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

Kendall was a great server. can't wait to come back and see her again. The food was fantastic and…read moream so happy we decided to come and eat. I am definitely going to tell everyone about it!

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.

I was in need of some comfort food today and, after seeing all the high reviews for Sweet Lew's,…read moredecided to give it a try. The restaurant was easy to find, and there was plenty of parking. The sign on the front door saying "Open 11 till we run out" immediately made me optimistic. Maybe showing up around 3:15 on a Wednesday isn't the ideal time to experience this place, but based on all the positive reviews, I still feel like my experience is worth sharing. When I walked in, I actually really liked the atmosphere. The decor and overall aesthetic were exactly what I like to see in a small, local barbecue restaurant. Unfortunately, that was probably the highlight of the customer-service side of my visit. There were no other dining customers that I could see, aside from three people who appeared to be having a meeting. Several employees were around, but nobody greeted me when I came in. I followed the signs directing customers toward the ordering area. The person working the register wasn't particularly friendly, and the interaction felt more like I was interrupting something than being welcomed into a restaurant. I ordered a pulled pork plate, but I was having trouble seeing what sides were available. When I asked, I was basically told "up there" while she pointed toward a sign. I chose mac and cheese and fries and was told the fries would take about five minutes. That was pretty much the extent of the instructions. Nobody explained where to wait, whether the food would be brought out, or where I should sit. I added a sweet tea, and the total came to a little over $28 for one person. The payment screen immediately presented tip options, with 20% being the lowest suggested amount. I still tipped, but considering this is essentially counter service where I picked up my own meal and later cleared my own table, that felt excessive. Since it was a beautiful day, I went outside and took the only two-person spot I could find at the bar. The overall feeling I got was that they really weren't expecting anyone to show up at that time and weren't especially happy that someone had. The bartender appeared to be training based on the conversations I overheard, and for quite a while nobody said anything to me. Eventually, he did come over and ask how everything was, which I appreciated. As for the food, the pulled pork itself was really good. That was easily the best part of the meal. I was a little surprised by the preparation. The pork was pulled from what appeared to be a bag inside a warmer, weighed, sauced and chopped before being served. That doesn't necessarily mean anything was wrong with it--the pork still tasted very good--but it wasn't quite what I expected after seeing the reviews and pricing. The sauce selection was also a little confusing. There were several bottles for different meats and styles, but the labeling wasn't especially clear. One bottle labeled simply "Sweet Lew's Sauce" tasted to me very similar to a thin, vinegar-heavy hot sauce. The fries were disappointing. They were basic crinkle-cut fries that tasted like standard frozen fries. They weren't terrible, but they weren't crispy either--just somewhere in the middle and fairly bland. The mac and cheese was the biggest disappointment. It looked baked, but the noodles tasted dry and old, and the cheese on top had a dried-out texture. I tried to eat it, but eventually gave up because I just didn't enjoy it. When I finished, I carried my tray and trash to the trash can and cleaned up after myself. I passed employees on the way out, but nobody asked how the meal was, thanked me for coming in, said goodbye, or acknowledged me leaving. Overall, the pulled pork was genuinely good, but the rest of the experience didn't come close to matching the reputation or the price. Spending more than $28 for one person on counter-service barbecue, while receiving very little hospitality and having two disappointing sides, just wasn't worth it to me. I really enjoy supporting local restaurants, especially local barbecue joints, and I wanted to like Sweet Lew's. Unfortunately, based on this visit, I don't see myself going back.

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.

Really good BBQ from this unassuming establishment. My friends thought I was crazy because it is…read moreconnected to a laundry mat but that doesn't matter. Eat there anyway!!

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!

Don't know what happened to these guys…read more We ordered three dishes. All terrible. Brisket hard as a rock, dry pulled pork, tough ribs. Inedible Mac and cheese. Even the sauces say "manufactured for Improper Pig"... So sad.. private equity?

Food was absolutely glorious. The service just as great,The To-Go specialist Sincere is a great…read moreguy, always giving 110% as always with his service

Everything was great, from the food to the drinks. My bartender Justice was amazing, good…read morepersonality and even better drinks. Came in during a rush and everything still went well. Definitely will be back.