WildSmoke

Great BBQ! and close to home for me!
We love WildSmoke. I was so extremely excited when we found out this restaurant was opening up in Creve Coeur while we dined at Edgewild. We have dined here on multiple occasions and have not had a bad experience. BBQ seems to be dependent each individuals taste but I’m more interested in the cuts of meat and how it is cooked, not just the flavor.
As you enter the restaurant you are greeted by the hostess counter but to the right at the end of the bar is the carryout counter. The décor is overall warm and very Country-​Western. You’ll see enough oreo cookie cow décor along with wood paneling. Thumbs up from me. Overall a nice upscale touch.
On this occasion we ordered the Big Pig for carryout. Its a collection of 7 different cuts of meat along with 4 sides on a giant platter. Perfect solution for a family get together. Actually reasonably priced as well.
My favorite is always the ribs. They have always been fall off the bone and generous and meaty. The smoke flavor really sinks into the meat as you can tell by the ring in the flesh. My other favorite is the «burnt ends». OMG you have to try them. They are the ends of the ribs that are burnt and typically cut off and discarded. On this occasion these went first and we were fighting for the last pieces.
Overall love this location, décor and have never had complaints about the food. It has always been cooked just right St Louis is becoming a nice place for destination BBQ and I’m very happy with that!
Of course Minutes after writing this review I find out sadly that this restaurant will be closing!

So many BBQ joints in the city… so why go out to the suburbs? I’m wondering that too after leaving Wild Smoke. (To be fair, we were meeting friends and this was a half-​way spot.) The décor is like walking into a country and western bar. Lots of wood and television sets. Service is friendly and efficient.
The food, I’m sorry to say, doesn’t stand out. My burnt ends platter had a nice serving of meat, but half of the ends were slightly tender and the other half was like charcoal briquettes. Seriously, I almost got carpal tunnel sawing through some of those lumps. (And don’t try to school me on burnt ends. I have sampled some of the best from places all over. They should resemble meat, not coal.) The sweet potato gratin came out just slightly warm. I assumed it would be a fluffy concoction of sweet potatoes in a casserole form. It’s actually thin layered slices of spiced potato, tightly packed together with little sauce. It was too dry and I was disappointed. The baked beans were pretty standard for a ‘que joint. My niece’s slaw was okay. I’m ashamed to admit I like KFC’s better.
My expectations for this place ran high. I’m sorry to say I was disappointed with Wild Smoke. Looks like I should stay in the comfort zone of the city and stick to my favorites.

I never like waiting in a cafeteria line for my BBQ and the presumption that I know what I am doing when I get in line. There is never time to ask questions. I always feel rushed and taken for granted.
Wild Smoke offers something different. They have large menus posted and when you are ready you can step right up. Even better, they bring your food to you and even have a greeter that will answer questions for you.
There menu offers traditional BBQ as well as creative options like White Trash tacos, a creative name for tacos with your choice of smoke pulled meat. My wife enjoyed these, unfortunately she got the chicken tacos, I believe the favorite version is their pulled pork. The tacos are large and come in 3s.
I ordered several items. I ordered the bacon wrapped shrimp with jalapeño. These were fantastic. I never understood the word «savory» but I would use that word for these. You get 4 but I wish I had 10!
I ordered their candied bacon. Please do yourself a favor get these to share. These were such a delight. I could craves these like a donut. I have had candied bacon before but they were ¼ to ½ inch thick cuts. These are thin slices of pork belly but worth it.
I am an onion ring connoisseur. I also ordered the onion rings but I would say pass, nothing special there.
The biggest surprise for me was the burnt ends. These weren’t just burnt ends, they were like rib tips. Burnt ends from my local BBQ restaurant is like minced meats, the left overs on the grill, tender and moist, almost like sloppy joe. The burnt ends at Wild Smoke was so much better. I would totally repeat this. I had ordered this in a 2 meat combo. I ordered their pulled pork as the second meat. I would say they hit this right down the middle. Perfect, no complaints. I haven’t had better, I haven’t had worse. Next time on my 2 meat combo I will get a double order of the burnt ends though.
Their sauces range from mild to spicy and I love their mustard.
Next time I will try their ribs. I am big on ordering the staples before going after creative fare. If Wild Smoke kicks ass on the staples, I’ll venture out.

Food: I had the burnt ends — which had the consistency of tougher steak than the fall apart and seasoned meat I’m used to. The sweet potato gratin had no «topping» on it and seemed to be just layered potatoes with nothing else.
Service: There were three of us that ordered at the same time, but we all got our food at different times. Some of us even ten minutes apart.
Not sure if my expectations were just high or if I have been spoiled by the excellence at Bogarts Barbecue, but I was disappointed with the overall food and service at WildSmoke.

The bbq is really seasoned and good here! Let me just say, the food was awesome! I ate the onion rings, chicken wings and ribs. OMG! The staff greets you at the door and they are so friendly. The staff and bartender was really friendly and very attentive. I went in expecting to see reminiscences of Culpeppers, but the décor has really been updated. We will definitely revist.

Damn. This place is good. Seriously, I almost want to give them a bad review so I don’t have to fight people for tables.
The first time I visited, a group from work and I went for lunch. We got there right after they opened at 11, and if you don’t have time to dally, I’d recommend you do the same, because I feel like we weren’t seated long before the place was PACKED. I had the Creve Coeur Cobb Salad with Pulled Pork, and it was delicious! I would definitely have it again. I also got to try a co-worker’s app turned entrée Memphis Nachos — er. ma. gerd. I’m glad I just had a sampling of another’s plate, because I would have OWNED those. Everyone loved their lunch, and people regularly ask when we’re going back.
The next week, I was lucky enough to attend an Elite event and try a few more dishes. The White Trash Tacos I found to actually be a little bland but everything else made up for it. The wings were the DEAL, and I’m actually usually a very picky and exclusively sweet wing eater, so that’s saying something. The BBQ Sundae is so fun, and pictures of it resulted in many a like on my Instagram. The wings though. Can I mention them again? Yeah. They were awesome.
So awesome, that I came by less than a week later to grab some to go to bring along to a trivia night. Oh… and I had to get a Memphis Nacho to bring home and share with my husband. Even soggy from the car ride home, they were delicious.
Most recently, my husband and I returned to WildSmoke (his first) for a date night on Wine Down Wednesday. Wine is half price (sweet!), which we’re already a fan of from Edgewild, and half price appetizer happy hour specials are extended through close. This is an INSANE special. We got some wings (duh), Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip (drool), a BBQ Sundae (more drool), and he the Pan Fried Chicken Breast (he wouldn’t share much, but it was delicious). It was all fab, and you can’t beat the price!
At every visit, the staff has been very courteous and helpful — probably the friendliest I’ve come across in a while. We’ll be back as often as our schedule and pocketbook allows!

Let me just say first that I really want to like WildSmoke, I really do however every time I have been here I have consistently encountered some type of a problem. My most recent problem happened on a Saturday evening, I had a friend in town and wanted her to experience some of the great food served here, yes WildSmoke makes some great food that isn’t their problem. The issue I have here is with their service, its inconsistent and sometimes downright awful.
We arrived shortly after 6:30 and were immediately seated next to a large group of 20 – 30 people. I quickly discovered that our waiter, was also the same (and only waiter) serving the large group. I immediately knew that this was going to be a difficult evening.
We looked over the menu, while the large group next to use was still waiting for others to join before ordering. We placed our menu down and waited for nearly 15 minutes before our waiter returned to our table, and when he returned he made a stop to take the larger groups order before ours. I can understand this because he is already getting a large tip, however it would be much easier to take and put in an order for four, before doing the same for a table of nearly 30 people. I personally took this as my table was not as important as a larger group, who clearly was busy socializing rather than looking over the menu.
As far as our order we went with an order of Pig Candy, for the table and I went with a burger and two wings. As our food was delivered and our waiter asked if we would like refills, however our drinks were still ¾ full, so we declined by saying, «thanks but not right now» assuming he would be back again to check on us again. To make things worse it wasn’t until after our waiter had disappeared that that I realized the two wings I had ordered alongside my burger had never arrived, much like our waiter the entire night. Anyways I finished off my burger and my drink and waited nearly another 10 – 15 minutes before our waiter made his way back to our table. I quickly informed him that I had not received my wings and to just go ahead and cancel and remove the wings from the order. He graciously offered to bring them out and remove them from our bill, however I declined. I was not planning on taking two wings home with me. It wasn’t until after the waiter brought out our check that he offered us our 1^st drink refill, luckily we had a glass of water on standby.
After getting the bill we had to wait about another 10 minutes for the waiter to come back by and pick up my credit card, I was visibly upset with the lack of service I was getting and he could tell. He was courtesy and friendly and even offered to provide us with a slice of complimentary pie, however we declined as we were already full and in a hurry and had other plans.
I really hate to give a two start review, so with that I will say that WildSmoke can provide some great service when they try, however it seems that every time I have been here they have really been a letdown.
I almost felt embarrassed bringing out of town guests here after experiencing over the top customer service at a Unilocal event here just weeks before. Needless to say I think I am checking WildSmoke off my list for good, unless they can get their act together.

I visited WildSmoke on a Sunday afternoon. I went to the shooting range for the first time with a couple friends… so my inner redneck was coming out (which rarely happens, I normally try to suppress it… haha) and we decided to get BBQ afterwards. We went to WildSmoke because we drove past it… not because we had heard anything about it. And we got lucky!
If you’re familiar with Olive Blvd. in Creve Coeur, then you know there’s a lot of chain restaurants in this area… not very many locally owned options. So I’m happy to see WildSmoke here!
The inside of the restaurant is decked out in country western décor (cow hides, horseshoes, country music is playing, etc.). It’s kept clean and tidy, but its country… but not over the top country… which is a relief.
When we walked through the front doors, we were promptly greeted by a super friendly hostess. She could tell this was our first time here and provided us with instructions on how the restaurant is organized and laid out. You order at the counter, get your drinks at the drink station, and your food is delivered to your table.
One of the waitresses even mentioned they have $ 2 beers on Wednesdays nights! Great deal! They also have their own homemade root beer and serve local craft beers.
I ordered the BBQ sundae… INCREDIBLE! I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the description of it sounded appetizing. When it was delivered to my table, I promptly took a picture of it and sent it to my friends (not a normal habit of mine because I think it can become cliché). They were all jealous and asked «where in the world can they get one of those?» The BBQ sundae is served in an ice cream sundae dish. Its piles of pulled pork, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, BBQ sauce, baked beans, slaw, and CANDIED bacon. All for $ 9 and I took home leftovers… the prices here are great!
I highly recommend WildSmoke and will definitely be back to visit… even if my inner redneck is still being suppressed.

I think that if you are going to Unilocal Elite event you should go the day before and spend money on food. Well in reality it slipped my mind about the event. Jeez!
For starters I had their soup of the day which was BBQ brisket soup. Wow everything in that soup was first rate.
Next I ordered ribs, with two sides. I wanted to go traditional with potato salad and baked beans. The person taking orders asked do you our traditional or our new fried potato salad. Dang. Uh let me have both potato salads and forget the beans.
Fried potato salad was just an awesome side. Loved it. I put it on my must try list to anyone who comes.
The ribs were «baby backs» and were huge. These were some of the biggest baby backs I have ever eaten anywhere including my house. What is telling about this size is they are not serving the cheapest ribs but the most expensive.
Good job WildSmoke and I can’t wait to go again tomorrow.

Liked it, didn’t love it…
I came in for lunch and had the 4 bones with two sides. I chose brussels sprouts and a corn cake on the advice of the counter girl. The quantity of food was generous, but I was not blown away by the flavors. The ribs were cut up when I received them, which I don’t particularly care for but there were at least 7 and I ordered 4. I would call the rub more spicy than sweet, but flavourful spicy not burn-​your-​mouth spicy. The meat did not fall off the bones, I had to chew at them a little bit.
The corn cake was very tasty and I would recommend it to anyone. In fact, just writing this I’m wishing I had one… I digress. The brussels sprouts were very unique — I think they were tossed in a spicy mustard and bacon.
It also came with some toast points which I used to try the sauces. They have four sauces and I tried them all. Just on principle really, because I am not a sauce person. I don’t like anything to obscure the flavor of the meat. They had a sweet mustard/​peach one that was probably my favorite.
People were friendly and helpful to the self-​professed newbie. I will return but maybe to try one of their more unique offerings.

WildSmoke is the perfect BBQ spot in its’ area. It’s so refreshing to have some locally owned businesses around on this side of Olive.
First off, the interior is adorable. It’s decked with western-​chic décor right down to the cow printed booths. And it’s not tacky at all… seriously. It’s perfect and I’m not even a fan of «country.»
During the day you order at the counter and get your food to-​go or seat yourself. Sort of a upscale BreadCo type service but w/​way better food. During the evening they do a sit-​down full service dinner with the same menu. You can even sit at the bar and booze it up with local craft beers on tap or some EdgeWild wine. They’ve got it all!
I came during the day and ordered the smoke house burger to go w/​there home made root beer.
Oh my gosh… this burger will quench any sort of carnivore craving you might have. It comes with a burger topped with sliced brisket, burnt ends, tomato, cole slaw, and a chipotle aioli. Seriously… so good. Also, the fries are noteworthy. I was expecting boring-​bland fries but they were CRISPY and packed a ton of traditional flavor. I loved them. You might need a knife and fork to finish off this whole meal and it’s only $ 9. The prices here are killer for great quality BBQ in the area.
The other item I was able to sample was the Memphis-​rubbed ribs. I don’t know if that’s what they’re called but they are Memphis style ribs and they are amazing. I know a lot of people in STL are pureists about their bbq slathered meat but I’m a sucker for dry rub.
Just because WildSmoke doesn’t do BBQ the same way a lot of other popular places in STL does doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some killer food.

Located in an old Culpepper’s west of 270, this is a nice-​looking place. If I understand correctly, each person in your party ordering food at the counter will get a pager to take to the table. That pager has a little GPS in it, and they will find you to deliver your food.
I had the pulled pork BBQ with mac and cheese and an Edgewild red blind wine. All was pretty good. I liked the Bold and Smoky and Root Beer Molasses (sweet) BBQ sauces. My sandwich, mac and cheese, and glass of wine cost around $ 18 though. Without the wine, it was probably going to be $ 10-​ish.

Loved the fried fish tacos here, excellent. I also got the combo chicken and brisket which were pretty good, but better the next day. Really like the mac and cheese and I would have really liked the scalloped sweet potatoes except that they were really peppery … such a waste and they look enticing (not a word I use to describe food very often). Bonus was that they had Lynard Skynard on the overhead when I came in.
I like the space, the service was very good and a large enough menu that everyone can get something. I want to go back and try the prime rib and the pie.

Located in a strip mall on Olive Boulevard just west of I-​270, Wild Smoke serves up some tasty BBQ that’s worth checking out. The spacious layout of this place is fast casual style. You order at the counter and then find a table while waiting for your food. While waiting, you can help yourself to drinks and condiments located on an island in the middle of the room.
THE MEAT:
I ordered the two meat combo for $ 14. In an effort to eat somewhat healthy, I chose the chicken and the turkey. Other options include brisket, salmon, wings, pulled pork and a hot link. My selection was tender, flavorful and better than the poultry offerings at most of the other BBQ joints around town. I often find that chicken and turkey takes a back seat to pork and beef products at your typical BBQ restaurant, but not the case here.
THE SIDES:
I sampled a variety of sides with my favorite being the poblano & cheddar corn cake. This delicious little cornbread cake was moist, sweet and mildly spicy. Also good was the Laredo corn on the cob which is similar to Mexican corn on the cob or elote. Wild Smokes version consists of a char-​grilled cob that I believe was coated with butter and grated parmesan cheese. It was good, but unfortunately the corn cob was underdeveloped with tiny kernels. It would have been amazing if a good ear of corn had been used. The other side item that I sampled was mayo based slaw that was disappointingly average.
THE SAUCES:
Of course I had to sample all of the sauces available, and most were excellent. I especially enjoyed 3 sauces and couldn’t decide which one was my favorite:
–The Showdown, «big and smokey» was a delicious middle of the road type sauce.
–The Tennessee Zed «tangy and spicy», was also very good.
–The Carolina peach, with a mustard base, was also excellent.
Less impressive:
–The Root beer molasses — interesting, but my least favorite.
–The House Hot Sauce, which was brought to us upon request, came in a squeeze bottle. The label on the bottle said «Red Devil BBQ Sauce. We just didn’t care for it at all. The smoked spicy combo just didn’t work, and it wasn’t that spicy.
Overall, I enjoyed my visit and plan to return when I happen to be in the area again.

such chicken… so smoke… very flavor… wow
Hawaiian roll = winning
Pulled chicken = needz moar meat plz
Sauces = nothing too fancy; just how I like it
Slaw = perfect balance of vinegar and creamy also nice mouthfeel
Pickles = gross
Macaroni and Cheese = Serious Fail. :’(remind me to bring cheese in zip lock bag to put on top. So bland. Very fail. Such cry. :’(
Liquor license = triple winning
Atmosphere = crackin’! Love that titty hot sauce bottle!
Service = …girl wiff teh red hairz… so color, such wow, much nice! Very tattoo! Wow!
(& Bön Bön’s rite ’round the corner too!!)
Professional Medical Opinion:
A++ would eat again.

WildSmoke screams «I AM A CHAIN» which for me, is not a good thing.
As we all know, there are a ton of excellent BBQ joints in the city, most of which go for excellent BBQ over gimmicky décor and a massive menu. Reminds me of a Bandana’s on steroids or something.
Unfortunately, at WildSmoke, the food seems to take a backseat to everything else.
You go up to the counter, order, then seat yourself. Things did not start off well when I asked the person at the counter to recommend their two best meats… and she sort of laughed and said she couldn’t. That always drives me nuts. She finally said burnt ends, and her colleague shrugged and said «Pork I guess.»
The menu is MASSIVE and I had never been, so it makes sense that I asked for a recommendation. Food came out immediately — within minutes — which to me is also not a great sign.
Burnt ends were solid. Pulled pork was not great. Four types of BBQ sauces, but three of the four tasted too similar to me (sweet and smokey — one was a bit spicey) and the third was a sweet-​peach version of carolina mustard sauce.
Have great beers on tap, so I will give them that, but their good beers are expensive. $ 2.50 Bud Selects are not bad though, if that is what you like to drink.
My friend did like the corn cake and said the beans were ok.
Two meals and two beers ended up costing $ 43, which was pretty high for the amount food we got which was much less than I expected. There were no leftovers at all, which is weird to me for a BBQ place. I feel like usually they give you too much food. I left and was not totally full, which again, for $ 43 for two people seems ridiculous.
Sugarfire is down the street and much, much better.

We ate a lot of food, here’s the play by play:
Ribs: Smoky. Meaty. Delicious.
Pulled pork: Tender, flavorful.
Pig Candy: A must. Melts in your mouth.
Laredo Corn: Cheesy corn, amazing.
Hot Lanta Chicken and Waffles: YES! Waffles, pulled chicken, jalapenos, fried egg. So glad I picked this.
Sweet potato gratin: Not my favorite iteration of sweet potatoes, but good and spicy.
Mac and Cheese: Nothing special, but very creamy, not bad.
Beef brisket: My dad ate the whole thing, I assume it was good.
I loved the atmosphere, very cabin-​y, and family friendly, but good for couples, too.
They were accomodating to my sister’s brood, they were very tolerant of my occasionally annoying adorable niece. The customer service was spectacular.

Met here for a business lunch. I arrived first so it gave me a good opportunity to look over the menu and chat with the staff about the place.
I went for the prime rib sandwich. I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve seen a prime rib sandwich on the menu anywhere and I’m always up for something a little different. It was mostly medium, very flavorful and juicy. Not the kind of juicy that implies it was sitting in fat before being plucked out and put on a sandwich but the kind of juicy that screams quality ingredients prepared properly. Thankfully, I ordered the smaller version of the sandwich as it was about all that I could eat. Melted cheese, grilled veges and a horseradish aioli made it complete. There were fries also but they were largely an afterthought and abandoned.
Sadly, my dining partner opted for something that wasn’t as good. He had the ribs and remarked after the first bite that the ones at SugarFire were better.
I will likely be back at some point but will give it a few months so they can work through some of the new restaurant kinks.

Just ate here on opening night! So great. The ambiance is casual, but cozy and comfortable. Lots of TV’s, but not in your face. Nice bar area, big sitting area. I love that you order, then wait for the good to come (autocorrected «food» to «good,» but I left it, because its so accurate!)
I got the BBQ sundae, which actually came out in a sundae dish! Whimsical, but above all else, awesome. Also tried a Trash Taco with brisket– killer. The pulled pork was well done, with some really tasty and unique sauces on the side. Tried the coleslaw (vinegar based with raisins– one of the best I’ve had), baked beans (thick and sweet/​spicy), warm potato salad (I will get 5 sides of this next time. Just try it), and fries (pretty standard, but well executed).
The staff is eager and excited. A must try for Creve Coeur, and I’m sure its our new go-​to hangout restaurant. The owners knocked it out of the park.

There is a new smokehouse in Saint Louis and I am sure it will set the standard for those that follow. It will also, have our already established BBQ restaurants adjusting their game. WildSmoke has entered the competitive STL BBQ market with an outstanding menu, customer service and atmosphere. My drive from the city to west county was totally worth every mile.
Today, I was greeted by a cheerful hostess who thanked me for coming in on their first day and explained the flow of their business. I then went over to the counter to order, I already knew I wanted Burnt Ends, so all I needed to select were my sides. My BE’s“s came with two regular sides and I selected Root Beer Baked Beans and on the recommendation of the cashier I choose Sweet Potato Gratin. Being extra hungry (no breakfast) and being a fan of Mac-​n-​Cheese, I ordered a Premium side of Jacked Up Mac-​n-​Cheese.
Once your order is taken, you’re given one of those numbered pagers that sit down restaurants give you when waiting for a table. You then select a table or booth and wait for your food. After a short wait, a friendly runner/​server brought my food to the table. My device didn’t even vibrate, he just knew where I was.
All the sides are made in house and you taste the love and creativity that went in to each of them. The Root Beer is made in house and when it is added to their baked beans, it gives a sweet twisted taste that makes these baked beans taste better then any that I have had at any other BBQ restaurant or backyard BBQ.
The Sweet Potato Gratin, deserves its very own star on a culinary walk of fame. The thinly sliced sweet potatoes were layered and topped with a crispy brown sugar top. This side was spicy enough to give my throat a little tingly burn and to have a few beads of sweat appear along my hairline and forehead. I want this recipe! I want it at Thanksgiving and every BBQ meal I enjoy. They were so good, I wonder if I need to create a list for Sweet Potatoes here on Unilocal.
Their Jacked Up Mac-​n-​Cheese, is made with traditional small elbow macaroni. It is evenly covered in a rich creamy cheese sauce. I normally like it to be backed, but the flavor is good enough, that I didn’t mind.
Finally, I have found a BBQ that knows how to serve burnt ends. They serve them as burnt ends, as full pieces of meat. I am so tired of some BBQ joints trying to be creative and dicing and slicing their BE’s. They sauce and toss their ends, with just enough sauce to coat them lightly. As I enjoyed the tender pieces of meat, I had no need to add additional sauce.
I had the opportunity to meet and chat with the owners. I was also impressed with the hustle and bustle of the staff in making sure the opening day went smooth. I was so impressed with this lunch, I taking a friend back tonight for dinner. I gotta try the ribs, corn on the cob, onion rings, red neck potato salad and of course the Bourbon pecan pie.