Best chicken, Brunswick stew and bbq I've ever had!!! Hush puppies are to die for! And then top it off with banana pudding that's a tradition whenever I visit my parents! And usually take a quart for stew and bbq To Go!!! read more

"Hands Down the Best BBQ in the Country". Having traveled to NC all of my life, I can affirm that our entire family, to include 5 generations of combined Northern and Southern loving people, all agree to dine at Ralph's. Our choice by far, it's the best buffet money can buy, food is delicious, older facility but clean and inviting, the location off 95 is worth your stop. Thank you to the owners, please keep serving us your GREAT FOOD!! read more

We arrived around 11 a.m.on Saturday we ate buffet. The pulled .pork waa COLD and they had another type of oulled pork along with tge chopped bbq also Their was some type of sweet sauce on the other pulled pork. The chopped bbq looked more like it. was run tbrough a grinder. The vegetables on the buffet were good and the hushpuppies also were very good. Salad bar was a poor excuse of one.The desert was very good and service was good. The buffet is overpriced I don't think I will be going back read more

Growing up, I thought Ralph was a member of our family. Every trip to North Carolina, and someone mentioned we had to stop by Ralph's. Our neighbors and friends would ask, before we left, if we were going toRalph's! Now, when I travel down 95, I make sure to stop. There's always a pint of frozen chopped 'que in the freezer. You're not coming here for the upscale dining, creative plating, or reimagined flavor combinations. You're coming because this is exactly what Carolina bbq is supposed to be. I'm actually disappointed when I visit other parts of the state and they don't make their bbq like this. It's pork. Pulled or chopped. Vinegar and a dash of red pepper flake. Mic dropped. The sweet minced coleslaw (pretty sure it's a vinegar, mustard, sugar combo) is the perfect accent. I'm not a fan of the hush puppies, but why waste the room on carbs when you've got meat!! read more

My wife and I stopped by after reading the reviews. We loved the food. The fried chicken was outstanding! Better than we expected, even after reading the glowing reviews. It is "quaint", skip it if you need white tablecloths! read more

If you want very good take out eastern NC BBQ, this is a good place to stop. If you want to eat in the restaurant, find another place. Smelled like dirty socks the second we walked in. Feet stuck tho the carpet in the front. Food, other than pulled BBQ is less than decent. Although, the slaw is damn good. Pick another joint. read more

I'm not a big fan of eastern NC BBQ, having developed my BBQ tastes in SC. This place, however, is pretty good. I'd stop here again. Most eastern NC BBQ is chopped into meaty mush. This is simply pulled, as god intended. There's a choice of sauces. Unfortunately the vinegar-pepper sauce was a little light on the pepper, but they do have some tomato-based options. The buffet is typical. I'd return for the BBQ. read more

I come to this barbecue stop every I travel up and down i95. I saw the sign off the high and to my surprise found a famous barbecue spot in North Carolina. The pulled pork is vey good and ribs are soft and very flavorful. I will be returning read more

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

The chemical smell was so bad I insisted we leave without ordering. It is very rare for me to leave a restaurant so my wife who asks we do on occasion was surprised. I can normally eat almost anywhere. This wasn't in the almost bin. read more

I was suuuuper hungry when we got there so I ate up. But in reality the food quality is eh. I liked the hush puppies and fried chicken. The desserts were great! Banana pudding pie and s'mores pudding cake. The rest of the mains and sides sort of reminded us of TV dinners.. The servers are very friendly, and if you're just really hungry it's an $11 buffet or you can order items separately. read more

For a lunch at 995 not a bad buffet the fried chicken is pretty good the pull apart ham is good nice salad The only negative is nothing is labeled so you dont know what you're eating I had the fried chicken which was good the macaroni and cheese not bad in the pulled apart ham read more

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

We have always stopped here on our way home for carry out BBQ and slaw. Had fresh rolls in the car and made us sandwiches then put containers in cooler. BBQ was warm and tasted ok but something was off. My husband ate more when we got home and I opted not. He woke up that night sick as a dog but didn't know what caused it. We both had eaten the he same foods, he just ate more. Well after several days of me alone having BBQ sandwiches myself and then suffering with a very upset stomach, I'm positive it was the BBQ. Don't know exactly what's wrong but won't stop there again! read more

"Might be the worst BBQ I have ever had! Chicken was greasy. There wasn't a single good side item. Hush puppies were cold and damp from all the grease. Defiantly pass!" read more

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

Nice friendly people. The resturant is really clean. the food itself is okay. I ordered the chicken dinner plate. I wouldn't recommend it. the hush puppies have no taste, all I tasted was the oil. so far I tasted the fries, hush puppies and banana pudding. All of which was average. I haven't tried the chicken yet. the lady said it was baked chicken in a vinegar sauce. I ordered the "red sauce" on the side. I spent around $13 for just myself to eat, ordered my food to go. the lemonade is REALLY good! read more

A little pricey but overall good food. Best hush puppies in the world. Nice buffet but once again expensive

Food is so-so now, and the buffet prices are SKY HIGH! Hadn't eaten here in 10 years and walked in looking for that great BBQ I had been away from for so long, only to find subpar food on an over priced buffet. That was 5 years ago. Returned 3 times since. Last time, 2 BBQ sandwiches and a tea to go was $11. $11!!!!! For 2 small BBQ sandwiches missing any semblance of taste and a cup of half sweet tea. They've long been catering to the Northern travelers off I-95. And in an effort to make more money, like some of he other once-great local eateries, they've cut out the important things like quality and taste and affordability. An adult buffet for dinner EXCLUDING A DRINK was $11.50 last time I checked. Add a "sweet" tea and that jumps to about $13-$14. But the banana pudding is still AMAZING! read more

Stopped for the lunch buffet. Meh. Fried chicken was dried out. Barbecue was fair. Crab cakes were tasteless. Fish filet was frozen but adequate Overall, meh. read more

Never disappoints! If you like vinegar based BBQ, you will love Ralph's. Excellent Brunswick stew and banana pudding too. Very affordable dinner buffet, friendly service and nice atmosphere read more

Great pulled pork. Buffet had very good fried chicken and collards. Our waitress (Carol) was so warm and friendly. Has been working at Ralph's for 32 years. We recommend you check out Ralph's BBQ. read more

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

The buffet looked much better. I got the take away BBQ Chicken. Looked roasted to me not BBQ'd. Also tasted like it was deep fried in Vinegar. Sauce tasted like sweet & sour sauce from a Chinese restaurant. Just not what I was expecting. Staff, not so friendly BUT on a good note, the collard greens were off the hook! read more

Sketchy. Yes. Satisfying? Hell yes. I recommend the fried chicken if you're a fan of extra breading. It's greasy and thick but gets the job done. read more

I have been to a lot of barbecue places over my life and Ralph's was mediocre-at-best I thought the sweet potato pie was poor. The worst part was at the register there was only one register for carry out and dining in and it took 15 minutes to pay read more

I cannot recommend Ralph's. We looked over the buffet and the poor quality look of the food there should have been our cue to leave. The piece of cardboard in the collards we ordered put an end to our un-satisfying meal. read more

Love there BBQ was a normal stop every week,the company I worked for even has there Christmas party's there every year and I do miss there food,tried to get my sister to overnight BBQ to me but,she want...dang it. read more

What makes this 5 star is the nana pudding. This the reason the south loves banana pudding. This the real deal. Second is the fried chicken really crispy. Finally the Cole slaw was just the way I like it. The hush puppies were hot light and delicious. I also like the Brunswick stew and the beets. A good stop right off 95 quick and tasty. If they only had stewed tomato. read more

BBQ and Everything else extremely overpriced, who charges $4.00 for a single hotdog? Brownings Grill and Community will give you way more for your money. Hopefully someone from Ralph's will see this and make the prices more competitive. read more

No trip to Carolina is complete without getting barbecue (ribs). So I made a point of pulling in and getting take out. Half a slab of ribs, greens and blackeye peas. Throw in some curled hush puppies (this is what they are?) I didn't even make it out of the parking lot before the greens and black eyes were done as well as a couple ribs with sweet BBQ sauce. They were hot and just what I was looking for. I'm sure there is better around. I was kinda hoping for a dry rub but that's OK. This was a nice place to stop into for what I was looking for. Looks like a large dining hall serves many more people. I went to the take-out side. The waitstaff was nice, right down to the Southern twang. $1 for a cup of ice was disappointing though. Pass. Still, I'd come back. read more

Honestly the worst place I have ever eaten. I should have walked out as soon as I walked in the smell was awful. My family and I couldn't eat the food. We left there and headed to another restaurant. I absolutely would not recommend eating at this place. read more

It's meh. If you are looking for an easy I-95 pull off to try NC BBQ, then this place makes sense. However, this buffet is way too instant laden from the potatoes to the gravy. The coleslaw looked more like minced mustard potato salad. Take the extra time for a detour and go somewhere else. read more

Stopped here for dessert a couple of weeks ago. The COCONUT CUSTARD PIE was by far the best dessert I've ever had in my life. Perfect buttermilk flaky crust! The banana pudding was amazing too! Super nice waitress, family atmosphere and clean restaurant. Well worth the drive!!! read more

Best BBQ ever! We live in Northern VA and occasionally take trips to the Carolinas. EVERY time we go south, we plan a stop at Ralphs -- in fact, both directions we stop there -- heading to our destination and coming home. When friends drive that direction, we tell them all about Ralphs and even give them cash to bring us home some of the BBQ. Its a down home, REAL BBQ joint -- its not fancy. It is what it is -- just good ol' Carolina BBQ. Just writing this review makes me want to take a road trip to Ralphs! read more

Enjoyed a wonderful meal at Ralph's. Our waitress Anna was excellent. She was very helpful with explaining the different dishes on the buffet for us and she kept checking back with us to see if we needed anything. The food is delicious. We loved the barbecued pork and cole slaw. The banana pudding was really delicious and the fried chicken and Brunswick stew were the best we have had anywhere. We will definitely return. read more

Food: Bad-Canned green beans & collards. Frozen corn on cob. Tasted like Stauffer's frozen style of mac & cheese. Sauced & non-sauced pulled pork was the only BBQ; I don't understand why a restaurant called Ralph's Barbecue had only pulled pork. Fried chicken was dry and tasteless (clearly no brine used) Something labeled as 'Whipped Spread - a vegetable oil product" was offered as the butter. Good-The bread basket was great; it was a freshly fried dough that came hot and crispy, it reminded me of something one would get at a county fair. The chocolate cake was good with a cute presentation; boxed chocolate cake with a piped cool whip style cream, a chocolate syrup drizzle and a cherry. Ambience: Clean enough. Good sized buffet station. Parking lot packed and busy inside. Unfortunately it is not the type of place where I would leave my purse at the table and walk 10 feet to get something from the buffet. Service: Couldn't find the waitress to take the check to the cashier which had a very long line. She brought a freshly fried bread basket, which was great, although I would not expect that from every waitress. Came to the table with a half filled cup of soda to refill our drinks which we declined; I thought that was odd. Time: lunch on Saturday read more

If you are Black (Asian or Latino) do not spend your money here. I was informed that this restaurant allows the KKK and other white supremacy groups to hold events and meetings at their restaurant. When I called to verify this information before spending my money there again, I was told that my question was dumb and was hung up on after being given the run around and transferred to several people. One woman I spoke with said she didn't know what I was talking about, another person just said "ummmmmm...hold on" and transferred me- ultimately I was never given a straight answer. I am really disappointed as it is a family tradition to eat here whenever we return to the South, but never again. The food has gone down in quality over recent years anyway, and the white employees are cold and callous toward their main customer base - Black people. I got in touch with a manager and he said that the employee who told me my question about whether or not they allow KKK meetings was dumb was well within her right to. In a round about way he said that they do entertain them and that the owners had a right to and could do whatever they want. Several family members that I have that live in Roanoke Rapids have said that the family that owns the restaurant does support the KKK. People act like Black people aren't allowed to be discerning with where they spend their money like everyone else is allowed to be. They can keep their crappy restaurant in that crappy, run down, middle of nowhere, dead end town. read more

great buffet-something for everyone-hush puppy's so good you can make a meal out of them-real banana pudding-great place to stop with a bus also-staff is great and friendly-stop there whenever going by and sometimes go out of my way just to stop & eat there! Living Longer & Loving it bus group read more

This place is not much to look at but so good if you like eastern Carolina style bbq and so much better than any of the nearby fast food chains. Stick with pulled pork if it's your first time eating this style of bbq. read more

I absolutely love Ralph's Barbecue. Discovered the place probably 8 years ago while passing through on vacation with my family. Now every time I'm driving down to Florida on 95, I time my trip to hit Ralph's at lunch or dinner time! Ralph's is a Carolina barbecue buffet with all the trimmings. It's basically the best Sunday afternoon church picnic you have ever been to. They technically have a menu but I have never seen it and don't ever care to as the buffet is where it's at. They have several varities of pork barbecue, both pulled and minced, and a huge spread of side dishes. I'm partial to the brunswick stew, and their sweet potatoes are the best I have ever tasted. They have a full salad bar, soups, and your traditional home cooking of meatloaf, fried chicken, and spaghetti, which is all equally good. Friday is a seafood buffet with very good fried fish and deviled crabs. Their desserts are always the same but always delicious: banana pudding with vanilla wafers and chocolate cake with fudge sauce. Even in the years that I've been going there, a whole bunch of chains have sprouted up around the Weldon exit. Don't give them your business. If you are just passing through, come by Ralph's and dine with the locals. It's an experience, and that's what travel is all about, isn't it? One thing to remember, they are cash only here. Not that you will need much of it. read more

This is the epitome of east carolina BBQ... Now let's define what that is: - vinegar, pepper sauced pulled pork (some people may not like that, if not keep driving tell you get to VA, or until you get to SC or Georgia. If you get to FL they will serve you roast beef with ketchup.) - finely chopped cole slaw - corn bread, biscuits or similar (this place does some great rolls) - brunswick stew - collard greens Ralph's also throws in: - Friend chicken - chicken and dumplings or some roast - some salads, etc I have eaten here a 100 times. Now, here some things that may upset folks: - they only take cash. I believe they have added an ATM. - it smells like old vinegar when you walk in (don't worry, you will get used to it) - its often packed, with every imaginable local ... but who cares. If you want fantastic BBQ, east carolina style, this is a place you simply must go to. Trust me - they got here b/c of the food... This place is so good, my family used to meet me half way from VA just to eat here and drive back. If this is your kind of food, you will NOT be disappointed. That's a promise. I will wear black and mourn if this places ever closes. read more

Decided to stop here for a quick bite on the way back from the beach. The barbeque was decent, but not quite worth the 30 minute wait. When the check came, I was surprised to see that my meal came to $10: for a small sandwich, fries, and a drink. Apparently I was charged $3.50 for the clump of fries I got on the side, and $2.50 for the drink. Come on Ralph...don't you think that's a little steep? read more

The only real attraction here is the pulled pork sandwich. It is very good. This sandwich will only appeal to you if you happen to like eastern North Carolina BBQ which is basically a chopped or "pulled" pork roast marinated in vinegar and spices. The rest of the food offerings; fries, cole slaw, fried chicken, hush puppies, Brunswick Stew are best left to other cooks. The prices are high. Ralph's has been in business a long time and appears to have run out of steam. Pulled pork sandwich is my recommendation here; skip the rest. read more