Sweatman's Barbeque

Years ago we pinned this place on the map after watching No Reservations. (RIP, the good man Bourdain). Today we detoured off I-95 to make a pilgrimage. I cannot overstate just how exceptional this barbeque is. You'll see similar sentiments on barbeque.com and amongst all the finest smokers in the USA. Whole hog is different, and imparts more flavor in every bite. This is true across pulled pork, ribs and random pieces of dark meat goodness that come on the dinner plate. Don't fear the hash. It's not corned beef, it's more like liquid pork meets an Italian red sauce. Except no tomatoes. I still am not clear on what is in it and I don't even care. Indulge! Service is expedient and excellent. Dining room attendants are an extra touch that distinguishes this establishment from others. Don't skip the banana pudding. Even if you don't like pudding. It's a cousin of the Magnolia Bakery banana pudding, and perhaps the better of the two. I'll leave you to decide. Up north we don't have the country refinement-- front porches overlooking corn fields, trees in parking lots, restaurants with wood paneling. I soaked it all in. This will be a road trip staple for years to come. It seems like the best kind of place to bring friends, family, foodies and the people you love. Thank you Sweatman's!!

Absolutely love the look of the place. Good was good just does not compare to our roots. Ribs was the best! Mustard sauce was beyond above standard so delicious. Don’t waste your time with the red sauce definitely not BBQ sauce. Pork skins were great if you like them. Chicken I’m sure was out of the oven. Hash was great. Overall worth a try and was worth the ride! Ribs A Chicken C- Rice & Hash B Mac n cheese C Baked Beans C- Pork skins A Mustard sauce A+++ Vinegar sauce A Red Sauce F (not made for bbq)

Anytime I'm going to Charleston, I make the effort to stop here for a meal. It is easily my favorite barbeque restaurant in South Carolina if not both Carolinas and Georgia. The ribs are always delectable, and they always have their sides on point. If you are a foodie and you want an authentic barbeque experience, then this is worth hoping off 95, driving about 20 minutes and eating here. You don't have to take my word for it; there are plenty of food personalities and scholars that will back up how special this restaurant truly is.

Tried it for the first time last weekend and I am going This weekend, too!! Everyone was so friendly!!! Staff and customers alike!! Pork plate was huge. Tender and moist with a nice hint of smoke. Chicken was awesome. Juicy and falling off the bone. Looking forward to their ribs and pork hash, and will try the banana pudding!! Great job Everyone!! Update: Sweatman's has become my Saturday ritual!!! Absolutely love the staff!!! Everyone is so helpful and friendly!! The epitome of southern hospitality!!!!

Grew up on Eastern NC vinegar/pepper BBQ. Tried mustard sauce from a chain in the Columbia area. Not impressed. On a trip to Charleston we stopped at Sweatman's and now I GET IT. The food was great, the folks were great, even the building was great. Looked like a BBQ joint built by central casting. It not near anything so you really have to want to go there but believe me - you really want to go there.

Buffet BBQ with pulled pork, ribs, fried pork skins. Murstard bbq sauce. Their hash and rice is phenomenal. Their banana pudding costs extra, but is the best I've ever had in my life.

Finally made it, saw this place on Food Network and I to try It for myself. The food is delicious, the chicken is cooked perfectly and the ribs are tender pull off the bone goodness with that delicious mustard based sauce. I should’ve purchased more banana pudding because I didn’t have any left by the time I made it home.

This was our first time at Sweatman's. The Rib dinner was incredible. The biggest surprise was the mustard BBQ sauce. We loved it so much that we bought two bottles. The Hash and rice had great flavor and we left with a quart of banana pudding.

Sweatman's is legendary. I am glad we diverted off of the tedium of I-95 to eat here. You have to love barbecue to go looking for this place, but it is time well spent. An old school pit to plate kind of place, you won't find anything fancy here. But Sweatman's delivers good smoked meats.... ribs are pretty much unadorned but well smoked. A good deal fattier than I prefer, but tasty. Whole hog pork is very well executed. The barbecue hash over rice is really good -- for those unfamiliar, it is like a thickened brunswick stew with bbq meat in it. If you are like me (and I pity you if you are) and are obsessed with tasting the full variety of what the world of BBQ has to offer, this is one place you have to include on your list.

Since we were parched today and the tank was running on it and my son and I went to this location to try it out. When we arrived we were greeted by a nice young lady who advised us to go to the front and let them know we were going to eat at the establishment so they can take our order. Once I ordered our food we were directed to tables off the front foyer. The building was very rustic with old advertisement panels and Old Fashioned heater stoves. Not long after we ordered that same young lady walked in providing us with our drinks and our food. I got the ribs hash and rice and macaroni and cheese while my son got the barbecue sandwich with mac and cheese. I will say the ribs were perfectly cooked and had plenty of meat but the hash and rice was amazing. Using their sweet barbecue sauce brought me back to Days of old when as a kid we would visit a local barbecue restaurant where the owner would always come around checking on you. After we both were finished eating we left the establishment with me quickly observing that my son's food put him into a food coma as he passed out on the way home while his head bobbed around like a Weeble wobble! And all it was a great place with good old-fashioned food!

I was looking forward to visiting this former legend, but unfortunately it is definitely "former." The once legendary pulled pork was extremely mediocre. Part of this may be the "new" (post 2012) management, but I was also saddened to find that their smokesheds have been abandoned. They longer cook whole hog over wood and coals as they did for decades when Sweatman's was thought to be one of the best BBQ joints in South Carolina. Now they apparently use a gas assisted smoker. Sadly, it shows. Once upon a time Sweatman's was considered "100-mile BBQ," but based on what we tasted and saw I'd have a hard time arguing it's even still "worth the trip" BBQ.

Nothing else to say other than time your travels so that you're in the area on Friday or Saturday. Nice folks making solid Q. Worth the detour.

Stopped in just on a whim. Very friendly service. I got the pulled pork and hubby got the ribs. Both were fabulous. Couldn't pass up the banana pudding, it so even better than expected. Have to get that for sure. Cute country feeling in the dinning room. We will be back.

If you are ever close by this BBQ place should is the place to stop !! Wonderful food from great people.

It's definitely not like it used to be. I grew up in this town, and this restaurant was the place to go. Now it's below subpar. Hash and rice is runny. Very little food. They charge extra for sauce if you get it to go. Aweful!

Good food. A lot to choose from, fried chicken and hash& rice is a big favorite of mine......!

Sweatman's never disappoints. It is a real bbq that others try to replicate. Their plate comes w vinegar based Peé Dee barbecue, hash, rice and your choice of a side. There is a slice of white bread. There are other sauces on the table if you prefer. My favorite barbecue in this part of the Lowcountry.

4.75 stars. This isn't the prettiest BBQ in the world, but last time I checked, looking great on Instagram doesn't necessarily mean you have the best BBQ. It means you can make some pretty pictures. So while this might not be pretty, it sure is good. Damn good if you ask me. Sweatman's BBQ specializes in all thinks pork. I found the pulled pork here to be appreciably better than Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ in both taste and texture (but not in the almighty pretty Instagram photo category). The three different sauces - all pulling from the Carolinas - are excellent and pair perfectly with the meat. The ribs are quite good as well and are covered in a mustard sauce that again doesn't necessarily look appetizing, but do not judge this book by that cover. Want more parts of the pig? With each order, Sweatman's provides a few squares of crackling pig skin. It's perfect on its own or you can crush it and add it to the pulled pork. I suggest the former strategy. No review of Sweatman's is complete without mentioning the hash. I'm not sure what they place in this pork sauce other than meat and ketchup, but it sure goes well over rice. I also liked their green beans cooked in butter and they have decent mac and cheese and banana pudding as well. Many places will claim they are the best BBQ joint in South Carolina. I haven't gone to the much lauded places outside the Charleston vicinity, but if you are looking for South Carolina style BBQ within reasonable driving distance of Charleston, I'd strongly recommend Sweatman's BBQ. Great people, great BBQ, and great prices beat a perfect Instagram feed every day.

Traditional South Carolina mustard based bbq sauce at its finest. We ordered everything on the menu because I had to try it and I was not disappointed! Phenomenal flavor and I wish it were closer to where I live. Service and ambiance were great. I hope to find myself there again soon.

So my girlfriend and I were on a road trip and decided to find a nice BBQ restaurant somewhere in the Carolinas, and we stumbled upon this place. It's a place like 15 miles off of I-95 and it's only open Friday and Saturday. I love places like that. It's a buffet setup with a one-time-through price of $11 and an AYCE price of $14. The choice is obvious here. The catch is you are only privileged to two ribs per buffet purchase. They were pretty good ribs, though. Not the star of the show, though. Let's talk about the rest of what's on the buffet. There are two main sides, barbecue beans and mac & cheese. The beans were yummy. Nice and beany. The mac & cheese was pure mush, though. No discernible noodles throughout. I'm not saying it's bad. I just didn't have seconds. There are two types of barbecue pork available. I forgot the difference, and I'm sorry for that. I think one was cooked with the skin still on the hog, and the other wasn't. Either way I gobbled them up. Tender and juicy. The perfect component for a sandwich you can make with the slices of bread that are behind the buffet that you can ask for. Add some of their cut cole slaw to that sandwich, and it's choice. There was something unusual there that I have never seen before. I don't know what it was called, but it was basically barbecue pork chili, but with only meat and sauce. Sloppy Joe-ish. They have white rice for you to serve it on. I DID go back for seconds on this. This was the star of the show for me. A few odds 'n' ends. There are pork skins that are big giant hunks of super crispy chips of pork skin. It wasn't for me. Too crunchy. Too much work to eat. And the sauce. As you may or may not know, Carolina sauces are very vinegary and can be mustardy. There are three unlabed sauces on the table with different combinations of these styles. It's fun to play around with. Overall, this place was a lot of fun. The employees are the nicest kind of nice you can find in the South. The sweet tea was A-mazing. The price was right. I was full. Quality place. Come here if you love BBQ.

Look... I love BBQ. Whenever someone asks where the BEST in our area is, I only have 1 answer: Sweatman's People can say whatever they want, and I've tried them ALL. (Trust me here). But for me... This place does it. If you find better hash ANYWHERE, please let me know because I never have.

Great BBQ, sides, banana pudding and sweat tea! Wonderful and kind staff. Already looking forward to our next visit! The only negative was on me for not bring more home!!

Well worth the drive up from Charleston. Nice clean and friendly staff from the minute you walk into the door. They a large room to sit and eat in. You get plastic forks since the meat is so tender that you don't need a knife to cut into anything. Just tug a little on any of the meat and it'll fall apart or off the bone. They do allow unlimited all you can eat for only $15 which includes the beverage versus 1 helping for $3 less. They'll ask you for o make only 2 trips for the ribs to ensure there is enough for everyone about to change me in. They take pride that people come from all over the area especially Mt Pleasant. Which when we signed the registry book noticed the person previously sign in was from Mt Pleasant.

Driving from Pennsylvania to Florida for the holidays, we knew we needed a place to stop overnight somewhere in South Carolina. With that stop meant we had to get dinner, but we didn't want to stop at any of the normal chain establishments off i95 south. Thus, we found Sweatman's BBQ. Although this place was about a 15min drive from our hotel (right off 95), it was worth the additional drove time. One huge plus for us is that they offer takeout! While their website needs a little help with what exactly is in their meal options, the woman we spoke to on the phone helped us out with questions during our ordering process and our food was ready for pickup in about 20min. The place was packed (Saturday night around 6pm) when we went to pick up our food. Now, to the food. It was delicious!! The portions are hugeeeee here. Pulled pork, bread, hash, rice, coleslaw all under $10...I actually think it was even cheaper than that. Another great thing is that their prices are very cheap! I'm not sure exactly what is in the hash on top of the rice, but it was probably my favorite part of the meal. My husband had the banana pudding for dessert and said it was one of the best he has had. Be sure to get the sweet tea too! So, if you are looking for a place to refuel on a long roadtrip, my advice is to venture a little bit off the normal path and check out this place. You won't be disappointed.

I'm a GA boy so SC BBQ doesn't always do it for me...but they are good. Solid sides and good service during C-19. If you're close by, you won't be upset you ate there!!

Great food. Great people. Wish they were open more than just the weekend. We'd definitely eat their more frequently!!

Absolutely the best place for BBQ and all you can eat! Their ribs are by far the best ones I've had so far! Mac & Cheese is outstanding!!! This is the original! Open only 2 days a week you better be ready to form a line. From the fireplace the home tables to the homemade sauces this ma and pa is the best there is! Great atmosphere and the drive is worth taking. It was my first time here but won't be my last.

Ordered the large bar b que. It was good. My second time eating here. They were very organized. Order outside and only a couple people inside to pick up food.

Enjoying a weekend in Savannah GA we made a conscious decision to drive 1hr and 45mins to Holly Hill SC only for Sweatman's BBQ as seen on TV. Upon arrival we were pleasantly greeted by the lady at the cashier. We had a choice of 1 time through the buffet or all you can eat for a few dollars more. Yep you said it, all you can eat because they said this place was good and one of the best in the country. All the trimmings such as long beans with pork, macaroni n cheese, white rice and their specialty hash. Can't explain the flavour but it is unique and great over white rice. However my girlfriend didn't care much for it. Might be the sight of it. LOL.... Then we slide on over to the pulled pork, one with a little bit of secret sauce and another with more sauce and dark bits of pork meat. Next is an optional piece of chicken, dark or white, and then the ribs dripping in that secret sauce. Finish off your plate with cole slaw and pickles before you dash of to your table to dig in. If you have room left over there is banana pudding for those with a sweet tooth. Drinks are simple, water, tea and lemonade. The setting is rustic and makes you feel like you are eating in someone's home. Now on to that secret BBQ sauce. This was both a surprise and unique... a blend of honey, mustard and other spices. Rather runny but full of flavour. Ribs and chicken had an abundance of flavour leaving you begging for more. After 2 runs through the buffet I could no more but damn wish I could, it's that good. To top off the visit we asked if we could see the BBQ pits and Mark was more than pleased to show us around and guide us through the entire process. Truly remarkable and the next time I am driving up or down I-95 and in the vicinity I am sure to make me a detour. If you want a unique BBQ experience this is the place as people come from near and far. A family sitting next to us came all the way from North Carolina driving more than 110 miles because grandma had her mind set on BBQ. This place is truly worth the effort!!!

This place was amazing. Directed here by Anthony Bourdain's trip to Charleston, I had to definitely try it out. The story here is that this place works all week, cooking up BBQ, and serves it only Friday and Saturday. A week long BBQ place? Oh yeah. Finding the place was very unique, about 15-20 minutes from I-26 I think it was sort of in the middle of nowhere, however when I got there...what I saw was a house turned into a restaurant. Nice little decorations, and a signature picture of Anthony Bourdain on the wall, there's momentos all over the place and its deserving. Now. what's so amazing about this place you say? Let's just start with the all you can eat buffet. Even though you would probably get full from just one plate. Ribs, Green Beans, Chicken, Pork Skin (I think they limit these though), Pulled Pork... I mean should I go on? They cook BBQ all week, and they open for just 2 days. I mean, come on if that's not dedication for BBQ cooking I don't know what is. Lets start off with the BBQ. It falls off the fork and melts in your mouth. The flavor is second to none. If you could imagine, all the BBQ that you ever had to eat had to have some sort of sauce to it right? Not this one. This BBQ has been lathered with Sweatman's mustard based sauce and been cooking with it before it reached your plate. When I ate this, I didn't need any other sauce. I don't think it could've been better with any other sauce. All in all, you can tell my experience was amazing. I wouldn't think Bourdain was going to steer me any place wrong. This place is definitely a hidden gem, and I am so grateful that I got the chance to eat there. If I"m ever in town, I will be sure to be back for another all you can eat. And I'll be saving my appetite for it.

I happend to find this restaurant luckily. I was in a traffic jam crossing a bridge and got bored in a passenger seat. I opened up yelp app as usual. I love both BBQ and Anthony Borden. They open only weekends. What?!?So I gotta try this restaurant automatically. It is middle of nowhere. Relaxing countryside. There are big trees around the building. As soon as I entered, I remember a tv show. I knew it! The menu is really simple. Most meals are under $10. I chose their buffet for $15. Included pitcher drinks. There is a caution. Even you order the buffet, you can get ribs up to 2. What?!? That was the best one. I wished I could have eaten more. Their chicken was good too. Coleslaw has too much mayonnaise. Beens are tasty. Mac and cheese is ok. Banana sweet is not my cup of tea but my husband ate 2. There are 3 different kind of BBQ sauces on the table. I didn't use the. Meats are pretty flavorful and delicious. I just forgot use it. When I got really full, I remembered about the sauces and tasted them by themselves. They are good too. The staffs are really sweet. The cashier and waitresses especially. I wanna buy lots of ribs next time. I'm not sure there is an option like that tho. Ahhh, getting hungry for BBQ!

Okay overall. I think it's good home cooking that is cafeteria style. The green beans and the baked beans were succulent. The pulled pork and ribs good but the glaring omission was no BBQ. Go figure. The pork rinds are truly that and unlike what you get out the bag in the store. The hash?...I don't know what to say. The hostess is very sweet and patient with a nice grandma quality. The food server mans the buffet to keep it clean and she is pleasantly honest. She honestly wants you to eat! The drink server has mannerisms with an uncanny resemblance to the Stepford wives. Just an observation, not an insult. Why 3 stars? The restaurant is hyped up while the food is good it was not on point the day we went.

Awesome... It took 2 hours to get there but it was worth it. Ribs , pulled pork , mac & cheese was out of this world my daughter would of loved it. Beautiful ride on the bike to get the bellies filled with some great southern bbq...

I loveeeeee sweatman's so much! I have yet to find a BBQ in Charleston or surrounding area to even touch their taste! The BBQ chicken is indescribable and I always lather it in their housemade sauce! The banana pudding is a great ending to any plate I get from here. They also have a dine-in buffet if you enjoy that type of eating. The southern hospitality is real and I will take the trip back home any day if I have a craving for their food!

Last Friday we were leaving Charleston and wanted to get back to Sarasota at a reasonable hour but still get our Sweatman's fix. We emailed them and asked if we could pick up early and they got right back to us saying we could pickup any time after 8am. We got there about 9 and they opened up for us and had our to go order ready. We ordered 2 lbs of pork and also got 2 quarts of their amazing sauces. The 8 hour ride home was excruciating having to smell the BBQ in the cooler. Got home and immediately stuffed our faces. Would have rather had it to eat in but as always it was amazing and worth the 500 mile trip alone!! Literally THE BEST WHOLE HOG BBQ IN THE WORLD!!

so the place i once loved has changed! the food is still wonderful, but i agree about the ribs. they are chewy and YES you only get 2- thats because of how they process everything and they want to make sure everyone gets some so stop complaining! THe sauce is SOUTH CAROLINA MUSTARD BASED- its not sweet by any mean. they do have vinegar based sauce on the table and another sauce that might be ketchup based. i noticed that the majority of negative reviews are from passing through people, this is the BBQ we eat. the pulled pork is always great and the hash has not changed. It has always been a 1 time through place(i think they tried it differently for 1 season a long time ago). you pile it on or pay more to go back. The service in dining has been horrible the past few times, its like pulling teeth to get drinks refilled. We usually have to go do it ourselves. I did get hash and pork to go so I could bring home for my husband again.

Can't say enough great things about sweatmans BBQ! They're only open Fridays and Saturdays bc the rest of the week is for cooking wood and smoking meat! Really huge restaurant with the most friendliest staff. Food was everything I expected: simple, tasty, and comforting. I recommend doing the all you can eat plate since you'll find yourself going back for seconds and maybe thirds! The ribs fell off the bone, the chicken was very flavorful (and I'm not a big fan of BBQ chicken, I usually go for brisket or pulled pork or ribs), pulled pork was also delicious. The best side was the green beans, never had them so buttery and flavorful. They def cooked the green beans with the meats bc it tasted heavenly! You also have a choice of lemonade or sweet tea with your plate. Really appreciate this establishment, worth the drive out when you're on your way to charleston!

This was our dinner stop on a 16 hour drive (to a pandemic-safe visit to elderly relatives). The food was from a dream. Affordable and so good. We ended up taking a rack of ribs with us for lunch the next day. Don't miss Sweatman's!

This place DEFINES BBQ. The pulled pork is so tender and juicy it requires no sauce. Its flavor is natural, enhanced by smoke, and the meat takes on a nice crust on the edges. Grab some of the crispier-looking pieces to really taste what I mean. The ribs are always perfectly cooked and coated in a light Carolina mustard sauce that does 'em right, but the pulled pork is why you are here. Show up early to make sure you get the most spectacular crispy pork skin you'll ever enjoy. Slather some hash on top and let it soak in while you savor your pork, then eat it like a nacho. You're welcome! And oh, the hash! This stuff is liquid gold. Silky smooth, not a chunk of gristle to be found, unlike other hashes. Perfectly seasoned, a ratio of 3 parts hash to 1 part rice is about right. I always get a gallon to go, and when I open my last pint from the freezer, I know a trip to Sweatman's is called for. I have eaten BBQ all over SC, NC, VA, and GA, and Sweatman's is the real deal. I have yet to find meat as naturally sweet and flavorful, without being drowned in some kind of sauce or rub. And the hash. I must mention it again. I could drink it. I could swim in it. It is my lifeblood! Then, just when you think you've eaten all you can eat, there is the perfect cup of banana pudding, not dense or heavy, with Nilla wafers like when you were a kid, to wrap the whole experience up like a hug from Gramma and really make you feel like you are home. The service is great, the people friendly and genuine, the sweet tea fresh as can be, and you can take your choice of all-you-can-eat or one plate piled high. Trust me, one plate is probably all you can eat anyway. It is definitely all you SHOULD eat! Don't forget to place your to-go order; you'll want more tomorrow.

I have lived in within 30 minutes of Sweatman's for over 15 years and finally experienced it today. The food was amazing, wait staff very friendly and welcoming and the atmosphere took me back in time! Highly recommend this off the beaten path restaurant!!!

Friday was a big day on the eatinetary. We were going to finally get to the South Carolina bbq icon Sweatmans in Holly Hill SC. I had hoped to get here on our previous trip to SC but unable to fit in. We decided to hit Congaree NP this trip to add to the list so Holly Hill worked well into that path. One hour drive from Charleston. Only open Fri/Sat. It's different here than before Covid as the buffet of sides to go with the meats has been replaced by packaged sides. Very famous for their pork and Carolina mustard based sauce. This made me a little leary because while I like mustard a little will do me. Covid order set up starts with a table outside the old farmhouse where a nice young man answers questions, shows you the menu takes your order and name then radios into the house to give order to the kitchen. You follow arrows to the back where you wait your turn-6 feet apart-until they call your name and you gather your order and pay. Very simple and civilized. Counter ladies very personable. Limited outside seating. DW ordered two rib plate with mac & cheese and green beans and I ordered half rack with same two sides. The Mac was definitely homemade-cheesy and gooey and damn good. Beans were cooked with some chunks of smoked pork that added a nice flavor. DW thought both were too mushy but I was in hog heaven. Ribs, while not being real hot, were cooked to a perfect state with just the right amount of pull-super tender while not immediately sliding completely off the bone. The mustard sauce was definitely tasty. Not so strong of mustard that it overpowered the meat but with an enjoyable flavor profile. Not sure of all the ingredients or even if maybe it was made with mustard powder and another wet base product. Anyway it was much tastier that I was afraid it would be. Followed up my meal with what turned out to be some of the best banana pudding I've ever had. Creamy, full of banana and vanilla wafers. They sell it in containers up to a quart and folks come to just buy that so it must be good. This place is a bbq lover's dream and is really a must visit if anywhere in the vicinity.

Some of the BEST BBQ! My husband is from Eutawville and introduced me to Sweatman's. Anytime we visit my in-laws we have to come here. We always order to go and don't have to wait long. A small plate order is just enough for me (pictures are small plates). Everything always taste fresh and the service is great. Don't forget to stop by the red and white checkered table to add the BBQ sauce of your choice. I'd never had hash before until eating Sweatman's. Everything is ALWAYS good. I highly recommend.

They are serving takeout only. They have put a lot of thought into making this as easy as possible. You order while in the car, go park and walk to the takeout area. Now for the Que. There are a lot of people that think they can make good pulled pork, Sweaans has set the standard, and it is high. Cooked with love and a kiss of smoke. Melt in your mouth tender. Ummm, I just want some more.

Not sure what I can say about Sweatman's that hasn't been said before! Only open Friday and Saturday - if you're in the area it's a must stop. You can tell there's a lot of love in their food. The hash is the best I've ever had. Can't go wrong with the all you can eat deal - try a lil of everything!

This place has been on my list since before the ownership change but I couldn't make it because of their short schedule. I've learned to temper my enthusiasm for "famous" BBQ joints so entered with an open mind. The place itself is awesome. I love the converted old home. The staff is similarly homey and welcoming. The food gets mixed reviews from my point of view. I'm really sorry I couldn't have made it sooner before it apparently has gone down hill. The pulled pork is great. I chose to try the inside and outside pig, light and dark respectively. Tender and tasty. The light was dryer. The vinegar North Carolina sauce was some of the best I've had. I didn't care for the mustard sauce that was yellower in color. It just tasted like mustard but I loved the one that was a bit redder. Nice! A little sweet and a little spicy. These both are good with the pork. I liked the sides. None were awesome but they were all solid. I tried the baked beans with bacon, Mac n cheese, and butter beans. The baked beans were the best choice. I passed on the overly soaked mayo slaw. I would have liked some greens. The banana pudding is great. The ribs are some of the worst I've had. They smelled like they were cooked yesterday and left in an old shoe and tasted like braised pork with a hint of their mustard sauce. Nasty. There's no hint of smoke. They're grey with a hint of yellow and look as bad as they taste. I asked about when they were cooked and my fears were confirmed. You're open 2 days/week. Do what you have to do to get your lazy selves out of bed and smoke me some fresh Bbq! It's $15 for all you can eat. It's less at Duke's in Walterboro and the food is better. So is the selection. If you hadn't served me these ribs I would have given you 4 stars without hesitation. There's no excuse for serving me food without any life left in it.

Oh. My. Just. Go. Delicious. Delicious. Delicious. Mustard based and smokey. I am very, very, very picky about my BBQ. Most places don't cook BBQ, they 'grill out', put some sauce on it (or pickle it in vinegar), and call it BBQ. If done right, good BBQ tastes awesome on its own, especially if you smoke it. Sauce is meant to add some flavor or even supplement it. Put too much of it on, and you are covering up either a bad cut of meat or bad cooking ability. The sauce here is mustard based. Not quite my favorite but it is done very well as not to overwhelm the meat and taste. It truly adds good flavor and is mildly sweet. Couple that with good smoke flavoring and even this Texas boy will admit this place is doing things right! This is worth the 45 minute drive from my house, down country roads. I have finally found my favorite bbq spot. You will too if you stop by. I have a list of BBQ favorites added to my maps app from locations around the country, actually the world. I've just added another one to the list.

Sweatman's is one of our favorite bbq restaurants. We try to visit once a year on our road trips. We ordered one small and one large plate to go. The plates come with BBQ pork in their mustard sauce, their amazing hash over rice, a pork rib, pork crackling's, cole slaw (or green beans for a dairy free option) and a slice of white bread. We just had to dig right into our meal! Both of us agree that our favorite part of the meal is the hash.

Because Sweatman's is only open on Fridays and Saturdays, and I don't live in the area, I've literally been trying to plan a visit here for years. I did try on a Friday night a few years back, not knowing that they close for the Thanksgiving weekend. So today's lunch was long anticipated by both my husband and me. I have learned, however, to temper my barbecue expectations, as this seems to be one cuisine where people go overboard with the love when it's not all that deserved. Sweatman's is a case in point. There was much to like here and a couple of things that had me shaking my head. I'll start with the positive. This is a self serve (mostly) buffet. Today's choices were baked beans, mac & cheese, butter beans, pork rinds, SC hash and white rice, pulled pork (they smoke the whole hog here, but separate the light from dark meat on the buffet), smoked chicken, smoked ribs, cole slaw, pickles and banana pudding. We both opted for the all you can eat, because we're realists, and I took a bit of almost everything. I skipped the chicken, as it didn't look appetizing. The woman behind the line serves the ribs to you, I guess to stop folks from taking too much. The pulled pork was good. I took a bit of both the inner (light) and outer (dark plus bark) meats, as the dark is moister and keeps the less fatty parts from drying out. I honestly don't know why they separate the meat this way...most whole hog pit masters mix them together. Anyway, both were good, especially with the NC style vinegar sauce that was at the table. They have 2 mustard sauces table side too, and I liked the darker one; the lighter one just tasted like yellow mustard with a few spices to me. The baked beans were terrific; they put bacon in them, and I'm now wondering why more places don't do this. The mac & cheese was also excellent. Had I just tried these 3 things, this might be a different review. But there's the matter of the ribs... There was nothing good about these ribs. They were tough, dry and flavorless, with not even a hint of smoke. They tasted like they had been cooked days earlier. I just don't get it. The hash was decent, but the slaw had way too much mayo in it. On a positive note, the banana pudding was divine, so lunch ended in a very happy way. Service was also very friendly, and I like the old house and the surrounding countryside...it's a beautiful setting. So, if I ever get the chance, I'll return for more of that pulled pork and the delicious sides. I just can't give them 4 stars with ribs that bad.

This was a wonderful detour from I-95! The staff goes above and beyond to help, and everyone is so friendly. They have sweet tea on the tables and banana pudding for dessert. The whole environment, from the beautiful outside to the quaint dining rooms, is inviting and homey. I'd never had mustard based BBQ sauce, and it was delicious. I also loved the baked beans. I cannot recommend Sweatman's enough!

Amazing. Worth the drive off the interstate. The pork was delicious, and the hash/rice combo was a perfect complement. Their mustard sauce is not too vinegary and goes perfectly on the pork. They are incredibly Covid friendly, and have taken precautions that made us feel comfortable. The service was fast, people were friendly, and the food was great. Couldn't ask for more.

Awesome BBQ. My wife and I enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Service was great. We will definitely be back!!

OH MAN! This is the find of the Century. No Lie! First of all... I saw this, like other's on Anthony Boudrain's show. So don't laugh, my review is solely based on someone that isn't use to the south. Number 1 Bring a GPS. That was my mistake. I thought it would be easier to find than it was. The town signs are small and some have two names per road. The Highway Signs like 176 and 453 are totally confusing. Secondly, from Downtown Charleston, it's like 1 hour 15 minute drive. Get off of 26 West on 117 to Holly Hill. It's a 5 mile drive into town. Downtown is looks like the set of Mississippi Burning. Some dusty town with a few shops open downtown with an old railroad track running through it like the days of yesteryear. I took a wrong turn. One way I went was huge new plantation style homes. Go the other way, there were old almost broken down country homes surrounded by cornfields. ALSO: There is little cellular service out there..... So you blow a tire.... Don't expect anyone to find you for days. So you pull up to this dirt lot at Sweatmans... The pictures I see don't do the place service. It's like the house they used in the movie the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.... Some old country home underneath large trees that kind of mask the house's true state of being. In the back is a little shanty the Anthony went to go look at the pit. But getting through all of that.... you come through one of two doors on the side. One is for takeout (the Right) the other is for the restaurant. The Bufffet. The Buffet is 9.35....$10 even. Cash only. Includes iced tea and water. Don't even know if they have soda. You can have unlimited portions of Rice and Carolina hash, White and Dark pulled Pork Meat. Ribs, and Pork skins. WOW!!! I've NEVER EVER had barbeque like this. This was an unbelievable experience. I can't go to any other place again and look the BBQ the same. Yeah, you sit family style with other people. A bunch of old kitchen tables with plastic mats that have Sweatman's logos on it. BUT THE DINING IS TRULY SOMETHING THAT IS AMAZING. But for being open Friday and Saturday every week, and on the food channel... I found it odd that there were only a hand full of people eating there for lunch on Saturday. NO LINES ! Even better for the rest of us. MAKE THE TRIP to Holly Hill. It's worth it. =)

Holly hill, this is good barbeque. Most of the barbeque I eat in New York is expensive and is, I believe, Kansas style (dry rub, tomato-based sweet sauce). I'd never had Carolina style and I'm not sure I want to go back to what I was eating before. Mustard and pork BELONG together. The food here is great and, unless you're looking for chicken, the $10 buffet is where it's at. There was a line when we arrived, and we were definitely the only 20-somethings in the place, but we felt welcomed. The way it works: Walk in, wait on line, order and pay cash for what you want, heap up at the buffet/wait for your plate in the crowded serving room, and then walk out for a seat in one of the many dining areas. If you want dessert, order it the first time you go up to avoid waiting in line again - there is no waiter service, just folks who'll refill your drinks. Iced tea pitchers and napkins are already on the tables, although utensils are not (don't forget to pick them up above the sauces on the buffet line). I'd recommend getting your meat dry and bringing along a large cup of sauce. The two standout items for me were the ribs (holy crap! I've never had ribs like these before! If you're thinking of ribs like they serve them at Chilis, forget everything you know) and the hash. I'm pretty sure I could eat hash over rice for dinner for the rest of my life. We tried the white and dark, but really went back for the hash and ribs. They do have white bread and pickles available if you want to make a sandwich out of the shredded white and dark. They were, unfortunately, out of banana pudding, but the prices are ridiculously good and the atmosphere is fun. I was the cheesey tourist with the SLR camera snapping pictures and everyone was very good natured about it. I'm not sure how far I'd be willing to drive for this barbeque, but I kind of want to drag my boyfriend from New York to here to try this. It's worth going out of your way to try this place. Wish we'd followed Billy V.'s advice and asked to see the pits. Also, Use the Eutaw address you find in the reviews - we used that in our GPS and it took us right to the restaurant. Not sure where the Gemini Drive address takes you.

Saw an Episode of Man Fire Food in which they visited a unique BBQ restaurant in Holly Hill SC called Sweatman's BBQ. We love whole hog Q so as we were driving home to NC from Florida, we took a slight detour. The BBQ was a unique blend of of smoke, mustard & spices. The Q was tender & moist...some the best I've tried. This was my first venture with a mustard based sauce & we were pleased. The vegetables were Devine, southern goodness. Italian flat green beans were very good. These had a very nice seasoning. They had a meat dish called hash served over rice. This is a dish unique to SC. It was very good. You need to try! Bak e beans were very good. They also serve a couple of ribs with their buffet...good, but not great. No problem, we were here for the pulled/chopped pork. The staff was Exceptional! These are some of the nicest people you will meet. The are glad you are here! If you are close to Holly Hill, give them a try.

I love barbecue! But this was nothing special. The pulled pork and the mustard based sauce was decent, but the sides were mediocre. If you spend all that time to smoke meats to get them just right...why not spend a little time fine tuning the sides. The mac and cheese was horrible. Maybe we had a bad batch I don't know, but it tasted like mac & powdered cheese. It was very disappointing to drive all that way specifically to come here. Needless to say we won't be returning, but I hope they make some changes for their future customers.

A must stop if you are traveling I-95. Yeah, slow down, take time to drive to Sweatmans BBQ. Give their sweet yellow bbq sauce a try. They are taking Covid precautions, but you can eat in or get it to go. If you haven't had a homemade pork skin, you gotta stop here and hope they haven't run out for the day. The ribs are my favorite melt off the bone deliciousness. The bbq sandwich will fill you up. Always worth the stop!

Fun BBQ joint in an old wooden building. Folks were friendly. Everything was served buffet style. You got a couple ribs on the buffet, pulled pork (South Carolina style, with the mustard sauce) and bbq chicken. First, everything had a lot less smoke than I expected, given the appearance and reputation of this place. The ribs were good but not great. The fat hadn't all liquified, so they were tougher than they should have been. The pulled pork was excellent. I liked the sauce and the pork was moist and delicious (just not very smoky). The chicken was overcooked and inedible. No one in my group bothered with more than a bite or two. Overall, I was underwhelmed, but give 3 stars for the atmosphere and the pulled pork. Everything else was 2 star.

Don't waist your time at this place, ribs were terrible. No smoke ring or smoke taste. They claim they are the best, when there is no BBQ restaurant for hundreds of miles around I guess they can make that claim.