Great little find in Russellville. We ordered a whole chicken and some white beans. That chicken left a nice smokey smell on my hands all day đ And this white beans were so good.
Had to flag a server down to get drink refills, and they were not busy... But other than that, food was legit!
They do have specials and other diner style food outside of the bbq options too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Daniel Hall
This place changed how I view barbecue. I have lived all over the Southeastern United States, and they have the best swine that I've ever put in my mouth. I was never a particularly big fan of the genre, until I went to Roy's. I'm not sure if they have Gnomes and Wizards cooking in the back, but whoever it is knows EXACTLY what they are doing, and where the magic is.
I would highly recommend this place over any other option around. You might have to drive all the way to North Carolina to find a better joint. If you haven't been here, I feel sorry for you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
darknature79
Only reason I'm giving 3 stars is because I'm a big fan of sauce.The sauce on the pulled pork to me wasn't that great but a dab of sweet baby rays made the sandwich a 4 star,same with the rib..quality of meat is good even tho it has a heavier grill taste to it,not really a smoke flavor but just a populated grate taste. The apple pies are a 10 outta 5,I'd make the long drive just for the apple pie because it's amazing and just tastes home made. We all have our opinions and mine is just that this place could be 5 stars with a few small tweaks. If the sauce was slightly better I'd give 4 stars easily and if the meat had more of a smoke flavor instead of over heated patina on the grill grates it would easily be 5 stars. I love sauces like open pit and sweet baby rays so I love vinegar based and molasses based sauces but this sauce is more like a thicker hot sauce that's not as hot as bottled hot sauce if that makes sense. If they had choices of different flavors of sauce it would easily be 5 stars also. I didn't get the pie for 3 hours after it left the restaurant and it was still amazing even cold. I'd add picks but I ate everything already lol. I got full on al the meat so I didn't try the sides but the person that brought the meal said they sides are good
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Dan sharp
totally disgusting.what i visioned as a nice fried chicken breast sandwich was a pre cooked, square piece of meat.so tough i had to take it off the bun to cut into small pieces just to eat.by then the ideal of a sandwich was wasted.then to top it off , an older lady who you could tell was burned out from her job came and cleaned surrounding tables using same cloth to slong every bit of food from 3 tables against the walls and into the floor..very disgusting
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Michael Reesor
No menu to look at when I approached the counter, cashier rattled off the sides really fast, but couldn't understand her. Finally we settled on a family pack. Order came up really fast, but when I got to the car I noticed that all the sides were wrong according to the ticket on the bag. I went back in to have it corrected, after being inconvenienced, and the cashier kept waiting on all the people in line. Meanwhile, there was a girl sitting in the way behind the counter eating and everyone that was actually working had to maneuver around her. No one else offered to get my order corrected so I left with what I had. I always made it a point to stop in and get some BBQ when I was in the area. I'm not sure I'll go back if the service doesn't get better.
Service: 1
Michelle Lopez
We have came here multiple times. Today they were very rude. The atmosphere even felt unkind. Not sure we will be returning.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 1
Carol Watts
Had to place a large pick-up order. The staff were so helpful when placing the order. When we came to pick it up, everything was ready and they carted everything out to our truck and helped load it. I couldnât be more pleased with the amount of food and the value, and of course everything was delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Full Point of View
Ordered and paid for 2 loaded fries a bbq sandwich with onion straws and potato salad as a side. Never mind the fact the lady at the counter didnât know what kind of potato salad they served. After I paid for the order another lady came from the back and told the 1st lady they donât do the onion straws as a side. I had the just refund the sandwich meal. I then pointed out where in the menu it shows the onion straws as a premium side to the 1st lady and she just said, âI dont make the menuâ. Well tell it to the other who told you they donât sell it as a side thenâŠright? Listen I understand having to change things, but not update the menu and then trying to get me pay for the onion fries which charges more makes it look like a scam and I donât like to be scammed no matter for real or implied. It shouldnât look that way. The anger of it allâŠit could have all been avoided simply by updating the menu. If you donât want to pay the money to do that, honor what is in it, until you do.
Service: 1
Sara Laughin
It's all good! Fabulous beef BBQ and awesome ribs!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Caroline Deaver
Absolutely delicious and the service was great! I love the memorabilia of all the veterans for the area, it was really sweet.
If you think about everything you love about BBQ and want it all at one restaurant, that is Royâs BBQ in Russellville, KY. As you get out of your car, you are welcomed with the most delicious smell that you know without a doubt that this place is going to live up to its reputation. Walking through the front door, this family-owned business has figured out what large chains have missed: it is about making sure every customer has a wonderful meal. Their branding is not a cute logo on a bag, it is the perfectly smoked BBQ, hot, crispy fried fish, hushpuppies and daily special. Every table is full, customers are all talking, eating, smiling, staff are visiting from table to table as they deliver food, refill glasses, and clear off tables. We met a third-generation family member, Chef Lee, as he left his kitchen duties to walk around the restaurant and greet customers. The walls are adorned with pictures of local Little League Baseball, high school football, and area veterans. Although I was full, I couldnât resist a fried pie, another very popular item here, it was the perfect blend of fruit and crispy shell that I didnât want to share with anyone. We eat here anytime we are in the area and it never disappoints. If there was a "BBQ Trail" through KY and TN this would be the beginning and end of the trail, no one would want to go anywhere else.
OneHandWonder
This place is a quaint little Mom & Pop type restaurant. The menu includes just about any home cooking dish you would want with a huge list of side dishes to choose from. The bowl of white beans with cornbread was my favorite thing I got. The sweet tea is so good. We will definitely be back again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
l3ig Debo
Good food and great service. You can tell them scratch make the sides. BBQ had good smoke flavor but a little tough. Plan to try again and update afterwards.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Connie Taylor
My husband and I ate there for the first and last time today. The food was tasteless and lukewarm. The BBQ and ribs appeared to be straight out of a microwave with the BBQ having an awkward taste. The fried pies on the counter at checkout were dried up and some were seriously overcooked and small. I would definitely not recommend this place to anyone for the bland and mediocre food they serve! Save your hard earned money!
Bob Statton
Yes great pulled pork BBQ, but even more, a full service restaurant. Friendly staff, great food with daily specials. Recommend whole heartedly. Roy's has come a long, long way since it's opening 40 some odd years ago.
Great little find in Russellville. We ordered a whole chicken and some white beans. That chicken left a nice smokey smell on my hands all day đ
And this white beans were so good.
Had to flag a server down to get drink refills, and they were not busy... But other than that, food was legit!
They do have specials and other diner style food outside of the bbq options too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
This place changed how I view barbecue. I have lived all over the Southeastern United States, and they have the best swine that I've ever put in my mouth. I was never a particularly big fan of the genre, until I went to Roy's. I'm not sure if they have Gnomes and Wizards cooking in the back, but whoever it is knows EXACTLY what they are doing, and where the magic is.
I would highly recommend this place over any other option around. You might have to drive all the way to North Carolina to find a better joint. If you haven't been here, I feel sorry for you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Only reason I'm giving 3 stars is because I'm a big fan of sauce.The sauce on the pulled pork to me wasn't that great but a dab of sweet baby rays made the sandwich a 4 star,same with the rib..quality of meat is good even tho it has a heavier grill taste to it,not really a smoke flavor but just a populated grate taste.
The apple pies are a 10 outta 5,I'd make the long drive just for the apple pie because it's amazing and just tastes home made.
We all have our opinions and mine is just that this place could be 5 stars with a few small tweaks.
If the sauce was slightly better I'd give 4 stars easily and if the meat had more of a smoke flavor instead of over heated patina on the grill grates it would easily be 5 stars.
I love sauces like open pit and sweet baby rays so I love vinegar based and molasses based sauces but this sauce is more like a thicker hot sauce that's not as hot as bottled hot sauce if that makes sense.
If they had choices of different flavors of sauce it would easily be 5 stars also.
I didn't get the pie for 3 hours after it left the restaurant and it was still amazing even cold.
I'd add picks but I ate everything already lol.
I got full on al the meat so I didn't try the sides but the person that brought the meal said they sides are good
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
totally disgusting.what i visioned as a nice fried chicken breast sandwich was a pre cooked, square piece of meat.so tough i had to take it off the bun to cut into small pieces just to eat.by then the ideal of a sandwich was wasted.then to top it off , an older lady who you could tell was burned out from her job came and cleaned surrounding tables using same cloth to slong every bit of food from 3 tables against the walls and into the floor..very disgusting
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
No menu to look at when I approached the counter, cashier rattled off the sides really fast, but couldn't understand her. Finally we settled on a family pack. Order came up really fast, but when I got to the car I noticed that all the sides were wrong according to the ticket on the bag. I went back in to have it corrected, after being inconvenienced, and the cashier kept waiting on all the people in line. Meanwhile, there was a girl sitting in the way behind the counter eating and everyone that was actually working had to maneuver around her. No one else offered to get my order corrected so I left with what I had. I always made it a point to stop in and get some BBQ when I was in the area. I'm not sure I'll go back if the service doesn't get better.
Service: 1
We have came here multiple times. Today they were very rude. The atmosphere even felt unkind. Not sure we will be returning.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 1
Had to place a large pick-up order. The staff were so helpful when placing the order. When we came to pick it up, everything was ready and they carted everything out to our truck and helped load it. I couldnât be more pleased with the amount of food and the value, and of course everything was delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ordered and paid for 2 loaded fries a bbq sandwich with onion straws and potato salad as a side. Never mind the fact the lady at the counter didnât know what kind of potato salad they served. After I paid for the order another lady came from the back and told the 1st lady they donât do the onion straws as a side. I had the just refund the sandwich meal.
I then pointed out where in the menu it shows the onion straws as a premium side to the 1st lady and she just said, âI dont make the menuâ. Well tell it to the other who told you they donât sell it as a side thenâŠright?
Listen I understand having to change things, but not update the menu and then trying to get me pay for the onion fries which charges more makes it look like a scam and I donât like to be scammed no matter for real or implied. It shouldnât look that way.
The anger of it allâŠit could have all been avoided simply by updating the menu. If you donât want to pay the money to do that, honor what is in it, until you do.
Service: 1
It's all good! Fabulous beef BBQ and awesome ribs!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Absolutely delicious and the service was great! I love the memorabilia of all the veterans for the area, it was really sweet.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
If you think about everything you love about BBQ and want it all at one restaurant, that is Royâs BBQ in Russellville, KY. As you get out of your car, you are welcomed with the most delicious smell that you know without a doubt that this place is going to live up to its reputation. Walking through the front door, this family-owned business has figured out what large chains have missed: it is about making sure every customer has a wonderful meal. Their branding is not a cute logo on a bag, it is the perfectly smoked BBQ, hot, crispy fried fish, hushpuppies and daily special. Every table is full, customers are all talking, eating, smiling, staff are visiting from table to table as they deliver food, refill glasses, and clear off tables. We met a third-generation family member, Chef Lee, as he left his kitchen duties to walk around the restaurant and greet customers. The walls are adorned with pictures of local Little League Baseball, high school football, and area veterans. Although I was full, I couldnât resist a fried pie, another very popular item here, it was the perfect blend of fruit and crispy shell that I didnât want to share with anyone. We eat here anytime we are in the area and it never disappoints. If there was a "BBQ Trail" through KY and TN this would be the beginning and end of the trail, no one would want to go anywhere else.
This place is a quaint little Mom & Pop type restaurant. The menu includes just about any home cooking dish you would want with a huge list of side dishes to choose from. The bowl of white beans with cornbread was my favorite thing I got. The sweet tea is so good. We will definitely be back again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Good food and great service. You can tell them scratch make the sides. BBQ had good smoke flavor but a little tough. Plan to try again and update afterwards.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
My husband and I ate there for the first and last time today. The food was tasteless and lukewarm. The BBQ and ribs appeared to be straight out of a microwave with the BBQ having an awkward taste. The fried pies on the counter at checkout were dried up and some were seriously overcooked and small. I would definitely not recommend this place to anyone for the bland and mediocre food they serve! Save your hard earned money!
Yes great pulled pork BBQ, but even more, a full service restaurant. Friendly staff, great food with daily specials. Recommend whole heartedly. Roy's has come a long, long way since it's opening 40 some odd years ago.
Recommended dishes: Pulled Pork Sandwich, Catfish, Fried Pies, Potato Salad, Cornbread, Coleslaw, Fried Chicken, White Beans, Fried Okra
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