Erik S.
Yelp
This review is probably going to surprise a lot of the people who know me well, but as per usual, I always try to keep an open mind whenever I go to a restaurant, regardless of any past experiences or memories I may have had over the many many years I have lived in the Triad. To that note, Stamey's was never one of my personal go-to BBQ places, even though it has been a staple haunt of my family at large for longer than I can remember.
We had a family member who had moved far away come back to Greensboro to visit, and they were craving the nostalgia of a Stamey's trip with the family. The Battleground location is where we always went due to home proximity, and though that location burnt down and has since been rebuilt, it still has a pretty familiar feeling in there just with some more modern touches, all positive.
If I said it has been 7 or 8 years since my last Stamey's trip, that would be true. I will say emphatically, that many things have improved since my last visit. Most notable, the customer service. Our server was energetic, patient, and exceptionally responsive even with a large group that was taking more time than usual. Service was always prompt before, but not always friendly. The restaurant was clean, and the prices remain very approachable for the average family.
The food tastes the same, but has improved, if that makes sense. In all honesty, I have always wanted more smokey flavor in Stamey's Q and would really loved to see it pulled instead of chopped which would keep it more moist. What has gotten better, the basic chopped BBQ sandwich is nice and loaded with a generous amount of Q and the right amount of slaw to match. I am more of a "white slaw" person, and would love to see that on offer, but that is not their way here.
New to the restaurant since my last visit is the "Hot" BBQ sauce at the table, which adds more pepper and I think tomato sauce to their classic vinegar sauce. THIS was a welcome addition for me, and I think makes a big difference in the ending taste of the sandwich. The sandwich combo came with some good hot fries, and a drink (great tea), none of which I can complain about.
I also got a hot dog to go with it, and again, this is an area where white slaw would be appreciated. The flavor of the red slaw kind of dominates the whole thing, and after I took some off, it was better. I do like the frank they are using, and the chili is good enough.
In general, I came away from this Stamey's experience much more pleased than I had expected to, and that is a big win for the restaurant. I like some of the small changes, and while I would love to see some big ones, I'll take the improvements where I can get them. Cheers to the staff at this location for making it a solid evening.