The food is unbelievably bland, as if the cooks don't use salt. Never in my life have I felt the need to put salt on Mac & cheese, or on smoked meats! If you're looking for a great local BBQ, look somewhere else, because this isn't it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Matthew Neubeck
Mediocre BBQ at best. I really want to like this place because it's near home. Food/BBQ is Luke warm, dry and is rewarmed. I know this ain't Texas or Missouri but if you're charging almost $50 for a rack, it should be top of the line BBQ fresh that day. Great bourbon and cocktail menu. The service has always been great. Check it out and see what you think.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
al johnson
I highly recommend Oak and Embers. The staff has always been great and the portions are good size. If you go, try the burnt ends.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: BBQ
Maria Abdala
It takes a long time to get your food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Angie Hershner
Good food, awesome drink selections.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Darren Morgan
"AM B." was my server on a Saturday afternoon. Maybe 20-25 people in the place. This was my first time at Oak & Embers.
I ordered food ahead for take-out, but decided to sit at the bar and have a beer with my pulled pork tacos. Problem 1) the girl at the front counter was more interested in her phone than greeting guests. Problem 2) Before my food was ready, I sat at the bar. AM B. didn't greet me, didn't say hello, hardly looked at me. I was the only person at the bar. Problem 3) She waited on and prepared and served drinks to two tables of 3 to 4 people, both of which were seated after I got to the bar. I went to washroom while she served tables. Problem 4) After 7-8 mins, she finally gave me a beer menu. I then waited another 5 mins before she took my order. While waiting, I went back to the front desk to pick up my food. Problem 5) I took my food to the bar, and it wasn't actually prepared. It was all in to-go containers and I had to make my tacos. Problem 6) AM B. never once looked to see that I was using my fingers to build my tacos. No silverware, no napkins, nothing. Not even a "do you need anything?" I proceeded to sit there, stare at her when she walked by, waiting to make eye contact so I could ask for napkins. I made a taco, ate it. Made another, ate it. Made a 3rd to go, and not once did she check on me. Problem 7) I put my CC out to pay, and she walked by it twice. I finally had to ask her for the bill. While she ran it, I went to the washroom again to clean my sticky fingers.
I then wrote on the receipt, "No napkins, no silverware, no service, no tip." I regret even paying $2 tip on the food pre-order.
On a positive note, the food was really good, and the nut brown ale was, also. The atmosphere and decor was nice for a Saturday afternoon. The bathroom needed cleaned, and it was cold in there. The restaurant and the food were 4 star.
The server needs relocated to dishwasher, because she was a 1 star.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 1
Gina
The pulled pork tacos were amazing and too much to eat!
Kid-friendliness: Very kid friendly
Wheelchair accessibility: Most of the restaurant is wheelchair accessible and there are very large bathrooms
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Baked Beans, BBQ, Cornbread
Matt
Finally made our first trip to Oak and Ember on a Friday evening. We made reservations, so we were promptly seated; oddly, the restaurant was only about half full. We had the burnt ends and cheese curds to start. Cheese curds were pretty standard, but the ends were fantastic - some crispy, some a little fatty, all covered in BBQ sauce.
Main courses were brisket and pull pork; again, both cooked perfectly. Prices were a little high, but portions were very large. Drink prices were also on the high side (4 cocktails came to $64). They have a HUGE bourbon list with different flight options if that is your thing. Wait staff was not very attentive, but not rude as some other reviews have stated. Plenty of menu options (looking forward to trying the meatloaf!), so we will be back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Amy Hiner
The burnt ends were wonderful. The service was slow but adequate.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Cornbread
Traci Barron
Seen this restaurant on many social media websites. So my husband and I decided Saturday 02/01/2025 to try it. We drove an hour to get there because it looked good. Walked in to the restaurant and was told they were not taking walk ins anymore but we could sit at the bar. That was fine with us plus there was plenty of seats at the bar open. We sat down and was never greated. That was fine they was making drinks. But then we sat there and sat there and sat there. We was never asked if we needed anything if we wanted to order anything, nothing! I finally asked the young man for a menu. He finally gave us one but he gave us attitude with it. But still was never asked if we wanted anything. He made time to talk to other people sitting at the bar. But never talked to us. After sitting there for 20 minutes and never asked if we wanted anything we decided to leave. I talked to the manager before we left. Which it was obvious she could care less what I was saying. The entire time I'm trying to explain to her what happened she was to busy looking at the tablet then to make eye contact with me. She didn't even hear what I said. She said you're the party of 6 right? If she would have been listening she would have heard me say it was just me and my husband. She definitely didn't care what I was saying. Would have loved to try the food because the reviews on the food looked amazing. But because of the lack of caring from the bartender and manager we never got to even try it. I understand that restaurants gwy busy. But when you deliberately don't talk to us there's something wrong. And the manager was no help either. Maybe some more training for both of them on hospitality is needed. Sad to get a review like this when your restaurant looked very nice and the food did too. Wish we would have been able to try it.
Good food, VERY SLOW service. Saturday evening walk-in, had to wait 30 minutes for a table after being told 15 minutes at the front desk. Ordered and got drinks fairly promptly, then had to wait OVER AN HOUR for our food. This is BBQ, people - if you can't figure out how to get diners their food within 20-30 minutes of ordering, you're trying to serve way more people than your kitchen is staffed for and you end up with harried wait staff and unhappy customers. Looking at the recent reviews, this seems like a pretty consistent problem. Close a section of the restaurant, stop doing takeout, hire more kitchen staff ... do something before you run the restaurant into the ground.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Elon Bortz
Prices have gone way up along with the quality of the food going way down. Used to love it, won’t be back until it gets better again.
Dietary restrictions: GF options
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 5
Bill Barron
The absolute most horrible service I have ever had Good Luck Don’t waste your time with this Mickey Mouse outfit
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Jeff Green
Food was good, server was excellent given how busy it was. Little on the costly side.
The food is unbelievably bland, as if the cooks don't use salt. Never in my life have I felt the need to put salt on Mac & cheese, or on smoked meats! If you're looking for a great local BBQ, look somewhere else, because this isn't it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Mediocre BBQ at best. I really want to like this place because it's near home. Food/BBQ is Luke warm, dry and is rewarmed. I know this ain't Texas or Missouri but if you're charging almost $50 for a rack, it should be top of the line BBQ fresh that day. Great bourbon and cocktail menu. The service has always been great. Check it out and see what you think.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
I highly recommend Oak and Embers. The staff has always been great and the portions are good size. If you go, try the burnt ends.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: BBQ
It takes a long time to get your food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Good food, awesome drink selections.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
"AM B." was my server on a Saturday afternoon. Maybe 20-25 people in the place. This was my first time at Oak & Embers.
I ordered food ahead for take-out, but decided to sit at the bar and have a beer with my pulled pork tacos.
Problem 1) the girl at the front counter was more interested in her phone than greeting guests.
Problem 2) Before my food was ready, I sat at the bar. AM B. didn't greet me, didn't say hello, hardly looked at me. I was the only person at the bar.
Problem 3) She waited on and prepared and served drinks to two tables of 3 to 4 people, both of which were seated after I got to the bar. I went to washroom while she served tables.
Problem 4) After 7-8 mins, she finally gave me a beer menu. I then waited another 5 mins before she took my order. While waiting, I went back to the front desk to pick up my food.
Problem 5) I took my food to the bar, and it wasn't actually prepared. It was all in to-go containers and I had to make my tacos.
Problem 6) AM B. never once looked to see that I was using my fingers to build my tacos. No silverware, no napkins, nothing. Not even a "do you need anything?" I proceeded to sit there, stare at her when she walked by, waiting to make eye contact so I could ask for napkins. I made a taco, ate it. Made another, ate it. Made a 3rd to go, and not once did she check on me.
Problem 7) I put my CC out to pay, and she walked by it twice. I finally had to ask her for the bill. While she ran it, I went to the washroom again to clean my sticky fingers.
I then wrote on the receipt, "No napkins, no silverware, no service, no tip." I regret even paying $2 tip on the food pre-order.
On a positive note, the food was really good, and the nut brown ale was, also. The atmosphere and decor was nice for a Saturday afternoon. The bathroom needed cleaned, and it was cold in there. The restaurant and the food were 4 star.
The server needs relocated to dishwasher, because she was a 1 star.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 1
The pulled pork tacos were amazing and too much to eat!
Kid-friendliness: Very kid friendly
Wheelchair accessibility: Most of the restaurant is wheelchair accessible and there are very large bathrooms
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Baked Beans, BBQ, Cornbread
Finally made our first trip to Oak and Ember on a Friday evening. We made reservations, so we were promptly seated; oddly, the restaurant was only about half full. We had the burnt ends and cheese curds to start. Cheese curds were pretty standard, but the ends were fantastic - some crispy, some a little fatty, all covered in BBQ sauce.
Main courses were brisket and pull pork; again, both cooked perfectly. Prices were a little high, but portions were very large. Drink prices were also on the high side (4 cocktails came to $64). They have a HUGE bourbon list with different flight options if that is your thing. Wait staff was not very attentive, but not rude as some other reviews have stated. Plenty of menu options (looking forward to trying the meatloaf!), so we will be back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
The burnt ends were wonderful. The service was slow but adequate.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Cornbread
Seen this restaurant on many social media websites.
So my husband and I decided Saturday 02/01/2025 to try it. We drove an hour to get there because it looked good.
Walked in to the restaurant and was told they were not taking walk ins anymore but we could sit at the bar. That was fine with us plus there was plenty of seats at the bar open.
We sat down and was never greated. That was fine they was making drinks.
But then we sat there and sat there and sat there. We was never asked if we needed anything if we wanted to order anything, nothing! I finally asked the young man for a menu. He finally gave us one but he gave us attitude with it. But still was never asked if we wanted anything. He made time to talk to other people sitting at the bar. But never talked to us. After sitting there for 20 minutes and never asked if we wanted anything we decided to leave.
I talked to the manager before we left. Which it was obvious she could care less what I was saying. The entire time I'm trying to explain to her what happened she was to busy looking at the tablet then to make eye contact with me. She didn't even hear what I said. She said you're the party of 6 right? If she would have been listening she would have heard me say it was just me and my husband. She definitely didn't care what I was saying.
Would have loved to try the food because the reviews on the food looked amazing. But because of the lack of caring from the bartender and manager we never got to even try it. I understand that restaurants gwy busy. But when you deliberately don't talk to us there's something wrong. And the manager was no help either. Maybe some more training for both of them on hospitality is needed.
Sad to get a review like this when your restaurant looked very nice and the food did too.
Wish we would have been able to try it.
Parking: Parking lot had a lot of ice on it
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Outstanding food and service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good food, VERY SLOW service. Saturday evening walk-in, had to wait 30 minutes for a table after being told 15 minutes at the front desk. Ordered and got drinks fairly promptly, then had to wait OVER AN HOUR for our food. This is BBQ, people - if you can't figure out how to get diners their food within 20-30 minutes of ordering, you're trying to serve way more people than your kitchen is staffed for and you end up with harried wait staff and unhappy customers. Looking at the recent reviews, this seems like a pretty consistent problem. Close a section of the restaurant, stop doing takeout, hire more kitchen staff ... do something before you run the restaurant into the ground.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Prices have gone way up along with the quality of the food going way down. Used to love it, won’t be back until it gets better again.
Dietary restrictions: GF options
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 5
The absolute most horrible service I have ever had
Good Luck
Don’t waste your time with this Mickey Mouse outfit
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Food was good, server was excellent given how busy it was. Little on the costly side.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
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