Grayson’s Barbeque

If you know your BBQ then you’ll appreciate Grayson’s! This is Real Wood Pit BBQ that is cooked by a real pit master, not the so called bbq that was cooked in a kitchen oven with liquid smoke and maybe a few wood pellets to be called fake bbq.

Most tender, generous ham sandwich I’ve ever had. I was an idiot for leaving without a whole smoked ham for $ 99.
Nick in Palm Springs

Love this family owned restaurant! Best Bar BQ in town and nearby Natchitoches! A landmark, that you absolutely must try!

I’m a third generation customer, my grandparents took my dad there and now I take my kids there as 4^th generation customers. If you want bbq this place is great! The homemade buns are amazing, the sauce is perfection, the potato salad is unrivaled, the meat plate is so delish! The only thing you need to remember is it is a bbq place so don’t expect the Ritz, and bbq is slow cooked so sometimes it takes a minute to get a server, but it is totally worth any wait you have and if you ever need a holiday ham this is the place to order from, just don’t wait till the last minute, because they are busy from October to December mailing hams all over the world!

Look, read the other reviews. Notice how this place gets more reviews than anywhere else in the area? Notice they’re overwhelmingly positive? That’s because this is among the best barbecue places in central and northern Louisiana, if not statewide.
It’s worth the trip, and don’t forget to try their ginger cookies.

The absolute best hams ever. I drive 5hrs round trip to pick up hams! Talk about yum! Order yours in advance!

Don’t see the hoopla. The meat is properly smoked, menu simple, prices fair. If you like sauce, don’t get your hopes up. It’s sweet and otherwise flavor less. Don’t let this stop you if you like BBQ. Bön appetit.

I’m not sure what all the hype is about this place. Limited menu, meat is dried, and only mediocre sides. Gave one star due to on special occasions they make cookies which are awesome. This is in a small town with only small towns around without eat out options and I guess this is the only bar b que people know because for the life if me I don’t know why it gets high marks.

First ate at Grayson’s in 1966 on a family trip to Texas, and the meal was so good that it literally became part of family lore. I have been back 2x in the last 6 months, and it is still good, and I swear that it seems like a Twilight Zone episode that the main section looks so similar. feels like if I had left a pair of sunglasses on a table in ’66, they might still be there.
And let me tell you that it’s not just about the BBQ flavor. the local flavor just envelopes you when there is a crowd, so that Grayson’s is also a cultural experience.
Now, they don’t try very hard to impress, although the service is fine. it’s about the meat (and home made buns). And unlike in ’66, the Interstate has taken most of the north-​south traffic, so that the drive up/​down Hwy 71 is also an experience. Maybe not a bucket list place, but if you’re in the neighborhood. ..

To die and go to BBQ heaven is to go to Grayson’s. I have been coming here, since I was knee high to a grasshopper. The décor is the same, the service is the same and the food is the same. This is the type of place that you would drive right by and never think twice about it. However, the food here is probably one of my all-​time ‘holy mother of God’ kinda places. I LOVE IT. If you happen to be in Natchitoches, stop by and say hello and put your card on the wall next to all of the celebrities that have graces this hole hole in wall.

Very simple down home BBQ restaurant, but in a good way. BBQ is vinegar based and great if you are a fan of that style. Potato salad is wonderful, a really unique taste. If getting a sandwich I recommend getting it on a homemade bun, the texture of it works well with the meat. Price is about average of what you would expect to find for BBQ. Overall a great place to try.

We visited Grayson’s in August 2013 and loved it. It is a unique Southern BBQ experience. The servers were very friendly and helpful. Nothing fancy here, but the food was great, especially the ribs and potato salad and gingerbread bars for dessert. Even if the BBQ is not quite to your taste, you’ll love this place. Apparently the locals do too, since it was pretty busy at lunch time. If you’re in the area, don’t miss it.

Started eating BBQ at Grayson’s while at NSU in the early 60’s at their old place little out of Clarence on the Winnfield Hwy. Only son and Dad then plus about 2 kitchen helpers. Walked through shot gun house to back and sat at a bench table. BBQ goodness has not changed. Dad has long passed son turned over business to his sons. Man I feel old!

I really wanted to like this place. Sad to say it was a real disappointment. I had the mixed plate, which consisted of 1 overcooked rib, tasteless ham bits, and something else I could not identify. All this was slathered in a sauce that was way to vinegary. At least the potato salad was good,
This may have just been an off day for this place. But it wont be my first choice on a return trip.

The best! I love this place! Been coming here since 2005! This is a must stop for me, either on my way to Red River Parish or beyond (usually Saint Francisville and Lake Rosemound!)…Hit this place on Good Friday evening at 7pm, starving and thrilled to see they were keeping regular Friday night hours (open til 8pm!) I got the rib plate this time and it was delicious! I devoured everything, even ordering extra beans and potato salad! I chased it all with an ice cold RC Cola from the fridge (serve yourself!) My wife loves this place, and our bebe, it was her first visit and she loved it as well! And you shoulda seen all of the lovely pre-​ordered Easter hams they had setting out waiting to be picked up… just as decadent and divine as you can imagine!

Call ahead for a smoked ham, about $ 60, very worth it
Get the pig plate, pulled pork, ham, and ribs. Great potato salad. Best restaurant in the parish

Grayson’s lived up to its long deserved reputation for us. We tried the ribs, and they are some of the smokiest, best tasting we have ever had. Sauce was good but unnecessary. Sides were good but not outstanding. I wish I lived near this place I would be a regular!

Grayson’s Barbecue transports you back to the 1950s with its quaint, hole in the wall style located in the Village of Clarence, one of many outskirt towns in Natchitoches Parish, LA.
Grayson’s menu features a variety of delicious, slow cooked meats and a favorite has to be their barbecue sandwiches. You cannot order the sandwich without including the homemade buns they offer. I like the chip sandwich which includes their deliciously tender chipped and shredded barbecue beef. The sandwich runs about 3.69 (tax included) for a heap of beef on a planet-​sized bun.
The service is speedy and hospitable so with that being said, I don’t see a reason why you aren’t hopping in your car and making your way to Grayson’s!

I was taken here by some lifetime locals; I can’t say I would have picked it from the outside look, and I might have turned around and ran once I entered the place, except for the great BBQ aroma.
This place defines hole-​in-​the-​wall, because they literally pass the meats from the cooker outside through a hole in the wall in the kitchen. Oh, that and the door to the men’s room had a hole the size of a baseball through it where a previous lock was located.
Service was friendly and quick. They only have canned soft-​drinks (and no liquor) AND NO ICED TEA! How hard is it to brew tea?!? I almost took a star off except the BBQ really is that good.
This place does a booming take out business. In fact, all of the meats are sold by the pound with separate sides — there are no «plates» or combo meals.
I followed the lead of one of our local friends and ordered a ham sandwich on a homemade bun. You MUST try a homemade bun — I do not know why they even have an option for a regular bun (except that it is cheaper).
I also tried beans and potato salad … In the same bowl! It’s basically like the half and half soup idea and was quite tasty.
Overall, I am giving this place a great review because of uniqueness and the food. One last point, they have no BBQ sauce on the table. When my coworker was served his beef sandwich, he looked around for sauce and decided to try it without. There is no need for sauce because the meet is so moist and flavorful. I hope that We will definitely cater a meal from this place someday!

My favorite barbeque in the world!
I moved away from central Louisiana about 5 years ago, and this is one of the only things I crave when I go back home! Honestly, this is most amazing barbeque ever. If you’re in Clarence, then you must either be a local or somebody just passing through. Nobody just goes to Clarence! (Well, I do… just for Grayson’s!)
Grayson’s is a little hole-​in-​the-​wall that’s off the beaten track. As soon as you walk in, you immediately smell goodness — I like to call it heaven. This place is seriously no-​frills, and I like it that way. I think the best way to finish my review is to give advice:
* Call before you go. I think they’re closed on Mondays.
* The smoked ham is amazing.
* Get a homemade bun — so yeasty and delicious!
* Get some extra sauce — it’s the best I’ve ever had!
* You will get a can drink — no exceptions. Just got with it.
* Get there early on Sundays because the after-​church crowd is killer.
* Get a piece of pecan pie.
* The chocolate cookies are delicious and not too sweet.
* You can buy whole smoked turkeys and hams for the holidays!