BBQ in the York County SC Charlotte area

[SCRich]

Hey all new to the forum and kind of new to the area but I am a hardcore addict and looking for new places for my fix which is kind of getting tough to do now with the cost of fuel. Here are my picks for BBQ in the York County area and a bit beyond. I would like to hear from other like minded individuals. Also by any chance does anyone know of BQ Chapter meetings in the area? Meeting with others that have the same addiction sometimes help. Heck, there are clubs and meetings for everything else under the sun why not BBQ ???

Courtney's BBQ in Clover SC- Good BBQ, reasonable portions and open limited hours between Wed and Sunday. I would call ahead of time before going there since the hours can change. Their chopped Pig is good and the brisket is OK but if you are going to order brisket to to Texas, this is the south, order pig! The brisket tastes a lot like pot roast and don't get me wrong it is good but it's not BBQ like I see it here.

Burke's BBQ in Rock Hill SC- a good pulled/chopped pork, fine meal and PLENTY OF SMOKE all in a strip mall of all places.

Slo' Smoking in the Newport section of Rock Hill- Intersection of 901 and 161. The place has character, it's an old 3 floor white home from probably the late 1800's. Business is light for them but most of what they do is Catering. Their chopped pork is good, I think their hash is great and their lunch buffet is a steal. Only open for a few hours Thurs/Friday/Saturday I believe from 11-2:00. Tough to spot now even though it's on the main road, it is in front of the new Wallmart Super Store Construction Site and often blocked by trucks larger than the 3 story home itself!! The people that work there are the most friendly bunch you can ever meet. I would say give them a shot now, business is seasonal and I have no idea how they are going to survive this super center build. The construction workers may make them a 6 day a week operation for the next few years or maybe they will never return after their winter break.

Hog Heaven Rock Hill Cherry Road- Chopped pork, more like chunk pork and reminded me of dog food when I looked at it. Not my style of BBQ, I ate it and it was a meal but this place is more of a bar than a BBQ joint and the quality of the BBQ was not enough to make me return.

If you made it this far in my review then you should be one of the select few to know what it must taste like eating in Heaven.

PETE's BBQ ROCK HILL SC- It is probably the best BBQ I have tasted in either Carolina to my taste. No war here, I love all BBQ just like I love ALL WOMEN but Pete's is close to my heart just like my wife.

Pete's is kind of like a poorly kept secret, you never hear about it but all the locals know. Pete operates out of his home on India Hook Rd North of Celanese Hwy 161. You make a Right on India Hook at the Harris Teeter if you were coming from I-77 Fort Mill and Charlotte and yes it is worth the drive from either of those two places. Pete is ONLY OPEN DURING HOLIDAY WEEKENDS FROM ABOUT 7:30AM TILL' THE FAT LADY SANG. I have arrived at 7am and got on line, no one risks missing out. Friday, Saturday and Monday on holidays' like Labor Day, Memorial Day, President's Day, 4th of July, I believe also President's Day and Flag day and possibly Thanksgiving.

You will know you are getting close when you see county road signs warning you of road congestion ahead or local law enforcement doing traffic control. Sometimes high school kids will run up to your window and take your order, this is by the pound only people, just to make things move quicker by the time you pull up and put it in park in front of the place. He operates from a brick building along side of his house in this residential community and will often have a sign up a few weeks ahead of time warning you that he will be open on a weekend right in front of his house.

Pete sells' true Pulled Pork with some red sauce, Sliced pork with no sauce for those who rather have it and those who are Diabetic and still want to enjoy the hog. Sauce is GREAT and you can buy it bottled, or by the quart. He has slaw (I believe both white and red), beans and bulk buns for sale stacked higher than you and I. Rumor has it that Pete has decided to do ribs this year, maybe on the 4th of July we will get to try them finally, he has been taking a couple of years to make it worth while. When a holiday comes around we usually will purchase about $100 worth of pulled, $10 worth of sliced, a few bottles of sauce and then break it apart in 1lb portions when we get home. Using a vacum sealer we seal it up and keep 1lb for the day, 1lb for the week then ration ourselves till' the next holiday using the remainder of the stash, it's that good. Freeze it or you will eat it all before the week is out! He has been doing this for over 60 years I believe..need I say more.

Other places that I like in the area is Bubba's in NW Charlotte off I-77 on Sunset Road I believe but it has been about 3 years since I have been there.

Joe's Beach Shack off of I-85 in Gaffney SC- It's a kind of odd place, not your typical smoke filled BBQ joint, more like a grill/bar franchise you would find at a stip mall but the BBQ was really good. I belive it is exit 98 or 99 and a good place to stop if you are in the area.

Briges BBQ in Shelby NC- This place is a classic right on Hwy 74 across from the Cleveland Mall and sworn by the locals. Personally I did not like the sauce, the meat is great and the smoke is great but I'd pass on the sauce. It's a heavy brown sweet sauce with a lot of cider vinegar, the mix did not do it for me almost gagged, that is a first for me and BBQ. Pass on the sauce and the smoked meat will do just fine.

Allison Bridges BBQ in DOWNTOWN Shelby- I thought it was the same place but TOTALLY DIFFERENT. Don't know the street but this one is in town not next to the mall. This is good NC BBQ and worth a trip, not a long trip but I'd travel about 40 miles for it.

Hillbillies BBQ in Gastonia SC- It's OK, personally I did not like the pulled but my wife liked their ribs, I tasted them and they were good but for me BBQ starts with the chopped or pulled pig. If you got that down pat then show me what else you got, otherwise don't waste your time.

Lexington BBQ- Well.. they don't call it the grandaddy of them all for nothing. Not quite local to me but it's a place where I would make a trip once or twice a year from South Carolina to visit. It was my first taste of the spicy vinegar based sauce with a HINT of red in it and my first taste of Lexington Slaw and I will never forget it. I have ate at the Salt Lick in Austin, Rudy's in Waco and San Antonio, various GA and SC joint's but out of all the chopped pork places the Lexington BBQ (up on the hill next to the highway) was the best.

Troutman's BBQ in Concord NC- This place has been here since dawn and it shows it. Old, bit run down but everyone knows each other and the chopped pork is good, so is the sauce and hush puppies. Every time we head to Bass Pro at the Concord Mall a trip further north into town is in order for their Q.

Hickory House Charlotte NC on Hwy-29 Tryon Blvd. This is a Right off of WT Harris when coming from I-85. The place has been there for a long time and the Q is OK. Somewhat expensive for the portions you get but the waitresses are usually very cordial and quick. For the city I guess I can't ask for much. I ate there several times while I lived in a hotel up the street for a couple of months when relocating to the area and had no family or friends to visit. If you are in the area it's worth stopping by but I would not drive from far. Also be warrned that it is not the best area in the world, after dark I would in no way risk parking my truck in the area for a meal there. Belive me, my hotel was gunshot hearing distance away from there, luckly I was not broken into but we had security and then again it wa a company truck, not mine.

RON's BBQ- Trailer that covers the Rock Hill /Tega Cay/Fort Mill/Clover area 4-5 Days a week at various locations. GREAT PULLED PORK WICHES and great puppies. I love their sauce, just the right ammount of heat. If you see the trailer pull over and check them out.

RO's BBQ- Gastonia location and a few trailers- I mention it but I will not waste my time writing about it. The only BBQ I can say I would never try again even if GIVEN TO ME FOR FREE. That's as bad as having a sex addict passing up an offer from the opposite sex for me!!

Anyone else have some local places ? Any top secret locations ? I have heard that there is someone in RR 211 in Sharon just up the road from me who will sell BBQ wiches on some weekends when he has the hankering. Only take out from a walk up window but I never drive towards that side of town so I never know. Has anyone else heard of them?

Rich

[wnkt]

Howdy neighbor! I work in Rock Hill and live outside of York!!

I dont know of any BBQ clubs around here, if you find any let me know....maybe we should start one.

There just opened a Maurice's BBQ out by the Mall in Rock Hill...yes Maurice's from Columbia...only has his mustard based sauce in the place. It still tastes pretty good, actually has some smoke flavor too.
I have only had the chopped pork and the brisket plates so far.

I like Burk's BBQ's ribs and their mustard sauce...their regular sauce tastes too much like a bowl of chili.
_________________
Electricity can be dangerous. My nephew tried to stick a penny into a plug. Whoever said a penny doesn't go far didn't see him shoot across that floor. I told him he was grounded. - Tim Allen

[SCRich]

What do you know of that joint in York, I forget the name but the place that always seems to be closed? Carolina Pig or something like that down the street from Whiteside Cleaners.

They had a sign up a few weeks ago new management and new hours, I saw cars in the place for a few days then it seemed to go back to apparently abandoned again.

I work on the road and York is not my region so maybe they are only open for Breakfast and Lunch ? We need a place over here that is different than bar food and not a fast food joint. I have tried the whole menu at the Sharon Grill and the Coal Yard is a bit boring, more of a drinking establishment and I don't do very much of that anymore.

Courtney's is good but it is a bit of a drive to go there regularly considering the price of gas now, kid's bedtimes, and coming home from work it's more of a Friday or Saturday kind of a place.

[wnkt]

The place down from Whitesides is Pork-n-More...nothing BBQ related.
reasonably good southern cooking....they have a buffet and a drink for $8
and they have a menu, although Ive never eaten from the menu. They are open nearly everyday as far as I know. It is now owned by a very friendly Korean( I think ) couple but the food hasn't changed.

Ive heard about Courtneys but Ive never been there...Clover is a tad far for me to go to eat and it not be on the way to work.
_________________
Electricity can be dangerous. My nephew tried to stick a penny into a plug. Whoever said a penny doesn't go far didn't see him shoot across that floor. I told him he was grounded. - Tim Allen

[SCRich]

Well I agree, it is not a place to go often but it is not that far away either and a must try, I would say it beat's any BBQ in the area other than Pete's. I can't count Pete since he only opens on holidays and is grab and go, usually a few dozen people in line when he is open.

I drive all day long for work so I usually lock myself at home once I do get home and on weekends with the occasional Lowes visit or visit to the Sharon Grill on Sunday mornings.

Courtney is open Wed-Sat Nights, and Sunday afternoons probably a 20 or so minute drive. Just shoot up 321 into Clover and make a Right on 55, maybe 2-3 miles down on 55 on the Left just past the Food Lion. I would say hands down better than Burke's and at least the Columbia Maurice's that I tried. Weekly visits no.. but at least a few times a year, if it were in town I'd probably be a weekly customer.

[mhoodnc]

Nice review....

Places to add to your list

521 BBQ in Indian Land.

Spoons on S. Blvd in Charlotte, also Macs Speed shop closer to uptown

EBs and Rock Store?(may be slightly off on Name) near Matthews

I recently went to a place called Little Pigs in Columbia, walked away 10 lbs heavier, mainly on sides though, its a buffet.

[SCRich]

521 BBQ in Indianland ? I have seen it while driving between Pineville and Kershaw, I do that trip a few times a week but only a few times during Lunch hour.

How good is it ? I did see a lot of cars in the parking lot the couple of times I was near there at lunch.

I usually do not stop for lunch during the day I work from 8:30 right through and work my way home at about 4:30 or 5 instead and just munch on a few granola bars while I drive. If the BBQ is that good I'll have to stop by and actually take a lunch break.

I never heard of Spoons or Mac's in Charlotte. I work in the area but JUST OUTSIDE of town, I cut it off at Westinghouse Blvd. I had heard of a place which is a really old drive in I think on Wilkinson Blvd, maybe Kings ? Saw it on Food Network but I have never bothered tracking it down.

[mhoodnc]

521 worth a stop for sure, closest one to Ft. Mill.
Macs and Spoons are very sucessful. If your in Charlotte try them, Spoons is lunch hours only I think, pork only. Macs is more of a bar oriented place with more than pork.
BBQ King is a park and serve place misnamed in my humble opinion, never had q, I thought I'd like other stuff better (burgers). It's a Greek owned place, not dissing Greeks, they do good food especially mom and pops, just not known for bbq.

I thought Lexington was just OK so my taste buds are weird. I got no bark in my serving though, didn't know at the time you had to request.

[lantern]

You guys talking about Mac's Speedshop?

I've been there before. Pretty good burger joint. Didn't even think to get BBQ! The fried pickles were good though.

[SCRich]

Humm.. I think I saw Mac's on the food network a few weeks ago. Looked like more of a biker bar than anything, nothing wrong with that in my other life I spent all of my free time in places like that. I rarely go into that area but I'll have to try someday.

[mhoodnc]

Mac's is on South Blvd, and is a biker place. Was featured on one of the Monday night panther games on ABC or was it Fox. I've had the brisket in a remote location, wasn't great, but I wouldn't judge on that. Lots of folks swear by it. I know it gets real busy at lunch. A friends dad provided recipes for alot of the sides,I'm still not sold.

If your up here one day send me an email and well check it out. Latern too.... I'll bring my alli.

Mike