North Carolina's 5 Best Affordable Barbecue Restaurants In Charlotte, According To Reviews

If you know anything about the culinary exploits of the American South, you know that barbecue is a major part of the experience. Although the cuisine is a staple of many states in the region, North Carolina is known for its unique style, even offering a barbecue trail through old-school smokehouses seeped in tradition. Charlotte is no stranger to good eats, and we've highlighted the five best affordable barbecue restaurants within the city limits.

For this list, we focused on a few criteria. Although upscale and high-end BBQ joints are delicious, we wanted to highlight more budget-friendly options. Specifically, we looked at spots that offer a variety of options for around $20 per person or less. Next, online reviews helped guide us to the best of the best restaurants — we didn't just look at star ratings but also the number of reviews. Finally, we made sure to only highlight regional joints instead of nationwide chains. You may notice that a few of our picks have multiple locations in the Carolinas, but we avoided barbecue spots found in various states to get a taste of true North Carolina cuisine.

Midwood Smokehouse has three locations in the greater Charlotte area, all of which have over 4.5 stars on Google. However, the Plaza Midwood location has over 6,300 reviews at the time of this writing, making it the most well-reviewed spot on our list. Which makes sense, considering it's in Charlotte's most eclectic neighborhood with funky art, vintage shops, and dive bars.

But before we dive into what the guests are saying, let's break down Midwood's affordability. When looking at barbecue plates on the menu, eight options are $20 or less, including brisket and burnt ends. Alternatively, you can get tacos or sandwiches for less than $20, with some options (like the brisket sandwich) going for less than $15. Even if you order the most expensive dish on the menu (a full rack of ribs), your total will be less than $40, and you'll likely have leftovers. Party packs that feed two to 10 people range from $30 to $80.

Guests rave about the fast service, the deliciousness of the food (particularly the ribs and burnt ends), and the hearty portion sizes. One Google reviewer comments that, as a native of Kansas City, he has a high standard for barbecue, and Midwood delivered. Another guest claims the local chain serves "the best cornbread I've ever had." Overall, while each Midwood location across North and South Carolina offers a tasty and memorable experience, the Plaza Midwood location seems to go above and beyond in every regard.

Like Midwood Smokehouse, Mac's Speed Shop has three locations in the greater Charlotte area and other locations throughout the Carolinas. Each location is highly rated on Google, with two of them coming in at 4.5 stars and the third hovering at 4.3 stars. In this case, we're highlighting Mac's South End location, although according to Google Maps, it's actually within the borders of the Dilworth neighborhood, a walkable haven of local shops and delicious cuisine.

Most of the dishes here, including barbecue plates for one person, are around $15 at the time of this writing, according to the online menu. Even when you get into the more "expensive" options, a full rack of St. Louis-style ribs is just $33, and brisket burnt ends are less than $20. Overall, you can stuff your face with some fantastic 'cue, satisfying both your belly and your wallet.

What stands out to us the most when reading the reviews of Mac's Speed Shop is that so many unique menu items are called out for being delicious. Here, Google reviewers rave about the green bean casserole, beer can chicken, smoked wings, chicken and waffles, fried pickles, burnt ends, and more. So, it seems that, no matter what you order, you're in for a tasty meal.

Noble Smoke technically has two locations, though the second is a limited-service food stand in Optimist Hall, a chic, modern food court just outside downtown Charlotte. So, instead, we're focusing on the main restaurant in the Enderly Park neighborhood. At the time of this writing, Noble has an average of 4.5 stars and 3,200 reviews on Google, making it a strong competitor against the other joints on this list.

When talking about affordability, Noble seems to do things a bit differently than other restaurants. Rather than offer a variety of plates, you pick your meat and your sides and pay for everything separately. Alternatively, you can choose one of two Traditional North Carolina Trays, featuring chopped pork and either red or white slaw. Overall, depending on how much meat and how many sides you want, you can build a plate for around $20 and get enough to eat. Also, a full pound of Cheshire pork ribs costs $28 at the time of this writing, and half a chicken costs $16. The most expensive item is the Cheshire prime beef brisket, which is $42 per pound.

Reading through the reviews, it's clear that most people love the meats at Noble Smoke, but sides like the fried okra, Brussels sprouts, and hush puppies are mentioned just as much as the main courses. A reviewer embarking on a barbecue-focused trip from New Orleans to New York raves, "We were speechless. How every single thing we tried could be that good? ... Turns out, you don't need to drive all the way to mid-U.S. to experience a very good bbq. You can basically just go to Charlotte."

When something is considered authentic and legitimate, people say it's the real McCoy. Although this McKoy's is spelled differently, the authenticity and value are still just as present in its barbecue. At the time of this writing, McKoy's Smokehouse and Saloon has a 4.4-star rating and over 3,500 reviews on Google. It's also one of the closest barbecue joints to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, so if you're looking for a great bite to eat when you get into town (or just before heading out), McKoy's Smokehouse and Saloon in the York Road neighborhood is an excellent option.

When talking about affordability, McKoy's menu is tantalizingly diverse, so you're sure to find something to satisfy your craving, even if you're looking for something besides pulled pork or ribs. Most of the platters (called vittles) are less than $20 with two "fixins," and you can easily get a burger or sandwich for $15 or less. You'll also want to save room for dessert, as McKoy's has options like peanut butter pie, chocolate brownie sundae, and coconut pie.

As far as reviews go, the dish that gets the most shout-outs by far is the smoked wings (with over 360 mentions). Not only can you get them drenched in tasty sauces like Calypso, teriyaki, honey habanero, and Thai chili, but you can also get them double-grilled for an extra bit of char on the outside. Beyond the wings, the pot roast, cornbread, and collard greens get the most attention in reviews, illustrating how well McKoy's handles its sides as well as its main courses.

For our final spot, we're headed back to the eclectic Plaza Midwood neighborhood to check out Sweet Lew's BBQ. This restaurant is just down the road from Midwood Smokehouse, so if you're feeling extra hungry and want to try both places in a single trip, they're about 1 mile away from each other. As far as ratings, Sweet Lew's has an average of 4.3 stars with over 1,100 reviews on Google. While it's not as high-profile as other joints on this list, Lew's is still a top-tier Charlotte barbecue restaurant with affordable eats.

Speaking of affordable, Lew's has a simplified menu that only focuses on primary barbecue dishes like pulled pork, brisket, ribs, and chicken. You can either build your own platter or choose from the list, with half of the options costing $20 or less. Lew's also has cheap sandwiches for less than $10 and sides for $5. Best of all, a full rack of pork ribs here only costs $35, so you can indulge without breaking the bank.

According to reviewers, the brisket here is the real deal, with many guests commenting on its juiciness and how it's bursting with flavor (though it is a bit more expensive at $32 a platter). The mac n' cheese is also a popular side, and the collard greens get highlighted often. Beyond the food, reviewers like the outdoor patio area and the friendly service. Overall, Sweet Lew's is a great hangout spot, especially when the Charlotte weather is accommodating.

Picking good barbecue restaurants is a bit of a subjective experience, as people can have strong opinions on traditional dishes like ribs and brisket, and the quality can differ greatly from one spot to the next. However, for our list, we used two guiding principles: affordability and online ratings from real customers. For our purposes, "affordable" means having a wide variety of meal options that are $20 or less. We ranked our list based on reviews and star ratings. In the case of our top two picks, since both options are chains with multiple spots in Charlotte, we highlighted the location with the highest rating and largest number of reviews. 

Finally, we decided not to include larger regional chains like City BBQ and Shane's Rib Shack. Although they're highly rated, well-reviewed, and definitely affordable, we wanted to stick to local Charlotte restaurants or regional chains within the Carolinas. In this case, Midwood Smokehouse and Mac's Speed Shop have a couple of restaurants in South Carolina, but the majority of their locations are in North Carolina.