Vegan
American
Fast food
Delivery
Take-out
Catering
Specializes in vegan barbecue and American comfort food like faux deli meat subs and mac n cheese. Began as a food cart then opened its brick & mortar in Nov 2015 at 1628 SW Jefferson St then moved here in Jul 2017; the food cart closed. Under new ownership 2022 by the team behind The Mocking Bird. Reported closed October 2023.
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8638 N Lombard St (at St. John's District), Portland, Oregon, USA, 97203
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- Outdoor seating
- Wheelchair accessible
- Accepts credit cards
- Free Wi-Fi
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Last update on 06 Oct 2023 by yourmoderndayhippie
Update business info
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126 Reviews
First Review by CommanderCort
bEzz
Points +1727
Maybe Slightly Overhyped?? - Edit
I might have just tried this spot on a bad day because the overall reviews are so high, but I honestly wasn’t that impressed. The worst part was probably the BBQ sauce. Sort of salty and flat tasting when you would expect a BBQ joint’s sauce to be its best feature. I would definitely return if I found myself in the area—it’s not like the meal was terrible—but for all the hype this place has gotten, I was expecting more.
Read morePros: All vegan, Large portions
Guest
JenniferDavis
Points +263
Great vegan bbq - Edit
Beyond ribs and mac were both really great!
Read moreGuest
Sheepie
Points +33
cheesesteak 💕💕 - Edit
i used to live near philly so ive had my fair share of real philly cheesesteaks, but wow!!!! this was so delicious!!!!! I want more so bad LOL. the fries were also really good (especially leftover). The mozzarella sticks were DELICIOUS and even my not vegan family liked them. They would be even better if the cheese were more solid, but i loved it anyway. i also tried the chicken sandwich, but i wasnt a fan of the pretzel bun or the breading they used on the chicken.....
Read morePros: really good vegan cheese
Cons: lots of flies inside the restaurant , some odd flavors
Guest
DanielKoenig
Points +20
Great! - Edit
Excellent food all around! Huge portions. Nice atmosphere. Would be awesome if it was closer to downtown! But I'm sure it's great for the folks who live closer.
Read moreMozzarella sticks and philly cheese steak were the best food we got, and they were to die for.
Updated from previous review on 2022-06-24
Pros: Great portions , Excellent food!
Cons: Flies, for some reason? Kitchen was clean, though, A few weird flavor combinations
Guest
heathergb
Points +148
Delicious, with one caveat - Edit
The Smoked chick’n is so so good; tempeh ribs are all right if you’re down with tempeh; out of greens that day so can’t say if those are any good. I don’t know what was going on with their Mac and cheese because it was grainy and not nice to look at or eat. GF s’mores bar was to die for (haha not, because no one dies when you make vegan food).
Read moreOur server was extremely thoughtful to accommodate a gluten-sensitive diner in our party.
Guest
keokani
Points +2384
Impressive vegan BBQ - Edit
Buff Burrito is exceptionally large and dense that I could barely finish half of it for dinner, and could barely finish the rest of it for brunch the next day! The smoked chick'n and bakon are nearly indistinguishable from the "real thing." These ingredients, along with the macnocheese, make up the bulk of the burrito, which is full of saucy flavor. Bourbon Pecan Pie was sold out, so I settled for the Smores Bar, which hit the spot. From the draft beer selection, I enjoyed the LIGO West Coast IPA from local Ecliptic Brewing.
Read morePros: restaurant includes a bar, variety of seating options, generous portions
Guest
LaceyStokes
Points +28
Best Pretzel Bites + Smoked "Chicken" - Edit
I don't love the seating here but the food is incredible. The soy curl BBQ sandwich is filling and the sauce is perfect. They have the best smokey bbq flavor. Highly recommend their pretzel bites. Best I've had!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-06-02
Pros: Big portions, Real smokehouse flavor, Good meat substitute texture
Cons: Seating isnt fantastic
Guest
KaitlinBaumgarten
Points +760
Really kind and great food! - Edit
They were understaffed so they were o my doing takeout, so I worry that they don’t pay enough. That being said, the servers were really great and helpful. The food came out quickly and it was delicious! The one thing I would point out is the cheesecake was just the Whole Foods brand, they don’t make it in house.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-05-08
Pros: Vegan place!, Lots of options, Compostable packaging
Cons: Expensive, Not a ton of vegetable options
Themockingbird
Hello Kaitlin! We were understaffed due to the owner being out of town, 2 team members were sick, and 1 employee was out of town for a memorial. Very unusual weekend ): Also, we team up with other small businesses to source all of our desserts, the cheesecakes are from rawdacious, which is a local company. So glad to hear your experience was great and we thank you very much for your support and taking the time to leave us a review ❤️
Read moreGuest
Connoisseur&Caveman
Points +144
Very good comfort food! - Edit
Our group ordered a lot of different things. The burrito was a favorite, as was the crispy chicken sandwich (one of the best we’ve had). The Mac and cheese was just ok, nothing special. All around, tasty food and a fun option!
Read moreThemockingbird
Thank you so much for taking the time to write us a review ❤️ The burrito is definitely always a fan favorite! 😉
Read moreGuest
veganwarrior666
Points +357
Massive portions of vegan comfort food - Edit
This is the 3rd reiteration of Homegrown Smoker i’ve dined at. The first being in SW Portland, the second at St. john’s before the original owner sold it and now run by Mockingbird. The core of the menu is still pretty much the same. Smoked and bbq comfort food but the menu did look smaller this time round. The taste however did not disappoint. They also have some of the most massive portions in Portland, always bring a tupperware as you’ll be bringing half the food home. The only reason to visit St. john’s for me living in Belmont without a car but wouldn’t travel this far often.
Read moreThemockingbird
Thank you so much for the continued support, we love hearing from fans who have followed the journey of HGS ❤️
Read moreGuest
Simone.B
Points +69
Buff burritos are life - Edit
I absolutely love and crave their buff burritos so often. They are so packed with flavor and a huge portion, so I can only eat 1/2 of it in a sitting. I always add the hush puppies too! I’ve tried several things from here that were all great as well. The wings are my second fav thing.
Read morePros: 100% vegan, Big portions, Friendly staff
Cons: Not open enough days of the week 🤣
Guest
OperationChowhound
Points +7247
Homegrown Success - Edit
I remember getting deep-fried Oreos from Homegrown Smoker when they started as a food cart downtown. I've followed them as they've moved locations over the years, but more infrequently as they've moved further from me. But we made the drive to St Johns today to visit before they close permanently soon. Today, I ordered the "Lone Star Burger," which is a grilled soy patty, vegan cheese, crispy fried onions, pickles, BBQ sauce, and chipotle aioli. It was still good despite cooling off on the drive home. I appreciate it wasn't spicy as some of their other offerings are too much for my low tolerance. I'm disappointed they're closing, but glad it's because the owner is retiring, and not because of a lack of customers; they seem to have plenty of those.
Read morePros: all vegan, outdoor seating
Cons: long wait, can't use gift cards online
Guest
MineralFox
Points +41
Satisfied even my non-Veg father - Edit
(Was here in sept. ‘21) We had both rib types, mac, slaw, philly, and buff burrito, shared a lot between us. All were awesome, especially if you’ve got a bbq nostalgia from your pre-veg days. Portion sizes were huge. My dad, who isn’t even vegetarian, loved everything he tried.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-11-13
Pros: BBQ , Friendly, Sustainable packaging
Cons: No inside dining (might just be because COVID)
Guest
pinkhibiscus
Points +137
So yummy!! Lots of gf options as well! - Edit
We are visiting and we were so excited to find a place that does all vegan bbq. We are all gf as well and there were so many choices! We all had bbq soy curls and tempeh ribs. To die for. So good. We also had coleslaw- it was perfect! Hush puppies with dipping sauce- are you kidding me??!! Gf vegan hush puppies? So yummy! We are all so full and happy!
Read morePros: All vegan, Tons of gf options clearly marked, Large portions
Cons: None
Guest
AlexaAnn
Points +65
Delicious! - Edit
So I am not from Portland but I knew I needed to try this place. Due to Covid the menu seemed much smaller Thani had seen online. I got the slosmomofo and hush puppies and it was honestly to die for. This is now a go to for me when I visit. So good
Read moreGuest
PDXVeganFamily
Points +156
A Must If You Live or Visiting Portland - Edit
Awesome exterior mural, cozy atmosphere and clean. Great staff and owner has been working his [censored] off each time I visit. Food is AMAZING, anytime a vegan visits me from out of town it is on the "must" list. The burrito with mac n cheese and bbq soy curls is my favorite! Although I have not tried anything I didn't like! Also huge portions!
Read morePros: Food- Taste, Portion Size, Fresh, Service, Atmosphere
Cons: Parking can be difficult
Guest
simpleme
Points +39
nice one - Edit
⏬
Read moreGuest
ELG
Points +121
Sooooo good!! - Edit
Amazing comfort food!
Read moreGuest
Passittowill
Points +3371
Okay - Edit
Was honestly a bit underwhelmed here. There’s so much hype and it just fell flat unfortunately. The best things I had were the grit sticks and hush puppies. The ribs were just okay along with the other sides.
Read morePros: Vegan
Cons: Not that great, Parking
Guest
Seatown_vegan
Points +8044
Ok - Edit
Wasn’t too impressed with the place. I ordered the tempeh ribs which were good. The meat did have a smoky flavor, which is nice. I thought the macaroni was good but didn’t really like the beans. They’ve downsized their menu due to Covid which is unfortunate because I heard great things about the hush puppies.
Read moreI would like to try this place again when they allow dining.
Pros: All vegan
Guest
talakoala
Points +894
So good - Edit
This place was a priority when I visited Portland. Low key with great food.
Read moreGuest
KarenBronzinoMcCabe
Points +54
I’m having withdrawal issues! - Edit
Oh man HGS has been closed during this damn pandemic and it has been brutal! I miss it soooo much, i felt the need to leave a love letter/review! Menu items are unique and always delicious. The macnocheese burrito is massive and feeds me for 3 days (of pure bliss). Their bbq soy curls are perfection, their fish & chips are amazing, grit sticks and hush puppies are decadent and addictive. All their sauces are excellent. Ive also had their philly cheesesteak, hayam & chz, and fish sandwich. You cant go wrong, it’s all out of this world. Roses are red, violets are blue, HGS I miss you! Cant wait til you’re back!
Read morePros: Everything is perfect
Guest
helvegen
Points +44
Excellent - Edit
Amazing one of a kind food you can't really get anywhere else. My only qualm is that I was I didn't have to pay extra for the sides as with many vegan restaurants it can get pricey. However, I give that a pass since its actually real smoked bbq and such an original kind of place. This is not food that you can make at home. Brunch is awesome too!
Read morePros: Great food. Authentic tasting bbq, Good service
Cons: Price can be prohibitive
Guest
cederw
Points +57
Good vegan bbq - Edit
Spacious space with lots of different options. I really liked the rib sandwich. They also have a baked dessert case.
Read moreGuest
Donvfisher
Points +217
2nd best meal in Portland! - Edit
Soy curl BBQ sandwich was outstanding! Tempe ribs very good also.
Read moreGuest
AudreyEmmaPlyler
Points +980
Hush my mouth hush-puppies - Edit
I can’t wait to go back and try everything else on the menu. Enough said.
Read morePros: Hush puppies, Mac and cheese
Guest
syork2
Points +158
Such great food - Edit
Homegrown Smoker is definitely a must-visit vegan restaurant in Portland. I feel lucky getting to live so close as the food is delicious, there's a ton of space, and it's a great place to eat when you're visiting the most beautiful bridge in Portland and one of the best neighborhoods, St John's!
Read morePros: delicious options, southern vegan good
Guest
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