I came here for the first time last weekend and had a great meal. We arrived around 8pm, theres not…read morea lot of parking but it was late enough that we didn't have trouble finding a spot. We requested to be seated outside since it was nice out. The inside is spacious though, with a lot of regular seating as well as a large bar in the middle. We decided to get the combo platter of cheddar jalapeno sausage, brisket, pulled pork and 1/2 rack of ribs with mac and cheese and homemade potato salad. We washed it down with some ice cold Red Oak and white wine. My favorite was definitely the brisket- it was perfectly tender, juicy and flavorful on its own. I think the jalapeno sausage and ribs were tied for second. You know it's done well when the meats don't *need* any extra sauces, although we tried a few and they were quite flavorful. There was plenty of food (we had leftovers), our server was friendly, and the price was right! @azfitfoodfun

Excellent BBQ. We had the well fed combo plate with chopped pork, beef brisket, pork ribs and…read morejalapeño cheddar sausage. Ribs were tender and fall off the bone. Brisket was moist with beautiful smoke ring. The restaurant was clean and the staff was very friendly and attentive. I would definitely come back when I am in the neighborhood

This is a GREAT BBQ establishment. Well done decor and amply space inside…read more The service was top notch. Our server was in top of everything and never had to ask or wait for anything. The house made sausage is one of the best over ever had. Coleslaw was good and nothing to complain about. It was average as you would expect. The Inca were on point! Kind of pricy for a half lb. of wings (5). The smoked turkey was the BEST I've ever had!!!! It was !!!!! A definite must return for me!!!

Stopped by here for lunch before heading to the airport. Nic large bbq joint with tons of seating…read more Friendly helpful staff. We ordered 1/4lb of the turkey, brisket and pork plus a couple of sides. Was just the right amount of food for us. Meat was tasty. I'm not a huge fan of the NC bbq sauce but it was alright. Sides were delicious. I couldn't get enough of the onion rings.

Delicious! The food is top tier outta this world. The portions are generous and the baked beans…read moreare the best I have ever had!

Large portions and the great BBQ you expect in NC. I found this spot while driving down I-85 in…read moreConcord. Pros Helpful and nice staff Plenty of food options and combos Various seating options (indoor and outdoor) Great tasting foods Several sauces available to make the BBQ your own Clean restrooms Cons Parking is difficult Expensive. I spent $100 on 3 orders

10 stars all around James welcomed us out of towners with such an awesome smile and customer…read moreservice I'm so glad that we got to have this experience it was inexpensive and the food was great and fast! I recommend to ANYONE!

After striking out at two other BBQ spots on a Saturday night, I landed at Mac's Speed Shop around…read more8:30 p.m. and ended up having a surprisingly enjoyable experience. Mac's sits in the heart of South End and shares the neighborhood with several busy bars and nightlife spots. Parking can be a bit of an adventure, but they do have dedicated lots nearby. Once you're there, the setup is great: a large dining room, plenty of picnic-table patio seating, and my favorite option--a seat at the outdoor bar where the inside bar opens through a service window to the patio. The bartender, Alyssa, was fantastic. Friendly, knowledgeable, and patient while I stared at the giant menu trying to figure out what I wanted. When I asked for recommendations, she immediately suggested the burnt ends, BBQ baked beans, and Mexican street corn. Excellent call. The blackberry seasonal hard cider she recommended was delicious and paired beautifully with the meal. My only surprise was the price. At nearly $9, it was more than I expected for a cider, and I wish I had asked beforehand. The burnt ends arrived with bright pickled red onions that added the perfect acidic balance. The flavor was excellent--smoky, rich, and satisfying. That said, they leaned heavily toward the fatty side. The deeper I got into the serving, the more rendered fat I encountered compared to meat. Delicious? Yes. Light? Absolutely not. The BBQ baked beans were exactly what you want from a barbecue joint. The Mexican street corn was a standout and a refreshing contrast to all the richness. My only critique was that the burnt ends weren't served quite as hot as I would have liked, and by the end of the meal, the richness became overwhelming. That's probably more on me for ordering burnt ends at 9 p.m. than on Mac's. The final bill came to about $37 before tip, which felt a little steep for a solo barbecue dinner and cider. Looking back, I'd probably visit during lunch. Their weekday lunch specials around $10 look like one of the best values in South End. Would I come back? Absolutely. The service was warm, the recommendations were spot on, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the food delivered exactly what a barbecue craving calls for. Next time, I'll arrive earlier, bring a bigger appetite, and maybe save the burnt ends for lunchtime. Life is too short not to eat well, Charlotte. If you're exploring South End and craving barbecue, Mac's Speed Shop is worth a stop.

Sweet Lew's had been bookmarked on my Yelp list for a return visit after I saw it featured during…read moreTop Chef's time in Charlotte. I'd eaten here before and had good food memories, so after returning from Memphis with barbecue still on my mind, it seemed like the perfect time to go back. First, know what you're walking into--in the best possible way. Sweet Lew's is rustic, casual and charming. This is not fancy barbecue. They have their own private parking lot, which is a huge plus, but it's gravel. Ladies, leave the high heels at home unless you want to risk an ankle before you even get to the brisket! There's a screened-in porch/patio dining area and a small air-conditioned dining room inside, where you'll also find the restrooms. And when I say small, I mean small. It adds to the neighborhood barbecue-joint charm, but I can easily imagine this place getting packed during peak hours and weekends. I apparently hit the sweet spot because it wasn't crowded during my visit. The setup is equally casual. You line up, order and pay at the counter, grab your sauces and utensils, find a table and settle in. There's no wait staff. If you want a beverage, you'll head to the bar area and order that separately. Everyone I encountered was friendly, and service moved quickly. My usual order is the one-meat/two-side combo, which is $17 and includes hush puppies. This time I ventured away from the pork shoulder and ordered brisket with barbecue beans and potato salad. I also added the boiled potatoes as an extra side and a sausage link because I wanted to sample more of the menu. Unfortunately, the brisket didn't hit the same way the pork shoulder did on my previous visit. It was heavily peppered, not particularly moist, and had a thick fatty layer that peeled away from the meat. I was also missing that flavorful exterior bark I look forward to with brisket. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't memorable. I sampled several sauces trying to find the right match. The mustard-based sauce was far too mustard-forward for my taste, and one of the sweeter sauces had a thick texture I didn't care for. The spicy barbecue sauce remains the winner for me. I'd enjoyed it previously with the pork shoulder, and it was the one I kept coming back to. The boiled potatoes looked delicious on the line but were underwhelming once I tasted them. They'll need a little doctoring up at home. The sausage took a few extra minutes, which I didn't mind since it came out fresh. Then came my biggest surprise: the bill was almost $35. Once I looked at the menu again, the math made sense. The combo was $17, but an additional side is $5 and the sausage link is $10. Lesson learned! The combo plates are clearly the better value rather than building your meal à la carte. I still like Sweet Lew's. My first meal here was stronger than this one, and next time I'll go straight back to the pork shoulder, spicy barbecue sauce and a combo plate. One disappointing brisket isn't enough to erase those good food memories. If you're around Belmont just outside Uptown and craving some barbecue, head over to Sweet Lew's. Wear sensible shoes, grab a combo, find your favorite sauce and enjoy the rustic charm. Life is too short not to sleep well, travel well or eat well. So get out there and find your next meal.

This was one of the places we wanted to try thanks to Top Chef Carolinas. So we learned that pork…read morewas their thing here. We had high expectations; after all, they were on Top Chef, but definitely not unrealistic, we are from Texas. Here's the thing, I'm not a big meat person. I like tofu, but also turkey, but I'm gonna try all of it. So we got way too much food to actually finish, but we were going to sample some chicken (turkey was unavailable), brisket, and pork. The sides were mac and cheese, a tomato based coleslaw, and hush puppies. So let's start with who, or what, is safe (nod to Top Chef)- the hush puppies and the coleslaw. The hush puppies were crispy and soft and full of flavor. They were tiny little pops that I could eat so day. Same with the coleslaw. I do not care for coleslaw, but this magic was insane. It made every bite taste so much better. The mac and cheese was also delicious. It was al dente and creamy and rich with flavor. I think most bbq places do mac and cheese a disservice, but not here. So that's it! If you're vegetarian and not vegan and love sides. This is your place. What's on the chopping block? The meats. Maybe it was a bad day because most reviews are great, but that was not my experience. The chicken was beyond overdone. It was practically on the verge of being inedible. The brisket was just as bad. It was so inconsistent. Some was moist, but we were served mostly a brick. Literally a hard chunk that couldn't be penetrated. The pork was good. It was probably the only thing that didn't need to be drowned in sauce. That's my other issue. Why do all the places offer so many sauces?? It's not Taco Bell or McDonald's. What are you trying to hide? Unfortunately, the delicious sides don't make up for the fact that we spent a lot for meats and the majority ended up trashed.

We were so excited to find this barbecue place in Rock Hill! It is a super cute little spot where…read moreyou can stop in for some yummy comfort food. The night we went they were not very busy and the service was pretty good. We did wait a long time for the food. I ordered the barbecue sandwich with colored greens and it was delicious! My daughter also ordered a barbecue sandwich with mac & cheese. The barbecue sandwiches are also served with slaw. Everything had really good flavor and tasted great. My non-barbecue eating child ordered chicken fingers and french fries. The portions were all pretty good sized and everything was served hot! We were all pretty impressed with our dinner and will definitely be back when in Rock Hill.

Stopped in for lunch while on the way back to Florida. The Dixie Pig Rock Hill did not disappoint…read more The service was polite and quick. Food hot and tasty. I had the shredded pork sandwich, Mac n cheese. Red coleslaw, and house bbq sauce. The pork had a nice smoke taste. Moisture was on point. While eating I noticed that everyone had joined the clean plate club. Certainly the locals like this place.

Seoul Food Meat Company was delicious! The barbecue bao buns were definitely a favorite--soft,…read moreflavorful, and so good. I also really enjoyed the kimchi slaw and the kimchi chili. Everything had great flavor, and the food was absolutely worth the visit. The only downside was the service setup. You have to order your food and drinks at the front, then go back up to get your food when your order is called. It would have been nice to have full table service where your order is taken and the food is brought to you, but that was really the only inconvenience. Overall, the food was great, and I would definitely come back again!

Fries and bang bang shrimp were awesome. I will be back for that. The nachos size was enough to…read morefeed 2 to 4 people. The staff was super nice. But the beef for both the nachos and burger could be better. The burger wasn't ground beef, but pieces of meat put together. It just felt weird as I ate it. The nachos had some perfectly melted in your mouth beef. But we tasted no bulgogi. And there were large pieces of fat with some meat pieces.

Okay....this location was so hard for me to find....but found it! Tucked behind Park Road shopping…read morecenter. The staff was super kind. The decor...very unique and rustic. Now on too the most important part of my visit..the food. I ordered the pulled chicken, broccoli, sweet pickles, and it came with hushpuppies. It was delicious. I would Highly Recommend!

Before arriving in Charlotte, a friend said I had to try the local BBQ. Midwood came up as a…read morepopular recommendation on both Yelp, Google and Reddit and this location as the closest to my hotel. I made a reservation on OpenTable, arrived on time, and was seated immediately. The restaurant looks like a typical rustic BBQ focused family restaurant. I ordered the Carolina Pork with collard greens. My thoughts: - Carolina Pork was good. A small size was more than enough for me. Vinegar sauce really came through, almost a little too much. - Hush puppies were good. The only item that wasn't acidic, so it helped balance my meal. - Collard greens were also good. - Pickles were ok. By itself they were fine, but combined with the pork in vinegar sauce, it was too much acid for me overall. Service was pleasant and attentive. No issues. Overall, I was happy with my meal. It was generally good food and service. I'd just be more careful with picking my side so the entire dish was more balanced.

Everything was wonderful! Nachos were to die for, we did brisket for the protein and be sure to add…read moreyour choice of bbq sauce! Phenomenal kids menu and kid portions were great! Glad we stumbled on this gem!