Wayne's Smoke Shack - Superior, Colorado

Denise G.

I was excited to try this place out last month and the line out the door was a good sign. A 50 minute wait later, I was sure glad that my visit to Colorado was a short one and I'd be going back to Texas.

Ribs were really, really quite sugary, but tender. Brisket lacked a good smoke ring and was a tad too salty for me but again, tender enough. Sausage lacked a nice snappy casing. I would've tried a sauce to salvage the meal but realized they're surprisingly not free.

Took a smoked turkey to freeze and reheat for Thanksgiving during our stay, and that was probably the better meat of the lot but everyone only had one serving.

Mac and cheese was a good side and ample portion. Flavorful, but one time was definitely enough.

Service was friendly during the lunch rush. So friendly, I wished I had liked the meal more.

Glad the CO locals have some kind of TX style bbq option, but come visit sometime to taste the difference. 🙂

Patrick M.

Wayne’s Smoke Shack is the clear best BBQ in Colorado and is among the top tier nationally as well. Having grown up in San Antonio, TX, I have always preferred the Central Texas method which Wayne follows.

Our typical order includes:
Brisket: The greatest indicator of skill, the brisket is incredibly tender, packed with flavor, and the seasoning is craveable.
Ribs: The best ribs I have *ever* encountered, each rack is perfectly cooked, providing a great bite while falling off the bone, and the sweet rub on top with brown sugar and a touch of heat is perfection.
Pork Belly: The perfect way to start the meal, the candied pork belly is meaty while also melting in your mouth and wakes up your taste buds.
Sausage: Made with brisket burnt ends that provide an awesome range of flavor, the sausage is moist and pairs perfectly with the Texas Gold BBQ sauce.
Chili: Quite possibly the best BBQ side I’ve ever had, the chili is made with pulled pork, green chilies, beans, and combines to create a savory, pork-forward flavor with a touch of heat from the chilies.
Toffee: A fun way to top off the meal, the sticky toffee pudding is rich in flavor, has a balanced sweetness, and pairs great with their homemade whipped cream.

The service is incredibly friendly from Wayne, his wife Sam, to everyone else on the line.

Don’t be misled by some of my fellow Texans in these reviews who malign any BBQ joint not in-state, Wayne’s is among the top tier of BBQ and has been more consistent for me than some of the household names in Texas. Wayne’s peer group in my rankings includes Cattleack in Dallas, Panther City in Fort Worth, and ZZQ in Richmond - excellent establishments who, while not having reached the level of fame of some, are deserving of it.

Edit: I was not up on the times and both Cattleack and Panther City were recognized by Michelin - there’s the fame they deserve!!

Andrei

First off. Why the heck does this only have 4.6 stars. Unacceptable. It should have 6 stars 😂 I've lived in colorado for nearly 10 years and every bbq place has been a travesty a dissapointment and embarrassment. Maybe that's because I have very high texas standards, so decided to try this place as we just got back from New Years in Holland and we're craving good american food. We'll this did not dissapoint. The brisket was lean but could barely hold it up on a fork because of how tender it was. I'm in heaven it reminded me of terry Blacks in Austin and coopers in lockhart. I even got to meet wayne the owner and we chatted about his smoker and how he cooks his meat. I was amazed he was even telling me everything he did. Wayne and his wife Sam are so kind and very sweet. They bring the texas to Colorado i highly reccomend

Becca M.

Literally best barbecue I’ve ever had in my life. Ribs 10/10, pork belly 10/10, pulled pork 10/10, desserts 10/10 and service 10/10. Made my friend’s birthday special and fun! Wish I lived next door. Thanks again guys!

Jordan S.

This restaurant is the best BBQ place I've discovered in the Denver area so far. The ribs, salmon, mac and cheese, and pork belly were all delicious, and the pork belly was fatty. The sweet tea was exceptionally well-made and delicious. On the downside, the sauces come packaged, which seems unnecessary, wasteful, and very pricey. Additionally, you have to pay for the service fees, which is crazy. I find it disappointing that you have to pay extra for BBQ sauce and service fees, considering the already high prices. Knocking them down a star for this practice. I prefer having the option to try the sauces at the table. Moreover, having to grab napkins and silverware is not very convenient. The customer service is good and helpful, but they don't offer suggestions or recommendations. The peach cobbler was just okay, lacking in flavor and seemed plain. The restaurant has plenty of space inside, creating a comfortable atmosphere with fun interior design featuring plants for a simple look. It's very clean despite being open only two days a week. An interesting feature is the frozen grab-and-go section for taking home some meat, which I think is a cool option for those interested.

Coach S. T.

Best BBQ restaurant I have been to. The beef brisket melted in my mouth. The hot bbq sauce was amazing. I loved the bbq beans like home made. It is very cool that you get get as little or as much as you want. Sold by weight, the staff was very helpful. I will be returning soon for more. At 1pm they ran out of everything. I got some chili. I asked the server if it was heat hot. She said yes. The chili was cold. People kept coming in and the staff seems to enjoy telling them that they have ran out of everything. They should close the store. I will not be returning. Something happened last week.

Bodies B. F.

Really loved the bbq. There was a long line already when I arrived at 11am opening on a Saturday. I knew it was good the moment I saw the long line. The smoke ring on the brisket was very nice and the taste of the brisket and ribs was top tier. Easily top 3 best bbq I’ve had in the state of Colorado. The southern style green beans were really good as well. I absolutely loved the sticky toffee pudding! They make you eat the card fees if you’re paying by card which is a bit of a downfall of the service aspect imo since already paying a premium on the meat price, but smart on their behalf by not having to eat that cost. Seemed a little disorganized at the to go counter with thanksgiving orders being pushed out at the moment. The food was some top tier bbq and I’ll be back for more for that reason! The turkey sold out before I could any which was a bummer but still have something to look forward to for next time. Ordering is pretty simple and straight forward. Only open two days a week Fridays and Saturdays so the window of opportunity it little but I can see why after spending one time there. They sell massive amounts of bbq in a small time. The Texas gold bbq sauce was really good also. This is a place I’d proudly bring family and friends that has the bodies by farny approval! I look forward to the next time!

Jimmy J.

The best barbecue I’ve had in Colorado. Period. The brisket is perfect with a great crust, the fat rendered and fall apart tender. It’s real Texas brisket so it’s super smoky and not sweet.
The ribs are the best I’ve ever had. Super meaty and a crust with enough bite and sweet.
The candied pork belly is fantastic. You don’t need a lot because it’s so rich, but try it.
The staff was very friendly and helpful. When we arrived just before opening there were about 40 people in line already. Because the staff knows what they are doing it moved fast once the doors opened.
I didn’t care for the pulled pork. The meat is nice but the flavor base doesn’t work for me. I need some vinegar in there!
We had the garlic mash and the green chili mac. Both good, both a bit salty and the mac needs more green.
The peach cobbler was good, but very bready with few peaches. After a rich meal like this you don’t need more bread you need the peaches!