Parker's Barbecue Restaurant - Greenville, NC

Parker's Barbecue Restaurant
3109 S Memorial Drive
Greenville, NC 27834
http://www.parkersbbq.com/

 

Parker's Barbecue Restaurant is all about old school Eastern North Carolina barbecue.  I walked in and was greeted by a dropped ceiling with florescent lighting, diner style tables and chairs and a welcoming and friendly staff.  A young black guy waited on my (looked like the local football star wide receiver earning his pay for a tankful of minimum wage.) and I was directed to any empty table.  A minute or so later, he came over asking for my order just assuming I knew what I wanted without looking at the menu. That told me that mostly they get locals. He was a bit surprised when I said I needed a minute.  (Kid thought I was a local...that made me smile).

Parker's has been around for 40 years or more and is well respected but very old fashioned. Notice the sauce.  That's vinegar based folks and you just sprinkle this on. Don't treat it like a tomato based sauce.  You'll likely get more than you bargained for.

Looking at the menu, I focus in on the following...

Large BBQ Plate
Small BBQ Plate
Large BBQ Dinner
Small BBQ Dinner

I ask my waiter about the difference in the plate and the dinner as I didn't really see the contents on the menu.  One had more sides than the other.  I said fine but what about the entree items..."Oh" he says, "They both have BBQ". I ask, "What kind of BBQ?". This is where he looks like me like I just asked him if this place was vegetarian.  He said..."...uh...BBQ".  I said..."But what kind of BBQ?"  He didn't understand.  I said, "It's pork right?". He said "yea..." Like...is there any other kind.  And I asked if it was ribs or loin or shoulder and he said "...uh...pork".  I said great....I'll get a Combination Platter as that has both pork and fried chicken.  A combination that I had been inundated with the last few meals while in Eastern North Carolina.

So It turns out, that in this part of the world, there is only one kind of BBQ (at least to Parker's) and that's roasting the entire pig and shredding it for consumption.  THAT'S what they call BBQ and it was tasty.  Nothing fancy here.  The green beans were old fashioned and over cooked by today's standards.  The fried chicken was fresh and hot and tasted more home cooked than restaurant prepared (and yes that's a good thing).  The beans were just average.  The cole slaw was too processed and fine in it's grain.  The color was off too...Looked processed.  The hush puppies were fresh, hot and tasty.

While Parker's may have kept things the same way for 40 years, that's not always bad.

Smithfield Chicken and BBQ - North Carolina

Smithfield Chicken and BBQ
121 Wakelon St # 121
Zebulon, NC 27597
http://www.scnbnc.com/

Smithfield Chicken and BBQ is a North Carolina chain that's been around for over 30 years.  Let's call it what it is.  It's definitely a chain.  It feels like and chain and acts like a chain.  However the staff is very friendly (we are of course in North Carolina) and the menu is very comfort food oriented.  But what about the food...

I got the Chicken and BBQ Combo.  Which means fried chicken and pulled pork along with a side of baked beans and hush puppies.

Remember how I said that it acted like a chain...we'll it also tastes like a chain too.  However it is still southern comfort food and that means it's not all bad.  Just not much above average.

The fried chicken was typical for a local fried chicken chain which actually means it's a step above the national chains like KFC.  The beans were very typical for this type of restaurant.  Tastes like it came out of a can.  The hush puppies were just average.  However the pulled pork was good.  Nice and tender and fresh.  There was no sauce on the table...a real let down.

Overall it was an average chain lunch but it had the distinct advantage of being barbecue.

While I would recommend it over a chain hamburger for lunch, I would rather have a local lunch spot for barbecue any day.

Mac's BBQ - Dallas, TX

Mac's BBQ
3933 Main St, Dallas, TX 75226
(214) 823-0731
11:30am - 2:30pm

Don't let this quaint storefront fool you. In fact, most true barbecue fans know that it's the small unassuming face that usually provides some of the best cue and Mac's is no exception.

This visit was like coming home.  Mac's is like a trip back to a simpler time. One of a slower pace to the daily grind.  One where you can just hop down to a great little "lunch spot" for a barbecue sandwich.  This is what I grew up on and this is what remains at Mac's.

Not just lunch...but a flavorful plateful of a small town Texas way of life.

This time I took off my reviewers hat and just had the same typical lunch that I had a Mac's dozens of times.  A sausage sandwich, beans and fries.

 
The sausage is always firm yet tender and flavorful.  Billy's (that Mac's son that runs the place) provides the sauce on the side and the bun is toasted.  The fries are cooked to perfection and the beans are smokey good.

I can't say enough about Mac's.  So drop on by...and remember that this is a TRUE lunch spot.  Only open mid day during the week and get a taste of Texas past...today. 

3 Legged Pig - Lakeville, NY

3 Legged Pig
3415 Rochester Rd.
Lakeville, NY 14480

http://www.3leggedpig.com

The 3 Legged Pig claims to serve the best real pit BBQ in town.  I happen to think that they likely server the best real pit BBQ in the county and maybe more.  I was very surprised to find a barbecue restaurant of this caliber in the finger lake area of upstate New York.

  
Most know that lunch is the best time to have BBQ and this was a real treat. I chose a combo of ribs and pulled pork with a side of baked beans and green beans.  I couldn't pass up an additional side of cornbread.

The green beans were not overdone, were fresh and sauteed with garlic.  Very refreshing.  The baked beans were not my favorite as baked beans like this taste to banal. Too much like canned barbecue beans. The cornbread was fresh and delicious.  Just a hint of sweetness. 

 While I'm not a fan of ribs with sauce already applied, these ribs were well smoked and tender.  The sauce was not much of a deterrent to these good eats.  The pulled pork was tender and fresh. 

There were multiple sauces to choose from.  Their bottled recipe, sweet, tangy and spicy.  All but the tangy were tomato based and had a good flavor.  The tangy didn't quite have what you would expect from a true Carolina BBQ shop but it was good.

I have to say that all in all, this was a unexpected surprise.  Very good barbecue and I would enjoy again given the chance.  I definitely recommend the 3 Legged Pig.

Rollin Smoke BBQ - Las Vegas, NV

Rollin Smoke BBQ
3185 S. Highland Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89109

http://rollinsmokebarbeque.com/

Rollin Smoke BBQ is nestled in an industrial area of Las Vegas. More in an area where the locals would go.  It's definitely not in a tourist area.  That's usually a good sign of things to come.

This was the 3 combo meal of ribs, brisket and burnt ends.  I have to tell you that while there ribs and brisket were good, it's the burnt ends that really stood out.  Smokey, flavorful, saucy and tasty.

The greens are highly recommended.  Not overcooked at all.

There a different sauces there, we just went with the one that was on the table, the House Arkansauce and it was quite good.

So if you are ever in Las Vegas and get tired of the strip, don't hesitate to go to Rollin Smoke. 

Smoke Shack BBQ - San Antonio, TX

Smoke Shack BBQ
3714 Broadway
San Antonio, TX 78209

http://www.smokeshacksa.com/

The Smoke Shack is one of my favorite barbecue restaurants in San Antonio.  They smoke up a batch of very traditional meats and serve it up the way you like it...by the pound.

I have yet to find anything here that I wouldn't recommend.

Just look at that moist brisket. The glistening sausage and those smokey ribs.  This was a little slice of heaven.  The creamed corn is great and those pinto beans are straight out of Texas history.

It just doesn't get much better than the Smoke Shack.

Pride and Joy BBQ - Miami, FL

Pride and Joy BBQ
2800 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33127



This restaurant is more of a bar that serves food and carries that atmosphere.  At lunch is was more about being a neighborhood bar than a traditional barbecue restaurant.

That being said, the food was better than your average bar food.

We started with deviled eggs topped with pulled pork.  These beauties were quite good.  Nice southern taste and good pork addition.

 We then moved onto another item from the appetizer menu.  A beautiful bowl of burnt ends.  These were quite good and the Texas toast was great for getting every drop.

I then broke tradition and went with a beef sandwich.  The meat was pre-sauced (a no no in my book) and chunked.  However I don't regret the choice as it was meaty, moist and a great sandwich.

The sliced brisket had a large smoke ring.  It made me wonder if there was chemical involved in creating that smoke (you don't smell smoke when you walk up to the restaurant making me suspect). While not great, it was perfectly fine.  The mac and cheese was quite good.

So if you are ever in Miami and want a drink and some cue....take a look at Pride and Joy.  Definitely work the appetizer menu and go from there.