Wholly Smokin BBQ & Ribs

The rib is the best I have ever tasted. No need to add on BBQ sauce, it was nicely flavored inside and smoked.

Found this gem while searching for a place for dinner and what a find! Probably the best BBQ I have ever had and the sides were yummy. Service was fast and friendly. Try it… you will like it!

The beef brisket was amazing. Full of flavor and very tender. The portion was more than enough. The Lima beans were delicious as well. The service could use some improvement but the food is so worth going there for.

Great food, love the back patio to relax on.

Honestly the best smoked/​barbecued chicken I’ve ever eaten. Baked beans full of bacon and pulled pork, local draft beers, and the service was spot on. My first visit, but won’t be my last!

Fantastic food. Nachos, quesadillas, chicken big, sweet potato fries, four cheese spicy Mac, bbq baked beans.

Wholly Smokin’ is by far one of my favorite restaurants in Florence.
For those of you who don’t know, South Carolina’s Pee Dee region is a mecca for BBQ joints. Honestly, they are all delicious and all the same. Cue Wholly Smokin’. This place is a crown jewel and has gained the utmost respect from me and my taste buds. It’s BBQ and all the fixings, but with flair.
Each visit to Wholly I find myself in inner turmoil because ordering something means not ordering everything else. Hopefully one day you too will know this gut wrenching feeling. If you find yourself in that position and need help ordering everything off of the menu, give me a call and I’ll come running!

The ribs were simply amazing. Frankly, they may be the best I’ve ever had. No sauce required. The dry rub had a great smoke seasoned flavor. The meat was tender and juicy yet not fall off the bone — perfect. The sauces were excellent as well. As a Hoosier, I’m not accustomed to the mustard sauce, but … when in Rome … I found it very good. It had a nice zest. The red vinegar sauce also was nice, but not the same quality as the mustard sauce. The slaw was surprisingly good. It had a sweet and tangy taste. Very nice. Great experience. Wish I lived here to eat here more often!

Great place! We had pork nachos for starter and then I had a goat cheese salad with chicken, Steve had a burger with bacon and an egg, Samantha had a buffalo chicken wrap and then Stevie had something fried. Service was fast but not rushed, waitress was new but kind and caring. Salted caramel cheesecake was to die for. It’s right in the thick of where they are revitalizing downtown. Go and check this place out!

This is a great, local family run place to eat. Outstanding food and great service. We stopped here in Florence on our way back home to Jersey and will be sure to come back again and again on our trips up and down the coast.

Really? I’m amazed at the amount of good reviews for this place. Staff seemed less than interested in being there, which I don’t blame them. It’s like they’re trying to put a tiara on a skunk. Yes, you’re in the «trendy and hip» area of Florence (says the elite group?) but it’s still bbq people!!! Go to Woodstone for a much better experience for southern bbq.

We decided to take a break from the usual fast stops on our drive from FL to MD, and after some research decided on bbq. Just a short drive from 95, we found this lovely, clean, modern space in historic downtown. From the first taste of the dry rub used to rim the Bloody Mary, we knew it would be good! We tried the ribs, pulled pork, burnt ends. All delicious. Kids loved the petite hush puppies. Spicy Mac was great and my husband, who doesn’t like cheesy, casserole-​type dishes really enjoyed the warm potato salad. If you’re looking for some great bbq in a fine-​dining atmosphere and a dose of southern hospitality, this is the place!

We tried it because of the many gluten free options. An excellent choice. Our server was great and the owner/​chef was informative. Just about 4 miles from I95. Not out of the way at all. A great find.

This is one of the best barbecue restaurants I have ever been to. The restaurant is clean, current, and well furnished with a classier ambiance than most bbq places. We had the beef brisket, burnt ends, spicy beans, Mac & cheese, and the seasonal Vegetables. These were the best burnt ends I have ever had! You must taste these if you pass through! The beef brisket fell apart with a fork and melted in your mouth with each bite. The sides were fresh, made in house, and delicious. To me the sides are just as important as the meat and they did not disappoint. The service was also impeccable; our server was friendly, efficient, and well groomed. Seriously… YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS PLACE!!!

Great service and awesome bbq. I order a smoked Chicken breast with two sides, Pesto penne pasta & Mc Cheese, was delicious!

I was amazed by how neat and clean the restaurant was. We arrived right before the lunch rush so we had a choice of a table or a booth. We went with a booth and were greeted right away by our server. She was so friendly and professional — the perfect picture of southern hospitality! We ordered the BBQ Slider Trio so that we could taste a little bit of pulled chicken, pulled pork, and brisket. The sliders came with choice of a side. I got the sweet potato fries and my husband got the regular fries. I also ordered a side of their spicy mac n cheese that was suggested by other reviews. Everything was delicious! On the table is a bottle of their BBQ sauce and Mustard BBQ sauce. Yummy! Their sauces are more vinegar based than I’ve had before but if you like a sweet and tangy combo, like I do, you’ll love the sauces! Added bonus was the chicken tender kids meal that my sister ordered. Generous portion for only $ 5! The chicken tenders were flavorful and crunchy! All in all — Great food combined with excellent service makes this establishment a MUST VISIT if you find yourself in the area. We happened to be driving down to FL. It’s only 10 minutes away from I-​95. Great stop to relax and refuel!

Delicious brisket and pulled bbq chicken. Nice local beer selection on tap and in bottles plus wide range of wines and spirits. Great place for date night or groups.

Superb pulled pork and dry rub ribs. Coleslaw was fresh and nicely creamy but still light. Mac and cheese rivaled my own! Worth driving a few miles off the 95 corridor for delicious food. Service was friendly and quick. My only regret is we don’t live closer. We will def visit again.

Wow!!! Best BBQ ever. We had the ribs, burnt tips and pork. All were amazing! The sides are just as good. The spicy mac and cheese was awesome! The coleslaw and lima beans and corn were also phenomenal… unique flavors on both. This place is a must. We make the trip up and down the east coast a lot and always stop a night in Florence… this will be our go to place from now on!!!

The chicken bog, sweet potato fries, and cole slaw was delicious! The chicken bog was very flavorful. The sweet potato fries were crunchy and soft inside. The coleslaw was tasty! Comfort food at it’s best!

BBQ raised to a new level — sophiscated! I highly recommend the BBQ with pimento, and a side of warm potato salad

Another Unilocal inspired stop while up from Florida for the race. Shared the A Little Bit of All of It Combo which includes Pulled Pork BBQ, Beef Brisket, ½ rack of Spare Ribs, and Chicken Bog. Took Google to tell us what Chicken Bog was but don’t worry, it is a rice mixture that is yummy. The ribs were dry rub and they provided three different sauces to try but the dry rub was flavorful and great by itself. Great beer selection including Root Beers and some nice cocktail combinations. I recommend everyone try it out when in the area.

This is how it’s done. Smoked burnt ends sandwich is magnificent. We also enjoyed a smoked slider sampler — chicken, pulled pork and brisket on soft rolls. Plates are accompanied by several house-​made sauces. The sides were just as delicious and authentic, especially the fava type beans.
H/​T to Exec Chef Bill Harwell and pit master Bill Travis.
BONUS TIP: If you got off I-​95 to try this fantastic restaurant and you’re traveling south to Charleston, it’s worth skipping 95 and staying on 52 South — just as fast, and you pass through lovely old southern towns and farmlands.

OMG. Happened to stop here for lunch on business. DE LISH! I am from Memphis and consider myself somewhat of a BBQ snob. I am very picky. The pulled pork was so tender it didn’t need any sauce, but I tried the sauce anyway… awesome! The Mac and cheese is like grandma’s and the potato salad is OUT OF THIS WORLD! Let’s not forget the southern staple of banana pudding… incredible… just incredible. Amazing service, clean classic décor unlike most BBQ joints. Classy, just delicious and classy. This is a rare gem and deserves to be on one of those BEST OF shows!

Stopped here on the way to the beach for lunch. I had a burnt tip sandwich
and sweet potato fries. The food was very good. My server Beth was also
very good and very friendly. I travel to the beach often so I will be back.

Went to this location on two different occasions. Both times my husband and I were in large parties of 10 and 12. Service was excellent. Beth our waitress was conscientious and efficient. The food is tasty, flavorful, and the best taste of «home» we have had in a long time. Everyone’s order arrived timely and hot! The brisket. Is moist and melt in your mouth delicious, The spinach and artichoke dip/​appetizer was devoured at our table. The barbecue in all of its culinary forms were exceptional. You won’t be disappointed in the array of barbecue sauces offered, either. Both the barbecue and sauces give you a variety of regional flavors and favorites. The banana pudding is homemade. The cheesecake was amazing!
The bar needs its own review. The bartenders are knowledgable and create drinks that are intricate and worthy of any «big city» connoisseur. The choices range from locally brewed or bottled choices to the tried and true standards to specially created cocktails. The restaurant is open and warm. The bar is a place I would hang out if I was local. Definitely!

3 syllables… dy-​na-​mite. What a gem this place is. I’m in town for business and see the wonderful prospects of subway (yuck) and KFC (maybe if I was in the mood for fried everything)…I thankfully choose to pull up trusty old Unilocal.This place has 16 reviews currently but they are all pretty darn good; so I give it a go. Best decision, true story.
I had the pulled pork sandwich with pimento cheese. Wow. And the spicy mac… yep, splurge the up charge and do it up. Service was good (perhaps the only thing unspectacular)…and the owner stopped at the table to see if everything was well (nice gentlemen). This place needs to be Unilocaled a whole lot more to give it the recognition it deserves.

You must stop here if you’re traveling through South Carolina.
Cannot describe how fortunate I was to have found this place. I was heading up 95 after a trip to Florida and decided to get off the highway as we were about to hit some nasty traffic right around dinner time. Since we were in South Carolina we felt the need to try and find some BBQ. And (w)holy smokes are we happy to have wound up at Wholly Smokin’. Located on the newly renovated street that’s in a district that undergoing a full renovation that’s about 10 minutes off of 95.
I had the Pulled Pork Sandwich Combo that comes with either fries or a basic side, but upgraded for the appropriately award winning Spicy Mac and Cheese. This was out of this world. The pork was perfectly tender and came served with a delicious mustard sauce on the side that I proudly dipped my sandwich in.
This is not your traditional SC BBQ joint. It’s got a nice Brooklyn feel to it with a very clean set up and a great beer and drink selection. I don’t know when/​if I’ll be in South Carolina again, but if I do, I know where I’ll be stopping.

We stopped here while traveling through, hoping for a taste of local culture. I had researched the menu and reviews and was excited to try some «Chicken Bog». I expected South-​eastern BBQ and extra sweet Southern tea. I was in for a surprise…
It was located on a quiet street, giving it a small town «Main Street» feeling. The first thing I noticed was the upscale atmosphere. No typical red checkered tablecloths. It was Saturday night, and a touch of formality hung in the air, straight and stiff like the fine black linens that covered the nicely arranged tables and booths. The average diner attire was dressy-​casual, with many of the men wearing a sports coat matched with jeans. (Don’t let clothing stop you; there was a wide variety and they will already know you are not a native).
The menu was full of familiar items prepared in unique ways. Mac-​n-​cheese with jalapeños, loaded potato salad, etc. a sample of «Chicken Bog» was willingly sent out with a message from the chef that it would «stick to your ribs». The waitress said it is a popular fundraiser food in the area.
The portions were adequate and the food was good! I had the combo BBQ Pork and Chicken Bog platter. My husband enjoyed delicately cut squares of tender brisket. It wasn’t Texas Style… but it looked and tasted great. Based on gourmet quality of the other food, I would guess the Chicken Bog was some of the area’s finest, yet slightly on the gourmet side. My perception of Chicken Bog was that it is usually like a down-home-one-dish-(iron skillet)-meal.
I would recommend stopping if you want a cultured slice of the local culture! Good food and interesting experience! If we lived in the area we would be back.