them to Le Bon Ton!

Told that we had to take the food as it came out. We wanted Fries first. They came out last! <br/>Service means the customer is always right. If they want Fries first, it's an easy task!<br/>On further consultation we decided that the beers on tap were not catering for summer. Three IPAs. 1 would think lagers and pilsners were more apt.<br/>Finally we were seated next to the waiter station yet we had a hard task getting noticed.

After a rough start I think that Up In Smoke has come into it's own. The reason for the 4 is I don't love the beer selection, but the BBQ is LEGIT! <br/><br/>DELISH!

Up in smoke is the perfect name for this new BBQ joint that has popped up in Footscray. Plenty of seating inside the restaurant as well as all around outside, great for big groups. The food is good but a bit overpriced. Would recommend trying out. Sauces and BeerPork Ribs (Half Rack) with Milk Bun and Pickles $20

Never disappoints! Super friendly staff and super good food. Recommend ordering the big tray to share, BBQ rub fries and the apple slaw! Oh and don't forget to make reservations!

I attended this restaurant as a work group lunch function. The place presented very well and the menu was definitely interesting.  The staff were very friendly and obliging and that is where the good ends.<br/>The meal that I chose for lunch was luke warm to cold and over filled with sauces making it a wet soggy mess. I had the pulled chicken sandwich and it was tasteless and I had to search for the chicken in the middle. I added the spicy sauce which claimed to be hot but lacked any real bite. As for paying $3 for chips and I counted them and there were 10 chips on the plate was a bit of a stretch. Overall I would not return to the place even though I was informed that the bar be cue ribs, briskets and slow cooked meats were on in the evening.<br/>I think that if you advertise items on a menu they should be available but it is not a concern now as I will not be returning.