Bodean's BBQ - Soho in City of London, Westminster

Used to to to the Fulham branch years ago and loved it, but it's terrible now, portions are tiny, for it's average, and the service was abysmal, I waiter was covering the entire venue. Wouldn't go again.

I should have read some of the recent reviews, as we were somewhat disappointed with our experience. We were seated at a very small table. My ranch salad was good, but unremarkable. My husband found his ribs and chicken wings flavourless, and not very meaty. He also disliked the paper lining on the serving tray, which disintegrated and got onto the food. On the plus side, staff were very friendly and helpful. And my buttermilk corn muffins were delicious.

Been going there for years - better atmosphere - they have a few locations now can't recommend enough

Staff were lovely but terrible food! And only offered a refund if i travelled back into London in store (or a voucher which doesn’t make sense)

food was below average and quite disappointing, service was great and helped a lot with my girlfriends dairy intolerance, the actual place was stunning, amazing vibe and fun it’s just the food. my large dish consisted of 2 glazed chicken thighs, 3 glazed chicken wings, chips and coleslaw. The chicken was dry and genuinely tasteless while the glaze didn’t help at all, same with the chicken wings, really disappointed. the chips were really bland and soggy, had no seasoning because i guess juts to be safe they didn’t put any seasoning on the chips due to my gfs dairy intolerance but the seasoning wouldn’t have made it much better anyway and the coleslaw wasn’t fresh but was probably the best part of the dish. from the food i was served today i could tell the chefs either do not care about the food they cook or arnt chefs. really disappointing considering the amazing vibe and friendliness of the staff but at the end of the day you dine to eat good food, anything else is an extra.

Nice service and great food. We will come back :-)

BBQ meats are very tasty and tender. Recommend 100%

Food was really good and Anton was a great waiter, recommending good drinks and food. overall service was outstanding.

Food was great We order the 50£ plate and it was satisfying in quantity and tasty The service was friendly and polite (greetings to my Greek friend )The milkshakes are also great

Always my go to for a cheap and tasty dinner in soho

Food was amazing. Service was friendly but a bit slow.

What a disappointing evening out. Served lukewarm food which was salty but had no flavour. Once the food was served, no one came over to check if we were happy with the meal or even if we needed further drinks or desserts. When the bill arrived we ask for the service charge to be removed and they still were not interested to find out if there was an issue. Instead half the servers were by this time were sitting at the bar having a beer, just staring at us as we left.

Parter había venido aquí años atrás y sugirió intentarlo de nuevo. El personal mientras atento a tomar nuestro pedido y la comida salió muy rápido pero tibio, no vimos el servidor de nuevo en nuestra mesa hasta que las servilletas habían estado en nuestros platos durante al menos 10 minutos. La comida era salada aparte de los muslos de pollo que no tenían sabor en absoluto. Muy decepcionante

Excellent food excellent service and excellent atmosphere! Must try their pulled pork combos!

Food was very nice. The cocktails were amazing the bartender Marquise had amazing service which we all appreciated.

A special Christmas lunch with the family. OK food, but nothing special. The description of the nachos looked delicious but they were pitiful. Portions were quite small. Staff were polite but seemed very fed up. Wasn't mega busy. Toilets were vile - someone needs to give them a good scrub and sort the locks, only one of three was working. I wouldn't go again sadly.

This place has gone down so much, used to be great. I went to the Soho branch and had the smoked chick thighs, they were tiny and dry, the sides of coleslaw and fries were OK. Serving staff weee great. Meal was not worth £18, I will not be back although worth noting that the beers were cheaper than the pubs around there.

It's been 8 years since I was last at BoDeans and it did not disappoint. The service was great, gentleman serving me was friendly and inviting. The food was brilliant. Everything tasted fresh and how proper BBQ should be. Would definitely recommend the burnt end. The atmosphere was quiet and chilled for the time I was there with people talking and football on the TV. Ideal.

Such tasty food. The milkshakes are so good. Will definitely be back!

The food in the photo cost 50 pounds, but the pork ribs were too dry and tasteless. The chicken was also quite overcooked and dry, and overall, the food was disappointing. I don’t understand why this place is popular. The fries weren’t even hot, and despite it not being a busy time, the food overall was cold and lacked flavor. It was a Monday lunch, and I’m curious if the 10% service charge is always applied. I ordered a draft beer, and while it was cold, it lacked flavor and tasted flat, as if it had gone stale. I would not recommend this place.

Excellent BBQ with fun and friendly atmosphere! And sports TV!

Bit of a strange experience this one - came for a birthday meal and booked in for a set time. Some of our party was running late so we were waiting for them to join us. One of the managers came to us not to take a drink order, but to remind us that we only had the booking for 1 hour left or so. That's all well and good except you haven't taken our order for the drinks yet.... The rest of the party arrive and we start to place our order, the man taking the order replies with only a stare and a "Yes.", no writing anything down so he forgot our side order we wanted. Staff were not very attentive throughout the meal, no checking in on the food or for more drinks. The food is okay, the portions are not massive. The vegan hot dog had barely any sausage compared to a massive bun, and only a small amount of chips. The brisket meals I saw on the table were not huge either, looked a poor amount for an evening fill-up. The BBQ sauces provided on the tables however were very nice. We finish the food and again, a manager comes over and reminds us that another booking is waiting and that they will need the table. At this point we still have 30mins left of the booking, and no one was asking if we want to order anything else so I'm very confused what we were supposed to do about that. Why is it put on the customer to rush out the door, instead of the staff she manages? We order a couple of milkshakes to finish, they are only some flavoured syrup in blended ice creams - not very thick like you'd expect of an American Diner style milkshake. Overall, the ambience and decor of the place was spot-on, but the food and the service was underwhelming. Would not rush back.

I had clukin platter it was a mixture of hot and not so hot a bit cold

Has this place become quiet because the offering has got worse, or has the offering got worse because the place has become so quiet? After coming here annually for a Christmas party with a group pretty much since the restaurant first opened, in the last 12 months there seems to have been a massive change for the worse and a shrinking BBQ menu. Is it under new management? it’s become very noticeable that the platters once piled high with BBQ food have become nothing but average sized meals, but still for the same price. The big chunky rib selection, replaced by a few skinny spare ribs. It’s now more burgers than BBQ. The comfortable restaurant completely closed so you now sit in the drafty cafe - and if our group of 10 hadn’t been there it would have been half empty. Sadly, after so many years of looking forward to our annual Bodeans Christmas gathering, missing only then year of Covid, this is the first year we’ve come away thinking we’ll be looking at finding our annual BBQ fix somewhere else next year. Which is disappointing, and quite sad, after so many years.

Has this place become quiet because the offering has got worse, or has the offering got worse because the place has become so quiet? After coming here annually for a Christmas party with a group pretty much since the restaurant first opened, in the last 12 months there seems to have been a massive change for the worse and a shrinking BBQ menu. Is it under new management? it’s become very noticeable that the platters once piled high with BBQ food have become nothing but average sized meals, but still for the same price. The big chunky rib selection, replaced by a few skinny spare ribs. It’s now more burgers than BBQ. The comfortable restaurant completely closed so you now sit in the drafty cafe - and if our group of 10 hadn’t been there it would have been half empty. Sadly, after so many years of looking forward to our annual Bodeans Christmas gathering, missing only then year of Covid, this is the first year we’ve come away thinking we’ll be looking at finding our annual BBQ fix somewhere else next year. Which is disappointing, and quite sad, after so many years.

We visited on a Wednesday lunchtime with our kids. Our waitress was friendly and service was good. My husband had the baby back ribs, which were nice The house burger however was overcooked and not great. The kids meal was also ok but nothing special. They do provide crayons and colouring for kids. Most disappointing was how dirty the toilets were. My husband took our little boy to the men's but there was no toilet seat, no toilet roll and no soap! Overall I would not return.

Small portions, average quality, not particularly clean and not much staff interaction.

Food was just not good, cheap and disappointing, even the chips were awful! The “key lime pie” is a bland cheese cake with two slices of lime on top with zero flavour. Toilets are disgusting and full of drain flies. Will not return unfortunately.

Great food and great service! Had the brisket with mashed potatoes and oh my god it was delicious!!

A shade of there former selves. Maybe it's time to shutdown for a week or two. Revamp the menu and refocus. The food not bad, but it feels like the place is succumbing to routine.

It was very dry the meats. Loud busy place.

Very nice staff and good service. The food is really tasty and portions are perfect. Good atmosphere and setting too.

Food very enjoyable and the one drink I had was nice but that’s we’re the good ends. I’ve eaten at a lot of places over the years all over the country from chip shops in Blackpool to Michelin star restaurants however the service I received today at Bodean’s was by far the worst I have ever experienced however good the food is it can never make up for such shocking service it was that bad even my 5 year old son commented how bad it was. Unfortunately I will never get to experience the good food again because I will never be stepping foot near the place. I’d list the issues we had but there was so many of them that I really don’t have the time just take my word for it it was absolutely ridiculously bad

I ordered the classic duo - BBQ burnt ends & pulled pork combo with seasoned fries and slaw…. It was all delicious and I left the bits I didn’t like (see photo).

Best of the best. Best smokehouse in London and best of the Bodeans!

Food took over 35 minutes to come, we were not given tables despite tables being available for (to be fair we didn’t have a reservation. the staff could’ve done better

Visited Soho tonight with a friend to celebrate my birthday. My friend is American, and since it’s Thanksgiving, we thought it would be fun to mark the occasion at Bodean’s. We arrived late, aroind 9.20 and the place seemed to be winding down for the evening. We noticed a nice window booth and asked if we could sit there, but the staff member told us it was only for four people—even though it was clear no other customers were coming in. Instead, we were seated at a smaller table, which felt a bit unnecessary given the circumstances. The food was fine, but the experience was let down by the lack of flexibility. It would have been great if they’d focused on making us feel welcome instead of sticking to rigid seating rules. Unfortunately, it left us feeling a bit disappointed. I also think we’d of definitely spent more money if we’d been made to feel more welcome.

Popped in after a visit to The Photographers Gallery and we were not disappointed. The service and food was first rate and when we asked the Manager a question about the NFL games they show on Sundays, she couldn't have been nicer or more helpful. Recommended and I will return.

I used to bodean's quite frequently. After a long break, in november 2024, i paid another visit, but was disappointed by the food. We ordered hamburger, brisket dinner and nachos for 2. Everything was underwhelming. Nachos were broing and tasteless, tasted like they used store-bought guac, burger was lifeless, and a bit overcooked, and brisket dinner was overpriced for what it is. I used to feel joy when i went to Bodean's. This time, it was boredom.

Great bbq place. Ribs was tender, juicy but mildly taste, so adding their bbq sauce (on the table) make better. The burn end and brisket was also good. The service was fast and attentive. The place was a little bit crowded

Loved Bodeans for many years but noticed a change recently. Menu is missing some of the better dishes, the bar menu is the most boring I’ve ever seen (what happened to all the American beers?) and the new look/vibe is not why people go to Bodean’s. The food is still decent, but new coleslaws / presentation are not as good as before. What happened to Soho Special and all the sandwiches from before? The combos? Where has the value gone? It was much better, cooler and more fun before, please go back to what you used to be (a genuine American bbq restaurant) because you can do better than the current bland, chain restaurant vibe. You had it right before!

Used to be good! Food is now so poor, not real BBQ. Dry meats, lacking flavour and all very below average. No atmosphere and staff not the greatest. Look elsewhere if you want a BBQ experience.

Visited as a large family group on a Saturday evening. Restaurant was busy but with no feel or vibe, just noise from diners. We were seated promptly and waited 10 mins to be served. Waiter was good, took order but no real interaction. Drinks arrived shortly after which were good, mix of cocktails, spirits and soft drinks. Food order was a mix of platters and individual orders. Food arrived fairly quickly but this is where it went down hill. Platters for two were inadequate and left us still hungry, nothing like what a BBQ platter for £50 should be. . Dry ribs with no flavour or sauce, pulled pork that could have been any meat as it was so bland. Sausages were ok and but chicken lacked any flavour also. Burnt ends were just a mush in a pot. BBQ sauces were sickly and so off the mark they went unused. Pit beans were to intense, how hard are beans to get right? We had no check from staff to see if our food was ok or if we wanted any more drinks which left us feel the service was not up to scratch. We’ve been to two Bodeans locations previously but this will be our last visit.

Nice find tasty bbq food perfect portion sizes

So first off, the smoked brisket was unavailable which was a downer considering this place calls itself the best BBQ place in Soho, where the place "Red Dog Saloon" actually provides all day. Then the prices of the wings - Teasers, was absolutely outrageous. For 6 wings you could get an actual meal. With teasers I pay no more than £5 but seeing this price shows me how out-of-touch they are with what starters should be priced like. For 6 wings I could get a meal? That's nothing short of being greedy. It's hard to suggest this place when the main BBQ meal is out and the starters is expensive. The burger was good but the bun was cold and the chips were good. But I couldn't even think of getting a dessert because I was already taken back by the teasers. The saving grace was the service and this restaurant got really lucky with these servers as they know how to be polite, good British servers. And the decor was pretty good too, I was expecting swinging cowboy doors somewhere can't have everything now can we? Also the Root Beer was light, had a weird taste, consider getting a better one.

I visit this establishment almost every time I visit London, cannot fault, ribs are excellent and service always fast and friendly.

Nice American food place with little space between the tables but food according to the American style. If you are in the mood, it is recommended

Really lovely diner style bar. Great burnt ends

The food was really nice. The staff were so welcoming and attentive. I wasn't a fan of the peach cobbler. It was quite bland and the scoop ice cream that came with it was far too small, but the beef burnt ends, chips and sauces were great. I also enjoyed the hurricane cocktail

A great choice for barbecue in London with an excellent selection of beers and bourbons. Also well equipped with screens to watch sport - the perfect choice to watch live NFL.

Used to be a favourite spot of mine but now; the prices are so high, the food portions so small, the music was awful and the quality has dropped hugely. So disappointing

My high expectation and excitement to visit Bodean’s from my previous visit a few years back came crashing down after eating here recently. The place was busy and had a nice atmosphere and the staff were friendly and attentive. We ordered cocktails as it was happy hour 2-for-1, but were told we can only order the same drink… this made us “unhappy” The irony! I started with chicken wings with bourbon sauce but these were sickly-sweet and lacked any bourbon flavour. The chicken was meaty and moist but devoid of flavour or seasoning, possibly completely overpowered by sweet, suffocating, sucrose smothering them. The blue cheese dip accompanying was bland. The burnt ends were nothing special and served in a salty soup like liquid. The coleslaw was overly wet and quickly saturated the paper it was served on, pretty sure I consumed some! The onion rings on the side should have stayed on the other side…of the room as these looked pale and anaemic with no flavour. Cooked from frozen from a bag is not what I’m paying for when I visit a place like Bodean’s. This establishment is unlikely to temp me back. Bodean’s was once at the forefront of smoked meats and other delicious treats but now stuck in the past and overtaken by many others who are simply doing it better and with more respect for good quality food and all at a better price.

Without a doubt we will not visit this particular Bodean's again. We must have arrived at a shift change around 4pm on a Sunday because when we got there there were at least 6 staff to be seen. Within 5 minutes and by the time we were ready to order there were just 2 to be seen, and we had to wait a long time to get their attention. We ordered starters and mains, and were enjoying a nice atmosphere of American country music. However, by the time we'd finished our starters the earlier server who'd taken our order had left and English football had been turned onto all TVs very loudly. As our server took our starter plates away we asked if the music could come back on but were told no because the football had only just started. So we asked if we could sit downstairs which was empty and were told no because downstairs was shut. If we weren't super hungry and hadn't already ordered mains that we expected to arrive soon, then we'd have left. Listening to football completely stunted any conversation and the atmosphere was horrible. This is an American themed restaurant, it should not be showing UK football, and if it is then it should be just that: showing it. On mute. The food was very tasty so this hasn't put us off all Bodean's, just this one.

Staff were attentive and really friendly 10/10. Food was extremely disappointing. I ordered the spare ribs and they were so dry I had to drench them in sauce and eventually only ate 2 of them. I had better ribs when they used to be on the Wetherspoons menu. Vibe was nice but lots of loud and rowdy drunks, wouldn’t recommend for a romantic meal or a date. Definitely can get better food at the price point, especially in soho.

Very nice place & good food. We've had much better, but it's no reflection on the place.

A Smokin' Good Time! This BBQ serves up a truly fantastic dinner. The smoked ribs were the star of the show - incredibly tender and packed with flavour. You can tell they've been slow-cooked to perfection. The service was fast and efficient, and we left feeling incredibly full and satisfied. Overall, this is a great BBQ spot in London that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Great meal, fantastic atmosphere, friendly staff, what more do you need?

The best baby back ribs that I ate, the chips are also one of a kind, the service is very good , top tier beers I m always looking forward to get back there

My go-to BBQ place in London. Especially the ribs & pulled pork are great.

amazing bbq! Cannot stop eating the meat on the plater! Even the pitcher of beer is really freezing cool and great.

Really enjoyed the food. Had lots of flavour and our waiter was really lovely. Having their gravy on the side is a must!!

Great food and good service. Beef Brisket was excellent 👌🏻

Excellent food and atmosphere is great too! Highly recommend it if you like American BBQ

A real letdown. I decided to try the place in Soho after finding out that the Bodean’s near Queensway is no longer open and I couldn’t recognise the signature smokey smell of the old restaurant. The shrimp skewers were tasteless and dry, the Caesar salad a mixture of limp lettuce with too much sauce, the meat hard and not very fresh. The place looks dirty and third rate. I miss the old Bodean’s.

We booked Bodeans for my partners 31st Birthday. I requested for a Happy Birthday note to be presented on the table but this was ignored. We ordered the Bodeans platter which was £50 that served 2 people, we were both disappointed with how little meat there was. We both left not feeling full in the slightest and felt we could have had a platter each ourselves. Food was ok but nothing special. We did go earlier in the evening at 4:30pm, staff were sitting around however looking bored, no one asked us how our food was. I would say it’s good for a quick pop in bite of food but i wouldn’t go for a special occasion, slightly disappointing. poor value for money. disappointing flavours for southern bbq.

Great smoked meat restaurant! Very good service, with very friendly waiters! Super generous portions and very affordable prices. The services are fast. Very good dishes and fresh fries. Great restaurant that I recommend

I remember Bodean's being really nice but the food just seems like it's reheated now, especially the mash. The brisket was overdone and charred after being on a grill too long. The service was good however, and the lady that served us was lovely.

Great food and good service. Not as good value as it once was as menu changes and price increases have been introduced. Beef Brisket Burnt Ends: Full of flavour, fantastic. Pit Boss Beans: Awesome, perhaps the best thing on the menu! Onion rings: big portion, nice. On a negative note. The toilets are not in great shape, not very clean and smell terrible. You are not a budget restaurant and your guests deserve better! I pop in here around once a month and will be back soon as the food is great and always good service.

have been here probably 30 times in the last 20 years, the last 2 times I haven't been impressed. service was slow, tables and menu sticky. Food was very dry, the wings were pre-heated and coated in sauce, not sure why they took 30 minutes. the platter to share was tiny and 2 of my group got a Burger King when we got back to Marylebone station, despite paying £50 for the platter. hot dog bun tasted stale. disappointing tbh as always loved it here. we spent over £250 too so it was a shame. I think if you're used to good Kansas bbq then you'll be disappointed. if you're new to it then maybe you'l enjoy.

Honestly delicious and the service incredible, all the employees were adorable, we had a great evening as a couple!

Food was pretty good, the ribs a bit dry and the Caesar salad missing lettuce compared to the amount of sauce it had. Sadly we found a hair in our ribs but since we weren't asked how was the food we decided not to mention it.

Mixed review of this place. We had the pit boss platter. On the one hand, the brisket and burnt ends were delicious. The ribs not so much flavour. What I would say, is that we spent <£80 on this meal (only one drink each) and felt peckish afterwards. I appreciate meat is expensive, but there should be more than one slice of brisket per person at that price, no? The fries were labelled on the menu as seasoned, and I’m not a fan of that at any rate but to me they were seriously over-seasoned. Service was quick, although there seemed to be an issue with a waitress (new or just lazy?) and the manager spent a proportion of our short stay there telling her off. All in all, good food but don’t 100% recommend.

I can only say the food was very good. Tasty and hot. Quickly served and well presented. There were 5 in our party. We ordered a platter for 2 and a different platter for 3. The food was excellent but pricey. Portion size was difficult to assess but the common opinion was that it wasn't great value for money. Which is unfortunate as it is the only thing I can quibble about. Total bill of £165 and could have gone to macdonalds for more.

Amazing food, I grill myself but I've never been able to get burnt ends like that before. I can only recommend it

Based on a recommendation used as a stop off for food before a concert. Food was very good, service quick and friendly.

We were seated downstairs, and it was so hot down there. The food is meh the brisket was tough dry and cold, could have broken tooth on those cold hard chips they served. I was starving I dragged my self through central London madness and hunger to eat and suffered thru a old leather boot of a meal and some geezer puked his guts out by the toilet doors so that was fun.

The service was pretty slow for how many people were in there initially, but the place packed in quick. I didn't know the brits liked bbq so much. I am no expert, but theirs was very good! The burger was one of the best I've had in recent memory. Be prepared to eat a lot of salt as bbq is not for the faint of heart with seasoning.

The pulled pork and burnt ends were excellent. The fries were well-prepared and the sauces were flavorful. However, the burger was unremarkable. The service was impeccable and the staff was very attentive.

We decided to visit this smoke house before a show whilst in the West End. The atmosphere was vibrant from all quarters, tv’s in the background added to the thrill. The food was good but lacked something special or prehaps my expectations were set to high. The portions could have been bigger and the food a tad warmer. The staff were rushed off their feet and the service lacked due to that which is disappointing.

I was hoping for some good BBQ food but it was midrange at best. For example I’ve never had to cut brisket with a knife before. However the burnt ends and chicken wings were good. Service could have been better as I had to ask for my order to be taken. Toilets are smelly and dirty. It’s time for an overhaul.

Ordered and it was horrible AVOID Everything undercooked their chefs are terrible

AVOID Ribs chewy and horrible.. chicken wings the same

Lovely restaurant- looks small when you first enter however there is loads more seating downstairs! Service was excellent and a good range on the menu. We took our 6 year old and he absolutely loved his burger and chips. The children's menu was 3 courses inc.drink for about £7.50 which was a very good deal. Myself and partner got a sharing platter and it was excellent.

Had the BBQ baby back ribs and they were incredible, already dreaming abiut going back!

We ordered the Bodean's Platter for two, and while the food was absolutely delicious, we were disappointed by the portion size, especially given the higher price. It used to offer better value, but now it feels a bit overpriced for what you get

Excellent BBQ and an okay menu with different dishes. Pretty good Milkshakes and really good service. Not very expensive for the area.

Went in near closing, happy to serve though and food was quick and great!

Good meat overall, even if I found some pieces not exactly fresh but still it was an interesting experience... I especially recommend the pulled pork.

Bodeans was recommended by a friend and the experience was amazing. The food was delicious and exactly as described and the portions were generous. The Blue Plate Special is a bargain! A big thank you to Chantel for the amazing service. Very friendly, kind and passionate. Will definitely come again and highly recommended 👌

The ribs were dry and did not taste like Pork. The brisket again tasteless. Atmosphere was and service was ok.

There’s no good staff. They are very rude and lazy. While order online giving too late and its getting colder. They are giving dislike to delivery drivers. They are very rude.

They are not good and when ever we are order online at that time giving food late and its always getting colder.

Food was reasonable. Brisket a little tough. Portion size not worth the price. Disappointed to hear only 15% of the 12.5% service charge goes to the waiting staff.

Cannot find a single fault with this place. Came in on early Tuesday afternoon and had the burnt ends and ribs combo and it was utterly superb. Service was exceptional as well. Shame I can’t remember the server’s name but whoever you were that day, that made the meal all the more special so I thank you again

We were happy to have breakfast at Bodean's BBQ at their new Camden location on their opening day. The food was great as was the service. Very much enjoyed their pancakes too!

After eating at Smokestac, this was a very disappointing culinary experience. Being a chain I would question as to whether they BBQ and smoke on site. I ordered half a rack of baby ribs and a cheese burger. Ribs was dry but just ok. The burger was really dry and was like eating cardboard . Burger King would have done a better job. A disappointing experience. The Guardian review mirrors my experince 😞

We had a great server who was most polite & the baby's back spare ribs were excellent

Food was ok Rest service was great Atmosphere was great

After eating at Smokestac, this was very disappointing culinary experience. Being a chain I would question as to whether they BBQ and smoke on site. I ordered half a rack of baby ribs and a cheese burger. Ribs was dry but just ok. The burger was really dry and was like eating cardboard . Burger King would have done a better job. A disappointing experience. 😞

Great bbq at an affordable price with great service. Our server was really nice and happy. The food was tasty and great value