Listen... I'm not saying I'd elbow someone out of the way for Big Mike's burnt ends, but I am saying I'm not sharing them. With anyone. Ever. These things are otherworldly -- melt-in-your-mouth tender with that crisp, caramelized, candy-coated exterior that should honestly be illegal. I happily make the 90-minute drive from Moore County because this BBQ is that good. The chicken? Juicy. The brisket? Fantastic. But the burnt ends? Those are the reason I'm blocking off my schedule and grabbing my keys like I've got somewhere holy to be. The fries were perfectly cooked (crispy but not trying too hard), and their spin on potato salad was surprisingly delicious -- they smoke the potatoes, and somehow that makes the whole thing taste like comfort food's cooler, more interesting cousin. If you're thinking about going... go. Just don't expect me to share my burnt ends. I meant what I said. read more

Big Mikes BBQ - Burnt Ends, Chicken, Coleslaw, Smoked Potato Salad - Southern Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Great restaurant with an awesome menu. We came on a Sunday around 2pm thinking it might be quiet and it was absolutely packed, which makes sense after eating there. The only real downside was they were already out of pork BBQ, which I'm guessing is their main item and they just ran out for the day. The burnt ends were incredible though, literally fell apart in your mouth. Service was good and they have really nice indoor and outdoor seating. Highly recommend the potato salad and the fried brussel sprouts, the sprouts had this perfect mix of sriracha and honey that was so good. It is a bit pricey for lunch but that's kind of expected with BBQ these days. Definitely will be back. read more

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We enjoyed our meal! Unfortunately they were sold out of BBQ. We ended up getting chicken which wasn't the same. However the sides were good! Honey sriracha brussel sprouts were delicious! Service was ok. They forgot my drink and we had to remind them. We'll be back (but we'll call ahead and make sure they have BBQ!) read more

The food was outstanding! Started with the Brussel sprouts that are flash fried and then drizzled with honey and siracha. These were the bomb!! Ordered a three meat plate with chopped pork, jalapeño and cheddar sausage and burnt ends. All the meats were works of art. The burnt ends were truly meat candy, delicious! The chopped pork had just the right amount of smoke and was tender and juicy. Sauce was not needed as the flavor profile was spot on. The sausage was spot on and I loved that it was not fatty or greasy and was made with high Quaility ingredient's. The smoked potato salad was incredible. The restaurant atmosphere was relaxing and fun. Love how the owners have set it up. This place js a must go to on your list when in the Raleigh Durham area. Awesome experience. read more

I am a huge fan of BBQ baby backs and Big Mikes serves up some tasty ribs. I ate half a rack in one seating. It comes with two sides and I tried the beans and collards, both were also very good. I like the vinegar BBQ sauce. I sat outside to enjoy some sunshine, but indoor seating is also available. Plenty of parking. Please come and create your own adventure. read more

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We came in about an hour before closing expecting end of the day quality food, but lawd y'all I was so pleasantly surprised. I got the chicken quarter plate, and I swear to gods high heaven it was the juiciest chicken I've ever bestowed upon my mouth hole. And the hush-puppies... y'all... they got corn inside. That's the real deal. Got me busting. I also loved the ambiance, it was giving small-town bbq joint from your fav coming of age film. My partner and I always aim to eat local, and I'm so happy that we found a delicious independently owned bbq spot. WE WILL BE BACK! read more

I ordered take out on a Saturday evening. It was really fast, but I also came at 5:00 -probably before the dinner rush. I tried the brisket, mac and cheese, and collards. I enjoyed everything! The brisket was tender and had so much flavor. The Mac and cheese was creamy and wonderful. The collards were tasty with a little kick of heat. Delicious! read more

Big Mikes BBQ - Texas Style Brisket Plate with Collard Greens Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese - Southern Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

The food was burnt and smelled bad. It was microwaved. The BBQ was watered down. I had to return the food. I only took a small piece of the ribs. Packed it up and went back. read more

We had a great experience at Big Mike's BBQ! Honestly, we were a little skeptical at first, but I'm so glad we gave it a try. I was really craving brisket, and this place did not disappoint. If you're like me and want a little bit of everything, I highly recommend the Big Mike's Platter--it comes with three sides and a generous portion of meat that can easily feed 5-6 people. We paired our meal with a cold beer, and I loved that they offer local options. The staff was warm and friendly, checking in on us and making sure we had everything we needed. This spot truly deserves more attention--great food, great service, and a welcoming atmosphere. We'll definitely be coming back! Oh, great for family & friends and tons of outdoor seating. read more

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We ordered a lot BBQ last May for a pre-Graduation dinner at the BNB House we rented for my brother's graduation with our family. The BBQ in which we ordered everything was yummy and delicious! The side of collard greens, Mac and cheese and okra were top notch. Seriously different BBQ from CA, TX or any other state I have order BBQ. It was moist and juicy and made with quality meats. It was all superb. We ordered ahead of time and bought a few hundred dollars of BBQ and sides for 7 family members. When we arrived to pick it up, it was all there and ready to go. Service was quick and fast. Only wish was that they had rice as a side so I got some next door at the Chinese restaurant. Ambiance was typical BBQ and it was steady business. Big Mikes is an excellent representation of North Carolina BBQ which is well know. I liked it and definitely distinct from TX and MO BBQ. If you are in the area, head in there and get a platter which has samples of meats available from sausage, brisket, pulled pork and chicken! BTW I hate drowning my food in sauces. read more

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Crazy good BBQ. Nachos were different, but the more we are, the more we wanted. The Brisket was melt in your mouth, fall apart goodness. Let me tell you, the Burnt Ends were unanimously agreed to be absolutely phenomenal...the perfect balance of seasonings with sweet, it was like little meaty candied morsels. Everything was so perfect, even though nothing needed it, we had to try their original sauces which added just enough zest to an already delightful meal. On a side note...the Smoked Potato Salad was such an interesting twist ... It almost was meat like in taste and texture, like nothing I've ever encountered. So glad we had leftovers... excited to have more later read more

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First tried this place awhile ago due to so the good reviews. Got food to go and waited for it to be ready. The wait wasn't too long. It was more of an afternoon time during the week day so it wasn't too busy. Ordered Mac n cheese, cucumber salad, and bbq. The decor inside was cute. It had a nice little sitting area. The outdoor patio seems to be pretty popular as well. The food was ok. I felt all of it was pretty dry and not that flavorful. I added sauces and seasonings When I was home. I was thinking it might have been a one off experience but my neighbor said they had the same thoughts about it. read more

Big Mikes BBQ - Loaded mac n cheese, cucumber salad, bbq - Southern Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Interesting place, on a pretty day you can sit out side and get served. Or sit inside in the bar area or sit at a table in another room. Check out the pictures. I placed an Order to go, and the waitress was very nice helping me out. I ordered a lb of Chopped BBQ Pork, very good, lb of Chopped BBQ Chicken, I would not get this again, the sauce was good but the Chicken may have been left over from the day before. A lb of Texas Style Brisket, it was good but they put goood slices on the top and hid very fatty slices underneath. Then a Jalapeno/ Cheddar Sausage Link, not bad, good heat to it. Would I go back again...no. If there is a Big Mike, I would reevaluate the food you serve and step up the quality. read more

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Not very good. Brisket was very dry and tuff. Smash burger was good Might have been an off day, it was raining out. Maybe the pork and chicken are better than the beef, I didn't try either. Won't go back. read more

1 hour wait time for food with an empty restaurant . Don't come hungry!! We ordered 2 things

We were near the Raleigh Durham Airport and looking for a place to eat a late lunch. We are not very familiar with the Raleigh area and decided to check Big Mike's out based on Yelp reviews. We arrived about 4pm and were immediately greeted by a young lady. She told us we could take a seat anywhere. I should note there wasn't another customer in sight. We took a seat at one of the large tables and we were brought menus. We immediately noticed the floor was very slippery. She agreed and said something about the people who mopped the floor the previous night. The menu is on the small side and we thought the prices were higher than what we see in the Triad area but they may be very comparable to the local Raleigh-Durham area. We were told they were out of fries and also a second item which I don't now recall what it was. Two of us decided on the pulled pork while the other two decided to order brisket to share along with assorted sides. The sides ordered were mac n cheese and slaw. The interior seems clean and comfortable but did have a bit of a dingy feel to it. While we waited for our food we did see to go orders being picked up but no one else came in to sit down. Our food arrived in a timely manner and looked good. We dug in and thought it was decent but not fantastic like the BBQ we had earlier in our trip which we all compared it to. Overall, this was a decent experience but did not blow our socks off. Maybe we were there on an off day but there is room for improvement in our opinion. read more

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Got take out. The food was fabulous. The smoked potato salad was out of this world. Also had the burnt ends and the pulled pork and both were amazing. read more

Be careful: the recommended tips on the receipt are post-tax. But yeah, this place is so disappointing. It used to be the best in the triangle, now it's a far cry from that. I still come every year or so in hopes that they've improved, but it's only gotten worse. I ordered the dry rub wings this time, and there was like a teaspoon of rub across a pound of wings. These use to be my favorite wings in the triangle. Ugh. The food has SKYROCKETED in price too. $18 for a bbq platter, $28 for dry brisket. read more

Big Mikes BBQ - Nachos - Southern Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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We grabbed dinner one night at Big Mike's BBQ and really enjoyed our meal! Parking was very easy since there were plenty of spots right outside of the restaurant. We debated sitting inside versus outside, but ended up choosing to sit outside because the weather was reasonably nice :) We ordered our food and just as we settled in, a bee decided to come hang out at our table. Since we have a toddler, we thought it'd be better to move inside and avoid the bee, and thankfully the staff were totally cool with this. The food was tasty! I ended up getting a BBQ pork sandwich with a side of the smoked potato salad. I was kind of expecting a "mushy" potato salad but it was basically roasted potatoes covered in some kind of cheesy mayo sauce. It was very good, but also very caloric! I was stuffed after my meal, so I would definitely be wary of the portion sizes and not order a bunch of sides. Overall, we would definitely come back here. read more

I'm fairly new to Raleigh NC prior to June 2024 my Son came to visit me from NJ after the Thanksgiving holiday and he wanted good barbecue and someone shared with us about this restaurant. We ordered 2 meals Togo Texas Brisket and Pulled pork and 2 sides each we test tasted. First off please take Texas Briaket off your meat its n insult to my home state. The potato salad not good fried potatoes loaded with mayo no mustard, barbecue beans are canned pork beans with barbecue sauce not good too sweet Mac and cheese taste boxed brisket pretty dry I paid $63 for garbage so disappointed will never go back. P.S. The mistake I made was not checking our order upon leaving we didn't get what we order so please check your bag they throw anything in the bag and staple it opposed to allowing you to see what you ordered. I should've known the place was horrible no one was there and it was lunch time and the food taste left over seriously the food was not good it was a waste of money it went into the garbage the so call fat on the Brisket had more seasoning then the meet its like the bake it or something if you can't cook Brisket don't sale it. I'm so read more

Recommended to me from many friends, and so glad I finally did. My group had the brisket sandwich (great), smoked chicken sandwich (great), and smash burger with booty sauce (great). Server did a good job taking care of us. Place has that friendly neighborhood place. read more

Raleigh is a fine area to visit, but their idea of BBQ and mine are not the same. But I'd heard plenty of good things about Big Mike's and I made my way over. I sat at the bar and had a 3 meat platter. Brisket, burnt ends, and chopped BBQ chicken. Actually, I had asked for ribs, but got brisket instead. Not that I was complaining as things would turn out. I was expecting pulled chicken and instead it was roughly chopped chicken breast. I was glad it wasn't pulled but the meat was a little dry which can happen easily with chicken breast. I needed a decent amount of sauce for it. It was seasoned well though. Burnt ends were fine, not the best, not the worst. But the brisket was incredibly good. In the mid Atlantic, a lot of BBQ places do the pork well, but not the beef. Well Big Mike's does a great job with the cow. Moist meat, a nice layer of bark on the outside. I would certainly order this again. Thumbs up for the sides, the smoked potato salad is one of the best BBQ sides I've ever had. Potatoes were all dente, the dressing was super cheesy and thick. Cucumber salad was a fine refresher for the palate. Service was pretty good, though it did take a little more time than I would have wanted to get my drink refill. But the check was processed in a timely manner. If anything, maybe some more sides like mac and cheese and cornbread would be a nice addition. But a good BBQ spot for sure. read more

Had the pleasure of stopping at Big Mikes on a recent trip to Raleigh and boy they did not disappoint! Ordered the sampler platter with Brisket, Tips, Ribs,Sausage and Pulled Pork and everything was immaculate! The restaurant was clean and the staff were quick and friendly. I highly recommend stopping my Mikes if you're in Raleigh/Cary area read more

Definitely a worthy local BBQ contender. The meats are fantastic, burnt ends were delicious and juicy. The pork is always on point. Beer selection is good. And their sides are tasty. read more

Dad wanted bbq for his 87th birthday. Where's a Gal to take him when she is unfamiliar with Cary? Yelp said Big Mikes, so that's where we showed up mid-afternoon on a Tuesday. Found it in a strip mall. Parked right out front. Seating available inside and out. We chose in. We were offered our choice of seats and chose a high top to the right when you walk in. Service was terrific from start to finish. Our guy took great care of us. His enthusiasm for the food and our experience was well appreciated. He helped birthday Dad find a beer he liked. Despite the nice variety on the menu, we both ended up ordering the same thing. Pork bbq, slaw, and the veggie of the day which was brussels sprouts with honey srihracha. I also ordered two extra sides of collards and smoked potato salad. Portions are crazy generous. I got two more meals out of mine. Pork is nice and lean which I like, but needed the sauces that were on the table. The vinegar sauce literally tasted like pure cider vinegar, but when mixed with the other slightly sweet sauce on the table, it worked well. Brussels were the star of the show. They need to keep them on the menu! Collards very good. Slaw very simple. The potato "salad" was fried tater cubes with a rich mayo sauce on top. Special kudos for giving Dad banana pudding to go for his birthday. This place cares about its customers and food quality and it shows. read more

Big Mikes BBQ - Pork BBQ, Honey Sriracha Brussels and Slaw - Southern Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Bbq nachos and Mac n cheese were served cold. Service seems to have changed too....one server would never come by, and I had to ask for items from anyone we saw. We were charged for an item we didn't order, didnt think anything of it.....but we heard multiple people have stuff on their bill that they didn't get or did not order? .....and the flies and gnats were not any added ambiance read more

Our first and last visit. When we walked in, they allowed us to sit at any table because they were empty. We picked a table and then waited for menus. After placing our orders I went to the bathroom to wash my hands. No soap in the dispenser and no soap in the disposal bottle along with no paper towels. Yikes! How do employees wash their hands after using the bathroom? We ordered a variety of food and the only thing that arrived hot was the chicken wings. Who eats mac and cheese cold? Brisket dry. read more

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Incredible food. Service was upbeat and fun. The ambiance is rustic but the food outshined everything read more

Big Mikes BBQ - Sides - Southern Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Food may still be good, but the new menu is not. I just visited at 12:35 on a Sunday... they are out of several items including ribs, burnt ends & sweet potato fries. This in itself isn't huge, but notable because these represent a fair amount of the menu. They have removed several items from the new menu, & rose prices quite a bit. I suggest you check out the new menu before riding out & you may want to call to check availability. read more

Big Mikes BBQ - Menu 3/3/2024 - Southern Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Food is great. Ordered sampler platter with 3 sides. All was good. Outdoor seating is appreciated on a nice evening. Service was only adequate, but friendly. read more

Just average. If you're looking to crave your basic BBQ needs, Big Mikes does the trick. However, it's not the best in the area. Staff is great, considered to be a staple for Cary locals, but it misses the mark for my personal taste. The potato salad is fried potatoes and served hot with melted cheese and sour cream. The sauces are a bit watery for my liking. Call me old school when it comes to BBQ, but potato salad is not deep fried or served hot. I totally respect their desire to be different, but I'm more of a traditional BBQ guy. read more

Perfect place for people with dead taste buds. Super salty! But I only had the loaded fries.

Great local BBQ spot! Food: the potato salad is insane, and I like the brisket (a bit dry), ribs, chopped pork, and wings. However, I've noticed some variance in the BBQ (ranging from very good to just okay) Service: great! Really friendly servers who are kind and nice I love that you can pick beers in the back and drink it there - only $5! They also have cool promotions (taco tuesday). I haven't had the burnt ends yet (Wed & Sat) but I heard they're the best read more

Big Mikes BBQ - Rib Plate - Southern Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Nice little spot to get some BBQ! Enjoyed the Brisket, but wish the potato salad was more with mayo/mustard. Other than that, great service and good food :-) read more

Big Mikes BBQ - BBQ Nachos - Southern Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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The good: the BBQ, and honestly that's the best you could want from a BBQ joint! Really like the chopped pork. Service has also always been good. The bad: The sides, not a fan of ANY of the remaining sides. They used to have Mac n cheese and cornbread on the menu which was pretty good. My husband and I would often get platters as takeout. However, now that both of those have been removed from the menu neither of us really like any of the remaining sides we have tried. The fries are ok but not worth the overall price for a meal. read more

Big Mikes was our first NC BBQ during our visit, and had great reviews so we had high hopes. Plusses were Big Mikes corn bread and banana bacon pudding. Both were amazing and I'd go again even if I just went for these. For sure ask for the honey butter to go with your corn bread. I ordered the two meat plate with chopped pork and baby back ribs. The chopped pork was a tiny bit dry and didn't have a lot of smoky flavor - luckily Big Mikes delicious sauce helped with both. The baby back ribs were a bit meatier than baby backs we've had before, so not sure if these were actually baby backs or maybe a NC style baby back. The ribs had great flavor and I really liked the rib rub, tho they could have been more tender. Both meats also could have been served warmer. The mac n cheese was piping hot and really tasty. Our servers were amazing and so nice. read more

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Mac and cheese and cole slaw sides were decent. Pulled pork was flavorful but had so much gristle, fat, and skin(?) mixed in that it kept me from enjoying it. Service and seating were both good. read more

I've had a few yummy dishes and a few really disappointing ones. Today was the last time. It's too expensive and there are other options. Today I got a very fatty brisket and the seasonal veggies I got are fried okra. The biggest offender was a vinegar condiment was included in my bag that was not sealed properly so I now have to clean vinegar from my passenger seat. read more

Big Mikes BBQ - Texas Texas Style Brisket Plate - Southern Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Awesome food and the brisket tamales aren't on the menus but worth the ask! Don't sell yourself short and go check out their newly redesigned space. read more

The food here is amazing! Real barbecue! The waitress and staff were extremely nice and the ambience was of a great barbecue place!