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Bullock's Bar B Cue
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- None
20 reviews for Bullock's Bar B Cue
When I had visitors that wanted a "true taste of North Carolina," I always brought them to Bullock's. They have some of the best North Carolina barbecue in Durham.
They greet you with a hot basket of hush puppies. They were my first introduction to hush puppies 4 years ago, and they still have the best. The service is friendly and the food comes out quickly. Delicious mac and cheese and make sure to save room for banana pudding.
They're also great for catering events.
After reading some of the reviews here I expected more, but didn't really get anything very amazing. I got the chopped pork and ribs combo plate.
A plate of hush puppies showed up at the start and they were ok. I prefer mine to be a bit bigger than the ones that appeared. The food showed up promptly and I doused it liberally with sauce like I usually do. Unfortunately, I didn't get much flavor out of the sauce itself. I tried a portion of the pork the sauce hadn't touched yet and it wasn't amazing by itself either.
Overall an ok BBQ experience, but I've had better. Lexington BBQ is still the gold standard in my opinion.
I've been to Bullocks a few times, and my most recent venture was finally enough for me to decide that Bullocks is just alright BBQ. We had two barbecue plates (hush puppies, slaw, and 'cue), a half bbq chicken, and ribs. As for sides, green beans and macaroni (not together, ew). The green beans were inedible and tasted something like cafeteria lunch from elementary school (i.e. pre-frozen and then defrosted...they're grey-ish in color). The mac and cheese was eh. The ribs were way too saucy. The bbq was fine, the hush puppies were alright, but small.
It is true: I am not native to North Carolina (though I live here) and I'm not a huge huge fan of pork barbecue. However, there are other places in the area that I'd recommend over Bullocks for good (if not authentic?) bbq.
Family style is the way to experience Bullocks - all you can eat BBQ, Brunswick stew, Cole slaw, fried chicken, hush puppies, fries and green beans. It's all good!
My first experience with barbecue in North Carolina. The 4 of us got the family dinner, which comes with hush puppies, fries, cole slaw, some kind of souther stew, fried chicken and barbecue (shredded pork). You get your pick of ribs, we got 2 orders each of pork and baby back ribs. And did I mention...its all you can eat!
Everything was great, but our favorites were the fried chicken, hush puppies and the baby back ribs. The ribs were delicious, with the right balance of smokiness and sauce.
Everyeone was so friendly, from the waitress to the servers to the guy sitting alone in the booth behind us. Maybe its just the Southern Hospitality or that we're used to big city type service, but either way I'll take it.
Prices were reasonable, we spent $22 each including tax, tip and a drink.
Bullock's was my introduction to "sweet tea," and I got to admit that I was very skeptical to the whole sweet tea concept. I hate typical iced tea, and why would I want tea with barbecue? However, now I am regretting all the past barbecue meals I had without sweet tea; what an amazing combination.
I went to Bullock's with a group of eight, and the service was fast and friendly. Within minutes, our table was covered with dishes of fried chicken, barbecue (shredded pork), stew, hush puppies, fries, and coleslaw. The standout dishes for me were the fried chicken, barbecue, stew, and hush puppies. I could just sit there, read a book, and devour the fried chicken there all day. The chicken was perfectly crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside, just what I was looking for in my Southern fried chicken experience. The barbecue is also really good; make sure to add some of the flavorful barbecue sauce, and the stew provides a perfect compliment to the meal. The hush puppies were also very solid and make a nice snack before the meal or with the meal. I particularly liked the combo of the hush puppies dipped in the sweet honey butter.
Bullock's offers some great Southern food, and now I got to just figure out how I can ship some of that sweet tea back in bulk.
A return trip to Bullocks is like going home....whether you've eaten there last week or not in 10 years...it's always predictable, always great, and always friendly. My wife & I used to schedule drives thru NC around their open hours, and when we moved here last summer, Bullocks was the first stop. Highlites (for us): fried chicken (to die for), chopped BBQ and cole slaw, fried fish, any of the southern style vegetables, and (believe it or not) the hot dogs with chili, onions & slaw. The iced tea and hush puppies tend to make all problems of the day disappear. Health food it's not; but, it sure sits well for the soul!
For my wife, visiting this place when we come to Durham is like going to church on Easter. The hush puppies are served like chips at a Mexican restaurant, all you can eat, but waaaay better than chips and salsa. Eat 'em with the honey butter, and you hardly need to order dinner.
I had the chopped barbecue (pork) with green beans, yams, and fried okra. The green beans were Southernly delicious, but the okra was a bit dry for my taste. I really enjoyed the barbecue. I also ordered a plate of popcorn shrimp to share with my toddler (though I ate most of it), tasty as well.
Sit down for a bottomless glass of sweet tea, eat all the hush puppies you can, and have your LifeAlert go off as you slip into a diabetic coma.
Every time I sit down, I force myself to open the menu, thinking to myself: "Ok, you're not going to get the family style tonight."
I still haven't gotten out of the habit.
These guys are awesome for: Fried Chicken, and hush puppies (don't forget the sweet cream).
Mediocre for the remainder of their fare.
I know this place is popular, and they cater to a plethora of events. Pictures inside the wall show that celebrities love this place. But that's no reason to convince you otherwise.
If you like to indulge yourself once in awhile to a mass array of southern fare, it's not a bad choice. Be ready to starve for the rest of the week, however.
Oh yeah, no booze, and cash only. And get it before arriving at the place. Their atm machine serves a better function as a ridiculous paperweight (I've never seen it operational).
Good.
LORD.
Amazing heart attack specials await. A treasure trove of mac & cheese, pork and other glorious flavors are here for your enjoyment.
The hush puppies are OUT OF THIS WORLD - FIVE STARS FOR THEM.
I really love Bullock's, but there are so many easily-remedied logistic issues that make catching a meal here kind of difficult. First of all, they're not open on Mondays and they close way too early on all the other nights. Also, they don't take cash. Yes, there is an ATM nearby, but how can a restaurant this popular not take credit cards?
Because of the food, of course. I do think the BBQ here is slightly lacking, but the overcooked texture is more to blame than the taste. However, it's not bad by any stretch, and it still beats most of the other BBQ places in the area. That said, I LOVE the coleslaw and the hushpuppies are deep-fried perfection.
Service has been perfect every time I've dined in, but I normally use the to-go window at the entrance to place my order. It usually doesn't take more than 10 minutes, and as others have said, there are plenty of pictures to look at while you wait.
I went to Bullock's often as an undergrad, and when I wasn't actually here, I was eating their food at catered meetings/events on campus, so this place is dear to my heart.
Whenever we've been, we've never even looked at the menu - we just get the family-style meal: unlimited vinegar-y barbecue, fried chicken, brunswick stew, hushpuppies...you get the picture. It's best to go with at least 4 people, to really get the full effect. This is a real authentic barbecue joint. Nothing fancy, no nouveau-BBQ-cuisine, just delicious, fattening, traditional Southern goodness.
On the walls are signed pictures of celebrities - they've all stuffed themselves here, and so should you. Get there early, though - they close at 7.
Hmmph.. I see from the previous reviews that I'm plainly not the first from the Bay Area to eat at Bullock's... I see from the autographed celebrity photos on the wall that Roger Craig, former SF Giants manager, beat me here by a decade or so.. and all the Yelping about this place so far is from Californians!..
Anyway Susan-Carol, one of my Carolina born-and-bred RTP workmate/colleagues says that hush-puppies, those deep-fried cornmeal dumplings that they feed you for free here, got their name cuz on hunting trips these things got fried up and fed to the hounds to assuage their hunger and keep them quiet in the middle of the night, usually with the admonition, "Hush puppy.."
I'm out here for a week and if I don't moderate my southern cuisine sampling.. my arteries are gonna close up..
As for the joint itself, what everyone else says!
OK, if you aren't local, then this is the place to immerse yourself in local cuisine. There is nothing like all you can eat Carolina Barbecue, and if you haven't had it, then it's something you ought to try.
When I first moved here, people would ask "do you want some barbecue", and I would say "Barbecued what?", and they would shake their heads. In this neck-o-woods, it only means one thing:
Carolina BBQ is pulled pork in a very vinegary sauce. Thinking about it makes my mouth water. Bullock's will win no awards for fancy dining, but that's its charm. You'll get great quantities of authentic Carolina fare, for a good price. And you'll get a lot more than just that to try. Hush Puppies (I describe these as small bite-sized morsels that are like corn dogs without the dog) are memorable, for example.
Best to go in a group, anyone in the area should check it out.
I will start by saying I've had good and bad dishes here, and I've been here enough to have credibility with this review. Overall I am satisfied with Bullock's. In my opinion, the fundamental reason as to why you would eat here is because of their side dishes. Most entrees comes with three side dishes (served in tiny bowls) but the beauty is you have about 15 options to choose from. Surely, any person who eats here could find some pleasing combination. Their mac and cheese, steamed corn, mashed potatos, and green beans are some of my favorites. Even more appealing is that you can get free unlimited hushpuppies to enjoy before your dinner and also during it.
As for the actual main dishes themselves, they never struck me as being superb but also never fell short of my expectations. The environment here could be improved upon, as it is very reminiscent of that of a fast food establishment. Other than that, about the only other thing I dislike about this place is that you can only pay in cash, not credit. Kind of a hassle sometimes, but prices are pretty cheap so it should not be an issue unless you are rolling really thin and/or without dollar bills.
Wanted to LOVE this place after reading the reviews and chatting with people in line, but they were out of bbq pulled pork and bbq sliced pork at 6pm on a tuesday (not 9 o'clock on a saturday)!!! The excuse was that the guy on the weekend forgot to pull/slice the pork for the week! Okaaaaaaaaaaaay...
Was in town for one night for a UW Badger basketball game against the Dukies (Bucky got trounced but still was a fun trip) and Yelped! restaurants in the area and it lead me to Bullocks (not to mention it was .8 miles from our hotel).
Had to wait for around 10 mins to get seated but the people in line were very friendly and it was a pleasure to chat with the Duke fans (Brianna W and I were wearing Badger red). The decor in the entryway is nothing but autographed pictures of famous people, so I guess its safe to say the word about this place has gotten around.
Pretty darn big menu (if they only had everything to serve!) with interesting choices. I (as well as Brianna W) ended up getting the chopped pork, plus our choice of 3 "vegatables" (vegatables include mac and cheese, rice and gravy, and actual veggies amongst other things). We ended up getting the mac and chi, rice and gravy, the cole slaw (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!), and something else I cant remember.
Not too pricey either, it was about $20 for 2.
The bbq sauce is of the vinagar variety (as mention in other reviews). I hadnt experienced this type of bbq experience and though it was worth trying. I prefer the smokey, dark, thick, sweet-baby-rays style bbq, but this was interesting.
This is a down-home country type place to eat, so get out your leather vest (confederate flag pin optional, yes there was a guy in line with one on, even though it was about 1cm by 1cm small) and head in.
Free all you can eat hush-puppies (served here) are what I imagine to be served while waiting in line for the pearly gates. Yummy.
I was in the Raleigh/Durham area for business for the first time and I was told that I had to try "real" Carolina BBQ. I asked the front desk for a recommendation and they handed me directions to Bullock's. I said, "This place is twenty miles away - isn't there anything closer?" The desk clerk smiled sweetly and said, "There is ... but you said you wanted GOOD barbecue - this is it!" How can you pass up a recommendation like that?
Bullock's is one of those local institutions that prides themselves on all the celebrities that have visited and left signed pictures. I'm still trying to decide if the fact that Connie Chung recommended them was a plus or a minus.
They have an extensive menu but since I was there with a big group, the waitress said our best bet was the all-you-can-eat deal. That included hush puppies, barbecue (which in N. Carolina means pork - don't look like a newbie and ask "Barbecued what?"), fried chicken, green beans, Brunswick stew (hard to describe but wonderful), cole slaw and fries ... all for $10 a head! There were variations on the lineup that could be had for additional charge but we wanted to expose everyone to a traditional Carolina spread. The food was great and we were all stuffed but we couldn't leave yet ...
What Southern meal would be complete without dessert? On my first visit, they were out of banana pudding ... two hours after they opened. I had to settle for the blackberry cobbler with ice cream - though that's like saying you settled for fillet mignon because they were out of lobster. When I finally did get my banana pudding, it was GOOOOD. How good? So good it made two grown men dance in their seats like four-year-olds as they ate it ... pretty darn good. It's been a while since I've had a dessert so good that I HAD to run my finger around the bowl to get every last bit ...
Two words of caution - they're closed on Mondays (as I found out the hard way once) and they don't take American Express. Well, they don't take Visa or Master Card either - they're strictly cash only (but they have an ATM onsite if you need).
I have been only once but had a horrible experience. Some [outsiders] praised it as one of the best BBQ places in the state (and therefore country), and it is always packed with cars every day but Monday when they are closed.
I just don't see what all the hoop-lah is about. My experience was worse than mediocre...I did not come close to finishing my meal. First of all, the chopped Q was just OK. It was a few slices of meat with no special flavor or anything; I tried smothering it in sauces from the table but still could not satisfy my taste buds. Worst of all was the mac n cheese. If you are going to be a good BBQ place, you need to have at least acceptable mac. I am afraid to say that Bullock's had soggy noodles with the nacho cheese sauce from your high school football stadium concession stand dumped over it in a little plastic cup. Pathetic does not even describe it.
I am all for second chances, but I will NOT pay another $9 for nacho cheese sauce covered soggy noodles...especially when Hog Heaven is right down the road.
Some of my friends still haven't made the jump to Yelp. But one of them was brave enough to submit their review of this Durham establishment. :)
His review starts things off followed by my own:
His review:
1.5 Star. As you enter Bullocks, you see picture frames of celebrities of old that have frequented this barbeque diner-style restaurant. The service was excellent, with the waitress filling my glass before I realized it was three-quarters full.
However, the quality of the BBQ is what the reputation should be based upon, and contrary to the old reputation, the food was disturbing. The pulled pork looked more like a mush, frightening my taste buds from the start. Even with adding a significant amount of sauce, I was very close to heaving. Bland fried chicken, McDonald's type fries, and minced cole slaw rounded the below average meal. The saltine flavored green beans were nice.
The wet-style bbq pork ribs were excessively adherent to the bone, with far too many side ribs included in the selection, and relatively average sauce.
Very disappointed in this culinary experience, which turned out more like an episode of Fear Factor. Would definitely recommend Q shack, a Durham mainstay, as their ribs are excellent!
...
My review:
2.50 stars. They say that it's the best BBQ in the Triangle. But the moniker speaks volumes.
Bullock's, so aptly named, is a BBQ spot in Durham, NC that offers pedestrian BBQ and sides to a rather established clientele base. We ordered three family style plates. Family style includes BBQ pulled pork (a concoction that almost induced vomit in our newly carnivorous friend -- having said that, I thought it was pretty good when doused in their vinegar sauce), Brunswick stew (a low-end Minestrone soup resembling disaster), pork ribs (a bit too tough and unfortunately replete with tasteless side ribs), cole slaw (a bland glop of crushed up veggies), green beans (flavorless -- if you like without bacon and butter, you will like these), cabbage (absolutely no seasoning whatsoever), and fried chicken (decent - nice and crispy, but lacking juiciness and spice). Given the overwhelmingly positive reviews of this place, I'm thinking that part of the problem might have been: 1) we were not regulars and 2) we ordered family style. The latter might explain the disproportionate number of side ribs that were delivered to our table. It should be stressed the other ribs, while a bit tough, were still fine for the price. Also, the service at Bullock's is impeccable. I was quite impressed with our waitress's expert ability to not only make sure that our plates and drinks were consistently full, but also to manage this feat without being obtrusive.
I have not been quick to embrace the North Carolina style of BBQ, so I would like to add that extra grain of salt to my experience. Having said that, I really expected quite a bit more from a place with such an established reputation.
Another quintessential NC BBQ joint. Their hush puppies, fried okra, and spicy vinegar sauce earn four stars from me right there, but their chopped pork, while very good, could be a little smokier at times. But still, how can you not give them the full five piggies? God knows what half the items on the menu taste like, this is chopped pork heaven.
