Customer Reviews

This guy's no expert because he's fat!!!!!!!
While this is a folksy kind of travel guide to barbeque, Bob
Garner is not the person that should be making the commentary
on some of these eating establishments. It's obvious he has a
bias for wood cooked barbeque and has rated some of the places
he visited based on that bias. Note that there is barbeque in
North Carolina cooked over charcoal briquets or LP gas as good
as anything ever cooked over hickory wood and I would have no
trouble finding experienced barbeque eaters to agree. There are
eateries listed where the barbeque is outstanding that managed
only a marginal rating from Garner so his ratings must be taken
with a grain of salt, in my opinion. Establishments that are
selling thousands of pounds of barbeque a week are NOT producing
mediocre barbeque but this book might lead you to believe that
is the case. My advise is that if you have a hunger for eating
barbeque,forget this book, stop at a respectable looking 'que eatery and give it a try. You don't need to be guided there on the questionable taste buds of Bob Garner.

Great BBQ Guide
I just moved to North Carolina a few years ago, so this guide to NC BBQ has been indispensible. Garner has spent many years sampling and reviewing NC BBQ, and he really seems to know what he's talking about in his reviews. He's picked the 100 best BBQ joints in NC and gives a wealth of info about each, including address, phone number, hours, menu items, etc. Of course, he spends the most time talking about the BBQ.

The intro contains a concise history of NC BBQ, including a pretty thorough discourse on the differences between Eastern Carolina BBQ and Piedmont BBQ. I'm a newcomer to NC BBQ, which usually consists of smoked pork with a vinegar-based sauce, so this background info is helpful. Most of the places he reviews are well-known locally and are pretty casual, preferring to put their emphasis on the BBQ instead of the atmosphere. A terrific guide and an enjoyable read. Highly recommended for NC residents and fans of BBQ.

A "must-have" for barbecue epicureans
Bob Garner's Guide to North Carolina Barbecue is a regional restaurant guide to what are arguably the best barbecue joints North Carolina has to offer. Each individual restaurant is presented with its address, its hours for serving barbecue, and a brief yet mouth-wateringly descriptive of its barbecue styles, special touches, and occasional, its limitations. Bob Garner's Guide to North Carolina Barbecue is recommended as a "must-have" for barbecue epicureans who either live in North Carolina or are simply passing through -- even if only briefly.