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We are a locally owned barbecue smokehouse. We hand trim and rub our meats, which are then slow smoked over a real wood fire in our on-site smokers. Because of our cooking style, we can sell out of popular items and sometimes we sell out early. We have a full menu of meats, sandwiches, specialty items like bbq horseshoes or nachos, sides, drinks, desserts, and house made sauces. Our restaurant is casual, and we have seating, but counter service only. Feel free to come see us or call ahead for pick up.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 2612 N Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Decatur, IL 62526
Phone: (217) 542-7275
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Carrol Lou’s Smokehouse | Decatur IL – Facebook
We are a traditional BBQ joint serving slow-smoked meats cooked over a real wood fire. American Restaurant · $$ · (217) 542 …
Carrol Lou’s Smokehouse – Decatur Convention and Visitors Bureau
Carrol Lou’s Smokehouse. Description: We are a traditional BBQ joint … 2612 N Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Decatur, IL 62526. (217) 542-7275. Facebook …
Carrol Lou’s Smokehouse – Enjoy Illinois
We are a traditional BBQ joint serving slow-smoked meats cooked over a real wood fire, homemade sauce, and sides. Our restaurant is casual with counter service.
Reviews
Jamie Dayton
Pastrami was amazing. If I wasn’t flying home I would have bought more to bring home. Super friendly staff. Burnt ends were also very good. Had the Perfect 9 and the Triple S sauces, both very good. P9 was best! Coleslaw was meh. Could have used more dressing.
… morer t
Best BBQ in town! The brisket and burnt ends are delicious! The French fries are crazy addicting good! The baked beans and mac n cheese both are awesome. I love all the food I have tried. Super nice people with delicious food! Highly recommend
… moreL. Ski
Straight forward Smoked BBQ restaurant. While in line trying to figure out what to order John suggested one of the sandwiches, then Brian suggested another and Matt said you can’t go wrong with Brisket… So we ordered all of it and some ribs, tips, wings, and nachos. Those three men were not wrong. Once we made it to Chicago our only regret was not ordering more. The meats were all tender and full of flavor. There are multiple sauce choices for the ribs but I can’t say one is better than another. They were all good sauces. We made it at the right time just before the lunch rush. As we sat and ate, people continued to come and the line grew. The food was worth the wait and the drive from Chicago.
… moreKenDizzle10
Brisket tasted good, overall enjoyable sandwich. Got it with slaw on top, tasted like a vinigar base slaw.
Ask them to put the sauce on top of the meat, or on the side. I couldn’t pick up my sandwich due to the bottom bun being saturated in sauce. Brisket Mac and cheese was tasteful, a white cheese with quite a bit of a pepper taste. A little pricey for what I got. Would visit again and order something different. The ribs seemed to have been popular as everyone was ordering those around me.
… moreAsk them to put the sauce on top of the meat, or on the side. I couldn’t pick up my sandwich due to the bottom bun being saturated in sauce. Brisket Mac and cheese was tasteful, a white cheese with quite a bit of a pepper taste. A little pricey for what I got. Would visit again and order something different. The ribs seemed to have been popular as everyone was ordering those around me.
JJ
Such a cool little bbq restaurant inside and old home. It has a really great charm about it. The owners were super friendly and the Reuben sandwich was fantastic pairing it with the cole slaw was out of this world goood, my wife loved the pulled pork and we both had the peach pit beans, I really loved them, but they were a bit sweet for my wife.
I dug the old out of date windows, it took me back in time to my childhood homes and the stained glass with the sun shining through, perfect. The music selection was also great.
… moreI dug the old out of date windows, it took me back in time to my childhood homes and the stained glass with the sun shining through, perfect. The music selection was also great.
Mark Audi
When entering Carrol Lou’s Smokehouse, I was taken away to a southern state of mind by the atmosphere and character this old house contained. The menu is top-notch as are food portions. Even better is the overwhelming pitmaster smell and taste of the food. Plenty of rubs and sauce choices to please everyone!
… moreAj Swaim
After spending the day at the Decatur zoo, my partner and I googled “food near scolville zoo” and we found Carrol Lou’s Smokehouse and decided to check it out. We were a little taken aback when we pulled up and it appeared to be someone’s house with a parking lot. We looked uneasy at each other and decided, YOLO- let’s try it! THANK GOD WE DID! Holy cow- the food is amazing!! We had no clue what to order and said it was our 1st time here. A customer chimed in and recommended the brisket horseshoe with the Monterey Jack cheese. I ended up getting the pony shoe instead (just a smaller portion but same toppings) Hands down, that was the BEsT brisket I have ever had. Incredible flavor and beyond tender. My Partner is an avid meat BQQ cooker and until Sunday I would say his meat is the best. Not anymore, Carrol Lou’s is now #1. My partner got the pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw topping, he got the Carolina sauce on the side. The pulled pork was juicy and extremely tender. The sandwich had a massive about of meat on it. DELICIOUS!! For sides we got the brisket Mac and cheese (10/10) and the baked beans. The Beans are very unique with slices of peaches in them. They are very good, a tiny bit on the sweet side- but we both enjoyed them. When we left we got a peanut butter cookie and chocolate chip cookie. They are so moist, soft and flavorful absolutely recommend. This hidden gem in Decatur is incredible and we absolutely will not only be back, we will be telling everyone to go check them out! Keep up the great work Carrol Lou’s Smokehouse- your food is amazing!!
… morehelen
I had a classic bbq sandwich with brisket and the triple s sauce which is like a honey bbq. It’s marked as a medium spice level but there wasn’t much spice at all. But the sauce had the perfect tang it worked so well with the brisket. The brisket was perfect — falls apart and melts in your mouth…The bun was also perfect… the sandwich is just a great classic. Fries were crispy and have a little sugar on them. Everyone was friendly! Great meal, hope to come again.
… moreMaFreeman
Great smoked wings I love them. 9.16.24 update today I purchased 1lb of smoked Brisket.
It was the best and most tender Brisket I have ever tasted
My Wife is very Picky but she agreed Carrol Louis is the only Brisket we will eat for now on.
Carrol Lou’s you do it
RIGHT THANK YOU
MA Freeman
… moreIt was the best and most tender Brisket I have ever tasted
My Wife is very Picky but she agreed Carrol Louis is the only Brisket we will eat for now on.
Carrol Lou’s you do it
RIGHT THANK YOU
MA Freeman
Laura Withrow
Staff is incredibly friendly and super sweet! In town for family (from NY) and decided to try a place we’d never heard of. The online menu still listed chicken, but it is no longer on the menu. Respectfully, they no longer serve a chicken sandwich as they we not happy with the outcome! I got the pretzel Q with turkey (OMG,) my husband got classic barbecue with pork and my sister-in-law got the hogzilla! The triple S sauce is really good and the meat is smokey and tender. I can’t believe we stumbled across this wonderful little place!
… more