Well, it would not be a complete vacation without our obligatory stop at High Cotton BBQ. Although Will Thorpe has passed away, this staff still delivers the down-home friendly BBQ service and food! We normally take carry out but it is nice to see the dining room has reopened. Our go-to meals every time are: Fried Chicken (might be the best anywhere); Chopped Pork (Yum!); Mac & Cheese (a summer seasonal favorite); the Green Beans are soooo good (that black pepper gives it a kick!); cole slaw (to cool the palette); and hush puppies! read more

We ordered the 3-meat combo with brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, hush puppies, green beans, and baked beans. Overall, the meal was good, but it didn't quite wow us. My boo and I were hoping to share one plate so we could sample three different BBQ meats, but the portion was a little smaller than we expected. The brisket, pulled pork, and hush puppies were a bit dry for our taste. The standout was definitely the pulled chicken--it was the most flavorful and moist of the three. As for the sides, my boo really enjoyed the green beans but wasn't a fan of the baked beans. I actually liked the baked beans because they weren't overly sweet--they had a nice, balanced flavor. Overall, it was a decent BBQ meal with a few highlights, but I wish the portions were a bit more generous and some of the meats were a little juicier. Meal was about $28. read more

High Cotton BBQ - 3 Meat Combo - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

The best fried chicken I've had in a long time. Really good. Unfortunately, the brisket was incredibly dry and lacked flavor. They forgot my ribs in my takeout order but were quick to refund that part of the meal when I called them. Mac and cheese / slaw were good. Hushpuppies were ehh. Price wasn't bad at all. read more

I enjoyed, especially the brisket and the Mac and cheese. I am not the biggest fan of bbq myself but this was a solid choice for a group meal. We picked up. read more

Takeout for 8-10 was a smash success! Everyone was happy and full. Food was out of this World Southern BBQ.

No High Cotton, no vacation! Always fantastic. Sure, there's often a wait, but do you want to go to a place no one wants to eat at? Seriously, bring a book, or something, but GO! read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this place. A cozy atmosphere and our server made us feel welcomed. Everyone was extremely friendly and helpful. The food is a whole different level. This was some of the best BBQ I have ever had. The brisket was INSANE! I cried tears of joy when I bit into it. I would highly recommend read more

Came here around 7 on a weekday and the place was about half full (they close at 8). We were greeted immediately at the door and seated right away. I ordered the Arnold Palmer can seltzer to start and guzzled it down due to being at the beach the entire day. To eat, I ordered the Rib double combo with brisket as my additional meat and Mac n cheese and potato salad as my sides. Loved the potato salad, everything else was pretty good but I REAAALLY loved the potato salad, so much, I ordered a side of it to go, along with the rest of my food. Really would recommend coming here if you're within driving distance. The service was great, food was delicious and I had enough for leftovers the next day. Would also highly recommend the potato salad. I told myself it would last me a few days, and I ended up eating the entire side the next day. read more

High Cotton BBQ - Rib Double Combo with Brisket and Potato Salad & Mac n cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Service was great and they stayed on top of us checking frequently. Brisket plate with two sides...... brisket was pretty dry with not much flavor..... didn't taste very fresh...... beans were awesome...... Cole slaw better than average..... hush puppies..... fail, tasted like they were reheated from last night. Fried Chicken..... very tasty. Overall not completely satisfied but not a major failure either. Debatable whether I will give it another chance. read more

Absolutely our favorite bbq place in the outer banks. The restaurant is incredibly clean, staff friendly and food plentiful. read more

This place was amazing. I was cautious about eating because I had been sick with a tummy bug but I can't wait to try more of this place.

We stopped here after a long drive from Richmond to get a quick bite to eat which turned out to be the right decision. Service here was very quick and the staff was friendly. I ordered the smoked chicken, beef brisket, cole slaw, and applesauce. I hadn't ever seen applesauce on a restaurant menu before but having it was a little taste of my childhood haha. Both meats were tender and flavorful with a good amount of smoke. The cole slaw was simple and added a nice freshness to balance the meal. This didn't blow my mind or anything, but it was definitely a good meal and a restaurant I'd come back to. read more

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Service was good, food came fast too bad it was dried out like jerky and it was brisket. Sides were super salty and plentiful but we came for the meat and were very disappointed read more

High Cotton BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Food was amazing I got the kids ribs and they were delicious. I got the side of baked beans and Mac and cheese now be careful because there are bones so be aware of your child. The service was amazing are food came out in less then 2 minutes and the food was edible. The place was crowded and that is very surprising that the food was out in less than 2. I have to say this might be better than blue moon. They get you free moon pies. read more

Very good food, large portions, super quick service and prices are good. I went twice the week I was at Kitty Hawk for the week and would have gone more if I had been there longer. Nice menu, enough choices for everybody to find something they would like. The dining room is wide open so the noise level is a bit high, very well lit and pretty well space out if you're concerned about close seating. read more

High Cotton BBQ - Dining hall - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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We had a craving for BBQ, and decided to stop by this place to try it out. They have a good variety of offerings, with classics like pulled pork and smoked ribs. We've ordered their platters, and it came out quickly. Although the brisket and ribs were tasty, it was a bit dry to our liking. Dining area has ample room and seating. Staff was helpful and friendly. Portions were generous. Pricing was fair compared with others in the area. A good place to enjoy Carolina BBQ. read more

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Our family stopped here on our way into town. It was a very good stop to feed a hungry family very quickly. I would say the food came out roughly 10 minutes after we ordered. Everything was very good and definitely recommended for a quick lunch as you come into Outer Banks. read more

High Cotton BBQ - 3 Meat Combo - ribs, brisket, pork - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Tbh I didn't want to go here one bit, I wanted seafood, shrimp, cocktails the beach stuff. Boy was I wrong. This place is pretty good and affordable too! 3 meat platter for $20 not too bad for a vacation area. Big portions too. Heard the fried chicken was the best here too, I didn't want it, I got it and damn... it was good. Service was good, wish it was a little less boring but looks aren't everything. Would go back read more

Service was okay, but the food wasn't anything special. The hushpuppies tasted like straight oil and so did the fries. The smoked chicken didn't taste smoked at all and wasn't very tender. Brisket was dry and tough. Mac n cheese was decent. If you're deciding on eating here, I'd suggest any other bbq place as this one is nothing special at all. read more

Tried a multi meat plate with a sample of slaw and pulled chicken. Left 90% after tasting. Worse BBQ we tasted Ribs were dry-and tough. Brisket was overcooked and hard to cut or chew. Food was cold Service was fast and pleasant. Never again read more

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We have been long time customers of High Cotton. We will continue to return at least once when we are at the OBX. We are, however, finding it necessary to take a star away. It seems that high Cotton lost something with COVID and never has really recovered. The fact that today's visit found only on other party dining at lunch time tells you something. I know it is off-season, but we have never seen it so empty. Don't get me wrong, they still serve very good food. Today's fare for us was fried chicken and barbecue. The portions are still very good and the prices are reasonable. Ms T had the ¼ fried chicken and I had the barbecue-fried chicken combo. I had a large portion of barbecue and the same serving of chicken that she had and mine was only $1 more. This means I got a large pile of Ebarbecue for $1. Next time I will have her get the combo as well and have more barbecue to take home. My relatively minor complaint today (and last Spring, and last Fall) was that the food was served barely above room temperature. My fried chicken was all dark meat and the leg was dry and had been waiting for a customer for a while. You could tell by just looking at it and my eyes were correct. Fortunately the thigh was better. The barbecue, other than being just warm, was still the good, clean ENC barbecue that I expect. It tastes like the pork that it is and is not buried in sauce to cover up the flavor. My leftover will make a huge sandwich and it will be great. We still like their coleslaw, baked beans, Brunswick stew and collards. We appreciate they are an AAdvantage dining participant. We will continue to come back. I just don't give out five stars to every place I go and don't wish to lead people astray. It is good food and worth going. It just is not five stars. read more

High Cotton BBQ - Another plate of ENC Barbecue and Fried Chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Really good food and portion size. Brisket and BBQ chicken were the standouts. Coleslaw, beans and chicken & pastry also great. I got takeout but the service was still good. I will definitely be returning the next time I'm in town. Only complaints were that the hush puppies were a bit dry. read more

Food is outstanding Great portion for the price Friendly staff I live in the area and recommend it to all my customers best barbecue on the beach read more

Awesome place. Delicious barbecue, delicious, french fries, great atmosphere and service. Very generous portions as well. I can't recommend it enough. read more

High Cotton BBQ - Brisket sandwich and fries - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Good service and fast kitchen, but this is some of the most bland bbq I've had in years. Had ribs, coleslaw, and beans and it was unremarkable across the board. Can't smell any smoke when you pull up. They don't even have real honey butter at the tables, it's some prepackaged butter-like spread. I assume the kitchen uses equally low-quality ingredients which is probably why it's all below mid. Even for an island with a captive audience, hard pass. read more

If you are looking for tasty, well priced bbq you need to checkout High Cotton! Upon walking in, you are greeted by multiple friendly smiles and welcomes. We all ordered the brisket and it was great! The "Texas" bbq sauce they use was amazing, so much so we had to buy a bottle before leaving! Our two year old was happy with the chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and fries. Even more happy about the Moon Pie that was included in his kids meal! I loved the classic bbq ambiance with the checkered tablecloths and wall decor. We will definitely be back! read more

High Cotton BBQ - Kids meal - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Even though you're on the coast sometimes you want a nice barbecue meal and they did not disappoint. The sauce on brisket was delicious. The meat itself was a little under seasoned but the sauce made up for everything. The green beans were perfect and seasoned well. We ordered our meal to go so service was quick. read more

High Cotton BBQ - Brisket Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

We LOVE High Cotton! We are always sure to make one, if not two visits while we're in town. The pulled chicken plate is what I got, and is an extraordinary value. You get so much, and it's under $15! Some of the best BBQ on the OBX, for sure! The service is incredible. From the moment you walk in the door until your plate is in front of you, it's a MAXIMUM of 10 minutes. Go hungry, leave happy! read more

High Cotton BBQ - Pulled Pulled BBQ Chicken Plate Potato Salad Green Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Best barbeque in the Outer Banks! The smoked cabbage was amazing! Big portions & friendly helpful staff. Will definitely be back! read more

Our week in the Outer Banks wouldn't be complete without BBQ. Tonight's adventure was High Cotton BBQ in Kitty Hawk. Our servers couldn't have been better. I let Chad plan my meal. A three meat comb fried chicken, brisket and pulled pork. Sides wee baked beans and fried okra. I thought I died and went to heaven with the brisket. The fried chicken was not my norm, but the coating was delicious. I think I surprised Chad and Jen when I wanted the Carolina vinegar sauce on my pulled pork. Authenticity matters. He suggested I put some of Cindy's cole slaw on top. Chad is a teacher by day, and this teacher was right. He recommended the chocolate pecan pie for dessert. Another great call. Don't pass this place by! read more

Take out area stocked with sauces. Menu includes family style options which is nice. Not digging that they use styrofoam cups - as it's not really earth friendly. Friendly staff provides excellent advice on the menu. Food is incredible - tender, savory, and delicious. read more

The service is always top notch here. They guys working here are so quick and nice. Our food came out within 5 minutes of ordering. It probably wasn't even three minutes. The place looks like a typical BBQ place. The food wasn't as good to me as it was last time. I know COVID has come and gone, but out of our 11 years visiting, this is the first time the food wasn't top notch. The flavor of the potato salad was good, it was just soupy and didn't have a lot of potatoes, it was more celery and onions than anything. The brisket was good, it was just a touch too dry. I added some sauce and it helped. I love their Brunswick stew. I really wish I could give it a 5 star review. We love this place and will continue to come, even with this little hiccup. read more

High Cotton BBQ - Brisket, mac and cheese, and fries. Comes with hush puppies - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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The service was on point and the food was delicious! The portions were a good size. Would definitely recommend this place!

Found this place as I got fed up with the service and wait times in Duck. FANTASTIC!! Friendly and quick service. We had a bit of everything including brisket, smoked chicken. Fried chicken, fried okra Have to have the Brunswick Stew. Check out the family take out packages. Worth the drive. Thank you. read more

This place is a hidden GEM! We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn and discovered this adorable place directly across the road (like a 2 min walk). The atmosphere,food and customer service was the best we've experienced the week we've been here! The owner made a point of checking on us and made us feel very welcome. Our food came in record time - seriously, like 5 minutes! The food was DELICIOUS! You can't go wrong with this restaurant, 10/10! read more

Affordable, fast and delicious. Everything you want in southern BBQ! A good experience for both adults and kids and reasonable for the area with little wait and excellent service. read more

I was very satisfied with High Cotton BBQ. Upon entering, we were greeted by an extremely kind server. We entered the restaurant (with a group of 7) at 7:20pm and they close at 8pm, and they were still delighted to serve us so near to closing time, even with a larger group. Our server was exceptional at making us feel at home. He interacted with us like we were people he's met before. Upon ordering our food, it was only a few minutes before we all received it. Our server was very mindful and respectful to let us say grace before our meal, and he actually encouraged it. During our meal, the server and an additional staff member made sure we didn't have to wait a second for a refill on our drinks and that our food was to our liking. The food itself was great. Part of the ribs were a little overdone, but the other parts were cooked well. The vibe of this restaurant was very much to my liking -- old school, not overly classy, and personally welcoming, which many restaurants don't exhibit today. For reasons of good quality, unique food, and exceptional service, I give High Cotton BBQ 5 stars! read more

High Cotton BBQ - Half Rack Dinner - Barbeque Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Honestly, I was expecting more from a BBQ place in the south. I come from Connecticut and I was kinda sad to admit that I've had better BBQ from up here. I tried High Cotton's brisket, famous smoked chicken, and hand-chopped pork. Everything was pretty lackluster as far as the meat goes. The brisket was not seasoned, and pretty dry and quite honestly tasted like it had been leftovers from a few days prior. The smoked chicken was just ok but kinda tough and not very moist. The chopped pork was for sure the best that I picked out, but they put so little sauce on it. I thought the green beans and mac and cheese were pretty good though. The staff was nice and the ambiance of the restaurant was good. The parking is adequate and the wait was reasonable. But overall, I'd skip this place next time and try another BBQ joint. read more

Ugh. How does this place have such high ratings? The one good thing I can say is that the staff were very friendly on the phone and in person. Beyond that, there were signs that it wouldn't be good but we called in our order so it was too late. We walked in to pick up and there was zero bbq smell. There were also a bunch of empty tables. We ordered ribs, brisket, pork, coleslaw, green beans and fries. The chopped pork was bland and dry, the brisket was tender but mediocre, the ribs were falling off the bone but the taste was nothing special. Did they season the meat?! The coleslaw was the equivalent of KFC's and the fries were greasy and mealy. Everything needed a sauce or ketchup to make it palatable. One person in our group said the food tasted like BBQ you would have in a cafeteria. I hate to say that it was one of the most disappointing meals I've had. read more

Place is clean and cute inside. Servers were extremely nice. Food was okay. The BBQ Pork was moist and tasty, the Brunswick stew had a tang to it (as if it was getting ready to spoil). Fried okra yummy. The ribs however were disappointing. I expected a slab, glistening with bbq sauce....these were presented cut up in two bones and looked and tasted like they were covered with foil and baked in the oven. It just didn't have that nice rib texture....like it never saw a grill. Portion size was good but I should have only gotten a 1/2 slab until I knew how they were. We'd come back but not get ribs. read more