Tasty, fresh, and not so expensive. Great choice for experiencing NC barbeque. Usually sold out real quick. I usually go there in early evening. read more

This is DEFINITELY what southern barbecue is supposed to taste like! I love their brisket, their hush puppies are to die for, and their banana pudding is awesome. My only complaint is that sometimes the lemonade can be sickeningly sweet, but I'm not faulting them for that. It makes a jug when you bring it home. read more

Easily the best BBQ in the area....and yes I've tried a lot of places. All the food is good, really good and the sauce is delicious. Each and every side is well seasoned. Often the hardest part is picking the sides. All fried sides are fried to order. They also do chicken BBQ and I've heard they cater well. Family owned and operated. The second time I came in they remembered me and what I ordered. the service is quick and friendly. read more

The Backyard BBQ Pit is just down the road from my home, and I feel fortunate to have a pretty darn good 'cue restaurant so close. I've been to nearly two dozen bbq restaurants in North Carolina, and over the lunch hour, this place ranks near the top of the list. The bbq is great, and the two sauces it seems that they have most of the time both go well with a hotter sauce that is also available. I especially like their mac and cheese and fried okra, but on a recent trip, my fiance and I became fans of their collards and fried cabbage. I've also brought friends here who have really enjoyed the ribs. The prices are lower than you might expect given the quality of the food. Some folks might not be fans of the decor, which consists of standard tables, chairs, and booths, and each wall is covered in the signatures and words of wisdom that patrons have left behind over the years. It's not pretty, but I prefer this decor to the fancified 'cue restaurants that one might venture to in... oh, let's say Raleigh (The Pit - I'm looking at you). There is also a small stage, where the owner's daughter and others sometime perform songs during the lunch hour, is actually a welcome sight (and sound). Recently, a friend of mine from my hometown was visiting the area, and I took him here for dinner. They had ran out of 'cue by 6:30 pm, but we enjoyed our ribs and all the sides. I'll definitely keep patronizing these folks as I continue living here. read more

My first NC BBQ experience - and it was good. Loved the pulled pork, the potato salad was just right - nice mix of sweet and sour. Hush puppies were much lighter than I expected (my first experience of these). Dropped in for lunch during the week - the line was around to the door but moved relatively fast. Looks drab from outside (and inside as well, to be honest) but great food. read more

Food is all soul food/southern. No ac so summer time is a bit warm inside. Authentic bbq at a good price. Don't think it's a date venue with the shabby inside but a good dive with good food at good price. They do sell beer as well. read more

When I lived in NC, I didn't explore too much bbq but had the privilege to get quality recs from friends who were locals. Going to Backyard BBQ Pit was the first time I ventured to try a place solely on my own (with the recommendation of Yelpers of course). And it DID NOT disappoint. Wow. You can tell this place is a local gem, as dinner time rolls around and there's a line out the door and some time later they announce that the catfish is sold out. BBQ is solid and while I only got to try a few bites of my friend's catfish, that's definitely something I'll order next time. read more

The BBQ here is ridiculously good. From the outside looking in, you don't think you're going to get much. But from the BBQ chicken, to the hush puppies, even to the lemonade! Amazing food and drink. Highly recommend to anyone in the search for a good southern experience. read more

This is not barbecue. The "brisket" is really just pot roast and not very good. The chicken was also not good --tasteless and overcooked and is just slathered in barbecue sauce, which also isn't very good. The restaurant interior is a wreck. I'm sorry I tried this place and won't go back. How it has acquired 4 stars is beyond me. read more

Coming from Texas, we had to try some Yummy finger licking pork ribs and fixins. Awesome ribs with vinegar based sauce.

Sweet potatoes were AMAZING!!!!! The collard greens and chicken were really good as well.

Food was good but the service was better. You could tell that people who work there love what they do and have pride in their product. It's definitely one of those hole in the wall type places but the people made the whole difference. read more

I am seriously confused. So many positive reviews and I feel like they're describing a totally different place. The restaurant itself is dirty and greasy, which for me personally isn't a huge deal as long as the food is on point.... But it wasn't. Everything had a middle school cafeteria feel about it. The food was all soggy, missing flavor, and way too salty. Brisket was super fatty, tasted of salt and nothing else and was quite literally swimming in liquid. Ribs were fatty, not in a good way mind you, slathered in an unremarkable sauce, and somehow soggy like the rest of the food. Catfish was underfried and soggy, no crisp to the batter at all. Hushpuppies had almost no cornmeal in them, they were soft, squishy flour balls. The rest of sides were the same story as the meats, soggy and relatively flavorless. I feel betrayed by the community, why in the world is this place so highly revered? read more

The best BBQ pit in North Carolina. True down-south cooking and smoking. Looks like a crappy hole in the wall, but blows the fancy places away in both flavor and price!!! read more

I ate the turkey barbecue it was very good just right for me to eat it. The sides were Mac and cheese and collards greens. The hush puppies were ok but the rest of the food was very good. I will come back and bring somebody to try it out also. Keep up the good flavoring of your food. read more

Amazing Local BBQ joint at dirt cheap prices. The staff and service was great as they gave an out-of-towner such as myself a brief introduction to Carolina BBQ. The clientele was from all walks of life and they treated each customer with respect. I ordered the Pulled-Pork Sandwich with Slaw and had some Ribs as well. Everything was delicious, however they were out of the sides that I wanted (Collard Greens and Okra) so I ended up getting the Mac&Cheese and Green Beans which wasn't as spectacular as the meat. Overall, great bbq and great people read more

Good Stuff. I love this place. Really good meat. Servers are friendly. Don't be caught off guard by all the writing on the walls. Part of the fun...so take a marker! Pulled pork and sauces are great! read more

Best BBQ in the triangle. Easily. Come early because they run out sometimes. Never had a less than excellent meal experience there

This place has a GREAT price on food. The BBQ pork was served from a giant steel pan and could have easily been made in a crock pot. The grease soaked thru the bun completely, even though we ate in. It was devoid of flavor. The collards were spot on. The baked beans were overly sweet with an apple cinnamon flavor. The Mac n cheese was ok, but very greasy. The NC style sauce was ok, the sweet tomato sauce was from a jug. The Brunswick was nasty with an overload of corn and overcooked green beans. The hush puppies were hot, but bland. The restaurant, kitchen floor, walls, and especially the bathroom were absolutely DISGUSTINGLY NASTY. Everything was falling apart. I would rather eat in a truck stop bathroom on a toilet seat than eat in such filth again. read more

It's BBQ :P (that's me licking my lips) It's Delicious :} PINEAPPLE LEMONADE. :') (that's me crying with joy) I live down the street from these guys so I can't speak to the dine-in experience. The first time I ventured in here was months after I moved down here. A friend of mine from back home basically screamed at me for not trying this place out. SO - i had to go :) I was in one of those annoying indecisive moods that evening. Yeah - you know the person that just stands there staring and asking every possible question about what it tastes like - that's me. The girls behind the counter were delighted to make my try everything.... EVERYTHING. I was actually a little stuffed from the testing. Don't worry I brought home some chicks and mac and cheese and hush puppies anyway! I'm not a big giver of 5 stars but this is my 5 star local bbq place. it's perfect for me. a little dive-y, they're fast and even though NC style bbq isn't my first choice - they do it RIGHT. I think most of all the service, the people in here are absolutely wonderful. and they make this world a better place by distributing something called pineapple lemonade. a tall icy glass of this stuff, and a plate of bbq goodness from backyard IN my own backyard is the definition of a perfect summer weeknight at home. read more

I was so looking forward to Backyard BBQ Pit and good NC BBQ after being away from NC for awhile. Backyard BBQ Pit did not deliver. I'm not sure how this place has four stars. This was some of the worst bbq and fish I have ever eaten in a bbq joint. Smithfield's is better and that is saying a lot. The pulled pork was soggy, the ribs tough and undercooked and the fish soggy and underseasoned. All the sides were just okay and lacking in seasoning. All three of us left feeling like we had just wasted our money. The place is a typical old, slightly run down bbq joint, nothing fancy, but usually, it's the food that sells it. I could care less about the decor if the food is good, but that was not the case here. There is much better bbq in NC, I highly recommend that you eat somewhere else. read more

Can't believe this place gets the high rating it gets. This is my second visit to this restaurant and when I pulled into the parking lot, I almost and should have turned around but it was 1:30 and I was hungry. I had been here before and it wasn't very good then and I found it to be the same this time. When I first walked in there was a weird/nasty smell and I still almost walked out then. Had I just not been craving bbq and it been so late. Anyway, the food inspectors were there and I thought well it's gotta be good today if they are here. Well, it wasn't. The pulled pork is ok, not the worst but I've had a lot better NC bbq. The turnip greens were pretty good but the Brunswick stew -- it had almost a chemical/cleaner type taste. No fountain soft drinks this time either, (canned coke was good at least) but when you dip lemonade from a plastic bucket with a ladle, seriously ? Who does that in a restaurant? Now back to the bbq, again it was ok and by itself on a plate, it may have been even better but when you put it in a styrofoam container along with the greens and the funky Brunswick stew, and it's mixing all together, Nope! Invest in some paper plates or put the bbq in a small separate container. I have tried this place for the last time. Wasn't good the first time and definitely wasn't the second. I'll drive all the way out to Wilson for some real NC BBQ at Parker's before I eat here again! read more

The food was amazing. I LOVED the mac and cheese and the pork BBQ was delicious.

What happened to this place? Used to come to this place faithfully and returned after a long time disappointed. For one, I love this place Hushpuppies and today I was served some that weren't cooked in the middle. This place is usually run down but today I walked in and was taken aback. The smell circulating prevented me from sitting inside and enjoying the food. Is it new management? It's so sad to see a good place like this go downhill. At least the workers were friendly. read more

Best damn BBQ in the state, bbq sandwich with extra slaw , I was eating here almost every day at one point . I'm always happy with my food.

Don't let the exterior or everyone writing on the walls keep you away. BBQ pork plate and 2 sides for under 6.50 a plate. Mac and cheese is unreal. Authentic BBQ made the old fashioned way. I would have taken a picture but I was too busy stuffing my face. If you love southern food and authentic BBQ put this on your bucket list. read more

If you know good barbeque, real barbeque, and have ever eaten at Lexington or Skylight or even Smithfield BBQ, this food is just "mess." We have been waiting to come here for a while to try it because of the high rating but it is all hype. It is a joint which is not a bad thing by means, it looks like the BBQ would be good. The sides are nothing special, no love put into them. And lastly the men serving behind the line are strictly business, not inviting or friendly at all. If you like sloppy food, service, and environment, this place is it! read more

Once again, I was on campus, depressed and moping over the lack of viable dinner options when my friend asked me if I wanted to try this BBQ place. To preface, i've lived in NC for most of my life and thus have been to many BBQ joints around the area, including Bullock's, Allen and Sons, Q shack etc, but not to this one. Always up for something new, I jumped on the opportunity. And it was good. The food: So my friend and I arrived rather late (around 7:50pm, and they close at 8:00pm.) and the choices were limited. Still, we managed to snag some pulled pork and ribs. We also had candied yams and Brunswick stew for our sides, as well as some hushpuppies. The total came to around $7 for the pulled pork plate, a few bucks more for the ribs. The pulled pork was good, as i've come to expect from authentic NC places. The spice-vinegar balance was just right. There wasn't anything that stood out about it, but i've become so accustomed to legitimate NC pulled pork that that statement is a good thing. The (wet) ribs were exceptionally tender and had a rich, slightly sweet, smoky flavor. The Brunswick stew was a little sweet for my tastes, but with good texture and the candied yams were entirely adequate. The hushpuppies, however, were fantastic little balls of fried goodness with the perfect amount of sweetness. The meat dishes were definitely the draws of the restaurant though. The place: Given how close we came to closing time, the cashiers and servers were very friendly, never rushing our orders but still expediently getting us our food. We also got a few free cups of lemonade, which was a unexpected gesture of kindness and well-paired with our food. The place itself is kind of a dive, but in more of a charming manner. Other coolness: They have a "sauce bar" where you can pour yourself hot sauce, sweet BBQ sauce and vinegar sauce to taste. I wouldn't recommend too much of the vinegar, as the pulled pork is already seasoned very well. What I missed: Sadly, because we came so late, we didn't get any of the mac and cheese or any of the fish (which are the usual southern fried species.) I guess that just means we'll have to come back, again and again, until we do. I'm looking forward to it. read more

Welcome to your new favorite BBQ place. It has been said that the best barbecue joints are not in fancy locations, but rather in unassuming strip malls, eye-sore shacks, and side-of-the-road holes. Backyard BBQ Pit ("Backyard") is a gritty, sticky, worn-out mess of a restaurant. But like your favorite dive bar, this just validates what Backyard is all about. When you arrive at Backyard, there is lots of front and parking amongst the potholes. During dinner time, the parking lot is full. When you open the door, you will be immediately greeted by the backs of the other patrons who are patiently lining up and trying not to spill out into the parking lot. You order at the counter that focuses on its sticky ribs, eastern North Carolina-style pork, chicken and some other delicious meats. There are specials, which often include fried shrimp and/or different types of fish. The fish is fried to-order so it comes out hot and crispy rather than batch-cooked. All meals comes with 2 sides, which is the greatest hits of North Carolina - stew, beans, collards, sweet potatoes, fries, potato salad, green beans, coleslaw, and others. Despite only having a single counter, they pack in a lot of options. And all meals come with 3 lovingly spooned out hushpuppies, that look like someone - not something - made them. Service is strictly counter service into styrofoam containers with plastic spoons and a fist full of napkins. But don't confuse cheap with sloppy. Food is skillfully put into the plate hallows, not just slopped in. A nice touch is putting the puppies on starched service paper on top of your food so they stay crispy rather than drowning in your plate. And service is done with gloves and messy bins are handled with service paper to keep your order clean. The puppies were a nice balance of crunchy and chewy without being too sweet. The collards were smokey, firm yet tender, and one of the finest I have ever had. The mac and cheese was heavenly gooey and clearly not slopped together. They are the casserole style, heavy on the cheese - thank you please. Their BBQ is the headliner. It is moist, tender, wonderfully spicy, vaguely sweet, perfectly smoked, and twangy from the apple cider vinegar in the Eastern NC style. Buy a quart. No, buy two quarts and freeze it because it's that good. Okra is crispy - and like their other fried things - done in a nice hot frier that leaves things wonderfully crispy, not oily. Their fried chicken will leave you saying "mmm-mm-mmmthat's good" and calling your momma in tears. Seriously, that's good chicken. Not to be outdone, their grilled sticky chicken is nice, too. Their ribs are sticky, melty, and really show off the loving smoke they push into the meat every day. Their slaw is ideal for putting on top of BBQ rather than eating straight (ie, more mince, more mayo-ey -- but still nicely balanced). Their beans are a bit heavy on the cloves for my taste, but hard to complain when everything else is so nice. Their pineapple lemonade is Southern-licious divine. And when you check out, naturally the soda machine is broken. It couldn't be any other way. But Ms. Michelle cheerfully rings you up. The prices are really cheap. My plate was $6.49 (before tax). [Edit: prices went up a dollar in Sep 2015] The portions were generous. It is a perfect place to take away. And the service was polite, prompt despite the very long lines, and cheery. Actually, very cheery. These folks seem to have fun in their ten-thousandth hour serving BBQ. And by the look of the line nearly out the door and Ms. Michelle saying "HEEEEY! Good to see you again!", you can tell that this dive BBQ joint is something special to many other people. Hopefully, Ms. Michelle will soon be chirping HEEEEY when she sees me because I plan on going back as much as possible. [Update: She does now. We love seeing her and she warmly greets us now when we show up. I have had multiple friends and family come over -- and I always take them to the tacky, sticky, messy love-shack that is Backyard BBQ to experience great Eastern NC BBQ.I feel like I'm home going to the colorful Backyard BBQ and I love coming here.]. read more

I love this place! Having grown up in the south I'm use to eating soul food! Missing the Chicken wednesdays and Fish Fridays from college I was super happy when I found this place! The only spot where I can find excellent fried fish! Their BBQ is always on point as well as their numerous sides especially the Mac and cheese and okra! The staff are always super friendly especially if your a female! Just to note this is an African American restaurant but I'm always surprised to see it so diverse, I guess everybody loves good food. By the way......it's a total hole in the wall, just order your food, eat and enjoy dont worry about the decor lol. You can also sign the wall which my dad did last year when we stopped in! read more

This place is one of my favorite hidden gems in Durham.... staff can be abbot sassy but it's always a good fun time. Food tastes amazing and I haven't tried one thing I haven't like. You won't be disappointed at all. read more

Awesome! I hurt myself. I just want to know how they got my deceased mother recipes. Best BBQ, collards, tater salad n hush puppies ever. Please look at Northern Durham for your next location. I could eat there everyday! Wonder food. Great service. Happy people! read more

The smoked BBQ chicken is phenomenal as well as the sides I got which were the mac and cheese and sweet potatoes...Even Better when you get the pineapple lemonade with it. Just wish you got a little more meat with the entree, I was still hunger after finishing my meal. read more

It's all about the food here and the BBQ is legit. Ordered bulk to-go for my dad's 80th bday and chose this place because of its location and good reviews. We are a BBQ-loving family and let's just say we were not disappointed. Both the turkey and pork BBQ are moist and nicely seasoned--a winner either way you go. Vinegar sauce wins, hands down, in my book but for those who like the "other" kind it was good too. Molasses base, I think. Thanks for letting us try both! The hush puppies were oh-so-good bundles of tender on the inside, crispy on the outside, not overly sweet yumminess! Fried okra? Yep! And the price...fed 10 for under $80 with plenty of leftovers, except for the okra. That was g-g-g-gone! When I went in to pick up the order the guys working were super nice and offered to help carry it to the car. Southern hospitality at its finest. Thanks for the great meal, Backyard BBQ! Can't wait to come in and try some of those collards and the pineapple lemonade! read more

First trip to Backyard BBQ Pit, and it won't be my last! What the place lacks in ambience, it makes up for with taste. I had a chopped BBQ plate with fried cabbage and fried Okra, and my friend had some Brisket and ribs. The counter guys let us sample anything we wanted and were really friendly. Personally, I LOVED the fried cabbage, and I single it out because it was hands down one of the best ways I ever ate the stuff, and I DO love cabbage. The chopped pork BBQ was as good as I have had in the South and I really enjoyed it. The Brisket was outstanding, but I can't tell you about the ribs because my friend inhaled them in minutes and I didn't get a chance to try them. I reserve my 5th star rating because the ambience of the place was nothing special. Gaze deep into your plate of Q and forget the surroundings. read more

Last weekend my brothers and I hosted a 50th Wedding Anniversary Party for our parents in Statesville, NC. Everything was perfect, especially the FOOD. Options were pork BBQ, turkey BBQ, smoked BBQ chicken, some really delicious mac n' cheese, green beans and tossed salad.We provided the last two items, but the bulk of the items (the meat and the mac) was prepped in advance by the catering team at Backyard BBQ Pit. So let me scream from the highest mountaintops how happy I am that I chose Backyard BBQ to cater my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Of the roughly 70 guests in attendance, EVERYONE was RAVING about how good the food was. And Statesville is 2 hours away from Durham (Backyard BBQ's base), and people at the party were asking me for their website JUST IN CASE they could make it to Durham because Backyard BBQ is now a must-visit if and when they make it. And to Michelle and her team at Backyard BBQ who made sure I chose enough food with enough variety, who prepped everything and also prepped me to properly transport and store it once I got to Statesville the day before the event, and who gave me step-by-step next-day prep instructions once we got the food to the venue's professional kitchen at the Statesville Civic Center, I so appreciate everything you did for me above and beyond providing JUST the food and sending me on my way! I am never going to be called a cook in this lifetime, but her prep and her instructions helped me to serve a perfect feast to a perfect group of friends and family on a perfect night. Again, everything went off without a hitch, and this catered meal, prepped one day and two hours away from the actual event, felt like it came in freshly cooked just moments before being served...it was the cherry on top of the whole evening. My parents and their guests could not have been more pleased!!! It's a week later, I just spoke to my mom, and people are STILL raving about how good everything was. So thank you, Backyard BBQ, for everything you did to make their special evening that much better!!!! Cody Hamilton Durham, NC read more

There's a reason why this place is slammed every day. Very basic interior/decor, but... THE FOOD THOUGH! Phenomenal. read more

Food : D I got their pork bbq with a side of mac & cheese, brunswick stew. The bbq was so sweet that I found it inedible. The mac&cheese : terrible. Brunswick stew : sweet but the most edible among everything, hush puppies: zero flavor. Overall it was so bad that I could not endure more than a few bites. Ambience : C Cleanliness : D Flies everywhere. Don't know the sanitation score of this place, but if I had to guess it would be below 50. The only plus point I could find about the place is that the staff seemed friendly. No idea why others have given this place so many stars. May be they have never had good bbq like in Q-Shack or The Pit. read more

I was so disapointed. I was told that this is the best BBQ in Durham. I really hope that's not true. The place looks like a dump. It has dim lighting, graffiti all over the walls in the inside and the whole place was dirty. It made the place look so trashy, and the food tastes horrible neither of us finished what we ordered and we didn't even bother to keep the leftovers. Do not eat here. read more

The best BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich plate (the workman's special) in North Carolina. I grew up on Memphis Pit BBQ and this restaurant did not disappoint. Be prepared to wait in line at lunchtime; however, it is well-worth the wait. The décor is sparse but the food is to die for. My favorite sides are the baked beans, collard greens and mac & cheese. read more