Clyde Cooper's Barbeque

Clyde Cooper’s BBQ is an absolute Raleigh gem! From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted with that authentic Southern charm and the mouthwatering aroma of slow-cooked perfection. The pulled pork is tender, smoky, and seasoned to absolute perfection, and the crispy pork skins are a must-try—they’re addictive! The sides, especially the collard greens and hush puppies, taste just like home-cooked comfort. Portions are generous, prices are fair, and the staff makes you feel like family. If you’re looking for true North Carolina barbecue, this is the place to be—five stars all the way!

I was excited to give Clyde Cooper's a try, honest thoughts: Brisket: - Texture/ Juiciness: didn't pull apart, hard to cut with a knife, and didn't bend in the slightest -Taste: Rubbery layer of unrendered fat on top with poor coloring (see pic) - Bark: Didn't have any - Brisket Rating 1/10 Pulled Pork: - Texture/ Juiciness: dried out, not tender - Taste: no smoke flavor but tasty NC sauce helped give some flavor - Pulled Pork Rating 2/10 Positives: Hush puppies and mac n cheese were good. Kind waitress. Price: $30 platter Overall: 2/10. Very disappointing

We stopped by for lunch yesterday and ordered The Mr. Cooper sandwich with sides of mac n cheese and collards. All very good and the place had a great atmosphere too. Amanda our server was awesome. They also have bottled/canned beer which was cool. (I didn’t see it on the menu) but we asked…and we received lol I would definitely recommend to give it a try!

You don't need an old bald Yankee to tell you, but if you do, I tella you this: It is your good fortune to have eaten the best tastin' history lesson in these parts. Local history; love it and the places like this that make it so. PS - I ain't reviewing diddly squat. If you don't absolutely love what you're served here, seek immediate medical help.

Everything about this place lived up to the hype! Food was delicious. Staff was friendly and the atmosphere was great. Loved the bbq and the hush puppies!

as in town for a work conference and came here for dinner with some friends I met...because how could we come to Raleigh without trying bbq?! Glad we gave it a try! Portions are generous but the prices are reflective. I got the baby back ribs and the beef brisket combo with mac n cheese, baked beans-- which also came with hush puppies and pork skins. The brisket and the baby back ribs were pretty good! The Mac N Cheese and the baked beans were also very tasty! I didn't care much for the pork skins. My friend really enjoyed the burnt ends she got as well. Waitress was kind, gave recommendations when asked and checked back often enough! They also had music bingo going on during the time I was there! The surrounding environment outside the restaurant was a little sketchy..so I don't know if I'd come alone when it's dark outside: Would definitely recommend though!

Service was excellent! Right from the bat the woman at the counter greets you warmly and tells you how to order. Then you sit down and your food is delivered. The food was alright. The Brunswick stew was interesting very hearty, the hush puppies were pretty good kinda dense. The chopped pork was yummy very vinegary and traditional to North Carolina BBQ. The Mac and cheese didn’t really taste like much and was pretty mushy. I would say it’s pretty decent but nothing too crazy. (:

Great place to eat. The food was exceptional. The staff is also nice. They do not have their own parking so you would have to park on the street, in the parking garage, or the parking lot next to the building the lot is $5.95 an hour, but I'm not sure how much the parking garage is. The pice is good for the amount of food and what you get. The place is not that big but when you're greeted you can sit anywhere according to your party size. It is a little chilly in there so bring a sweater. Stop by this place and support local if you're ever in downtown Raleigh, NC.

Was in town for a work conference and came here for dinner with some friends I met...because how could we come to Raleigh without trying bbq?! Glad we gave it a try! Portions are generous but the prices are reflective. I got the baby back ribs and the beef brisket combo with mac n cheese, baked beans-- which also came with hush puppies and pork skins. The brisket and the baby back ribs were pretty good! The Mac N Cheese and the baked beans were also very tasty! I didn't care much for the pork skins. My friend really enjoyed the burnt ends she got as well. Waitress was kind, gave recommendations when asked and checked back often enough! They also had music bingo going on during the time I was there! The surrounding environment outside the restaurant was a little sketchy..so I don't know if I'd come alone when it's dark outside: Would definitely recommend though!

It was good. I wanted better. Showed up around 1:00 PM. Plenty of seating available. Unfortunately for me, they were out of brisket. They suggested I go for the burnt ends. It was good advice. BBQ sauce needs to be requested - and I recommend you request. Vinegar sauce provided on table, if you like that. The hushpuppies were not my thing. Sweet battered, overcooked and chewy. Family ordered pork sandwich, wings and fried chicken. Everyone enjoyed their food, but nothing was memorable.

Checked out Clyde Cooper's Barbecue while in Raleigh, North Carolina and had a good meal. The ambiance has almost a diner sort of feel to it and the staff was immediately attentive and helpful throughout the dining experience. I opted for a chopped pork plate which came in the Carolina style and the vinegar based sauce on the table definitely added a nice touch to the pork. For sides I opted for the Cole slaw and the yams with the yams being one of the real stars of the lunch. For a BBQ restaurant, the Cole slaw was just okay. Avoid the lemonade at all costs as it was poured from a gallon jug and was so sweet it almost afforded you with an instant cavity. My brother had the pulled pork and brisket combo with the pork being solid but the brisket had an almost pot roast flavor to it that was less than enjoyable. The hush puppies that came with his combo platter were quite good and I used the vinegar based sauce to dip them in, as well. The food was good at Clyde Cooper's but wouldn't have me rushing back to Raleigh again just to go get some more barbecue here. Prices were reasonable.

There's a lot of hype around this place. It's been here a long time. I've been here twice. The food and the service are good. The BBQ is very good. The brisket is excellent. The Brunswick Stew was average. The puppies were good. The pork skins are a very nice touch My take is that it's worth the stop, at least for the nostalgia of it. Have I had BBQ that's as good or better? Yes. I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to Eastern NC BBQ. Mostly, honestly, I'd put this place at maybe a 3.5 star spot overall

First time having Carolina barbecue in my life. We went here after going to the NC Museum of Art. My friend made sure I tried everything. Brunswick stew, cracklins, hush puppies, brisket, ribs, chopped pork, pulled chicken, collards, butter beans, cheerwine baked beans, mac and cheese, sweet tea, banana pudding. All of it was so good and sooo filling. Definitely recommend. The atmosphere was inviting and it was just great southern hospitality. Fun fact: I don't love bananas at all, but I sure enjoyed and devoured the banana pudding here.

Just an old-time barbecue place in downtown Raleigh. The service is spectacular with our server having been there for 30 years. Everything she recommended was spot on and terrific. Will definitely go back.

This place is simply...awesome! I loved my experience here. This is a locally-owned small business restaurant with a great southern vibe! It's been established for 85 years. #SupportLocal. The menu offers quite a few options of bbq, including funky looking and delicious hush puppies. I went for a tray of the beef brisket with corn and butter beans and cole slaw along with a Cheerwine, and what a tue delicious bbq experience I had. It was amazing! The service was great, and even the owner was working a shift greeting and being awesome to the customers. Common areas were clean and the space is cozy! This place is centrally located with plenty of paid street parking around. Overall, 100% recommended. I am definitely coming back for more.

We eat here several times a year. and food is always good. My husband and lived in Raleigh in the 70's. We still go back there after being in Durham for 50 years. We take my daughter and husband back there to eat occasionally. They love it too.

I've been to Clyde Cooper's a few times, first in their old location and a couple times at the new location. The food is okay, it's your standard NC pork barbecue, nothing really special about it. This last time I wanted to get brisket but they said they were sold out. It seemed like they were out of a few things on the menu. Sometimes the meat here is a bit dry. This restaurant definitely has a lot of history in Raleigh. The people that work here are friendly and the new location is way cleaner than the old one!

Clyde Cooper's Barbeque is located in downtown Raleigh. It's a nice spot with picnic style tables, not too big, not too small, but not ideal for a party of more than 6-7. We stopped in on Friday night and they were doing music bingo with a live DJ. It was so much fun! There were QR codes that you scanned to bring up your board on your phone. It was great fun to go through the different music eras with my teens. The food: We got the brisket sandwich and fries meals, a brisket entree with fried okra and fries, and the brisket and fried chicken entree with potato salad and baked beans. The entrees came with hush puppies, and all meals would've come with fried pigskins, but we opted out of those. The brisket was a little fattier than I prefer, but it had good flavor, and was moist. The fried chicken had good flavor as well, and was fresh. The potato salad was good ole southern potato salad, and the baked beans were good as well. Okra was fresh and fried well, and the French fries were on point. Service is good, but it can seem hectic. The server also plates up the food, which leads to our server not being available if they're busy with other tables. We had to hunt someone down to ask for bbq sauce (there's only vinegar and ketchup on the tables-you have to request bbq sauce). Once it started slowing down, the server was very attentive. Again, that Friday night music bingo is worth a drop in, the food is good too.

The good: that NC vinegar sauce... dang, that's good! I had the pulled pork, greens, and coleslaw. All were flavorful and fresh. The table had the hush puppies and pork rinds. The hush puppies were sweet and the rinds salty--a wonderful balance. The bad: one of our table guests didn't get all they ordered and the place wasn't busy. They apologized and it was fine. Pricing wise it was a bit high for servings and what we ordered. The ugly: women's bathroom smelled horribly like sewer. That needs to be addressed. Overall, service and food were well worth the visit and we hope to return soon.

Clyde Cooper's Barbecue is a very specific niche, vinegar style barbecue joint that offers the basics (pork, brisket, chicken) and maintains a low price point. Barbecue should always be accessible to the masses and CCB delivers. We enjoyed our first Cooper's barbecue run and got a booth seat quickly after the lunch rush. Because the menu is basic and well laid out, service is quick and very direct. We ordered the "combo" with pork, brisket, and fries. CCB's barbecue, food quality, and décor well represent their price point. Yes, you've had better barbecue, but you've also paid more for it. If you're in doubt and it's your first time, order the pork and sprinkle it with some (house) vinegar. Yes, we're those guys (KC native right here) who requested traditional barbecue sauce. And yes, our server dumped out a generic Sam's club sauce container into a little container and brought it to us. We'd love to see some other *homemade traditional sauce options, fresher side (fries, mac and cheese, etc.) options to compliment the (delicious) pork. Yes, we understand that these upgrades will increase the price point.

This was my first time here and food was pretty good. The collard greens had a strange after taste and that's my only complaint about the food. Atmosphere truly tells the story of this historical restaurant and it was fun to look at. The customer service could have been a little better but hey everyone is entitled to a bad day. Over good experience and I will be back especially for the pork skins.

Pros: Vibes! Convenience being downtown. Fried okra! Hush puppies are delicious. Super friendly waitstaff. Cons: It felt expensive to me. Came with 3 people for lunch and it ended up being $70. Would love to see lunch specials!

Very good BBQ & Fried Chicken. Staff are very friendly and were very accommodating to our Grandbaby and made sure her food wasn't too hot for fee when it came out.

From the ribs to the fried chicken to the brisket to the pulled pork you really can't go wrong but my favorite will Always be the fried chicken. The fried chicken is always hot and fresh. The macaroni and cheese is cheesy and baked and one of my favorite sides. The potato salad is the best I've had from a restaurant I also like the fries, baked beans, and greens. I feel like it's safe to say this is the best hometown bbq in Raleigh.

During a recent trip from Winston-Salem to Raleigh, my colleague and I stumbled upon a hidden gem of a restaurant while searching for a quick lunch spot. Thanks to the recommendations on Yelp, we discovered this amazing place that exceeded our expectations. Parking was convenient, with an open lot located next to the restaurant. However, we had to navigate a QR code system to pay for parking. Since it was a Saturday, the street parking was completely full, but we managed to find a spot. As we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by the pleasant tunes of a local band performing next to the entrance. The atmosphere was lively and inviting, instantly setting a positive tone for our visit. Once we were seated, our server warmly welcomed us and provided an overview of the restaurant's offerings. She specifically mentioned their specialty BBQ, emphasizing its vinegary flavor profile, which was a helpful heads-up. I had originally wanted to order the baby back ribs, but unfortunately, they had run out for the day. However, the server recommended the chopped pork BBQ and fried chicken as excellent alternatives. I decided to give it a try, and boy, was it a fantastic choice! The meal came with a generous side of hush puppies, corn, and pork rinds, complementing the flavors of the main dishes perfectly. The combination of tender pork, crispy chicken, and the accompanying sides created a mouthwatering symphony of flavors. When it came time to pay, we made our way to the counter where we had the pleasure of meeting the one of the owners. She was friendly and attentive, making the payment process smooth. It's worth noting that credit cards are accepted, although a small fee applies. Additionally, they had a delightful mini souvenir shop featuring the restaurant's merchandise, which added a unique touch to the overall experience. Without a doubt, I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Raleigh. The barbecue they serve is a departure from the usual style, offering a distinct and memorable flavor. From the lively ambiance to the friendly service and, most importantly, the delectable food, this place is a must-try. I left with a satisfied palate and a desire to return the next time I'm in town.

Came in at 11 when they opened on Saturday because I heard about long lines. Glad I did, by noon it was definitely full inside. Everyone is friendly and kind. Service is laid back - feels like a southern charm thing. Take your time, enjoy it, make friends. 5 stars alone for the fried chicken. The fried chicken changed my life. I've eaten across the country and most of Europe and the fried chicken here seriously stands out. My aunt got the ribs and said they were amazing. I didn't care for the pulled pork personally but it didn't take anything away from the experience. Each of the sides was better than the last. I definitely need to go back for more of that chicken though hah

Guess it's a Raleigh classic but we found it just average. No sense of smokiness to anything, although everything was fresh, moist and tasted fine in its own way. Just they were out of a couple of items do we had to compromise and settle for next choice rather than a favorite. Plus the hassle/cost of parking, so we'll stick with the nearby city bbq.

My favorite bbq restaurant in Raleigh. Recommend chopped bbq and fried chicken platter. Also love the fried okra and potato salad. If you love eastern vinegary bbq and good southern cooking this is it!!!!

Eh. Food was not good. Staff was very friendly which bumped this from a 2 star to a 3. The place had very "barbecue" vibes inside and staff is very welcoming. Food came out fast. The food itself was not very good. It was $16.50 for a pulled pork tray. It was a pretty small serving of pork, and very dry. Coleslaw was not good. Corn fritters were not good. Pork shoulder was eh. Would not come back would not recommend.

A big disappointment. We were expecting some good food and it was ok nothing fantastic or worthy of a top barbecue in the country. Perhaps it was late Saturday and much of the top choices were sold out. Not much flavor. Very plain. Server was fantastic and decor was nostalgic.

Visit Raleigh recommended this restaurant. I've should have read closer because the recommendation was for the pork and sadly I got the brisket. My first inclination was to leave when the order taker said they were out of the baked beans. My second inclination to leave when I asked how a couple of sides were prepared and the answer was "I eat them all the time. Needless to say I went ahead and ordered the brisket dinner with boils potatoes and green beans. The green beans and hush puppies were okay. The boils potatoes need seasoning. The one star is for the worst brisket I have eaten in a long time. The meat seamed hacked not sliced- I would have even accepted chucks. Was it barbecued? I don't know has there was no flavor whatsoever. In addition, the barbecue sauce tasted like ketchup. I come fro KCMO and we know how to Que!

I came here for a weekday lunch, the place was busy (always a good sign) yet I was able to get seated right away. Given the skyrocketing prices of food these days, I was pleasantly surprised to see the menu prices are still reasonably cheap. I ordered the Carolina must haves - barbecue pork sandwich with slaw and Clyde's speciality pork rinds, paired it with a large sweet tea, and threw in some hush puppies on the side for good measure. I added the vinegar based Carolina barbecue sauce to the pork sandwich but the sandwich really just fell apart as I was eating it. The rest of the meal was delicious nonetheless.

We ordered the baby back ribs, chopped bbq pork, hush puppies (bread), and yams! The ribs were good, chopped bbq was meh okay, and the hush puppies and yams were absolutely delicious! If you are in town def try the hush puppies and yams!

So I had to go down and check out the product after hearing some questionable statements posted by an unknowing customer. I'm so glad I did. The inside of the restaurant is great, the staff that I spoke with was friendly and helpful and cheerful, and the food was some of the best of its kind that I've ever experienced. The fried chicken was so juicy and flavorful and the brisket and chopped pork were seriously next level awesome! The steamed cabbage got devoured and I had to share my leftovers with a dear friend! This food is perfect! I'll definitely go back and if you like barbecue I would bring the family or your buddies cuz this is food you don't want to miss! Support your local businesses!

There are not many places you can go to to get a real NC barbecue style feeling. This is downtown, there are a bunch of booths inside, lots of things to look at on the wall, and you can see that they're quite busy chopping barbecue in the back. The kitchen is quite visible. So that's really nice. They used to be cash only, although they accept credit card now. But you have to admit, cash only also feels very small town. And they have someone behind the counter who calls you "honey". I feel like the experience really enhances it, but their food is nothing to sneeze at. I feel like it's one of the better chopped barbecue places in the area, and the prices are quite reasonable. They have a wide selection of everything you might want that's barbecue, and so if you like good barbecue, you will be satisfied

It was my first time and I was looking forward to it. I walked in around 11:40am on Tuesday and went to the takeout counter and waited. One worker was on the phone taking an order. About 5 mins later, another worker walked past me to stand behind the register. And not too long after, another worker walked past me to stand beside her at the register. No acknowledgement from either of them. The register is right next to the takeout counter btw. Eventually, ppl came to checkout and she took their money. Still no one came to the takeout counter to take my order or ask me if I had an order to pickup so after awhile, I walked out. I had a bright idea that I could call in my to go order like I just heard someone else do. I called in, asked to place a to-go order and was told I would need to come in to order because they are short-staffed and she had a line. I didn't even bother explaining how I was just in there for over 10 mins at the takeout counter waiting to get my order taken or that I just heard a worker take a phone takeout order. I said okay and hung up. While I understand lots of restaurants are short staffed and require more patience, I just cannot get behind what happened here. Being short-staffed doesn't equal poor customer service.

Very good food. I don't know if it was just lunch or what but service was meh. Made me feel like I was in inconvenience for them. It's has sit down but gives off take out or catering only vibes. Not sure I'll be back from the experience. But food was good.

In all my years in Raleigh I had never been to Clyde's. The place is great, the atmosphere nostalgic, the service was timely and attentive. Our party of 8 had a great time joking with the staff. The BBQ was flavorful, the chicken hot and well seasoned, the fries were perfect without catsup. And the hush puppies ... could have been a meal in themselves. To top it off, we met the owner on our way out and she kept us entertained for another 20 minutes giving us some of the history of her ownership experience! We had a great time and will be back.

Even though everyone talks up the "pink pork", the brisket was definitely the star! We got take out, and asked for chopped pork, but didn't realize until later that we got pulled pork - no biggie, but I love the chunks more. The mac n cheese was amazing and the butter beans and corn was so buttery and melted in our mouth! We got some of their sauce on the side but wish we had more for our 2-meat dishes. The pork rinds and hushpuppies were a nice touch on the side! Overall, big portions for the price!

THE BEST PINK MEAT!! Staff is always super sweet, just an all around busy place to eat so I'd say skip if you're in a rush or order to go but you wont regret the wait!

The baby back ribs are delicious and the Cheerwine Baked Beans are different in a delicious way! Good, *smoked* barbecue isn't always easy to come by, but Clyde Cooper's does a great job. The fried chicken isn't bad either! I have yet to try the brisket, because that can make or break a rating in my household, but the ribs and chicken really are out of this world!

Bbq was good ff was good $13.00 for a bbq sandwich f and drink more cole slaw on the sandwich then bbq I am kind of disappoint but i going to try them one more time

Delicious so good not greasy everything homemade will be back! Well priced great staff!

This is another Raleigh staple where you can really taste the classic flavor of Carolinian, vinegar-y barbecue. We ordered their pulled pork tray and brisket tray, which each came with coleslaw, and we substituted one of the hush puppies with fried pork skins. I personally wasn't a fan of the brisket which was a bit dry, but the pulled pork was very good with the accompanying spicy sauce! I was satisfied at the end; I think the trays are fairly priced. We each ordered a regular iced sweet tea, which was frighteningly large--I have never ordered a drink that large before. I would definitely recommend sharing with another person unless you plan on taking it out with you (it is a pretty *sweet* deal for $1.50). The service was perfect--that classic Southern hospitality. I think this is a solid place to stop by if you're looking for a quick meal in Raleigh!

Great Eastern style barbecue. We had ribs and a BBQ salad with chicken. Both were very good, as were the sides of baked beans and collards. Great BBQ joint with lots of outdoor seating.

Finally got to try the granddaddy of BBQ in downtown Raleigh. Clyde Coopers is one of those legendary places, that's been around forever (since 1938!). It's a square room, counter seats on the right, booths and tables on the left. Tall ceilings, lots of BBQ and NC kitsch on the walls. It's your basic standard BBQ menu, with all the standards. A basket of pork rinds and hush puppies is tabled while you're waiting for the meal. Nice crunchy pork rinds, not at all greasy. Hush puppies oblong, friend golden brown and delicious. I'm a sucker for hush puppies and these hit the spot. Went with the chopped pork platter with a side of Cheerwine baked beans and fried okra. The pork is fresh and moist, seemed freshly chopped. It's served unsauced, with a squeeze bottle of vinegar-based bbq sauce at the table. Sweet sauce is available, but you have to ask. Okra lightly breaded and deep friend. Was a little greasy, but still the okra is firm inside a casing of breading. Baked beans simmered in Cheerwine is tangy sweet, with chunks of pork to add some body. Not the best bbq I've ever had, but definitely hits the spot when you're got a craving.

I'm not sure why this joint didn't appear when I was looking for lunch in Raleigh. I was walking by for somewhere else when... "what's that heavenly smell?" and a moment later, I had cancelled my walking navigation and I was sitting at a stool inside Clyde Cooper's Barbecue. I chose the brisket tray, which was a bit of a bold choice. North Carolina isn't known for its brisket. More pulled pork. But what I got was a very good sized service (maybe 10 ounces?) of moist thick-sliced brisket. Absolutely delicious and needing none of the sauce that it was served with. For side, I had cole slaw and it was good. Cold, finely chopped, a lite vinegar. The pork rinds were also yummy and I saved those for last and enjoyed them on the way back to the office. This was a superior meal and the protein load kept me going for the rest of the day. Yum! [Review 11621 overall, 1402 of 2019.]

You've never had BBQ until you've had the BBQ pork here. Best pink pork I've ever had. Cannot recommend it enough. The way they smoke their meat is bar none. Can't wait to try more of their awesome meat.

I heard the utter nonsense about the bad review and want to nullify it. They sell some of the best bbq in the state! Can't fix stupid people but want it known this is a wonderful restaurant and I highly recommend it!

Very sad to hear an ignorant patron called police for the pink bbq pork. This is my home state and I sure miss my Carolina BBQ. To the crew, Thank you

To help offset the Karen who didn't and does not understand bbq. ‍ I hope the police enjoyed their food. Will come by on my next trip.

Fantastic barbecue! Smoked pork is gonna be pink! Staff is great, and a great atmosphere! Will be back!

Now that we are past the controversy of 2022, that woman completely deserved to get dragged. This bbq is delicious and anyone who eats there is blessed with delicious food and a fantastic staff

Ate at Clyde Cooper's very good barbecue enjoyed everything I had to eat there ambience nice service was good. Food was fairly priced. I would go back again and try a couple other things I just didn't get a chance to try. The only bad thing I can say is we had a big breakfast so by the time we eat at Clyde Cooper's which was two hours later I was still very full so I didn't get to enjoy everything I wanted to try.come with an empty stomach

Food is fair at best, I can say the food was very good at the Old Location! Not really sure how the move affected the taste and quality of the food. It's seems to losing what made them a good place to eat...Customer Service!!! Try Parker's in Wilson, bbq at it's very best and Great customer service.

Based on the history and hype, we were really looking forward to dining at Clyde Cooper's Barbecue. Unfortunately, we were dissappointed with the food and the service. We tried a platter with beef brisket, chopped chicken and pulled pork. While the meat was tender, it had very little flavor. Maybe that is the way Eastern NC BBQ is, so maybe it is the style. I was hoping for at least a smoky flavor to the meat. The mac and cheese was extremly dry. The restaurant was nearly empty as we came at an off time of 2:30 on a Saturday, but the service was horrible. The server made it seem like we were a bother and we had to ask several times for utensils. When we were done, the server never came back to our table and we went to the counter and the cashier just ignored us. We won't be returning and don't recommend this restaurant.

A prime example of NC BBQ. Perfectly pink due to the proper application of smoke. Will return.