Redwood Smoke Shack FAQs

We're Texas-style BBQ with Virginia roots. That means quality meats, simple seasoning, real wood fires, low-and-slow cooking, and letting the meat speak for itself.

The old-fashioned way: low and slow over real oak wood. Our pits burn clean fires that produce clean blue smoke—the kind that adds flavor without overpowering the meat.

Because good smoke shouldn't punch you in the face. We burn clean oak fires, creating a light, clean smoke that complements the meat instead of leaving it bitter or overly smoky. Heavy smoke doesn't necessarily mean better BBQ.

Typically 12–16 hours, but BBQ doesn't run on a stopwatch. Every brisket is different, so we cook by feel, temperature and tenderness until it's ready.

We use USDA Prime beef brisket—the upper 50% of Prime. Great BBQ starts with great meat, and this is one place we don't compromise.

Our lineup includes prime beef brisket, pork spareribs, pulled pork, pulled chicken, housemade sausage, pork belly along with rotating specials such as smoked turkey, pastrami, beef ribs and more. Availability varies because everything is cooked fresh and when it's gone, it's gone.

Yes. We smoke for the day, every day we're open. We aren't cooking a week's worth of brisket and reheating it as we go. That's also why occasionally selling out is part of what we do.

It's part of traditional Texas BBQ line culture—and part of what makes the experience different. Instead of your meat sitting pre-sliced waiting for you, you come to the cutter and we slice it fresh while you order.

Start at the meat cutter, tell us what you'd like, watch it get sliced or pulled fresh, then make your way down the line for sides, drinks and everything else. Simple, fast and very Texas.

Because freshly sliced BBQ is better BBQ. Once brisket is sliced, it immediately begins losing moisture. We keep it whole until you order so what lands on your tray is as fresh and juicy as possible.

Absolutely. Prefer lean? Tell your cutter. Love the rich, juicy stuff? Ask for moist. Not sure? Ask for a little of both.

Because brisket is portioned by weight—not by the number of slices. Every brisket is shaped differently, and slices from different parts of the brisket vary in size. The number of slices may change; the portion weight doesn't.

It means we've sold through essentially all of our main smoked meats for the day. We don't consider ourselves sold out just because one popular item is gone. If there's still plenty of BBQ to serve, we're still serving it.

Because real BBQ takes time. A brisket can take 12–16 hours to smoke, so we can't simply make more when the dinner rush hits. We forecast every day's production as carefully as possible, but some days you surprise us—and we'd rather occasionally sell out than intentionally overproduce food just to reheat it tomorrow.

Nope. We want to sell you BBQ! Selling out means we've genuinely sold through the day's main smoked meats. It's the nature of cooking fresh BBQ with a process that starts many hours before we open the doors.

Earlier is always better. We cook a limited amount of each meat every day, and popular items can disappear as service goes on. If you've got your heart set on something specific, don't wait until the end of the day.

Regular restaurant orders cannot be placed days in advance or reserved for pickup later. Because our meats are smoked fresh and availability changes throughout the day, we can't guarantee inventory that far ahead. The exception is catering, which is planned and produced separately in advance.

Unfortunately, no. Our BBQ is available first come, first served. We don't want to promise you a brisket today that tomorrow's cook or demand may not allow us to deliver.

Yes! Online ordering is available for regular pickup or delivery orders during service. The online menu reflects what is available for ordering at that time, and items may become unavailable as we sell through them.

Many of our specials are intentionally in-store only. They're made in limited quantities, often require extra assembly, and some are simply best handed directly from our crew to you. If you see a special you have to have, come see us.

Unless we specifically announce otherwise, specials are first come, first served and cannot be preordered or reserved.

Many of our signature Texas-inspired BBQ specials are available all day while supplies last, while others are specifically featured during our happy hours. Check our social media accounts or our specials page for the latest updates.

While we try to keep things consistent, some specials may be exclusive to our Norfolk, Virginia Beach, or Suffolk pits. Follow us on social media for real-time updates.

Every single one. Our specialty platters aren't sitting assembled under a heat lamp. Meats are sliced or pulled, toppings are added, sauces are applied and the whole thing is built by hand when you order it. Some take a little extra time—but that's because we're actually making your food.

Our specialty platters are designed as complete dishes, so we don't offer substitutions. Every meat, topping, sauce and side is there for a reason.

Absolutely. That's the Texas way. Order a little, order a lot, mix your meats and build your own spread.

For most adults, about ½ pound of meat per person is a good starting point when you're also ordering sides. Big appetites—or a table determined to experience everything Redwood has to offer—may want a little more.

We offer Garlic & Green Onion and Jalapeño-Cheddar. One is savory and classic; the other brings a little heat and plenty of cheesy goodness. Can't decide? Get both. Problem solved.

Start with the brisket. Seriously. Add another meat that sounds good, grab a couple of sides and try the sauces. Or go for one of our samplers and experience a little bit of everything.

Need it? Nope. Want it? Absolutely. We believe properly smoked meat should be able to stand on its own, but we're also very proud of our sauces. There are no BBQ police here—eat it however makes you happy.

We make our sauces in-house, including our House BBQ, KP's Vinegar, Alabama White and Georgia Mustard. Each brings something different to the table, so don't be afraid to try more than one.

Absolutely. From office lunches and backyard parties to weddings and big events, we can bring Redwood to the crowd. Catering is planned in advance, which means we can prepare the appropriate amount of BBQ specifically for your event.

No. Catering is planned separately from our daily restaurant production. If you're feeding a crowd or need guaranteed quantities at a specific time, catering is the way to go.

Yes—through catering. Regular restaurant food can't be reserved days in advance, but catering allows us to plan your order and smoke specifically for your event.

Most Redwood catering orders are designed for pickup at one of our locations. We do offer limited delivery depending on your location, order size, date, and availability. You can check our online catering ordering page to see if delivery is available to your address. If you don't see delivery offered but have a special request, email us at catering@redwoodsmokeshack.com and we'll let you know if we're able to accommodate it.

We do not offer event setup or staffed catering service. Most catering orders are picked up from one of our locations, with limited delivery available for select orders. Your food will be packaged and ready for you to serve and enjoy.

Our core BBQ lineup is the same, but specials, availability, hours and certain offerings can vary by location. Always check the location you're planning to visit for the latest information.

Yes. Available on our website.

Yes! Because nothing says "I care about you" quite like giving someone permission to eat more brisket.

No, we only accept credit cards, Apple and Google Pay.