Forget this place. The staff was nice but you have some nerve calling yourself a barbecue restaurant if when I order a fried chicken sandwich you serve me the circle cut chicken byproduct crap I could buy at any store. I was hoping for some delicious, juicy fried chicken breast maybe with some spice. And I ordered potato salad as a side dish and the potato still had some crunch to it like it wasn't boiled long enough. The two stars is because the people are friendly, but I would never waste my money here again.
Jean S.
Sorry but can't say much positive except the staff are nice. My suggestion would be " do what you do best" which is probably bulgogi- which we didn't have. We drove a long way for this meal and I was disappointed. I love barbecue but it has to be cooked pretty much near the point of presentation. I.e. A grill/smokehouse out back!!! The chicken was not freshly done and reheated on a hot grill and dried out. The brisket was ok but felt as though it had been braised in the oven rather than being cooked in the traditional method. The coleslaw was passable. Hate to be negative but difficult on this dining occasion.
Erik M.
Let me start by saying that any of the positive reviews must have been written by friends of the owner, employees who were asked to write a positive review in order to keep their jobs, friends of those employees, family members of the owner, folks who were really really drunk, or folks whose taste buds were removed at birth, etc...etc... Suffice it to say I do believe you could go dumpster diving and eat better. I normally can find something good to say about most any situation. I was so stupefied at the quality of food that I neglected to even take a picture for submission. I ordered the Shrimp and ribs. 5 small, heavily breaded, tasteless things pretending to be shrimp arrived. Next to these shrimp imposters were three measly ribs. Not tasty, not moist, not appealing. More like dry and tasteless; possibly cooked the day prior and dying to be put out of their misery. My wife ordered a pulled pork sandwich with fries. How can you possibly mess up pulled pork, you ask? I don't know, but the cook at this place does. Have you ever eaten a pork sandwich where the only thing between the buns is pork fat? Not pork...pork fat? Neither did my wife. The bun could have been straight from the Walmart down the road.... I must commend the place on their "A" rating with the Health Department, meaning the place passes inspections and has high levels of cleanliness, but I wonder if a bribe was involved in order to get it. You certainly could not offer an inspector free food in exchange for the rating...he'd have to be stone cold stupid to agree to that. Moving on to the facilities, it was 6:30 at night on a military payday and we were the only folks in the joint. I should have suspected something.... There are two booths that would seat a total of 8 folks, but the cashier/hostess/waitress who was (this is absolutely true) enjoying her 1st day on the job said we could not sit in one of the booths because "it"s where the boss sits". Sure enough there was a laptop there on the table, and after the boss was done cooking our slop in the kitchen he came out and assumed his kingly pose in the "off limits" booth. All of the other seats in the place are hard wood picnic table bench setups that are as cozy as saddling up on a slab of concrete. In case you were wondering, this is a negative review. Don't spend your money here, don't let your friends go here, don't go here while drunk thinking it can't be all bad...... Inlaws. Inlaws could perhaps be told this place is great.
D L.
Stopped in for a quick lunch on the way to Hilton Head. Fried shrimp was great. Best fried okra I've ever had. Ribs were a bit tough. That, coupled with no draft beer, was a disappointment, but overall, a solid lunch. Warning: this place is attached to a gas station. But food is worth it.
Stacy L.
Eh... Will not return. Walked in and it was ok. went to sit at a booth and it was dirty. Like I accidentally put my hand in something on the table. I moved tables, she hands me a menu, and a dead bug falls of it. I'm grossed out. I go to wash my hands in the bathroom and notice as I walk past the men's bathroom that it's out of order. So... They're going in the women's. The bathroom was pretty gross. There were no napkins to dry my hands off with like in the dispense, but there was a roll fallen over on some table that people have to pick up to dry it off. The food was Mediocre. Sauces were half way decent. In the middle of my meal it smelled like burning rubber. I won't return.
Linda P.
Very disappointed with the bbq. Definitely reheated from an earlier day cooked, dry unpalatable. Staff very nice and accommodating, but can't improve the taste of the bad ribs.
Andrew K.
One pork sandwich might not be enough food for a big guy, but if you're in the military you'll get two for one!! Problem solved! Very friendly staff, fast service, good food.
Julianne C.
Casual atmosphere. High qualify food. Prices good. Menu somewhat limited -- but good variety. Fried okra is awesome!
Jessica S.
Had a nice, easy family dinner while in town for Bootcamp graduation. We were a party of 8 plus 2 kids and were able to all sit together. Score! Me and the cousin got the bulgogi beef and rice which came out sizzling and with rice. Very good. We added a little hot BBQ sauce from the table too. Most others in our group got shrimp/low boil or the 2 meat BBQ meals. Everyone liked their food. It's definitely a no fuss place, but the prices are great and service even better. The owner is absolutely fantastic and so hospital able. My mother in law is an avid coke drinker (like hard core) and the owner sent out one of her guys to buy a few cans from the store since she only carried Pepsi. The only (minor) negative was that the bathroom needed attention for TP and cleanliness and there was a card table stored open in there, so not much room for the one handicapped person in our party. All in all, glad we checked out this place. So much better than hitting up a chain restaurant while in town. Thank you!!
Ann F.
We just ate dinner here this evening. Everything was delicious and well spiced. We had the bulgogi which was heavenly, the barbecued/grilled chicken was tasty, and the low country boil was a first for me and was perfectly seasoned. Yuni the owner and chef was so friendly and she and her boy's couldn't do enough for us. The prices were right too. We will definitely return.
I saw the sign out front last week when I was in town advertising their bulgogi special. I knew then I would stop there the next time I was in town. Today, a co-worker and I met here for lunch. As we walked up to the door, you could smell the AWESOME smell of the bbq inside. I got the bulgogi and he got the sausage link sandwich. My bulgogi came out steaming hot and fresh on a hot skillet plate. It was piled high with cabbage and onions. It came with a side of white rice and kimchi. The bulgogi was phenomenal. The rice was cooked just right and the kimchi was fresh and tasted good. The owner brought out 2 bowls of fried rice and asked us to tell her what we think of it. My co-worker said the sausage was the best he had in years. Friendliness- 5 Cleanliness- 5 Taste-5 Overall- 5 Great food! Run to this place! I will be back every time I'm in the area.
Andrew R.
I've been in beaufort for almost 2 years. And just started coming here a few months ago or so. I've always wanted to try it, but just kept passing it. Don't let the location scare you away as it did us. This place is simply amazing. We've tried multiple items on the menu and so far....we have zero complaints. I highly encourage anyone who is visiting beaufort to stop by and grab a quick an enjoyable bite to eat.
Amy M.
Stopped in on our way to Hilton Head Island and was pleasantly surprised. Don't let the location deter you from trying Big Joe's. The food was great! Ribs, pulled pork, turkey and the sides were delicious. Paul and Calvin were the most helpful and congenial hosts we could have asked for. They went over and above to make our visit perfect.
Paula C.
18 months ago I would have given this place a negative rating. Tonight I was impressed with an upgrade of the quality of food. I NEVER EVER order the BBQ hash after a sample at any restaurant because it isn't the "authentic" taste that I remember 50 years ago. (Yes, I am now a lowcountry 60 year old who has been eating hog head hash for decades.) This hash was not my childhood taste memory, but I very much liked their hash and rice. I like the flavor of MY cooked ribs better than theirs. But theirs was perfectly cooked. Just enough pull off the bone. Mine are too tender. The potato salad was trying to be fru-fru. I know of no one "old school" who puts sour cream in tater salad. It was actually sour tasting! Gross. I will go back. I will try a different main course with hash and rice and report back. Kudos to the male server wearing glasses. What a refreshing experience to be served by someone not only pleasant but really seemed to care if Mom and I enjoyed the food and had a pleasurable experience. The staff gets a 9+.
Rod B.
Awesome dining experience. The food was amazing with huge portions and very reasonable prices. Had the brisket and pulled pork. Can't wait to come back from Charleston to eat here again.
Forget this place. The staff was nice but you have some nerve calling yourself a barbecue restaurant if when I order a fried chicken sandwich you serve me the circle cut chicken byproduct crap I could buy at any store. I was hoping for some delicious, juicy fried chicken breast maybe with some spice. And I ordered potato salad as a side dish and the potato still had some crunch to it like it wasn't boiled long enough. The two stars is because the people are friendly, but I would never waste my money here again.
Sorry but can't say much positive except the staff are nice. My suggestion would be " do what you do best" which is probably bulgogi- which we didn't have. We drove a long way for this meal and I was disappointed. I love barbecue but it has to be cooked pretty much near the point of presentation. I.e. A grill/smokehouse out back!!! The chicken was not freshly done and reheated on a hot grill and dried out. The brisket was ok but felt as though it had been braised in the oven rather than being cooked in the traditional method. The coleslaw was passable. Hate to be negative but difficult on this dining occasion.
Let me start by saying that any of the positive reviews must have been written by friends of the owner, employees who were asked to write a positive review in order to keep their jobs, friends of those employees, family members of the owner, folks who were really really drunk, or folks whose taste buds were removed at birth, etc...etc... Suffice it to say I do believe you could go dumpster diving and eat better. I normally can find something good to say about most any situation. I was so stupefied at the quality of food that I neglected to even take a picture for submission. I ordered the Shrimp and ribs. 5 small, heavily breaded, tasteless things pretending to be shrimp arrived. Next to these shrimp imposters were three measly ribs. Not tasty, not moist, not appealing. More like dry and tasteless; possibly cooked the day prior and dying to be put out of their misery. My wife ordered a pulled pork sandwich with fries. How can you possibly mess up pulled pork, you ask? I don't know, but the cook at this place does. Have you ever eaten a pork sandwich where the only thing between the buns is pork fat? Not pork...pork fat? Neither did my wife. The bun could have been straight from the Walmart down the road.... I must commend the place on their "A" rating with the Health Department, meaning the place passes inspections and has high levels of cleanliness, but I wonder if a bribe was involved in order to get it. You certainly could not offer an inspector free food in exchange for the rating...he'd have to be stone cold stupid to agree to that. Moving on to the facilities, it was 6:30 at night on a military payday and we were the only folks in the joint. I should have suspected something.... There are two booths that would seat a total of 8 folks, but the cashier/hostess/waitress who was (this is absolutely true) enjoying her 1st day on the job said we could not sit in one of the booths because "it"s where the boss sits". Sure enough there was a laptop there on the table, and after the boss was done cooking our slop in the kitchen he came out and assumed his kingly pose in the "off limits" booth. All of the other seats in the place are hard wood picnic table bench setups that are as cozy as saddling up on a slab of concrete. In case you were wondering, this is a negative review. Don't spend your money here, don't let your friends go here, don't go here while drunk thinking it can't be all bad...... Inlaws. Inlaws could perhaps be told this place is great.
Stopped in for a quick lunch on the way to Hilton Head. Fried shrimp was great. Best fried okra I've ever had. Ribs were a bit tough. That, coupled with no draft beer, was a disappointment, but overall, a solid lunch. Warning: this place is attached to a gas station. But food is worth it.
Eh... Will not return. Walked in and it was ok. went to sit at a booth and it was dirty. Like I accidentally put my hand in something on the table. I moved tables, she hands me a menu, and a dead bug falls of it. I'm grossed out. I go to wash my hands in the bathroom and notice as I walk past the men's bathroom that it's out of order. So... They're going in the women's. The bathroom was pretty gross. There were no napkins to dry my hands off with like in the dispense, but there was a roll fallen over on some table that people have to pick up to dry it off. The food was Mediocre. Sauces were half way decent. In the middle of my meal it smelled like burning rubber. I won't return.
Very disappointed with the bbq. Definitely reheated from an earlier day cooked, dry unpalatable. Staff very nice and accommodating, but can't improve the taste of the bad ribs.
One pork sandwich might not be enough food for a big guy, but if you're in the military you'll get two for one!! Problem solved! Very friendly staff, fast service, good food.
Casual atmosphere. High qualify food. Prices good. Menu somewhat limited -- but good variety. Fried okra is awesome!
Had a nice, easy family dinner while in town for Bootcamp graduation. We were a party of 8 plus 2 kids and were able to all sit together. Score! Me and the cousin got the bulgogi beef and rice which came out sizzling and with rice. Very good. We added a little hot BBQ sauce from the table too. Most others in our group got shrimp/low boil or the 2 meat BBQ meals. Everyone liked their food. It's definitely a no fuss place, but the prices are great and service even better. The owner is absolutely fantastic and so hospital able. My mother in law is an avid coke drinker (like hard core) and the owner sent out one of her guys to buy a few cans from the store since she only carried Pepsi. The only (minor) negative was that the bathroom needed attention for TP and cleanliness and there was a card table stored open in there, so not much room for the one handicapped person in our party. All in all, glad we checked out this place. So much better than hitting up a chain restaurant while in town. Thank you!!
We just ate dinner here this evening. Everything was delicious and well spiced. We had the bulgogi which was heavenly, the barbecued/grilled chicken was tasty, and the low country boil was a first for me and was perfectly seasoned. Yuni the owner and chef was so friendly and she and her boy's couldn't do enough for us. The prices were right too. We will definitely return.
Restaurantji Recommends
I saw the sign out front last week when I was in town advertising their bulgogi special. I knew then I would stop there the next time I was in town. Today, a co-worker and I met here for lunch. As we walked up to the door, you could smell the AWESOME smell of the bbq inside. I got the bulgogi and he got the sausage link sandwich. My bulgogi came out steaming hot and fresh on a hot skillet plate. It was piled high with cabbage and onions. It came with a side of white rice and kimchi. The bulgogi was phenomenal. The rice was cooked just right and the kimchi was fresh and tasted good. The owner brought out 2 bowls of fried rice and asked us to tell her what we think of it. My co-worker said the sausage was the best he had in years. Friendliness- 5 Cleanliness- 5 Taste-5 Overall- 5 Great food! Run to this place! I will be back every time I'm in the area.
I've been in beaufort for almost 2 years. And just started coming here a few months ago or so. I've always wanted to try it, but just kept passing it. Don't let the location scare you away as it did us. This place is simply amazing. We've tried multiple items on the menu and so far....we have zero complaints. I highly encourage anyone who is visiting beaufort to stop by and grab a quick an enjoyable bite to eat.
Stopped in on our way to Hilton Head Island and was pleasantly surprised. Don't let the location deter you from trying Big Joe's. The food was great! Ribs, pulled pork, turkey and the sides were delicious. Paul and Calvin were the most helpful and congenial hosts we could have asked for. They went over and above to make our visit perfect.
18 months ago I would have given this place a negative rating. Tonight I was impressed with an upgrade of the quality of food. I NEVER EVER order the BBQ hash after a sample at any restaurant because it isn't the "authentic" taste that I remember 50 years ago. (Yes, I am now a lowcountry 60 year old who has been eating hog head hash for decades.) This hash was not my childhood taste memory, but I very much liked their hash and rice. I like the flavor of MY cooked ribs better than theirs. But theirs was perfectly cooked. Just enough pull off the bone. Mine are too tender. The potato salad was trying to be fru-fru. I know of no one "old school" who puts sour cream in tater salad. It was actually sour tasting! Gross. I will go back. I will try a different main course with hash and rice and report back. Kudos to the male server wearing glasses. What a refreshing experience to be served by someone not only pleasant but really seemed to care if Mom and I enjoyed the food and had a pleasurable experience. The staff gets a 9+.
Awesome dining experience. The food was amazing with huge portions and very reasonable prices. Had the brisket and pulled pork. Can't wait to come back from Charleston to eat here again.