Hickory's Smokehouse Southport in Sefton

Not been to an American style BBQ place before so I was curious about it. I got the platter which had many things. The highlights for me were the dry ribs and brisket. The sausage was okay but not something I’d get again, the ribs with sauce were also okay but I’m not sure I liked the sauce, the wings were decent with a nice sauce and finally the pork belly I wasn’t a fan of at all. The milkshake and frozen custard were very nice.

Big shout out to Ashley, Ben and Erin, wonderfully warm people who seem to love their jobs, as always , atmosphere really good, food great

Okay. So we decided on a ride out to Southport and a hickory’s has just opened where we are from (literally yesterday). So we thought we’d try it! Booked the table at around 10am on Saturday morning for 4.30. We arrived at 4:15. as we were approaching the entrance the restaurant called me- I just said I’m literally here & walked in. So still unsure why they phoned. They shown me to my table & said “oh by the way you only have til 5.30 on this table” slightly rude but ok girl. So an hour and 15 minutes… doable. The menu is huge, we’ve obviously never been to a hickory’s before so I had no idea what to order. The guy serving us came over 2/3 times to take our order because I’m so indecisive. But time was of the essence apparently! Went with the corn dogs starters (which were lush), brisket, the carnivore skewer & a kids meal with popcorn bites for starter and mac n cheese main. The frozen custard was lovely too. The food was average in all honesty. It’s pretty expensive for what it is. My daughter said it’s the best mac n cheese she’d ever had so that’s a bonus. My little girl went in the cinema room too which is quite a good little touch. Will I go back? Probably not to be fair, I wouldn’t rush back anyway. Finished bang on 5.30 but did feel slightly rushed and could see the waitresses hovering for us to finish up. I looked it up to see if there was a time limit on tables and apparently there’s not so I’m not sure what that was about. But if we had arrived at 4.30 we’d have only had an hour to eat which isn’t great I don’t think.

First visit, wonderful, odd location in a housing area but clearly routed in the community, great place and tge good was fantastic.

My grandsons love this place. They are so good with the children. Very friendly staff.

Used to come here 3/4 times a month a few years ago however the last couple of times the quality of the food has been shocking. Food arrived today and the portion of chips was half full and they’d crumpled paper up to fill the bottom to seem like there is more, the brisket sub arrived with ONE piece of brisket on for £18😂 if I didn’t laugh I’d have cried. I could have bought a 1kg brisket from Tesco for £13, instead I paid £36 for two slices. Then the audacity to put the tip jar on the bill like they haven’t just robbed your blind already, servers are great not their fault but unfortunately couldn’t justify £5 tip when it felt like I had the scraps, not worth £76 for a family of 4. McDonald’s quality is better.

We’ve been Hickory customers since they opened up in Chester and loved it ever since. We then started doing West Kirkby till Southport opened a few years back. The last 6 months or so we feel like the food quality has really dropped off with the dishes we have and can’t help but think its since they’ve been taken over by Green King. The Nachos for example since they started calling them corn chips are not nice at all versus how they use to be. The pulled pork seems to be quite tough every time we’ve had it. The same with the Chicken in the basket that seemed to be slightly off from the usual way. They also ditched all the bottled sodas and just serve draft which isn’t nice at all. Overall I feel like the quality is slowly slipping. It’s not bad but it’s not the high quality we;’ve come to expect from Hickory’s.

First visit to a Hickory's today. We were a little concerned when directions took us to the middle of a housing estate, but that's exactly where we were meant to be. Friendly, helpful, and welcoming staff. The smell of this fabulous smokehouse was promising upon entry. It didn't disappoint. Ample on-site car parking, smoking area outside, garden, dog friendly bar area (water bowls and treats inside the entrance), cinema room for little people, good clean facilities, and you can see and hear the food being cooked. Once seated out waiter introduced themselves and brought popcorn and water for the table. Good menu options. We went with the 3am Mac n Cheese and Earl Grey tea and a half rack of ribs with fries and an alcoholic slushy for grown-ups. We skipped starters and were too full for afters! There is no need to tip. It's included in the bill. So do be mindful. Very enjoyable experience, and we would definitely go again.

Never been here before and didn't know what to expect. Did not expect the huge portions for one! We ordered chicken wings and garlic pretzel bites for starters, and the platter for 2 for our main. Also onion rings and mac and cheese for side. Disclaimer- you do not need sides with the platter. Omg. Food for days! All meats fall apart and cooked really really well. Everything delicious. Not a fan of the corn bread though. Tasted sweet but each to their own. Paid 105 for everything. Definitely recommend the blueberry lemonade too. 10/10 will be going back

Nice food. Was not as nice as was told going to be but was ok. Got the big burger not the best but was nice,

Good food. Good service. Great atmosphere.

Been a couple of times, loved the food and experience every time.

Typical American menu I love Hickorys beer and its lovely outside. Highly recommend 👌

Loved being able sit outside in the little hut with our 2 dogs. Very good service and food was delicious

Fantastic food and I absolutely loved the interior! Proper American style diner 😍 Staff were also kind, polite and happy to help. Food was a little bit pricey but definitely worth of every penny. We'll be back there for sure.

Ate her Monday, the food was at best warm,couldn't attract the attention of the waitress so ate what we could, paid the bill and left. Suffice to say wont be coming back in a hurry.

Great atmosphere and service, 6 of us all having different meals, 2 of us had burgers 1 plain with chicken and 1 triple both of us found the burger itself bland no taste to it at all. Apart from that that had enjoyable evening

Really good food, bud portions very reasonable. Great service.

Fab food, service and perfect for my catch up with my friend

The greeting was friendly and welcoming. The waiting staff were great. Kira was the perfect balance of attentive without being overly present. A fun and relaxed atmosphere. The food was tasty and well portioned. Would definitely recommend and will be returning.

Incredible food very tasty. Warm and welcoming staff. Great atmosphere. Lots of people inside which shows its popularity!

From the moment you walk in the staff are very attentive. If you've been to hickory's before then you'll know you get a small bag of popcorn & a table water when you're seated. We had a nibble on the popcorn as we wondered the menu in search for what we wanted to eat... we chose the smoke pit sharer which was sooooo much food, everything was cooked to perfection! The waiter(s) were very helpful throughout the meal. If you're thinking about going hickory's then the Southport branch is the best.

Me and my boyfriend came for food and the food was absolutely amazing and the waiter Ben went above and beyond for us was so helpful and made our experience even nicer :)

Hi there. Guys if you need a place where you are instantly welcomed as a long missing friend, place where you can crack a joke with a staff,music is loud (-ish) and you have to raise your voice to talk to your companion across the table and the food..... ah its a different story....yummy and delicious however a piece of advice:portions are BIG

We had a lovely time with my family. Food was really nice.

I came here with my partner on a Friday afternoon at approx 3:30pm. We didn't have a reservation but we were seated quickly as it wasn't busy. Our food and drink came out quickly. Everything was great. I'd never been before but I would definitely go again. The decor and music give the place a really nice American country vibe and the food and drink was all great. Would highly recommend to try with your partner if you've never been before.

I couldn’t have gone anywhere for my Birthday meal. From start to finish it has been amazing. Despite A few errors, which were handled quickly and efficiently (busy Friday night) it has been perfect. From the service of our waiter Erin, who did her best to make it an enjoyable night, to the bartender who involved my little god daughter and made it exciting for her. The food was amazing as always and so was the cocktails. Definitely recommend!

Spot on food every time. Love this place.

Great food, Atmosphere and very attentive service by our waitress Ashlea, nothing was too much and even took time out to look after my Son as it was his birthday.. will be back again Thanks

Great place for food and the kids really enjoyed my birthday meal

Always have a fab time at Hickory's excellent food and service

Best food ever,very nice place, amazing staff

Went for superbowl night instead of staying in this year. The allocated seats weren't great but I understood as the larger parties got the bigger tables with the better screen views. Full menu was available til midnight and the reduced menu after midnight was very good. The place was packed out which was great to see and there was enough staff on to keep us all topped up with food and beverages. Only thing that I'm not a fan of there is the tap beer is pretty poor selection and the very few that are sold on tap aren't great beers. Always enjoy going here even if it is a bit on the pricey side.

Having only been to Hickory’s Chester previously I had high hopes for this family visit. This time round we went for lunch and I had the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich as I’d had one before, abet not from Hickory’s. If you don’t know what the typical ingredients are for a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich they are: Hoagie roll, Ribeye steak strips, Sautéed Onion & Bell Pepper and Provolone Cheese. What I received was a recently toasted part-baked crunchy roll that could have come from Tesco, dry mince meat, a few onions and peppers drizzled with what looked like nacho cheese. Imagine you throw freezer mince in the microwave with onions and peppers then smash it into pieces in a frying pan and then when it’s dry put it unseasoned into a roll and you get the idea. The funny thing is my dad had the same, on my recommendation and tried mine after I stopped eating it and said that his tasted quite different to mine and didn’t have any onions or peppers in his. It seems Hickory’s has gone the way of all mass market chains and seriously lost its way. I won’t be in a rush to return.

Been to the Chester Hickory's as posted.Southport Hickory's are as good,food was delicious,and the staff were quick to serve.Good night had by all.

Very nice staff are friendly and useful food is good to

Great car park Great welcome Very busy Saturday night The very best service from our very hard working server Food was ok I opted for the pulled pork platter I found the menu to be very overpriced and not value for money

First time here believe it or not .Eaten in hundreds of places but definitely been missing out on th juicy brisket. So juicy n tender!! Loved it and will be back😍

Amazing service amazing bar staff service was a 10/10 can’t wait to come back avyn was amazing his service was the best made our night was amazing

My husband and I went to Hickory's for our Valentine meal. In the past, we have been a little disappointed with the service but yesterday's experience put that firmly in the past. The team were dealing with an extremely busy night, with full tables everywhere. They still managed to do checks on us, make sure we had everything we needed and do it with a friendly, helpful manner. I listened to our server greet everyone with a lovely conversation. She was a star. We were served with amazing food as usual, cocktails that were fabulous, great deal, 2 for £12. Thank you all for making our evening special 💕

Wow.... first time visit but not our last. Brought my hubby for a valentines treat and what a treat it was. The service was great, the vibe was relaxed and the food was top notch. I had the shrimp sub and my hubby had the brisket then we shared some pancakes. Portions are good, quality is great, only negative.... they haven't got a hickorys closer to home.

Really enjoyed the experience as always. No faults in food, atmosphere and especially in staff. Avyn at the bar and Niamh on food, both extremely friendly and a good laugh. Always glad to come here for dinner and events. Every member of staff makes the experience worth while.

Staff were very friendly, food was good, nice atmosphere, we went mid week so wasn’t too busy.

Seen this place on tiktok, gave it a try absolutely loved it, place looked amazing, food was so nice excellent choice, I tried the Brisket and Ribs and they just melted in your mouth, Price was reasonable, loved they had a gluten free menu for my mum. Staff were so nice and friendly. Had a cool movie room for kids. Will definitely be going back soon.

Table booked for 8.30.....9.42, still waiting.......... (Amendment)..Good news, the issue was resolved on the night, the bill was wavered, which included drinks, the manageress was very apologetic, we ended up having a good time 😊

Great steak house! But also do some tasty Chicken too.

Went for a birthday treat for 2, on arrival to the table we had balloons 0laced for us, no discount thoe (hint) service was great and quick, food was yummy, we had the road house burger and the chicken burger with 2 deserts, nice sides with the meals and the drinks are cold and fresh. Love the police storming in at the end, good way to finish the night.

We have been loyal customer of hickory’s for many years - always loved it. We went last night and took some friends who were really excited to try it for the first time. We were really disappointed with the service sadly. When hickory’s was owned by the original founders, they took a real pride in their service, it was brilliant. Since being purchased by the pub chain Greene King, it’s now a lot to be desired. Waiting ages for our drinks to arrive, forgetting certain meats from our platters (£30+), had to constantly get the servers attention to order drinks, had to ask for our table to be cleared afterwards as all our plates were sat there for ages. Asking for Sauces but not bringing them. After all of this, they still put their service charge on the bill of £15 automatically. Won’t be returning in a hurry.

Amazing food, sevice is always high quality. Staff are lovely and any issues are resolved without issue and professionally. Dog friendly.

Top place to go for American style food , really good quality.

My partner and I love hickories. The food is delicious, service is always friendly and good timing wise. We love the vibe and this one has a lovely outdoor area for when the weather is nice

Atmosphere very friendly, food delicious and very filling, service fast and happy staff. Walked out full to the brim.

Always great 'everything' whenever you visit. Always a pleasure to dine here. ❤️

Updated Been 3 times since last review so thought should update.....Much better: all staff great and food as good as ever.glad it's got back to its previous standards. Food is amazing and its only reason we keep going back. Customer service is nowhere near on par from when it first opened. Staff just aren't interested anymore (other than the bar staff) . The past three occasions our serve has disappeared for long periods of time leaving not just ourselves but other diners waiting for; bills, cutlery and drinks, essentially anything you ask them for. On our last visit we struggled to find somebody to actually ask for the bill. On our way out we found the only servers still in the restaurant at the front of house podium/computer screen dancing around one another. Go for the food but expect a long wait.

We absolutely love this place!! Always a great atmosphere and the food is out of this world amazing!!!

Delicious. Just as expected from other reviews. Almost like being back in the States. Lovely service, always with a smile and nothing too much to help with.

A favourite in our house, always come back when we want great food and great service. Went tonight and had an especially great time, Ashlea and all the team made us feel so welcome and provided an excellent experience. Would wholeheartedly recommend 😁

Had a lovely birthday meal with grandson. Tom and the team made it extra special. We will see you soon. Thanks Hickories.

Always good food, with a little slice of American indulgence. Service for me as always been good. Likewise with the Ale. Bonus points for being dog friendly and having outside seating and huts to eat in 👍

Bit expensive but you get what you pay for as they say

Nice place nice food. Bit expensive. staff were excellent. Hickory's is better standard than most but their burgers no better than any other place. Would recommend you buy what they specialise in to get your money worth

I absolutely love Hickories so when finding one I have never been to, I always attempt to go. The staff were lovely and food was amazing. I have found the food is just as good in every hickories I go to which is a good sign of how it works beyond the kitchen. Couldn’t recommend this place enough no matter where you are.

Another great meal at Hickories in Southport. Today we had the special Thanks Giving menu. Wow it was delish! Piping hot, loads of it and the kids had a ball in the cinema room. The staff are always so quick and attentive. We will be back!

The food is absolutely amazing the sharing platter of meats is my favourite.

5 of us went yesterday for the first time, it's an hour from home but well worth the visit. From arrival everything was perfect. All decorated for Christmas,just stunning. All the staff were friendly and welcoming. The food is something else. Absolutely gorgeous, from presentation to taste. Couldn't fault one thing, the desserts are also magnificent.no rush to leave , it's on top of our list now for eating places .can't wait to go back xx

Always good service and food, can be very busy sometimes with children but overall great place to eat

Amazing food, lovely staff who are very attentive. Will 100% be returning

Cinema screen for the kids whilst you wait for the food, free bag of 🍿 Popcorn. Lovey food and drinks, pleasant staff

Love coming here to eat, I try and go as often as I can as it is one of my favourite places to eat at. Always welcoming, lovely atmosphere and most importantly fantastic food! I came here with my partner for my birthday again recently, I don’t like a fuss so my partner had not mentioned it was my birthday when booking. After conversations with staff and it being my birthday came up, the two lads came back with a smelly set and sweets to wish me a Happy Birthday which was a lovely a gesture. You honestly will not be disappointed coming here, I would eat here every night if I could afford it!!

It was brilliant, beautiful place inside and out, food amazing, cocktails amazing and huge portions,

Absolutely stunning food and brilliant service from lovely, attentive staff. My son's new favourite place to go!

Not been for a while as we don't have one locally. As we were in Southport, thought, why not. Wasn't disappointed. Brisket sub, beef short rib both with fries and slaw. Beautiful. Had the Fro-co custard Ice cream....beautiful 👌 lovely way to finish a meal. We will be back. Service was great to, loads of staff buzzing about and looking to help. Great visit,

Absolutely fabulous food .service is amazing and it's was our anniversary last time we went and the staff went all all and gave us an amazing gift amazing place would go back any day

Incredibly friendly staff, excellent service, amazing food, and a very authentic atmosphere.

It's good! For a chain, you can't go wrong and it's above most

Great food and service brilliant atmosphere definitely worth a visit

First time I've been, was on an American football Sunday night in the bar area. Food was awesome, tried some of their special beers, atmosphere was great.

Lovely american decor. Food really good and plentiful. Can get busy. Booking is advisable

Great food, nice ambience and excellent customer service, highly recommend

Food amazing The music and the whole American vibe that the restaurant has just makes it a great time.

Great food, Staff fantastic remember people from previous visits and just really approachable and friendly. Drinks also great old fashioned a personal favourite. And dog friendly

If you like BBQ smoked food this is the place to come for food its worth the money. We went on a Thursday night there were 10 of us all to gether, we had the meal deal BBQ blow out it was delicious. The kids got popcorn on the table and activity books to keep them from getting bored. The children's menu is really good . The staff are really friendly,the food came out all at once so we all was eating at the same time. The atmosphere was really good, We didn't feel rushed.

Simply outstanding food and service.

Great place , fantastic food and Staff excellent ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Good place not as good as other hickory’s in the north west. NFL Sundays, not the best when there is 3 tvs in the bar area and not really good seating for it Food as expected and beer pale ale good

We had two brisket subs and shared a coke plus one cornbread. Came to £65. Very good and efficient staff. It was nice but won't not be going back.

Excellent I'm.75 and was with my 3 grandsons 16 11 9 they love Hickorys cheers and thank you

Lovely experience throughout and Connor’s cocktails were amazing! He is a real asset to the Hickory’s team! Thank you:)

Staff were great dealing with my allergy requests and allowed me to swap things to make it work. Good food..good atmosphere. Good experience.

Love Hickory's, visiting Southport one often, and tbh never had any negative experience. Great food, and good drinks, cool Texas inside, alway full of people which is the best advert already. My partner got few intolerances too, and they're always happy to advise! Highly recommend especially to people who likes big portions, and meat :d

Absolutely fantastic visit to this lovely venue. First time there was top notch service and the food was delicious! Definitely will be going again! I had the salmon dish which was by far the best I’ve ever eaten! Well done!! 👍🏼

Shocking food. Below average!!! Overpriced rubbish. Rack of ribs arrived with no meat and dried out. Waited 30 mins for our drinks on arrival. Manager apologised for the state of the food on my plate that was not edible. A party of 4 of us and although offered a new meal I wasn't prepared to wait and eat a new meal when the others had finished their average overpriced food. All I got offered was I didn't have to pay for mine!!!! It didn't matter to them that I sat with no meal because mine was not edible and they only take that off the bill. Would never return for food. don't know why it was busy. I'm shocked.

This place was a go to now not so much they have changed most of the menu and it is sad the nachos years back were lovely now you get pickled onion and sweetcorn and pulled pork really bad the corn dogs smothered on BBQ saurce and now there getting rid of chicken in a basket that’s the last straw we won’t be visiting again so we’ll done oh I did I not mention the price of everything is just going up and up everytime we go another £1 or £2 is added to the each item place has gone down hill really fast

Great atmosphere, food and helpful service 👌

Love this place we celebrated our anniversary here not long ago the guy who waited our table that evening was fantastic deffinatly wanting to return here soon food is amazing

Absolutely amazing place to eat. Staff are great, food is immense. Always a great time !!

I had the mixed platter and my partner had steak. The steak was chewy and well over cooked. It had zero colouring and had no juice what so ever. The pepper corn sauce weirdly tasted of cheese. The larger rib on the mix platter was beautiful and fell off the bone unfortunately that cannot be said for any of the other rib parts to the platter as they were dry and tough. The sausage was ok how ever very spicy. Beans and brisket was tender but dry. Over all very disappointing and have had better meals from Wetherspoons.

Unique restaurant unique flavors like no other place in the whole of the uk

Great service food was excellent and server jamie was fantastic great service

The 3am Mac and Cheese was delicious.