Great food, friendly and attentive staff, lots of food for your money and the ambiance is family friendly read more

The Smokin Pig - 1/2 rib platter - Barbeque Near Me - Pendleton, South Carolina

Every other Summer my work takes me from High Point NC to Atlanta for a big trade show, and it's been a bit of a tradition to stop at a BBQ joint in Spartanburg on the drive home. This year we were able to slip away a day early and because we were delayed by nasty Friday afternoon traffic in Atlanta we were miles away from our target as our growling stomachs got the best of us. We hit the Yelp app to see what options were near by and as fate would have it I-85 was flanked by two well reviewed BBQ options, so we opted for the one with the higher review count; The Smokin' Pig. As we approached we were pleased to see that the place was hoppin! We were greeted at the front by two welcoming ladies who gave us the run-down of their best sellers, and offered us some ice water while we waited ten minutes or so for a table. Once we got the go-ahead were were lead into the main building and directly to the ordering counter. That was a surprise, but thankfully we had been given the tips outside and knew exactly what we wanted. Two of us ordered the "P.B.R." combo, which included a generous portion of smokey pulled pork, juicy brisket and a three bone mini slab of ribs. For sides I ordered a seasonal special, which is a fried ear of sweet corn and a nice portion of sweet potato casserole that they call a "crisp". The meal also included a soft and slightly sweet roll. Two of us ordered the exact same meal while the third ordered some pulled chicken BBQ. The restaurant is a eclectic and down-homesy shack of a place, and after we placed our order we were led to a table at the back of the three room building to a room that was covered in old album covers and Beatles posters. This made our drive feel right at home because he had been shuffling through his iPod playing many of the artist's songs that were on display. It took a little prodding but he finally even confessed to having owned both the Captain & Tennille album beside him and the Neil Diamond album across the room. Back to the food. You need to understand that I do a lot of traveling with my job, and one of the few benefits of being away from home is that I get to dine at a lot of places and many of them are BBQ restaurants. I guess what I'm trying to say is trust me when I say that this dinner was something special. Without hesitation I recommend the Smokin' Pig, and if you happen to be heading to or from the International Woodworking Fair (IWF) save me a cup of sweet tea. P.S. I can offer one tip for folks from outside of the South (AKA: Yankees): BBQ is not a way of cooking meat but rather is the meat itself. Go to Youtube and search for "Rhett and Link's BBQ Song" for some valuable insight on this important distinction. UPDATE: I just realized that the Smokin' Pig is the backdrop of the latest Chantix anti-smoking medicine commercial. I sure hope they don't stop the pig from smokin'! read more

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We had a catered meal with individual boxes, the meal was superb!! Great meat, and wonderful sides. Sweet potato fries are awesome

This place is the BEST barbecue place I've been to in my entire life!! Seriously, I think about it all the time and would make the 1 hr drive just for it. It's pretty big and there are 2 parts to it. They are both indoor seating space, but one is much more expansive and bigger. They also rope of part of the parking lot on Game Days and set up cornhole, which is super nice! There's also a to-go trailer next to the restaurant. Anyways, it's unlike your typical restaurant. There are no waiters. You go up to the counter and order your food. You pay at the counter and look for a seat. The people then take out your food to you and fill your drinks for you as you go. My to-go order is the brisket. I never eat fatty cuts of meat, but I'll eat the fat on this brisket. It literally melts in your mouth and will be one of the best things to ever grace your mouth. The BEST Brunswick stew can be found here. It's the perfect combination of spice and tangy-ness. In short, it's a stew of leftover pork and chicken with corn and potatoes. Doesn't sound appealing, but I promise you, the best Brunswick stew ever. I also am a huge fan of the loaded potato casserole as well as the cobblers. They had Mac n cheese once but I guess they stopped cause it was probably too much to make. I don't like sweet potatoes but heard people really like the sweet potato fries and sweet potato crunch. Anyway, best place to visit while in Clemson. I tried one of the "best barbecue joints in SC" and that place didn't even come near to this place. read more

The Smokin Pig - Barbeque Near Me - Pendleton, South Carolina

My daughter and I came down to Good Times barrel racing at the Clemson arena , went over to Smokin Pig , it was some of the best smoked meat I have had , I had the ribs , pork , brisket platter with baked beans and sweet potato fries, the meats was wonderful, 6 choices of sauce on your table to add , very quick service and super friendly staff, kids and adult an play free putt putt golf while waiting, a lot if different areas to relax and sit at , outdoor or in , you won't be disappointed! read more

Had the pulled pork and brisket, was fantastic. Cool atmosphere and really friendly staff, we were all super impressed with this place. Good beer available in their courtyard, plenty of room for cornhole, big fire pit, and just a great place to stop before a game. read more

Great BBQ. Make sure you try the pork rinds. They are really good. Go early because it gets crowded quick. No reservations, first come first served. read more

Cannot say enough good things about this place. I make sure when I am down here for work I am here for Thu night as their days are limited. Brisket and port are great. Also the sides are excellent too, jalapeno grits are outstanding as are the baked beans. read more

The Smokin Pig - Just great stuff. Pork & half chicken combo. Fried corn on the cob awesome. - Barbeque Near Me - Pendleton, South Carolina

Best barbecue place in my opinion. It's a must stop if heading to or from Tigertown! Staff is friendly and service timely. Four stars only because needs a little upgrading and expansion to handle to crowds. If you build it, they will come.....Best brisket I've ever had too read more

The Smokin Pig - Lunch - Barbeque Near Me - Pendleton, South Carolina

Exceptional food, exceptional service! The staff was so friendly, the food came out so quickly-within minutes of sitting at our table. Everything tasted delicious. It was like eating a Southern grandmas's secret family recipes. I could not believe how good it was. So family friendly, too! Our kids loved the sweet potato fries with honey and powdered sugar and the banana pudding was out of this world. I'm so happy that we stopped here for dinner. read more

Smoking pig is amazing and I wish I could a) afford to eat here weekly and b) be able to still have healthy arteries after eating here weekly. The loaded potatoe casserole is a MUST as well as their free, hot buns. read more

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Incredible BBQ. Great ambiance. Great service! Excellent menu and outdoor/indoor seating options.

Always great food. My daughter even eats (she's very picky) it's a great place to spend time with the family

Great food and atmosphere Staff is helpful The putt putt and for hole boards are also a plus read more

No matter how busy the staff here is fast and courteous. The food especially the brisket is 2nd to none

First time here at The Smokin' Pig. I dig the atmosphere, and the staff was very pleasant. I ordered the Pulled Pork, Ribs and Brisket combo with Loaded Baked Potato casserole, and the seasonal cobbler (strawberry) for dessert. Overall I thought the food was good. The pork was tender and juicy and paired well with the mustard base sauce, the ribs had a good bite to them, but the Brisket for me was a bit overdone and dry. It definitely needed sauce, I liked the combination of the mild and hot together. (Both were good separate as well) The strawberry cobbler was good! Lots of Strawberries and juice, the biscuit was tasty as well! The sweet tea was also delicious! Thanks Smokin' Pig! read more

The Smokin Pig - Pork, rib, & Brisket combo player with Loaded Baked Potato casserole. - Barbeque Near Me - Pendleton, South Carolina

I highly recommend anyone to eat here. Wether your looking for a place to dine out, or to take home to eat. They also have tailgating options. There are different meat options and can be prepared many ways. The pork is tinder and has real good flavor. Multiple sauce options to pick from. You can also buy meat per pound. They are only open three days a week. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are the hours of operation. The hours are 11a-9p. Not far from Clemson Univ. which makes it ideal for tailgating. It is usually packed, so prepare for a wait. It isn't really long wait, but during peak times it is packed. But worth it. read more

Awesome folks and incredible dining experience! Have to try the Sweet Potato Crunch, you won't be disappointed!

Good sized portions, cute place, love the sauces (4 different kinds) and yummy rolls. Got a "combo" platter, pulled pork and brisket. You seat yourself but the server comes and checks on you for refills and anything else you might need. read more

Very good barbecue however I wish they had more options for barbecue sauce that wasn't sweet maybe a mustard base that didn't have any honey in it I don't like to put sweet sauce on my barbecue not even sweet heat read more

Food was excellent but service was terrible. We ordered take out at the window. After 40 mins, the cashier came out to ask what was my name. I told her my name and then she went back to the cash register and pulled out my order from the side of the register and went back to give it to the kitchen. We finally got our food after an hour after we ordered it. After all that they forgot to give us the sauces. read more

I'm critical of bbq. This place was amazing. Brisket was a little dry but e got there late. Pulled pork was very good.

Very good. We ordered the sampler to share. The only thing we couldn't share was the brisket...only one piece and it was delish!

Very good bbq. Friendliest people you will meet. Meals are enormous. 2 meat plate can serve 2 people with leftovers. Even big people. The portions are large and the price is fair. I wish they would add home style sides like green beans and greens. Get these at a lot of places in SC BBQ restaurants. The sweet potato fries are the best I have had. Will return once or more on every visit to Clemson. read more

The Smokin Pig is a staple and a must-eat restaurant whenever you're in town or near Clemson University. My family and I have been going there consistently for over a year. It's definitely more commercialized than it was from years ago but what makes the place most special is the "home" feeling we get when we are there. "Ms. Cat" is what separates this restaurant from all restaurants (bbq and non-bbq). With at least a 2-hour wait in college game weekends, Cat keeps the customer engaged. She greets with hugs and smiles, and somehow manages to make a 2 hour+ wait seem easy. She is always hustling to lend a hand at the train car bar, the hostess stand, and even working magic to find more space for more guests. Although the clean outdoor restroom trailer, fire pit and outdoor games are nice additions, we go for the family atmosphere and to check in with Ms Cat! She cares about her workers and her customers. The only thing that would make Smokin Pig a better bbq restaurant, would be if Ms. Cat could be cloned to run every one of them! Oh, and the food is the best bbq in the whole world. I give this restaurant 5-pig tails! Tell Ms. Cat that Julie sent you read more

This team puts out an outstanding product both in terms of food and service. The menu is excellent. The quality is great. I have never had a bad experience at the sit down or take out restaurant. Always a wonderful place to eat! read more

I ordered the PBR which is pulled pork, brisket, and ribs for $17.95; the meal comes with a choice of two sides. Their loaded potato casserole is probably my favorite thing I ate from the Smokin Pig. Their Brunswick stew is not good, and tastes like beef jerky. Brisket wasn't special, and ribs were overcooked! The ribs were very very hard and weren't juicy. However, their pulled prok was really good! P.s. Don't order their seasonal cobbler; it's nothing special and not to mention small. Their BBQ sauces are amazing, especially their spicy blend! read more

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We dropped by the Smokin Pig for dinner on our back home to Texas. My husband and I each had the sliced brisket, okra and banana pudding....everything was great‼ Our waitress Ann was awesome....her customer service skills are 2nd to none‼ LouAnn & Jeff Peterson Decatur, Texas read more

You know you're in for a treat when you stumble upon a BBQ joint off the side of a highway that is only open Fri-Sat with a big pink cow statue out front and people crowding the perimeters. We just had to stop here for a BBQ fix on a Saturday evening. The wait provided was 45 minutes for a group of 3 and we passed the time playing corn hold in the parking lot. We also spent some time taking selfies with the pig statue obvi. When our table was ready, we actually weren't seated but brought to a chalkboard menu. The hostess stayed with us to answer menu questions and explain the ordering process. Once we ordered, we were given a number and could sit wherever we wanted. The inside of the restaurant is very small and there is no indoor waiting area. I was disappointed to find out that they were out of chopped chicken and only had bone in chicken, so I opted for the brisket and pork combo instead. All entrees come with two sides and sandwiches 1 side. I chose the loaded potato casserole and fried okra. The meal was also served with a buttery roll. I usually am not one for BBQ and I do not eat it often, but this meal was exceptional. The meat was smoky, well portioned, and paired perfectly with the mustard based BBQ sauce and hot BBQ sauce. I didn't care much for the vinegar based BBQ sauce or the original BBQ sauce, but I appreciated all of the options. The casserole was piping hot and cheesy, and the okra was lightly battered and not the least bit greasy. The only downfall was that it was simply too much food to finish. This is the perfect place to stop for an authentic SC meal! read more

The Smokin Pig - Who doesn't love good food and a photo op - Barbeque Near Me - Pendleton, South Carolina

This place is open only 3 days a week (Th, F, S). That's all they need to drive a devoted clientele (local and far). I live in Greer about an hour away and ventured there with a my friend John who just opened an office in Clemson and raved about the brisket. My goodness gracious! I had the brisket and pork platter with cole slaw and sweet potato fries. I overhead the brisket is cooked for 10 hours at 250F. It was soooo tasty and NKR (no knife required). The vinegar and hot sauces were both perfect. The pork was unremarkable but I am back for the briskey baby...The 'slaw was creamy and tasty and the sweet potato fries were obviously flash fried as they were crisp without a taste of fat. Ther service was quick and attentive, though we got there at opening and it wasn't too crowded. read more

The Smokin Pig - Barbeque Near Me - Pendleton, South Carolina

There are experiences in culinary dining which just blow you away at how good they are. The smoking pig was one of these! Let me preface this review. I have eaten my fair share of BBQ on my visits to South Carolina. However a good work friend mentioned this is the place to go if you want some BBQ. Other work colleagues mentioned that for ESPN college gameday this is the restaurant the On air TV personalities go to get some Q. I don't believe I need to say more. If you want some down home southern BBQ and are in Greenville, SC. Take the 40 min drive south. You won't be dissapointed. I decided to go with the Pork, brisket, ribs platter for $17.95. It was succulent, perfectly seasoned and cooked and lip smacking amazing. For my sides I went with Mac n cheese and sweet potato fries dusted with sugar. It's a rich meal but out of this world amazing! The shack itself is quite the experience. I've been told there's live music on the weekends and to eat here is an appreciation of Southern BBQ. If you are in the area get some. Downright freaking amazing! Nothing more to say. read more

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The Smoking Pig is the Epitome of Southern BBQ. Amazing atmosphere, amazing Food, amazing staff. When a BBQ spot is only open 3 days a week you know 2 things right off the bat. 1. The pit masters are serious about making competition style BBQ. 2. You're going to be eating competition style BBQ. read more

I was hoping this place would be better but I can only give it three stars. The brisket was a little dry the ribs were tough and my fries were cold. The atmosphere is great and if you have a large group it's a great place. Not sure I will go back though. read more

I picked up a couple orders of smoked meat to go and the brisket was overdone and dry. Half of the ribs were overdone and dry also. This is the second time this has happened to me at the Smoking Pig. Interestingly when I stay and eat in the restaurant the food is perfect. I am going to try Fork Grove BBQ this weekend. Very disappointed with Smoking Pigs performance. FYI if the meat is overcooked, learn from your mistake and throw in in the garbage. The extremely high price you charge demands the food be right. You should know that, and you may have lost a customer. Foolish. read more

Although I only live about a mile and a half from this restaurant this is only the second time I have eaten here. I'm originally from Memphis and we take our barbecue pretty serious there. On this trip I ordered the combination pork and brisket plate with french fries and baked beans. The pork was tender but contained quite a bit of fat. The brisket was much better. Very tender and very flavorful. I would give their brisket a 10 out of 10. The baked beans were good but the french fries were probably frozen. All in all the food was good and the service was very good. All of the servers seem very friendly and timely. It's a decent barbecue restaurant but it is definitely not Memphis. read more

Oooooooo. I found this place on a bbq list and I'm in love. They are the definition of hole in the wall! The desserts are amazing but you gotta try that Carolina mustard bbq sauce!!! read more

Pretty good for the area. The brisket was decent & so were the ribs. The pulled pork & brunswick stew was the best on my plate. Its close to Clemson and the college kids flock to this place causing long waits. So dont go if you're in a hurry but do go. read more

The Smokin Pig - Ribs, brisket & pork combo - Barbeque Near Me - Pendleton, South Carolina

If you like bbq you need to stop by here sometime. Well worth the wait! I got their pulled bbq pork with sweet potato fries and honey on top along with warm cornbread. Everything was delicious! For sure will be back again soon. read more

As good as Q gets. From the brisket to the pulled pork to the chicken they nail it. Pork ribs very good if sometimes fall off the bone too easily. Excellent flavor. Brunswick stew just flat awesome as is the sweet potato crunch. How lucky am I to get here twice on this trip. Delightfully friendly warm service. Cannot miss when I am within 30 miles or so. read more

The absolute best barbecue and southern eating you will find on a Clemson game-day in The upstate, or any day really. Their rolls, baked beans, jalapeño cheddar grits, all of it is so good. You can't go wrong. read more