Smokin D’s BBQ SF

Anthony Whitt

I just moved to Hollister California about 10 months ago from San Antonio Texas. I had been missing all the great food from back home especially some brisket, it seems California only serves tri-tip. I heard about this place and decided to make a trip to SF. When we pulled up I saw the sign "Texas Style" and was hoping to get exactly that. When we walked up to the restaurant it definitely smelled like home, something about that Texas Style BBQ that just hits you different. As soon as we walked in we were greeted and asked if we had any questions. We looked at the menu for a few moments and decided to order brisket, ribs, Mac n cheese, cornbread, hot link, and potato salad. They were sold out of hot links and potato salad, that was the third sign we were in the right place for some delicious food. We got our food and it was definitely more generous than what we ordered, no complaints there! We started to dive into the brisket and ribs and as soon as that brisket hit my taste buds I felt like I was home! The brisket was cooked perfectly and seasoned well, bark was on point too! The ribs were also amazing no sauce needed for either the brisket or ribs, they do give you some but its not needed even though the sauce was delicious too it only got used one time then it was just back to the meat by itself. The cornbread definitely was Texas style too with the small pieces of jalapeno in it, very good and not dry like most cornbread. The Mac n cheese was good too! The owners run the place and do most the work themselves so you know there is a lot of care put into what comes out of that kitchen! I didn't realize how homesick I was until we got there and well after I felt rejuvenated and like there was some piece of home here in California. Turns out the owner is from Houston Texas and thats why its so good. They said they started out just as pop up selling here and there but then people got a hold of their food and well now they habe this great location locked down a few minutes drive from Peir 39. What a wonderful place to eat and enjoy a great family owned restaurant! We will definitely be back here soon, the 1 1/2+ drive from Hollister is definitely worth this experience, yes the food is definitely an experience that you need in your life. Good food makes me happy and this did more than that being so far from home! Oh sorry I was day dreaming about that brisket and ribs.....don't forget to order your banana brulee bliss we almost did but we did get one and it was amazing too! Definitely a must have, my girlfriend doesn't even like bananas and she loved this dessert!

Jessica Resendez

This food is AMAZING!!!! I am a huge bbq girl, and there is NOTHING in the city that even comes remotely close to how great this food is. The beef ribs were OUTSTANDING with the perfect, flavorful char and tenderness. It just fell off the bone. The brisket had the perfect ring, great flavor that really packs a punch, and simply tasty. We also waited an extra 45 min for the brisket bao. That was absolutely worth the treat The max and cheese was FRESH. It was right out of the oven and didn’t disappoint in the slightest. We also got the banana pudding because, well, you have to! What a great treat The owners definitely add to the experience. Both were so sweet and you can genuinely tell they take pride in what they serve. Overall, there’s nothing in the city like this. If you want to catch it before it sells out, BE EARLY

Lynn Eglan

This place was a little hard for me to find.   It didn't really smell like BBQ was being made here.   I was just happy to get parking pretty close to the place and it wasn't too crazy busy yet.   The place wasn't too big but had enough space to order and look at the menus to find a huge variety of eats. This was my first time here and I didn't want to go too crazy with my order.   I'm sure I'll be back soon enough to try more items.   Michelle was super nice and helped me choose. I ordered: 1.  O.G. Brisky Bao - I saw so many videos of how big and meaty this was.  Many said it was worth the price.  This was definitely meaty and juicy.   I was full after eating 1/2. 2.  Korean Cowboy - Michelle said this wasn't too spicy and had a little kick.   I'm sorry that was a lie for me at least,  I'm not really one to handle the heat.  It was meaty but you definitely get the kick from the kimchi with the first bite. 3.  Brisket sandwich  - This was a good first sandwich to start with.   The chunks of brisket were so tender and abundant. 4. Mrs. D's Cornbread - Tasty and had a little kick from the jalapeños.  It was a little dry for my liking. 5.  Banana brulee bliss - This surprising for me was the star of the show.  The banana pudding was on point for me and the creme brulee topping that stuck to the lid just put it on a whole other level. 6. Daybreak Vietnamese coffee- Surprisingly good.   I saved it for the next morning since it didn't really go with the food. This place was solid and I can't wait to come back.  I do have the mac n cheese and the dino rib to come back for..among a few other itwms.

Troff

Real BBQ. Perfect sandwich. Bread was soft, brisket was cooked to perfection, link had good flavor. They do not cheat you on the portion size. Workers were friendly. Not that much seating for dining in.

Skye Zhou

We really liked the ribs — not too fatty and very Texas-style. And the banana dessert was so good that my friend and I were even willing to go back just for it. Not too sweet, and really tasty.

Danice M

Hoping they will be back at the Chinatown open Market. Super amazing BBQ in a bao brilliant. Very hearty, spice is mild. Most important to find something my brother-in-law would love and he did. Kept bragging about the food. I loved my brisket super soft and tender.

Oneill Mclean

Stopped at Smokin D's BBQ for lunch, Brisket Bao-B-Q perfectly cradled the tender, smoky brisket, creating an incredible fusion of Southern BBQ and Asian street food. The brisket was juicy with just the right amount of bark, and the sauce added a rich, savory punch without overpowering the flavors. It's a creative twist on a classic BBQ that's worth a special trip. One last thing the Bao is sticky so don't forget napkins!

Ryan Mathews

You can tell that people here really care. The service was great. The ribs aren't a style I like (they didn't fall off the bone) but you could tell it was great quality meat (my wife had the same comments about the brisket). The mac and cheese was delicious. And the bun was also very good.

Thai Pham

Finally made the trek from the North Bay into the Sunset for Smokin D's BBQ after stalking these folks on IG the last few years, and it truly did not disappoint!!! Highlights were the Brisky Bao and Dino Rib and for dessert the very satisfying Banana Brulee Bliss. Pricing is very transparent when you order and you what you are paying for is the skill, labor and quality of the food you're putting in your mouth. It was worth the hour + drive into the City for some great Houston BBQ! Thanks Mr. and Mrs D!

Simply INCREDIBLE! Amazing meat, super tasty, GREAT portions and immaculate quality for really fair prices! Also: these are the nicest people ever, so warm and welcoming, really accommodating.

I would give Smoking D's five star for its food. I highly recommend the brisket. It is tender, juicy and good quality of meat (not cheap and fatty kind). I tried the pork ribs, leg quarter, and the brisket grilled cheese sandwich . All entrees were flavorful although I wish that the pork ribs can be more falling off the bone kind. The corn bread, potato salad and Mac-n-cheese were delicious specially the corn bread. Although it is on the pricey side, for $200+ (1 lb of brisket, full rack of ribs, 2 leg quarters chicken, 2 Mac n cheese, 3 corn bread, 1 potato salad) it fed my family (4 boys!) with left over good to feed us again for dinner..so it is worth it. Tip: Ask for bread and they shall provide! Only minus is the restaurant doesn't have too much sitting area except for few tables set on the sidewalk. It's more of a grab and go place.

I'm a die hard Texas BBQ connoisseur. Born in Central Texas ( Hill country) I've had my fair share of Texas BBQ from all over Texas. And not all Texas BBQ places are worth talking about. I have given many bad reviews in Texas and especially her in California. When I see claims of being TX BBQ I expect a certain standard, and Smokin D's doesn't disappoint not one bit!! I was even more surprised to see that they are putting a slight asian touch to there meats and still completely pulling off that authentic Texas flavored that I'm always on the look for. I can't tell you how happy I am to see not only great Rexas Bbq place in SF but also pushing the creativity. A must experience if you want great BBQ!!

Incredible BBQ. Looking for dinner after Hardly Strictly festival and found this delightful little restaurant. The BBQ Brisket sandwich was sweet, moist, and a large portion. We also had the brisket chile and cornbread. So good. Would return to this neighborhood just for this food! Service was very good too. Try it!

We came here with them closing in 20 mins and they were so helpful! Told us what was sold out and what they have left. Took our order and we were gone before they closed. Super chill environment and excellent customer service! The banana brulee dessert was so good. The brisket was soft and tender. The ribs were great. No sauce needed! The dry rub they use is great.

Really damn good I must say. The brisket was perfectly cooked. The St Louis Ribs were well seasoned, tender, and went wonderfully with the bread and butter pickled onions and cucumbers they provide. The hot link sausages are also delicious and a nice touch for the Texans out there. The staff was super cool and nice and he gave us extra cookies and brownies for free just out of their own kindness. I strongly recommend getting BBQ from this place. I know I’ll be back to try the beef ribs!

Antonio Pacheco

We came here with them closing in 20 mins and they were so helpful! Told us what was sold out and what they have left. Took our order and we were gone before they closed. Super chill environment and excellent customer service! The banana brulee dessert was so good. The brisket was soft and tender. The ribs were great. No sauce needed! The dry rub they use is great.

Samuel White, tenor

Really damn good I must say. The brisket was perfectly cooked. The St Louis Ribs were well seasoned, tender, and went wonderfully with the bread and butter pickled onions and cucumbers they provide. The hot link sausages are also delicious and a nice touch for the Texans out there. The staff was super cool and nice and he gave us extra cookies and brownies for free just out of their own kindness. I strongly recommend getting BBQ from this place. I know I’ll be back to try the beef ribs!

Mary

Simply INCREDIBLE! Amazing meat, super tasty, GREAT portions and immaculate quality for really fair prices! Also: these are the nicest people ever, so warm and welcoming, really accommodating.

Michael Loucks

I'm a die hard Texas BBQ connoisseur. Born in Central Texas ( Hill country) I've had my fair share of Texas BBQ from all over Texas. And not all Texas BBQ places are worth talking about. I have given many bad reviews in Texas and especially her in California. When I see claims of being TX BBQ I expect a certain standard, and Smokin D's doesn't disappoint not one bit!! I was even more surprised to see that they are putting a slight asian touch to there meats and still completely pulling off that authentic Texas flavored that I'm always on the look for. I can't tell you how happy I am to see not only great Rexas Bbq place in SF but also pushing the creativity. A must experience if you want great BBQ!!

Steve Gehrman

The beef brisket sandwich is incredible. Totally authentic Texas BBQ. Huge amount of beef with great sauce and bun. It's the real deal. Smokes meat in shop. It's fresh and perfectly cooked.

Katrina Doherty

I would give Smoking D's five star for its food. I highly recommend the brisket. It is tender, juicy and good quality of meat (not cheap and fatty kind). I tried the pork ribs, leg quarter, and the brisket grilled cheese sandwich . All entrees were flavorful although I wish that the pork ribs can be more falling off the bone kind. The corn bread, potato salad and Mac-n-cheese were delicious specially the corn bread. Although it is on the pricey side, for $200+ (1 lb of brisket, full rack of ribs, 2 leg quarters chicken, 2 Mac n cheese, 3 corn bread, 1 potato salad) it fed my family (4 boys!) with left over good to feed us again for dinner..so it is worth it. Tip: Ask for bread and they shall provide! Only minus is the restaurant doesn't have too much sitting area except for few tables set on the sidewalk. It's more of a grab and go place.

Betsy Vallejo

Incredible BBQ. Looking for dinner after Hardly Strictly festival and found this delightful little restaurant. The BBQ Brisket sandwich was sweet, moist, and a large portion. We also had the brisket chile and cornbread. So good. Would return to this neighborhood just for this food! Service was very good too. Try it!

Eugenio Villegas

I don't know how they can sell this and get good reviews! I bought a pound of meat that was all fat, and to make matters worse, it was incredibly salty! I would never pay $60 for anything again. It was a complete failure. My boyfriend drove almost an hour just to totally disappoint

So I saw this place on TikTok and the food looked so good so I just had to give a try. So I came by with my mom and we were super excited, especially considering we came on the weekend where the Dino rib was available. My mom spent about $200 worth of stuff! We ended up ordering six bao buns half-and-half(9/10) the Dino rib(2/10) the smoked brisket (3/10), smoked brisket grilled cheese sandwich,(7/10) and the regular brisket sandwich(6/10) and the mac & cheese(4/10)To be honest, the food was a major disappointment. The Dino rib was the way smaller than the one they showed on TikTok and it had absolutely zero flavor. It tasted like I was eating air. The beef brisket was two pieces for $20 outrageous pricing and it also had no flavor. I feel like this restaurant relies on barbecue sauce for flavor and not salt/ seasonings. The mac & cheese had zero seasoning and was so bland and the macaroni noodles were like five minutes overcooked super mushy. The regular brisket sandwich was dry according to my mom however, the brisket grilled cheese was pretty good however I feel like they were over relying on barbecue sauce once again, but I will give that sandwich a seven out of 10. The best thing we had was the spicy bao bun and we would give that a nine out of 10. overall, I think this place is overhyped and I probably will not come back. also, the lady at the register was very passive aggressive and it just made the whole experience worse. She was so extra about 50 cents for barbecue sauce . We were also like the only people really there and our food took what felt like forever. And they kept saying that the wait it would be worth it, but it wasn’t.

TLDR: $9 baos where the meat was dry I ordered one of each of the baos and I was pretty disappointed. The brisket bun was cloyingly sweet combined with the traditional Chinese bread, and the meat was pretty dry and not much fat in it. For the cowboy bun, the pork consistency was more like a whole blob and it does say the sauce is sweet and spicy but overall a bit too spicy for me

Tife

So I saw this place on TikTok and the food looked so good so I just had to give a try. So I came by with my mom and we were super excited, especially considering we came on the weekend where the Dino rib was available. My mom spent about $200 worth of stuff! We ended up ordering six bao buns half-and-half(9/10) the Dino rib(2/10) the smoked brisket (3/10), smoked brisket grilled cheese sandwich,(7/10) and the regular brisket sandwich(6/10) and the mac & cheese(4/10)To be honest, the food was a major disappointment. The Dino rib was the way smaller than the one they showed on TikTok and it had absolutely zero flavor. It tasted like I was eating air. The beef brisket was two pieces for $20 outrageous pricing and it also had no flavor. I feel like this restaurant relies on barbecue sauce for flavor and not salt/ seasonings. The mac & cheese had zero seasoning and was so bland and the macaroni noodles were like five minutes overcooked super mushy. The regular brisket sandwich was dry according to my mom however, the brisket grilled cheese was pretty good however I feel like they were over relying on barbecue sauce once again, but I will give that sandwich a seven out of 10. The best thing we had was the spicy bao bun and we would give that a nine out of 10. overall, I think this place is overhyped and I probably will not come back. also, the lady at the register was very passive aggressive and it just made the whole experience worse. She was so extra about 50 cents for barbecue sauce . We were also like the only people really there and our food took what felt like forever. And they kept saying that the wait it would be worth it, but it wasn’t.

Wilson Tsang

TLDR: $9 baos where the meat was dry I ordered one of each of the baos and I was pretty disappointed. The brisket bun was cloyingly sweet combined with the traditional Chinese bread, and the meat was pretty dry and not much fat in it. For the cowboy bun, the pork consistency was more like a whole blob and it does say the sauce is sweet and spicy but overall a bit too spicy for me

This was my first time ordering from this restaurant after seeing it on a show “ Check Please Bay Area”. so I had high expectations. Unfortunately, the experience was very disappointing. The biggest problem is that the Signature Overnight Smoked Brisket (the main item I ordered) was completely missing from my order. That was the main reason I placed the order, and not receiving it was extremely frustrating. The ribs that did arrive were cold and not properly cooked. I’ve had BBQ ribs many times, and honestly these were below average. The potato salad was just okay. The cornbread was actually pretty good and probably the only highlight of the meal. Overall, this was a very disappointing first experience. Missing the main dish and receiving cold ribs is unacceptable, especially for a place that gets attention on TV.

Was in San Francisco and I stopped at this place in Chinatown to have some barbecued brisket. That was a mistake because you don't get brisket barbecue in the middle of China. Town so I could imagine what the food is going to be like, but I decided to try it. I ordered a $19 brisket salad on a hamburger bun.It was a bunch of chopped up meat, had very little smoky flavor to it.I ordered $8 cup of Mac. And\n Cheese, it was nasty.\n When you go to a barbecue place and you order brisket. You want it sliced and put on a roll for the amount of Money you were charging for a little bit of meat on a hamburger bun.\nI looked in the back and seen he was preparing the food and it was a Mexican guy.I think he thought he was making tacos with the brisket , those pictures are misleading, but you can see the chopped up brisket on a hamburger bun for $19 in the picture, not even close to Texas barbecue. And it's in the middle of Chinatown, where there aint any white people eat that food.\n There's no seating in it. It's to take and go

Mike Buettner

Was in San Francisco and I stopped at this place in Chinatown to have some barbecued brisket. That was a mistake because you don't get brisket barbecue in the middle of China. Town so I could imagine what the food is going to be like, but I decided to try it. I ordered a $19 brisket salad on a hamburger bun.It was a bunch of chopped up meat, had very little smoky flavor to it.I ordered $8 cup of Mac. And\n Cheese, it was nasty.\n When you go to a barbecue place and you order brisket. You want it sliced and put on a roll for the amount of Money you were charging for a little bit of meat on a hamburger bun.\nI looked in the back and seen he was preparing the food and it was a Mexican guy.I think he thought he was making tacos with the brisket , those pictures are misleading, but you can see the chopped up brisket on a hamburger bun for $19 in the picture, not even close to Texas barbecue. And it's in the middle of Chinatown, where there aint any white people eat that food.\n There's no seating in it. It's to take and go