I have been to picnic a couple dozen times over the past few years. They have become a favorite of mine. I typically get the fried chicken which comes with a hot honey type sauce. It is delicious! You have to try it! The restaurant is always clean and has nice decor. Staff is friendly! read more

It was our first time here so I'll give it a 3. It might have just been a bad day but what we got was average at best. The ribs were soaked in an average tasting sauce. If this is the normal amount I'd suggest getting less. It was almost impossible to taste the meat. My wife got the chopped barbecue which was also soaked in too much sauce. The chopped was much better than the ribs but still average at best. read more

I was so very excited to come here on my trip to North Carolina. I had seen recommendations for it and it did not disappoint! The pulled pork was delicious and I loved my BBQ sauce that I sloshed all over the place. The mac was delicious, as well, but clearly the pork was the star. It was a big, open space with an open kitchen so I could spy on the other fabulous meals being served. It is a family friendly place so there were children wiggling around and there were t-shirts for sale that excited me. Bathrooms were roomy, but the big, open space of the restaurant means that everyone knows how long I'm taking in there. Hide me!!! I'm really glad I went. read more

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Great fried chicken- Brussel sprouts are amazing- banana pudding is as good as my mother's! Love this place and am thrilled to have a great place in north Durham! read more

Stopped here recently for a bit of BBQ before an outlet shopping excursion. And let me tell you, nothing fuels you for scoring some deals like spiced meats! I had the pulled pork sandwich, collard greens and some cole slaw. The greens were some of the best I've had in awhile, and the sandwich was pretty good! Service is prompt, prices are a little steep for the area. But I'd come back for the ambience, as the interior is super cute and perfect for a family night out, date or solo eating adventure. read more

Not real southern BBQ and hush puppies are considered a side and not complimentary. Don't waste your money.

I loved the pulled pork cheese fries from here so much - the pulled pork is tasty, there's just the right amount of scallions, and the cheese is melty and warm even in a takeout order. The fries are not the crispiest but they hold up well as a base for the toppings, and I'd definitely get this again! read more

The place is nice. Feels like most of the new food movement places in Durham -- reclaimed wood tables, large beer selection, locally-source high quality ingredients and a price tag that reflects the high quality of the food. The folks that worked there seemed nice. Has seats indoors and out of doors. I got a pork plate with collards and pickles. Lots of other good looking sides -- pimento mac-n-cheese and sweet potato mash that both sounded interesting. The pork was well done. Whole hog, smoked enough that it had a smoky flavor (although not as much as the best BBQ joints in the state--the places you can smell when you turn off the highway). I'd give the pork 4-5 stars. Table sauce was a blasphemous "mix" of Eastern and Western sauces. I hated the idea of the sauce, but put that aside and used it and ... really enjoyed it. It was sweet, with a little vinegar flavor and some real kick. Really excellent sauce. The sides were meh. The slaw was given in a tiny saucer and lacked flavor. The collard were not chopped, as I prefer, and a little bland-- but not soupy (the mark of truly inferior collards). The hush puppies were light and airy, which is not to my taste. Not enough corn meal or salt. The pickles were too much vinegar, but that's just my tastes. Overall, the sides were 2-3 star. Overall I like the place. You can't beat ethically sourced meat, but it doesn't hold a candle to the best BBQ in the state (like B's in Greenville or Johnson's out on 98), but is a nice upscale addition that feels comfortable. Downside -- like most of these local food places, it was pretty much nothing but white folks in there. read more

Picnic - Pork Plate with Collards and Pickles - Barbeque Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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This tucked away spot is quite ideal. Amongst a neighborhood on a side road, you'd almost miss it. I heard that it had the best fried chicken around. Twice fried with buttermilk batter. I ordered the sandwich and got the brussel sprouts. The chicken was extra crispy but incredibly tender. The fry didn't fall off the meat so that every bite had perfect crunch. The real star however was the brussel sprouts. I could have eaten a whole bushel of those! They were perfectly roasted with what tasted like their bbq sauce. You never know what you may find during your explorations and it serves well to keep your eyes open for new spots to try! read more

Maybe I'm picky, but Picnic didn't do it for me. Here's the breakdown: 1. Pulled pork sandwich. Pulled pork was too dry and not flavorful enough. 3/5 2. Mac N Cheese. I like my mac n cheese to have a crispy top with bread crumbs, this was not crispy on the top. 3/5 3. Colesaw. It was fine, nothing special. 3/5 3. Hush puppies. Also nothing special. 3/5 4. Brisket cheese fries. OK. This was GREAT mostly because the bbq sauce on the brisket was great. HOWEVER, the bbq sauce DOES mask the flavor of the brisket, which was disappointing. I think the brisket fries would be better if there was less sauce, so one could really taste the brisket. Overall, I'd go back again for the brisket cheese fries, but nothing else. Still on the hunt for fabulous bbq in the triangle. read more

Yes, believe the hype. The fried chicken is AMAZING. Pimento Mac and cheese yes please! My daughter the hush puppy queen scored them high. Pulled pork smoky, tender and juicy. I could eat the beet salad everyday and not be disappointed. Service is top notch. Friendly, quick and everything is hot and well timed. Even dessert was great - my kids have hollow legs. Chocolate chess pie was dark and rich and not too sweet with REAL flaky crust! Great job! read more

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We stopped here on our way to Winston-Salem. It's a nice local spot. Their craft beer collection was good. It wasn't as extensive; however it's enough to meets most people's appetite. We ordered dinner - I had the brisket platter and my sister had the brisket sandwich. The brisket was cooked ok...it was tender, but it would've been better if it was more moist. The customer service was great. I would recommend this to anyone who's either passing by for a relaxed sit down dinner! read more

Ventured out to Cole Mill Rd to try Picnic because when a new barbecue restaurant opens up in North Carolina, that's what you do! We opted to sit outside because it was a beautiful night, so if you have the option definitely take advantage. The wait staff was friendly and hospitable even as we waited for the rest of our party to arrive. We ordered the fried green tomatoes with house-made ranch. The tomatoes were friend perfectly and still nice and firm and the ranch was one fo the best I've had, I kept going back for more! My family did a great job covering all the sides when we ordered. The top sides of the day were probably the collards, the pickled cukes, and the cole slaw. A lot of people at the table liked the hush puppies and the consistency was great! But I think they needed some butter on the side or salt or something. But now the main event! The pork was nice a smoky though we all agreed we would love a chopped option as well! They don't have your classic western and eastern sauces, but rather a combo sauce which was surprisingly passable. The fried chicken was excellent as well. Equally as smokey, nice and crispy on the outside and moist on the inside with plenty of meat. I definitely suggest it as a good barbecue option! read more

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Don't need to drop too many superlatives...from the barbecue to the sides, everything we ordered off the menu was A+. The fried chicken was the best I've had in recent memory - a deliciously battered and juicy bird. Wyatt, the pit master and establishment's proprietor, spent a solid ten minutes at our table, sharing stories and talking all topics barbecue. He even enlightened us to the genesis of his Eastern/Western compromise sauce - its main influencers were NC State Troopers who fed off barbecue routinely and offered unique/expert perspective. Clearly he has mastered his craft, and that table-side touch validates the homelike vibe you feel dining here. read more

Picnic - Fried chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Are there once. All 5 people in our party got sick. I saw a lot of hands getting wiped on pants legs and no hand washing. No doubt that is the reason we all got sick. read more

Picked up my online order. Got home and discovered that this BBQ restaurant provided no BBQ sauce for the pulled pork. Because I had been concerned about this, I had called in advance and they assured me that the BBQ sauce was included and would be in the order. Too far to drive back. When I called, no apology, encouraged me to drive back and pick up the sauce or just freeze it for another time. A very disappointing experience. read more

Overrated and overpriced. I'd heard good things, but this was a crushing disappointment. Slow, inattentive service. Overpriced lunch options. And ultimately, the BBQ (I tried the brisket) was very disappointing. Tasted like something out of a tub from Food Lion. There are far better options in Durham for BBQ. Anywhere but here. read more

Love this little spot- from the location, the decor to the frosé and food! Service was top notch, too. Looking forward to going back soon! read more

Picnic - Frosé!!!! Cheers!! - Barbeque Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Great adjustment by the business during these stressful times! Customer service is still paramount with adjusted procedures. More importantly the fried chicken sandwich was bomb. Only complimented by delicious baked beans. read more

Picnic - Fried Chicken Sandwich Baked Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Live not far from here and it's Meh BBQ. Not very many options and weird hours. Usually great okra though!

Checked out Picnic after a hike at Eno State Park. Super cute spot with a great ambiance. We sat at one of the picnic tables out front. Our waitress was super nice and very helpful with the menu. I settled on pimento cheese to start which was a huge ball. It was ok. Not the best I have had but still tasty. I also had the salad special which had grapes, blue cheese, spicy pecans (I believe) and a delicious vinaigrette type dressing. My friend had the Cobb salad which was Devine. My other friend had the fried green tomato BLT with avocado instead of bacon. I didn't try the sandwich but she said it was amazing. Her sandwich came with sweet potato purée and it was yummy and not super sweet. I will definitely visit Picnic again. read more

Picnic - Pimento cheese with crackers - Barbeque Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Really good pulled pork, slaw, and baked beans! For me, the Mac and cheese was only ok as it was slightly on the liquidy side and the hush puppies were a little dry but I probably should have just dipped them in butter. The service was great as were the beers on draft. I also got the peanut butter pie which was so rich and yummy. I also recommend the chess pie which was served warm! My friend had the fried chicken and loved her dish as well. read more

Picnic - Barbeque Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Stopped by Picnic to get something to take home so only tried 2 different things but I won't be back. BBQ was very good but the Brunswick stew was not. It was very watery. More like soup rather than stew. Finally the cost was pretty pricy imo. The bbq was good but I feel like there are other places that have just as good bbq and great Brunswick stew at a better price point. read more

I'm going with great sides/specials. C minus on the pork bbq.

Really and I mean really disappointing sandwiches. Add to that it's the only place I've encountered in years to not provide takeout cutlery and you have the perfect recipe for a huge letdown. read more

We tried three barbecue places 3 days in a row. Picnic was the second. Service here was excellent! Chopped barbecue - 4 stars Good but I liked the one at Allen & Son better - it was peppery and vinegary. This one was just vinegary. But I liked the slaw and the hush puppies here better than the ones at Allen & Son. The slaw was light and tasted fresh, and the sausage-shaped hush puppies had a light crispy exterior. The hush puppies at Allen & Son were large round falafel-like balls with a harder substantial exterior. Fried chicken - 2.5 stars Too dry on the inside. Beasley's chicken was definitely better. Chocolate chess pie - 4.5 stars First time having this! It tasted like a fudge brownie in a pie shell. Delicious! Key lime pie - 4 stars Not too sweet, not too sour, with an interesting cheesecake-like texture. Peanut butter pie - 2.5 stars Didn't quite like this but I tend not to like peanut butter in desserts anyway. The cream cheese and peanut butter didn't work for me even though the Oreo crust was pretty good. read more

We were recommended this place by the hotel front desk. Apparently they were told that it was pretty decent Service- it was poor upon coming in. Our waitress was rude and the staff did not seem very genuine. Someone in our party ordered a mimosa which was on special. It wasn't the best at all. She sent it back and she asked if she could get another mimosa with less orange juice because it tasted flat. Our waitress brought the mimosa back and stated that they put MORE orange juice in it and if that didn't work there was nothing else that they could do. If I were to write everything that took place, I would be here forever. Food- meh. I've definitely had better. I ordered the buffalo chicken sandwich (which was on special) and the fried okra. Both items weren't hot and not to mention as my food is sitting waiting to be picked up by the waitress, staff continued to talk over my food. I sent my food back (it wasn't hot as mentioned) and they decided to give the the okra separate stating that they wanted to give it to me while it was hot. As I sat there and waited another 15ish minutes for my sandwich to get done. Overall experience- This isn't somewhere I would come back to. We would have felt better if the manager made an attempt to come a rectify the situation. Instead, they talked about it amongst themselves as if we wouldn't notice. read more

We walked in mid afternoon on a Saturday to a half full restaurant. We had drinks within a few minutes of taking our seats. Surprisingly, we didn't have to wait long for our meal. The fried chicken was a bit greasy, but boy was it delicious! The hot honey sauce was the perfect balance of sweet and heat. Sides were just "meh." Three stars for the star of the meal (chicken) and one star for the server (Casey was on point). I had to take a star off for the salty hostess. She was NOT very pleasant and didn't greet us when we walked in. read more

Looked appealing, but it wasn't. We ordered: Wings, a burger and a chicken sandwich. The buffalo sauce used on the sandwich and wings was bland. Our sons burger was burnt to crisp and all we got was an awkward smile and a $60 check. Won't be back. Plenty of other BBQ/honesty or options at a WAY better price. I wish we wouldn't of paid for it. Yuck. read more

After being completely indifferent about going to Picnic for the years it's been open I finally went with my in-laws and wife last week. Don't really understand the price being so high for the pork plate nor do I get the appeal as it had no taste at all to if. Sides were better but only marginally so. Overall I would go to Picnic over The Pit but that's not really saying much. read more

This review is for Picnic's 2nd birthday event. I loved the pulled pork sandwich which was only 4.50. The pork was pulled fresh off the hog in the Pitt. We also had the all you can eat fresh roasted oysters for 22 dollars. The oysters were of really great quality; big, plump, and delicious. I thought they could have provided more oyster shucking utensils though. Picnic provided all the right condiments to go with the roasted oysters: horseradish, cocktail sauce, hot sauce, and lemon. It was a fun experience to shuck oysters fresh off the shovel. I look forward to come back and try Picnic's standard menu. read more

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What an amazing local find. Picnic is a small, nondescript restaurant on the side of the road that is a huge and delicious spot to grab a meal. The fried chicken sandwich is INCREDIBLE. I chose mac and cheese as my side and was not disappointed (pro tip: pour their honey hot sauce on top - it will change your life). I have a friend who is vegetarian and she had positive things to say about their veggie options! If you're in Durham for the day, visiting Eno River State Park, or simply want to support a delicious local business, Picnic is the place for you! read more

Great BBQ, delicious fried chicken and the deviled eggs were the bomb. Great spot for a hearty meal. The pulled pork was a huge hit.

Dry meat, overpriced hipster crap. Basically just a plate of dry pork and then they give you some sauces to put on it. I'm not a huge fan of NC BBQ, but this place is gross. Don't bother. Go to Hillsborough. Better BBQ. read more

Some pretty high Yelp reviews helped pull me toward Picnic. I just punched in the address and followed it. My prejudiced brain thinks that a proper BBQ place has to be in the middle of nowhere, preferably by train tracks, be in a building with some structural neglect, and have a line out the door no matter what time of day. While Picnic was the middle of nowhere for me, it is conveniently located for others who happen to live nearby. My heart sank as the neighborhood started getting downright nice. This is a sit-and-order place. Picnic has a semi-open concept kitchen, a big square of a dining room with a kitchen going full tilt behind a shielded wall. On a tidiness scale from healthy-hazard to surgically clean, Picnic is tidy. Tables are two-tops that can be pushed around for easy seating rearrangement. The place is busy, but not overly so - so group seating is possible but not without challenges. Service was pleasant, but slow. So slow that we got complimentary fried green tomatoes. I never did understand why that happens. I would rather have a dish come one apologetic fried-green tomato faster or get something that doesn't come from the kitchen (eg, a lemonade). But I digress. At this point, I have a virtual leaderboard in my head for the Triangle Olympics of BBQ. Nobody is going to sweep every category, so my favorite BBQ joints really excel at the things that matter to me. A good BBQ place better be awesome at the athletics and aquatics of BBQ - pulled pork and mac/cheese. This place is the Spain of BBQ - gracious hosts, wonderful culture, a few nice surprises, but be somewhere in the middle of the pack once medals are handed out. Their pulled pork was good, but unremarkable - with a mildly smoked flavor and drier rather than moist/fatty texture. Their pulled pork comes plain and you are expected to spice it with your own preference of sauce. Our two orders of mac went nearly untouched. Their cheese is a light-viscosity emulsified cheese closer to boxed mac than home-made-but-solidifies-into-a-brick. The cheese sauce is spiced with pimento. Not offensive, just odd and different. Likewise, their puppies seem are nicely fried, but oddly really, really heavy on margarine flavor. Again, not bad, just really different. I like different - but not on mac-and-cheese because the base model is not broken. Their fried chicken and ribs were good, but not great - nicely fried, appropriately salted, generally quite mild and inoffensive. Above average are their fried okra, slaw, and lemonade. Below average is their banana pudding (or what I affectionately call hillbilly tiramisu). All in all, this is a 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars. I am sure that some people really like the mild approach to everything and clean environment, but I have to imagine that this place's biggest draw is its location for neighborhood locals. But if I was going on food alone, this place is average. Look, any day that I get fried chicken and BBQ is a great day, but I'm unlikely to return. Top rated places for me: Backyard BBQ and Old Time BBQ. read more

Had lunch here one Saturday. We weren't very hungry so we got just one sandwich, the brisket and a side of chicken and coleslaw. The brisket sandwich was delicious! Love my brisket fatty and this was the right mix! The 'side' of chicken was humongous! A large chicken breast with the wing! I loved the coleslaw too, it reminded me of coleslaw I used to have years back on another continent! My only problem was the restroom, atleast one of them actually, the floor was unfinished and looked wet and dirty. I'm not sure if that's a look they were going for but it just made it look dirty! They should also have a trash bin next to the door to throw the paper towels! All in all the food was really good! read more

First off, the food was 4/5 stars but the service was 1/5 stars. I first learned of "the Picnic" during a google search of the best fried chicken sandwich in N.C. And I must say, the chicken sandwich does not disappoint. It's delicious and not overly filling, which is a plus. The sandwich could have, however, used more of its signature aoli sauce. For the takeout order--I ordered 2 entrees: My mom had the fried chicken sandwich with french fries and I had the fried chicken sandwich with hush puppies. Both entrees came with complimentary cole slaw. The fries were delicious, according to my mom. The hush puppies were decent at best; they lacked any distinct flavor. The best part of the meal was the chicken sandwich. The worst part of the Picnic experience was the absence of customer service from the hostess and waitress (the bartender was the only staff member who showed any sense of acknI had to go back into the restaurant twice after receiving my to go order; I'm happy that we decided to eat our food in the car which was conveniently parked in the restaurant's lot. The to go order did not include any condiments for the fries or hush puppies. Staff failed to ask if I needed any ketchup or anything. They didn't even provide us with takeout silverware for the cole slaw. It was a big disappointment. I made two separate trips back into the restaurant to get ketchup and silverware. The staff never said sorry or thank you for my business. Hence 3/5 stars. read more

Picnic - Fried Chicken Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I'm not sure how you smoke & fry a chicken and it still ends up tasteless, but this place managed to accomplish that. The sides (mac n cheese & sweet potato puree) were just as bland. But if you like your tea EXTRA sweet they've got you covered! read more

Best barbecue around! I had their pulled pork sandwich last night for carry out and it was to die for . I had banana pudding for dessert and it tasted just like my moms. So happy with my meal each time I go. Look forward to many more carry out and delivery orders over the next few months! Staff is always very helpful, friendly and kind. Definitely recommend! read more

More like 3.5. Mainly because it's so expensive. Overall, it was really good food. I got the (6oz) bbq plate. It comes with hush puppies and a tiny amount of coleslaw, plus two sides. I would have liked the option to have 6 oz pulled pork + the two sides and pay less for it. The pulled pork was a bit dry, but otherwise had good flavor. The real problem was that the sauce they had on the tables was a mixture of the vinegar and tomato based sauces. It would be nice if we could have the truly eastern NC style sauce as an alternative. We also tried three of their desserts: key lime and chess pies, and banana pudding. While I wasn't a fan of the consistency of the cream on top of the banana pudding, I have to say that all three were delicious. Especially the key lime pie. Not overly sour but a great deal of lime flavor, partly thanks to the lime zest on top. The chess pie included some salted caramel, which was great, but it was a tad too salty. read more