Many times I've attempted to try Carolina Kitchen and every time I've been defeated by lines streaming out the door. Not today. Unexpectedly in the vacinity, I directed a detour stopping here for a late lunch-slash-early dinner. No regrets. Never again will I slum it through the drive thru of a golden arch for a cheeseburger fix. This was the real deal - there was even coleslaw on this puppy. The bun was toasted to a crisp perfection, the right balance of ketchup to mustard and a meat patty that had some oomph to it. The shop itself reminds me of a fish and chip shop my family would visit growing up. That's to say its basic, no frills. It doesn't need it. Plus the food is without pomp and it all works to create a very distinct charm. Not a subway tile, wooden chair or metal light shade in sight! For less than $20 we got 2 burgers. A great novelty food night. If you're game go the Carolina Pack for $40 - buffalo wings, New York fries and ribs for 2 people. read more

Carolina Kitchen - Counter - American Near Me

This place can barely fit more than 15 people in at any one time, but they would be 15 happy and satisfied people. Carolina Kitchen is a family business owned by an expat from South Carolina, Mike Perry, located on a quiet suburban street in Coopooroo. Already there is a massive following on their Facebook group, with regulars and new comers singing their praises for the Buffalo Wings and BBQ Ribs. Both times I've been for a Saturday lunch, we've booked to save us a table. The place fills up quickly, so if you have more than 2 people, I would definitely suggest booking ahead of time. The BBQ ribs are so juicy and covered in sauce, and the Buffalo wings pack a punch with the original spicy sauce. Dip the wings in the blue cheese dipping sauce to cool your mouth. They have a wide variety of different flavoured Coke, Dr Pepper and Fanta - flavours you don't usually get in Australia. Cherry Dr Pepper tastes like sugary baby Panadol, but I love it! For a serious feed you can either go with one of the Hoagies - a sandwich on a long, Sub roll - or a burger "All The Way". That means everything including onions. There's cheeseburgers, chicken burgers and hamburgers, as well as Hot Dogs. Unfortunately, during my last visit they didn't have any Pie for sale, but quite often they will be selling a Pumpkin, Cherry or Pecan pie by the slice. I did manage to place an order for a Pumpkin pie to take home for Christmas. $30 for a whole sweet pie - traditional American style Pumpkin pie! read more

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This place is about three things, 1. ribs 2. pie 3. ribs The ribs are tender and fall off the bone, they come wet in a rich BBQ sauce served with potato salad, like they say on the boating, camping fishing ad, this is living. The wings I'm not super interested in, I think 'The Smoke' does better wings to be honest. Forget the wings, get the ribs, have I mentioned the ribs yet? #ribs This is fast casual dining, it's a small space, so expect to eat surrounded by people picking up take away, plastic tablecloths and only a few tables, this place is cosy and has a fish and chip shop meets American diner vibe. (the food comes in baskets lined with greaseproof paper, not on plates- you will get your fingers sticky and your hands dirty, be prepared for a greasy iPhone screen after this dinner. I recommend phoning ahead to order if you're after takeaway, this place sometimes has a 45 minute wait for take away on Fri/Sat nights. The ribs are worth the weight/wait though. Oh zing! The staff are polite, friendly and upbeat. (Read, charming hotties). Promise me, you'll get some pie? It'll make you feel like you're in the Golden Girls kitchen with Blanche talking about gentlemen callers. The ribs are wet and sloppy, Lesley Knope might bring her own wet wipes as good thick napkins are not accessible. read more

My first experience of Carolina Kitchen didn't blow me away. My friend and I got takeaway chilli dogs, and some NY fries to share. Both were underwhelming. But I gave Carolina Kitchen a second chance a few weeks later, and tried the ribs. "Ah," I announced. "Now I understand." There's one style of ribs on offer here and it's WET. Totally saturated with tangy BBQ sauce, the tender meat falls off the bone. The serve of southern-style potato salad is an added treat, and something I hadn't quite encountered before. A small serve of ribs is more than enough to have you almost rolling out the door. The "atmosphere" is severely lacking, and I'm inclined to suggest takeaway rather than dining in. There isn't a lot of space, and it's got quite the canteen feel to it - but consider for a moment that it's called Carolina KITCHEN for a reason, and not Carolina Café, or Restaurant, or even Diner. Besides, takeaway ribs seems like quite the novel venture. Save room for dessert, particularly if there's a sweet American pie on offer - pecan, cherry or pumpkin will really hit the spot. I can't go past the offer of some cornbread, either. read more

Let's face it The U S of A ain't exactly renowned for it's healthy diet. ...So as far as I'm concerned counting those calories is the last thing to do when you visit Carolina Kitchen. Boasting rich soul food like Rib's, Buffalo Wings and corn bread the menu looks straight from a southern bee bee Q. Amongst the more meat-enthused I recommend the chilli dogs or the finger lickin' BBQ ribs. (Seriously though they have a sink to wash off the sauce battles.) The surprising favorite of the night had to be the potato salad that came with the ribs, not too creamy but very filling (and with the tasty addition of celery) it reminded me of homestyle meals back in europe. I'll definitely be back to try out the famous hoagies and to sample some of the delicious desserts I've spied. After all what's more American than Apple Pie? read more

Recently I dated a boy whose favourite place to eat out was Nandos. While I have no issue with Nandos, it's not my primary goal in life to eat as cheaply as possible all the time. As long as I'm eating well, I don't really mind what food costs. So in an effort to mix up the date night eats and avoid a cheap Indian/Nandos/burger rut, I was always on the look out for somewhere new. Which is why I was really happy when I read a review about Carolina Kitchen - it had wings, ribs and chilli fries and importantly was not Nandos. So we set our sights on a mid-week trip to Coorparoo for some comfort food, southern American style. Having heard it gets pretty packed, we arrived early in the evening, but it was already super busy. We ordered a Carolina pack for around $40 and contemplated just taking away. But we stuck it out and eventually a couple of seats freed up at the back of the restaurant. Having lived in the US for a few years, I had pretty high expectations about what Carolina Kitchen would serve up and must say I was a bit disappointed. Everything just seemed a bit dry - the ribs, the cornbread and even the meat on the over-sauced wings. I really wanted juice and grease, but it just didn't really happen. It seemed to me that they had a fairly temporary, ad-hoc kitchen set up, so I wondered if this was impacting on the juciness of my food? Having heard so many great things about it, maybe this was just an off night at Carolina Kitchen. Or maybe it was just me, as my date seemed to have no issue and successfully ate himself into a food coma. Overall I think the concept is fantastic (incluidng the kitsch memorabilia and US sodas), but I wish the food was a bit tastier so that I'd be motivated to make the trip south again sometime. read more

The other reviewers have it right - you go for the Buffalo wings, you stay for the ribs. The delicious, moist, so sticky you'll find bits of sauce on yourself for days afterwards ribs. They are great and I say this as a person who has tried many a rib, from Ribbits (so very, very average) to Sam's Chilli Den (on par with these ones, in fact only excellent by better sides). The Buffalo Wings with blue cheese sauce are heart-clogging good as well. However, the food is the real hero of this restaurant (ugh, I have been watching too much Master Chef). The two times we've gotten take-away they have given us the wrong order, and once you've got home and opened everything to realise you're down two racks of ribs, it's a bit late to head back. And either we also keep getting the wrong serves of potato salad or the potato salad is just a token gesture, because you literally get 1.5 tablespoons per serve. Despite these issues I will be back. They are definitely the best ribs in Brisbane. read more

In my quest to find good American food, my Australian friends pointed me toward Carolina Kitchen. They said that it was some of the best ribs they'd ever had, and honestly I'll have to (partially) agree with them. I'm from Texas where barbecue is at our heart and soul. It's almost like a second religion where folks are baptized in dry rub and honey-tomato glaze. Carolina barbecue is a bit different though. They use a heavier vinegar-based sauce that soaks deep into the meat to give it a juicy moist texture. Carolina Kitchen absolutely doesn't disappoint. The ribs are fall of the bone delicious and be sure to stock up on napkins because you're gonna need them! The meat is incredibly tender and the sauce is sticky and sweet which is complemented quite nicely by the vinegar's subtle sourness. Personally, I'm not a fan of any of the food that they have here. The wings were too dry and overdone and the "New York Fries" were stacked with sour cream which I can't eat. Honestly though I could come here and be well satiated with a rack of ribs and a Hank's cream soda. As others have mentioned, the line picks up quickly during peak hours and there aren't that many tables inside. i would recommend take out when it's busy as they're pretty quick with filling orders. Otherwise if you're lucky enough to grab a table, bask in the glory American flags, UNC (University of North Carolina) memorabilia and the approving glare of Michael Jordan (UNC alum) while you eat! read more

Awesome traditional American food with great service. Don't plan to eat in however as it's always packed and not much seating. I took my American Samoan friend there and she went nuts. Claimed the pumpkin pie and ribs are just like home. read more

Chilli dog, New York Fries and Buffalo Wings. These are some of my favourite things... First time there, we were quite surprised. There is no real decor to speak of. This is a place to get food, not a place to soak up the ambience and the atmosphere. But by god, they do fantastic food! Beautifully cooked chicken wings with a crunchy coating and a delicious sauce. Simple hot dog with mustard, smothered in chlli, is basic but perfect. And while I never saw anything like the New York Fries while we were in New York, I cannot fault the taste. Melted cheese, sour cream, chilli sauce and deep fried potato. If that's wrong, then I don't want to be right. Also on the menu are a fantastic selection of hoagies (subs), burgers, ribs and pies. I'll definitely be heading back to try the rest of the menu! read more

I came to Carolina Kitchen with a hangover and a hankering for greasy, fatty hangover food. That's not exactly what I found, and yet I was still satisfied. After ordering a large ribs, a hotdog, New York fries, and potato salad, I was sure I would get atleast one thing that would cure my hangover. The potato salad came first - thick, a bit mashed, with boiled eggs and onion. Tasty - could use a little pepper. It was room temperature, and I'm used to cold potato salad. The ribs came second. The large serving has about 18 ribs in it and comes with a small side of potato salad. The rack is pretty much smothered in a thick sweet sauce. The meat falls clean off the bone and was mouthwateringly good. It was definitely worth the trip. The New York fries were tangy and delicious. But I was starting to be pretty full. Great for a quick casual meal with friends, or if you're craving American South comfort food. read more

What the hell happened?? I'm sitting in a depressing bowls club waiting for the unknown. Although I wouldn't say I ate at the original Carolina Kitchen a lot I always enjoyed what I got. Menu seems to have halved Was it sold? Why the move to the Cooparoo bowls club... what's with the dudes accent on the till? Is he American? Trying to sound American? I've been left feeling very insecure and confused read more

Went to Carolina kitchen just upon opening at 12noon. Ordered the Carolina pack! Was not disappointed, plenty of food for 2 and amazing ribs! Just fall off the bone! Great place - enjoyed going! Recommend notifying them when you arrive of how spicy you like your buffalo wings as they can specify how hot you want your wings! read more

I don't have much to add to the previous reviews but will absolutely add my reccomendation to check this place out pronto. i visited with my two friends on a quiet Sunday night. We ate in, but i wouldn't bank on getting a table there very often, I'd probably hedge bets and have a take away option in mind also. I had the wings, the ribs, tried some friend's hot dog, the chilli fries and some cherry pie. My, good, lord! The wings were beautiful and crispy without any unpleasant breading and beautifully moist. The ribs were like butter in your mouth with the satisfying charring that saw me reducing bones to splinters. the chilli fries were pretty good. A little paler than i would usually like, but absolutely serviceable. The end of the hot dog i tried was incredible. Who knew a hot dog could be that good? Beautiful snap to the dog itself with a fantastic combination of toppings. I want to mention three things that really stood out for me and made my trip absolutely worth it and absolutely worth returning. 1. The staff were absolutely lovely. The kitchen and serving area are mainly open so it was nice to see the smiling young staff at work. 2. Amazing soft drink selection. wonderful US soft drinks like Dr Pepper and Mexican Jarrita. I love that sort of attention to detail. 3. My cherry pie was still warm from the oven. I realise that was dumb luck, but oh my was it good. read more

2nd visit to Carolina's. It's best to have a Plan B when coming here: Takeaway. Its often I do the drive by to see a line and not a spare table in sight. While the wings are always good especially in their BBQ Sauce. The Philadelphia Classic Hoagie was not bad but not great either. It needed that little something else, maybe extra sauce or more meat. Just fell short, although wouldn't stop me visiting again to try something else on the menu. The american style food has recently become popular in Brisbane with more places opening each month. Carolina Kitchen is one of the original gangsters (read: OG) and one shouldn't shy from the messy eating that is the sauce ravaged ribs or wings! read more

Carolina Kitchen is easily my favourite 'American' style food restaurant in Brisbane at the moment. While some items on the menu are a little underwhelming, the real shining star here are the ribs. They are so tender that they pretty much just fall of the bone. I've been here several times, sampling different items from the menu every time but the ribs will always be the winner. I've been living in Coorparoo since it opened and it's been great watching it get busier and busier as time goes by. Some nights it might be a 30 minute wait to get your food and seats can be hard to come by, so keep that in mind read more

If you're prepared to venture to the burbs to get away from some of the more pretentious American-food joints opened up in the Valley, then this is the place to go. The Carolina pack is a classic, as long as you don' t have a passive-fatty housemate that always seems to politely eat three-quarters of the ribs. I suggest combatting this with your own chilli-dog for $6. Most people phone ahead a good hour during busy times, because let me tell you, the pace in that kitchen is southern-mama-cooking-fried-chicken-for-breakfast-on-a-sunday-morning-slow. read more

YES YES YES!! you want real american food! this is the place for you! Amazing Authentic style ribs, chilli cheese fries, and WINGS WINGS WINGS!!! The service here is a little slow as its just a small shop (very limited seating space) and is so hugely popular, so i do recommend getting take away to enjoy the sticky, saucy goodness at home. They do deals so make sure to check the blackboard outside, but the prices are so good you dont need to order a deal (unless your like us and love variety and sharing with mates) they have delicious deserts, including Cherry Pie (Doing Twin Peaks proud!), pumpkin pie and my fav! pecan pie! read more

Nice and cosy. Don't be disappointed if you don't get a table. Just be prepared to take away. Good wings, ribs and fries. read more

Incredible wings - INCREDIBLE!!! The NY fries and ribs are amazing as well. Great owners and service. We've been there 4 times in the last 6 months and loved it everytime. read more

Awesome Ol School American Soul Food!! Good menu serving the traditional American dining! The highlights down there! BBQ Ribs, BBQ Chicken Wings, Pulled Pork Roll, New York Fries, Chilli Cheese Fries, and many more.. Great Ambience with pics of BB King, Louie Armstrong and other Artists with soul music playing every time you walk in! I'd recommend takeaways as seating is really poor and is always packed! Good customer service Overall I'd rate them a 7.8/10 read more

Carolina Kitchen my go to place for American food in Brisbane. I have been coming here a for a few years and I have yet to find a place that do buffalo wings better in Brisbane. Their hotdogs aren't half bad either. The actual shop is very small so get there early to get a table. read more

I decided to give this place another go today. Waited 1/2 hr to get served take away. Everyone else who came in after us got served before us - maybe about 20 people. I watched the kitchen in horror - food contamination risk going on everywhere. Mayo based potato salad sitting out in a tub in a hot room the entire time I sat there. Raw chicken sitting in the bench uncovered as well right next to the French fries waiting to be fried next to where food was being plated up. Bread rolls hanging out with uncooked ribs- just so much going wrong here. The staff didn't look like they had a clue. None of them wore gloves or washed their hands as they dealt with uncooked and then cooked food. Got my turkey hoagie and it was legit the thinnest layer of unflavored crap. They didn't even add onions - I feel like I just waited half an hour to eat a bread roll. Never ever ever coming back here. read more

Carolina Kitchen - Where's the food in this hoagie? - American Near Me

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Went here with high hopes for some good American style BBQ. The ribs where just average not great but not terrible, the chicken hot wings where not bad and would be my recommendation if you decide to give it a try. The chicken hogie was terrible and definitely a menu item worth avoiding. The decor is pretty low rent and the service was neither good nor bad. I may have got them on an off night based on other reviews. If your in the area give it a try but not worth going too far out of your way for. f you happen to be in the area read more

I'm not a regular rib fan but was keen to try Carolina Kitchen. We ended up getting take away as it was rammed - but we got the vibe of the place while we were waiting. Ribs were amazing. Loads of juicy smokey sauce and the meat just melted in your mouth. We also tried the buffalo wings, old school potato salad and NY fries. The NY fries probably would have been better as a dine-in option. Otherwise - delish! read more

Extremely disappointed, basically really greasy fast food. All plastic plates and cutlery too which is so unfriendly to the environment

As an American I've been craving something that tastes like home. This place got great reviews so thought to try it out. Ate dinner here on a Thursday night - the place was pretty busy. Doesn't look like much on the outside and almost didn't go in but so glad we did!! Ordered ribs and New York fries - the ribs were for sure the highlight. Fall off the bones good!! Seating is a bit limited but takeaway is an option. A win for sure. read more

Good old classic hamburgers, fried chicken and ribs. I had the cheeseburger and chilly fires. The handmade meat pattie is great and not some factory made bland most places have. Even washed it down with a Mexican Coke. read more

It was ok, when you can cook buffalo wings and ribs at home (I'm a pretty terrible cook) a hell of a lot better than a restaurant who does it professionally it's not a good sign. read more

I've been here a few times! The ribs and wings are pretty delish and I loved it all!! I really want all the food and I want some more food! I want to come back but maybe when I'm probably starving during the day so I can fit more meat, and sauce and just food! They also have heaps of American drinks there you can try. read more

Mmmm riiiibs.this is one of my favourite rib joints. The chicken wings and hot dogs are pretty tasty too. Pumpkin pie, key lime pie and cherry pie are quite nice desserts. It can get quite busy so it pays to be early. read more

For calling themselves an AMERICAN restaurant, I was really excited to get some HOME COOKING... but it was just okay. I wasn't impressed.

The ribs and wings are amazingly good. This place is so much better than 'The Smoke' (formerly Blue Smoke) and about half the price. Pecan pie is delish and the atmosphere is fun with Motown music and checked table cloths. And to increase the awesomeness there's a copy of the Gettysburg Address on the wall. read more

Carolina Kitchen is a small corner shop stuck in the back streets of Cooparoo, Brisbane. It is so small that to seat my family group of 14 guests we had to book their little outside nook at the side of the building. It was a little like sitting in someone's garage with the door up, facing the street. We were grouped around two tables placed end-to-end and covered with plastic table cloths. Several chairs had backs and the rest were metal low stools. The residents in the house at the back were also dining close by and above us and the shop's row of wheelie bins was just through the timber lattice wall. If you are looking for an elegant or romantic environment you need to go elsewhere. However, we came for the food. My adult children love American food. They demolished plates of tender ribs, chicken wings, crisp USA fries and tasty chilli dogs but ignored the healthier-looking "hoagies" (subs). There were a number of different imported soft drinks but Mexican molasses-based coca cola was most popular. The food got the thumbs up from the younger generation but a couple of the senior adults present were not so keen on the fat content nor the spicy flavour, although they enjoyed the potato salad. Each to their own. For atmosphere I'd suggest you collect the food as takeaway and head home. read more

Absolutely one of the worst places I have ever eaten in my life. Took my partner there as she loves Pumpkin Pie but we didn't even want to put anything further from this place in our bodies after our main so skipped desert and left as fast as we would. I had a Cheeseburger which was one of the oddest tasting burgers I have ever eaten. While it wasn't disgusting it taste like they hadn't cleaned the grill in years and on top of that all I could taste was their mustard which is not the best taste to overpower a dirty tasting meat patty. My partner had ribs, as soon as they were set down I could tell this place was going to be terrible. They had a yellow tinge to them like they were leftover from the weekend... and we went on a Friday! They tasted pretty much the same as they looked. Again the sauce was just odd but scraping it off just made the taste of old pork even stronger. Couldn't tell you if they were fatty or not because the entire consistency of them was just mush. For the first time in our life we left half a plate of ribs. Positives were, the coke was cold and I could wash the taste of this crap from my mouth nicely. Overall a huge insult to American cooking as I have never tasted anything even close to that in our time in the US. read more

For a small slice of America right here in Brisbane head down to Carolina kitchen in the suburb of Coorparoo. If you like soul food then this is the place for you, as the staff and the food are straight from America and the recopies seem like they've been guarded for years. Carolina kitchen is more of a take away than a restaurant despite what you might read online. There are however some places to sit but as it is quite popular getting a table is not always guaranteed or easy. There is an open kitchen behind where you order so the place does smell a bit like a deep fryer which is fine for allot of people because that's just part of the food. They have been known to do some of the best BBQ pork ribs in town and I must say it is a claim that I can for the most part back up. Along with the ribs you can also get traditional Buffalo wings which are bursting with flavor and at 7 dollars for 6 wings not a bad deal. They also serve the traditional chilly dog and chilly fries which if you're not familiar with it is chili con carne dropped over chips and a hot dog and is one of my personal favorites form Carolina Kitchen. The food can be washed down with traditional American A&W Root Beer which I find is a must and tops off the meal nicely. read more

My 3rd time at this place , Not impressed this time,The rudeness customers received from the sons of the owners because it was too busy for them was unacceptable, I will never go back and don't recommend this place to anyone anymore. read more

After watching 1 to many episodes of Man vs Food, I had an overwhelming 'hankering' for a chilli dog....WHERE was I going to get a chilli dog in Brisbane....enter the Carolina Kitchen to the rescue. From the outside it's hard to believe that the white building on the corner of a suburban street is a take away restaurant, with some seriously great food. The staff behind the counter are friendly and helpful (even if you are staring at the menu totally confused about what to order - 1 of everything please) I ordered a chilli dog with a side order of potato salad. I took a seat and within a short time I was chomping into a seriously soft bun with soft and delicious dog (sausage) and chilli. The potato salad was clearly home made and with crunchy celery sprinkled through was the perfect accompaniment to the chilli dog. There's quite a lot to choose from on the menu and I will be back for sure - the hamburgers sound AMAZING. The shop itself is a little small and cramped with not HEAPS of seating and when they're busy it would be better to take away and stuff your face in private. I've definitely tasted better chilli - but it's subjective as there's so many types and tastes - so I would be very happy to have another one of these. Delicious and a good taste of Americana!. read more

Being American, I had high hopes. The New York fries are ok, but there is nothing New York about them. You don't see chilli sauce and sour cream on fries. Now cheese, bacon and ranch dressing is something you see. The hot dogs were good. I tend to like my ribs with a dry rub, no sauce... So I didn't enjoy those. I will go back to try a burger (three is no such thing a a chicken burger, it is a chicken sandwich) or a sub/hoagie. read more

My sister got kicked out and abused by the owner for trying to use a gift voucher because it didn't have the right numbers on it. Voucher was paid for in full. I'm sure the other customers in store loved the fists pounding the bench as you yelled at her. read more