Smoke & Fire, the barbecue restaurant on East Russell Road in Las Vegas known for its loaded barbecue fries and blueberry chicken sliders, is closing for good. The restaurant announced on Instagram that its last day of service will be September 26, 2026, ending a six-year run in Las Vegas.
The announcement, first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, marks the end of the road for the spot at 3315 E. Russell Road, which opened in the summer of 2020. Over the years, the restaurant built a menu around smoked brisket sandwiches, full and half racks of smoked ribs, street-style tacos, pulled chicken and pork, smoked wings, an Angus Smoke & Fire burger, and meat platters piled with smoked chicken quarters. Regulars will have through September 26 to get one last taste before the doors close.
A Tough Year Before the Final Bell
The closure caps a difficult stretch for the restaurant. Earlier in the year, the Russell Road location suffered an overnight break-in that drew community support, according to News 3 Las Vegas.
Smoke & Fire was co-founded by hospitality executive Ryan Klaasen, who also serves as Chief Operating Officer of El Dorado Cantina and helped launch the brand, according to the Hospitality Leaders podcast. The brand grew beyond Las Vegas into Southern California, with sister concepts operating as Smoke & Fire Social Eatery in Riverside and Craft by Smoke & Fire in Anaheim and Pasadena, offering Texas-style barbecue and comfort food to those regional markets. The Anaheim outpost even adapted its menu to offer 100% Halal-certified meats across its Texas BBQ lineup, including smoked short ribs and steaks, according to Zabihah.
Co-Owner Shifts Focus to Smash & Slice
While the Russell Road location is shutting down, co-owner Tony Lee also owns Smash & Slice, his secondary dining concept, which opened its second Las Vegas location on South Fort Apache Road this month after debuting near UNLV in November 2024. Hoodline covered that second Smash & Slice opening just days before the Smoke & Fire closure announcement, and the sister brand concepts under the Smoke & Fire umbrella continue operating in Southern California even as the Las Vegas flagship winds down.
Part of a Wider Wave of Vegas Closures
Smoke & Fire's exit lands amid a broader wave of restaurant shutdowns across Clark County. An estimated 60 to nearly 70 restaurants closed across the region in the first half of 2026 alone, according to industry data cited by KNPR. The station also covered restaurant closures across the region.
The barbecue category's challenges have included Smoke & Fire's closure. Nevada's restaurant industry remains a significant economic engine despite the turbulence — the state's 7,094 restaurant locations generate $23.3 billion in annual sales and support roughly 231,000 jobs, according to the National Restaurant Association.
For now, Smoke & Fire's Russell Road location is scheduled to close after its final night on September 26.
