My favorite BBQ spot in Virginia, hands down. I was lucky enough to find this place on my very first day out here back in 2017. I had just checked into my hotel and was looking for something nearby to eat when I came across it on Yelp and I've been hooked ever since. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming, even taking the time to share helpful information about the area. The food? Absolutely outstanding. Consistently great every single time. This has been my go-to BBQ spot for years, and it's the first place I recommend to friends and family whenever they're craving good barbecue. It's about a 40-minute drive for me now, but honestly, I'll make that drive any day it's that worth it. It's more than just a restaurant to me at this point it's tradition. Every time I come home from deployment, this is my first stop. No matter how long I've been gone, this place always hits the same. read more

I stopped in, because I wanted a quick bite and had been once before. The service is always great. The staff are always fun and love a good conversation. There is a large lot for parking. The restaurant has a lot of character and plenty of seating. They are cash only, so come prepared. The food is was just so so for me. Both the beef and pork bbq are pretty good, the beef being my preference. I was not a fan of the ribs. Mine were not really tender. I liked the sauce, but I do wish the meat itself had more seasoning. read more

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This is hands down the BEST barbecue on the face of the earth -- and the Johnson family has the trophies and receipts to prove it! From the moment you walk in, you can taste the passion and dedication in every bite. The food is absolutely OUTSTANDING -- flavorful, perfectly cooked, and clearly made with pride. You don't win awards without doing something right, and they've definitely earned every one of them. What makes it even better is the people behind it. The Johnson family is truly wonderful, and David Johnson especially goes above and beyond to make you feel welcome. If you love great barbecue, don't miss this gem. You will NOT be disappointed read more

Johnson's Bar-B-Que - Barbecue ribs, collard greens, baked beans, potato salad, barbecue sandwich, side of fries, and coleslaw. All for $25.00. - Barbeque Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

Just visiting Norfolk for work and decided to look for decent food. I got the combination plate with chopped pork and chicken, with slaw and baked beans for the sides. While you're waiting for your order I highly recommend browsing the stories around the shop and get the story of Colonel Dan Johnson, a highly decorated special Ops veteran. I found the people there very friendly, the service was great (and fast) and the food was excellent. I'll definitely be there again. read more

Ribs were fall off the bone and delicious. If you like small off the normal path, family owned restaurants. This is a place for you. Traveling for work in the Chesapeake area just had an itch for some barbecue and boy did I find the right place read more

I came across this hidden gem by accident. (Sometimes that's the best way). I observed a man outside in extreme heat manning a huge smoker. What dedication is thought. Then I observed several people going inside. So I said... why not?? I went inside and was immediately greeted and offered a menu. I said it was my 1st time and I wasn't sure what I wanted. A customer that was waiting told me that I could order anything because everything on the menu was delicious. I decided on beef ribs that came with 2 sides. I chose Collard greens and potato salad. It was only $17.00 and the food was flavorful and tender and everything i expected it to be and so much more. I am definitely going back. They only except cash or I paid via Cashapp. 10 outta 10 I highly recommend. read more

Amazing food worth every cent. The owner very friendly I took order home my spouse enjoy loves bar b que

I believe that this Johnson's Bar-B-Que business also travels across the United States to compete in rib competitions. At the Pittsburgh Rib Fest, my husband and I shared a sampler of three ribs from Johnson's BBQ. The employees did a good job with cutting and serving the ribs and with taking our payment. The ribs were a large size and contained lots of meat. The meat was not as tender as we had expected, but none of the other vendors' ribs were very tender either. The sauce tasted OK. We were in a hurry to beat the long lines of customers at the festival, so we did not purchase any other foods from Johnson's BBQ. Maybe we will try some of their other meats and sides in the future. read more

Johnson's Bar-B-Que - Sample of ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

This is the best bbq in Virginia I've tried, sauces are soo good, great prices too. Would recommend!

Good, tasty greens and pretty tender pork ribs. Just heard the microwave door shut as they were finishing up my order. I'd rather it cold or fresh out of the oven rather than microwaved. Beans a little bland. Would give a 4 if it wasn't microwaved. read more

Excellent bbq at a basic no frills restaurant. It's all counter service from friendly retired military personnel.

From just north of Memphis and have lived in Kansas and Texas, so not a fan of Carolina BBQ. Very happy with Johnson's and their Memphis style BBQ. Got the ribs and will next try the pulled pork. Service was quick and helpful. read more

Goooood gravyyyyy Marie! That's some good **s barbeque! WE picked up a full slab of ribs & a pound of BBQ pork. Both were delicious & worth the drive from the Norview area of Norfolk to Chesapeake. JV read more

Johnson's Bar-B-Que - Pound of chopped pork. - Barbeque Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

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Great food! The people working were so nice. Made for good leftovers too

Love this place. Great locally owned. Its been her for a long time and you will always feel welcome when you go in. read more

This place has some really good BBQ fam ! The collards are my favorite. There the best damn collard greens ever. I love how they include strips of meat ( I believe chicken) in the collards. It adds a soulful taste. The problem is the sides that are included in the plates are very tiny. For the amount your paying i feel you should get more of your sides. If you want a larger side you have to pay a higher price for a pint. And it will come in a large Styrofoam cup with a lid which is quite ghetto in my opinion. Also this place only takes cash which is annoying. I still don't understand establishments like this. Living in 2020 everything is electronic including payments its just safer and easier but to each its own. Im still going to come here whenever I want some BBQ. read more

After driving by this place for many years and hearing great things about it, I finally stopped in to for a takeout order on my way home from work one evening. It was a good choice. The restaurant is strictly take out at this time. There are a few tables and chairs inside but they seem to be used mostly for storage. There are stacks of books, statues and awards from various barbecue competitions and photographs of celebrity customers. There are tons of posters and smaller signs with witty sayings plastered all over the place. If you take the time to read some of them you will certainly be amused because they are really humorous. Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted by a gentleman whom I presume is the owner. He was friendly and very happy to engage in conversation and talk about some of the awards they have received over the years. He took my order for a sampler platter (chopped pork, chopped brisket, pork ribs chicken leg, baked beans, coleslaw and a roll) and rang me up. This is when I discovered they do not take credit cards. I rarely use cash but had just enough to cover it in my wallet. I was actually a little change short so I told him I'd go to my car to get the rest but he told me to forget about it. I received my order pretty promptly and headed home to share it with my wife. The food was good, really good. I am more a fan of vinegar based barbecue but Johnson's sweet and tangy sauce is pretty darned good too. I loved the chopped pork and brisket. The ribs weren't exactly fall-off-the-bone tender but were tasty enough. The coleslaw was creamy and delicious, the baked beans were just okay for me. I made a delicious chopped meat and slaw sandwich with the included roll. I would have liked a second bun but used a couple pieces of bread from my pantry to make another sandwich. I am glad I tried Johnson's Bar-B-Que and will certainly return. I'll make sure to have cash because they don't take plastic. read more

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Amazing BBQ . I got the brisket , ribs ,coleslaw, and baked beans. Cash only . Soo freaking good.

Local. BBQ place. A few tables inside but mostly carryout. BBQ is delicious. Well priced. Highly recommend.

The food here was absolutely amazing! It was so good that my wife and I wanted a whole new order just to take home for later. The space is simply, yet inviting kinda like going down deep south to granny's house. We have eaten at many so called fancy restaurants and left feeling cheated after finishing our meal and receiving the bill. I could have easily paid twice the amount charged and would have still felt I got a deal! This restaurant is nothing fancy at all, but the food is first class, and a must try! read more

Top tier. Best bbq I've had in town. Great customer service. No frills environment. Definitely will visit again.

I was looking for good bar-b-que, not from a chain restaurant and my research brought me to Mr Johnson's spot. I grabbed a family pack that serves four with short ribs, pulled pork, cole slaw,, and I have to say I was blown away by the flavor. It was delicious! The owner himself takes your order and explains in mouth watering detail what every plates comes with. The smells coming from kitchen add to your confusion in which direction to go. Great portion size. Loved them so much that I came back the next day and bought three pounds of pulled pork for a luncheon. It was a hit! We will definitely be coming back! read more

Johnson's Bar-B-Que - Take out only - Barbeque Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

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Tonight I went to Johnsons bbq on s. Military hwy in Chesapeake for the first time. The food was lousy. The chicken and brisket had no seasoning. It was bland with BBQ sauce. The greens and baked beans were out of a can. You could tell the weren't homemade. I paid over $17 and was extremely disappointed. read more

Three stars for a few reasons. We were there at noon on a Tuesday. People were there the a/c wasnt, but thats ok. Stuff was sticky you know. The pork was chopped and not pulled and made a few days ago. The bread was stale. The fries were tasty. The beef was chopped and not sliced...tasted old also. The smoked chicken was good, collard's were good. Tea was good. And.....cash only. The smoker out front was running so im sure fresh meats are on the way. I have had great stuff here before. read more

Johnson's Bar-B-Que - They're winners! - Barbeque Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

Prompt service and service with a smile on day off the food I wonderful I will be going back forever I will give them a 5 rating in service alone and another5 for flavorful food. read more

Great food.. family owned business.. even the sides are good... collards are to die for.. pulled pork is amazing

The food was so-o-o good!!! Had the chicken plate with potato salad and collards. Will definitely go back!! read more

Johnson's Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

Now this is the place to go for your BBQ! So tender and tasty! We've tried the combo platter, briskets and pulled pork and it's nothing short of amazing. The staff are always very friendly too! TIP: bring cash as it's a cash only establishment! read more

Best BBQ in the seven cites. Don't like the fact they don't use Apple Pay but the food definitely makes up for it. Just make sure you have cash DEFINITELY WORTJ IT!!! read more

Picked Johnson's based on its proximity to the route. Didn't realize it was takeout only - my fault. Called an audible and got two beef sandwich's to go. The owner was good enough to ask if we wanted slaw on our sandwich - we passed. The sandwiches were amazing. The smoker was busy right outside the shop. It would have been nice to sit and eat, but we totally understand that's not always feasible for small restaurants these days. read more

One of the better BBQ in the Hampton Rd area. Been here a couple of times and it has never disappoint. You can tell they smoke all their meats because there's a big old smoker in the parking lot and when you see the smoke down the street you know it's that serious! Today Ribs was the agenda for me so I ordered up a half a rack. The ribs was very meaty, tender and have great hickory smoke. Sauce was tasty that I dipped my fries in it! hehehe... Bbq sandwich was equally delish, not vinegar base just good ole pork being slowly cooked in a smoker. Sides are limited to potato salad, collard greens, fries and baked beans. Potato salad was good, not sure if it's store bought or homemade tho. Can't figure it out. Anywhoo.. It's still a cash only establishment and still have great customer service! read more

Johnson's Bar-B-Que - Half rack rib and side of potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

Does it look like much from the outside but boy they got the best barbecue in town, we used to think The other guys had the best but these guys blow them out of the water! so good perfect brisket the pulled pork has amazing flavor. And forget about the mac & cheese it's so good takes me about half hour to drive there but worth every bit! read more

The Johnsons take competitive barbeque seriously. That's obvious from the many, many championship trophies and banners on display in their restaurant. Also from the celebrity autographed pictures, including one from President Clinton! The large smoker in the parking lot, going full speed with visible logs burning is also a great signal that you're going to get legitimate barbeque at this place. I was tipped off by a friend from church about this place, so decided to give it a shot for lunch. I was not disappointed. I got a large pulled pork sandwich combo. The pork was smokey, tender, and very tasty. A top-notch version of a pork barbeque sandwich. Johnsons uses a Kansas City-style red, sweet barbeque sauce on the meat, which is unusual in this area. I thought the sauce was really good, sweet, but not too sweet. The sandwich also included a good, creamy cole slaw. The baked beans I had as a side were OK, but were nothing special, and did not include any meat. Overall, this was classic barbeque done very well. Another great Hampton Roads barbeque spot I'd recommend! read more

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Ribs were delicious! The sweet potato pie is the best I've ever had!! Wish I would have known about this place sooner. Can't wait to go back! read more

How did this place get all these high ratings? Barbecue was awful. I'm pretty sure my entire sandwich was all the leftover stuff just finely chopped up to the consistency of dog food. There were bigger pieces of cabbage in the cole slaw than barbecue meat. Absolutely disgusting. read more

Went in for lunch at 11:30 on a Wednesday. They had a special that said Mac daddy sandwich with fries. I ordered that. The sheer weight of the box was surprising. The sandwich was HUGE. The fries were piping hot and seasoned well. The sandwich was impossible to lift at first. I had to eat all the off fall with a fork. The next time I'll get the plain bbq because it was hard to tell how the bbq tasted by itself. For $9 with fries and a sweet tea, I'll go back. read more

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Ordered the rib dinner with collard greens and potato salad and the chopped beef sandwich topped with slaw lunch special with fries. Both were great. The ribs were very tender. The beef was juicy and tasted good. Not an overpowering smoke flavor. Just nice. The only change is next time my wife wants the sauce on the side. She felt the ribs had a little too much sauce for her liking. But we will definitely go again next time we are in the area. read more

The food is very good but pricey! They are some great country cooks though! I've been visiting this place from time to time for over twenty years! I have had some great meals from here! read more

My dad sang high praises about this place for about 6 months before I dragged myself to it. And let me tell you, he wasn't wrong. I'm pretty sure it's pecan wood smoke, but man it SMACKS! The beans were fantastic and the portion sizes are right on point. I had the special of the day, and had leftovers. There is a reason they win award after award (ribs and sauce). I could drink the bbq sauce from the sandwich,btw. Some might consider it a dive type place, but this joint is a diamond. I'll be headed back soon. And a heads up, it's cash only. read more

Johnson's Bar-B-Que - 4 meat sandwich. Brisket, pork, chicken and sausage. - Barbeque Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

There are BBQ places everywhere... All kinds of BBQ... Johnson's has Alabama southern BBQ and is best at cooking it slow and low and it is the best in the area if you're hankering some Q!! They're awards done an entire corner in the restaurant, they are that tasty!! The chicken, ribs, pulled pork, brisket, and sausage are smoked to perfection and the sides are just what you need with some great Q... collards, corn, green beans, coleslaw and potato salad... yum!! read more

Johnson's Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia