I like City Barbeque a lot. December 26, 2025, we visited the Garner NC location. This was the worst brisket we have ever had. It had no brown color from smoking it or burnt ends. It was mostly fat and no flavor. I hope this was just unusual for that location. No problem with the service. read more

Sunday afternoon and the place is not that busy, with most tables empty--the likely reason being they were filthy with leftover food and the floors were much the same. Come on people, you're not that busy and the place is dirty and that makes me wonder if the food processes are to be questioned. This place used to be amazing but I'm going to Cary or Raleigh on the next trip for good BBQ. Don't get the mac & cheese or green beans unless you like them at room temperature. Very disappointed. read more

The aesthetic of the restaurant is homely and great for a bbq spot..however.. I been here on 2 different occasions to make sure to give an honest review. The staff was very much doing the bare minimum. I do not recommend the brisket, it's all dry and not enjoyable. I got a new item on the menu: not a sloppy joe and a side of beans with brisket..sigh. The brisket in the beans were soaked in bbq sauce and tough to eat..that sandwich..nope, never again..sorry city bbq not a fan and won't recommend. read more

City Barbeque - Not a sloppy joe sandwich...it wasn't good. - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

10 outta 10 highly recommend! Meat falling off the bone. The ribs were amazing. The "GARNER" location is superb. I had to do a review because I've had food for the Wendell location and it's so inconsistent and NEVER been as good as the Garner location. I highly recommend going there for great ribs! read more

After eating there I would advise coming early as it everything seems to have just been reheated. Had the sampler plate: chicken thigh was very good, brisket and sausage were good as well. Pulled pork was very disappointing and dry. The reason this drops to three stars is the sauces, they were overly sweet, no heat. Tip to patrons mix the bbq sauce with a little bit of the swine wine. It helps a lot read more

Thank you Rachael for the reply. I have completed the "how we can help form" I look forward to giving citybbq another go. read more

Brisket was as dry as sand and tough as leather. Fries were soggy and like warm, had obviously been reheated.

Was invited by one of my client and I really enjoyed the food and loved the service. The place was extremely clean and nice decorated. The service was fast and friendly read more

Food was fresh and fries were hot and service was great. Resturant was clean. Grey jobs thanks

Usually love this place, so when I moved to garner I was excited. However, I've ordered delivery 2x and my entire order was given to someone else. Then the last time I had to go, my Nashville chicken was straight up raw. I couldn't believe it read more

City BBQ is one of my favorite chains. I always know what to expect when I come here. The pulled pork and brisket it pretty good! Their sweet city barbecue sauce is delicious. Fast service, too! read more

City Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

Food is always good, service is great and the sweet tea is delicious! Kind of expensive, so I can't go but about once a month, but it's a treat for sure! read more

City Barbeque - Photo of new Menu! - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

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I got the city sampler which contains, pork, sausage, turkey and brisket. I was disappointed when I started eating my food and all the meats were dry. I'm comparing the food to other BBQ place in the area. The city bbq on falls of Neuse road seemed to have better quality meets even though they're the same restaurant. The staff was super friendly and helpful!!! If it's wasn't for the BBQ/meats It would've received a better rating. read more

City Barbeque - City sampler plate - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

The business is located in a shopping plaza in the popular white oak area. There are plenty of parking spaces in the shared parking lot. The restaurant is a nice size with multiple tables and chairs. There are also televisions in the restaurant. The business had a Mickey decorated Christmas tree near the entrance and cool signs throughout the restaurant. Once inside you can place your to-go or dine in meal at the counter. The staff was welcoming and friendly. I ordered the three side deal. I chose to get French fries, corn pudding and a side salad without onions and Italian dressing. My order was fulfilled fairly quickly. When your order is ready an employee will show you what you ordered to verify that everything is correct. The side salad came with a mix of greens, tomatoes and cucumbers. The to-go salad is served in a nice plastic container with a top. It wasn't bad but there was nothing special about it. I would not order it again. The fries and the corn pudding were good. The fries were hot and seasoned well. A large shareable portion of fries were provided. There are self serve drink machines and a variety of sauces to accompany your meal such as sweet bbq and bourbon bbq sauce. The restaurant also offers a large array of meats, sandwiches and sides to choose from on their menu. If you download their app you can get free food and points for the money that you spend at the business. read more

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It's a good chain barbecue place. We got the Judge's Sampler, and that was enough to feed 2 adults and 2 young kids. The brisket was ultra tender, and the chicken could be pulled off the bone with a fork and chopped with the fork as well - no knife needed. The cornbread is smooth and not textured. The drinks jn a glass bottle (in addition to fountain drinks) is a nice touch. Overall good place for chain food. The restaurant style is casual and it was on the quiet side while we were inside. Service was quick and the register and then it becomes a serve yourself everything else. read more

I wrote a review about how city bbq kept running out of some of the popular foods. Boy ole' boy has things changed. No more telling me that they ran out of my favorite food items. Customer service always and still is good. I really like how Rachel reAched out to get me to try again. She really didn't have to do that. I am only one customer but she did. That alone(and the good food) made me try again. My new favorite place I definitely recommend that you try it! read more

City Barbeque - Store front - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

I always receive great service when I come to the Greenwood location. I ask for my meat to be cut a cer way and I get it. the food is amazing...go briske! read more

This is a brisket review only! Short Version: Of all of the Triangle area briskets I have had, this specific City location is the worst I have had. I can only speak to the brisket and Mac & cheese, if that's what you're looking for go to Prime BBQ or Dampf Good BBQ. Long version: Non food - I walk in and smell, ambiance, and aesthetic are similar to any bbq joint. Staff was friendly and helpful. Location was mostly clean aside from the bbq sauce station being awry (I believe the guy in front of me did it so not faulting them for that). So as far as non-food things go it is 4.5/5. Food - To preface, I have been to almost a dozen bbq places in the greater triangle area, where I exclusively order a thing of brisket, Mac & cheese, and whatever soft drink I'm feeling that day. As of now, based on this visit, City BBQ is the worst I have had. The 18-hour smoked brisket had one of the smallest, sometimes non-existent, smoke rings I've seen and had little to no smoke flavor. There was more smoke in the air than in my brisket. It was dry and stiff, several pieces I had did not even bend; this is indicative of it not being cooked to the correct temp. It tasted as though it was cooked poorly and stuffed under a heat lamp all day before it ended up on my tray. The most redeeming thing I could say is that it would probably be good brisket to chop, cover in sauce, and throw on a sandwich for people who do not know Brisket and would go to a chain. The Mac & cheese was decent, not bad but not amazing. More than good enough to happily eat again, but nothing I'd go out of the way to get again. Their different sauces were good. Their pickles and pickled onions were acceptable. 1/5. Final notes: City BBQ is a chain so I could have fallen victim to the pain points of chains (poor quality control, over production with lower quality, lack of care by staff, etc.). I won't visit again but I will readily admit my brisket could have been an exception and it's normally better. Everything was fairly positive except the most important part... the BBQ. When I am served, smokeless, stiff, dry, bad flavored brisket when there is several AMAZING brisket places nearby... I can't recommend. *My review is also not reflective of the rest of their menu. The rest looked acceptable* read more

Thank yall for everything yall do . Truly an inspiration and a blessing to the BBQ community. Many thanks to Ms. Gloria and Ms. Grace for this most recent wonderful dining experience. read more

The place smelled like heaven even before walking in! The staff was so friendly. Met the manager today who helped me with a boy scout request. He was very nice. There was a lady with pink and grey braids in the kitchen. I told her I LOVED her hair. I was happy to see her smile. read more

They can't take orders correctly. And they don't deliver when they've made a mistake.

I got an order from UberEats-as I've done before! I always get the kids chicken tenders and tonight they were so overcooked & hard that they were inedible! They should have never been sent out! ‍ read more

City Barbeque - fried chicken on a piece of paper - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

I ordered barbeque chicken and the chicken was dry. The hush puppies were ok but truthfully they were a little too greasy

Wanted some barbecue and saw this restaurant had good reviews. It was my first time at City Barbeque, and it was not a good experience. It is really unprofessional and impolite of the employee to be using video chat on their phone while taking orders. I ordered one of the Samplers to try a little bit of what they have to offer. I find it really difficult to comprehend how this establishment has such high ratings. I'm going to presume that nobody in the area has ever had a really good barbecue. The food was dry and flavorless. Very disappointing. The best part of my meal was the fountain soda. I would not give this a star if the option was available. read more

City Barbeque - Judges Sampler - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

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Even though we live in Cary, when we head out for barbeque we always go to this location for City BBQ. I think it is because we went to a YELP Elite Event here and we were treated so kindly. The "rib bone Tuesday" is not to be missed. There is a special price for ribs that cannot be beat. The sides are big enough to share. We love, love , love their hush puppies too . We have found the staff to always be friendly and helpful at this location too. The baked beans have such a delicious smoky flavor. Did I mention that the ribs are also "finger lickin" !!! I am getting hungry as I write this. Give them a try and if you aren't sure about it, go on a Tuesday and get some "rib bones" !! YUM !! read more

City Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

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These are the stone cold, rubbery completely inedible ribs that were delivered tonight. These are the stone cold, rubbery completely inedible ribs that were delivered tonight in the trash where they belong. I had 3 orders of these for my family tonight. One was as bad as the other. The driver arrived on time. It wasn't the driver. It was the bucket these things were apparently languishing in for an hour or more before the driver picked them up. I don't want a discount or a free meal or frankly anything at all from you ever again. I just wanted to tell you this is disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourselves. read more

City Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

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Ribs were bland . Counter girl was sweet. Tables were needed to be wiped off. There are more rib joints. read more

Last week it was miniature ribs, the width of my pinky finger - as extensive as they are. Today it was pasta swimming in sour cream... I ordered Mac & cheese. So disappointed. Do better City BBQ. Your food is too expensive to screw up in this manner. read more

City Barbeque - Mac & Cheese #Disgusting - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

Quality food at a good price. The brisket was fall apart tender, with a tasty (burnt end) bark on the outside and there are about 5 different BBQ sauces to choose from, so you are bound to find one you really like. The hush puppies are crispy on the outside, with a pillowy center. You stand in a line, order your food and wait for your name to be called. There are no rules on grabbing a table, so if you see one you like - get it. We didn't see anyone bussing tables the entire time we were there. The City Sampler @$20 is enough for two to share and leave full. They let you substitute if they are out of an item. read more

Full Disclosure before reading: I'm a bit of a BBQ snob. Rollin' smoke is a hobby of mine, and I enjoy traveling around and trying the Q I find at any stop along the way. Many will probably find the food here quite good for there tastes, but to me, much of it was just average. We ended up stopping here because it was on our way to the coast, and we hit traffic just outside Raleigh around dinner time on a Friday, so we all decided to stop. We arrived to a VERY busy restaurant, line all the way to the door, hoping for the best based on their perceived popularity. Before we get to the food, let me say the staff here is some off the friendliest you'll find. The decor is very nice, and there are some good touches that you won't find at many other places. For example, there is a condiments bar where you can pick up some complimentary pickles, jalapenos, etc. as well as make some side cups of their wide array of sauces. These sauces range from a South Carolina inspired mustard sauce, to a thick molasses KC style, to a thinner and more vinegary central NC style sauce (and more). I personally felt the SC style mustard sauce and the "swine wine" (slightly sweeter vinegar based) were the best of the bunch. For the food, we had a variety around the table. I got to try the pulled pork, brisket, and chicken. Let's lead with their best foot, the pulled pork. Tender, moist, mild smoky flavor. Melts in your mouth. Goes great with the swine wine. Wish I had more of the barky pieces on my plate, but overall very well done. Moving to the chicken... a bit powdery mouth feel and not as moist as you'd expect so a little overcooked, not a lot of smokey flavor except in the skin. Chicken usually would have a very robust smoke flavor as the particles can penetrate deeper into the meat compared to a red meat, but did not have much here. Overall, it was more like rotisserie chicken. The brisket was weak, and I expected it to be the best item, unfortunately. While it was indeed tender, it lacked any flavor on its own. No spice, no smokiness (just the thinnest smoke ring on the edges), generally on the mushy side. Had the pale appearance of meat that had sat quite awhile and gradually cooked more in a warmer. At least it was kept in liquid as to not get tough. It was probably not sliced to order but rather pre-sliced and kept warm in its own juices. This would lead to the pale color and softened texture I experienced. Brisket should always be cut to order. The time saved in pre-slicing is not worth the quality degredation. Side items were a mixed experience. The corn pudding was definitely the best of the bunch we had, an opinion shared by all at the table. Collard greens were fairly average, but putting a little swine wine sauce in them helped them to stand out. The fried okra could use a little spice in the breading mixture. The person who had the macaroni and cheese described it as "plain, but good enough." The side salad did not come with all the promised toppings for the person who got it. The Texas toast was warm and buttery. Yum. Overall, I expected better, especially seeing how popular it was. I have had much tastier BBQ at much lower prices too... this place was pretty expensive. You're paying a bit for the decor here... ultimately it has been my experience that you'll generally be happier at places that focus fully on the food instead of the building. Maybe this is what led to some of the follies I experienced, maybe it was how busy they were, but generally I'm fine having had it once and then moving on. read more

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Had the 2 sandwich Chipotle BBQ, the flavor was good but the portions were very small . The two sandwiches were a slice of bread cut in half filled with about 2 tablespoons of barbecue. You get more food from a slider appetizer at any chain restaurant. Not worth the $15 after taxes read more

Good place to get some fresh bbq And they even make really good fries Enjoy your meal read more

So disappointed!. 6:45pm on a Saturday evening- no brisket, no chicken, no corn bread !? What is happening? Our plans for a nice family dinner totally ruined. Only choices we had was sausage or pulled pork. Next time we will just leave and go to 5 Guys. And there were only 6 more customers in the restaurant- others probably left when they were told City BBQ only had half of meats and some sides available.. so bad. read more

Always great food at the Cary NC location. The staff is very helpful, and they keep the place clean. Please bring back the pickles on the condiment area. I always love the extra stuff without asking. Keep up the great work. read more

This is a pretty decent regional BBQ chain. Not quite 5 stars, but definitely a solid contender when it comes to smoked meats and the like. I recommend their pork ribs (sold by the full slab, half slab, or individual bones) and their vinegar-based pulled pork sandwich. I don't think their sides are all that remarkable, save for the side salad. I'm also not the biggest fan of their chicken, brisket, etc. Customer service tends to be efficient and friendly. Parking is plentiful and available. Worth trying if you find yourself in the area and in need of some tasty 'cue! read more

The food was just there. The brisket was fatty and did not have much flavor. The chicken skin was rubbery and fatty. The ribs were fall off the bone but not much flavor. The corn bread was meh! The peach cobbler was inedible! The Mac and cheese was good the okra was good. We have eaten at the one in Raleigh a couple times and it wasn't this bad. Hopefully it was just a bad day! read more

I was visiting my brother in Raleigh today and stopped on the way to this bbq gem in Garner. Pretty cool environment and they have a wide variety of meats sides and bbq sauces! I had 2 meats for lunch, brisket and pulled chicken, with the sweet potato casserole and Texas toast. The meal completely filled me up and was very exceptional! I enjoyed every last bite and the brush fire bbq sauce was pretty good! For lunch even if you are very hungry get a half pound with two sides that way you don't fill up too much. Friendly staff and quick service! Highly recommended! read more

City Barbeque - Beef brisket pulled chicken toast and sweet potato casserole! - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

Had brisket and ribs and they were delicious! Best I have ever had! i'm 45 minutes away and i will drive to get my BBQ fix!!!!

Overall, the food was great! Unfortunately, I placed a to-go order and when eating my meal at home, I almost swallowed a piece of plastic that was in my pulled pork sandwich. I would've given a four because I know accidents happen but the restaurants phone isn't working for whatever reason so I was unable to call and let them know about it. Would still come again next time I visit the area, but will definitely be checking for plastic in the food before I eat. read more

City Barbeque - Found plastic in my pulled pork sandwich. - Barbeque Near Me - Garner, North Carolina

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We had not eaten at this City Barbeque in several years and after our recent meal, we remembered why: it's not very good. My companion tried the brisket sandwich and was rewarded with a couple of ounces of very dry brisket sitting in a sandwich bun. The sweet barbeque sauce at least made the sandwich edible but it was amazingly mediocre, especially for $9.99. meh. I tried the Nashville hot chicken. When I placed my order, I asked if the chicken was cooked to order and the cashier assured me that it was. Either City Barbeque has special equipment that allows them to fry a very dry, lukewarm chicken breast in a couple of minutes or the fried chicken breast was not cooked to order as I'd been promised. I wonder which it was? If my sandwich had been prepared as I was told it would be prepared, I think it would have been very, very good; it certainly had potential, but the end result was marred by serving fried chicken past its prime. For side dishes, we tried the potato salad and mac-and-cheese. Both were very good and outclassed our sandwiches. Barbecue restaurants should be all about the protein, whether smoked, fried or grilled. When the sides are the highlight of a meal, then something may be askew. There is excellent barbeque in the Garner area. If you enjoy chain-food barbecue or appreciate the convenience of being very close to Cabelas and the many retail opportunities across the road, then City Barbeque may be a fine choice, but there are other options worth considering. If you aren't in a rush, hop on I-40 east and head down to the Redneck BBQ Lab right off the highway 210 exit. You'll likely be pleasantly surprised and more likely to head there when you are craving 'Q. read more