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    Tarheel Q

    3.9 (75 reviews)
    InexpensiveBarbeque
    Open • 6:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Tarheel Q Takeout or Delivery

    Tarheel Q Photos

    Business Info

    TARHEEL Q ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Tarheel Q

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    Jim H.

    Four of us made our first visit to Tarheel BBQ and we were all very happy with the food, service, and the restaurant. It's a nice little place that has an extensive menu and outstanding food. The Peach Cobbler was excellent and the BBQ was worth the trip! The service was prompt and efficient. The prices are reasonable for the quantity of food and again, the food is quite tasty. I look forward to my next visit.

    Menu June 2024
    Kathy J.

    Stopped in to grab a bite. Hubby had coarse chopped pork tray, with red sauce. I chose a cheeseburger. Both happy with the food. Service was excellent. Will stop in again.

    Menu

    The chopped pork barbecue and white slaw was some of the best I've had in Lexington, NC. Hotdogs here are excellent too. However, the peach cobbler was served cold, like refrigerated cold. Maybe I should have asked for it to be heated? I just assumed most peach cobblers are served warm. The corn nuggets tasted overcooked, or reheated. Service was average. We didn't see our waitress back until I went to the counter and asked for my peach cobbler and she brought it. Bottom line... excellent pork barbecue, slaw, and hotdogs. Everything else, not.

    The barbecue salad mountain lll. DELICIOUS!
    Tim K.

    A friend and I were on a work outing which took longer than expected. Coming back on route 64, we decided to stop in to Tarheel Q for a late lunch. It was about 2:30 and we had the place to ourselves. This place does a good lunch crowd but like I said, it was 2:30 and those folks were long gone. Anyway, our server greeted us as we walked in and we had a seat in a booth. Our server was super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu items. Our drinks were quickly brought or the table and our food orders were taken. I opted for the barbecue salad with blue cheese dressing on the side. My buddy got the meatloaf special with macaroni and cheese and fried okra. The food didn't take long to be in front of us. My barbecue salad was HUGE. It was piled high with delicious pulled pork atop and wonderful salad of lettuce, cukes, tomatoes, onions, pickles and cheese. I'm a pretty big guy and was wondering if I could handle this salad mountain. The pork was juicy and delicious. One of the best barbecue salads I've had. The vegetables were fresh and crisp. What more could you ask for? My buddy's meal was equally impressive. A huge portion of meatloaf and an overflowing helping of HOMEMADE macaroni and cheese. I emphasize HOMEMADE. Not the premade or boxed crap you get at so many places. The fried okra was also fresh and delicious. We were both stuffed. They have a display case full of homemade pies and cakes. We were both too full to partake but that leaves us something to look forward to next trip. The meal came to about $16 for both of us and that's not bad in today's world of eating out. The food was great and so was the service. If you've never eaten here before, give them a try. It's worth a little trip out of your way.

    Smoked chicken, chopped bbq special with peaches and bbq slaw - what a deal!
    Jamie B.

    We are staying nearby at Thousand Trails campground and are so happy we found this great place! We've eaten here twice already and look forward to trying it for breakfast. Absolutely amazing bbq, bbq slaw, smoked chicken, hush puppies - and such huge portions and extremely inexpensive! I'm going to miss it so much when we head back home!

    Dominican Princess Yubelkis W.

    soooooo much food great prices ! Tried it for that first time today just what I expect from Southern BBQ

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    4 months ago

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    9 days ago

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    1 year ago

    Been coming here for years. Breakfast is always good. Seems like the barbecue has changed over the years. Still a good local spot!

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Delicious barbecue and great service! One of the best barbecue restaurants around. I'll be back!

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Always great good, great service, and great workers! If you want country food- come here!

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    3 years ago

    Great food, great service! Really great wings! Awesome blue cheese as well. It takes a little longer for wings but it's worth the wait!

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    4 years ago

    Food always very tasty, my favorite BBQ place, love the addition of the drive up window m!

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    Ask the Community - Tarheel Q

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    Backcountry Barbecue - Brisket and chopped pork combo plate with bbq slaw and green beans.

    Backcountry Barbecue

    4.1(93 reviews)
    7.5 mi
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    Just average..nothing more........however…read more the roasted chicken was over cooked like maybe it was just reheated and covered with sauce to hide the over cooking the string beans tasted like they were just out of a grocery can..0-flavor the hamburger while we asked for med-rare it came cooked well done (so pissed at the wife for not sending it back...never told me till almost finished) the hush puppies were actually good and so was the beans..... Would i come here again.....no ....it's back country bbq and that where it belongs......have no clue how it got a good ratings ??

    Asked for a recommendation for a good BBQ place as someone from not local and was told this was a…read morereally good spot to try. We came in and were told to choose our seat where we wanted. Water service came immediately and they were patient as we looked over the menu to decide and with our questions about the menu. Our server was very friendly and also gave great menu recommendations. We were a party of 5 and everyone was pretty much satisfied with their choice and meal. The food did take some time to come out with the place not being full. I ordered the brisket sandwich only with a side of baked beans and hush puppies. The baked beans and hush puppies were amazing! The brisket left something to be desired. I was hoping for more favor and char and the bread was also soggy when it came out. It wasn't bad but would probably not order it again. My sister had the sirloin which had a great flavor! The place filled up around 6. Almost all tables were occupied as opposed to when we arrived the whole back room was empty. Over a good first time BBQ experience.

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    Barbecue Center - Hush puppies

    Barbecue Center

    4.2(221 reviews)
    7.9 mi
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    This place was referred to me by a local for having wood fire smoked BBQ…read more When you pull up, there are piles of wood outside and as you approach the building, there is a hint of BBQ in the air. The lady who waited on me was so sweet, friendly, helpful with helping me find what I wanted on the vast menu, and attentive during my visit. The place is cute with a giant pink pig near the counter and overall looked clean. I ordered a Chopped BBQ Plate with 2 sides, hush puppies and a sweet tea. The sides I ordered were Mac n Cheese and White Cold Slaw. They have very good tea. The Hushpuppies are the BEST Hushpuppies in the world. I've never had them so good and I ordered extra for the road. I could eat an entire meal of just those Hushpuppies dipped in their BBQ sauce which is a vinegar based sauce and delicious! The Mac n Cheese was not baked and had a straight out of the box taste. I didn't hate it. It was just ok. The White Cole Slaw was some of the best slaw I've ever had. It was fresh and light and made just how I like it. Now about the pig. I'm not going to lie, I've had better. I've also had a lot worse. The pig meter didn't go all the way to the top but would have if there was just more smoke flavor on it. It was perfectly cooked. Seasoned well. Was tender. And the vinegar based sauce they use is delicious. I was really hoping for more smoke flavor than I got but still very satisfied with my experience there. I would still definitely recommend to anyone looking for authentic NC Lexington style BBQ. It's way better than Randy's and Speedy's on Piedmont Dr. IMO.

    Been there many times over the years. Now Each time…read morequality of everything continues to decline. Did the ownership change in the last few years? I think the huge ice deserts keeps people coming back, certainly not the BBQ. There are so many better choices in the immediate area. I'd move on to others. Sad, because it was great.... They get two stars because of their ice cream!

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    Speedy's Barbecue Inc of Lexington - A BBQ sandwich.

    Speedy's Barbecue Inc of Lexington

    4.1(157 reviews)
    7.8 mi
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    Hop, skip and jumped to Speedy's for a midafternoon lunch/early dinner after being turned away from…read moreChildress Bistro because we didn't have a reservation. Speedy's had no problem serving us and filling our bellies. Two cups of Diet Dr Pepper quickly arrived at our table, along with a full pitcher, which was nice. My chopped sandwich was good, it had a large hunk that had not been chopped thru but there was already so much meat in the sandwich that it was not really an issue. Sauce was served in cups with spoons. The hush puppies were ok, a bit lukewarm/chewy, I imagine because we were there mid-afternoon when they are not having to churn them out so frequently. Lots of "pig" decor in the entryway and vintage signage on the wall, "typical NC BQ restaurant" atmosphere.

    I stopped in for lunch and the place was busy. I noticed they were lacking a bus boy or someone to…read moreclean the tables as I looked around for an available, clean booth. Ambience was typical of most of the local BBQ spots. They need to play some music in there. Waitresses running to and fro. Maybe they were short staffed when I came in? The ice tea is great! The hush puppies were ok. Wish they were served with honey butter or something. I ordered the chopped pork plate with fries and baked beans. (Wanted Cole slaw but the waitress told me they don't have Cole slaw just slaw...the kind made with ketchup. I guess that's their secret recipe). The plate came out piled up like a mountain, probably a pound and half of chopped pork. The fries were hot but not seasoned well and weren't completely done in the middle. The baked beans were straight out of a can. The chopped pork was flavorful but lacked SMOKE smell and taste. The vinegar sauce was good. I've had better Lexington style bbq and I've had much worse. This was in the middle. The portions are very generous and my waitress was friendly but she was BUSY and so was everyone else. An added note: I came to the wrong Speedy's. The other Speedy's smokes their meat using fire and wood. I didn't realize there are 2 different restaurants in town with same name. This Speedy's uses an electric smoker which can produce a solid Smokey flavor but not at this location.

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    JJ's Mama's Soulfood & More

    JJ's Mama's Soulfood & More

    3.9(66 reviews)
    6.9 mi
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    I went on a Saturday, and it was really busy. There was someone standing outside the door telling…read moreus that the wait was super long. I stood for a couple of minutes listening to the guy talk to a couple. As soon as they left, some other people came from inside, so the line wasn't short any longer. There were 2-3 people in front of me at that point. There were other people seated and were waiting to be seated or waiting on their food. The people in front of me ordered, and when it was my turn, I did have to wait a few minutes for the lady at the front to get some food and drink orders out. I feel like they were kinda running her a lot. I was able to order, and they were out of yams, so I got double mac. The food is reasonable priced in my opinion. I did have to wait a while for the food. They had some kind of incense burning and it was coming toward my way and I was choking. I realized that's why no one was sitting there lol. I will say the thing that upset me about this experience is that they gave someone else my food. The only reason it was caught is because the lady opened the plate and noticed it wasn't hers. I'm glad she didn't eat anything from the plate, but I was still a little iffy with her opening it either way. I still took it because I couldnt wait another 30-40 min for another plate. The food was good overall.

    Came for the senior banquet this time! What an amazing experience…read more People, both guests and help, amazing. Made all feel welcome. Will be back again. No longer waiting for visitors to bring!

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    Bridgett's Kitchen - Smoked turkey platter with 2 sides plus hush puppies

    Bridgett's Kitchen

    4.5(54 reviews)
    7.4 mi

    After our wonderful visit to Silwood Soap, her owner Amy suggested we stop by Bridgett's Kitchen…read more As soon as we mentioned to Bridgett that Amy had recommended her restaurant, she smiled, grabbed her phone, and said, "We have to send Amy a picture!" She took a selfie with me to send to her friend, and honestly, I thought that was one of the most heartwarming moments of our entire trip. It perfectly captured what we've experienced throughout Lexington: local business owners genuinely rooting for one another instead of simply doing business. Now, let's talk about the food. If you're looking for authentic barbecue done right, this place absolutely delivers. The smoked chicken was unbelievably juicy, with flavorful skin and just the right amount of smoke. The brisket burnt ends were another highlight. Rich, tender, deeply smoky, and finished with a generous drizzle of barbecue sauce that complemented the meat instead of overpowering it. Exactly the way it should be. The potato salad was creamy, chunky, obviously homemade, and seasoned just enough to let every ingredient shine. The onion rings were perfectly crisp and light with a satisfying crunch, while the hush puppies were golden, tender on the inside, and absolutely delicious. Every side felt like it was made with the same care and attention as the barbecue itself. Every plate that came out of the kitchen looked generous and made with genuine care. This is the kind of barbecue that doesn't need elaborate presentation because the food speaks for itself. Hearty portions, perfectly smoked meats, classic sides executed exceptionally well, and the kind of meal that stays with you long after you've left the table. Thank you, Bridgett, for an unforgettable meal.

    Like walking into your aunty's house, very welcoming…read more Great flavor on the brisket sandwich. Nice thick slice. Collards weren't as flavorful as I was hoping, but they had a nice cooked texture Love the outdoor or indoor seating options. Big seating patio; neat and clean with walking distance to Main Street.

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    Tarheel Q - bbq - Updated September 2026

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