This restaurant consistently delivers on a great southern meal. The proteins and side dishes taste great and the portions are plentiful. The food was cooked to order and served hot. My favorite are the hush puppies (which seemingly come with every meal). read more

GoldBelly delivery of Kings BBQ. Poorly packaged caused the food to become thawed. So the Pig Out Party that serves 12 had to eaten in a weekend! The ribs were dry and slightly chewy the cider bbq sauce was just ok. The pulled pork had too much vinegar The hush puppies were dense and doughy Considering the cost, I would never order again read more

Kings - Product details - Barbeque Near Me - Kinston, North Carolina

Takes an hour for our food to arrive after the order is placed. Food is ok but not worth the wait. The PA system is loud and jaring. Been customers for years but won't be back til service improves if then. Different wait staff each visit now. That should tell you something . read more

Kings is a very comfortable establishment. Everyone seemed like they had been doing the same things the same ways for a long time. The restaurant itself felt comfortable as well: the table tops were worn, the small booths felt worn, the decorative metal siding was oxidized, and even the plates and silverware seemed worn. This comfortable atmosphere also persisted with our meals. I tried the beef tips and they were OK after I added a pinch of salt. The portion was adequate but not especially generous. Likewise, my yams were not very sweet and served in an unusually dark sauce. The brunswick stew, which I paid an extra $1 for, had a strong smoky BBQ flavor but oddly had peas in it. While my sides were not very good, it just felt like they were the prepared the same way they had been prepared for many years. My dining companion enjoyed her grilled pork chop, noting that it was clearly cooked to order, but thought her string bean side was really mushy, seasoned poorly, and just not good. The basket of hush puppies was a complete and utter failure: cold, undercooked, greasy and flavorless. blah. Our server clearly enjoyed being comfortable too. Unfortunately, we needed refills on our beverages and the extra effort impacted her comfortableness. So sorry, not sorry. Kings seems like the sort of restaurant that meanders along until one day they realize they lost the qualities that made them successful in the first place years ago and they drift away into oblivion. There's a cost to being comfortable. Not recommended. read more

I really wanted to like this place. Truly. In this economy, when folks are choosing carefully where to spend their money, the bare minimum every restaurant should bring is decent food and decent service. Kings Restaurant delivered neither. They weren't busy at all, which should've been my first clue. The service moved like we were interrupting their afternoon nap. I've had faster checkouts at the DMV. And speaking of paying let's just say it took effort to give them my money, which is wild considering that's the one part of the transaction restaurants usually excel at. Now let's talk food, because that's where the crown fully fell off: * The collard greens were sugary. Not "a hint of sweetness," I mean full-on greens by Krispy Kreme. * The yams? Mush. Baby food texture. If I wanted purée, I'd visit a nursing home. * The liver was burnt on the edges, crispy like they were trying to make liver jerky. * The cabbage was overcooked into submission. It gave up on itself long before it hit the plate. And no, this wasn't the buffet. This was supposed to be a fresh order. I shudder to imagine the buffet. Bottom line: save your coins, your appetite, and your hope. Competence in the food business is already hard to find don't waste time on a place still trying to remember the basics. read more

One of those burgers that you just crave out of nowhere. It was juicy and cooked right. The pickles and onions added a nice kick. Simple but so satisfying. read more

Kings - Barbeque Near Me - Kinston, North Carolina

MICE!!! I was served my food and I see a mouse run from the kitchen. I immediately left. DO NOT GO!!!!

Unfortunately it was a horrible experience. Seven family members and myself went out for dinner there last week. The food was atrocious. Two out of eight had good food and one was even hot, the rest of us weren't that fortunate. The waitress was told the meats were cold, she apologized, but didn't offer to do anything about it. Long story short, 3 of us got sick and my brother is in Greenville/ ECU hospital with serious Gastrointestinal infection. Yes, I notified the owners and I didn't get any type of apology, actually basically called me a lier and said the food was cooked to order and blamed the waitress for letting our food sit to long. If you choose to eat here please send food back if not prepared correctly and hot. Food poisoning is extremely dangerous!!!! We'll NEVER eat here again and we've been eating there my entire life. read more

The bbq had way too much vinegar on it. Could not eat it. Waitress did offer to exchange it for something else. Very disappointed. Service was good. Tea was good, vegetables and bread was average. read more

Just after the big snow had fallen think it was a Monday my wife and I stopped to see if Kings was open. Went inside and it signs that says dinning rooms were closed then someone came out and said the buffet was open so we went to he buffet and it a selection that was1/4 of the normal buffet. The hostess even said "we're trying it out" so we got something to eat and as we were eating a older gentleman and his wife came to our table and thanked me for my service to our country. I was wearing my disabled veteran hat. I said thank you. As I left I told the waitress I'd like to pay for the elderly couples meal. This is where I was shocked. The buffet only had a 1/4 of its regular buffet, enough where they weren't even using one whole section of the buffet bar. When I checked out I was expecting a discounted buffet price with what was offered but instead was charged full price for my wife and I. And also charged full price for the elderly couple which should have had a senior discount but was also charged full price. That one visit has affected the way I look at that restaurant and since recently moving here Kings was a place we would visited weekly or more. I can't say that I'll be back after that last visit. So for 4 people to eat 2 of them being 70+ years old I spent $76.91 for a partial buffet. read more

My wife and I had the rare opportunity to dine out alone together - after much debate she acquiesced to my request - King's in Kinston was our solution - I chose the buffet while Neets had their Hamburg Steak plate. I was impressed with their meal offering, selection and quality throughout - Skyline's service was attentive and warm - despite my wife bringing an issue to her that lacked clear communication. Later Neets spoke with the Head Server who assisted the situation and they "went good" on things. "It's nice to know that Kings stands-behind their food and their staff! EVERYONE CAN MAKE A MISTAKE - We will be back and Neets may order something different from her "go-to" faire. FYI : King's dining room looks just like it did when my wife worked there some 30 years ago! A Kinston Landmark! Bon appetite read more

Not good food, I don't know what the hype is all about! The worst fries ever, how do you not know how to make fries, soda was the only thing good read more

I have been here in the Kinston area for little over 3 weeks now, and out of that whole 3 weeks I have literally ate here for a good solid 2 1/2 weeks. The food is delicious, staff is friendly and welcoming. This place serves buffet some days and regular sit down restaurant everyday. I have tried both and man I LOVE both aspects of it!! There collard greens, cabbage, green beans, potato salad, fried chicken, fried shrimp, 10oz steak, and their sweet tea have been my go to this whole time!! Now I do have to say the ambiance needs some TLC and updating!! Overall the food outweighed my negativity of the place. If I'm ever back here again I am most definitely will be back to enjoy that delicious southern food!! read more

Carey out side has friendly staff with great service. Very polite and welcoming. Food was hot, and ready in a timely manner

The breakfast buffet is my favorite, the seafood buffet is the worst. There's some good menu items, too. Their BBQ is really delicious. I've been here many times and sometimes the service just isn't great. Overall, the food is pretty good, very flavorful. read more

For what it is (a Mecca of East Carolina BBQ in mass quantities), it's excellent. This is not food is would normally eat, being very conscious of fat and meat intake. However a couple of times a year seems relatively harmless. This place has been around since 1938 and has survived flooding by several hurricanes. The buffet offers Carolina BBQ, delicious fried chicken, fried shrimp (and oysters in season), collards, biscuits and etc. Weirdly, it also includes breakfast foods (bacon, eggs, grits, sausage). The servers are super nice and they clear your plates quickly. And cheap! Gave us senior discount and only $40 for 3 people! read more

See all

Have not been there in a long time but definitely some good country food there. A pretty good variety as well. Would definitely go there again just a little out of the area for normal dining. Would like to see the new mlb team there and could make a stop there first for a great day read more

Stopped at Kings on the way to the beach. I have eaten here many times over the years. I'm hoping this was just an off night but the BBQ was not good. It was dry, chopped too fine and had no taste. I got some Brunswick Stew as a side and it was not good. Weird taste. The only thing we had that was good was the hushpuppies and green beans. If this is what King's BBQ has become, they have definitely slipped. read more

We ordered the BBQ platter to go. The only side we got that was just ok was the coleslaw and onion rings. The fries and fried okra were mushy and not good. The chopped pork was also mushy without much taste. We've tried this place twice, but won't be back. Many people were ordering fish or chicken, so maybe those might be the items to order. read more

The pulled pork is very good with plenty of vinegar. It did not require sauce. The coleslaw was creamy, the collards were nicely spiced and had barbecued pork throughout. read more

I had the buffet which had fried chicken, barbecue and fried shrimp. The vegetables were prepared Southern style (don't go expecting to lower your cholesterol). Deserts were chocolate and banana pudding. Service was very friendly and iced tea kept full. The building has some wear and tear. Doesn't matter, solid product and they have been doing it awhile. read more

Kings - Plate from the buffet. - Barbeque Near Me - Kinston, North Carolina

ehhh. not very good. not awful food, but won't return. string beans had no flavor. bbq was dry and tasteless. turkey from the buffet was dry. just not good. wilber's bbq up in goldsboro is way better. if you're in the area, make the drive to wilber's and you won't be disappointed. kings - you need to step up your game! read more

Jad the buffet, plenty of options and all was delish! Hope to come back again. The staff was very nice friendly and helpful.

First time there the chicken was very was dry, the hush puppies were hard and just terrible. I was like they went and got the food from their buffet area that had been out hurt a long time. Never going back!!! read more

What's happened to my beloved Kings Barbecue & Chicken? We met a trio of friends on a recent weeknight around 6:30pm. Their plates looked as pitiful as the buffet itself; dry shredded pork barbecue, soggy fried chicken, shriveled sausages, rock-hard hushpuppies and heat lamp-scorched fried shrimp. After watching our dining partners poke around at their food, we politely asked the server if there were any plans to re-stock some of the items on the bar - she never returned with an answer. We cut our loses and left our friends to deal with their sad looking plates. Here's to hoping they were just having a bad night... read more

Kings - Maybe they were just having a bad night - dining partners left most of the food on their buffet plates, - Barbeque Near Me - Kinston, North Carolina

This is true Carolina-Southern at its best. My parents and I came for dinner after a day on the beach at Emerald Isle. My mother tried to come in previously - she took a rain check since the place was busy. I think that failed visit was a foretaste of what we experienced today. Great food and Southern hospitality. I came home after a two-year stay in another state. I miss true Carolina BBQ. I had different variations of BBQ in the other state, but nothing beats Carolina BBQ. You can't go wrong here: seasoned pulled pork, collard greens that aren't overly salty, hushpuppies, mac & cheese, coleslaw, and sweet tea that isn't overly sugary or syrupy. Saturday was their evening dinner buffet. It featured their BBQ along with fried seafood and grilled shrimp. There was also a salad bar and a dessert bar. We loved their fried chicken, pulled pork, fried oysters, clam strips, and scallops. The scallops were fresh out of the fryer. Their banana pudding was a winner, so save room for dessert! Tonya, our server, made mom feel special. This month dealt mom a difficult hand of cards. Choosing this place for our dinner was a good play. I was dealt a losing hand this spring. Seeing winning plays helps me stay positive. The prevalent country accents are reminders that North Carolina is and always will be my home, no matter where I end up. read more

Kings - Seafood Buffett - Barbeque Near Me - Kinston, North Carolina

See all

Kings is an original and a constant in Kinston. About 1/2 way between RDU and Emerald Isle. We stop every time and the food is delicious and consistent. We had BBQ (pork chopped with a vinegar sauce) and I had fried shrimp and okra alongside. As other fast food places open along the route, wait and stop at Kings for history and excellent food. read more

On our way home from the beach on a Sunday( pre-COVID), my family stopped in at King's restaurant. None of us had been before. We were seated without menus and when we asked our waitress for some her surprise that we didn't want to do the buffet convinced us we should reconsider (as did the number of other guests enjoying the buffet). Man, I am glad we did. That was hands down one of the best buffets I have ever been to. Huge variety and nice and hot (and flavorful) food. They had everything southern you could think of from sides (green beans, collards, corn, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, hushpuppies, etc) to meats (turkey, fried chicken, popcorn shrimp, pulled pork, fried fish, etc). I have to say they were moving through the food so fast even the fried items we delicious on a buffet- nice and crispy. There was also full salad and soup bar, cold salads (pasta, potato, coleslaw), and multiple dessert options (including a soft serve machine). I had multiple full plates as I wanted to try everything, and I enjoyed almost everything. Highlight for me was actually the roasted turkey- super flavorful and moist with a nice gravy, it tasted just like Thanksgiving Day Turkey. Yum! Their fried chicken was also top notch. I don't know if they are still doing the buffet due to COVID, but I am sure their food off the menu is just as delicious. Now I know what I want to order-everything. Will be back! read more

See all

I am from NC, but I moved across the country for work. Of all the things I left, I miss bbq the most. So imagine my excitement when I realized that I could have a sampler shipped to my house! Well the Pulled Pork didn't disappoint, and I think we ate an entire pound of it in a single sitting. We...as in two people. Their NC vinegar sauce makes the pork pop, and it makes a good sandwich with slaw. The Ribs are a bigger disappointment than Duke going down to UNC in the final four this year. Super tough, stuck to the bone. Sides are strong. Good slaw, nice potato salad, and they even include Brunswick Stew, which is meaty and hearty with a lot of good veggies in the mix. You can add a side of hush puppies for cheap as well. Well-priced, easy shipping, but I don't think I'd risk those ribs again. read more

Written during Covid-19 In our search for great eastern NC BBQ, we stopped here on our way home from the beach. They were open and had indoor dining, but we chose to sit outside. They had hand sanitizer before you walked in that they asked you to use, someone hold the door for you, and tables were spaced out, lunch counter seating closed, and the bathroom routed to allow only one person through at a time. Every employee was wearing a mask. Most customers were as well, except when eating obviously. My husband had the BBQ plate with Cole slaw and onion rings. It was all really good. I had the fried chicken plate with collards and friend okra. The collards are definitely cooked in the southern style, which is to say, they are tasty. A little heavy in a stomach that no longer eats in this style though. The best part of the meal? The banana pudding! Perfectly prepared with vanilla wafers, meringue, and tons of bananas! read more

See all

Happy to be the 100th review for this North Carolina BBQ institution that I finally had the chance to eat at for the first time, just before everything got crazy with the COVID. It may be a strange and uncertain time, but here in Kinston, the locals are known for being survivors. In fact, when you walk into this place and look to your right, you'll see a sign showing the water flood level of the last three major hurricanes to sweep the area. But enough of local legend, let's get to the food! They do a buffet here as well as menu service, but I will tell you, you're almost certain to get a strange look from the servers if you ask to order from the menu, especially on a Sunday! At Sunday lunch you'll see a lot of good southern folks dressed up in their Sunday best, and looking to pick at all the delicious goodies on the line. There's everything from chopped pork, fried chicken, crab cakes, fried shrimp and fish, turkey, ham and more... as well as all the sides you could ever want for a good southern meal. Then to top it all off, a dessert bar that will literally put the icing on the cake for you. My original intent was to order from the menu, but I was seduced by the sights and smells of the buffet line... and it was indeed a Sunday. There were lots of people here, and the best part of that is the buffet continuously gets refreshed with hot fresh items. Honestly, just about every single thing I bit into was delicious and at least on par with what I was expecting, if not well above my expectations! Anyway, you're not going to want to pass this place up. I will have to stop again sometime and get one of those famous pig in a pup sandwiches I keep hearing so much about! read more

See all

We had heard about the All you can eat crab legs at King's, so I finally got my family to go and it was the best. My dad and sister absolutely loved it. I didn't eat the crab legs, but their buffet was delicious. I especially enjoyed the BBQ and shrimp myself. The service was top notch and they came by often to make sure we were doing fine. If we needed more crab legs, they were back in a minute or two to reload the plates. All in all was a great experience and will be back when they have a craving for them. Highly recommend. A++++ read more

THE BEST BBQ EVER!!!!!! Love the buffet when passing through. Has everything you can want and the prices are amazing. read more

Kings - Bbq - Barbeque Near Me - Kinston, North Carolina

if I could give it a -1, I would. Save your money. Their food and attitudes are cold and tasteless.

We have never been, so we tried the buffet. It was good just not a lot out at lunch. If I get back by I will try the ribs, they had St. Louis style with two sides for 9.99 and tea. read more

So first things first. Traditionally this is not my jam. What I mean by that is the following: Often times southern cooking might have ingredients that I may not always care for. Things as simple as fatback or more elaborate. Well this place is southern cooking at its finest. We opted for the buffet, and despite the fact that it's was dinner time they were having a breakfast buffet. On it we're all of the usuals plus pancakes, grits, sausage gravy ( I think) and a selections of cobblers. We had Keyosha ( perhaps the spelling is right). She was Awesome. Get the banana pudding y'all. read more

Kings - Go on in and get ya some. - Barbeque Near Me - Kinston, North Carolina

Great food great people at kings it's the only place we eat at when heading to Bogue RV

The food is mediocre at best. Nearly all items are mass produced and sit under heat lamps until ordered and served.

The chopped BBQ was good and consistent with Eastern NC whole hog BBQ. The fried okra was good as well as the collards. Atmosphere was typical of a BBQ restaurant as well as the decor. Price and service were both in line, so overall it was a good meal with a good experience. read more

Found out about this restaurant via a television show. Arrived late afternoon and early for dinner (i.e,. old people dinner time and early). We were seated immediately and the wait staff was friendly enough. Lots of elderly dinners. The food came. Best was to describe it is "large quantity, but low quality". Half the dishes were cold. But, the wait staff had disappeared by then. We ate, paid the bill and departed. Lesson learned: Everything recommended on television is not always good. We will NOT be back. read more