14 Best Barbeque Restaurants near Mills River

“Amazing barbecue! Coming from a champion barbecue family we take our barbecue super serious. It’s so nice to go to a restaurant that outshines what we can do at home.“

“BEST FOOD IN ARDEN NC. Dnt shoot the messenger.“

“We had a lovely visit here last evening while briefly in the area. They are doing alright after the terrible hurricane thankfully!!!!! Over the years this has been our favorite go to spot and yesterday was no different. Food very tasty, plentiful, feel is a positive price point. I personally can be a bit picky about barbecue, I really don’t care for excessive fat in my meat and I find the brisket is perfectly lean!! 2 employees who are new to us as we haven’t been back in two years, Ian and Sheryl were very pleasant, smiles on their faces, communicative, and remained diligent in providing great service. They have had some updates on their menu, not as many side choice selections but the ones we all chose were most appetizing! I do miss the pineapple casserole side and was told its available on the menu in the fall. Spouse also feels their beer selection is great. They were all out of the popular homemade banana and wafer pudding, but just gives us something to look forward to during our next visit as we will absolutely continue to eat here. Positive all around! Tasty, clean, and lovely folks all working inside thank you thank you!“

“Totally enjoyed the food and the atmosphere“

“Best pulled pork around! Love the homemade spicy sauce too!“

“Loved the atmosphere...memorabilia covers the walls, and the wife and I were tripping down memory lane as we saw various artifacts. The woman serving us was a delight and served us a generous portion of quality ice cream...which is all we had. Can't comment about the rest of the menu, but we thoroughly enjoyed every waffle cone dripping and licking moment of the ice cream.“

“We ate here at the Apple festival twice this weekend, they were so good!!! Quite possibly the best tacos in town, 10/10!!“

“Always great - sides are so yum & if you are not a meat eater the smoked portobello sandwich we’ll make a veggie lover out of anyone !“

“Great Service ❤️ Great Food ❤️“

“Have stopped here a few times when we are craving birria and churros. We had the birria quesadillia, birria ramen (OMG YUMMM), and kids got quesadillas. I love the fresh made salad, perfect spice level and full of flavor. We took it to go and enjoyed churros for dessert! Always delicious and the service is friendly and fast. I understand it being in a food truck but wish it were an actual physical restaurant and I'd be there weekly enjoying the food and friendly atmosphere. Highly recommend!“

“Great brisket! Nice folks too“

“You gotta stop at Carolina Ace! His brisket sandwich, collards, Mac N cheese and Cole slaw, all top notch! Do yourself a favor and stop in!“

“awesome food and service!“

“You know how sometimes you go out to eat and it just feels… routine? This wasn’t that. Christopher completely changed the experience. He didn’t just “check on us” — he actually connected with us. The kind of server who remembers you’re there, not just your order. He joked with us, kept things light, and made it feel like we were regulars even though we weren’t. What stood out most was how natural it all felt. Nothing forced, nothing scripted — just genuine, down-to-earth service that you don’t see much anymore. He was attentive without hovering, friendly without being over the top, and just real. The food was great, but honestly, Christopher is the reason we’ll be back. That kind of personality turns a meal into an experience. Give that man some recognition — he’s doing it right.“