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Smoke on the Water BBQ Okauchee, Okauchee Lake, WI

Smoke on the Water BBQ Okauchee

4.6
4.6
58 Reviews
$30 and under
Barbecue

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 14 times today
  • Great for scenic views
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for outdoor dining
For the last 18 years, Joe Hennes and his wife Ellen have been building a family-oriented meeting place for friends to gather at Sloppy Joe's Saloon and Spoon in Hubertus. In December 2020, they purchased this property, and brought the philosophy of food, fun, and laughter from Washington County to Lake Country. They renamed the property Smoke on the Water to reflect the revamped menu which includes a large selection of home-smoked meat items. Open jams, live music, karaoke and fun events are already a regular part of the experience.

And after a decade of the lower level sitting vacant, they just launched "Below Deck," a brand new state of the art banquet facility and live music venue that accommodates about 250 people.

Whether arriving by land or sea, you'll enjoy Lake Country's best lake-vibe barbecue, cocktails, live music & friends.

Experience Smoke on the Water - where strangers become friends, and friends become family.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Barbecue
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:00 am–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–9:30 pm Sat 4:00 pm–8:30 pm Sun 11:00 am–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (262) 468-5012
  • Website
    https://smokeonthewaterwi.com/
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 58 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Wisconsin

    Great for scenic views

  • Milwaukee

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Milwaukee

    Great for scenic views

  • Milwaukee

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Smoke on the Water BBQ Okauchee offers a stunning lake view and a "great atmosphere," making it a perfect spot for a relaxing meal. The brisket and smoked meats are "delicious," with many praising the attentive service, especially from standout servers like Jill and Shannon. Despite occasional service hiccups, the overall dining experience is "wonderful" and "worth the drive." Perfect for both casual outings and special celebrations, this restaurant promises a memorable visit with its "excellent drinks" and generous portions.

58 Reviews

  1. Jamie

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 24, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    So glad we found a new spot! Huge variety and everything was great. Our waitress was awesome which is rare these days

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  2. Liz

    Milwaukee

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 23, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great experience, staff was knowledgeable and friendly.

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  3. Joe

    VIP

    Milwaukee

    29 reviews

    4.0

    29 reviews

    Dined on November 10, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Smoke on the Water was a good overall experience. Visited on a Sunday night so the restaurant was mostly empty, so service was attentive and food came quickly. Food was pretty good, not great - table had a variety of dishes, sentiment was the same across the board. Would be a great spot in summer with the patio, will come back again when the weather is nicer to give it another try.

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  4. Chip

    VIP

    Denver

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on November 9, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent drinks and service. The food was great as well. Had the brisket and smoked chicken platter. It was a very large portion for the price. We’ll be back.

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  5. Richard

    Milwaukee

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 4, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Another great experience at Smoke on the Water! We love the feel of the restaurant and the people there. It is definitely worth our drive! We brought family to celebrate a birthday and not a single person was disappointed with their food. We loved that the owners came to say hi and check how our experience was (as always). They even wished my spouse a happy birthday and offered him a dessert or birthday drink. We love that the food is great and the prices aren't out of this world expensive. You get great food at a good price. We highly recommend Smoke on the Water. It's a place to impress guests, a date night or even just a place to make new friends with the great, welcoming staff.

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  6. Patti

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 27, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Our server, Amber, did a great job! The food was excellent!

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  7. Anita

    Milwaukee

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 26, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Probably unfair to judge a dinner during a Badger Game, costume party and band regarding noise level, but based on today’s service and previous visits, I would definitely recommend Smoke on the Water to others.

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  8. Mary

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 23, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Pretty place for lunch and to look out on the lake.

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  9. Susan

    VIP

    New York City

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on October 22, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server, Shannon, was terrific. She reviewed the menu quickly and cheerfully. Our food arrived quickly, and the brisket salad was yummy. Great water view.

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  10. Eileen

    VIP

    Milwaukee

    16 reviews

    2.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on October 19, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Waited over 30 minutes for a server to come to our table to take our order. She apologized for the wait. Took our drink order and food order. Food came out, but no drinks. We were just about finished, didn’t see our server, so asked someone to check on our drinks. Shortly , One drink was served, but waited 15 minutes for the second one (again had to ask when our drink would arrive). We won’t be back.

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FAQs

Smoke on the Water BBQ Okauchee is rated 4.6 stars by 58 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 14 times today
Google Map for Smoke on the Water BBQ Okauchee

N50W35016 Wisconsin Ave, Okauchee Lake, WI 53069

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Oconomowoc
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:00 am–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–9:30 pm Sat 4:00 pm–8:30 pm Sun 11:00 am–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Barbecue
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
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