Saint Smokeys Bbq House in Canterbury

Great food and service the bbq fillet and rice was good and loaded fries were great.

Delicious! Food was so tasty, really decent portion size and definitely made with love & soul! Love the vibe of the place, server (lovely Italian Lady!) Was super friendly and helpful

Expected really good food, but to be honest wasn't anything to get excited about. And the guy who bought are food over not far off threw it on the table didn't say anything to us at all and walked off, wasn't even asked if we wanted more drinks. Personally won't be back.

Saint Smokey’s BBQ House in Canterbury offers a delicious mix of Caribbean and BBQ cuisine, highlighted by their signature homemade BBQ sauce. The menu features classic dishes like grilled BBQ chicken, chicken stew, jerk chicken, and sides such as rice and peas. Customers consistently praise the friendly, welcoming staff and the relaxed, vibrant atmosphere, which is enhanced by great music. The restaurant has moved to larger premises, allowing for a more spacious dining experience, but it still retains its local, family-run charm . If you’re a fan of bold, smoky flavors and a laid-back environment, Saint Smokey’s is a great choice for a hearty meal.

We were visiting Canterbury from london with family from the USA and we’re pointed in the direction of Smokey’s . As you walk in you can see straight in to the kitchen, spotless! Decor is simple but very impressive has a nice feel. Food, spot on shared a platter plus sides and lovely Mac and cheese. Service was attentive, coming from london pleasantly surprised at the affordability.

Five star chicken restaurant. Chicken was moist ( all cuts). Sauce was interesting, chips good and service excellent and let's not forget the price

Amazing food and terrific service, well worth the trip up from London, I’ll definitely be back !!

LOVED the food here, it was SO delicious. It was kinda hard for us to find a restaurant that all our family of 8 would agree to eat in especially as Muslims from Saudi Arabia , but this restaurant had the best food ever, they were so hospitable and super nice.

A wonderful restaurant and the food is very delicious and clean. The chicken, no mistake, is the right of the family of a man, his wife, and their child. It is very delicious. I recommend it and pray for me.

Super great restaurant with friendly service, nice atmosphere too. Can only be recommended. Great value for money.

Excellent food & service as usual. For the first time ever had a waitress constantly taking empty bowls, glasses & bottles as they were emptied which was a bit annoying.

First time trying this place, had the curry and it was one of the nicest, tastiest things I have ever eaten! Absolute perfection! Prices were great value for the food and drinks. To top it all off the staff were all wonderful, lively, and friendly. Highly recommend, Saint Smokey’s you’re doing it right don’t change a thing! Cannot wait to eat that curry again 🫶

Quite understated but a relaxed atmosphere, quick friendly service and the food was delicious

New favourite restaurant in Canterbury. Food amazing Service brilliant Staff lovely Everyone needs to experience Smokey’s

I got fillets & 2 sides, the chips were super hot when served and the food was fresh and tasty. We ate in last week and got takeaway last night!

Our first time at smokeys since the move from palace street. It Was my favorite place. The food didn't let us down. Perfect. Sadly the waitress staff offered no smile or welcoming. I was looking forward to trying the new cheesecakes on the dessert menu but sadly we were just watching the waitress look straight through us. It wasn't busy. We gave up and paid the bill and left disappointed. I did mention to the waitress which she just said sorry without even breaking a smile. Will definitely come again for the food but maybe next time we will made to feel more welcome. Thank you

First visit to Smokey’s Nice atmosphere and decor Lots of room and leg space at tables The food was very flavoursome and present very well The toilets wasn’t the cleanest to be honest But I have to add that the lady who was front of house was bloody brilliant I actually thought she was the owner as she was so invested in making sure we had what we wanted and asked for feedback. She was great!! If I ever owned a restaurant id want her to present it She really impressed me so thanks sorry I don’t have her name

Excellent et très accueillant ! Un régal ! Un petit tour sur TripAdvisor avant d'arriver à Canterbury et ce snack exotic nous a tout de suite attiré !

Been meaning to check out this place for ages as I love food ! I had the curry chicken (which is always my fav from a Caribbean). Others in my party also had the curry chicken. We absolutely loved it, compliments to the chef. Probably the best I’ve had! And lots of gravy which is always a plus 😂 my husband had the stew chicken which he really liked and he’s quite critical. All the sides were delicious especially the fried dumplings…. nice and light. Portions were also good too. I don’t think you should alter your seasoning level at all personally. And the spice level was good (and I like very spicy and though my mum thought it a bit hot but agreed it was pitched right for everyone to enjoy. The staff were very polite and friendly, especially Ruby who was our waitress.

Been meaning to check out this place for ages as I love food ! I had the curry chicken (which is always my fav from a Caribbean). Others in my party also had the curry chicken. We absolutely loved it, compliments to the chef. Probably the best I’ve had! And lots of gravy which is always a plus 😂 my husband had the stew chicken which he really liked and he’s quite critical. All the sides were delicious especially the fried dumplings…. nice and light. Portions were also good too. I don’t think you should alter your seasoning level at all personally. And the spice level was good (and I like very spicy and though my mum thought it a bit hot but agreed it was pitched right for everyone to enjoy. Great job 👏🏽 👏🏽👏🏽

I’ve been a regular customer of Smokeys for over 5 years now. The food has always been consistent in quality, flavour and presentation. I disagree with some of the reviews on here and can say that Smokeys is one of the best restaurants in Canterbury when it comes to chicken. I recommend Smokeys if you’re looking for a fair priced meal for top quality food, food is always up to standards!

Venue lovely, food changes. I had an awesome lunch with friends, went back with family at the weekend chicken was a little dry and told lunch offer not valid. Did not state it was on set days, waiter explained they are printing a new menu. Acceptable however still no new menu printed weeks later so disappointed with that.

Chicken well cooked and flavoursome 1 slice of cheesey bread for a 3.75 is just a con taste good steam veg was burnt and greasy kitchen don't know difference between hot and sweet sauce inconsistent food depending on kitchen ataff weve been on three occasions won't be going back again

Avoid if you have allergens. On the menu it told me to ask the server about gluten free options - she was friendly and polite but just gave me an allergen chart, which was missing many items from it. I ordered accordingly and was then told that the item marked as gluten free on the allergen menu didn't exist, and that there was a mistake. Since I didn't want any of the gluten free sides, I went without. I was offered a refund for the difference, only after asking. Thank you to the waitress who kindly arranged this. A friend of mine who ate with us (no allergies) also had to return his Mac + cheese as it was cold in the middle. On to the positives: the chicken is actually incredible, particularly the thigh: if you have a gluten intolerance I'd suggest that you just order the thighs by themselves as they're delicious, and one of the two or three things on the menu that you can actually eat.

Love the new venue, food is spectacular 😋

Went for a lunch with my wife and daughter after they recommended it having eaten at the previous location prior to the move to bigger premises. I do love Caribbean food and this was bang on. The chicken stew, chicken curry, rice and peas and dumplings were top drawer. Their bbq dipping sauce is as good as it gets. Great staff as-well and decent atmosphere in the bigger restaurant. Great independent place for some great grub.

Who on earth closes their grills 45 mins before closing? Walked in and was told their grills are closed a full 45 mins before they close on a Friday night. I then told the worker there are 6 of us and more people are yet to come and he looked at us up and down and rolled his eyes and asked if we’re going to order “a lot of food”? Excuse me? What do you expect when there’s 6 people???? Who even in their right mind would ask that??? The worker with a cap wearing shorts needs to be sacked! He has no respect for customers 0/5. We’re here giving you business when let’s be honest there was no one at your restaurant and you were doing everything to not be accommodating.

Walked in and was told their grills are closed a full 45 mins before they close on a Friday night. The worker with a cap needs to be sacked! He has no outright respect for customers 0/5

Tasty and delicious food highly recommend .

We finally went to have dinner at Saint Smokey's - and we loved it! The restaurant is gorgeous and the food was amazing. The staff were friendly and welcoming and made sure everything was perfect. Thanks for a great evening, and we will see you again soon! (Mike from Toolstation) ☺️

Good place and vibe... very relaxing and food portions are well balanced for both kids and adults

Best BBQ sauce of your life g. Straight up.

Nice Caribbean chicken restaurant. You get great portions for what you pay for. Totally recommend, especially in a town full of overly priced restaurants like Canterbury.

New location but the same great taste. Amazing food as always will be back very soon , the restaurant just takes Smokey’s to another level 👌

First time trying out the new venue, absolutely love the decor and food was on point as expected. These guys know how to cook chicken!

Amazing food, been going to this place for years, highly recommend

Disappointed. After reading great reviews I chose a takeaway chicken fillet & chips with a sauce, who said in a review chips were good? mine were junk frozen chips, I can honestly say I've had better in Burger King, the Chicken wasn't great either, a bit chewy not tender like most. On the positive side the staff and service were very good. However, how this has such good reviews is beyond me. A £2 Pork Pie from Tesco would have tasted better.

Came here with a group of friends after hearing so many people recommending this place, and just wow did not disappoint. The service, the Food was 10/10 will definitely be coming back.

ON THE MONEY Yes yes yes myself and my partner popped in for a takeaway and from the moment we opened the door the vibe hit us from great music with a little base very rare and the so friendly young lady who took our order, chicken was very well cooked and the chips are the best we have had in Canterbury. If the chips are good the rest will be in my experience, you guys will be rich, such a breath of fresh air from the microwave big chains

Amazing food, amazing staff, amazing vibes. I regularly had take out from the old shop, I’ve now had take out from the new shop and a sit down meal in their restaurant and some how they just get better and better. It’s so lovely to see a small business grow and expand, and for Smokey’s it is truly deserved. Thank you 🙏🏼

I am a long time customer, cannot even count how many times I have eaten here over the years, and the food is consistently excellent each and every time! I have never had a bad meal here and part of the reason we keep coming back is that we know we can always expect fantastic food and great service. The staff are always so polite and happy- the owners are particularly lovely! The place is always clean and I love that they use cardboard/recyclable containers/cutlery. I am also gluten free so I generally stick to the same order (breast fillet with rice and salad) and have never had an issue with it. Needless to say I would recommend to anyone!

Delicious food and the new restaurant looks amazing definitely recommend!!

I bloody love Smokies. Honestly I can't tell you how much I love it. The rice and peas...how can just rice and peas be so nice?? Don't even get me started on the dough balls!! It's really good, authentic cooking that you can tell isn't terrible for you. And they need to bottle that sauce. My only one criticism...I guess...but tbh it's probably just a me issue, is the lights in the new building are really bright to the point it's uncomfortable for me to eat in there, but I'll still get takeaway. I'd get I everyday if I could.

So delicious! Really fresh and tasty food and kind staff. 100% recommended!

Caribbean experience ! Love it ❤️💛💚

This was our first outing to Smokeys at the new location. Its a great location, the interior looks amazing and it has a nice vibe. I ordered 4 thighs with 2 sides chips and coleslaw and we both had a beer. It was nice, the portion size was good but the chicken was a little dry and I would have like a little more cooking for the chips but it did taste good. My husband had a half chicken with chips and corn on the cob and he said the chicken was lovely but the corn on the cob wasnt, it was warm as if it had been sat in hot water. Sadly our first beer (peroni) was warm too. However It was really busy so I can assume that they had needed to refill the beer fridge. I love music as a background, and they had a DJ which was great apart from it being a little too loud to hear each other talk. The servicr was fast, the waiters were really friendly and very attentive. Although we enjoyed our meal the food wasn't as good as the last time we went in the old location not sure if we will return.

2nd time I've eaten here and wow. The whole place is banging

Excellent place to dine,modern look

GREAT food, GREAT service and lovely people. Had food in and many a take away, and the food is always really good. ❤️

Top food. Eat here many of times and always been spot on. First time in there new location on the weekend and was better than ever.

Have always love st Smokey’s but the new restaurant has exceeded expectations ……. It’s amazing. The staff are so friendly and they def know how to cook their chicken. The take home sauces are 😋.

Thank you again Saint Smokey’s for providing sensational food for my Son’s 18th Birthday last night in your stunning New venue hard work really does pay off 👌These guy’s served up there unique food at our Wedding venue a few months ago everyone loved it, thanks again and good luck in your fantastic new premises 👍

Well what can I say won’t be eating here again First off placed my order the lady that took my order was pleasant until I tried to pay with a £50 The other woman out the back I believe she is the owner’s girlfriend first time ever seen here that side of counter( but can clearly see why)was adamant that she wouldn’t take it made a big thing out of it and wow zero customer service had an attitude from that moment.felt like I was a criminal not a paying customer Anyway after paying by card went to eat it The corn was about 2 days old dry as anything straight in the bin. The sauce well not jerk as in Jamaican jerk just sauce ewww. The chicken was fatty and far from freshly prepared grilled bbq chicken that is portrayed on their menu so all in all won’t eat there again shame as their opening a sit down soon

Smokies is an institution in Canterbury. The absolute best chicken, people, & atmosphere. I always eat in because I then get to soak up the whole experience. Just go there.

🔥🔥🔥🔥 No words! Lit food, no cap!! Chicken is great my friends come all the way from london, Reading and ashford to eat here!

Just got French fries, they were phenomenal

The food here is truly amazing and the staff are always very welcoming!

Catered for our wedding and we have absolutely nothing negative to say. Luke ensured the whole process was smooth, set up the food perfectly. The only comments we had were guests asking where the food was from. It was amazing - thank you

First time trying out this place and I wasn’t disappointed! I had the quarter chicken with the spicy bbq sauce, rice and peas and chips. Great portion size and full of flavour. Can’t wait to go back. The staff were really friendly too. Definitely try this place out 10/10 recommend.

Amazing food all looks and tastes so good..lovely people .. Great price and can't wait to go back

Loved it.. friendly staff ...great atmosphere.. amazing food, great choice and great price

Very nice authentic food. Really flavoursome and can tell it’s fresh and been properly made. The fried plantain is exquisite. 🤌

Elite food, extra spicy bbq is the go to if you can handle the spice

Great place, food was amazing. Sweet BBQ sauce is fab. The only negative I can mention is that the chicken curry had bones in it as I swallowed one. Staff were amazing an very clean. Would recommend 👌

I ordered a whole chicken with rice and peas with sweet BBQ source to share (the waiter do bring up two sets of cutleries even I did not mentioned it is meant to be shared when ordering, good observation from the restaurant). The food is good and we like the rice and peas. A very pleasant service and we can see they have a lot of customers that proofs we made the right choice to pick good food. We do recommend!

We read a lot of positive reviews before going and were utterly disappointed by the service speed and the food. We ordered a chicken wrap with chips and a salad. Firstly, there were only two customers before us and it took them ages to prepare the food. The wrap didn’t have much filling in it and the chips were super soggy. The salad was still a little decent.

I went for a half chicken and it was lovely. Jubbly went with heart wasn’t that spicy for me so I had to add the extra hot sauce or pepper sauce

2 consecutive dinners from St.Smokeys and safe to say, they smoked it. First night I ordered a chicken curry and rice. The rice was soft and the chicken curry was flavorful without overdoing any notes. The next night I ordered a spicy grilled chicken. The spices bot the hot and sweet merged into an extraordinary tango delivering an amazing experience for my taste buds. The best part is that the staff there are really cool and go out of their way to ensure you are getting what you want. I rate this 2 thumbs up.

Travelled from Norfolk to try the BBQ food, and it did not disappoint. Amazing BBQ Chicken with great freshly made sauces. The rice & peas took me straight back to Jamaica. This is a must stop when near Canterbury

What a place this is.. purely stumbled across it while just walking around Canterbury.. what a result.. lovely food.. great service.. will definitely recommend and will be visiting again... Great job guys and girls...

This place is unbelievable. It is the best chicken I have tasted in my life. I regularly drive 1hr 15 from Essex to Canterbury (roughly 50 odd miles) and £35 petrol just to get it. Run by legends as well.

Expand the business because this place has way too much top quality food to be limited to the size it is now. I spoke to the guys onsite and told them the same thing so hopefully you guys will expand this place massively

Got order wrong. Missing drinks. Not prepared to sort it out. Sadly we even called and no one could assist us.

Excellent service, server knowledgeable about menu, good variety of meals, also vegitarian options available. Great sides!! Only feedback would be to extend vegitarian options with a vegecurry, stew peas etc. Attention to detail and excellent customer service. Absolute must visit if in Canterbury town centre. Sauces really really good. I purchased sauces to takeaway.

Ordered smokey bbq chicken and rice & peas. Chicken was lacking flavour for Caribbean. Normally my taste buds are singing. Chicken very bland was very surprising actually. It taste okay ish it wasn't bad but certainly wasn't popping with flavour. Visited 31st May. The rice & peas was decent had nice taste. The smokey bbq sauce I didn't really rate it. Reminded me of Chinese sweet and sour sauce. Overall probably wouldn't be back in a hurry. It's not terrible or bad or anything but the Chicken was a real let down! Took nearly half hour to come our the door aswel..

Been using them for ages and never disappointed. Good job, Luke.

Sat outside with my son and pooch . Bloody delish chicken and hot sauce 😍. Great value lunch menu inc drink .

I love this place , the food is amazing ,I love my wings and this place got the best about , there sauce is so good I brought a bottle to take home , service was 10/10 and all round good vibes

The smoky saucey bbq sauce , hit the spot with its rice pea with gravy. A whole plate of BBQ goodness 😋 it smell so good we forgot to take a picture

I've eaten in hundreds of restaurants in dozens of countries, including many with Michelin stars. So when I say the food in here is incredible, it's on that basis. By far the best chicken & rice and peas I've ever tasted.

Amazing food! Loved their chicken and BBQ sauce is great.

Great meal and good price lots of delicious sides to choose from. Chicken was amazing.

This places in 5 stars ever single time we travel half an hour to come here once a week and it never disappoints

In Canterbury and needed a convenient place to eat, not far from the car, time was against us🤣. We'll we know Canterbury We'll but this was a new place to hit, and glad we did. Recommended by our nephew as a cracking place to eat. So all three of us grab a chicken burger, chicken salad and chicken & rice. Not disappointed at all. However when we eat there again I would either have the rice or salad next time. Just feel for me a better choice. All cooked to order, funky place for us olds and great staff.

Great BBQ chicken. Lots of varieties on the menu. Staff always friendly and efficient too.

The chicken here is just ok, I would probably not order here again. I’ve seen some rave reviews but I’ve had much better chicken elsewhere. Was expecting more of a jerk style chicken with rice and peas but it’s not like that.

The food is so tasty, there’s a great lunchtime deal and the staff are friendly. The seating isn’t great and it takes a while for the food to be cooked, but the quality and taste of the food more than makes up for this l. All three sauces are amazing.. Call ahead if you’re in a hurry though.

Love this place, great food and great service 🤙

My friend told me about this place as I love my chicken let me say this is the first time I ever eaten from this place and it was absolutely fantastic best food I've had in a very long time Fresh Hot Real food Chicken was amazing and the bbq hot sauce the rice and coleslaw definitely recommend them I live all the way in Margate says it all that's how far I am willing to travel..wish they had a shop in Thanet respect to the owner nice shop ill be back for more soon....💯👌🏾 A.J

This place could be as big as nandos

Bring back original saint, new staff terrible

Simple but delicious food. Was in my top 5 best meals I’ve ever eaten….yes it was that good!

Not happy came home to find a chid fillet box with two sides missing after the guy asked the person packing the order twice if everything was packed. Tried phoning and constantly engaged.

Had half a chicken in sweet barbecue sauce with fries. It was very taste. Service was quick and friendly the portion w size was appropriate for the cost.

Was recommended here by a friend. What a great find. Such amazing flavours!! The only thing I would say is that the seating (outdoor only) is limited otherwise its takeaway eating.

Love the food here, always seasoned well and the chicken is delicious and soft. I always have an amazing meal here. And the kids love it.

The food was delicious. There is limited sitting place but the food is worth it.

2017年吃过一次，烤鸡很好吃，鸡肉的汁水丰盈，且酱汁风味独特，非常值得推荐。从我个人角度来看，我认为这家是整个canterbury烤鸡烤的最好的。缺点是排队的人较多，我去的时候等了差不多有15-20分钟左右。 当然，也有可能是我去的时间点不对，或者我去的那天刚好他们生意比较好。 总之，如果时间比较充裕，很推荐来这家试试。

One of my favourite places in Canterbury, such good value and such delicious food - always satisfied

One of the best places in Canterbury. The food is amazing, really good quality and well priced. The sauces are out of this world and good selection of sides.