Black Dog Smoke Ale House - Champaign

As we approached, we noticed a crowd seemingly waiting for tables. While this is typical for a fantastic barbecue place and usually suggests the food will be worth the wait, we were pleasantly surprised to be seated immediately. The weather was lovely, and with outdoor seating available, it’s possible that the people we saw were waiting for a spot outside. Every staff member we encountered, from the host to the servers, was fantastic! Despite the busy atmosphere, the service was quick and friendly, and the servers frequently checked in to see if we needed anything. As for the food, it was outstanding—fork-tender and bursting with smoky flavor. The turkey was the special of the day, and a good smoked turkey is one of my weaknesses. Unfortunately, it was sold out, which means I’ll have to return to try it another day. I did manage to snag a shirt for myself during this visit, but as we were leaving, I spotted a stuffed black dog wearing a shirt. I’ll have to look into getting a dog-sized shirt along with that turkey next time I’m in town!

They did a great job . We had a huge party. Got us all seated pretty close to each other in a reasonable time frame. The brisket queso was disappointing to me . Not much cheese in there . More like brisket and gravy the way it tasted. The Texascaviar wasn't that great either . Really bland . I ordered the two meat special . I thought the brisket was really good . Thehot polish was ok . Lots of bbq sauces to choose from . You get two choices with each order. Thank you for getting the wholeparty seated in a timely manner

I started with the garden salad, which came with a delicious creole vinaigrette dressing, and I also tried the daily special: smoked chicken andouille sausage gumbo. The gumbo was served hot and had a nice spicy kick. While the andouille sausage was a bit bland, the gumbo itself was still enjoyable. For my main course, I opted for a two-meat platter featuring sliced brisket (from the flat, which is lean) and burnt ends (from the fattier point). I chose pit beans and twice-baked potato casserole as my sides. I paired my meal with Texas Red and Georgia Peach sauces. The sides were decent but not exceptional. The pit beans were tasty and smoky, with hearty chunks of meat, but they arrived barely lukewarm. The twice-baked potato casserole was hot and flavorful, although the portion was rather small, served in an aluminum muffin tin. Keep in mind that a single review may not fully represent an establishment's entire menu, as I didn’t sample many of the other meat options or sides. I consider myself a BBQ enthusiast and enjoy exploring highly-rated local BBQ spots, both in Illinois and in other states. BBQ styles and flavors can vary greatly by region, so personal taste plays a significant role in one’s opinion about food quality. That said, my benchmark for any BBQ place revolves around the main dish, and I always aim for the most challenging meat to smoke, which is typically beef brisket. I asked my server about the type of wood Black Dog uses for smoking their meats and the kind of smoker they employ, and she provided me with a prompt and informative response.

My husband has never left chips and salsa uneaten at a restaurant, and I never leave macaroni and cheese on my plate. The restaurant and bar are beautifully designed, and the staff is friendly. However, they offered no suggestions and didn’t check in with us once they decided it was time to wrap up our meal. They use tablets for ordering and payment, which means they hover around waiting for you to return their tablet, a touch annoying. The food was just okay, and the portions were surprisingly small for a BBQ restaurant, although it did arrive quickly. The staff was also quick to usher us out the door. After a $50 bill with a generous tip, we left still feeling hungry. We won’t be returning, but since we’re just passing through, it’s not a big loss. I’m giving it 2 stars because the food was edible, but the overall experience was underwhelming.

The food is excellent and very reasonably priced given the quality and portion sizes. The restaurant is located in an old train station that has been beautifully remodeled.