I have been wanting to eat at Lexington Barbecue for a long while. Years, in fact. My past trips through Lexington found this place closed. Last month was my chance. The number of cars in the parking lot and the smell of wood smoke from the large smokers in the back told me I was in for a down-home BBQ experience loved by many. The main dining room is simple. Waitstaff are attentive and the whole crew feels like one big family. I ordered their signature pulled pork BBQ plate with three sides. Their flash-fried hushpuppies are great. I had them in (hot dog) frank shapes and round shapes on my travels. The frank shapes make for an easy "pick and eat" experience IMO. The BBQ and the slaw both carry a spicy kick to them. I wasn't expecting their slaw to have a kick. This is what makes theirs unique. The BBQ was so good, I ordered a pound to take home. My server added a bag of hushpuppies too (she noticed I liked them haha). Thanks for a premier experience! read more

Lexington Barbecue - Barbecue plate with slaw, baked beans, and hushpuppies - Barbeque Near Me - Lexington, North Carolina

You cannot go wrong with Honeymonk (or Lexington Barbecue). It's one of those places you HAVE to visit and eat at while in Lexington. I love their chicken tenders or chicken filet sandwich dunked in their "dip." They give you excellent serving sizes and the service is fast and friendly! read more

Lexington Barbecue - Fries and hush puppies - Barbeque Near Me - Lexington, North Carolina

See all

Lexington Barbecue was a fun stop with friends and exactly the kind of place where it is all about the food. The dining room is nothing fancy. There is a counter area when you first walk in and booths and tables in a dining room. Our servers were friendly and it seemed like all of the servers were checking in with us to see if we needed any refills. I had the chopped pork with slaw, served simply on a cardboard plate. There is nothing polished or pretentious about this place, but the BBQ was great. Even better were the hush puppies. Honestly, I could have made a meal out of those alone. I did not try the desserts, but others at the table said they were very good. Overall, this was a casual, enjoyable stop with great BBQ and hush puppies worth remembering. read more

See all

We left the house to pick up some groceries.Then it was decided that first we would get an early supper. Lexington BBQ is not new to us since we live near by. I knew in the back of my mind what I wanted. But the Mrs of the House is going to look at the menu or bust. Any one knowing the history of Lexington BBQ (aka The Monk) knows that between the curb and the inside eating some days they feed a 800-1000 hungry people. Luckily there were a few empty tables and booth's.We had just got planted in our booth and our young waitress had our tea order and wanted to get that food order a going. My wife likes their smoked Turkey sandwich with lettuce tomato and mayo. I knew she wanted a few fries and a hush puppy or two so I ordered a brown coarse chopped plate with fries and slaw and hush puppies and a roll. I asked our waitress if the had any pork skin's available. And yes they did so I asked for a small tray of skins. The Monk's food the quality is amazingly consistent. That Turkey sandwich looked delicious that my wife had and my coarse chopped plate just what a hungry soul needed. First thing right off I put some skins on my bun with a little pork some slaw and bbq dip. If you know you just know. That crunch of those skins with the slaw and dip would definitely not make your Cardiologist happy. Every thing excluding the service was as good as it gets.Looking forward to another bbq adventure. read more

Lexington Barbecue - Brown coarse chopped plate with slaw ,fries,hush puppies and a tray of skins. - Barbeque Near Me - Lexington, North Carolina

See all

The legendary Lexington Barbecue lived up to their reputation. We made sure to make a stop here part of our road trip. The service couldn't have been better - so friendly and helpful. Although we each ordered a pork tray, we easily could have shared one. Between the regular BBQ and the coarse chopped, we both preferred the regular shredded meat. Prices are reasonable, especially for the portion sizes. The place is as down home as it gets. Wonderful! read more

See all

My Dad used to pick up BBQ from Lexington BBQ inbound from his work trips in the 1970s when I was kid, so fond memories of that vinegar pork BBQ. I have only stopped in to eat here a few times since. The restaurant is a Time Machine from 1967 and I don't think they have changed anything inside or outside since. Why change a winning formula? Service is friendly and prompt. I love NC BBQ. Especially the vinegar and chopped pork. My last couple visits here have been ok. The puppies were good but a little too oily. The BBQ was ok. read more

See all

Good ole Honeymonks. This was the first restaurant my wife's family ate at when they moved here in 1980 when she was a teenager. Now it is called Lexington BBQ off of Hwy 64. They are closed now on Mondays. We both had a chopped sandwich and fries and I had a diet Cheerwine . Very tasty . Friendly efficient long time staff. You can pull up to the side and they will come out and take your order or you can can eat inside . read more

See all

I had not been at this holy grail of Lexington style BBQ in a while, so I decided to make the 30 minute drive to pick up some of the great barbecue here, and there were several other spots I might check out while in Lexington. Wayne Monk and Sonny Honeycutt opened Lexington on the spot it still occupies today. The spot had been owned by Warner Stamey, who never used it. Stamey is considered by many to have been the person that perfected the BBQ style now commonly referred to as "Lexington". Stamey mentored a number of pit masters including Monk and Red Bridges in Shelby. Hunneycutt soon left the operation and Monk built a bbg haven, that attracts folks from other parts of the states, as well as other states. I've been coming here since the late 60's and have never had a bad meal, a bad experience. I've eaten in , in curb service, take out in bulk, even whole shoulders a hand full of times. On this visit I got plates of chopped, coarse chopped, and sliced barbecue to bring home. I have always found it humorous that some folks say that one or the other NC BBQ is the only "real" BBQ - balderdash! Good BBQ is good BBQ, and there is plenty in this state, from Manteo to Murphy. read more

See all

You don't like pork bbq? Cool. You don't like NC vinegar sauced bbq? No problem. You don't like Western NC bbq? It's all good. If you answered "yes" to any or all of those questions, great! You're entitled to your preferences and opinions. But please stop reviewing restaurants that serve these foods. Your not liking this style doesn't automatically make it bad. Lexington Barbecue is a damn solid representation of western Carolina 'cue. You smell the smoke the moment you set foot in the crowded parking lot. The long line for seating zips along rapidly and your drink order will be taken almost immediately. Regulars don't need menus but the servers will give you all the time you need. Your meal will be out quickly, along with a healthy serving of fresh hush puppies and as many refills of tea as you can handle. Lexington 'cue is served with a thin dip, similar to mopping sauce. 'Round these parts, that means a lightly tomato tinged peppery vinegar sauce. Adjust to your taste with more dip, hot sauce, or whatever else. The slaw, dressed with a similar sauce (yes, it does have ketchup in it, bless your heart) is pure magic. Okay, Stamey's slaw might be a little bit better but that's quibbling. The mayo-free finely chopped cabbage is the perfect go-with for the pork. Try them in the same bite and thank me later. The ambiance is just right. Many regulars, mostly locals, and everyone is as sweet as the tea. Decor is all laminate and fake wood paneling and has seen much better days. In other words, as it should be. NB: As with so many restaurants now, Lexington adds a service charge for using a credit card. Cash is always welcome. read more

Lexington Barbecue - Loving tribute from a young fan - Barbeque Near Me - Lexington, North Carolina

See all

We were traveling through Lexington, NC on our way to the beach from KY. My sister urged us to stop to try this beloved local spot, Lexington BBQ. She's right (most of the time) so we did. Hallelujah, we did! For sure, the best BBQ of all time!!! 10/10! Go! Go! Go! read more

See all

The food is always great and fresh and hot always have the same taste. It's the best barbecue in North Carolina. Service is always great. They always treat me like family and the owner always picking and laugh with me a great place to park and it's always safe. you can sit in your caror go in. The atmosphere is always great. They treat you like family and great prices. read more

Lexington Barbecue - Barbecue sandwich with meat skin - Barbeque Near Me - Lexington, North Carolina

On 9/15/26. The baked beans were identical to Busch's baked beans in the can. The smoked Turkey was the same as Boars Head smoked Turkey breast. Not sure why they have been in magazines. No desire to come back to this place. I hope the other BBQ places in Town are better read more

Iconic... this place transcends time! The BBQ is the original, the beginning, the first smoked pork creation that goes back almost 300 years. People from around the world come here. The service is friendly, fast, and honest. This establishment looks the way it did 50 years ago and I hope it never changes. It's cozy, clean, and says NC Pit BBQ, Lexington Style. read more

Lexington Barbecue - Peach Cobbler with ice cream - Barbeque Near Me - Lexington, North Carolina

See all

This place is a piece of heaven. I have eaten a lot of bbq in my life and I was more than excited to have my dad's home state bbq, I got the chopped bbq plate with baked beans, red slaw, and hush puppies with a sweet tea to drink. Everything was perfect. 3 refills of sweet southern tea just how I need it. The ambience was loud and had a sense of southern hospitality, the service was outstanding and we had our food in 5 minutes. Hush puppies are absolutely goated and I WILL be coming back. 5 stars bro read more

Lexington Barbecue - My delicious plate - Barbeque Near Me - Lexington, North Carolina

Lexington BBQ is my favorite place to eat amazing Q. Friend and I stopped there on the way back to WS. Both of us picked the chopped barbecue plate with hush puppies, fries and slaw. Amazing smoked Q with the best tasting hushpuppies. And Cheerwine to drink. Place was crowded but was seated at booth right away. Waitress came back several times to ask if we needed anything. Just go cups for the Cheerwine. Restaurant super clean and excellent staff. Any how this is the place that sets the standards of excellent NC BBQ for others to shoot for. read more

See all

My son was researching the barbecue festival in Lexington and we thought it would be fun to come and eat at the restaurant. It is very iconic with the white sign and pig statue out front. We came on a Saturday for lunch and there was plenty of seating. All of the staff was really nice. I thought it was cute. He was doing a research project and gave him a to go menu. We split the chopped tray with red slaw and french fries. I like that you can get a mix of rolls and hush puppies plus they will bring out more if you want. The barbecue and flour were my favorite that I've had in the Lexington style. They complement each other well and pork was not overly tangy. The french fries were plain, but that was good since the barbecue and dip were so full of flavor. The hush puppies were fresh and crunchy. We will definitely be back to try more items on their menu. read more

Lexington Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Lexington, North Carolina

See all

I haven't written a review in years, but this place compelled me to hit the keyboard. I have seen it described as "legendary," but I guess that depends on your definition. We drove up at 11:00 a.m. and the parking lot was nearly full. The 4 smoke stacks in the rear were pouring out smoke. It hit me that in spite of the visual, there was no smell of meat smoking. That should have been the first red flag. We found a table and the cute waitress was there almost immediately. She took our drink orders and was back in a flash. Styrofoam cups. I'm not a fan of restaurants using non-recyclable materials for inside service. There was also an upcharge on the menu prices for using a credit card. That was also not appreciated. If you're going to charge extra, just build it into the price. We ordered our sandwiches and in less than two minutes she was back with them on their paper saucers. I've been eating for nearly 75 years and a lot of those meals were barbecue from CO to TN to FL to NC and a lot of places in between. I have to say that this was, hands down, the WORST BBQ I've ever had. The chopped pork sandwiches came with coleslaw on top, a typical offering in the south. The thing was, you couldn't tell what was meat and what was cabbage. The texture was all the same. The pork had zero flavor. No salt, no smoke, no nuthin'. We had her bring extra "sauce." I do understand vinegar based sauce, which is common here. But this...this tasted like 90% water, 5% ketchup and 5% vinegar. The only redeeming feature of the lunch was the hushpuppies. They were hot, crisp and flavorful. I will never understand the rave reviews of this place, my stomach is still wondering what it did to deserve this. Yep, it's "legendary" alright, just not in a positive way. read more

Lexington-style barbecue, also known as Piedmont or Western-style, is a North Carolina barbecue tradition known for its use of pork shoulder, a tomato-based sauce with vinegar, and a red coleslaw. It's a distinct style that differs from Eastern-style barbecue, which uses the whole hog and a vinegar-based sauce. First time to visit this place through my cousin Pete, who's from Archdale, NC. Authentic NC barbecue style and we did like the foods that were ordered by my cousin as well as our menu picks. Servings are big with sides plus the price is affordable. Servers are polite, friendly and helpful. They are wonderful people. Place opens 10AM up to 9 PM from Monday thru Saturday. They're closed on Sundays and were early and people started filling up the place . Huge parking lot , busy place, amazing place to taste the NC style of barbecue, wherein they cook pork shoulders in 9 hours using oak and hickory coals. Mouth watering, yummy Lexington style of Barbecue. Common people, drop bye there, taste it and you'll love it. Happy tummy. read more

See all

Born, and raised in Lexington, moved away for work and came back 15 years later to find my favorite bbq still doing what they do!!! Bringing out the good stuff!! read more

This was my second time to Lexington Barbecue, the first time years ago with a local buddy I had played golf with. I was underwhelmed that time but thought maybe it was because they were out of something I had wanted...a normal circumstance at bbq places. So when driving through recently, I decided to give it another go. What I realized this time is that the only barbecue product they have is pork shoulder...no ribs, no chicken, no brisket. (They do have fried fish) It is very lightly smoked and the sauce is a very thin watery substance. I understand that this is Carolina bbq....the place was packed, everyone looked happy, and someone looked over the divider and asked me if this was the best food I had ever had?? I was polite, but realize now that I am more of a Texas bbq guy....meat being really smoked....perhaps a little bit charred with a thick sauce, sometimes sweet or spicy but always with a decidedly hickory flavor. The place is very friendly and clean, we were seated promptly and the food came out quickly. Great fries and hush puppies!! read more

Service was excellent. The bbq I'm sorry to say was not the best. Histories were the best. I got a small tray of coarse chopped bbq. It was not well seasoned. Rather dry. My husband had the chopped bbq. It was just ok. The skins were not good...had a burnt aftertaste. All in all I will not return. I must say I'm use to vinegar based bbq from east. This did not compare. No smoky flavor either.you grab a seat where you like and we picked the wrong seat. We wanted a booth and the only one available was in front of a bookcase with cleaning supplies. They could cover it up with a small curtain or get a small bookcase with a sliding door so you couldn't see the bucket and cleaning. supplies. People were nice and waitress attentive. read more

Top rated NC BBQ joint for all the right reasons. This place was a must stop for us as I've read/seen all the reviews. Parking lot was nearly full and the dining area crowded on a Friday night. Had no idea so many patrons drove up to order-pickup carry out but the joint was buzzing. We were promptly seated as soon as we walked in and greeted warmly by our waitress. The menu is very straightforward. Chopped BBQ, sliced fresh turkey, brisket and a few other items. They only serve WNC BBQ which is pork shoulder in a red sauce, although that sauce is very mild. We ordered the chopped bbq and sliced turkey with rolls, Cole slaw and hush puppies as sides. The outstanding food was met with the very warm hospitality all around us. Neighbors, friends and colleagues all catching up with each other. It was an absolute pleasure to have dined there and so worth the time. read more

See all

Best BBQ in NC. Smoke rolling out of this place every time you pass, unlike a lot of BBQ places that don't smoke on site. Service is always prompt and food typically comes out within a few minutes. Staff are very courteous and helpful chopped BBQ tray with bbq slaw and hush puppies is my go to. Bbq is always fresh juicy and perfect amount of smoke. Red slaw is tangy and crisp! If they have the skins and dip these are a must! Fresh and super crunchy fried pork skins (probably my favorite thing on the menu) with a healthy serving of lexington dip read more

Lexington Barbecue - Chopped bbq tray - Barbeque Near Me - Lexington, North Carolina

See all

I love looking at lists of best BBQ places in America and one I have seen often is Lexington BBQ. I was finally able to travel to North Carolina and was close by so had to give it a try. This is old school BBQ. There are no ribs, brisket, or even chicken! They do pork and they do it well! The pork was so flavorful and tender as it is dipped in a vinegar dip with a little tomato and pepper mixed in. There is a thicker and more tangy version on the table. My plate came with crinkle cut fries and red slaw. I really enjoyed the tanginess of the slaw and it was diced really fine. They also give you a basket of hush puppies. In all, the plate was loaded and was a good size portion to eat. I ordered beans on the side but I would skip them because they are just dressed up Bush beans from the can. Sweet tea was refreshingly sweet! If you love tangy and vinegar BBQ, Lexington BBQ is an excellent choice. If you prefer another BBQ taste, I would look elsewhere. I enjoyed it more than I expected. read more

See all

Well, this is just good old down home Lexington barbecue, served up in a tray at the counter with the fastest service, nicest people, and the most amazing barbecue sauce you'll ever taste in your life. If you want original down home, family owned country barbecue in Lexington, North Carolina then this is the place you want to go. What else can I say? read more

Got a bbq sandwich with slaw and a side of fries to go for lunch this week. The meat is tender and the slaw was very tasty. The fries weren't seasoned but they were cooked well! read more

This joint is a local establishment with that ol' country feel. There's a certain nostalgic feeling to this place with staff that is so friendly and eager to ensure you leave feeling full. The servers here and hard working and take care of you. The food is outstanding and you can taste the wood smoke that has been bbq'd into this meet. Hush puppies are AMAZING! Baked beans are some of the best which contain that same smoky flavor. All in all this was a total win and we'd come back here any day! read more

See all

The best place! Food and service is amazing! I highly recommend stopping in anytime you are in Lexington, NC.

Lexington has been on my list of places to get to for a long time, based on a friend's recommendation. I'm so glad to have the opportunity to try it finally! In true pit style, you can smell and see the smoke before you open the door. There were four visible chimneys coming from the cook house behind the restaurant, three of which were rolling white smoke. The aroma told me a lot about the food and got my stomach rumbling. They serve pork butt. Sliced, chopped, sandwich or plate or platter. Don't look for ribs (at least not on the menu at lunch) or chicken or beef. They focus on doing pork perfectly. The meat is smoked well but is not overwhelmed. My ample platter came with barbecue slaw, which was perfectly balanced between the tang of the slaw and the savory of that sauce. The table bottle of sauce was spicy but a good complement. Note that it is not the same sauce that comes on the meat at serving (the preapplied is milder), so ask for that if you want it. Onion rings and fries were hot and good. The hush puppies were soft in the middle but crusty on the outside -- perfect! Didn't need butter. The beans were outstanding. I know they were probably only commercial beans with Lexington's bbq sauce (and maybe some sugar), but they were spot on. The pork skins were only okay, very crispy but tasting a bit burnt. I saw these on the menu as a sandwich as well, if you don't want good barbecue instead. Service was good. Prices were reasonable. 3.5% upcharge for credit cards, which is annoying. read more

See all

If you stop at one place in Lexington for BBQ, this is it. They sell more barbecue than all the other Lexington joints combined- a lot of the other places don't really specialize in bbq, but this one does- it's good and cooked with wood read more

Fast and speedy service. Hot and fresh anyday . All day. . If your hungry and don't feel like cooking. Come eat in or take out.

Lexington Barbecue is an iconic presence in Lexington, North Carolina. It is a landmark of the North Carolina barbecue scene and deserves its fantastic reputation. The people who work here are friendly and the overall ambiance just provides the perfect setting to enjoy a barbecue feast. It is not pretentious, but let me ask you, what is pretentious about barbecue? I enjoyed my meal here and I enjoyed embracing a tradition not only of the city of Lexington, North Carolina, but rather a tradition of the state of North Carolina. Barbecue is taken very seriously down here in the South and there is a reason for it. It is taken very seriously because it is a part of the tradition of the South and it is this serious approach that makes the barbecue in the South that good. I also enjoy how the South has distinct approaches to barbecue. While some love Memphis style barbecue or St. Louis-style barbecue, the barbecue from the Carolinas is spoken with the same reverence. If you are in the area, you must try Lexington Barbecue. read more

Lexington Barbecue - Dinner - Barbeque Near Me - Lexington, North Carolina

See all

Service was very pleasant and the immediate warmth of the small town America graced the atmosphere. That, however does not make up for dry BBQ. Unfortunately, they only smoke hog, you would assume they would be next level for their specialty, in the heart of the "BBQ capital" of NC. Skip this for the Smoke Pit in Concord if passing through. I wonder if people had their taste buds burnt off or have never left "the village," and explored actual BBQ. read more

Lexington Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Lexington, North Carolina

Lexington Barbecue sold me on NC-style BBQ! As a lover of acidic flavors paired with rich, heaviness, Lexington-style BBQ was a great fit for me. My husband and I ordered a Chopped Barbecue Tray & Sliced Barbecue Tray, and I much preferred the former (Chopped), because some of the Sliced was a bit dry. I had also never had red slaw prior to visiting NC, and can consider myself a fan! Hush puppies were absolute perfection, and we loved pairing them with the "dip" (sauce). This place is as old school as it gets, and is like walking into a no-frills time machine. I love places that are no nonsense (but still with friendly service) and all about the food, so this was an excellent pit stop en route to Greensboro! read more

Did I make the trip up to Lexington for a couple of pounds of barbecue and slaw? nope... my Christmas present to myself this year, was ordering a case of the smokehouse barbecue sauce. The website was easy to use, and it only took a couple of days to arrive at my door. I've already finished a bottle. read more

Easily the best BBQ I've had in NC. We went for chopped pork, sliced pork, baked beans, hash browns and rolls. The BBQ plates come Cole slaw and hush puppies. Let me say, the cole slaw isn't creamy, but vinegar based, and it was great. I thought it had some horseradish in it, but learned they chop the entire cabbage, including the thick center, which gives that subtle flavor. The pork was juicy and smoked to perfection. Service was beyond friendly, and the restaurant had the authentic NC BBQ feel to it. Will be back ASAP! If you're traveling thru on I85, it's worth the 5 minute detour! read more

Over the years I have looked forward to eating at Lexington BBQ, todays visit was a real let down. The meat was dry and I did not taste a hint of smoke. I smoke my butts for 12 to 16 hours and they definitely have smoke flavor. I will not stop there again. read more

After living in North Carolina for 11 years, I needed to try this iconic restaurant before we moved out of the state. My husband and I shared a Chopped Barbecue Plate and a Coarse Chopped Barbecue Tray. I hate to say this, but I don't understand why this place is consistently talked about as one of the best barbecue spots in the state. I've never had pork from a barbecue place that was dry before, but both of the plates we got had incredibly dry meat. It wasn't good. I did love the slaw though. The sauce and hush puppies were also good. We got takeout and ate at the park across the street to avoid having to wait for a table. The place was packed, so I'm guessing we're in the minority. We've been to several of the most talked about barbecue spots in the state and I've loved them all, but this isn't one I'd come back to. read more

See all

I clearly do not appreciate the love of the BBQ here. But I will say that I am definitely in the minority. To me, it was the very bland. I only took a few bites. (Note: my husband is a chef and does incredible smoked barbecue at home, so I'm clearly spoiled to lots of flavor.) My husband wanted to come here since we were staying in nearby Greensboro for an event. Afterwards, he said it was just as he remembered from many years ago but found that he no longer was attracted to the bland flavor. However he loved the red slaw and their barbecue sauce (bought a couple bottles to take home). The slaw was OK but my preference is a creamy sweeter slaw. Personally, I would have liked to had the option of some more southern style sides, like mac & cheese, sweet potato soufflé, fried okra, etc. However, considering the crowds and the other reviews, it simply isn't necessary to bring in the business and I get it. Enough of that, NOW FOR THE GOOD that I very much appreciate. Hush puppies were delicious. The place is clearly an old school, well established institution that is loved, appreciated and frequented by the locals and travelers alike. The place was packed with lines to the door at 3 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon, a time that I thought we could get in and out quickly. The staff seemed well seasoned, were friendly and efficient. Kudos to the owners, as I would bet that most staff has been there long-term. KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AS IT HAS CLEARLY WORKED FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. read more

The best and most famous pork BBQ restaurant in America. Sheer perfection. Order some "dip" to dunk your hush puppies in. No finer BBQ on planet Earth. read more