Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Sam Jones BBQ

    4.0 (344 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Sam Jones BBQ Takeout or Delivery

    Sam Jones BBQ Photos

    SAM JONES BBQ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    More like Sam Jones BBQ

    Recommended Reviews - Sam Jones BBQ

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Brittany M.

    The BBQ here was 10/10. What makes it 10/10 you ask? First of all, the ribs were tender and flavorful! Also, I love a bbq spot where the sides are equally as good. Their Mac and cheese was creamy and fresh and collards greens were amazing! Lastly, on a beautiful day, the patio was a perfect spot to devour all this food lol. Oh lastly, amazing portion sizes! I was able to have lunch and dinner!

    BBQ, cornbread, tater salat & Pernicious IPA
    David H.

    I eat here as often as I can, love Sam Jones BBQ...and the cornbread controversy: it's the best out there. Reminds me of my grandmother's cast iron skillet cornbread as she was from eastern NC. Crusty, thin, dense & not sweet. Sure wish I'd learned how she made it but Sam's is the closest. I don't care for thick, crumbly or sweet cornbread, Sam's does it right. Tasty, dense & legendary. I get two slices every time I go and I'd get more if it didn't turn into a shingle! The only comparable sides would be hush puppies or the fried corn sticks mentioned in another review, love eastern NC fried corn sticks ... keep up the great work, Sam, already looking forward to my next Raleigh road trip! Pete's legacy lives on...

    Jones family original bbq tray , the pulled pork with the vinegar sauce really complimented each other!
    Antonio H.

    It was a nice location with inside/outside dining .There was a line but it moved fairly quickly and service was great and greeting all around ! The food was very delicious, and I will definitely be coming back when I'm back in town !!!

    Chopped Bbq, Ribs, coleslaw, fruit and sweet tea
    Tiffani C.

    Was raining and getting late so I decided to Uber the food. The sweet tea was dare I say too sweet. I've been looking forward to some good sweet tea all trip and when I finally found some, it was just too sweet and I have a sweet tooth too so it was disappointing. I got the two meat plate - ribs were good and tender; chopped bbq was mediocre at best. I was missing the sweet sauce so maybe this isn't a fate assessment. I tried to complain to uber but didn't get any resolution. Anyways, the meats were good but nothing mind blowing. Maybe I had high expectations. The coleslaw was good but there was just something about it that was a little off putting. Maybe it was the bits of kale that were overpowering? Not sure but overall just ok. My other side was fruit and it was surprisingly good. I normally don't like honeydew but it was really good. Overall, I'm glad I tried the place and maybe it would have been better in the restaurant.

    Benjamin H.

    Solid barbecue, but go for the sweet potato rolls, not the cornbread. Of course, Sam Jones BBQ is most famous for their Lakeview Inn location, But you can get you fix here in Raleigh. The family platter is quite economical for 4 people. We fed 4 people with leftovers for only $65. The collards are good, the mac and cheese is also good. The cornbread had no leavening, so it's a bit like hard tack. I suggest going with the rolls, instead. You order at the counter and they give you a placard and deliver your food quickly. So that was great.

    William S.

    We stopped in for our first visit to Sam Jones BBQ at 502 W Lenoir Street, Raleigh for dinner last weekend and left fully satisfied and plotting our next visit. Service was on point (attentive, suggestive, and helpful). The space felt super clean, almost brand‑new even though it isn't. The food absolutely hit the spot! Packed with flavor: mac&cheese, simply outstanding; pulled pork so delicious (you don't even need the added sauce); catfish bites, super tasteful and plump. Fries were cut, seasoned and cooked to perfection. I even ordered a second helping of those. Everything that needed slow‑cooked T.L.C. was done with slow-cooked T.L.C. Draft and bottle beer selection fairly sizable, a full bar onsite actually, or just grab a quick fountain drink. Plenty of indoor seating, and even outdoor seating with canopy covers (for when it's not 90+). We'll for sure be back. Just a matter of finding the right time.

    D A.

    This was our first stop after arriving from San Diego and getting our rental car. I wanted to try Carolina style whole hog BBQ . Well this place delivered some tasty chopped pork and sides. I do prefer brisket and ribs and a ketchup base BBQ sauce over vinegar based but this was different and really good.

    Table Sauces
    AJ K.

    With a walk up counter to order and no wait, we were excited to try Sam Jones after it was recommended to us a few times. The meats we tried (smoked Buffalo wings, turkey and pulled pork bbq, were all great with the turkey as the clear stand out for juiciness and flavor. The sauces on the table had interesting spice and liquid combinations, neither of which I thought were a value add to the meat. It's quaint and cute inside and also offers outdoor seating. There are also a variety of salts and rubs you can purchase to bring home. The sweet potato roll was a nice moist bread that didn't give a distinct sweet potato flavor, but was fun to try as a corn bread alternative.

    Don I.

    We eat here a lot The food is great and comes out fast Service is great My recent GoTo is the chicken with double collards Awesome!

    First visit of 2025 - Halved a BBQ pork sandwich with slaw on the side
    Lou E.

    Love Sam Jones BBQ. We actually visited twice in our quick three day trip to Raleigh. Over the last for years we have eaten here half a dozen times. Always get the same meal BBQ...the whole hog pork. This time was not different just amounts. First visit we ordered a pork sandwich with coleslaw on the side(we split it as we were having dinner with family a couple hours later. The next day we brought our nephew and we ordered a pound of BBQ pork, a pint of coleslaw and a pint of potato salad. The big platter of food arrived and it was just as beautiful as our BBQ pork sandwich the day before. Our nephew tasted the pork and said "Oh My, this is delicious." Needless to say we had no leftovers. The pork was some of the best whole hog pork in the area that we have tried. Love the little pieces of the cracklings mixed into the pork which give that bite and extra special taste. The Sam Jones BBQ sauces are wonderful. The ENC vinegar based sauce only enhances the bbq itself. The potato salad is very good but the COLESLAW takes the cake. Oh, I wish that served both this style BBQ pork and coleslaw in the Atanta area. Service was outstanding. Costs of the food were very reasonable especially for the quality of the products. Both visits the place was crowded. Might be a small line to order but the wait is worth it. Now we might have to have it shipped and I will test it to see how good it travels. Highly recommend.

    BBQ slider with collard greens and baked beans
    Airi G.

    I saw this place on Jolly, a Youtube channel, and they raved about the chopped bbq so that's exactly what I ordered. It was cooling having see the behind-the-scenes in the video so I knew how meticulously crafted this was.  I got the smokehouse plate with chopped bbq, baked beans, mac n cheese, and sweet potato muffin. The chopped bbq had plenty of flavor on its own although it was on the dry side. To help with that, I added vinegar and sweet bbq sauce which were both very water-y which I learned was the North Carolina style.  The sides were the stars of the show though. I loved the baked beans so much that I wish I could've taken a tub of it to go. The mac and cheese was also delicious but very rich and creamy so I couldn't finish it all in one sitting. And finally, the sweet potato muffin had the right amount of sweetness to act as a dessert.  I would definitely come back again if I visit because they have rotating specials every day. The patio area where we sat was beautiful but they also have plenty of indoor seating. Our food was ready right away and the worker walked with us with the food to the table since we were busy getting the drinks.

    Three Meat Combo
    Tricia K.

    Ordered a house salad, potato salad, mac and cheese, and the three meat platter with ribs, brisket, dark meat chicken, potato salad and mac and cheese for lunch. The brisket was my favorite. Had the banana pudding for dessert. The nice lady that brought our order also brought us extra plates and utensils so that the three of us could share. Took home a rib, some chicken, potato salad and mac and cheese. Didn't need to order the extra potato salad and mac and cheese.

    BBQ tray
    Carol R.

    Enjoyed my pulled pork. However, the experience was inconsistent with my group as one person's pork had cartilage/bone in it. The sides were a hit, especially the greens. Cute outdoor eating area and good service

    Cute aesthetic

    See all

    Photo of Z C.
    0
    1
    0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 days ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 3
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Adam B.
    747
    1211
    480

    2 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    25 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1
    Photo of D A.
    12
    175
    341

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Airi G.
    378
    885
    6412

    1 year ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 3
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan C.
    83
    27
    1

    28 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dawn M.
    0
    20
    25

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mary A.
    83
    80
    56

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Fred B.
    497
    2069
    10854

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Max G.
    103
    48
    74

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Sam Jones BBQ

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Barbeque 6,075 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    The Pit - Pork sampler with pull pork, brisket, and chopped pork. Green beans and fried okra! Delicious!

    The Pit

    3.8(3.7k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    The pit was a very good time. A menu packed with so many things that sound good it was hard to…read morechoose. We started with the Pit Sampler recommended by our waiter. The sampler has wings, pimento cheese balls, soul rolls and southern style deviled eggs. The wings had a good flavor to them very traditional bbq style taste, the cheese balls were right up my alley crunchy outside and gooey on the inside. My first time trying deviled eggs I can say they were actually pleasant. The soul roll had this good taste with a subtle head to it just to spice it up. Overall really enjoyable apps. With so many options to choose from we all ended up getting the Double combo. I had Brisket and bbq chicken with Mac n cheese, brussel sprouts and. Sweet potatoe casserole. The chicken was the only piece lacking in comparison to the others. The brisket was very solid, very good enough to order again. The sides however were amazing. The Mac and cheese had such a good taste to it, the brussel sprouts had a blend with bacon bits and something glazed on them that was perfect and the sweet potatoes was another great side addition to the rest. Service was great our waiter gave us suggestions and was very patient with us and even gave us some small servings on the house. Very great time in a place you should visit

    The atmosphere that greeted us was welcoming and the seating comfortable. The restrooms were clean…read morebut located down a narrow hall very close to the busy kitchen which can be challenging for disabled patrons. Our server, David C., was personable, attentive and professional. He more than met our expectations. One of the things I was looking forward to while visiting Raleigh was experiencing North Carolina pulled pork in its place of origin. I was NOT disappointed. Fantastic flavor! I opted to used the Eastern NC sauce and WOW! I had to buy a bottle. I had the Brunswick Stew and it was loaded with savory deliciousness. We ordered a skillet of seasonal cornbread which, during our visit, was "honey" flavor. It wasn't what we expected and seemed to be overcooked. The staff graciously took it back and removed it from our bill without fuss. A basket of hush puppies and biscuits were complimentary. My only suggestion is that they offer regular cornbread year round. There isn't anything better with the stew than some good old cornbread. Now for my favorite part, dessert. Aunt Hattie's Double Chocolate Cake was absolutely the BEST chocolate cake I have ever eaten. Believe me when I tell you I have eaten my fair share of chocolate cakes in my lifetime. I would be a frequent customer if we lived closer!!!

    Photos
    The Pit - Inside, very crowded

    Inside, very crowded

    The Pit - Hush puppies

    Hush puppies

    The Pit - Double Combo - Dinner brisket, chopped pork, okra, & Mack n cheese

    See all

    Double Combo - Dinner brisket, chopped pork, okra, & Mack n cheese

    Ole Time Barbecue - Perfect meal

    Ole Time Barbecue

    4.1(465 reviews)
    5.3 mi
    $$

    Ole Time Barbeque is now on our must list when visiting Raleigh. We stopped by for the first time…read moreand were blown away by how delicious everything was and how friendly and helpful the staff was. I ordered a combo plate of chicken pastry and bbq pork, with sides of fried okra and potato salad. Everything was served piping hot, just as it should be. The Chicken Pastry (chicken and dumplings) had wonderful flavor and was comfort food at its finest with thick and wide chewy noodle dumplings. So often chicken and dumpling dishes can be overly salty but Ole Time Barbecue's was perfectly seasoned. The barbecue pork also had great flavor and also was seasoned perfectly, though unfortunately I can't do even the most mild of spicy, so even tho there were only a few red pepper flakes, they made it a little bit challenging for me to eat. The fried okra was cooked and seasoned perfectly and not at all oily and the potato salad was also really tasty. I also tasted their coleslaw and mac and cheese from Hubs dinner and both were delicious as well. Also loved their sweet tea, I got it 25% sweet . The biggest surprise was the large basket of tasty hush puppies brought to our table the minute we sat down, and refilled. Also delicious and seasoned perfectly. The location is very homey and diner like, with just a handful of tables so you may have to wait, though luckily we didn't. The only thing that was a bit disappointing was they served their sides in styrofoam containers versus reusable dishes like they use for their main courses. I do love that they're using reusable dishes for their mains so it seems like they could also do this for their sides. Less trash for the restaurant and better for the world... .

    Always great food and great service!!! The waitresses, cooks…read moreand cashier are ALL doing there job phenomenally!!! I love their fried chicken!!!!!

    Photos
    Ole Time Barbecue
    Ole Time Barbecue - BBQ heaven!

    BBQ heaven!

    Ole Time Barbecue - 1 Dozen Hush Puppies

    See all

    1 Dozen Hush Puppies

    Beasley's Chicken & Honey - Packed on opening night.

    Beasley's Chicken & Honey

    4.2(2.2k reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    I can't believe this place had to close and the only reason was pure greed from the landlord. I've…read morebeen going here since 2017 but recently when they switched to gluten-free fried chicken we started going more because my girlfriend has celiac. On Wednesday's they were doing all gluten-free menu and it was amazing...no crazy unreasonable upcharges, just honest menu pricing and great food. As of this review they are the #2 most reviewed place in Raleigh only behind the Pit. When we went last week for a farewell dinner it took us 3 weeks to get in. We got turned away 2 other times. The place was always packed and busy yet cozy and calm with great service. Hopefully they relocate or put some of the items from the menu at Pooles. Fuquay could use a nice place like this and it would be way cheaper than Raleigh! Best of luck to the staff in the future as they all look for work.

    I went back to Beasley's Chicken & Honey one last time as they close January 25th. Even on a cold,…read morerainy morning, there was a line outside before opening. I understand as if you aren't seated when they open, you can expect a 90-minute to two-hour wait. I was hoping to get the Chicken Pot Pie this time and thought my prior visit was just off. I was thrilled that most of the menu was available. They were just out of the banana pudding. So I got to try the pecan wings I read about with the white sauce. It was so good. Then I got the chicken pot pie and biscuits. The pot pie had old biscuits for the topping, but the creamy mixture with large chunks of chicken was delicious. My biscuits came with honey and were served warm. I left with a slice of the chocolate-caramel-coconut cake, a side salad without onions, and a fried boneless thigh. The salad was made correctly, and the dressing was included. The salad was full of veggies, and the cake was rich and moist. Service was friendly and as soon as I finished my iced tea, another appeared. My wings were brought out first and it was a while for the rest of the meal as the restaurant was full. But they didn't rush me at all. I actually liked the space between the dishes, as I might not have been able to eat it all otherwise. I couldn't finish both biscuits and was even provided a container for the honey. I am going to miss Beasley's, but I'm glad I got a positive experience to remember the restaurant.

    Photos
    Beasley's Chicken & Honey - Courtesy of @NewRaleigh

    Courtesy of @NewRaleigh

    Beasley's Chicken & Honey - Chicken + Honey!

    Chicken + Honey!

    Beasley's Chicken & Honey

    See all

    Whiskey Kitchen - Cracklin' Biscuits

    Whiskey Kitchen

    4.0(787 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Wow! I said I'd come back but I didn't realize it had been 8 years!…read more My husband Dan H and I had a great lunch with some friends today. We all shared an order of fries for the table, which were amazing. Then I got the grain bowl with shrimp, and everything was perfectly prepared and delicious. My husband enjoyed his biscuits and gravy with fried chicken- so tender and decedent. Our friends enjoyed their meal, too, and enjoyed the apple custard for dessert. The mocktails were also delicious- I loved one with hibiscus and ginger. So nice to have a bunch of mocktail options! The ambiance was just as great as it was 8 years ago- spacious and light. The server was great, and let us linger for a few hours without hovering. Hope to be back sooner than another 8 years from now!

    If bourbon and whiskey choices were a personality trait, The Whiskey Kitchen would definitely have…read morecommitment issues...because the selection is massive. Seriously, if you can't find a pour you like here, you may just need water instead. Started with the biscuits topped with crackling and house-made preserves, and honestly, that combo alone made me question why I don't eat more biscuits in life. Sweet, salty, buttery chaos in the best way. For the main, I went with the pork chop and greens. The chop leaned a little overcooked for me personally, but the sauce helped bring things back together and added good flavor. The greens had a nice little kick of heat, but I kept waiting for that deep smoky ham hock flavor to show up like an old Southern grandma entering the kitchen... and it never quite arrived. Overall though? Still a solid meal, strong whiskey program, cool atmosphere, and definitely worth checking out if you're in Raleigh looking for a bourbon-forward dinner spot. Travelin_Broke approved with a slight side-eye from the greens.

    Photos
    Whiskey Kitchen - Whiskey Flights

    Whiskey Flights

    Whiskey Kitchen - Smoked mozzarella salad with fried chicken

    Smoked mozzarella salad with fried chicken

    Whiskey Kitchen - The Botanist and Paper Plane

    See all

    The Botanist and Paper Plane

    Sam Jones BBQ - bbq - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...