Dukes Barbecue

This barbecue place is nothing short of phenomenal. From the moment you walk in, you know you’re about to have a real, honest-to-goodness Southern barbecue experience — the kind that sticks with you long after the plate is empty. Let’s start with the food, because every single item deserves attention. The fried chicken is outstanding — perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. Not greasy, not overcooked, just done exactly right. This is the kind of fried chicken that reminds you how it’s supposed to taste. The vegetables are just as impressive. Every side tastes like it was cooked with care, not pulled from a freezer bag. Well-seasoned, fresh, and full of flavor, they round out the meal in the best possible way. Nothing feels like an afterthought here — everything on the plate matters. And then there are the desserts — oh my God. The banana pudding is next level. Creamy, rich, perfectly balanced, and absolutely addictive. It’s the kind of dessert you plan for before you even order your meal. The chocolate pies are just as incredible — deep, chocolatey, smooth, and satisfying without being overly sweet. These are homemade-style desserts that taste like someone truly knows what they’re doing in the kitchen. What really sets this place apart is consistency. Everything we tried was excellent — not one weak link. That’s rare. Whether it’s barbecue, fried chicken, vegetables, or dessert, the quality stays high across the board. You don’t have to guess what to order because it’s all good. The overall experience is exactly what you want from a great barbecue joint — warm, welcoming, unpretentious, and focused on great food. This isn’t trendy barbecue trying to impress you with gimmicks. This is real, soul-satisfying food done right. Bottom line: this is hands-down some of the best barbecue around. Amazing fried chicken, unforgettable banana pudding, incredible chocolate pies, and vegetables that actually matter. Everything is phenomenal. If you’re anywhere near this place and don’t stop in, you’re missing out.

I eat at Dukes at least once a month with my family. The food is good, the place is cozy and clean, and the staff is always very friendly. Love the hash over rice with pork and fried okra. Mac and cheese is also good. For dessert I go with the banana pudding.

Come Hungry, Leave Unsatisfied. Came in on Sunday afternoon around 2 PM. The food was...well, not really worth writing about. The pulled pork was bland, the fried chicken was greasy and somehow both crispy and soggy, and altogether flavorless. The fried okra and French fries were probably the items there. The coleslaw looked way too runny, and the potato salad felt like it was mass produced with no attention to flavor. The desserts looked good, but the overwhelming smell of the meats killed any desire to try them. Will I be coming back? Probably not. Would I recommend this place? Also no. Unless it was someone trying to find some of the worst spots in town.

Always great! Probably the best pulled pork in town!

Truly a verifiable down south country kitchen. Upon arriving you will see that the location isn't anything fancy, almost as if it were stuck in the '80s... but that's the appeal! It's like going to your grandparents' house for dinner. From the moment you walk in you feel welcome. The food is authentic, fresh, flavorful and in great abundance; and the kicker is all this is buffet style. All the favorites like pulled pork, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens and red rice. Not to mention desserts but more importantly banana pudding. I couldn't find anything wrong no matter how hard I looked. The buffet stayed fully stocked, clean and manned at all times. As people ate at tables and left someone was there on the spot to clean it. It's not hard to tell you found a good thing when the line is wrapped around the corner before they're even open... If you haven't gone, go. If you've been, go back.

Traveling through the state. We stopped at Dukes. I appreciated all my favorites my mom used to cook. The fried chicken was the best with their signature sauces. There wide string beans were tender with no strings, delicious. The long ribs were good but the short side was tough. The pulled pork was good, so was the fried fish. The sides were all good. Okra, black peas, Mac n cheese, collard greens, slaw with a loaf of white bread on the table. We will be back!

Friendly service, selection is slightly limited but everything offered is delicious! Crisp and tender fried Flounder, Fried chicken is juicy and tender, pulled pork goes great with their BBQ sauce. Love the fried pork skin (Chicarons). Simple, laid back and lovely joint for some Southern Buffet!

Old time diner feel. Small but delicious buffet. Nice little restaurant and everything was delicious on the buffet. The staff was nice and informative about what to do in the area. Good place. They gave us little trinkets for visiting. Wife loved the sweet Tea and my daughter had 4 helpings of beans.... lord help me tonight...

We had an enjoyable experience at Dukes BBQ yesterday. It's a simple pulled pork BBQ and fried chicken buffet just outside Charleston. It costs about $20 per person. The main items are BBQ pulled pork with different sauces including Carolina Gold (our favorite), Carolina Spicy (also excellent) and traditional BBQ sauce. Also there is fried chicken and fried fish (only of Fridays) which were both well seasoned and cooked well. I enjoyed both the chicken and fish. There are a whole bunch of Southern sides like fried okra, collared greens, fries, etc. There are some desserts like chocolate cake. Service was very friendly and the restaurant seems to be frequented by a lot of locals and regulars. We had an enjoyable experience of southern fried chicken and some pulled pork covered with Carolina Gold BBQ sauce.

The nicest people, great service, and really good fried chicken. Bonus, a drive through for days my pup is with.

Super awesome spot! We used to go to the Dukes in Ridgeville all the time. Happy this one is closer to us. My husband loves this spot, especially on a Friday night when he can get fish, too! The staff is super friendly and the restaurant is very clean. The food is super hot and very fresh. Tastes just like my grandma made it- good home cooking!!

If you are looking for good fast food bbq, Duke's is the place to go on James Island. I highly recommend the fried chicken, Mac and cheese, bbq and banana pudding. It's definitely more of a fast food spot though you can go in and eat. We usually pick it up to go. Service is always efficient and quick.

You know how sometimes you just want comfort food? A recent cold, gray day had us in that mood. So, off to Duke's BBQ we went. There's nothing quite like an AUCE buffet to perk up an otherwise dreary afternoon. It was Fish Friday, which is always a hit. Fresh, crispy, meaty fillets served with the usual sides; Mac n cheese, greens, hash, pulled pork, fried chicken. Of course, the cold bar had fluffy Watergate salad, potato salad, Cole slaw, pickles, and dessert items for after. I waited with several others for the next pan of fish to arrive (it goes fast, y'all), and in short order here it comes. We must have looked like a flock of sea gulls going after a french fry, although in a more orderly respectful manner. It wasn't long before the next group was queuing for the next pan to appear. LOL Everyone was chatting with their neighbor, offering a spare seat to solo diners, offering to get a total stranger something from the bar since they were heading that way. It was a wonderfully reinvigorating experience. God, I love the South. As my Grandma used to say, "American by birth; Southern by the Grace of God!" Eat hearty, y'all.

I enjoyed all the different dishes at Dukes BBQ. The Carolina gold sauces were nice and tangy, balancing out the pork. The collard greens were just the right level of saltiness. Fried fish was so perfectly cooked and seasoned. I ate so much I couldn't have too much dessert but they were good too.

Theee best fried chicken in Charleston. The macaroni and cheese is absolutely fantastic as well. All items on the Buffet were very good and the sweet tea was spot on. Friday at lunch is very busy.

My only regret is I wish we'd done this for dinner and done the buffet. Fantastic down home cooking.

I always go starving and leave miserable...I am the biggest fan of the pork skins since I mix the hash, rice and BBQ sauce so that I can scoop it up! Their corn nuggets are the bomb and vegetables are good choice as well. Some of the best banana pudding I've had in awhile and always a smile when you're there. I've been going to Duke's no matter where it moved since I was 12 years old. It is close to some good old-fashioned cooking as you can get!

Great buffet, truly a southern home cooked delight, fantastic barbecue and banana pudding. Great price and very clean.

For $14, you get some "good old boy" barbecue, fried chicken, and just enough sides. The hush puppies are always super crunchy and plentiful. Coming back from the beach towards downtown on a Saturday, you can't beat this deal! The pork is always cooked perfectly and is complimented well with the KC style smoky sauce. Throw a few pickles on there, some hot sauce, and you're in heaven. We'd love to see some buffalo sauce, fresher veggies, and fresh cut fries. Most of what you see is canned and sides are all prepped ahead of time. Yes, Mr. Duke, we'd GLADLY pay $20 per head for these upgrades!

Spotted the restaurant while heading to the beach. So I stopped. At first, it seemed like an okay restaurant. I found out it was all you can eat and the BBQ was more or less for take out. Maybe I read it wrong if I did apologies. The manager and/or owner walked around the restaurant and asked if everything was okay, but skipped my table. Everyone was Caucasian except me. I would never eat here again, and if they didn't make me pay upon entry, I would've left immediately. Country atmosphere and had flies flying all around.

I recently ordered some pans of sides for a party. I had a friend pick them up for me, and once she brought the sides to the party, I realized two things: I ordered full pans but was sent half-pans, and I was given two sides of rice and no Mac and cheese when I ordered rice and Mac. At about this time, an employee from Duke's called (and texted when I didn't hear to answer) to explain the mix-up. I had a party guest go back to Duke's to pick up the macaroni. We made do with the half-pans, but these were not the "1 pan feeds 15-20" advertised on their catering page. Everything had good flavor, but I was disappointed in the service we received and the size of pans I received compared to what I ordered.

Dukes BBQ, what a Charleston staple! If you're looking to eat your fill, buffet style, this is definitely the place. I've been here several times over the years with groups of varying sizes and there is always something for everyone here. The food is tasty and since it is all you can eat, I always leave with a (sometimes extremely) full belly. I have not been here since quarantine started, but before Covid began, I would come here in the evenings and it would be packed with people waiting in the buffet line for a table to become available. I am not sure how they are handling indoor dining currently, but you can still order food for delivery. They also have a drive though which is another great option. There is a catering menu as well!

For those over 60, the cost of the buffet is reduced. Let's get that out in the open. We were waiting on my mother-in-law to have an elbow operation, and the anesthesiologist recommended Dukes, which I have enjoyed a number of times. Go through the buffet and get barbecue (BBQ, if you prefer that notation), BBQ hash and rice, fried chicken, fried okra, collard greens, pork rinds (particularly good) and a host of other vegetables and fried foods (including pork chops when we were there). Save some room for their great banana pudding. Seat yourself at a variety of tables, each of which has a loaf of white bread and a napkin dispenser sitting on them. Voted best BBQ buffet in Charleston. I agree.

I haven't eaten at this particular Duke's yet but I have to leave a review bc of how great their customer service is. We were having a surprise party for my mom & sister who turned 80 & 60 and I ordered food to serve 25 ppl. I'm from Beaufort and I thought I was calling the one in Beaufort. The one in Beaufort is closed on Sundays so when I got there and the restaurant was dark I started to panic. Before I could even call this location they called me and they were so kind and understanding. They told me not to worry about it and they refunded me all of my money. I truly thought I was going to be out that money. The funny thing is I live in Charleston, I guess maybe that's why I made the mistake of calling the wrong one. I will be going to this location very soon to show my appreciation and also to get some great BBQ.

OMG, OMG, OMG this has to be the tastiest BBQ my husband and I have had in a while. We are not buffet people and rather than eating soggy canned green beans, heated over, and pre-prepared foods, we'd rather stay home and have cheese sandwiches. HOWEVER DUKES has given us pause to reconsider. First of all, it's an all you can eat, which is typical. But when you taste their pulled pork with a plethora of choices of BBQ sauce, your taste buds go wild. Everything, we tried, which wasn't even half of what was at the buffet, we gorged ourselves on. Fried chicken - FABULOUS moist chicken inside and crispy crust outside. Pulled Pork - FABULOUS tender, fall off the bone, and fall off the fork tender, moist and delicious. Onion Rings - FABULOUS - one of the best we've had in the entire south. Cole slaw - thinly sliced, slightly sweet sauce - FABULOUS. Hush Puppies - just delicious, I just wished I had honey butter for accompaniment. Rice cooked to perfection, doesn't clump together. The only thing I didn't care for was the Macaroni and Cheese, but it is better than most I've tried in the south. I wouldn't go for it again. Dessert - Hell No. We were stuffed on what we ate and were ready to burst, but I did see some delightful looking banana pudding. Perhaps next time. The staff is friendly and polite. More than willing to explain anything. People came in by the dozens for take out dinners for their families. The prices are reasonable, depending on your age. If you're under 3 or over 85 your meal is free. The meal includes a beverage too. If you're in the area, don't hesitate to stop by. Even if you're not hungry now, you can pick up supper for later. They do have tables to sit at inside. There is also a drive up window. Great place, we may be back tomorrow.

Stumbled across this place and will be back! The food was awesome. True southern cooking. BBQ was delicious and the sauce was on point. I love that they leave a loaf of bread on each table. Definitely try the mud pie and banana pudding.. You'll know instantly their southern roots. I have a very happy family after eating here!

Dukes Barbecue on Folly Road on James Island is a great place to go for BBQ and fixings. I like that they have a buffet option available that allows you to get as much as you want which is a good thing when you are really hungry. Everything is delicious, flavorful, and well prepared. I have had a really good experience every time I have been here and enjoy coming here.

Having married into a BBQ loving family, they have now made it their mission to hit up as many restaurants as possible to find the best. After having found it, and then said restaurant closing, we are on the hunt again. I have to admit, I'm not huge on BBQ, but I did enjoy myself here. Their mac and cheese was TO DIE FOR and they even had table bread (it's plain white bread, don't get too excited!)! I sampled their hash, which is usually a no-go for me, only to find that it was delicious over the rice! I didn't try the desserts, but they looked yummy. The pulled pork was moist and tender, exactly how it should be. I saw a few fried items (fish, maybe?) on the buffet, but they don't have anything like brisket or ribs out, so you'll have to go somewhere else if that's your thing.

Went there at 8:40 says open till 9 doors LOCKED PEOPLE inside If you say open till 9 than stay OPEN TILL 9

Great pulled pork and surprisingly inexpensive. It's all you can eat but everything on the buffet that I tried was excellent. Nice selection of vegetables and sides. Will absolutely eat here when I'm back in town!

We were looking for a good barbecue place to grab a bite to eat. Found Dukes online and decided to give it a shot. Walked in and found a buffet full of absolute deliciousness. I'm not the biggest pork bbq fan, but OMG this place has it figured out. The price for an all you can eat buffet with a drink is unbeatable! Southern fixin' heaven!! Desserts, good! Sweet tea, great! Big fan! Needless to say I can't keep my pants button much longer! #bbqpork #cornfritters #muddpie #sweettea #bananapudding

This is probably the worst food I've ever had. Maybe it was an off night . I read such great reviews but what my family and I tasted did not match the 4 and 5 star reviews I read. My husband loves hash. I didn't eat any but he says it was pretty good and that he'd go back for some hash and rice to go. As my 7 year old asked " How's this a barbeque place if they don't have any barbeque? " Well, they have hash and pulled pork on the buffet. That's it for bbq. There's heavily breaded fried chicken and tons of unseasoned veggies and sides. It's the one time my husband and I allowed our boys to eat as much dessert as they wanted so they wouldn't be hungry. They took one bite of their sampling of the four desserts ; looked pitiful then asked to go home to get a sandwich. We really wanted to like Dukes. I'm not trying to be funny but maybe they ran out of seasoning or the cook forgot to season the sides that day. I might give them another try.

Nice BBQ buffet - food was fresh and tasty. Pulled Pork was great, my favorite side was the mac and cheese. No frills dining room that was packed and noisy. Good value for your money.

Called to order, they said come on down, we don't need to order ahead. Drove 20 minutes, place order; nope they were out of it all! Lost me, my family, my companies and anyone else I influence! Pure waste!!!!!

A quick place to grab something that is close to my office. I had just heard they were the best buffet so had to try it. I was very satisfied with my food. I was not as crazy about the BBQ as i had hoped but the other stuff was good enough that it did not matter. The fried chicken was exceptional. The sides were the normals for a BBQ place and were good but the chicken stole the show for me. I am not a BBQ eater that likes BBQ sauce and this BBQ needed sauce. A little dry. Might be because of buffet and sitting out but like I said before I was very pleased with the Chicken and would come back for more. I think next time I come I may just see what it costs for the chicken and get that on its own. Very convenient place and good service. Will try this place again.

My son says it the greatest food on earth ! A true southern country cooking BBQ buffet with many options. The owners are always checking on the patrons and keeping things running smoothly and clean. If you want a Lowcountry experience with true southern hospitality this is the place!

This was my first stop eating Southern food, while in South Carolina ! It was quite the experience! Charlee our cashier was friendly! The menu included some of my favorite dishes; Fried Chicken , White Rice, Fried Ocra, Greens, Hush Puppies, Corn , Mac N Cheese, Pulled Pork, French Fries , and Corn Cakes. Desserts included, Strawberry Short Cake, Banana Pudding and Chocolate Cake . The prices can't be beat. Duke is 5 stars across the board! I'll be back!

Dukes is my go to BBQ place and it never lets me down. They make great fried chicken, the hot vinegar BBQ sauce is killer, and their banana pudding is second only to what my Nanny Ruby makes. I'm an honest to goodness banana pudding snob and this is really good. If if I were forced to find a complaint, it'd be that the menu always seems to be the same; maybe it's just when I go, I don't know. Maybe have the fried chicken or fried fish or maybe ribs as the non-BBQ main dish?

One of my favorite Dukes BBQ location. When we always come to Charleston. We always make sure we stop here. Best bbq, always has great choices, hot, fresh, friendly staff. A++++++++++

Duke's is the perfect spot for all of your favorite meats and sides. For a very reasonable price you get all you can eat and soda with plenty of great options. Food rotates pretty frequently so all the hot food was piping hot and the cold stuff was perfect. Make sure to save room for the banana pudding because it really is a star of the show. I'll be back and next time I'll be sure to come extra hungry!

Part of the legendary Dukes Family of restaurants that span most of the state, this BBQ joint is good. Solid Mac and Cheese, great fried okra, and a variety of sides that exceed even my expectations. Let's talk Mac and cheese. This may be the best I've ever had. Like ever. Like I'm sorry mom but your stuff isn't as good as this good. Cheesy and creamy. Their were times that I wasn't sure I was eating. Maybe I had ascended Mount Olympus and was consuming the food of gods. Maybe not. This was just what they sent down to us. I would go back just for that mac and cheese alone. The BBQ was good. Fresh and flavourful. Very moist. Not a ton of smoke in it, but still enough to be good pulled pork. I smothered mine in a couple of different sauces. The mild was a tad sweeter than I expected it to be, so I had to dual back a bit to keep it from overpowering. The other sauces were good, but clearly an afterthought to their signature sauce. This is a new go to spot. Plenty of good buffet BBQ goodness.

I mean how can you go wrong with all you can eat bbq? All the sides were pretty good-all the standards. Cole slaw, Mac and cheese, hash and rice etc. no beer or wine. The prices were very reasonable $13 per person for all you can eat. The place seemed pretty clean. We will definitely be back!!

Visited Charleston for the weekend, and was recommended Dukes by family local to the area. Good lord gracious. This food is incredible. The two days I was in Charleston, I ate Dukes both days. Definitely recommend just "splurging" (it's only around $11) and getting the buffet option... you'll probably regret it if you don't because you're gonna want more than one plate. *buffet comes with a drink! A fairly small seating area, but never had trouble finding a table. Really... honestly... I'm from Georgia and I dream about Dukes BBQ. Literally EVERYTHING on the buffet is super yummy. (Can't recommend the collard greens though.. they were weird) Everyday I wish they had a location in Atlanta (Owners, if you're reading this, please come to Atlanta.)

Fast food, meet BBQ. We went in because we were looking for a place to eat, and they were packed. On a Tuesday night. Figured I couldn't go wrong. It's a buffet, first for a BBQ joint for me. $11.99, includes your drink. The tea is good. Besides the big pan of Q, it's typical meat and three fare. A few standouts- the greens, Mac and cheese, and banana pudding. The kind of pudding that sits overnight before being put out, not the throw it together and stick it out there kind. Servers are friendly, place is a 4 on clean and a 3 on decor. I'd go back.

Best BBQ in CHS! So moist you can eat it without sauce. Plenty of southern Vegetables on the buffet!

Been here for years used to always be my family's Friday or Saturday night out best local barbecue but you gotta get there before they run out

Absolutely the best BBQ buffet in the Charleston area and we will go out of our way to eat here. You will need to get here early because they get busy quick. With pulled BBQ, fried chicken, Mac and Cheese, sweet potatoes, cole slaw, and the best banana pudding in Charleston. It's all good and for $12 a person you can't get a better value anywhere.

Small buffet but quality food. Good pulled pork and fried chicken. Mac n cheese is fantastic! Nice little restaurant. Only downside is between 12-2 you're lucky to find a seat.

For under $13 you get a full southern spread, buffet style, and it's BOMB! Chicken is fried to perfection! Hot mustard sauce & strawberry shortcake is to die for! Owner is super hospitable as well. Will not disappoint!

I absolutely enjoyed having lunch at Dukes buffet BBQ today. The place was clean and well kept. The food was great and the staff always smiling and friendly.

Blah. Bland food at an all you can eat buffet. Totally unsatisfying first Southern BBQ for this west coast guy

For under $13 you get a full southern spread, buffet style. And it is bomb!! Chicken is fried to perfection and the hot mustard sauce is to die for. Owner is super hospitable as well. This place is a must!!

This Dukes is owned by the same family that owns the property in Walterboro, and it stacks up nicely to the original, with much of the food tasting just the same as it does there. The buffet is not nearly as grand, however. Still, I was impressed with the fried chicken, pulled pork, sides and desserts. The blackened peas, mac and cheese and fried okra all had the unmistakable homemade flavor that makes me pine for this food when I'm not in the area. My husband says the fried chicken at the Walterboro location is better, but I would have a hard time discerning any difference. And the mac and cheese here is actually better. Yummy, yummy down-home Southern cooking'.

Great local BBQ restaurant. This one and the one out in Ridgeville are great! The pulled pork with the spicy vinegar sauce is really good. The hash and rice and Lima beans are superb as well.

I was really happy to find that there's a Duke's in Charleston! I've been dining at the Walterboro location for years and was told they're related. Sure enough. I recognized the sauces for sure. Comparisons were inevitable and this wasn't quite as good but pretty close. The fried chicken is good here but not nearly as well executed. The selection isn't quite as good but I will say the banana pudding is better here. I also thought the addition of fried chicken livers was inspired. Most of the sides were a slightly paler version of the Walterboro versions. The yams looked pretty sad. I will be back next time we're around.

Just traveled all the way from Florida and decided to go for bbq as my first dish here in South Carolina and when I made a plate, almost all my food was cold. Mainly it was the pork and everything else started off warm and got cold within minutes. I want to say the food was good but the flavor was not the best

Great meal for the price! Pretty low-key place. The standard BBQ fare. Pulled pork was delicious. Love the loaf of bread on the table. Place was busy and seemed to be full of regulars. Would definitely return.

Great BBQ buffet. Pork chop Tuesday is delicious. Closed on Mondays. You will not leave hungry.