About Blue Smoke

The Story

Blue Smoke serves up mouthwatering barbecue, sides, and homestyle baked goods alongside delicious cocktails, local and Southern beers, and a wide range of American whiskies. 

Adding to the food and drink, Blue Smoke is most known for its warm, welcoming, and inclusive hospitality. It's a gathering place for all: where families can feel just as comfortable as a couple on a date or a group of colleagues gathering by the bar at the end of a long week. 

Blue Smoke creates food that draws from the diverse traditions of The South. It’s food that feels like coming home.

What’s in a Name?

To help create our first Blue Smoke on 27th Street, we enlisted the guidance of revered pitmaster, Mike Mills. At dinner one evening in 2001, Mike explained his technique for mopping ribs with sauce, just before taking them from the smoker. As Mike spoke, he lowered his voice to share some wisdom: “Legend has it that, when you mop the ribs and they are cooked to perfection, the smoke turns blue.” At that moment, we knew we had a name and Blue Smoke was born! Mike continued to be our mentor, friend, and partner until he passed away in 2020. His name and influence will forever live through the impact he had on our restaurant and the barbecue community.