Smokey Tails - Hackney

Hackney Wick is not a bad choice for going out. You can fall out of Hackney Wick overground station straight into a bar. There aren't a huge amount of places to choose from, but definitely enough for a good night out. Especially if you want your fun outside, preferably along a canal. While the views are not quite Venetian, the crowd is fun and the vibe is right.

The latest addition to the scene is pop-up barbecue and cocktails joint Smokey Tails. A wooden structure built up against the canal with a large, partially covered terrace, it's around until October. The Crate Brewery, however, is permanent and has great craft brews and pizzas with a large canal-side area.

The cocktails at Smokey Tails are your standard fare from Summer Cups to Sours but the barbecue is worth the trip. 

Ribs have been slow-smoked before being thrown on the barbie and doused in sauce. The sauces are well balanced and allegedly made from old family recipies - one of the founders is from southern USA.

There is also the ubiquitous Pulled Pork in a bun, which I didn't try but looked good - glistening with the right amount of fat and juiciness.

The Wings here are exceptional - moist and falling off the bone and anointed in either barbecue or buffalo sauce, the latter of which was the perfect balance between hot and sour. 

As long as the weather holds up, there's meat on the grill and the decks are spinning, this is a good choice for a raucous Saturday night or a chilled Sunday afternoon.