Pierce's provides a tasty bbq experience. Not your spot if you're looking for a smoky bbq, but solid sandwiches w/ Kringle fries. Worth a stop if you're in the area. read more

Sigh...it pains me to write this but they have slipped and based on the cars in the parking lot and the butts in seats on a recent Sunday afternoon, I am not the only one making this observation. Over time, prices rise...I'm ok with this...but it's frustrating when prices rise, quality slips and portions decrease. Combo meals with a drink and a side, fine. The drink size has shrunk, ok a little annoying. Sides now have additional fees if you don't want fries? Really? Portions of bbq seem to be smaller inside the large bun? You get the idea. I'll still stop in from time to time but there are many other good choice in Williamsburg that will be alternatives to what had been my go to when passing through town. read more

Best Bar-B-Que that I have ever eaten. First went 3 or 4 months after they opened and have been going back ever since. If you see someone with a Pierce's hat and t-shirt ordering 10 jumbos with slaw, that is me !!! Concerning the location. Pierce's was at that location before I-64 was built. That little road was part of the drive between Richmond and Newport News. read more

While we were in Williamsburg, we decided to get some BBQ. We looked around and decided to try Pierce's. The ribs were good. Quite juicy and smokey. Very good. The BBQ sauce has a very different flavor that was really not my favorite. I think it had a bit of a ginger flavor. Pulled pork and chicken were ok. Nothing great but okay. Sides were ok. Tried fries, Mac/cheese, Cole slaw, etc. They are alright. Corn on the cob was the best by far. Overall Pierce's is alright. Try the ribs! read more

A hidden gem in Williamsburg. The bbq chicken and pork are always moist and delicious along with the hush puppies. Great outdoor picnic tables. read more

Had lunch here today was so happy to see the outdoor seating area. Great job guys. Food was great and staff was definitely working to keep everyone safe read more

Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que - Had lunch here today it was great to see that they were open and had outdoor seating area. The food was delicious - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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I think I've discovered the most delectable item on pierces menu. Wait for it..... Pork shanks a la carte. OMG. They were moist tender delicious fall of the bone delectable. I didn't want to share them with anyone but I could only stuff 2 of them in my face. The order comes with 6 shanks and a side of vinegar BBQ sauce. I believe this is the Carolina style. So so so so so SOOOOOOOOO good. This is all I will ever order from here. I love them. I want to marry them. Just kidding. Try the pork shanks. They are BOMB.COM!!!! read more

Visiting Williamsburg for the wknd and went here tonight for the first time. They really know how to do bbq!!! The pulled pork is like a mix between Carolina and Texas bbq. Delicious!!! Vinegar, sweet, smokey with a slight kick!! The fries, omg!! Crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. And Ms Jackie treated us like family!! We will definitely be back! read more

Overall this place is OK, but it's still one of the better BBQ places in Virginia. The meat was good, the sauce was good, the sides were OK. I would happily return, but wouldn't plan my travel to VA Beach around stopping here. read more

This place was recommended by friends, so we decided to try it. First, line is out the door. Says something about a place when you have to stand outside in 20 degree weather to get in. Food is good. We all had sandwiches, fries, drinks, and a side of hush puppies and Mac and cheese. For the 4 of us, was $36. Pretty reasonable. Hush puppies were the best item. Chicken was tender, and bun was fresh. Finding a table was a bit of a challenge, but once we did, food was ready quick. Personally, not a huge BBQ fan, but well worth for a quick and inexpensive meal. read more

Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que - Eating area. - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

Nasty people work there with bad attitudes. Placed an order online, said it would be ready in 30mins when I got there the didn't have my order ready and cashier with a poor attitude said they don't start making it until you arrive. Pretty sure that defeats the point of pre-ordering. When I said I ordered an hour ago online her response was "and". Wont be going back. read more

Staff was very friendly. Burger was great, but our brisket was so small and tasted like smoke. Shouldn't be called a brisket burger. Their cheesecake was delicious though! Maybe it was just a bad piece of brisket. read more

We came, We Saw, We Conquered. After many trips to Williamsburg we have always heard about this place but never tried it. Until now, all I can say is what, this is a hidden Gem, the BBQ had a unique flavor with the most tender meat I have tasted in a long while. Even the sides offered make this place stand above most BBQ places. Well done! As the family and I will be back. read more

The pulled chicken sandwich is what I crave wayyyy too often! If you're ever in the area this BBQ stop is a must

I've passed this place many times; I'm so glad I finally stopped! We had lunch on a Sunday, and I was worried because the parking lot was full. I worried for nothing. The line moved quickly, and we got our food within a few minutes. Two of us had lunch for just under $20. The pulled pork was excellent, moist and just smoky enough. The sauce is tangy, not overly sweet, and peppery. The fries were hot, but nothing special, but the next table had onion rings that looked great. The serving size of the sides is big enough to share. I think I'll try the chicken next time, and then just work my way through the menu! As for cleanliness, I was impressed. Tables were cleaned as soon as they were empty, and the employees were constantly checking fill levels on ice, condiments, and napkins. Make this your barbecue joint. I have. read more

This place was disappointing. There was a lot of people inside so I figured it might've been better than what It actually was. I decided to stray away from my usual go to chicken and fries and went for the 1/2 a rack bbq ribs. I was shocked when I seen that the cost was $14, and didn't come with anything else so I had to order the Mac and cheese separately. The ribs although they were super tender lacked any pizazz. There wasn't much flavor to them and I didn't really care for the bbq sauce either. The Mac and cheese was awful. It was so mushy and looked more like yellow mashed potatoes. Also had no flavor. Sadly my kids food had the most excitement which was go figure... the chicken and fries. read more

I really wanted to love Pierce's. Just couldn't do it. The meat, although well cooked, was kinda dry and not juicy. True...we didn't arrive until after 8pm. Perhaps it had been cooked several hours earlier and was left in a warming oven....or under a heat lamp. Oh, how I wanted to rave about this food...but I couldn't. To add insult to injury, while I waited for my order, I was summoned to the counter by someone on the PA system. The sausage I'd ordered and was looking forward to? They'd run out for the day. Then, there's the house barbeque sauce. You can get your own at the condiments bar. Just too thin, too watery, too vinegary. t least, for my tastes. Would I return to Pierce's. Sure....just much much earlier in the day. read more

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They recently celebrated their 50th anniversary but I honestly can't understand how they are still in business. The BBQ has no flavor, their sauce is gross. read more

I've been going here for a long time. It never disappoints. The place is packed on weekends.....we thought we would hit it during the holidays on a weekday. It was busy, but we got a table. The barbeque is good if you like LOTS of sauce. read more

I will preface this by saying I am not a fan of the tangy, vinegary Carolina-style bbq sauce. However that's my preference and not an indictment on Pierce's as that is the kind of sauce they use. My friend had heard of the restaurant and when we passed it on a detour, we immediately turned around and went back for a try. We ordered a sample platter (pulled pork, chicken, and ribs) with sides of mac n cheese, hush puppies, and baked beans. The meat melted in your mouth although I thought the chicken was actually too done and a bit mushy. The ribs fell off the bone and were not drowning in sauce which was great for me. The sauce itself, in addition to the vinegar bite, had more heat than I'd like too, but again, that's my personal preference. The sides were tasty; the beans were full of bacon and ham chunks. I didn't pay and didn't see the receipt so can't comment on pricing. The place was packed at lunchtime on a weekday so they must be doing something right. *Edited to add that the staff was super friendly and helpful! read more

This is definitely one of those places we go to at times to eat BBQ, and for sure a place we take our out of town visitors to. It is a bit of a pity they seem to serve orida fries instead of good home made fries, but so be it. Some more variety in BBQ sauces would be great, but so be it. Pierces is an institution, so much so that there are "no stop" signs on the interstate and in winters my car fills up with the smell of BBQ during my early morning commutes which is extremely mean! read more

Hands down the best BBQ I ever had. Love the location and had such friendly staff that were patient and very helpful in assisting first time customers. BBQ sandwich with slaw was like biting into all my hope and dreams. Very affordable prices and a very clean environment. Their house sauce is deliciously different. Nice lot with plenty of parking. Highly recommend. read more

Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que - Front counter - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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A nice local Bar-B-Que joint, classic order and sit layout, almost like a fast food style restaurant. They smoke the meat on site in large production smokers, you can peak in the smoke house. Pork, brisket and ribs are good, decent flavor, juicy, and good portions. The house BBQ sauce is way too sweet and not very good, the hot BBQ sauce is much better and a unique recipe. Sides are average and very traditional, portions are large. Overall in comparison to BBQ joints around the US this food is average, but worth a visit. IMO the restaurant probably has not changed in 45 years, which is to say it is a classic nonsense BBQ restaurant. Compared to the range of BBQ joint styles around the country Pierces is not a biker outlaw BBQ joint, not a gritty old world smokehouse, not a hipster urban BBQ joint, and not an overly thematic country style BBQ spot. Pierce's is decidedly Pierce's. Lastly, no beer. read more

Always love this place. When I'm in town I HAVE to go here. Great taste and huge portions. Excellent value. read more

Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que - Lunch - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

This review is for that rare, open-minded fan of barbecue (I know I am aiming for a small readership). It will not be an attempt to convince lovers of Texas brisket that I have found Nirvana nor will it be an attempt to convince North Carolina lovers of their vinegar sauce or South Carolina lovers of their mustard based sauce of the same. I am leaving out Kansas City Barbecue because I have never been there to sample it. KC Masterpiece is as close as I have come. No, no. I have no interest in trying convert the zealots. I have dealt with enough Muslims in my life to know it is a worthless endeavor to try to convince them of the inherent goodness of Christianity, Judaism, or Buddhism. Same goes for the regional barbecue die hards. What I will do is expound on the glory of Pierce's Pitt Barbecue in Williamsburg. Holy Good Moley this place rocked my world. So much so that I actually read through their entire website when I got home and amazingly, it is quite informative. First thing you find out is that the Pierce's came running out of Tennessee a while back, carrying the family sauce recipe with them. The best way I can describe it is its a hybrid between a sweet, tomato based sauce (KC style perhaps) and a tangy, vinegary NC style sauce. Whatever it is it is delicious and the meat, all of it smoked lovingly on premises, will seduce you with the very first bite. The combo plate is the way to go on a first visit. You get the ribs, pulled chicken and pulled pork along with coleslaw, fries and hush puppies. You will love every morsel. When I come back, oh yes I will come back, i will likely go for the full rack of lusciously soft ribs. I can't stop thinking of them. I dream about them in my sleep. Part of one of my wife's rib fell off the bone and onto the floor while she was trying to eat it. She didn't get one fiber of mine in sympathy. She should have been more careful. Life is tough sometimes. read more

I'm stunned -- stunned! -- that Pierce's has gotten such negative reviews from occasional restaurantgoers! This restaurant is a fundamental building block in the Williamsburg area. I've had barbecue all over, most recently St. Louis and Kansas City style, so it's safe to say that I mean it when I say you can't go wrong here. Pierce's is cheap, delicious, and wonderful. If it's your first time, definitely go with the pulled pork sandwich special. It's a huge sandwich on a big sesame seed bun with optional mayo-based slaw. You'll enjoy it served with a huge helping of crispy crinkle-cut fries that take more ketchup than you'd ever imagine -- and for dessert, enjoy a delicious and warm oatmeal or white chocolate macadamia cookie. Even though it's not BBQ, I can also admit to really loving the J.C. Special, which features the same as the above with a burger swapped in for the barbecue sandwich. They serve the burger with a little bit of mayo and pickles, and it comes across as a bit of an elite Five Guys-style feast. When you arrive at Pierce's -- and it can be tough to find, so pay close attention to your directions -- you'll often find it hugely crowded. Lots of people isn't always a testament to the quality of a restaurant, but it is here; people come here from all over Virginia because you really can't do better in the Commonwealth. (My favorite part about Pierce's is how all the ice machines are filled up with little pellets instead of big cubes. Maybe it's silly, but the drinks taste so much better that way!) Dig in! read more

--Reference my review of Mr. P's ribs for more background. -- 3.5 Stars I had heard much of Pierce's from locals and then I read the reviews and they seemed split between food is awesome and this place looks like a Wendy's. I thought to myself that who gives a crap what the place looks like, the food matters most. Not so much. See, when I'm down south and stopping by a renowned barbeque joint, I want to imagine some guy named Bleeding Gums Murphy outside in the pouring rain doting over his smoker. Remembering his recipe, even though he has no idea where he parked his car. Coming to work without pants, but no one cares because his ribs are so good. I stopped by for dinner and this place does look like a Wendy's. It's really bright and you get in line like a Wendy's. I ordered a Pulled Pork Sandwich combo which came with fries, a drink and a cookie. It's a lot of food. The sandwich was good. It was a little small with coleslaw on it and a little light on dressing. The fries were crinkle cut and lukewarm which was sad because they got cold quick. The cookie was good. Oatmeal Raisin. The pork was good. Should have gotten a rib maybe. But the atmosphere really detracted from it. And the food had a fast food look and the one thing you don't want barbeque to be is fast. When you go to a place what sounds better? "We leave these in the smoker for 3 months." or "We put these in for about 45 seconds on each side" I'm sure they smoke it for a lot longer than it takes to serve it. And the place was clean. Too clean for a bonafide BBQ joint. Sanitized even. read more

Sometimes I think a business survives on nostalgia and convenience alone, and Pierce's must be that sort of a business. Seems there are a lot of tourists, road-trippers and campers who are tired and weary and desperate for a non-drive thru/non-MRE meal. I also was brought here by my fiance who seemed to remember it being a lot better in his youth with his youthful taste buds. To me, this is not a place I would return to. I was appalled that for more than $10, we received a pile of frozen Ore-Ida crinkle fries, goopy coleslaw, and pulled pork filled with so much gristle and chewy bits that it was hardly edible. All this after the cashier told us the pulled pork was better than the pulled chicken...yikes. I really enjoy BBQ, and I belong to the camp that likes to sauce up their own 'Que, rather than having it pre-doused. That way, I can enjoy the nuances of the dry rub or marinade or smokiness of the meat, and supplement as needed with different sauces, different spice levels, etc. Pierece's unfortunately, it pre-doused with a cloyingly-sweet sauce that apparently is made with high fructose corn syrup, if it's the same recipe as what's sold in bottles in their restaurant. read more

Third visit but first review which indicates it did not make an impression on me either way - good or bad. It's okay. Friendly staff and attentive team taking care of the dining area. This visit I had the pulled pork sandwich and Mac and Cheese. Both were okay but that's about it. If you are in the area and hungry it will do but I would not go out of my way to visit. read more

Quite possibly one of the greatest disappointments of my culinary life. A beautiful ad in the magazine in our hotel room was enticing. It depicted a chef with large, beautiful pieces of meat on the bar-b-que as he basted them. When we got there, starved, it was little different than a McDonalds. We stood in line to order from a menu board above the counter. The food was served on plastic containers in paper bags despite the fact that we were 'eating in.' We tried to keep the faith, but once the lids were popped off it was barely edible slop. We literally laughed and how we'd been taken in. In a word, DON'T. read more

Yes! Hush puppies are good, loved the pulled. pork BBQ the best at this place - every time on 64 I want to stop here b/c it's so good! Gotta venture off for this place if you are traveling! Check it!! read more

Very disappointing How can you do bbq joint without brisket or ribs...... sauce has way too much vinegar. Need more variety off sauces. And the hush puppies were ....let just say not the best I've ever had. read more

We were in Williamsburg for a couple of days and I had to give this place a try because many Yelpers who I respect raved about this place. So, we stopped in on Easter Sunday. The first thing you do is place your order and then you wander around the restaurant looking like a dope and try to find a table that is almost done. I hate staring at people and standing over them but it's kinda what you have to do. Once they leave, you then have to fist fight another family to see who gets it. OK, not really but seating is limited. On a very nice day, you could sit outside at the many picnic tables but this day wasn't nice. But, we did finally find a seat. I ordered the chicken plate which I think also came with slaw, fries, and hushpuppies. My wife had a cheeseburger and the kids had one of the kids meals. As for the chicken, as has been said a lot lately, there was absolutely no smoke flavor at all. These people may have a big smoke house out back but it's all for show. They DO NOT smoke this meat. The chicken wasn't bad but it wasn't good. It just was. It was utility BBQ. Very disappointing. The fries were good, as was the slaw. The hushpuppies tasted like every other fast food hushpuppy I have ever eaten. The wife and kids felt the same about their food that it was just meh. Nothing to see there. Lots of people swear by this place and more power to them. I won't be back. I will echo the sentiment of another recent reviewer that this is essentially fast food BBQ. I would call this BBQ the way I call McDonald's a "burger". If you want that in your BBQ, you'll love it. If you want BBQ with meat that has been slow smoked for hours, you won't find it here. This place has 173 reviews and I am doing 174. I am certain that this review doesn't add much information that hasn't already been said but I hope maybe someone finds something useful here! read more

Wayyyy too much hype about this place. Not sure why... It must be something historic because the food is decent at best. Then again, I don't get super thrilled over bbq. On the way to the outlets my buddy and I stopped in for lunch. It was hell finding a parking spot. Good that they were busy. Placing your order was pretty easy. Waiting wasn't too bad. We found an open seat within five minutes (given this place that is awesome) and our food was ready about 15 minutes later. They sure go through orders like crazy because I was ticket 161 and they were serving 138 when I started my wait. I was happy at the portion of my meal. You probably pay a bit more than what you would get but I think this place can charge more because there is some sort of "tourist" attraction there. My sandwich was decent but I had to drench the thing with their hot sauce. (I suppose the Q bbq I had the other day really set the expectation.) If I were with a group of friends I'd give in and go back but I certainly wouldn't go weaving off of the interstate to stop by again. read more

We really enjoyed this place! The staff was super friendly, they were incredibly fast considering the amount of people that were in line, and the food is great! We got a beef brisket sandwich, pulled pork sandwich, hushpuppies, gumbo, and collards! We sat outside under an umbrella and it was a great experience. I would recommend this place to anyone wanting some barbecue in the area! read more

Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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Food: Never again. First and foremost, I've never been to a place that has just pork and chicken bbq, but advertise themselves as a BBQ restaurant. (I know we're in pork country and all, but look... I'm from the northeast, which isn't bbq country at all, and any good bbq restaurant worth its weight in salt, has a good balance of pork, chicken, AND beef on their menu.) That was only my slight disappointment, the rest was the sauce... it was just meh. I don't know what else to say. After coming here, I'd easily rather drive to Country Grille in the newport news area. Service: Fine. Staff was friendly. We're interacted with the young man who took our order, as well as, the person who gave it to us when it was ready. Atmosphere: The atmosphere includes the feeling of busy. It's clear that A LOT of people like this place, it was packed. It felt like a typical restaurant. It was clean, had booth seating, condiments and drinks you get yourself. I don't think I have much to add here. Overall: From popular opinion, I've noticed this place tends to polarize. People tend to love it, or hate it. Sadly, I fall into the latter. I wanted to like it, especially since it was our first bbq joint we went to since moving down here, but ultimately... not a fan. read more

My favorite for place for a simple pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw on it. Does get busy on nice weather days. Good variety to the menu. read more

Bush league Stopped in for some home style st. Louis ribs what I got was straight out of the trash. The worst ribs I ever had. No flavor. They taste like the we're cooked over a stove in boiling water. To make matters worse they failed to remove the membrane on the back of the ribs. Automatic failure. The ribs had no flavor except for all the BBQ sauce they used that had way too much vinegar that really over power you. Looking at this pathetic mess I was a shame to eat it. My God. I thought I was eating a Mcrib. It sure tasted like one! No grill marks no smoke ring no hickory or wood flavor just plain. Nothing. The pulled pork sweet tea were good per my wife. Overall all I say get in your car and run a way as fast as possible for true BBQ flavor. Just like the owner of this place. Chef Ramsey would call this place a hell. Whole read more

Not really impressed with this place considering all the hype. Trying to sit or find a table was horrible. The platter was nice had variety, the bbq sauce subpar. The chicken was dry, no zest to be had there. And the ribs were OK, not exactly flavorful or fall off the bone. We will be sticking closer to home at the County Grill. read more

I really wanted to like this place. Lots of people seem to think it's the best BBQ in Williamsburg, or even the whole peninsula. We even had a recommendation from a friend who knows his stuff. (He'd turned us on to Fox Bros. in Atlanta, which was a huge win.) But I just couldn't. From the ambience (a sort of supersized Busch Gardensy carnival rendition of yer classic back-road 'cue shack) to the food (which I'll get to in a minute), the whole place just seemed like a chain joint without a chain. I'll start with the best part: the sauce. (Ironically, many reviewers hate their sauce but love everything else. What can I say...) Sweet and tangy, only slightly spicy, but with an allspice/clove overtone that gives it almost a Jamaican curry zing. If I ever put a leg of goat in my backyard smoker, I might have to find some Pierce's Pitt sauce to baste it with. The service was quick and friendly, the place was clean and well-lit, and the drink selection was awesome. Sweet AND unsweet tea for the taking. The meat itself was sort of okay. Pulled chicken is easy to get right, and they got it right, fine. The chicken was the smokiest of the meats. The pulled pork was pre-sauced (which can be okay, but can also be a cheater technique), and didn't taste very smoky. The ribs were obviously boiled before smoking, and showed no smoke ring, so I think they were only "smoke-finished". The sides were really disappointing. What they call "baked beans" was actually beanie-weenies with a canned-baked-beans flavor, no smoke, no burnt ends, nothing. The collards were uninspired. Coleslaw wasn't awful, but it was oversauced and had pickle relish (!) in it. The fries and hushpuppies were, well, fries and hushpuppies. Tasty, but unsurprising. All in all, Pierce's only confirms my general impression of Virginia BBQ: if you're looking for good 'cue in Virginia, look for someone who's set up shop after moving there from Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas... you get the idea. read more