What an amazing first visit while staying nearby at the Sessions Hotel! We're so glad we took the recommendation because this place was incredible. We kicked things off with chips and queso, then ordered the Smoked Turkey salad and the brisket sandwich with tots and wow! Every bite was phenomenal. The brisket sandwich with the jam was an unreal combo, and the salad was packed with flavor (and plenty of meat). The restaurant itself is adorable, with tons of indoor seating, a bar, super cute outdoor space, and great TVs. The staff was incredibly sweet and accommodating, which made the experience even better. Bonus: you can make reservations ahead of time on Resy. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so there's always a reason to stop by. Can't wait to come back and work our way through more of the menu next time we're in town! read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Jalapeno Queso - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

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This restaurant was attached to my hotel. The drinks are on point. They have a dog friendly patio so we went here for dinner. The June Carter is a vibrant delightful drink. Super friendly staff. Fast fresh service. I ordered the catfish, grits, and slaw. I feel like they need a stronger sauce option for tarter or hot sauce the bbq sauce options didn't do it for me. The catfish was lightly breaded and not too heavy. I did snag a bite of the brisket and it was excellent. Definitely check it out if you are in the area. read more

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Looking for the best BBQ in Bristol VA? Check out Southern Craft BBQ located inside Sessions Hotel, a revitalized flour mill turned boutique Marriott hotel in downtown Bristol! Serving Great Oak Brewing brews! Such a cute spot! The BBQ was 10/10 delicious and the Memphis sauce was my favorite! Friendly service with excellent recommendations. Plenty of parking available in 2 different lots. The cocktails could use some attention for sure to make this a 5 star review. Southern Lady Smoked Old Fashioned Pulled Pork Taco Chopped Brisket Taco Burnt Ends Smoked Sausage BBQ Beans Sweet Potato Soufflé read more

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WOWZER! This is the BBQ joint that can't be missed. Seriously, every single thing that was placed on the table was absolutely delicious. No notes. No words. They have a very small parking lot close to the building, but then there's also parking along the street, as well as a larger back lot and a side lot. You won't have a problem getting a spot. Even if so, just drive around until you find one or walk 5 miles if needed as this BBQ is tasty. Trust you will find a spot. This restaurant has two locations. They have an outdoor patio that is covered and has fans/heaters for comfort, an indoor dining room, as well as a large bar and bar area full of seats. Every staff never is more than willing to help and they are very attentive and friendly. We didn't wish long for our food. Our drinks were also filled. We started with a Socra-Mary (their twist on a Bloody Mary), and a Perfectionist. Both were tasty. Try the Soca-Mary. Even the non tomato juice drinker liked this drink. We also ordered a beet that they brew themselves that was tasty. Now, food! We ordered the burnt end nachos (YES), the smoked salmon with PepperJack grits (WHAT) and Mac n cheese, and the Killer B (DREAMY). We also ordered a half pound of the pork belly. Everything was amazing. The table went silent as soon as our mouths started chewing. I don't care what you get, order the Killer B for the table to share. Cut it up into pieces and everyone get in there!!! There are many homemade sauces that they bring to the table to try with everything as well. This meat is so good that you don't even need a drop of sauce, but it is fun to taste them. Look at the meats by the pound and grab some to go. For the quality and amount of food we got, their prices are absolutely reasonable. The flavor, texture, melt in your mouth factor is worth every penny. Just a down home place that knows how to make excellent food with warm and welcoming service. They do have merch available inside for purchase. The menu is very nice and everyone would easily find something to enjoy. This is a must visit if within an hour (even more) drive from either of their locations. read more

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Looks cool in here. But bad tasting food lack of spices or flavor also burnt but I think the worst thing is the presentation? The food looks awful. So bland it's so unappealing. Waited too long to be served and given food. :( read more

Southern Craft BBQ has a very nice interior dining area. The shaded out door area was also very nicely set up. My family and I ordered a wide variety of foods. I thought the food was slightly above average. I'm not sure what it was missing, but it was missing something. The service was excellent and the staff were very friendly. read more

Southern Bbq at its finest Let me start off by saying I'm a BBQ snob and try BBQ from all over the country so I am harsher than most people would be. Food Appetizers: For appetizers we tried the brisket nachos and Candied Black Pepper Bacon. The Nachos were solid (7/10). The cheese was particularly good with a very unique flavor. The chips were the perfect consistency for nachos white a nice bbq flavor to them. The brisket was solid flavor/texture although I wouldn't say it is their specialty. My only complaint is I felt like they were a little chintzy on the brisket. The candied bacon was excellent (8/10) with a nice balance of the brown sugar, pepper and jalapeno. Not the best bacon I have ever had but would order it again and really enjoyed it. Main course/Sides: We ordered a couple racks of baby back ribs, fried tomatoes, fried okra, mac n cheese, sweet potato soufflé and pepper jack grits. The Mac n cheese and grits were fine but unremarkable (6/10). They aren't bad but because everything else is so much better I wouldn't order again. The sweet potato shuffle was excellent. (10/10) Wonderful flavor perfect texture. Very unique you need to try. The fried okra was hand breaded, perfectly seasoned, amazing crispy texture. Possibly the best fried okra I've ever had. (10/10) The fried green tomato was a complex explosion of flavor that took several minutes to process (10/10). The crispy salty outside, followed by the tangy green tomato followed by a sweet after taste. I don't normally like fried green tomato but saw a good review and thought I'd risk it and I'm glad I did. The Ribs were excellent (9.5/10). They said the ribs were "glazed" but there isn't much sauce. Thick crust on the outside tender on the inside with a sweet smoky flavor permeating throughout. Top 5 ribs I have had anywhere in the country. Atmosphere: We came at lunch time when it was relatively empty. Wasn't too loud. Seems had a nice vibe with exposed brick and old time light bulbs. Restaurant and restrooms were clean. Service: Waitress was friendly and helpful. They ran out of ribs right before we ordered (which is odd since the restaurant seemed almost empty when we arrived but we did come late (around 1:30pm). Ended up waiting about 30 minutes for them to get more off the smoker but we weren't in a rush so it wasn't a big deal. Value: We ordered 2 apps, 1 1/2 racks of ribs, an extra side and two drinks and the total before tax and tip was $80.50. Summary: This was our first time here but I would definitely come back next time we are in town. If you love great bbq you should try it out. read more

The food was delicious but the one thing that was bad was the brisket if you are from Texas it is not so good but everything else is great the server was really nice and friendly the look of the place fit it well. Over all 4.5/5 read more

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We were with a group of 14 so we made reservations. Table was ready when we got there, server was excellent with drink and food orders. Food was served in a reasonable amount of time considering our group size. Drink refills were abundant. read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Killer B with tater tots - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

Every time we're in the area we stop here for dinner. The food is always on point. We had the cowboy skillet cornbread to start an d the TN trinity platter with pulled pork, burnt ends, & chopped brisket. The Mac & Cheese, sweet potato, & coleslaw sides were delicious. The servers are always friendly & the food comes out pretty quick, too. On a Friday afternoon around 5:00PM it's a lot less busy & not as crowded, nor do you have to wait for a table, unlike the evenings. The tv's usually have a game or a show on depending on the time & day. read more

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Excellent! Great selections and the beer choices were also good. Loved the Burnt Ends and Turkey. Great atmosphere and thanks to Yelp I checked it out. Glad I did! Edit I came back the next day for lunch! I did the Brisket this time and it was perfect. Well done! read more

Southern Craft BBQ - BBQ Combo - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

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Was staying at the Sessions Hotel so popped into Southern Craft for a drink and dinner, sandwich was delicious! Sat at the bar vs getting a table, great service! The blackberry jam was incredible! read more

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Beautiful restaurant with a nice big parking lot. Hostess seats you and you have a waitress which to me for BBQ is a nice detour from the normal order at counter style. I ordered smoked turkey with two sides. It's a massive menu with a mix of typical BBQ but also items like wings, nachos and a great cocktail list. My turkey came sauced - again not the norm but was good. The sides were both delish. A few pickles and some toast topped it off. read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Turkey and sides - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

Such a nice patio dining experience. Food was really nice and my server was great. Beer offerings are limited at this location due to state regulations but I'm told this may change read more

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Everything was awesome. Definitely recommend this place. Great food fast service.. their baby back ribs were falling off the bone. And the bbq sauce had a tangy bite to it that made your mouth water. Good stuff . Nice atmosphere. read more

We showed up without a reservation on a Friday night so a 35 min wait is understandable. However it would have been fantastic to sip on a beer or cocktail during our wait. Unfortunately the bar staff had little interest in serving anyone who wasn't seated at the bar. There seemed to be others in our situation so it seemed like a lost opportunity for revenue. Outside that, our visit was outstanding. The server was prompt and very polite. I highly recommend the pulled pork tater tots!! My half rack of ribs was cooked perfectly and nicely seasoned with rub and sauce. My wife's pulled pork tacos were delicious. All in all we'll definitely be back! read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Delicious Pulled Pork BBQ Tater-Tots - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

Loved this place! Generally bbq is not my first pick in going out to eat, though we were with a big group. I really liked this place! It wasn't too old fashioned or messy feeling like other BBQ Joints. The burnt ends were done perfectly, caramelized crisp on the outside, tender on the inside and so flavorful! The best I've had ever and I'm from Kansas City, and to some that might be saying something. I also had the fried green tomatoes and they reminded me of my grandmothers recipe. So tasty. Haven't had them since she passed back in the 2000s. Cole slaw was just the way I like it, light cream and a tender crunch. I will definitely come here again when in town for business. read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

Southern Craft BBQ was a rare treat. I can honestly say, I have never had a meal where everything on my plate was amazing. Every bite was different. It hit different notes and made me consider everything I was eating. Bravo, Southern Craft. I can honestly say this is the best place I have ever eaten. Ever. Thank you! I had the brisket and ribs. My sides were the sweet potato soufflé and fried green tomatoes. The tomatoes were my first bite. It was a flash of flavor I did not expect. I actually took an immediate second bite just to make sure I was experiencing what I was experiencing. I was in love! The brisket was succulent. There are not enough adjectives to fully describe the meat. It was amazing! The Ribs were different than anything I have ever tried. The flavor came in waves. It was subtle but so fulfilling! The sweet potatoes were just a lovely hug. It was warm, sweet and lovely. It was just a perfect meal. The service was so friendly. Everyone we met had a kind word and a smile. We never had to ask for what we needed. The atmosphere felt comforting. It was just perfect. Thank you for an amazing meal, Southern Craft BBQ! We will be back! read more

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We went after the race and it was a fantastic experience. Great service and thoughtful food. We absolutely enjoyed everything they served. Brisket Nachos - great. Wish it had more cheese! Pig Fries - the various meats and candied bacon were awesome. Cornbread was solid. Beans were good Okra was very good Sweet potato soufflé was outstanding Turkey was star as crazy as that sounds! Absolutely outstanding Brisket was good. Wish it had more seasoning. Beautiful building. Great vibe and ambiance. Fair price. Fun for groups and singles. Will be back. read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Tennessee Trinity - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

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My daughter and I go here for lunch sometimes when I'm in town and it's definitely one of my favorite places to go. The food is amazing and the staff has always been so helpful and nice! We had the fried pickles to share and they're homemade, and absolutely delicious! I had the Firebird chicken sandwich with the fire apple aioli, and it's so crispy and juicy, I want to order it every time. The only suggestion I would have, is they should bring back the pretzel bun instead of the Texas toast, I replaced the toast with a regular bun. I also had the tater tots as my side and they were the perfect amount of crunch! The drinks are always on point as well! I will be back every time I'm in town!! read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Homemade fried pickles! - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

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Cool place with a fun vibe. We were staying at the adjacent hotel, so very easy to get to. We sat at the bar on the extremely comfortable high back stools and ordered cocktails. Our bartender Paige was very nice. My smoked old fashioned was good with four roses bourbon & a big ice cube. My partner went off menu with a dirty martini. Both drinks were good but no one can accuse them of over-pouring. We opted to share the combo plate & we picked the smoked turkey & brisket with BBQ collards and Mac & cheese as our sides. Our good came out so fast it was clear it's all just sitting in pans in the back ready to go. The turkey was ok. The brisket dry. We asked for a replacement for the brisket & Paige kindly brought us some burnt ends, which were ok, but actually more like the brisket we were expecting. Considering the location I guess it was suitable, it wasn't expensive, but this is Bristol. read more

Great service great food we enjoy eating here pretty often always good service. And great staff

Review update: came here a second time and the food was still amazing. Staff was super friendly and service was extremely quick.

Food and service stage were both excellent. Great BBQ. Would definitely come back when in the Bristol area again.

Great atmosphere! Food choices are many and dishes can be complex and plentiful. They were out of several things but that was because the night before they were overwhelmed with customers due to a downtown event. The only complaint I have was that my waitress hated being at work and seemed annoyed that I had even come in and sat down to eat. read more

This is the best bbq I have had in a long time. I'm a business traveler so I get stuck with same old things, but not this place! Food is excellent and the service was amazing! It's nice to have a server who is amazing at her job! I would give this place 10 stars if I was able to! Great food, great service! Nice work! read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

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To quote my youngest daughter "THIS IS THE BEST FOOD I'VE EVER HAD". So it's safe to say the kids liked our visit to Southern Craft. The parents enjoyed it as well - seriously, everything was delicious. We got their brisket, burnt ends, the cornbread skillet, sweet potato soufflé (really unique and nailed it), mac, and fried okra. There was a little bit of a wait, but it's a really unique space with a cool outdoor area. It was the servers first week on the job but she was super nice and was very attentive. Great spot to eat on your way too or from Gatlinburg. read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Cornbread skillet - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

It's been about 3 years since we first visited Southern Craft. I had the loaded tater tots and they were delicious! Can't remember what my husband had, but he wasn't impressed. There were 4 containers of bbq sauce on the table and he said they were all blah. We moved here 2 years ago and I've been wanting to go back. With hesitation, my husband agreed. I was hopeful. Now I know why. It isn't often that I've had a truly bad meal. To the point of not eating. I don't fault the restaurant for their choice of using jalapeños in a lot of their menu items. That's their style - just not ours. So, our choices were limited. I decided to play it safe and went with smoked salmon, grilled vegetables and sweet potato soufflé. How bad could that be? Dry salmon with no flavor except for a rub that had undetectable spices that were a total turn off. Not salty, not spicy hot and no smoke flavor. No lemon. Zero moisture on or in the salmon. Just a very dry over cooked piece of fish. The grilled vegetables were also over cooked (mushy), sitting in liquid, had no color. I think it was zucchini, but couldn't recognize what other vegetables were served. Again, no flavor, no color, no seasoning and no grill marks. Definitely not grilled, more like boiled. On to the sweet potato soufflé. I absolutely love sweet potatoes, so I was again hopeful. More like a diluted pudding with sweetened oatmeal on top. What the heck were those spices? Didn't taste like pumpkin pie spice. Maybe some cinnamon, but definitely something else. Not a fan. I also ordered unsweetened tea. Not. My son ordered the same thing I did with different sides. I'll just say this, he ate it but wasn't enjoying it. My husband had the killer B sandwich. Not bad. Nothing to write home about. The bbq sauces on the table also had little flavor, except for one that could bring tears to your eyes it was so hot. I shook every bottle in an attempt to get something that resembled the thickness of bbq sauce. Nope. All watery. Btw, I tasted several of my husband's tater tots with catsup. They were the star of the meal. Sadly, we paid $80 plus a tip and will not be going back. read more

I visited back in October and I forgot to write a review! We sat outside on the patio with our dog. Everyone was great! The food was flavorful and hot! A little pricier but the options were slim because it was Sunday. read more

My family and I enjoyed this restaurant so much we ate there twice during our stay in Bristol. Service was great! We had Tracy and Josh and they were on top of it and super friendly. I would recommend the spicy chicken sandwich and the sweet potato side dish. If looking for drinks only, the bar is large and really cool looking with wood work all around. The restaurant offers inside or outside eating. read more

Great barbecue with unique sides. I had the pepper jack grits and collard greens, while my boyfriend had the coleslaw and mac & cheese. It was very good. read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Pulled pork, brisket, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, half of baby back ribs, pepper, jack grits, and collard greens. - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

Great service as well as ambiance! Food is always warm-hot and most importantly delicious! I didn't get a picture of it before it was gone lol but we also had the burnt end nachos, never fails as a starter. I also tried a margarita, it was perfect as well! My family and I love coming here, best place to get BBQ at a reasonable price with more than enough portions! Just as good when you save it for leftovers later too. read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Seasonal Margarita - Strawberry - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

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What a find! Beautiful day for the outdoor covered patio which is decorated with a vintage commercial scale and other unique antiques. The menu has many meat and side items including salmon, turkey and sausage with the more usual pork, brisket and chicken. I had grilled veggies and collards as my sides. I appreciate having grilled veggies as an option along with other more traditional sides. The collards were perfectly spiced and well prepared. My husband really enjoyed the smoked sausage, which he thought one of the best he's ever had. The staff were courteous, friendly and prompt. We'll be stopping here again on our travels. read more

Southern Craft BBQ - Outdoor seating and stage - Barbeque Near Me - Bristol, Virginia

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I'm going to be honest. I have no clue how this place is 4.5 stars. I wanted it to be amazing. I literally pursued the business to visit as we were driving through. We wanted to try both of the main bbq places. Well... this place let me down. I'm pretty sure the waitress was annoyed by our presence. Like the sheer idea of us being there irritated her. We got two drinks which were infact delicious I'll give them that. That's where it stopped. Fried Pickles: the batter was mushy. Like the oil wasn't hot. And I promise regular ranch is fine you don't need Chipotle. Burnt ends: I have had Jerky more tender. Seriously. It was just awful. And judging by my other reviews I'm Clearly not overly picky. It was just bad and no flavor. Sausage: pretty good. Tots and Mac and cheese: tots, great mac.... well... southern granny would be sad. Firebird Sandwich: a real bun is needed. A sturdy one. Please get rid of the lettuce part it was literally... mush.. The kids meals: they were ok but my daughter asked about the cookie she read it came with on the menu.... the waitress seemed stunned that she saw it and literally asked us if that was on the menu? I'm bummed this place didn't work out. We travel frequently but this left something HUGE to be desired. I'm more irritated I spent 100 dollars on lunch and essentially liked my drinks and tator tots.... read more

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Stayed at the Hotel and was kinda locked into the restaurant . Over a 3 day period had varying results. Food on day 1 and 2 was good service on day 2 was much better. Had fried okra which is my go to side, day 1 amazing had to rank it up there, day 3 awful half wasn't even breaded. The hamburger was off the roll, details missed. Wednesday was not the day to go. Person at the bar was too busy talking with what seemed to be friends or family, and didn't even notice the half eaten okra. The red headed server jumped behind bar and helped not only prepare her table drinks but also removed my dishes as well as make conversation. Been there many times, they need to work on consistency. It is hit or miss , when they are on it's a 5 when they aren't they off you wish yo would have gone somewhere else. read more

Very nice place to eat . Took wife and grandkids to eat dinner here over weekend. Had to wait for a table, 30 minutes. Got served quickly. Very busy. Waiter was very good, got it right and brought food as it was done . All food was hot and fresh. Brisket was good and ribs were Awesome! All the meats were very good. Enjoyed the restaurant in the old mill and under Bristol hotel. Very clean and fresh . read more

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Great service by the waiter and the manager. Good food for a good price, while having good music.

Great food and even better service. They went out of their way to accommodate our group with our dog in their patio. 100% would go back when I'm in the area again. read more

Good food, polite staff. I had their burnt ends and another time their pork belly. Their candied bacon is very good as well.

This was the first time my wife and I had tried this restaurant. The outside as well as the inside is very inviting. We were greeted and seated promptly. Our waiter was very polite and was willing to advise on any questions related to the menu as well as providing recommendations. Our food arrived promptly and was piping hot.The portion sizes were large enough to share. The sides were just like homemade not frozen or premade. The meats were cooked to perfection with many sauce options available at your table. I would and will recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting this area. read more

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