Bunn’s Barbecue

Wife and I disagree here: she says it’s good, i say it is the best in Eastern N.C. Slaw is old-​timey rough chop authentic, barbecue also old skool. Brunswick stew is perfect, and the flat, sheet cornbread is legendary. Atmosphere is 1950s. Go and eat here. One of a kind.

All I can say is this is a great place to eat. great food with good portions and service… eat in or take out… you can’t go wrong. a mom and pops place. a true Gem!!! If you don’t stop in. you are missing alot…

Found this gem driving from Raleigh to Norfolk and couldn’t have been more pleased! THIS is how BBQ should be — served on a paper plate in an old gas station. I had the small pork plate that came with a good serving of BBQ and coleslaw and wonderful cornbread (not sure how they fix it but it was dense and crispy) I would recommend anyone driving thru to take the 5 minutes off the highway and try it out

A little confusing when you first enter, but the dining room is through the back and around to the right. Things were slow so we just kind of ordered as we walked past the waitstaff to sit down. No frills… barbecue, slaw… barbecue chicken once a week on Tuesday I believe and chicken pastry on Thursday.
The slaw was great, not creamy and heavy on the vinegar. The barbecue was very flavorful and didn’t even need the vinegar barbecue sauce, although I doused mine anyway. The old fashioned cornbread is a total throwback. It’s not my favorite style of cornbread but my family loves it and you don’t see it much anymore.

We love off the beaten path eatin places. Being from southeastern North Carolina we always appreciate good barbecue. This place exceeded our expectations. While it might be in a 1950ish gas station it was clean and the people are extremely friendly. If you make the trip, bring cash and I recommend the cornbread bbq sandwich. We will go back anytime we are in the area.

I had high hopes. BBQ was decent, Brunswick stew was good, cornbread and slaw were below average.

I have eaten at this iconic, beyond retro, barbecue joint a number of times over the years — usually as a slight detour on the way to the OBX. I always enjoyed the pig here, but it had been almost 8 years since my last visit, so I didn’t feel comfortable reviewing it. Now I do. This place still serves very, very good Eastern NC style barbecue, not the «World’s Best» as stated on the front of their building, but very, very good (easily in my Top 15, maybe even Top 10), and it is very reasonably priced.
They cook just pork shoulders here so the meat is leaner and cleaner than some you find in Eastern NC. It is moderately chopped, tender & moist, and is rather mild as it comes out of the kitchen, but with a definite vinegar snap to it — a good dose of the house sauce (which has some heat) and a little salt, rounds this pig out for me.
The Cornbread Sandwich ($ 3.50 for BBQ between 2 pieces of cornbread) is the unique item here, but much like the famous Pork Chop Sandwich at Snappy Lunch, once is about enough. The cornbread is thin and rather chewy, much like that at Skylight Inn, and overpowers the taste of some pretty good barbecue — the cornbread just isn’t that good, imo.
The Barbecue Plate ($ 6 for Regular, only $ 6.75 for Large) comes with slaw and a piece of cornbread. The slaw is a little different from that served at most Eastern NC BBQ — the cabbage is shredded, not chopped, has a little carrot and some celery seeds, very little mayo, and is on the sweet side — if you get a sandwich (goes for $ 2.75), I’d leave the slaw off.
The Hot Dog here is outstanding and is only $ 1.25 — I’d stop here just for the dog. The BBQ by the pound is $ 6.25 cold, $ 7 if you want it hot. Like I said, great value here. The menu is very compact here — they offer a very good Brunswick Stew ($ 4.50 for a bowl), BBQ Chicken on Tuesday, and absolutely outstanding Chicken & Pastry on Thursday.
This is a small place, with limited seating (maybe 6 or 8 small tables), most here seem to order takeout. The folks are very personable and friendly — one of the owners was kind enough to take a picture of my wife and me out in front of the place. You need to try the food here, and bring cash — no CC accepted here.

This East Carolina BBQ shrine has been in business for many years and 40 under the same family’s ownership. It is a simple place in an old service station in a tiny town, but if you want good well smoked lean BBQ this is your place. They make their own sauce and sell it separate or put it on your order. Also please remember they close at 5:00