Smithfield’s Chicken and Bar-B-Q

We stopped here on a whim and were pleasantly surprised! Food was delicious and served quickly. Order was accurate. Loved the 50s music and décor. Only suggestion would be to add salads to the menu. Even the baked beans had meat in them. We’ll be back!

Fast food BBQ?! Was my initial reaction upon seeing this place as an out-​of-​town-​er. I ordered a full dinner plate of white meat and received some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever had. Their vinegar-​based sauce is different, so if you’re not from the area, I recommend trying it on the side before going all-​in and drizzling it over everything. Texas Pete hot sauce was a welcome addition to an otherwise excellent meal on the go.

Another great, fast, decent priced meal. Love the chicken and pork. Great hush puppies, and the service is excellent. Very very friendly folk. Sweet tea is some of best this northern boy has ever had.

On the way back from the beach we stopped at Smithfield’s Bar-​B-​Q, a local chain with 30 North Carolina locations. We had a hard time finding this place — even our GPS was off at first. When we finally found it we ordered efficiently at the counter and our food arrived quickly. Service was top-​notch — more than once someone came by to refill drinks and ask us if we needed anything. Unfortunately I found the BBQ itself lackluster. The meat did not have that smokiness that you crave when you go to a BBQ joint. On a better note, the slightly sweet and elongated hush puppies were quite good. Slaw and fries were average. On the whole this was a decent spot to stop on the way back to Charlotte but next time I’m going to do more research to find a really down home non-​chain option that will hopefully have better ‘cue.

Traveling in the South for the better part of my life, I have to say I’ve become a bit of a barbeque aficionado. That said, I had never experienced Carolina apple-​cider vinegar barbeque until I got to try it based on the recommendation of a friend. Well, call me a fan! This style of barbeque rids itself of the heavy tomato bases and really allows the flavor of the meat to shine through. The crispness of the vinegar flavor with the added hints of sweetness really offer up a subtlety akin to a refreshing white wine on a hot summer’s day. Try the pork sandwich and get it with slaw, you’ll thank me. Their barbeque chicken was good, but the vinegar barbeque is the real reason this restaurant is so popular. Loved their take on hushpuppies, and their brunswick stew is truly a meaty stew and not a soup.
Service was friendly, taste amazing, and I WILL be back.

Stopped here on the way to Myrtle Beach. Excellent BBQ! The meat is piled high and the vinegar BBQ sauce is absolutely tasty! The staff is very friendly and courteous! The restaurant is very clean and well kept. Restrooms are clean and presentable. Highly recommended!