Five stars when taking the whole experience into account. Service was marvelous; the server was knowledgeable and whipped out an allergen list when asked. Brisket was amazing, tender and melting. Everything else (fried chicken, pulled pork, Cole slaw, was good). Overall five stars, very solid. Also very busy on a Saturday night- get takeout!! read more

It's solid, but I've never been particularly impressed or thought it lived up to its hype. Really cool vibe inside, and the fried green tomato BLT is excellent (and if you have a vegetarian you can sub in avocado for the bacon!). But neither the barbecue and brisket are anything to write home about, and the sides (we've had fries, hush puppies, baked beans, and mac and cheese) won't blow you away either. Picnic won't disappoint, but given the number of high-quality barbecue places in the Triangle that's not good enough. read more

One of the worst meals ever!!!! My family stopped here for lunch today. It was LOUD, and I don't mean a little loud, I mean, shout at the top of your lungs like you're at a concert loud. We were seated right away, but sat for over 10 minutes waiting for someone to stop by for our drink order. The restaurant wasn't even half full. After looking over the menu for the previous 10 minutes we had a few questions before ordering since it was our first visit. The waitress seemed bothered to answer our questions, but did so anyway before taking our drink order and scurrying off. When our food came we were a little surprised. One child ordered the pork sandwich and the side of fries portion was huge. The other child ordered the special of the day, cheesesteak. Hubs ordered a brisket plate and I ordered the pork boat. The pork boat is the same price as the pork sandwich which comes with a side and slaw, but it is half the food!!! The cheesesteak was slightly larger than a hot dog. For $10 we all expected more. After ONE bite my daughter made a horrible face and said she was done. The meat was so tough it was inedible!!!!! The brisket plate had a TINY portion of meat. TINY. The pork bbq tasted like smoke, no spices, no flavoring, just smoke. The slaw had no salt or other seasoning - imagine taking a bite out of cabbage. We love hushpuppies and since they aren't provided before the meal we ordered a side. They were tasteless and FULL OF GREASE! For $55 we definitely expected better food, and aside from the pork sandwich, better portions. We were shocked when the waitress never asked if we enjoyed it or if anything was wrong with the cheeseteak. I cannot imagine how anyone could give this place a high rating. It was HORRIBLE! To top it off 2 of the 4 of us had to make an emergency bathroom stop on the way home. RUN AWAY!!! read more

I've lived in North Carolina my whole life. I'm a native and I love barbecue. I had really high hopes for this restaurant. I read some reviews and they were outstanding. However, after visiting this place for lunch I was disappointed. The barbecue is good but not outstanding. What astounded me where the incredibly high prices. You could not even get a barbecue sandwich for under $10. I ordered the boat which was $10 it was just a small amount of barbecue, some hushpuppies and coleslaw. You can go to almost any other barbecue restaurant in North Carolina and get just as good a barbecue for much less money. What's going on with picnic? I don't understand the enthusiasm. Must have high overhead. read more

Tried Picnic a couple of weeks ago with some friends. I had the blackened catfish and it was great! The mac & cheese not so much. Collards, slaw, baked beans, & hushpuppies were all very good. I really liked the pulled barbeque (tasted a friend's) and the "table sauce" is great. Will definitely be back! The big negative is lack of parking...some people were parking across the street and that looked to be dangerous crossing Cole Mill Road. Get there early and carpool! read more

Kinda pricey for bland tasting BBQ. Banana pudding was great though! Probably won't return due to having other BBQ joints in the area. read more

Delicious southern bbq. We always bring family from out of town here! I always get the pulled pork plate- but brunch is also a must.

Unlike other places in North Carolina that offer at least one entree for vegetarians, this "barbecue joint" is very vegetarian-unfriendly. The other person with me (i.e., the non-vegetarian) was equally surprised at how slim the offerings were for those of us who don't eat meat. Yes, it's a barbecue place but there are plenty of really GREAT barbecue restaurants that have at least one dish available to vegetarians. At Picnic, even dishes that may "seem" to be vegetarian-friendly, such as the fried green tomatoes, aren't ...... because they're cooked with bacon and other meats and the kitchen refuses to cook them separately. Seriously??!!!! So no fries, hush puppies or fried green tomatoes for us and the restaurant takes a very ho-hum, too bad attitude about it, which is particularly rankling. I expect the baked beans to be cooked with bacon but french fries that are cooked in bacon grease??!! That's over the top and unreasonable. The three side dishes that I could eat were underwhelming at best. Soggy and overly sweet coleslaw, bland potato salad and mushy, sweet potatoes. I think that I'll stick to those barbecue joints who honor the barbecue tradition but don't thumb their noses to vegetarians. After all, we are paying customers (and Yelp reviewers) too! read more

We've always had good luck dining in at Picnic, so we decided to try takeout during coronavirus. We were so disappointed. The order took an hour, the portions were very small for the high price we paid, and the food was almost completely cold. On top of this, I didn't see any staff wearing face masks despite the city mandate. It will be a long while before I return. read more

Got takeout from Picnic during COVID-19 pandemic. They were following safety protocols very well. The fried chicken sandwich was so crispy and good! I highly recommend picnic! read more

We ordered online from Picnic this evening. The ordering process was super easy online. Our order was ready when the website predicted it would be, and the staff were super responsive and efficient, and of course taking precautions for social distancing. We ordered the boat, a fried chicken sandwich with fried okra as the side, and the cheese fries with brisket on top. Delicious. Our favorite was the fries. I can't wait to come back and try more of the menu! read more

I was in town from D.C. so in comparison the prices here were a steal!! I order the Fried chicken, the burger, and the boat! The food was so good, great comfort food. I wish they had a chain like this in D.C. area. The service was AMAZING. When I arrived we had a party of 6, so we had to wait 15 minutes for a seat which I'm use to in D.C., but they sent over a free appetizer and free dessert because they felt like they were neglecting us. Southern hospitality at it's finest. read more

Not very fresh. Been here before and it was amazing but seems to have gone downhill. Leathery chicken, shingle burger. Very disappointed.

Setting/atmosphere is a definite A+ and makes it a great place to get together with friends for a bite to eat. Food was decent, but not outstanding. Meat had nice flavor, but pretty comparable to other BBQ places in the area that are cheaper. Overall, nice place to get together occasionally for a nicer/more pricey meal, but probably isn't the go-to BBQ spot for me. read more

I live down the street from this place and have always really liked their food. I crave their pickled deviled eggs but was very sad tonight when my boyfriend picked some up for me but they weren't pickled! I haven't been in a while so maybe they don't pickle them anymore?? I hope they bring them back! read more

Really good fried chicken. I love the pimento cheese. My only complaint is I don't really like their hush puppies. Can be a long wait to be seated on a busy night, but the food is worth it. read more

Came here on a Monday afternoon after Thanksgiving, place was relatively empty. Staff was extremely polite and guided my cousin and myself through the menu. I do plan on recommending this place to other ls traveling through the area. Wish we had more southern food establishments like this out in Northern California. 2 thumbs up! read more

I stopped here twice after playing golf at Umstead pines. first time ate inside with a few friends. had the pulled pork with slaw. wasn't overly impressed but the service and speed of the service was very good. Second time got a pint/pound to go and was pleasantly surprised. no fat or gristle in the whole pound, plus the flavor was great. was given a small container of a vinegar based sauce which was ok if used sparingly. the price was out of line with other BBQ shacks around the Durham area. I would go back but would only get the pulled pork sandwich. to go. again its pricey, but worth a try once. read more

Good barbecue and friendly service. What more could you ask for? Brisket and pulled pork were both good. Neither came drowned in sauce, so you could add what you wanted to without being overwhelmed with sugar. Chicken wings and both their sauces were also great (their special sauce does have a bite). My wife had the catfish which she said was good. Informal atmosphere. read more

We just went here for the first time. It was absolutely amazing! Best fried chicken I've ever had. Love the fried green tomatoes, okra, Mac and cheese, hush puppies, and collards. The BBQ is delicious! Can't wait to go again. It's our new favorite spot! read more

Meh. Everything about the experience was meh. You have to wait to be seated which is kind of odd considering the setup. Seems more like a seat yourself kind of joint. The food (fries chicken, collard greens, hush puppies, sweet potatoes, pulled pork) were all meh and did not live up to expectations. I didn't find the prices to be ridiculous, but the quality just wasn't up to par. I won't be back. read more

Yum! I think we tried a little bit of everything and boy it did not disappoint! Fried chicken and the pork were to die for. The sauce for the chicken can light you up so beware if you don't like spicy and the compromise sauce is a mix of east/west sauce which my hubby and I both enjoyed!Loved the mac n cheese and hush puppies. Oh and don't skip the chess pie or banana pudding I wish we would of got some more to go home! read more

Love their location... maybe a little too convenient!! Great southern-style tapas. A bit more expensive for what I'd expect for southern-style cookin', but worth it. Everything locally sourced. You can't go wrong with the pork BBQ, collards, mac n' cheese, sweet potatoes. If you're not used to traveling up North... make the trip. In fact, drive a bit further to explore the Eno River State Park, then make this your meal stop. read more

Great BBQ, the brisket and the smoked buttermilk fried chicken are the best items on the menu. The sides are just okay, but it's nice to have a good BBQ spot so close to my home. read more

This place is incredible and my favorite bbq in Durham! The sides are ridiculously good too. You leave here feeling like you need to be wheeled out and need a nap. read more

Great traditional NC barbecue! Plenty of food for the money. Very friendly staff too.

............................Outstanding...in every way . Professional Service,...... fast, happy, efficient , helpful, friendly Clean as a whistle Do their pigs on site.... ........Most VIP= the food, including the Q, is excellent . .I'll be back with more commentary......... . . . T Rex read more

The food is good, but no better than you would get at any other BBQ place. Definitely not the best but not the worst either. Their prices are high when compared to other restaurants with similar fare without additional apparent value. 14 for a pork plate including 2 veggies is pretty pricey. The restaurant decor is typical for Durham these days. read more

If you're looking for craft southern food done right, look no further. The fam and I stopped by their for their inaugural Sunday brunch hours. We were totally blown away by the food quality and preparation, service and craft beer selection! The pork was served perfectly seasoned but their house BBQ sauce was a wonderful marriage of eastern and western styles. I had the chicken biscuit with gravy as well - kinda ruins fried chicken because aside from grandma's kitchen I don't know if I've ever had better fried chicken. The sides were scrumptious as well- collards, potato salad, cucumber salad - all traditional faves executed exceptionally well. Didn't have room for the banana pudding but that's great motivation for a return trip. The service was attentive and congenial- lots of suggestions and help with the menu! Couldn't ask for nicer table service! The beer list was amazing as well- lots of emphasis on NC craft brews and they picked a solid lineup of amazing brews! We can't wait to go back and plan on doing so soon before word spreads and they start forming lines to wait for tables!! (We're talking weeks not months if everyone had the same excellent experience we had!) read more

Food was alright..portions were small. Bartenders switched in between eating. They proceeded to jing Jong us on the bill. Charged me 11.95 for the pulled pork. It's 8.95 on the menu. Don't go here if you are looking for a cheaper faster meal. The expectations for Durham is definitely not met. read more

This is either the best or second best place to eat BBQ in Durham. It might just be the best, and the only thing keeping it from easily being the favorite for our family is our total love for Texas BBQ. Either way, this place was utterly awesome, and we likely gained 10 lbs by coming here due to our inability to control our urges to eat more and order more. It's truly amazing. Why oh why did it take us so many years to finally discover this place?! read more

Picnic open last night. When I walked up to the door today, there was a line already outside. The restaurant was packed I walked up to the hostess stand and asked to place a to go order.. The hostess told me that they do not have to go orders at this time. I was a little surprised by this being a barbecue restaurant. The hostess then told me hold on let me check and see what I could do. He came back and said okay I can take a to go order for you. I ordered the BBQ sandwich with mac and cheese, hush puppies, and slaw. The meat on the sandwich was nice and moist and, when you added the Pig Whistle sauce that is their house specialty it adds a nice spice to it. The macaroni and cheese had a nice flavor and was creamy. The hush puppies were the biggest diappointment. Overall the meal was good, and my order came out extra quick. Although I was told they didn't have take out. The bar area was packed and they have some good interesting brews on draft I will be back. More like 3 1/2 stars. read more

Picnic - Bar - Barbeque Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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This was such a great restaurant with excellent food and service. The menu had something for everyone. Sandwich options were very affordable, with options for bigger plates as well. I had the fried chicken sandwich and LOVED it. The Banana Pudding is also a MUST! Will definitely become a regular spot of ours. read more

We LOVE this neighborhood gem!! The shrimp boat is delicious - the breaking is perfect! The fried chicken - perfection! The BBQ sauce is glorious - we even bought some to ship to family in NY - big hit! We go for takeout and have a craft beer at the bar while we're waiting :-) Fast and friendly servers! read more

I'm from Texas, and I'm darn proud of it. I like my BBQ the Texas way. My friends, family, random people I'm stuck in an elevator with, everyone knows this. I heard good things about the fried chicken at Picnic, so I had to check it out. With Lactaid in hand, I picked up my foodie friend and we celebrated America's Birthday with a Picnic trip. We both were blown away by the crispy fried chicken skin and tender, moist white meat. The accompanying sauce was weird, but that's the only complaint I have with our entire visit. Good service for the most part, nice selection of local beer, easy parking, crispy fries and hush puppies, and spicy collards. What more do you need? Well, you heard it here first: you need some Carolina 'cue. Until I tried the pulled pork from Picnic, Buxton Hall in Asheville has held the title of "Only Carolina BBQ this annoying Texas gal likes" for 3 years. Y'all need to try for yourselves. The moist meat sourced locally doesn't even require any pesky vinegar sauce--it's that good. I can't wait to return to Picnic to try a frozen cocktail that isn't too sweet--the cherry limeade option that was swirling on my first visit was too sweet. I didn't need anything else to sweeten the deal after my first bite of that delicious pork! read more

Picnic - Barbeque Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I'm not sure about the hype, but maybe they will get better since they haven't been open long. To me the sides were the best part of the meal. Everything else is just average. Combine that with cold food, below average service and a non-stop screaming kid that management did nothing about, and you have a below average rating. Pros: - I loved the collards and cole slaw the best. The collards were bacon braised and really good. I ended up pouring the leftover juice on my pulled pork sandwich. The cole slaw was nice and sweet, the type that I love. I also liked the pimento mac and cheese. You can taste the pimento so it makes it different than most mac and cheeses. - The sweet potato puree was decent, but not even close to my grandmothers. - The fried chicken was good, but only average. Cons: - The pulled pork and hush puppies came out cold, so I had to send them back. The pulled pork was really just average, nothing to write home about. With no brisket or other types of barbecue the pulled pork should be their staple and really stand out. I also didn't like that they only had one barbecue sauce. I like a sweet sauce so I was out of luck. They should add brisket to the menu. - For a $14 pulled pork plate I didn't think I got much pork. I mentioned it to the waitress and she said it was a normal portion. The guy next to me got the same thing and got a lot more than I did. - There was a long wait for the food for us as well as tables around us. The manager went to several tables to apologize. - The service from the waitress was below average. - There was a screaming 18 month old a few tables away who screamed every few minutes during the entire duration of our meal. A few of them were blood-curdling screams loud enough to make people wince. The parent never tried to correct the kid, but my problem is that management didn't try and do anything about it. You can politely take care of a problem like that. I mentioned it to the manager on the way out and all he said was "I apologize" as the kid was still at the table screaming. I just don't think it lives up to the hype and crowds. I'll take The Pit any day over Picnic. read more

Dinner with wife and kids Friday night was great. We came early enough to not wait for a seat. The fried chicken was huge, delicious, and filling while my two sides of pimento mac and cheese and cucumbers were excellent. Furthermore, the chocolate pie was perfect. Only complaint would be the minimum price for a draft beer of over $6.00. Regardless, it's convenient and local! We will be back. read more

We wanted to try Picnic since it was a new BBQ place close to our home. We went on Saturday night at 7:15 PM and they were busy. We were lucky to find a place to park. When we got inside, we were told by a nice seating person it would be about 35 minutes. It was very busy and noisy but we were seated in about 20 minutes. While we were waiting, bbqed pork was being carted in and out through the back door and in and out of the kitchen. It was clear that they were smoked. These 1/2 hogs were the biggest I have seen. I asked about it, and was told the hogs weighed in at about 350 pounds after butchering. Most BBQ places cook hogs that weigh between 120 to 150 pounds after butchering. We had the smoked buttermilk fried chicken. This was a medium sized drumstick and thigh. The fried chicken very good but was not smokey to our taste. We also had the pulled pork plate. The pulled pork was smokey and had a good taste but was very chewy - i.e. not tender. The mac and cheese side was very good, the cole slaw side was good but nothing special, the cucumber salad was good and crispy but had a bit too much vinegar, the sweet potato purée side was excellent. In general, the wait staff were a bit overwhelmed because of the size of the crowd but were nice and the food was served on time. The food was good but a bit overpriced. We will probably return to try other dishes. read more

Super tasty, groovy hip take on a BBQ place.. I liked that.. they had a full bar.. very nice bartender. Frozen jack and coke slushy he let me try while were sipping our cocktails waiting for our takeout. The menu is on the smaller side for a BBQ place.. no ribs or sausage. Pulled pork was tasty. I'm not a huge vinegar sauce fan I've discovered (I'm from tx.. it's different down there)... the fried green tomato blt was AMAZING! Hush puppies were flavorful. Piemento mac was 3 1/2-4 out of 5.. so pretty solid, but not mind blowing. collard greens were ok.. but I make really good ones lol.. anywho! I really liked the place.. I don't live near there, otherwise it would be on the rotation. read more

OK... the pulled pork... plate with a heaping full of tender and juicy PP. Add in some of their HOUSE east-meets-west BBQ sauce and a few sides. Awesome. Kids turned me on to this place. Indoor and outdoor eating and will not bust the bank. The dessert Bread Pudding is a winner. Some of the best hush-puppies I have had anywhere. read more