My SO and I dined at Surf City BBQ one weekday evening during our family vacation. We enjoyed an excellent experience, from delicious food to outstanding customer service. Surf City is a Carolina BBQ joint but serves up other southern staples like fried fish and chicken. Unfortunately, I must share that due to hardships, the restaurant is closing on September 30, 2026. AMBIANCE Country vintage is the theme and it's quite homey. Dining at grandma's house. SERVICE Kristine or Kris was our servers name (hopefully I got the spelling right). She was incredible. When I say she was attentive and so down to earth, it truly made our experience wonderful. We felt so welcomed to come in and enjoy some good southern food.. FOOD I really wanted to order a seafood platter but unfortunately they were out of fried catfish and flounder so I pivoted to a different entree. - Complimentary hush puppy sticks with cool ranch: they were good. Subtly sweet, but the cool ranch balanced everything out. - Half rack of ribs: this was the entree I switched to. The pork ribs were huge, tender, and tasty. They fell right off the bone, and I really appreciated the firmness of the tendon while I cleaned my bones. I had two sides, yams and cole slaw. I enjoyed the yams more because they weren't overly sweet, and the chef really allowed the yams' natural flavors to shine. The cole slaw was tasty but nothing special. I prefer my slaw more chopped rather than big pieces. The vinegary Carolina BBQ sauce at the table was excellent. - Eggroll BBQ Pork: my SO ordered this special entree, and it was really good. Imagine a big, crispy eggroll filled with moist, tender shredded BBQ pork. It came with a really good dipping sauce, which was a mix of honey mustard and BBQ sauce. The two sides I chose were fried okra and Brunswick stew. Both were fresh and delicious. Since they're closing, the owners are selling decor and other items from the restaurant. I purchased a lovely replica of a pay phone from the late 1920s or early 1930s to take home. Additionally, the cashier was very friendly and helpful. If you've enjoyed the food here, please go support them a few more times before they close their doors. Or simply, browse and shop for some cute decor for your home. read more

Surf City Barbeque - Apparel - Hat - Southern Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

This local spot makes great Carolina BBQ Service is always great wait staff is attentive Still one of the best deals for homemade food in Surf City read more

Staff was friendly so they wont have a problem finding another job when it closes down. Food was not good at all. This is my 3rd time there in 3 years and the worst. Yuk! That's all I can say. Do better or close for good! ALSO fix the ac dammit it's summer time. read more

Well...... I was hoping for a true bbq place. This was not it. The menu had fried fish, fried chicken, steak, etc.. I wanted traditional bbq options like brisket, chicken, pork belly, turkey and so on. Nope. Their special tonight was a brisket cheese steak. It was pretty good. The zucchini and onions came out in a bowl full of liquid. It was like a poor man's soup. My son's fried catfish had human hair fried into it. My wife's fried okra was extremely overcooked. The restaurant was clean, and the staff were very pleasant. However, we will not be returning. It was a one and done plays for us. read more

Always great, fresh, real food! All at very reasonable prices. Wait staff is the BEST! LOVE this place. read more

This review is somewhat mixed and somewhat not really impassioned. The atmosphere is a strange country store-like decor. Though it seems old, dusty and really more overplayed..... Time to move on. When I eat at Texas Roadhouse I don't feel like its old and dusty but I did here. Our server was great.... though not very thorough in letting you know what's coming and how your meal is prepared. Almost either short on vocabulary or expecting repeat customers that already know. Either was she was nice. The hushpuppies served were delicious. Those came as soon as we ordered our meal. I ordered the pork chop and had no idea what to expect. I was ordering it in a BBQ restaurant. I asked how it came and she stared at me. I asked how it was cooked and she said "seared". I ordered it anyway and it was absolutely delicious, tender and juicy. My pork chop came with a little cold dinner roll from Pepperidge Farm and I ordered the coleslaw and potato salad. No barbecue sauce came with my plate and the pork chop wasn't really barbequed.... Just grilled. My wife ordered the pulled pork and fries. There were three tablespoons of dry pulled pork with no sauce on her plate and everyday frozen-type fries.... There was one kind of BBQ sauce on the table and it was the thin vinegar kind.... Not necessarily what you get when you go to Mission BBQ who serves at least 6 different flavors for every taste. In my opinion, this place really needs updating and a new creative chef. Maybe new owners. There is lots of room for improvement. Fresh cut fries. Lots of variety in BBQ sauce. Updated menu offerings. And lastly.... serve some real BBQ. Would we go back? ehhhhhh maybe... but it certainly wont make the weekly or monthly rotation. read more

I wish it was more flavorful. We ordered take out and the customer service was great! The applewood smoked chicken was good but it lacked that good BBQ flavor. The fried okra was well over fried and tasted like oil. Not good. The flat flatbread was inedible as I tasted burnt cardboard at best. Again, no flavor. The pulled pork was decent (just add bbq sauce) as well as the mashed potatoes with gravy which I'd say the gravy was the most flavorful bite. We enjoyed the green beans and slaw. Sadly, it was not memorable and we wouldn't go back for seconds. We appreciated the sweet gal who took our order and cashed us out.. read more

Surf City BBQ is a new place for me. I come to topsail every year with my family and it's definitely a must have every year now. This restaurant was very well priced and had some of the best food you will ever have. My family and I got, the bacon cheese fries, redneck nachos, and the shrimp plate. Everything about these meals were great except I would've like the fries to have been a little more crispy. The service was not great but good and the ambiance was just how you would think it is. This place was very very good. Thank you for the amazing food Surf City BBQ read more

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Come for the BBQ stay for the fried chicken. Yummy!. Fast and good pick up dinner. Very little breading, it's almost keto!

Absolutely wonderful!! Our server, Stephen, with a "ph" not a "v", was such a hoot!! Funny guy and made our visit so much fun! Stephen should get free candy!! The food was delicious and some of the best BBQ I've had. We will definitely be back!! read more

OMG I probably drove about a hundred times through here the sign bbq never appealed, but I saw the steak and seafood sign and since every other spot in Surf City was crowded and with long waiting lines, we decided to give this place a go.... OMG! I ordered the redneck nachos and the Blackened Prime Rib ( Cheat Day ) OMG The Best Prime Rib around here , hands down! You have to try it!!! My waitress's name was Jenny , She was amazing! :) Food came right out( no waiting) and oh boy , no boxes to go, cause I ate everything! I don't get the 3 stars, This place deserves a 5 star review! Better than Holland's shelter and others around here :/ I'm sorry! food was great, staff was awesome, oh and on our way out, there is the cutest little store, got me milkhouse candles and prickly pear soap mm Today I found me a good spot in SurfCity right next door ;) I'll be back! Oh ! and the hush puppies YUM! Made to perfection!!!! read more

Every single item on the menu is wonderful! There is nothing else to add, just go. And when you do, get the fried chicken first!

Food was great and the portions were very large. I will definitely make this place a dinner destination when I am at the beach.

I'm so upset with my first time eating here and I had gotten my order to go! With a order to go they will NOT give you silverware or napkins! I ordered a pull pork sandwich with a side of mashed potatoes.. no sauce on my pulled pork.. gravy leaked all over out of the container.. it was a mess.. I get to work.. nothing to eat my mashed potatoes with.. nor anything to clean the mess the gravy made all over.. I called the place just a few minutes after getting my order.. the young gal with out any apologies scolded me that there's a sign at the front desk that says I have to request silverware and napkins!!! SERIOUSLY... this is a to go order... the young on the phone never even tried to offer to fix this issue but with a scolding that I should of requested the silverware.. SMH.. NO... I WON'T BE BACK HERE AGAIN.. read more

Surf City Barbeque - A mess the gravy made.. no sauce on sandwich.. no silverware or napkins given for an order to go - Southern Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

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Very nice employees. It's very home style inside. The pulled pork sandwich was good and I enjoyed the bbq sauce. The complimentary hush puppies were good. read more

I will definitely be returning to this place. Service was great along with the food. Our waitress was awesome, can't remember her name. Atmosphere is my style, country! Just excellent flavored food, don't waste time on that smoky place down the street. This is where it's at! Even got a neat gift shop inside. Party of 4 and everyone was pleased. BBQ sandwich egg rolls was good to wife and her friend. My friend got meatloaf he thoroughly enjoyed. They have daily specials, I wanna try every one, except the chicken livers! Lol read more

We were pretty disappointed with this meal. The restaurant wasn't clean (food on the floor under our table, when we arrived, and very dirty blinds next to our table). Also our food was very bland. Cajun catfish sandwich (with absolutely no flavor) and a smothered pork sandwich with no flavor too.. the prices are very reasonable but I guess you get what you pay for. Also this is a Christian restaurant,which means no beer to go with your BBQ... :( If you want good BBQ with a variety of sauces and flavors, do yourself a favor and go to Smoky Tony's. read more

Great fried chicken! It's so difficult to find decent fried chicken these days. Their mashed potatoes were real and were so creamy! Fried okra was tasty. The pork was pulled, rather than the typical chopped, but I liked that because you can easily see it's quality meat and no gross inside stuff. The slaw was also good. The flat bread though! Y'all! That is addicting!!! So good! read more

One of the best barbecue places i have been to. A little slow on service but over all very good food and atmosphere

The family meal combo was a great deal. Great variety. Pork and chicken were both yummy. We liked the 2 sauces. We did pick up some rolls to make sandwiches since the flatbread was more like a a corn dog breading shaped like a hash brown. And we had come corn on the cob from a garden. It fed 6 with leftovers. read more

This is great place for bbq and seafood! It has a good selection and the food is good. Their hush puppies hit the spot and their meals are decently priced with good hearty portions. We've had both seafood and bbq plates. The shrimp are very similar to calabash style. The clams are a bit chewy. It is not the best seafood in the area but it is still yummy. The restaurant is kid friendly and friendly staff. This is a frequent place our family enjoys for a good meal. Definitely worth trying! read more

Surf City Barbeque - Southern Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

We were excited to try this place, but were sadly disappointed. Hands down, the worst BBQ I've ever had in my entire life. CONS: The hush puppies were cold, not a hint of warmth. The sides were all canned or frozen, we had some of the WORST green beans ever, they tasted like canola oil and chemicals. The meat was horrid, dry, chunky, and oddly had no flavor at all. The service was terrible, given there was only 2 other tables occupied and multiple servers waiting around/smoking out back (which we verified by driving behind the building afterwords). She forgot our drinks, and left us sitting there unattended most of our time there. The table was dirty, the sauce bottles were sticky and the room was dark. PROS: The prices were reasonable but unfortunately this doesn't make up for how bad the BBQ/sides were. read more

Surf City Barbeque - Southern Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

Everything was delicious and we enjoyed it all. The ribs and chicken wings. And the sides. We will be back next time we are in the area.

The food was really good!! All your classic BBQ favorites were seasoned and flavorful! This place blows bland Smokey Tony's out of the water with flavor and portion sizes!! They have a great family meal option that's reasonably priced and the entire family agrees. read more

Stopped here for lunch. We've lived here for several years and this was our first visit. The ordering process is pretty simple. We ordered three combo meals. Two with dark meat chicken, pulled pork, fries, slaw, a drink, and flat corn bread. The other had flounder instead of pork. We had to sit at separate tables, but that was fine, as my wife and youngest son shared. The wait was short. The food was presented on a standard picnic style plate. Overall we were pleased with the food. We'll return here someday. We were happy for eating lunch at this local gem. read more

Surf City Barbeque - Combo plate with pork, chicken, fries, slaw, flat cornbread, and a drink. - Southern Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

Never been disappointed eating here! If you're lucky enough to stop in when they have pulled BBQ chicken order it! It's absolutely fantastic! Their pulled pork BBQ is also super. I just wish they were open on Sundays... read more

The best barcue around very flavorful and the okra was a delight for those enjoy fried Okra. The staff is wonderfully sweet and helpful. I highly recommend Surf City BBQ for those who enjoy Authentic Southern Barbecue and for the those who are in the area looking for "Good eats" while vacationing in Surf City,NC or is just passing by ... check it out !!BBQ Pork read more

Stopped in today for the first time to grab some dinner. It completely exceeded our expectations. We had the flounder and the fried chicken and they were both cooked perfectly. For sides we had the potatoes, Brunswick stew and Lima beans and all were seasoned well. Everything tasted so fresh and homemade. The service was exceptional and the prices will have us coming back regularly. Can't recommend this place enough. It's definitely a down home place with a very warm atmosphere. There was live music that gave the place a great vibe. Thanks Surf City BBQ for the wonderful dinner!! read more

Any place that serves up hush puppies like mexican restaurants service up chips and salsa has a special place in my heart. Definitely like the N.C. style BBQ like I grew up on. This place cooks it 'whole hog'. We ordered fried chicken, pork ribs with fried Okra, BBQ pork, and flounder for the kiddo. They serve banana pudding for dessert. The atmosphere is a laid back country setting, with old record sleeves on the top of the wall, and a decor that would remind you of your grandmothers house if she owned a Cracker Barrel. A must stop if you want local, made with love Carolina BBQ and a friendly s read more

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Stopped in on our way to Topsail island for lunch. Cute restaurant in a nice location. Waitress was quick & helpful when I asked questions. They roast all meat in house, full pig, not just "parts". Lunch menu was mostly sandwiches & a few dinners. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich. Hubby ordered catfish po boy. Each came with one side. Ordered fries & fried okra. Hubby loved his sandwich & the fried okra. My pulled pork was just that...roasted pork. It was tender, but no flavor what so ever. I knew that no sauce would be added, but no sauce was even offered except the hot sauce & a thin, vinegar/ketchup (?) sauce that was on the table. Fries were just ok. I would try it again, but order something different. read more

Such a wonderful eatery. Amazing food, great staff and interior decorations that bring ya back in time. Just the right amount of Jesus and amazing food that will keep ya coming back. If you are looking for a home cooked southern meal this is the place to go. read more

Awesome family run resturant. Of course the BBQ takes center stage but plenty of other options too. I do have to mention the off menu item that is available often "Redneck Nachos". Wow is the best description. Homemade potato chips stacked high with pulled pork and chicken. Amazing and delicious dinner and lunch to read more

Surf City Barbeque - Redneck nachos! Homemade chips and BBQ. Amazing! - Southern Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

Absolutely the best barbecue I have eaten . I love the country atmosphere and our waitress was very attentive to my order . Met the owner who was super friendly . The gift shop has some amazing shirts! Will def be back asap ! My new favorite spot !! read more

I really wish I could give this place a 5 because the food was actually super good, I just felt a little neglected by our waiter. The pulled pork was better than what I've had thus far on this trip, and I've had some damn good pulled pork. The meat was so juicy and tender, and the sauce was soooo good. As for my sides I had mashed potatoes and cole slaw. The mashed potatoes were pretty generic, not going to win any awards, but good. The cole slaw was pretty dang good. Where it fell off a little for me was the service. It was pretty busy at the time, so I'm being a little understanding, but I never got a refill on my drink, nor did we ever end up getting any hush puppies, which I saw everyone else had. If I would have gotten a little more attention, gotten at least one refill, and gotten some dang hush puppies this would be 5 star worthy. read more

Surf City Barbeque - Southern Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

We got a few family packs of BBQ plus orders of shrimp and chicken fingers with fries. We'd order again but would stick to the main event - the BBQ. The shrimp & chicken fingers were small, whimpy. Fries were all stuck, fried together. Beans and slaw were okay. The flatbread was odd. Think it was fried hush puppy dough, maybe?! We had bought slider rolls from the grocery store which helped complete the meal versus overpaying for bread from the restaurant. Needed more sauce for the quantity we ordered. read more

Service was terrible and food was not much better. Will not be going back. Enter at your own risk. You've been warned.

OMG I probably drove about a hundred times through here the sign bbq never appealed, but I saw the steak and seafood sign and since every other spot in Surf City was crowded and with long waiting lines, we decided to give this place a go.... OMG! I ordered the redneck nachos and the Blackened Prime Rib ( Cheat Day ) OMG The Best Prime Rib around here , hands down! You have to try it!!! My waitress's name was Jenny , She was amazing! :) Food came right out( no waiting) and oh boy , no boxes to go, cause I ate everything! I don't get the 3 stars, This place deserves a 5 star review! Better than Holland's shelter and others around here :/ I'm sorry! food was great, staff was awesome, oh and on our way out, there is the cutest little store, got me milkhouse candles and prickly pear soap mm Today I found me a good spot in SurfCity right next door ;) I'll be back! Oh ! and the hush puppies YUM! Made to perfection!!!! read more

This place is great and has the potential to be even better. Because the place is so new I think once the staff get there flow and routine it will work better. The food was really good, but not all of it was hot. A family that came in after us got served their food before before we were able to place an order and I was only there with my wife. I sat with an empty cup for a long time before I finally asked for a refill. The biggest complaint I have is that they don't serve alcohol of any kind. Like I stated before this is a great place and has the potential for much more. Despite the staff learning their routine they were extremely friendly, the place was decorated well, and it was clean. I'm sure the place will get better over time. read more

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If you're from out of state and visiting Topsail Island and want to try some NC style BBQ, this is the place for you. Please do not go to a chain and get the BBQ, it is not the same. This is a locally owned and operated BBQ joint right near the beach. If you don't mind being full of pork on the beach, go here. The BBQ here is "whole hog". That is "Eastern Style BBQ". The other type of BBQ you will find here in North Carolina is called "Lexington Style" which is the pork shoulder. Some people prefer one over the other but cooked correctly they're both very similar. The BBQ here has a vinegar taste to it. It is cooked on site. Some very critical BBQ connoisseurs would call the BBQ here overcooked as it is a little mushy, but not too much, in fact, most people would say this is cooked perfectly. Personally, I like it just the way they prepared it. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry and did not try the sides, so I can't comment on them, but judging from the smell of the place and the number of sweet tea cups people were carrying around I'm sure everything else there is spot on. read more

I was looking for a place to take a friend for BBQ and after looking at reviews came here. The service was good. I ordered the Maplewood chicken. My friend the BBQ dinner. His was a full portion but dry. Only vinegar sauce and Texas Pete on the table. Not very good eating dry BBQ. My chicken portion was small. A small breast and wing. A child portion maybe. When the server came over to take my plate I asked if there were second helping since this first was so small. She did offer banana pudding which was good and an extra helping. When I repeated my story to the person taking our money, she had to response about the size of the portion. So a lesson to read more of the reviews on yelp. read more