Melvin’s Barbecue

I’m sad to say that the last 2 times I’ve ordered a Big Joe it has not lived up to my expectations. It was dry & little if any sauce on it. I usually wouldn’t make a big deal about a bbq sandwich but when you shell out over $ 9.00 for a sandwich it needs to be right. Its a heart breaker & I hope this is just a temperary set back & not the new Melvins. James Island has a lot of wonderful $ 9.00 sandwiches. The Big Joe is no longer one of them.

Really like this place and it’s better than Bessingers or Maurice’s. Fantastic bbq sauce, I even mailed some to our families out west. Also, be sure to try their burgers. My husband always went for the burger when I got the bbq. Little Joe is actually quite large and I never had a side I didn’t like.

I have passed this place many times on my way to Folly Beach, and wanted to try it. Tonight I did. Being from Chicago and having had many wonderful BBQ briskets. I really, I really expect something special when I’m in the south. This experience was anything but special, and I have no idea how this place has such high ratings. The brisket was 75% fat, I threw most of it out, cause there was no meat, just fat. I did really LOVE the sauce, tasted like it was mustard based, and it was very good. The Mac n Cheese was tasteless and salty. To top it all off, I paid $ 21 for brisket that I had to throw out. I won’t be going back. :(

I’m in love with great BBQ. I had a pulled pork sandwich and some sliced brisket. Just the right of Mount of smoke flavor. The brisket was a tad fatty but still very very good. The only reason why did not give it five stars is because I think the sauce needed to be a little spicier. I will return.

Great Q turkey brisket spot on
Pork is perfection
Okra great side
Worth the stop
Perfect southern q

Just want to pass that our visit, about 2 o’clock, was not a good food experience. I ordered two meat plate with pulled pork, briscut, mac n cheese, and H&R. The pulled pork was very dry with an inordinate amount of grease. The briscut was loaded with fat (over half of the serving). Mac n cheese was comforting. There are other barbecue joints that, hands down, provide a better experience.
Please note that the onions, my bride ordered, are apparently a trade mark as they serve two due to their size. However, never expérienced onion rings that resembled a donut with an over amount of batter for such a thinly sliced onion. Rarely say anything about resteraunts, but for thé price, it wasn’t worth it.

Officially the best BBQ I’ve ever had! I typically like BBQ sauce on my ribs but, good God was Melvin rib rub AWESOME! Not to mention how tender the ribs were. Great baked beans, macaroni and cheese and sweet potato soufflé‘# if I didn’t live 11 hours away Melvin would be my new hot spot! YUMMY!

I know this is a BBQ place, but when it comes to drive through cheeseburgers, this is my favorite place to go. It’s great, consistent and I like the steak fries. I always give away the onion ring. I’ll sometimes go inside and get it to go, so that I can take advantage of the pepper bar. I like the Giardineros (most likely misspelled) — I’ll eat those while I wait.
Also try their banana pudding — always a crowd pleaser with my kids.

The barbeque is really good and the Bessinger’s name is a staple in the Charleston area. You must get an onion ring! Or two! Great sweet tea, and a complimentary pickle and pepper condiment bar.
This location has nice wooden booths and a small side room if you have kids or need a little privacy. Parking lot is narrow and there is no throughway so it can get tricky when multiple cars are trying to navigate. There is overflow parking in the main parking lot for the shopping centre, but be careful walking because cars can’t see very well on the curve.
For a nice fast food restaurant, the prices have always been a little higher but it has been worth it. Today, I got my Lil Joe BBQ basket with tea and the bill was almost $ 15. Way too high for lunch. I’ll rethink this in the future and may patronize here less often. I hate it, but this has almost out-​priced my loyalty.

Atmosphere: Very clean and casual. Way too many kids though — the whole time we were there a little girl kept screaming «yummy yummy in my tummy» there was only one bathroom and it was occupied for about 15 minutes — yuck!
Service: Good customer service — not quite exceptional. My husband’s burger had mayo on it when he had specifically requested not to have it.
Food: Hamburger was good, but tasted a lot like McDonald’s. Ribs were spectacular! Sauce was top notch as well! Vanilla milk shake wad superior. Mac n cheese and French fries were just OK! And onion rings… you mean a large Donut with an onion inside???

I had the beef brisket plate. Initial reaction: wow, $ 16 for this! And it’s served like a fast food style restaurant. The meat had plenty of artery clogging fat on it but it was super tender and tasty. The onion rings are uniquely prepared and delightful. The sweet potato mash is good. Having to eat with plastic silverware SUCKS! It’s super flimsy. I can only give this place three stars because of the price for the type of service. And granted it’s pushing a hundred degree outside today but it was unpleasantly warm inside the restaurant.

We have t been here in awhile since I don’t work in JI anymore.
I’ve missed their BBQ and burgers.
I got the Cheeseburger basket with always seems to fill me up. And that onion ring… OMG! One is all you need to fill up in.
The place is usually crowded for lunch but we got here a little late and had no trouble getting seats.
The staff is amazing. They always give the family run business feel which makes it difficult to know who’s related and who isn’t.
Help yourself to some peppers and pickles while you wait.

As a fan of South Carolina sweet mustard style barbeque, Melvin’s definitely gets my vote as a fantastic place to grab lunch or dinner. I really like their pulled pork BBQ, their sweet potato soufflé, and their rice & hash. Their cornbread is also delicious. I feel like their prices are ok although a little more than I’d like at about $ 14 for what I described. All in all, I definitely recommend them for anyone wanting some South Carolina style BBQ.

I LOVE THIS PLACE! I usually get a pulled chicken sandwich or a hotdog and I am never disappointed. The drive thru is weird and sometimes you are blocking traffic in the pakring lot. This Melvins drive thru is very fast and friendly. It is perfect for a quick meal that will fill you up the rest of the day!

They always cut you short on the sides. I don’t write many reviews but after determining that this is consistent I decided to write one. Food is good. Will comeback. They are just slack on their sides.

There’s a lot of BBQ in the Carolinas. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of average BBQ. Melvin’s isn’t average. While I haven’t been to every BBQ spot in the Charleston area, we’ve been to many and have yet to find a spot that competes with Melvin’s. Sure Sticky’s Fingers and Jim N Nicks are solid, but Melvin’s is on another level, delivering home cooked BBQ that tastes great on a consistent basis and at a fair price.
I’ve read the review from a few haters on here complaining about expensive meals and baiting readers to visit other places, instead. Let’s be real, folks. Duke’s BBQ down the street is like going to a Golden Corral. There’s no comparison when it comes to fresh, quality sides and quality meet. Melvin’s is — and should be — a destination for tourists coming to Charleston, those headed to Folly Beach and locals. They’ve done a heck of a job here. And, who could complain about the price. They pile on enough food that you’ll need a doggy bag. If you can finish it you eat like a horse!
Good BBQ is good even without sauce. Meanwhile, Melvin’s sauces are so good, you’ll want to grab a bottle of each and taste them all. Good luck choosing a favorite. They are all excellent, but the Golden Secret, their version of a mustard base sauce is on another level. The Red and Hickory are top-​notch, too. In fact, you’ll likely find yourself using them all and dipping. I’m not from Carolina, but have visited more than 250 BBQ restaurants in the country (probably more) and their sauces stand out. LAst time I was here I ordered 7 bottles of each flavor and the rubs to send back to my friends in California (where I’m from) because it’s just that good, and all of them agreed.
Melvin’s isn’t a pretty, fancy, BBQ spot. It’s a walk to the counter, place your order, fill your cup with sweet tea and wait kind of a place. It’s laid back, perfect for a bunch of rowdy kids, grandma and grandpa eating together or a family dinner. There’s a place for everyone here, and something on the menu for everyone, too.
Take the chicken, for example. Before coming to Melvin’s I hadn’t eaten chicken on the bone in more than a decade (a weird habit I picked up from an ex girlfriend). Meanwhile, one bite of Melvin’s tasty chicken brought me back to life. I ate the entire chicken and practically the bones, it was so good! The same can be said for the ribs, pulled pork, turkey, etc. Surprisingly, even their hamburgers are good.
Honestly, their sides is one of the things that kept us coming back. While some on here complain they are average, where else can you go and be able to choose from such a wide variety of sides, rather than your typical cole slaw, potato salad, french fries and macaroni salad? You can’t. Melvin’s brings sides to a new level offering sweet cornbread, lima beans, okra, sweet potato casserole, mac and cheese, etc.
There’s no drawbacks to coming here. Whomever Melvin is (and if he’s still alive) deserves to be praised and this place should be the talk of the town. It is in our book.

My first taste of SC style mustard BBQ sauce. I liked it so much I purchased a bottle on my way out and went back a second time that week with family. The restaurant was very clean. The staff were helpful and pleasant. The quality of the food was excellent. The onion rings are a cross between a donut and a fritter. Enormous! The ribs needed no additional sauce. They were succulent and smoky. The fried okra was crisp without be greasy. I liked the corn beard though a member of the family prefers the old school, unsweetened version. Mac and cheese was very good too. Last but not least, the pulled pork and pulled chicken were both outstanding. I will definitely return next time I’m in Charleston.

Quick, Fresh, Tasty. The Gold Mustard Based BBQ sauce rules. There is a bar full of pickled veggies and such. You can load up on that waiting for your order.

Really like this place. My daughter used to workhere when she was in high school, which meant I got free food! Love the littel Joe basket. Not really a fan of the giant onion ring, but I do like the fries! Burgers are great too as well as the mac and cheese. I do believe a person should have the yellow sauces on everything! Just sayin. There is a battle in my BBQ soul between Melvins and Dukes down the street. Not sure which one will win but I will keep eating!

Melvin’s is D-​licious! I always go for the grilled chicken sandwich with all the fixin’s –add bacon & chz– but their bbq is some of the best around! The baskets come with ton of fries, the big steak fries. Their onion rings are super yummy too. And their sweet tea… well you’ll just have to trust me and see for yourself!
The staff is always nice and smiling, and the restaurant is always clean. Don’t get thrown off by the prices, it’s totally worth it both quality and quantity!