As a fan of barbeque, I've been to the original Redneck BBQ Lab down in Benson a couple of times and the spin-off BBQ Lab at North Hills offers the same great smoked meats and sides that you can find there. Inside, the BBQ Lab is pretty standard barbeque decor, wood stacked on the side, awards section and counter service where the meat is sliced and prepared for you, an area for sides and self-service drinks-utentils-condiments. The dining room is quite large, mostly 2 and 4-tops with some single seat seating up front by the window. A tray of sauces: tangy, black pepper, vinegar sit at each dining area for blinging up your meat. And about the food? Great pork ribs, great brisket, excellent mac n cheese and corn bread. Given their challenges hiring staff, I think they purposely don't have a website or telephone for phone orders so be patient. All in all they are putting out some great que and will get things in order over time... read more

The BBQ Lab - Barbeque Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

For a more "commercial" bbq spot in N Hills, this place is ok. You can't compare it to other local joints- because it feels like it's prepped for catering - but if you go thinking this will be Big Al's or Sam Jones, I'm not sure you'll be happy. Brisket was good- but not super moist. Turkey was good. Chopped chicken was dry and a bit chewy. The hush puppies were yummy. And the jalapeno mac n cheese was pretty epic. The portions are huge. The chips were great and there's a ton of sauces to try. Overall, in NHills it's an ok choice for bbq. You'll be full so that's good. Sides are a la carte. Seating is ok too. Service was decent too. read more

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Yall just visited BBQ Lab in North Hills and was very disappointed.. Man oh man ...... something was lost at this locations vs the Benson location ... Flavors are different and meat seems a bit dry here Also menu is different ... guess they had to change it to cover rent at this location but expect to pay more at this location vs Benson location 1 ... combos are non existent here unlike the other location ... everything is a la cart 2. Flavors are lacking at this location vs the Bensom location ... The deviled potato salad was lacking seasoning... The jalapeno mad and cheese was also different and not cheesey and flavorful like Benson location 3. The brisket here was on the dry side... 4. They need to go back to the same bottles for their table tops vs the fancy shake the hell out of them to get drips out from the bar bottle pours.. Just because you move to the upper side... doesnt mean you need to lose your soul aka flavor... Please someone from the OG Benson location needs to come up here and fix things .. read more

The BBQ Lab - Brisket with mac and cheese and potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Service was very fast and very friendly! Here are my thoughts on the food: Pulled pork - very good, solid Q! Sauce it how you like. Chopped chicken - very moist. Good smoke flavor, note it is chopped Mac and cheese-called jalapeño but is not spicy Green beans - has strong ham taste and are delicious Brunswick stew - great!!! Corn bread - little dry Sauces are very good, not very spicy but sweet and peppery read more

Guys were very friendly and helpful. Loved the ribs, brisket, fried okra, deviled egg potato salad (a must), sweet baked beans, and the sweet cornbread. Yum all around!!! The sauces were also good. read more

We were able to make it to the BBQ Lab after an appointment in Raleigh. They close at 9 and we got there around 8. One of the staff members greeted us and recommended the pastrami ribs. Some menu items are only served on specific days. I took his suggestion. Never had pastrami ribs, but man, were they good and the brisket was very moist. The jalenpeno Mac and cheese didn't have the kick I was expecting but was good. You could tell.we were towards the end of the night and getting to the end if the sides, but they were still good, just not as fresh. The cornbread was very good. It was a bit more pricey than I expected. Very glad I finally got to try it. read more

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Casual bbq place has great brisket. The sides I've had are delicious, too. Deviled egg potato salad, brisket mac&cheese, collard greens - all really good! Staff is friendly and helpful. read more

Stopped in for lunch with my kids and grandson. Ordered the smoked turkey. The turkey was good, had a nice smoky flavor. For sides, I ordered jalapeños Mac and cheese and coleslaw. Didn't care for the 2 sides, but it just might be my preference. Overall good value. read more

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Very tasty. Very friendly staff. Was my first time being in town. Brisket so tasty. Had a good conversation with the staff. Very welcoming.

Not yet as great as the "Base Station ", but it is getting there. We have eaten here three times now, basically same items every-time. Brisket was a bit dry this trip & everything was not quite at par but still good. Service is always above & beyond! read more

I got takeout at this spot after reading a review of their BBQ. I got the burnt ends, and my wife got the hot dog. My son ordered the chicken tenders with fries. My order was prepared just right, and the food was a win for the family. It was perfectly cooked and had great portions. We will be back! read more

I am taking a friend who is flying in from California today to taste this piece of heaven. It continues to get better everyday (if that's possible). They have a limited menu of what counts with real barbecue and it is all flawless. Fast, friendly service. I love this place!! read more

I thought I'd try it as I heard this is owned by the same person as Redneck BBQ.One word: UNDERWHELMING! Will not try it again and definitely or worth the wait in line. read more

Yes! Yes! Yes! Very Good BBQ. Not the best in town, but darn close to it. My bride & I were in the area and we had heard good things about The Redneck BBQ Lab - apparently NH won't let them use the word Redneck on the signage and such, but I digress - we decided to check it out. The BBQ (brisket for me) was great, the sides are okay, the staff is great, the ambiance is what one would expect for a BBQ joint. I expect we will be back, but I want to check out their other location first. read more

Niya was fabulous, welcoming and pleasant customer service. I'm from Texas and this is the best bbq I've had in NC. Tastes like a little piece of home for this Texas gal. Chill country vibes. read more

The BBQ Lab - (Sweet Tea, Brisket Sandwich) - Barbeque Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Looked sloppy inside, and they always seem to be running low on meat. Not a good representation from their original location read more

We walked into this joint after hearing the hype from our young ones- tonight, we'd be the trendsetters and try it first. So. The food. We got in line, ordered our meats and sides. The barbecue (that's "pulled pork," y'all) was hand picked by the staff- like literally, picked off the butt by hand, weighed, and placed on the tray. Oddly, I watched the staff literally picked the bark off of what they pulled, and whoa, whoa, whoa- can you put that back on? I'd like to eat that. Sides were mac and cheese for the Mrs., and collards for me. The Q: dessicated. Salty. Literally, salty like it had either been over-seasoned once the meat had been pulled, or there was some sort of competition-style rub that got plastered on prior to the cook. There was some smoke, but you just kind of missed it behind all of the seasoning. It was unpleasant to eat. The Mrs. got some coldish, dry brisket, always a risky move. The mac and cheese was also sort of dry, with hints of velveeta poking through. Was there meant to be some sort of smoke or seasoning on the mac and cheese? Hard to tell- I was still trying to clear the salt off my palate. There's only so much sweet tea. The greens saved the day, part of the two stars- a little sweet, a little hot, touch of vinegar. I should have gotten two of those, skipped the mac and cheese. The service: on point. The folks behind the counter were friendly and kind of pleasantly surprised when I asked for my bark back- "Oh, you like barbecue, then." There was never a dirty table in the place- tables were cleaned and bused as quickly as people left. Kudos for that. It might have been good to grab a beer, but for some reason, I got the sense that the taps were closed that night. Still, two stars. Like I said- I hope this place can survive on mall traffic, and enough folks who just don't have the will to drive elsewhere for better barbecue after a day of shopping. The place did go from dead to packed in the twenty minutes that we were there (around 6PM on a Friday night), so that's a good sign. It's a convenient spot to get to, close to REI and Target, so it's got that going for it, which is nice. read more

Loved getting food at the original gas station site. Glad to have them in Raleigh. Three of us went for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Had pulled pork, brisket, smoked sausage. For sides went with the jalapeño Mac & cheese, collards and baked beans. Everything loved their pulled pork. Wife's favorite is the brisket. I like the smoked sausage. Liked the baked beans and Mac & cheese. Wife loved her collards. Love their sauces. Picked up a bottle to take home. You can also get them at Harris Teeter. Would I come back? Definitely. Would I recommend to family and friends? Yes. read more

The BBQ Lab - Mac & cheese, baked beans, smoked sausage and pulled pork. - Barbeque Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I walked up to the Lab and was absolutely blown away by the food. As someone who knows his way around BBQ, this was a much-anticipated restaurant, and it definitely lived up to the hype. I walked in around 1130 on a Sunday, and things were starting to pick up. Specials of the day were beef ribs, pastrami and pork chops, making for some tough decisions. I went with the colossal smoked beef rib, and it was fork-tender with a perfect bark...had to take a photo or two. Pulled pork was also excellent, especially with the vinegar sauce. Fried okra was a major highlight -- they dropped a fresh basket right when we ordered, and the sauce was money. Pound-for-pound it was the best, most well-crafted plate of BBQ I've had in Raleigh proper. read more

The BBQ Lab - A full lunch spread including a smoked beef (not so) short rib, pulled pork, cornbread, green beans, Mac n cheese, fried okra. - Barbeque Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Awesome bbq! All meats well seasoned not over powering sides all good has the cheerwine soda

I had beef brisket and chicken, they were great. I will say I wish the beef brisket was warmer temp wise but it was still good. The fried okra was wonderful. The potato salad was wonderful . The jalapeño Mac and cheese was good and has a little kick. My friend had ribs, turkey and collards. She said they were good. I wish the collards didn't have meat in them or pork so I could have tried. The turkey was good but room temperature I wish it was hotter. I think it was the owner helping me, he was great. Complementing me on my smile, I was smiling harder after eating this food. Great customer service. It is a must try!!! read more

The BBQ Lab - Linch - Barbeque Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Fantastic BBQ. Great service and amazing brisket. Fries were amazing too. Staff were great and the food too.

The BBQ Lab creates a fantastic environment for people to try out classic NC BBQ! The sides are killer, and the main courses will make you regret that you order the sides you will be so full! While parking is a little bit of a hassle, the sit-down environment is great for sitting down with friends while tearing into some brisket, my personal fav here! read more

If you're anywhere near Raleigh and craving top-tier barbecue, do yourself a favor and make a beeline to The BBQ Lab in North Hills. We recently stopped in for pickup, and I'm still thinking about this meal. We ordered two combo plates featuring chopped chicken and pulled pork BBQ, and every bite was a masterclass in smoke and seasoning. The pork was perfectly tender with just the right amount of bark, and the chicken had a smoky depth that didn't even need sauce--though their house sauces are worth trying. But the real joy? The sides. The jalapeño mac n cheese was creamy and rich, with a golden crust that made each forkful feel indulgent. The slaw gave the perfect crunch and tang to balance the richness of the meat. And the collards--WOW. Tender, well-seasoned, and soulful. The deviled egg potato salad was cool, creamy, while the fresh cornbread was soft, slightly sweet, and absolutely necessary to round out the plates. Oh yeah, we also ordered the homemade bbq potato chips w/ranch dressing Staff were friendly, super efficient, and clearly proud of what they serve--and rightfully so. Whether you're a BBQ purist or just in the mood for comfort food done right, The BBQ Lab in Raleigh nails it. read more

My daughter found this special place while visiting from Chicago, we both agreed that this is the best burnt ends, Mac and cheese and fried okra we've had. Chef's kiss! From world navigators. Definitely returning to enjoy more from the menu. read more

We had lunch at The BBQ Lab this afternoon. The food is every bit as delicious as at their mothership location in Benson. I'm doing a keto-type diet, so I got the lamb plate with collard greens and green beans. If you like lamb, I highly recommend it. What really jumped out was the service. Oh, my! Everyone is as friendly and welcoming as can be. The ambiance is pleasant. I found it a bit noisy but tolerable. Not bad enough to knock it down to four stars. It's kinda difficult to find if it's your first time. The mapping apps take you to the Target parking lot at North Hills. Just park in the Target parking lot and then take the TWO escalators up through the parking garage to the restaurant. It's worth it! read more

I went about an hour before they closed and the line was to the door and the only meat they had was pulled pork. Even though it was busy, the staff was super attentive and answered questions, and even provided a 10% discount for the wait. I ordered pulled pork with mac and cheese and beans. The pulled pork was juicy and soft, would recommend. The Mac and cheese was great and the beans were okay, though I am not the biggest fan of beans. For the price, the serving size was perfect. The space was large with a variety of barbecue sauce available. Would absolutely come back if I am in town! read more

Ordered a burnt end sandwich and it lacked BBQ/Smoke flavor, wasn't overly tender and they tasted as if they had been sitting for hours. Tastes as if it was made in an oven, not a smoker. Didn't even have a smoke ring...I wouldn't recommend this sandwich to anyone. Absolute Waste of $18..... read more

The BBQ Lab - Burnt End Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Excellent BBQ. We've tried every big name barbecue joint in Raleigh and this competes well with any of them. I had ribs which were on special and they were excellent. Good sides, too! read more

Delicious food. Delivered on time and hot. Certainly a place to return to , often. Nice to have great food so close to home

My first time visiting Raleigh, or anywhere in NC for that matter and the many readings, research and rumination yielded this place and another as my top pick to try NC's finest. Boy this place did NOT disappoint. I've never been a fan of burnet ends: until I tried the Lab's. HoooooEEEEE!!! Legit. Also my rodeo with pimento cheese. Damn that was good. read more

I am admittedly a BBQ snob. The hickory smoke hit me when I walked in the restaurant, so off to a great start. Servings (one meat) platter were substantial - full half pound - with two sides. I had burnt ends, with jalapeno mac n cheese, corn bread and baked beans. The downside to it all was it just was completely ordinary. The burnt ends came pre-sauced, so couldn't really try the 5 sauces at the table. The meat was good - not too fatty, good bite, but not super beefy. The corn bread was ok, the beans, if they had any meat, must have been ground meat. Mostly a taste of beans with BBQ sauce. The Jalapeno mac and cheese was a great serving size with zero spice, no jalapeno, and just bland. My companion had the pulled chicken - thankfully not sauced - but again nothing special. Slaw was grocery store quality. I know they've won awards - they are featured on the wall. But as a former Kansas City resident, a lover of KC, Memphis Pit and Texas BBQ, this was just not worth the calories or money. Sorry. I really wanted it be great. It wasn't. read more

Outstanding! "Burnt Ends" Tuesday was a feast with tender burnt ends and a Smokey link with great snap and flavor as well as the fabulous collards (perfectly tender) was an absolute home run lunch. Place was decorated nicely. They also have a huge Bourbon selection that I will try after work. The gentleman greeting at the door as well as the counter staff was "yes sir, no sir" with a level of respect you don't get nowadays. Sauces should be illegal they're so good! read more

Walked in and was greeted by friendly staff! Small restaurant, clean, and cute space with low and high tables. We got STL ribs and prime brisket. Both were mid. Some pieces were dry but much better with the BBQ sauce! At least one piece of brisket was not as dry and taste much better. It actually taste like it was just not fresh and was sitting and dried out. I am from STL so no real comparison but it was not bad, I am willing to give it another try earlier in the day rather than 7pm. The side fries were expensive but came out hot and crispy with a little seasoning and were good. My drink was sweet and didn't taste much liquor at all. I'd come back bc this place most definitely has potential. read more

The BBQ Lab - Strawberry Dole daiquiri - Barbeque Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Food , service, and location of restaurant is amazing! Great for a quick lunch with the kids! The staff were really friendly along with the ambiance of the place. read more

Excellent BBQ. The champion sauce was yummy on pulled pork and brisket. Definitely will go back.

We regularly (and for years) went to their place in Benson at the intersection of I-40 and 210. Basically at a gas station. The food there was always good, especially if you could get the "burnt ends" only available certain days and which usually sell out quickly. We decided to try the North Hills location for a BD party. I called the day before and requested a time and enough room for our group, and he (Larry!) was absolutely accommodating. Told me to ask for him upon our arrival. He immediately put tables together for our group. Fantastic personal service!! The food just as good as that in Benson and to top it off the burnt ends were available. People in the group ordered different meats and all were happy. Thank you Larry! read more

I was visiting NC for the holidays and I was looking for NC BBQ. Unfortunately some of the other spots we wanted to try was closed. We ended up stopping at the BBQ Lab. The portion was big and price was reasonable. I got the ribs, pulled pork, sausage, and mac n cheese. The pulled pork was moist and they had great sauces to enhance your entree. The place is casual and the service was friendly. read more

Amazing people and food! We have loved Redneck BBQ Lab for years now! We get our office Christmas parties catered from them yearly, and their food never disappoints. We were very excited to hear that their new location is even closer to our office! My personal favorites on their menu is their jalapeño cheddar sausage, pulled pork, mac and cheese, and potatoes. And whatever you do, DON'T forget to put some sauce on top! They have 3 amazing sauces to choose from. Our favorite is the Competition BBQ Sawse- Tangy, Sweet, & Lil Heat! Please do yourself a favor and try this place out! It's true southern BBQ with extra flavor added to bring it into a new generation of BBQ lovers! read more

I tried The BBQ Lab for the first time... I was a bit skeptical but ummmmmm to my surprise, it was absolutely AMAZING!! My food was fresh and hot. The customer service was pretty good. The presentation of the overall establishment was top tier! read more

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