Sardi’s Den

Very good food, local spot, not the nicest atmosphere, worn tables and chairs, but the food is extremely good.
Beer selections terrible, but at least they serve it in frosted mugs.
The ribs just melt off the bone and are very good. The pulled pork is cooked very well. Their homemade red sauce for all their barbecue is very unique and I would recommend Sardis to anyone.

This is a must have anytime I am in town. It gets crazy busy on game weekends so I recommend calling ahead and making a reservation. Staff is always friendly and the place is decked out in Clemson decorations. It’s definitely a locals treat :)
They have different specials up on the board each day or you can order from the menu. My husband usually gets a burger (which he always enjoys), but I’m in love with the ribs. They are fall off the bone and melt in your mouth. I’ve yet to find ribs this good.

Really suprised to see the bad reviews. I’m guessing one might be a disgruntled ex-​employee.
Sardi’s Den is a hidden gem in Clemson. Ok, it’s a bit of a dive. It’s the back half of a shack that has been there forever. BBQ pork is good. Smoked chicken is some of the best smoked chicken I’ve had. Ribs were OK, but I’m not a fan of «wet ribs» or baby backs. That’s a personal preference, others love them. The bean salad is amazing.
Tuesday, they have rib meat over rice special w/​two sides at lunch. Good meal and an absolutely insane amount of food.

Walk in and 5 tables need to be cleaned! BBQ sandwich came with a crappy bun. I would not have served them to anyone. «Dirty Chips» are just that and nothing home made. Beer is good. Service was good & friendly. Get the ribs if you come here. That is the specialty & I’ve had them before. They are very good.

We liked our visit so much last Friday that we returned again for lunch on Monday! We received the same great, friendly, prompt service along with exceptionally good food. This is such a gem of a place that I expect to become regular patrons of this restaurant. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a great meal in a fun and comfortable environment.

First off, biggest surprise in Clemson. Great bbq and great service. So don’t listen to all the bad reviews about this place.
I would suggest going with the specialty platters. Such a great deal with the two sides that come with it.
Also, great tailgate menu as well. I will definitely go back for some ribs and bbq pork.

We were almost robbed of a really, truly great experience because of some of the negative Unilocal reviews.
First of all, this is a very lovable hole-​in-​the-​wall that has obviously made history for itself because of its popularity with the locals. It’s a wooden shack connected to a totally different restaurant, and when we asked about it the waitstaff made jokes and complimented them.
Speaking of waitstaff, you get the classic southern treatment her– ALL of the staff are super happy, and even some of the cooks in the back come out to see the regulars who come in. It was a fun and friendly atmosphere that I have never really experienced before, growing up in the north. I sat next to a HILARIOUS older man at the bar who was probably a regular and was throwing obscenities left and right about who knows what. It was actually really entertaining!
We were also surprised when we first walked in and was asked «do you have reservations?» Unbeknownst to us, we walked in on All-​you-​can-​eat crab Tuesday, and they were PACKED. We NEVER expected to be asked that question at this type of Local hub, but it speaks volumes.
After we finally sat down (only seats were at the bar), my dad and I shared a pork plate (with a side of broccoli and coleslaw) as well as a fried zucchini app.
The zucchini came out basically right after we finished our order, hot and delicious. Not soon after, even though the place was packed, our meat came out.
I know I said in an earlier review about SC pork that it would be hard to beat, but this place did it– really tender meat slathered with «gold sauce”(mustard base). It was so good that I tried to savor every bite.
We left with smiles on our face– we were treated like we were meant to be there, and the food was so memorable. I might just have to go to Clemson university JUST so I can go here every day!

Sardi’s isn’t worth it if you’re not a local. The staff is very attentive and helpful. However the food and ambiance are a let down. It’s definitely a local dive and the barbecue does not satisfy unless you’re very drunk (and there are definitely some people who’ve had too much to drink here, be careful in the parking lot!). The ribs fall off the bone but have no real flavor until smothered with mediocre barbecue sauce. The same goes for the pulled pork. Salad? Edible. Sweet tea was mighty fine though! There are better options in town.

Meh. It was food, it was edible, the staff was friendly. And that’s about it for me.
It certainly was not the best BBQ, or food in general. The ribs were ok but then slathered with (what tasted like store-​bought) BBQ sauce. The pulled pork was subpar, dry, and again, slathered in sauce.
The food seemed like it would have been just as good (or bad) from Applebee’s or Chili’s.
The locals love this place, and maybe for the interesting décor… Eclectic?
Also, why is there no mention of menu on Unilocal?They do have a website with all their offerings… Would be nice to include that on here.

Great lunch menu. Always delicious. Mike and Irv always make us feel welcome. The food quality is consistent with enough variety to accommodate most people. Thanks Sardi’s Den! We will be back again.

The ribs are the best anywhere.
The atmosphere lacks a bit. I think I actually liked it better before the remodel when it just looked homey instead of with all the Clemson stuff. Not everyone who lives in this area lives and dies with Clemson and it just makes a place look hokey instead of homey. Like you are trying too hard to cater to local yokals.

Excellent ribs…
Cole slaw so-​so
Fair prices for a good amount of food.

Yum yum! This was my first time to Sardi’s — definitely a local dive! I had fried pickles for the first time and YUM! Not too many vegetarian options but my blue cheese wedge salad minus the bacon was tasty. And did I mention the fried pickles?

Ate lunch at Sardi’s (10-​22-​2012), WOW! Renee received a HUGE portion of pulled pork BBQ and I had a Wonderful rack of ribs. The meat fell off of the ribs and I had two great sauces to dip the meat, gold & red.
I recommend Sardi’s HIGHLY!
Go Tigers!

Food wasn’t great. Fried shrimp was old and over cooked. Rolls were dry. Service was good. The waitress was prompt and kept our drinks full.

Best ribs on Earth??? Ribs are incredible. The place is the epitome of a college dive. but the ribs are amazing. You might see a mouse, you’ll probably stick to your seat… but you can’t get better ribs anywhere in America.

This place looks like a broken-​down shack from a horror movie. OK, that may be a little much but I definitely thought twice before walking in the door. Sardi’s Den is the quintessential dive joint. I sat at the bar and asked the bartender what their specialty was, and luckily she recommended the ribs. These were seriously the best ribs that I’ve ever had!!! The special of the night was a half-​rack of ribs, 6 grilled shrimp, a baked potato and a house salad… for $ 12.99. What a deal. They have a decent beer selection as well. If you’re ever in Clemson and you want some local flair, then check this place out. Beware… there is a lot of orange in there.

Their ribs are incredible. Let me repeat: their ribs are quite amazing. Comes right off the bone, the perfect amount of sauce, and the sauce is balanced so as to perfectly complement the meat.
Just don’t arrive too late in the evening or they may not be as fresh, at least in my own experience.
I would give 5 stars, however they redecorated and I really miss the old décor. It used to have a «hole-​in-​the-​wall» vibe that really made you feel at home, and that you discovered something truly local and authentic. Now, they’ve painted the interior with Clemson orange and purple and put up a lot of flat screens to watch games.
But, you know what? That should not stop anyone from trying Sardi’s out. And, frankly, a lot of people want to go somewhere public to watch a game.
Be sure to make reservations on weekend evenings, game days, and on nights they have all-​you-​can-​eat specials.

Ribs are great, I order baked potato with it, it is excellent. Salad is OK as well. Kind of crowded at times, can be long wait. Sometimes I felt I was treated as second class citizen when I came to the place alone. They gave me a long wait time and i left. Bar is busy, but all mixed up with the tables for food service. Lots of TV’s, might call this a bar with food, if it were not for the ribs, which hold the place to a higher standard. Rustic wood building, but strangely in the parking lot of a strip mall. Parking often is on gravel, wet gravel when it is raining.

There are ribs, and there are ribs, and Sardi’s serves up the second kind. I haven’t been in probably 6 years, but they’re still one of my favorite ribs places ever. Fuzzy on the other details — they definitely have some ice cold beer — and some of the fried, potato-​based sides were good. Mostly I just wish I could go back and have some more ribs. Definitely one of the most flavorful food experiences you can have in Clemson.