Mike D's BBQ Smokehouse & Retail

The smell of smoked wood is prevalent as soon as you park. Quick service with ample indoor and outdoor seating. On this visit I only need a quick snack to go with the beer at Proximity Brewing 2 doors down but definitely coming back to try other items.

Mike D’s BBQ: Worth Every Mile and Bite! ⭐️ Caution: Mike D’s BBQ might just put you in a food coma. ❤️❤️😂😂 After following Mike D’s on Instagram and seeing his delicious posts, I was determined to finally get my hands on some BBQ during my latest trip to Durham. I'm from Fayetteville and often make the trip to visit family. Yesterday (9/26/2024), after visiting my uncle in the hospital, my son suggested BBQ. Naturally, I checked if Mike D's was open. The moment we walked in, the aroma hit us—it was BBQ heaven. The hospitality was top-notch, with the staff being incredibly patient with my family. We were all a bit worn out, but their kindness made us feel right at home. The Food: When our trays arrived at the table, everyone’s eyes widened. You know the saying about your eyes being bigger than your stomach? That was us, and we didn’t regret it. Here's the lineup: brisket, leg quarter, ribs, smoked corn, potato salad, beans, a shredded pork sandwich, and mac and cheese. Brisket: Can we take a moment to appreciate this masterpiece? It was incredibly flavorful and tender—20/10. True BBQ doesn’t need sauce, and this brisket proved it. Ribs: Juicy, tender, and cooked to perfection. Another 20/10. Leg Quarter: Absolutely delicious, with flavor packed in every bite. 20/10 again. Sides: The potato salad, beans, and mac and cheese were tasty and well-seasoned—10/10. But the smoked corn? It was a standout—sweet, smoky, and irresistible. I could’ve eaten a whole plate of it! 20/10. For dessert, I devoured the banana pudding cake on the drive back to Fayetteville. My mom even got extra food for the construction crew working on her house and a plate for my uncle in the hospital. Everyone raved about it. And yes, I did go back for seconds when I got home late that night. We’re enjoying the leftovers today, and I’m already planning my next visit. Apologies for the lack of photos—my family couldn't wait to dig in! Mike D’s BBQ, you’ve got some loyal fans. We’ll definitely be back!

Little disappointed! There was no brisket available! Pulled pork sandwich was good and the ribs as well. The beef/sausage plate which came with two sausages tasted like burnt hotdogs and the potatoes salad was ok. The corn was soaked with some grease, not butter! The onions with green peppers were good. For the plate with two sausages, potatoes salad, and corn, $26!!!!

I would have loved to give this place 5 stars but struggled to do so for several reasons. The first thing that hits you is the bare bones nature of reception and bare minimum service level with a, not rude, but disinterested staff. This unfortunately is a Durham small biz trait that I am not a fan of. You then get hit with sticker shock where the person tells you the price is $80 for two platters and bottled drinks. The food comes and the portions are generous. Unfortunately the sides were mainly underwhelming but the meat was good. The condiment station was mostly empty and unlabeled and the trash was overflowing. It was a good visit, but will not be returning soon to the establishment.

Couple of my coworkers wanted to try this place out and I decided to try also. All of us and I mean ALL OF US were disappointed none of the food had flavor at all . The Mac n Cheese was not good , the brisket had no flavor , the pulled pork had no flavor expect for vinegar, the Cole slaw had an onion taste to it overall we feel like we wasted money for our lunch.

This restaurant gleaming with the endorsement of Madam Vice President Harris herself, especially how the second husband fell in love with the bbq ribs. It had us eagerly making the journey from Garner, NC. Regrettably, our experience did not mirror the glowing praise she shared regarding the cuisine. I'm a vegetarian, I had hoped for the same. I tried a trio of potato salad, greens, and mac & cheese. While the mac & cheese was very tasty, the potato salad & greens were unfortunately lacking in the culinary finesse we had anticipated. My husband, a devoted carnivore, was disenchanted by the burnt BBQ ribs that had been the star of our gastronomic pilgrimage. Compounding our disenchantment, the exorbitant price tag of over $50.00 for such a lackluster spread was a bitter pill to swallow. It is with a heavy heart that I must concede that the food did not live up to its esteemed reputation on our visit. Perhaps Sunday is not a good day to eat leftover BBQ from the night before. Nevertheless, my commitment to supporting black-owned businesses remains steadfast, yet I can not overlook the disappointment of our meal.

Update*** Finally had the collards.. #YUMMY... great taste and texture.. definitely house made. Amazing as always... love the turkey sandwich, chicken salad, baked beans, and the #dynamical Brisket... Mike D's BBQ is a must eat location

Thursday has a loaded fry special. I decided to give this spot a try because bbq was on the mind. I had loaded fries with the BBQ/Smoked Turkey. This was some amazing, juicy, tender and flavorful turkey. I promise to have some again. The fries were also very good, crispy and well seasoned. But the turkey was the star of the show. Portions sizes are huge and employees friendly when available. The location isn't a problem for me, but I could see some not wanting to travel to old east durham for food. The area is lack of most amenities that would draw traffic. (Gas, Shopping, Sights) Aside from I'd say 3 exceptional hidden gems for food the area lacks drawing power. Besides all of that Mike D's BBQ is top tier and hopefully gets the attention necessary to shine as the awards show they should and will.