We really enjoyed Ralph's. Service was really good and we found we could order off the menu even though there was a buffet. We were traveling and couldn't eat a big meal. Their pulled pork was great, they asked right away if I wanted cole slaw on it and of course I said yes. The complimentary hush puppies were good too. It's an old school place and they do it right! read more

Great place. Great food. Great bbq. It's not a very attractive place inside. Just a plain good Ole BBQ JOINT. they have all the staples hush puppies greens coleslaw, barbecue and fried chicken and a few other items added to the buffet. I've noticed if they did get a little bit of heat on some social media outlets, but I think people go into their thinking, they should be something that they're not. Rouses is a basic barbecue joint that serves up pretty good barbecue for that region. I always stop there on my way south or north on 95. services not white table and they don't walk around and ties in uniforms. So it's basically you know as I said before a basic barbecue joint. read more

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April 2026 This place serves slop on its buffet. Everything on the buffet is over salted, over sweetened, over-fried, or otherwise overcooked. The fried chicken is almost like a tempura, there is so much batter. The batter had no taste. There were only fried chicken thighs and drum sticks -- no breasts or wings. Every single vegetable was completely overcooked. The buffet was messy and the food was unappealingly presented. The deserts were a travesty -- everything too sweet, too processed, and too artificially flavored. They had a banana pudding -- a Southern staple -- that no one with any pride would ever serve. The chopped pork tasted like vinegar and had no depth. The accompanying cold slaw was sweeter than most desserts. read more

I placed a takeout order Saturday evening about 30 minutes before closing and received the best and most patient and most thorough service from a team member name Felicity. She could tell I was not familiar with the menu but she patiently conveyed the menu item options as i ordered each plate which prevented me from becoming overwhelmed during the ordering process. The ability to be calm and patient despite the busyness of other orders is truly commendable. Thank you so much Felicity. I look forward to selecting Ralph's as our dining option the next time I'm visiting Weldon from the state of Maryland. Thank you for your amazing customer service!!!!! read more

Look, I've been coming to this place for over 25 years. On my visit back to NC today, I had to stop for lunch with my family. If you want authentic NC barbecue, this is the place. Now I will admit over the years the aesthetics of this place has taken a hit but the food is still good. The barbecue, hush puppies and Brunswick stew is amazing, The chicken has a layer of breading on it that is too much for me. Overall I recommend this place for NC barbecue. Trust me my wife is from eastern NC. Best barbecue in the state read more

Ralph's Barbecue - Combination plate with coleslaw and fries - Barbeque Near Me - Weldon, North Carolina

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You want some good barbecue? Then travel to Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina and hit up Ralphs. Tell them the Powell family sent you. Best barbecue and coleslaw sandwich you will find in the Tarhill state. #EatGoodAndBeHappy read more

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Nothing fancy, the atmosphere is open and clean. The servers are very pleasant and polite. The food is okay... everything was fresh. read more

Ralph's Barbecue - Build from parking lot. - Barbeque Near Me - Weldon, North Carolina

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My family and I have always stopped at Ralph's on our way down south to visit family. I never knew why, other than the BBQ is great and the food is delicious and it's right off I-95 so it's convenient too. I always came with my Grandma and Grandpa, this time we stopped with Grandpa and he told us he had been coming to Ralph's for over 60 years. He shared with us that as a railroad conductor, he would stop the locomotive right along side Ralph's and walk through the woods to the back of the restaurant to eat there when he was passing through. I just think it's very neat that one restaurant has fed three generations and helped create a family tradition that has lasted over 60 years. The food is always wonderful, as well as the memories shared throughout the experience. Can't wait to go back! read more

It's HORRIBLE!!!!! We could barely eat any of it. It wasn't even presented edible. It was tasteless with globs of food . It was semi crowded with lots of overweight people having the buffet and going back for more. Do NOT waste your time or money read more

My first time going and I was not disappointed!! I went down for a family reunion, and before I left, we stopped into Ralph's for some good southern BBQ. We got fried chicken, backed chicken, hus puppies (which ate to die for!), collards, baked beans, pulled and chopped pork, cole slaw, and brunswick stew! Everything was good, and the young lady that helped us was so patient and got everything we ordered, minus the fried apples (but I'm not mad, it wasn't missed) read more

Ralph's Barbecue - Fried chicken qtr (white) - Barbeque Near Me - Weldon, North Carolina

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Its rather old and the atmosphere is lacking and atmosphere. But the BBQ (CAROLINA STYLE) Is head and shoulders above the rest. Service is good! Could be better! But not bad. The desserts are fantastic as well. But you will not find better BBQ! read more

Good food but customer service is not good. Cashier very unfriendly not even a hello.

We are Californians, on a road trip through the Carolinas and wanted a diner style No. Carolina BBQ and we got it.

The fried chicken is the best I've ever ate! It's very, very crispy! The meat is super moist! Seasoned perfectly! What more do you want? The servers are genuine. Real people from the south. read more

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Ralph's barbecue has been a staple in my in-laws family for decades. Each and every time that we travel back from North Carolina, we make it a point to stop at this hidden gem. The local community definitely knows about this spot, but to those who don't -- get there, and you will not be disappointed. En route back home to DC. My wife and I stopped in to grab none other than the famous chopped barbecue sandwich. This delicious sandwich is full of flavor, full of meat, topped with coleslaw and a tangy vinegar sauce that will leave your taste buds drooling. To wash a down we got a half-and-half and trust me when I tell you the southern tea melted the ice immediately lol. All in all, I'll keep returning to Ralph's for their signature, chopped barbecue sandwich. read more

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Just south of the VA/NC border sits this unpretentious all-you-can-eat buffet. Lines out the door but moved quickly. We did the buffet and it did not disappoint. My favs were the collards, fried chicken, sweet potato something (? ‍) and bbq pulled pork. Price was $20 +/- for buffet and drink. Decor and ambiance is not the focus of this place - it's about the food. Lots of large tables filled with families breaking bread - well worth the drive and price! read more

Southern Food at its finest. Stopped in to grab something to eat while visiting family. The restaurant is in the cut off highway the locals told me about when I was getting gas. Glad I went the serving and portion is excellent for the price. The fish, cornbread,collard greens was cooked with love read more

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Best North Carolina Barbecue pulled and chopped pork sandwiches ordered from the carry out section, but slow service. So be patient. It's worth it. Also, try their full dressed hotdog and homemade desserts. They have good buffet in the main restaurant if you have time from your travels for a sit down meal. Homemade comfort foods. Good fried chicken and Brunswick stew. Wow no ribs though. That's disappointing. Located off of i95 Weldon, NC just before you cross the VA border if you're coming from the south. read more

Staff was very nice and kept the dinks filled. Food was institutional like back in school or hospital. Place was clean

Excellent buffet and award winning barbecue. A legend. This family has been around for years and the locals love it and also people traveling on I 85. We stopped by every time we're in the area of Roanoke, Rapids, North Carolina read more

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10 years ago this place served me an awesome meal and then did me a solid favor. Guaranteeing that they would have a customer for life. I always stop whenever I'm passing through the region and hungry, and sometimes when I'm not. and here we are again. https://youtu.be/TJIGkANfzZ8 read more

Ralph's Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Weldon, North Carolina

The variety of food is impressive and tasty! The oeople are so welcoming and the service is very good!

On our way home to South Carolina, we pulled off 95 to grab a bite. We were looking for som comfort food and we found it at Ralph's. Not a fancy place, but the food was delicious. This will Definitely be a stopping place for us. It was a Sunday and the parking lot was packed with cars after church. They have great bbq and fried chicken, salad, veggies, and they bring a basket of hush puppies to the table. The Sunday Buffet was a bargain at $14.95. Bonus was the staff, friendly and so nice. This place beats those fast food and chain options. read more

I was passing through North Carolina and wanted to try some of their famous BBQ. Checking YELP for places nearby this location popped up. There were decent reviews and I was looking forward to a delicious sandwich. The sandwich was on a pretty small bun. A step up from a slider. That was forgivable. North Carolina is known for their BBQ sauce. If there was any on the sandwich it must have been invisible. Without the BBQ sauce the meat was slightly dry. I was hoping for a home run ... I got a foul ball. Live and learn ....Chopped BBQ read more

Food was okay/good. Service was attentive (we did not do the buffet) Not busy at all. However both bathrooms were dirty and I do mean nasty. Given they had been closed the day prior (New Year's day) it's pretty inexcusable to have dirty restrooms 5 mins after opening on Jan 2. We were overcharged $4 but I didn't catch it before we checked out and so my bad, given we live over 125 miles away, so we just let it go. Probably won't stop here while traveling again. read more

Enjoy the food and the hospital with you the food was good haven't been there in in a few years haven't traveled that way but every time I get a chance just love the bread oh my goodness gracious thought it was cornbread and square but I think it was actually a hot rolls but it everything was excellent and also will never forget their barbecue oh my gosh read more

I was in town visiting my grandma and she suggested this place. Bless her heart. I'm sure she enjoys this place, but I was not impressed at all. I'm not a big fan of buffets, but I'll do just about anything for my grandma lol First of all, I felt like I stepped into a Time Machine when I got to the door. Decor looks like it hasn't been updated in over 40 years but hey if that's the look they are going for, they nailed it. Service was great. Everyone we encountered was super friendly. Our waiter was very sweet so that's why they get 2 stars from me rather than one Food selection was okay for the price. There were a couple different options for pork bbq. The sweeter bbq chicken was about the only food I liked. The fried chicken was very crusty and I couldn't get past the crust. The Mac & cheese and the green beans were very bland. It gave me hospital food vibes for sure. The rolls were good and that's about as much as I could take. I sipped my sweet tea and waited for everyone else to eat their food. There were some desserts there too. Banana pudding and some sort of cake that someone smashed, looked like it was mixed with whipped cream and cherries. I passed on both. The next time my grandma suggest this place when I'm town, I'll more than likely try to persuade her into going somewhere else lol read more

Ralph's Barbecue - Mac & cheese and fried chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Weldon, North Carolina

Some decent things. Staff friendly and clean establishment. Didnt love the food.................

Delicious home cooked food. The sweet potato pie was just so scrumptious. We were driving home to Ma when we stopped in. Hit the church crowd but it was ok. Moved along at a good pace for seating. Staff was friendly. read more

Friendly service, exceptional food. Every time I roll thru Roanole Rapids, I make it a point to stop.

Best BBQ ever! Great food and service from their staff! Buffet is full of options! Love the to go ordering for a quick stop on way to beach!

Wife and I went there at 2 PM on a Tuesday. Over half the tables needed to be bussed, barely anywhere to sit. We sat and waited for a few moments and then she went up to get food. No service for drinks no service for silverware. The only 20 something year-old kid shuffled around there acting like he had no interest whatsoever and helping anybody or even being there. Skip this place do yourself a favor. read more

We kind of stumbled on Ralph's Barbecue on the way back to Virginia and thought it was ok. For about 15 bucks, you can have the buffet deal which has a decent variety of barbecue, fried chicken, fried fish, and other Southern favorites. I was a tad disappointed that there were not more fresh veggie options. But hey, it's a barbecue joint, not a vegan restaurant. While I was not blown away by their barbecue, the food from the buffet was decent. I will say that the hushpuppies, which come with the buffet offer, were AMAZING! While the atmosphere is nothing to write home (or on Yelp) about, it was very homey. If I'm in the area, I more than likely would give Ralph's another try rather than experimenting with another place that may or may not have decent barbecue. read more

This is probably my favorite Eastern North Carolina BBQ place. Their chopped pork is really fearful, with nice mix of outside and inside meat. The peppery vinegar sauce has a nice bite, which is balanced by a really nice and creamy cole slaw. They also serve an outstanding Brunswick stew. If you opt for the buffet over carryout, they also have delicious and crispy fried fish and chicken I would recommend. Don't be turned off by the mass of chains at this exit, this is a true locals spot. Ralph's is a must stop when travelling south down I95. read more

Ralph's Barbecue - Plate from the buffet - Barbeque Near Me - Weldon, North Carolina

Hey, man! So, check it out, we were cruising through town on our way back from New England, and I had this massive craving for some killer BBQ, ya know? Like, my taste buds were begging for it! So, we stumbled upon this joint online and thought, "Hey, let's give it a shot, man!" Now, apparently, this BBQ joint has been around since 1941, which is, like, ancient in BBQ years. I mean, I'm not sure if the building itself goes that far back, but it definitely had that vintage vibe, you dig? But here's the crazy part, man, it was clean! Like, spotless! I've been to some of these old BBQ places before, and they're usually falling apart, but not this joint. Ralph's knows how to keep things tidy. The service was solid too, bro. The waiter was all about keeping our cups filled and bringing us the check if we went for the buffet. They've got a regular menu too, with a ton of options to choose from. And listen to this, they even have a takeout menu! So, you can grab some smokin' goodness on the go, man. Now, when it came to the food, I went all out and hit up that buffet. Man, it was a food fiesta! The BBQ, bro, that's where it's at. The chopped pork was this killer eastern North Carolina style. It was like a flavor explosion in my mouth, man. And the pulled pork? Damn, it was tasty too! I tried some other stuff too, like the fried shrimp and fish. Good stuff, you know? But the fried chicken... well, it had a bit too much breading for my liking. My old lady loved it though. She was all about loving those mashed potatoes and gravy. She said they were homemade and out of this world, man! And don't even get me started on the Mac and cheese. It was the bomb, and it definitely tasted homemade. Now, here's the buzzkill, bro. The place is called Ralph's BBQ, right? But they only had one kind of BBQ on the buffet - pork. Like, come on, man, I expected more variety. They had BBQ chicken on the menu, but it was nowhere to be seen on that buffet spread. I get it, we're in North Carolina, and pork is the king here, but other places still hook you up with ribs, turkey, smoked sausage, brisket, you name it! All in all, we had a groovy experience, man. But here's the plan, if I ever find myself back in that area, I'm just gonna grab a few pounds of that killer chopped pork to go. Can't go wrong with that, dude! read more

Instead of listening to the reviews, I decided to go for myself. The fried chicken is weird. No flavor and a strange batter. The pork chops were okay. The collards and string beans were decent the Mac and cheese was blah. I was surprised by how small the buffet was. I'd rather go to Golden Corral where I can get a variety of selections. They also need signs. I couldn't tell what some of the bbq items were pork or chicken. The people working there are very pleasant. read more

Ralph's Barbecue - Front of building. - Barbeque Near Me - Weldon, North Carolina

5 stars for food. 4 stars for ambience (plain, open tables, old but comfortable). 5 stars for friendly servers. 5 stars for prices. PS. 0 stars for alcohol selection = none. I got the buffet because I like it all and wanted to try it all!! Buffet has specific times for lunch and dinner but all day buffet on Saturday and Sunday. I went on a Saturday. I posted current buffet prices - but didn't get a menu. But food prices are up everywhere. Still, a great deal!! And authentic BBQ. Right off I-95, instead of a sticky Cracker Barrel or lousy Arby's. read more

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I actually wanted to give this establishment zero stars. Their was nothing good about this establishment. My family and I decided to try this because of all the talk about this barbecue joint. They give you the choice of ordering the menu or get the buffet. I decided to try the buffet so that I could tried a little bit of everything. The food was out right horrible and taste nothing but vinegar. The coleslaw didn't look like normal coleslaw like it was missing ingredients. The waitress that we had was rude when we left she didn't even bother make eye contact with us when we left. I don't know what the hype was about at this establishment. It doesn't feel like a good barbecue place because normally elsewhere you can smell the smoke. I don't recommend this place nothing was good about this place. read more

Say you're heading north on I95 in North Carolina and you get that nagging feeling you forgot something on your hastily planned 2 night trip..... Idiot!...you forgot the BBQ...Carolina whole hog BBQ but you're making good time and still have the loop to deal with so maybe some place not to far off the highway for a quick fix? That's where Ralph's Barbecue comes in....This place is huge with a whole seperate waiting and ordering wing for takeout alone and they are busy! The concept is good also because you can opt from the a la carte menu or just go for the AYCE hot buffet situated in a dining room directly out of 1969. We went for the buffet and the offerings was quite extensive with everything from salads to 3 types of whole hog.I'm no rookie so directely to the hog it is....... First plate was finely chopped already dressed with Ralph's signiture slightly sweet vinegar based sauce,fatty pale pulled belly and the darker back and rib meat mixed with cracklings and a basic cabbage slaw. The hog was fatty,silky with a surprisingly tame smoky back ground that was just right as the really smoky stuff tend to overtake and dominate the final taste of Q. There is no Sweet baby Rays or anything resembling it either on the table or buffet because this ain't Texas and the house sauce is perfect for this type of BBQ. Second plate was topped of with the crispiest fried chicken and catfish I've had in a long while along with a basic mac and cheese but I had to have another helping of that addictive slaw. The chicken was indeed crisp but held little seasoning but salt. The catfish was fresh,flaky,seasoned perfectly and along with the hog was worth the price of admission itself. Dessert was the obligatory bananna cream pie and another piece of catfish...no. not in the same plate silly. Service was excellent,atmosphere was friendly and homey and the value was great at $15.00 for lunch.Ralph's is not going to win any prizes for their BBQ but I like it because it's good ,honest, well prepared southern cooking presided over by a team of proud and friendly folks and I would definately stop here again even if they served me just the cat fish and slaw. read more

Love Ralph's !!! Every time I visit Roanoke Rapids, It's my first stop. The barbecue with coleslaw is my absolute favorite. read more