Quote :

"I like barbecue here. I like barbecue there. I like barbecue everywhere."

6/2/2011 8:22:56 PM

I would like to know what you people are ordering at The Pit to make your plate $20

Unless they raised their prices, it's always been $14.99 for a pulled pork platter for me iirc


And, I know it's not near Raleigh, but Saw's bbq in Birmingham is thebomb.com ... amazing eastern NC bbq

6/2/2011 8:30:57 PM

bbq sucks- hamburgers and hotdogs ftw!

6/2/2011 8:34:59 PM

Quote :

"The Pit to make your plate $20 Unless they raised their prices, it's always been $14.99 for a pulled pork platter for me iirc"

Yeah a few people already commented on that.

It's actually $11.99 for the dinner plate (2 sides, hush puppies and a biscuit)

The lunch sandwich combo for $7.59 is more comparable to Smithfield's sandwich combo.

6/2/2011 8:39:16 PM

I only read the first few responses of the thread whoops

6/2/2011 8:40:01 PM

No worries, I figured as much...just filling u in

6/2/2011 8:59:41 PM

Quote :

"Mitchell was well-known before Hatem."

This is true, at least in a regional sense, and it's also true that Mitchell was invited to the Big Apple BBQ Fest before he moved to the Pit.

However, the national attention and Food Network/Presidential candidate visits don't happen at Empire restaurants by accident.

Like I said, a brilliant PR department.

6/3/2011 3:23:28 AM

^ can u go here: message_topic.aspx?topic=613743 and tell us more about the Creative Class? I had no idea it existed before this thread

6/3/2011 1:01:10 PM

Backyard BBQ Pit in Durham off 55 (not the downtown location) is damn fine eatin'.

I'm not a fan of the Pit because, well, BBQ isn't supposed to be upscale/expensive - it's like wearing jeans to a wedding. BBQ joints aren't supposed to have "executive chefs," they're supposed to have Pitmasters.

Staying true to the roots of what BBQ began as will almost always guarantee a better experience than making BBQ something it's not.

My list?

Wilburs
Parkers
Holdens
Backyard BBQ (used to be #1, has slipped in the last 6 months)
Coopers
Allen & Sons
Hurseys (big improvements)

There's a place out in Lillington that sits over the river that I'm going to try sooner than later. I'll report back. I think it's called Howard's.


I don't mind places like Smithfields. It works in a pinch - when you're travelling, you have a hankerin, and it's the closest place around. Same w/ Cookout, if it's 2am... it's not bad.

and whoever said McCalls... i respectfully disagree, sir.

6/3/2011 1:19:53 PM

I prefer too cook my own.

6/3/2011 1:27:11 PM

Quote :

"That's a little dramatic isn't it?"

well, okay. What I meant was "RIP The Pit as we know it"


between THA PIT BAWSS peacing out and them cutting the good stuff with frozen, pre-cooked BBQ, I don't see things holding up the way they were

6/3/2011 1:27:55 PM

Quote :

"I'm not a fan of the Pit because, well, BBQ isn't supposed to be upscale/expensive - it's like wearing jeans to a wedding. BBQ joints aren't supposed to have "executive chefs," they're supposed to have Pitmasters. "

The Pit does have a Pitmaster. And if you can't afford their $7.59 lunch combo, then my advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir.

Quote :

"Backyard BBQ (used to be #1, has slipped in the last 6 months)"

You have got to be kidding me.

6/3/2011 1:52:05 PM

I've never been to the Pit, but now I want to go.

6/3/2011 1:58:40 PM

Quote :

"The Pit does have a Pitmaster. And if you can't afford their $7.59 lunch combo, then my advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir. "

*puts sunglasses on*

oh well. fuck it.


(it's not a matter of affording. it's a matter of environment. the pit is pretentious as far as bbq joints go.)

Quote :

"You have got to be kidding me."

Serious as cat shit, my man.

6/3/2011 2:09:08 PM

Quote :

"(it's not a matter of affording. it's a matter of environment. the pit is pretentious as far as bbq joints go.)"

.



and for what you pay you don't get a heaping pile of meat like one should expect.

6/3/2011 2:15:49 PM

Quote :

"and for what you pay you don't get a heaping pile of meat like one should expect."

yeah I expect a flippin mountain of meat for $7.59. WTF MATE????

I realize we're in the good ol USA, and even more so, the south [by god], but i typically lean towards quality over quantity.

6/3/2011 2:16:43 PM

Quote :

"Staying true to the roots of what BBQ began as will almost always guarantee a better experience than making BBQ something it's not."

I guess you don't like eating steaks at steakhouses then. I'm pretty sure people started eating that stuff in shacks and log cabins long before there were fancy steakhouses

6/3/2011 2:19:24 PM

Quote :

"I realize we're in the good ol USA, and even more so, the south [by god], but i typically lean towards quality over quantity."

Why can't you have both? $7.59 at Cooper's will get you more food than you can eat.

6/3/2011 3:06:36 PM

Quote :

"There's a place out in Lillington that sits over the river that I'm going to try sooner than later. I'll report back. I think it's called Howard's."

This is in my hometown, and yes it's called Howard's BBQ. LOVE this place but haven't been in forever, so I hope it's still delicious. And might I add, for it be a BBQ and seafood place, the hamburger steak is to die for. ABSOLUTELY amazing!

6/3/2011 3:22:09 PM

Quote :

"I'm not a fan of the Pit because, well, BBQ isn't supposed to be upscale/expensive - it's like wearing jeans to a wedding."

The Pit isn't upscale, nor expensive.

It's in a nice building and they don't use plastic tablecloths.

6/3/2011 3:43:37 PM

it is very expensive for BBQ and what you get.

Quote :

"yeah I expect a flippin mountain of meat for $7.59. WTF MATE???? I realize we're in the good ol USA, and even more so, the south [by god], but i typically lean towards quality over quantity."

quality AND quantity is the essence of nc bbq.

6/3/2011 3:59:06 PM

LOL @ comparing steak to bbq.

6/3/2011 4:48:01 PM

Quote :

"Why can't you have both? $7.59 at Cooper's will get you more food than you can eat."

i don't know how much you can eat, but the same can easily be said for me at the Pit.

6/3/2011 5:20:08 PM

Did someone up there actually say Holdens BBQ was in their list? What the fuck?

Big Al's BBQ is a trailer that sets up at different events such as the NC Ag Fest, Fair, Parking lots, Carnivals etc. Big Al's is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better than any of the BBQ restaurants in Raleigh/Durham I've been too. Pulled pork sandwich and coleslaw are awesome.

fwiw, when my ex and I went on our cross country road trip last year, at each city from here to Montana we stopped at a local BBQ joint we picked. We hit up several that had been featured on the Food Network and Travel Channel. We ate at over a dozen BBQ joints over the 6000 mile trip, and Toms BBQ in Memphis beat the others out by a long shot. Next closest was Pappy's in St Louis.

6/3/2011 10:17:56 PM

^ You can take your Memphis bullshit-loving ass out of this thread about BARBECUE.

6/4/2011 1:39:36 AM

Just had some Danny's chopped pork and pork loin.

wasn't used to chopped pork being served dry, but I might just like it better than pre-soaked. i'll have to do a pepsi challenge with it, coopers and the pit to pick my favorite, but I can easily see Danny's (with the eastern sauce, but theyre all good) taking the top for me.

6/14/2011 12:55:27 PM

Danny's =

6/14/2011 1:06:50 PM

Quote :

"Danny's = "

6/14/2011 1:14:35 PM

one letter

B's is the best.

6/14/2011 2:19:02 PM

danny's is too expensive for what you get
i used to eat it every now and then when i worked in cary but most of the time i would take the extra dive to Smithfields in Morrisville than the 5 minute drive to Dannys

6/14/2011 2:36:46 PM

ken's grill on 70 in la grange. wednesday or saturday only. BJ's grill right down the road is also good. wed and sat too i think. stonewall's in hood swamp. saturday lunch only. adam's roadside in princeton on 70. stop at any of these the next time you're on your way to the beach.

6/14/2011 2:41:55 PM

Quote :

"danny's is too expensive for what you get"

Really? I got the pork loin plate for lunch...came with 6-7 slices of pork loin, two sides and texas toast for $6.50.

6/14/2011 3:45:25 PM

I'm still LOLing at people calling the lunch crowd at The Pit pretentious.

Is it hip to hate on people who go to lunch during the work day?

6/14/2011 4:00:43 PM

I don't think hipsters are the ones making that assertion

6/14/2011 4:05:02 PM

Lol, I didn't mean hipsters. Just used the word hip. Sub cool or in style if you like.

6/14/2011 4:06:57 PM

haha, sorry

I'm so tired of the word hipster that every time I see the word "hip" I automatically assume that is what people are getting at

my apologies, sir

6/14/2011 4:17:06 PM

unless I missed it, you all fail.

saying pork BBQ is redundant. BBQ is pork. BBQ is not chicken nor beef nor a verb, no matter what them outsiders says.

6/14/2011 4:27:04 PM

Not according to Merriam.

But I'll concede as long as you concede a toboggan is ONLY a sled!

6/14/2011 4:45:19 PM

^seconded!

6/14/2011 4:48:11 PM

uhhh hello...Allen & Sons is absolutely EPIC. EPIC I TELL YOU.

6/14/2011 4:49:50 PM

^^doesn't matter. In NC, we know what BBQ is and isn't.

6/14/2011 4:50:04 PM

How's that? Its just another thing that the white folk stole learned from the Indians and made their own.

6/14/2011 4:51:52 PM

i ate lunch at Coopers today.

fantastic as usual.

6/14/2011 5:20:05 PM

bttt4chicken friends

8/21/2011 9:24:22 PM

Quote :

"Allen & Sons is absolutely EPIC. EPIC I TELL YOU."

Every time I've tried going there they've been closed during posted business hours

8/21/2011 9:29:25 PM

Quote :

" everyone ITT, do yourself a favor and never go to Wilson for BBQ, if you haven't already it will ruin any other BBQ west of I-95"

What? Wilson is like the epicenter of eastern NC 'que.
Parker's, Bill's (OK, it went downhill after hurricane floyd, but still) and Mitchell's (yes, the same ed mitchell that ran the pit) before it closed were all noted stops for 'que enthusiasts.

I live in Salisbury, which is decent bbq town as well. Richard's, Hendrix and College are all pretty good places. I was disappointed with Gary's in China Grove though.

8/21/2011 9:37:42 PM

^ Reading comprehension fail.

8/21/2011 9:38:25 PM

I realize this thread is a little old, but IMO the consistency of The Pit's pork >>> the consistency of Smithfield's pork.

8/21/2011 9:49:06 PM

I always laugh at the people who think a place like Smithfield has what could be considered "good" BBQ. It's like saying the best burgers are at Burger King.

Quote :

"Wilburs Parkers Holdens Backyard BBQ (used to be #1, has slipped in the last 6 months) Coopers Allen & Sons Hurseys (big improvements)"

This is a good list, but I would add to it the original White Swan in Smithfield. It belongs behind Holdens. Also, Stamey's is better than Hursey's by a little.

[Edited on August 22, 2011 at 9:29 AM. Reason : s]

8/22/2011 9:27:54 AM

i like the place with the pigmeat

8/22/2011 9:29:34 AM