I had the privilege of attending my first blogger event at a restaurant called Yardbird Smoked Meats. I love to try new places and new foods so this was very exciting for me. Yardbird Smoked Meats is located in Keego Harbor, Michigan, which is about an hour drive from my hometown of Canton.

The first thing I noticed when walking up to the restaurant was the aroma of the meat smoker. It was located in back of the restaurant but I’m pretty sure that wonderful smell spreads through the surrounding area. Yardbird Smoked Meats isn’t a large restaurant, but it seems to be a popular restaurant. The restaurant was open to the public that Tuesday night and let me tell you…it was hopping! The restaurant features a sitting area with tables, bar area, and outdoor area for dining. I was informed that the owner of the restaurant is a dog lover and hopes to feature some dog friendly evenings in the patio area.

There was a pretty good crowd of bloggers there that night so we sat together in the back of the restaurant. We were served our meal family style so that we had the option to try various meats and sides. They started us off with two appetizers, Parmesan Tots with green chili ranch and Yard Chips. The Parmesan Tots looked like tater tots, only they were breaded tots filled with Parmesan Cheese. They were yummy!!! The Yard Chips were tortilla chips topped with pulled chicken, tomato salsa, sour cream, mucho sauce (a cheese sauce), jack cheese, and pickled jalapenos. These were delicious and a great dish to share with a group.

Next they served us with our main meal which included three meats (pulled pork, beef brisket, and St. Louis Ribs) and Cod fish. We were also presented with a few side dishes: Bacon Dog Pit Beans, Mac and Cheese, green beans and carrots, fried green tomatoes, and cornbread. My favorite meats were the pulled pork and the beef brisket, both of which could be topped with their six homemade sauces. The sauces are located in bottles right at the table so you can taste as many as you’d like. I tried them all and my favorite was the Kansas City Sauce (ketchup, brown sugar, and spices). Of the side dishes, my favorites were the mac and cheese and cornbread. The noodles in the mac and cheese were spiral shaped and the cheese sauce had a little zing (or bite). To top it off, there were crumbled Ritz crackers on top of the noodles and sauce.  After we polished off the main meal, we were served individual dishes of their Bourbon Butterscotch Pudding. It kept me wanting more…so smooth, rich, and tasty! I seriously could have licked the bowl!

I would recommend Yardbird Smoked Meats. If I lived closer, it might be a place I’d visit on a regular basis. If you ever have the chance to visit, be sure to try the mac and cheese and Bourbon Butterscotch Pudding.  Your taste buds will thank you (and leave you wanting more). Below is the information you need to find Yardbird Smoked Meats. Give it a try sometime!

Yardbird Smoked Meats

1978 Cass Lake Road, Keego Harbor MI. 48320

1.248.681.2124

HOURS OF OPERATION:

Monday-Friday  4pm to 10pm

Saturday 12pm to 11pm

Sunday 11am to 8:30pm

Disclaimer: I received something of value from Yardbird Smoked Meats in exchange for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.