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    The Smoke Pit

    4.4 (97 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    THE SMOKE PIT ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - The Smoke Pit

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    Brisket Super Spud*
    Natalie R.

    Our server KP was such a bright light and has such great energy. She consistently checked in on us and went out of her way to make sure that we were taken care of. We never went without a refilled drink and she made sure we had plenty of boxes to take leftovers home. The food portions are insane and well worth the money. The variety of bbq sauces makes sure that everyone has something. For me, the BBQ Brisket Spud with two sides gives you everything you need but the hush puppies with honey butter is a must!

    Jason S.

    Best BBQ I've ever had. Granted, I am from Minnesota, but I do travel a lot. We were super impressed with The Smoke Pit -- so much so that we came twice on a week-long trip. On the initial trip we got the two meat platter and on the second trip I had the burnt ends sandwich. Everything was so amazingly delicious. We cannot wait to come back. Brisket and the turkey were tremendous and the sides were amazing. Our waitress recommended the jalapeño cream corn and red slaw. On te second visit we had the okra and collard greens. All tremendous. I just feel like you can't go wrong here. Free cobbler for dessert with ice cream was a great added touch that you just don't see anymore. I saw some other reviewers complaining about price and so I wanted to specifically address this. My guess is these people don't get out much. Everywhere you go now restaurants are gouging on price but NOT HERE. Look at my bill in the pic below. Massive two meat and three side tray for $30!!! That's a STEAL. So many leftovers it was crazy. Add the Texas Twinkie, watermelon tea and free desserts and we paid $50 with tax. Insane value. Would pay it any time. Finally service was outstanding on both visits. Super attentive and lightning fast food on both occasions. Can't wait to come back when we visit again!

    Mac n cheese.
    Gab T.

    I got the ribs. They had good flavor but I'm personally not a fan of - what I consider - a thick tough exterior outer layer. It was too tough and an impediment to getting to the melt in your mouth ribs. I got them wet. I got two sides just so I could try them - southern sweet. Sweet but good flavor. And pit original. For sides - potato salad and mac n cheese. Really like the Mac n cheese. For me the potato salad was a little too creamy but to be fair im a German potato salad type of girl. Do all potato salads in the south have hard boiled eggs. I liked that part the next day when I needed extra protein in my left overs that didn't include the ribs. Oh and got banana pudding. Holy sweet. One of the sweeter I've had. But i did like it.

    Pecan and apple cobblers
    Joy R.

    Alie is AMAZING! We wanted something good, filling and reasonably priced and we both said "Smoke Pit". Perfect choice. We were seated quickly and Alie took the best care of us. I decided on the brisket, sausage and rib combo with kickin greens, Mac and cheese and hush puppies. Everything was AMAZING!!!! I had enough to take home for lunch the next day. And you must get the pecan cobbler.

    The menu to show the $10 margarita loco that I ordered but paid $21

    The food is AMAZING!!! The service at the bar not so great I ordered the $10 Margarita Loco and when I got my bill there was an $18 and $3 charge for my patron silver margarita.When I questioned it she said well that's just how it rang up.What the heck like I was crazy.I will attach a photo of my bill.Definitely was not worth

    Fruit Cobbler*
    David D.

    Went here for lunch. First time at this location. It seems pretty new and the staff was amazing. Our waiter was very kind and helpful. The food was great as always, the ribs were well seasoned and tender. My favorite protein is always the brisket. It was juicy and melt in your mouth. They also gave everybody an order of cobbler on the house. The peach was the best! If you crave BBQ don't miss out on Smoke Pit. They never let us down!

    Brisket, ribs, sausage
    Andell R.

    There are rare moments in life when hunger meets perfection, and the world narrows to the plate in front of you. At the Smoke Pit, a mere seven weeks into its existence, I experienced one of those transcendent moments where every detail aligned in symphonic harmony. I was starving when I walked in, and everything clicked from the start. The warm, anticipatory greeting by the maître D to the server's attentive, friendly, and quick service without the hovering feeling. No rush, no oversight - just seamless efficiency and my food came out fast, hot, and exactly right. I ordered the sausage, brisket, and ribs platter, accompanied by cornbread, red slaw, and mac & cheese. The brisket was tender as a whisper - no knife needed, succulent, and smoked to smokey perfection. The dry ribs needed no sauce; they fell off the bone with juicy abandon. Each bite a revelation of moisture and depth of flavor. The sausages burst with moist, savory delight, while the cornbread defied earthly bounds - crisp-edged, buttery, and utterly otherworldly. Even the sides sang in harmony: the red slaw's tangy crunch, and the mac & cheese's creamy indulgence elevating the ensemble to sublime height. This was an experience that presently stunned me as rarely do you get a meal this good with service this smooth. Every cell in my body hummed with contentment, I was happy, full, and profoundly satisfied. The Smoke Pit has it figured out - speed, precision, flavor in perfect equilibrium. If you want great BBQ and a no-stress experience go! You won't be disappointed!

    Pick 3 Combo* 2 Chicken Quarters with Alabama bbq sauce, 4 ribs, and burnt ends. We eat about half before I took the photo.
    Cammy B.

    My favorite American BBQ spot in Charlotte! Everything we tried was absolutely delicious. The meat is seasoned perfectly--a great balance of saltiness, sweetness, and smoky flavor. All of it was fall-off-the-bone tender. We ordered the 3-meat combo and went with the chicken quarters, ribs, and burnt ends. It was impossible to choose a favorite because each one was incredibly flavorful. We've had the brisket before as well, and it's always tender, juicy, and wonderfully seasoned. Honestly, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The sides were excellent too. We tried the jalapeño creamed corn, baked beans, cornbread, collard greens, and an extra side of mac and cheese. Every side paired perfectly with the BBQ, but the jalapeño creamed corn was the standout--highly recommend!

    Bbq chicken sandwich with jalapeño creamed corn
    Rose S.

    Love it is in this location vs needing to go to Monroe. It's clean and feels fresh. The bar was configured in such a way that there wasn't a bad seat for watching sports events. Service was quick and friendly. Had the pulled chicken sandwich w/creamed corn and jalapeños. Loved the creamed corn w/jalapenos. The pulled chicken was okay but it tasted off likely the sauce that was on it since I'm fairly picky about bbq sauce and love Memphis style bbq. Glad that this location is open and will rerun again.

    4 Meat plate: ribs, smoked turkey, brisket & burnt ends. Sides - Mac & cheese, beans
    Brittany D.

    This is a must check out place newly added to the Arboretum Shopping Center. We had a sample of everything and all in-house desserts are complimentary! Our server, Jordan, was attentive and seemed to be invested in the concept and enjoyed the food. The restaurant itself has done a great job creating a new vibe from the old Chili's location. Has that homegrown BBQ feel. If there was anything to note for feedback, it would be the burnt ends were way over sauced and being such a new restaurant, a manager should be walking around touching tables asking how things were (they have only been open a few weeks). But it will be a place to go back!

    Tres Amigos PLATE*
    Michael C.

    Incredible food, probably the best cornbread I've ever had, definitely some of the best brisket as well, but the service is whats gonna have me coming back. There was a bit of a mixup as I stepped away momentarily after finishing the meal, so they cleaned my table (as expected), and completely fine because I was done eating. But, they felt so bad that they cleaned up a few of the scraps of food I had left that they made me a whole other meal to go. Again, completely unnecessary, but it was so kind that I think it speaks to the type of people who work here. I came all the way from Columbia, SC to eat here after a recommendation from a friend, and I'll definitely be back.

    Tres Amigos sampler. Better than the 3 meat platter
    Brent F.

    Waaaayyyy more food than I could finish on the Tres Amigos combo! Ribs, brisket and pulled pork. The brisket was the star of the show. All they needed was a real Eastern NC sauce, but everything is outstanding. Gotta mention the Collards - had a great spicy kick (Jalapeños?).

    LB Brisket plate
    Dudine J.

    I went to a different restaurant and decided to try this BBQ place. The young man at the takeout counter was very polite and helpful. I asked many questions, and he expertly explained things to me. I decided on the brisket plate and chicken. As I write this review, I can taste the chicken. The presentation of the chicken was excellent. The chicken was my favorite dish. The sauce on top of the chicken was lovely and creamy. The chicken was cooked well, yet maintained its moisture. The chicken was flavored nicely. The brisket I felt tasted better the next day. The vinegar slaw was good. The corn bread and was light and fluffy with pieces of corn with every bite. I will definitely go back.

    Tres Amigos PLATE*

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    27 days ago

    You get a pretty generous amount of food for the cost, pretty good overall and good service

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    1 month ago

    Just had takeout but Delicious bbq and the sides are amazing! Big portions and good service.

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    Mac's Speed Shop

    Mac's Speed Shop

    3.9
    (731 reviews)
    8.8 mi
    $$

    Jadyn Newby was my server and she was AMAZING. She gave the best service and made the atmosphere…read morefun and enjoyable!

    After striking out at two other BBQ spots on a Saturday night, I landed at Mac's Speed Shop around…read more8:30 p.m. and ended up having a surprisingly enjoyable experience. Mac's sits in the heart of South End and shares the neighborhood with several busy bars and nightlife spots. Parking can be a bit of an adventure, but they do have dedicated lots nearby. Once you're there, the setup is great: a large dining room, plenty of picnic-table patio seating, and my favorite option--a seat at the outdoor bar where the inside bar opens through a service window to the patio. The bartender, Alyssa, was fantastic. Friendly, knowledgeable, and patient while I stared at the giant menu trying to figure out what I wanted. When I asked for recommendations, she immediately suggested the burnt ends, BBQ baked beans, and Mexican street corn. Excellent call. The blackberry seasonal hard cider she recommended was delicious and paired beautifully with the meal. My only surprise was the price. At nearly $9, it was more than I expected for a cider, and I wish I had asked beforehand. The burnt ends arrived with bright pickled red onions that added the perfect acidic balance. The flavor was excellent--smoky, rich, and satisfying. That said, they leaned heavily toward the fatty side. The deeper I got into the serving, the more rendered fat I encountered compared to meat. Delicious? Yes. Light? Absolutely not. The BBQ baked beans were exactly what you want from a barbecue joint. The Mexican street corn was a standout and a refreshing contrast to all the richness. My only critique was that the burnt ends weren't served quite as hot as I would have liked, and by the end of the meal, the richness became overwhelming. That's probably more on me for ordering burnt ends at 9 p.m. than on Mac's. The final bill came to about $37 before tip, which felt a little steep for a solo barbecue dinner and cider. Looking back, I'd probably visit during lunch. Their weekday lunch specials around $10 look like one of the best values in South End. Would I come back? Absolutely. The service was warm, the recommendations were spot on, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the food delivered exactly what a barbecue craving calls for. Next time, I'll arrive earlier, bring a bigger appetite, and maybe save the burnt ends for lunchtime. Life is too short not to eat well, Charlotte. If you're exploring South End and craving barbecue, Mac's Speed Shop is worth a stop.

    Photos
    Inside Mac's Speed Shop - South End
    Inside Mac's Speed Shop - South End
    Hush puppies
    Hush puppies
    Mule

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    Mule
    Midwood Smokehouse

    Midwood Smokehouse

    4.3
    (394 reviews)
    6.7 mi
    $$

    The brisket is divine Barria tacos can avoid the salt…read more Drunken Beans done well Sweet potato fries being offered A+ Actually all the sides being offered= Great options but I avoid those greens. The pot liquor on the collard greens is done right but they don't cook them down long enough, FOR ME, or offer a mix (e.g. add some turnip and/or mustard greens in there). The other meats are just okay but service+ brisket and packaging that helps make this long, out of the way trip worth it because I made it back to University area and everything remained hot. You can order online via Toast tab (I think) but I enjoy restaurants that go to known platforms so I don't have whip out a card and pay when it's already on file. P.S. those burnt ends are beef and they're super salty. I want to enjoy them with less sodium. We are aging now so I don't need to add to contributing factors for stroke and heart disease via salt because I'm not giving up on good Que and you'll get that here.

    Before arriving in Charlotte, a friend said I had to try the local BBQ. Midwood came up as a…read morepopular recommendation on both Yelp, Google and Reddit and this location as the closest to my hotel. I made a reservation on OpenTable, arrived on time, and was seated immediately. The restaurant looks like a typical rustic BBQ focused family restaurant. I ordered the Carolina Pork with collard greens. My thoughts: - Carolina Pork was good. A small size was more than enough for me. Vinegar sauce really came through, almost a little too much. - Hush puppies were good. The only item that wasn't acidic, so it helped balance my meal. - Collard greens were also good. - Pickles were ok. By itself they were fine, but combined with the pork in vinegar sauce, it was too much acid for me overall. Service was pleasant and attentive. No issues. Overall, I was happy with my meal. It was generally good food and service. I'd just be more careful with picking my side so the entire dish was more balanced.

    Photos
    Midwood Smokehouse
    Midwood Smokehouse
    Midwood Smokehouse

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    The Smoke Pit - southern - Updated July 2026

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