Sam Jones BBQ

Sam Jones BBQ is everything you hope a BBQ will be. Part of a local BBQ dynasty (Skylight Inn in Ayden), this local gem has taken the best of the family recipes & taken it to the next level. Highlights: - Service is excellent. - Food is so reliably good that anything you order will be amazing. - This place stays busy, by noon there's usually a line. - Atmosphere is good. Clean, simple down home. - You will see the proprietor... he's the guy bringing the food & asking how everything was. - BONUS: It's right off Pitt Community College's campus. I absolutely love this place. I don't eat here often (it's slightly pricey, but worth every cent!), but it's definitely one of my favorite places in town.

We decided to try here for lunch on our way home from the obx. The pork bbq was moist, tender, and flavorful. The slaw was a good addition to the pork sandwich. Fries were fresh and came out hot. The smoked turkey was also flavorful and tender. The smokehouse potato was flavor packed and filling. The cornbread was nothing like we expected. It was dry, tasteless and very dense. I would not recommend it. It is counter service and they bring the food to your table. It was fairly clean considering it was a busy lunch hour. Overall we would stop here again.

I've eaten bbq from the mountains to the sea of NC and originally from Lexington NC (Winston salem). I thought id try Sam Jones because I pass it once a week when I visit Pitt Community College and decided to stop in. When I stepped out of the truck and seen/smelled the smoke from the bbq put, I instantly got excited because I knew this was REAL bbq. The man and woman at the register was extremely helpful and spot on with their side descriptions and recommendations. I got the Bbq plate with 2 sides. The bbq was GREAT!!! I tried 1 bite with the sweet sauce and 1 bite with the vinegar sauce. Both were great and then I mixed both in with the rest of my bbq and it was amazing!!! The baked beans were the best I've had! The slaw was really good as well. The cornbread was not what I expected and different from what im used to. It was good but different. The guy brought me a sweet potato muffin I think it was and I don't eat sweet potatoes but it was a lot better in my opinion. DEFINITELY stop if you like BBQ like I do. I hear their chicken and other food is just as good but thats hard to believe 😆 The service was top notch as well!!!!

The pork BBQ and the baked chicken is out of this world. The collard greens were awesome and the slaw was sweet for the pork BBQ. Great atmosphere and service. Food was quick to the table. Got a large baked potato loaded. My tank was full. Love this place!!

I don’t do a lot of reviews. But to drive 25 minutes one way to go pickup food to get home and get the absolute worst value for what you pay versus what you get. Dudes profit margins on food have to be amazing for them. Worse value I’ve ever seen for a salad, $16 for a salad and prob wasn’t an ounce of turkey. Couple onions and 95% lettuce. I’ll stop at the salad.

Finally got to visit Skylight Inn! It was everything I had hoped for. The chopped pork was awesome and unique with the bits of pork skin chopped in with it. Cornbread also was unique. I liked it but it’s definitely not what most folks expect. Baked beans were great too with the ground beef mixed in. Only thing I didn’t care for was the coleslaw which was VERY sweet. All in all, it was a great experience and worth the drive to try just for the pork alone!

As one who isn’t particularly in love with vinegar-based barbecue, I am surprised to say Sam Jones has me hooked. The whole hog pork isn’t over sauced. The chicken is kissed by smoke. The ribs are tender. I adore the sweet sauce mixed into the pork and slaw. Today we had the banana pudding, freshly prepared with a delicious meringue. Boy Howdy!! We are now Saturday regulars.

This is the hands down best bbq I have ever had. The ribs, chicken and turkey are amazing as well. Great staff and service, I can’t say enough good things about this restaurant. I love bbq and have eaten in my different states and styles. By far this is my favorite. When you get a chance to eat here, do yourself a favor and give it a try.

Whole hog bbq cooked over wood, so I was really happy to find this after being disappointed in Parkers. Meat had great flavor, just a bit dry, but it was close to closing time so understandable. Spicy, peppery vinegar sauce fixed it up. Same for the chips, good flavor but few actual chips, mostly broken crumbs like the bottom of the bag, I imagine these are really good fresh or earlier in the day. Mac and Cheese was good, but microwaved so a bit dry too. Ordered the pork skins and pimento and the skins were hot and popping even after picking it up, driving back to the hotel and setting everyone else up before I opened them and dug in. I would have preferred the pimento cheese hot, but that's just me, it tasted fine. And the serving was massive, I've been eating on then for 3 days now.

One of my favorite places for a quick bite while in downtown Raleigh. Their catfish bites, collards and baked beans are my go to items. The BBQ is pretty good as well. The location is easy to get to with plenty of street parking. I've used them for group events and they have always gotten my bulk orders correct.

Great food. Great customer service. And great deals on food and drinks! My wife and I shared the 1 lb pork spare ribs plate with a side of Mac-n-cheese and collard greens. The collards tasted fresh. The Mac-n-cheese was not very warm at all.

I did not love this BBQ. It was very fast and convenient to receive. They have a drive through although it was difficult for the employee to hear us through the speaker. It is a very casual BBQ restaurant. The pulled pork was good but they did not have a classic barbecue sauce that complimented it well. Their sweet BBQ tasted like it had franks hot sauce mixed into it. The cornbread was terrible. It was flat, dense, and tasted like nothing. The fries were good, similar to five guys. The Mac and cheese was okay but nothing special. The honey mustard was the best part of the meal. It was some of the best I've ever had! The banana a pudding was good but the white on top was foamy rather than the whipped cream topping I would expect. I would return for solely their honey mustard. I'm very disappointed in the quality and flavor of the cornbread.

From New England who appreciates a good bbq and Sam Jones BBQ is a winner. The interior is inviting and if you are lucky to witness the smoke house cookin, say hi to Malique. My lunch was just what I expected, slow cooked chopped pork on slaw with a side of potato salad with an unsweetened ice tea. I used the sweet bbq sauce in my potato bread sandwich and what a great flavor combination this makes. The service is quick and very friendly. I will make this my go to place when I visit my family.

Great BBQ. Great lunch deals. The sauces (sweet BBQ and Carolina Vinegar) were fantastic. The pulled pork was tender & not dry. The collards were well cooked and had a great spice to them. Our food was brought to our table pretty quickly after ordering and the staff were always making sure we had everything we needed. I'm only taking off one star b/c the cornbread is definitely not the typical cornbread I am used to (it was so tough, we couldn't even break it apart to eat). Otherwise, it's a great option to the BBQ scene in Greenville!

The food was absolutely amazing. The service was amazing and everybody was respectful and everything turned out perfect and everybody was on top of all of it. Best experience as a first-time customer here.

In Greenville, there are eastern BBQ options. B's, Parkers, Sam Jones....... B's been on magazine and TV and very famous. Sam Jones is more comfortable in their seating and have more varieties. Get their samplers. so you can try bits of everything. I am not a BBQ experts but everything is good. If you think some items are lacking, there are multiple bbq sauce option to increase the flavors.

Came to Greenville as a visiting football fan and we sought out a good BBQ restaurant on Saturday for our pregame meal/lunch. We were not disappointed at all. While NC BBQ is different than Texas BBQ, we were all about the "pulled pork." The meat was flavorful and I had a blast alternating between the vinegar and sweet BBQ sauce. I had the Mac and cheese as my side and I thoroughly enjoyed it. What surprised me was my wife's choice of the coleslaw. I'm not much for creamy coleslaw so this vinegar-based coleslaw hit the spot for me as I regretted not ordering it myself. I wish I had ordered other meats but hey, next time we're in Greenville, I'm making sure we come back so I can order additional items. Finally, the staff was terrific even though we were in our ECU opponent gear and the overall restaurant atmosphere was friendly. As I said above, I look forward to our return trip to Greenville so we can visit Sam Jones BBQ again.

Worst service ever! This place sucks and the food sucks too. Food comes out cold and soggy. We have been to this place multiple times because its close to us hut everytime we go it seems that there service and food gets worse than the time before. This time was the last time we step a foot there. I would rather go spend my money somewhere else where the service is good and the food is worth it.

Food was amazing we got the Pitmaster Platter everything was a 10/10 service excellent, great music , great vibes I highly recommend! We will be back ....... Maybe even tomorrow #SamJonesBBQ Winterville NC

I typically don't like BBQ but this place is amazing I love there turkey too. I highly recommend this place

The best BBQ anywhere!! The Slaw beats any I have had close to Raleigh! Their service is "Johnnie On The Spot". I will drive to Greenville all day everyday for, "Sam Jones BBQ"!!

They have very good BBQ. Service is very good and friendly. Beans are great! Nice twist on pulled pork with the crunchy bits in it.

I had the pulled pork. It was good so was the potato salad. BBQ sauce was so so. I did not like the cornbread. Way too dense for me. Nice and clean restaurant, and helpful staff. I will come back to try the chicken or ribs.

Visiting here for the first time. Service was ok, BBQ dry, slaw bland, cornbread a complete fail, was like a briquette. pulled chicken full of veins and fat. Not the best BBQ I have had in NC

Employees were very friendly and answered all our questions about the menu as it was our first time eating here. Food arrived quickly and was delicious! Glad to finally have a chance to mark this BBQ joint off our state bucket list, it was worth the drive.

Excellent bbq. Super fast and friendly service. Loved the pulled pork and all the sauces

Food is good. Can't go wrong with this place. Just stay away from the cornbread. Service is always great. I've never had an issue with anything except the cornbread

While in Greenville on a Sunday I decided to try this local offspring of the famous Skylight Inn. You know you are in a good barbecue place when you see the cords of wood and smell the smoke as you enter! The line to order was long, but it moved quickly. My choice was the $10.99 Jones Family Original BBQ Tray - bbq, mac n cheese, and cornbread. After placing my order I was given a table marker (a number on one side and a photo of a country music star on the other) and went to a table. While waiting I enjoyed the sounds from the kitchen where you could hear that barbecue being chopped. The meal was delivered with a minimal wait. That was some great bbq! Also enjoyed the mac and cheese and the cornbread, which was wonderfully moist. Now I have to try the Raleigh location!

Cornbread was like a brick, bbq was not even warm let alone hot , Mac and cheese was cold. Fries and tea was the best thing I tasted. Maybe it's because we came at 7PM and not lunch time idk but I don't recommend.

Some of the best BBQ money can buy. I've tried BBQ all over the state and beyond. This is the very best in my opinion that money can buy. The BBQ had that smoky taste which I love, tender, and very flavorful. I had beans with the cornbread and it was excellent also. The beans were cooked with red peppers which gave it the zesty taste. Service was excellent also as the waitress was friendly and gracious.

To day was the worst bbq I have ever gotten there. I believe the tray off bbq had been under a heat lamp. I noticed an orange tint when it was first served. It was dried it and had no taste. I will have to think it over before going back. It definitely was not fresh chopped.

Talk about some whole hog my goodness. Great ambiance you can smell the smoke calling your name from miles away.smoked turkey and bakes beans will knock your socks off.

Carolina BBQ! Went to this cool spot and really wanted to try some beer but it was only 12PM and I had a long drive ahead of me home. Came here with a friend and the outdoor and indoor area are cabin/lodge themed, definitely stands out in a beach town. Lots of good options but with only two of us, not that much can eat and try. The Jones Family BBQ was quite good with options of sauces at the table: Carolina sweet sauce which was sweet and tangy and another sauce Carolina vinegar based. Gives you the best of both worlds. The cornbread was just okay and the Mac and cheese was pretty good. Overall decently good for bbq, would like to come back and try the other bbq like the Turkey or the three meat!

Coming from Los Angeles I was looking for authentic Carolina barbecue and I found it here. Thanks to Nick, I think he's one of the managers. He told me all about the tradition of making Carolina pork bbq. Pictured are pork ribs that fell off the bone, baked beans, sweet slaw, and cornbread. The cornbread was as a little dense for my taste. But they gave me a sweet potato muffin and it was unbelievable. This is a can't miss local BBQ restaurant you don't want to miss out on.

Okay folks, I think we have a winner here in terms of Carolina BBQ goes. I ordered the 3 Meat combo because I wanted to try a variety of their signature entree items and boy every single meat item did not disappoint. The meats were cooked to perfection with full flavors. The BBQ pork was super succulent and the meat from the ribs literally falls off the bone when you pick it up. The sweet hickory taste of the ribs were my favorite. The smoke turkey was super moist! Both the collard greens and the sweet slaws were prepared just right. Unfortunately, the cornbread was the only thing I didn't care too much for. It was bland, dry and didn't really taste like cornbread. Other than that I love the place. I'll be sure and hit this place up the next time I am in town.

Our first visit here was for take out and it was a definite winner. Aside from being a bit cold (probably our fault for doing take out), the chopped pork was the best I've had in NC - so tender, moist and flavorful. Sides (slaw and mac & cheese) were decent and the sweet potato roll was tasty. The banana pudding was the finishing touch - and a fine one it was. Sam's is definitely bookmarked for our next visit to the area.

The food is so good! The service is amazing! The ambiance is amazing! Don't like barbecue but love the fried chicken sandwich and Mac and cheese !

The food is good, not outstanding, but overpriced for what you are given. While the food is okay, it's certainly not worth the price

The food was fine overall, but we spent nearly $50 and got the smallest dessert plate size trays imaginable with a half cup of pulled pork, paper weight hard cornbread, and warm pimento cheese app. If you wanted BBQ that is a solid bang for your buck, don't come here. The staff was friendly, wasn't very clean but they at least tried to wipe down tables. Vinegar sauce was good but forgettable like Sam Jones BBQ will be in my book.

Once again, the turkey did not disappoint!!! Neither did the chicken or the ribs! All were well-seasoned, flavorful, tender, juicy, all out bbq greatness! The baked beans were also tasty. I've learned my lesson with the macaroni and cheese though. Gotta find an alternative side.

Check your order prior to leaving to ensure a good meal. The food quality in terms of taste is solid. The drive through service today at 4 pm wasn't good. The girl with the long, loud and unsanitary nails needs to go! Terrible attitude and incompetent.

If you love true North Carolina BBQ Sam Jones is the place. The pork is smoked over real wood and hand-chopped to include bits of cooked skin to give it a real nice crunch. The smoke flavor really kicks it up a notch. The Turkey and brisket are excellent. Mac and Cheese is BIG, so as the collards. Beer is available for those who require it. Wait staff are attentive and do a good job taking care of customers. Come in the front, wait in line for the register, pay, and take a number (with a Country Star on it) and have a seat inside or out. To-go also available. It's homey, but country. The kind of design that you'd expect from a professional BBQ joint. Food can be a bit pricey...but I think it's worth it.

Sam Jones is always a pretty solid BBQ stop in the Ayden area -- especially if you like whole hog or are curious about trying it. I love that they have a drive thru, which makes everything quick and simple. The service is always friendly. Food is tasty and affordable. Ambiance of a classic barbecue spot. Definitely worth a stop.

I' new to NC and was hungry around 1pm on a Saturday. I could smell bbq as I drove by the restaurant and decided to get some bbq. Never been to this restaurant before. Surprisingly, they have a drive thru. I ordered chopped bbq, collard greens, cornbread and baked beans. I Asked if they had brisket... the don't serve it. Got my food and drive home. They didn't send any bbq sauce. No pickles. No onions. Nothing that a Texas bbq joint would put in the bag or ask if I wanted them. The chopped bbq was dry. The collards had flavor... vinegary goodness. I'd order again. The cornbread... was weird. Gelatinous inside texture. I wonder what they put in there? The baked beans.. very good! I'd order again. The ribs... dry. Basically, I only liked 2 out of 5 items I ordered. The meat and cornbread I deem as not edible. Hard pass going here again.

Every time I drive by this place it smells amazing. Line was long but went fast. Just know what you want when it's time to order.

Yeehaw Yee haw. This is no five-star restaurant. Tables are not covered with white table cloth. The barbecue is delicious. The turkey was amazingly moist and tender. The drinks, both of them, each of them frozen we're both so good. I prefer the white one. I can't remember the name but it's a kind of piña colada. The wait staff was friendly. We'll go back when we want barbecue again. Those lil sweet potato muffins were tasty as was the loaded potato. Yeah thumbs up

North Carolina is suppose to have good Bbq. We when by reviews so we tried this place. This place serves chop whole hog and chop chicken and brisket. We ordered chop chicken with collar greens and corn bread, the chicken and collar greens was ok, the corn bread was like hockey puck. The next dish ordered ribs and chop brisket, ribs were dry and brisket ok.

We were looking for a local spot for bbq and we're told the family that owns skylight inn own this too so we had to try it.. we like whole hog bbq so we were very pleased with it. You go to counter and order and take number and they bring it out to you. The staff are helpful and very nice. They come around to tables checking to make sure everything's ok and refill beverages. I ordered a bbq sandwich wit slaw with side of loaded baked potato! The potato was bigger than the sandwich and that was pretty decent size! Omg it was delish!! Then we tried the nachos.. they are store bought pig skins with queso and bacon and chicken and omg it was good! The reason for store bought is because they chop the skins into the pork bbq so nothing left to fry up lol.. it was fine and sprinkled with a very nice seasoning too.. never had anything like this before and boy was it good!! You can sit in booths or at tables or even at the counter! If you sit at counter you'll see picture of the skylight inn.. oh and this location has beer selections where skylight inn did not allow alcohol.. this would be my Greenville go to for bbq from here on out!!

Good East north Carolina vinegary sauces and bbq sauces. Loved my pulled pork but my partner loved his roast chicken and Turkey pieces even more. Happy the beans were with beef not Burnt end pork (although that's my fave) but then my friend could eat it too. Totes know what someone meant by the cornbread is "interesting" o. The first second of my my bite but it was Yumm! They did forget to take my wings order when they were trying to fix the order when they out they ordered up the wrong meal , and I guess she deleted the wing order too. I was hoping to go and compare the food then at the inn but we were so full it was all good.

Popped in for some BBQ while on a little road trip across NC we were blown away a BBQ sandwich with fries hit the spot we tried some pork skin nachos that were deliciously different stop by this spot next time your in Greenville

Drove 2 hours for this bbq and it did not disappoint. Friendly, fast and great atmosphere. The bbq was well worth the drive! Will return!

Two are lunch for $31.00. HOLY Smokes!! This is full on Old School smoke house BBQ. I had the smoked chicken - unreal and the collards were some of the best I've had and that is saying a lot! This is a must. Can't believe they have a full on smoke vault connected to it - read coals and all!

We love the Smokehouse Potato! The plates and food is great! Catfish: Man!!! Even the pudding is awesome! I just order extra sides as left overs for the next day!! Baked beans put me in heaven

Food was OK. Chicken was flavorful and had a good crust however was tough. The turkey was the best. It was moist and very flavorful. The ribs were decent kind of dry however, the bark was very good and the barbecue pork was slightly dry. Service was horrible, immature and rude personnel. Openly talking about customers and what they dislike about them. Overall, six out of 10 would not come back because of the service. Also expect a lot of flies on your food as there's no fly or insect control inside. $54 for all the food in the pictures.

Small portions per price ..and worst bbq in Greenville. Nothing but over hyped. Trying to get by on Starlight Inn s history

I ordered a 2 meat platter, my husband ordered 3 meat platter, to our surprise ALL of our meats were cold. We decided to ask for to go containers shortly after we discovered that all meats were cold when someone came to our table & asked us if everything was OK & we proceeded to tell her our meats were cold & did they serve all meats that way? She said no & said that she could get us another order, she said hold on I'll be back. After waiting about 10 minutes of her not ever coming back to our table we just left. Very disappointing to say the least.

Back in the South while visiting family and they took us here for lunch after raving about their history. Friendly service, food was quick to come out and it was delicious! Ribs especially.