Noble Smoke — Restaurant in Charlotte

My wife and I came to Noble with high expectations, having looked up bbq spots on yelp & online for our first visit to Charlotte. Parking was very accessible, but there is additional space in the back (with a closer entrance) coming off freedom drive. Once we arrived (1:45 on a Friday afternoon), we were quickly seated and served drinks. My wife got a Mint-To-Be and was happily satisfied with her cocktail. Our server was attentive and prompt, doing a great job throughout the visit. However, where the 2star rating comes from was the dishes. My wife ordered chicken wings, broccoli salad, and fries, which she was all happy with (although in my opinion, the fries were well seasoned by soggy). I was very excited for the 1/4 lb of brisket & pulled pork I ordered, as well as the mac&cheese + pickled beets sides. But after the food came out, I was sadly disappointed... the highlights of the trip, the brisket & pulled pork, were very subpar... especially for a venue specializing in barbecue. My brisket was dry and parts of it even cold. I tried dousing it with bbq sauce, but the underlying dryness was still there. The brisket was also NOT tender. It was hard and tough, to the point where I needed a knife to cut it, rather than it falling apart with the touch of my fork (perhaps I've been spoiled with good bbq). But what sealed the deal was the fact that my jaw was straining to chew the tough brisket. No good brisket should be so tough that you can feel your jaw muscles exercising with every bite. I would have given the food a 1star because my 2 meat dishes were so unsatisfactory, but tbh the side dishes were standard and good (and the wife enjoyed her meal). On another note, the dish with my mac&cheese should probably be tossed. You can see the metal showing through the glaze, leaving me to wonder if the food is okay. Again, our server was great, but the final kicker was the fact that the greeters didn't wish us a good day or thank us for visiting their establishment. While a small detail, coupled with one of the worst bbq meat experiences I've had in the US, and the fact that the Walmart greeters

My daughter and I found Noble Smoke as we were driving down Freedom Road (or Blvd. or whatever...). It looked interesting, so we decided to try it, and we are glad that we did. We enjoyed the industrial motif, and thought the restaurant was nicely appointed. Our server, Armani, was friendly and attentive, and provided excellent service.

The food we ordered was served a-la-carte, so we each ordered a salad, my daughter ordered a brisket sandwich, I ordered a 1/4 lb. of smoked turkey and a 1/2 lb. of smoked wings, and we shared a side of brussels sprouts.

The food came out fairly quickly, and because we were pretty hungry, we didn't waste any time tasting it. We found everything to be very good to excellent.

The brussels sprouts were amazing, and just the way we both like them, slightly crispy on the outside, but tender and soft inside.

The smoked wings probably had about eight pieces, and were excellent with a lot of flavor packed in them. I ended up eating most of them without any sauce because they didn't need it.

The smoked turkey was very good, but compared to the wings and brussels sprouts, it wasn't the star of the show.

My daughter's brisket sandwich was warm and cooked to her liking, with no noticeable gristle. She really enjoyed it.

The salads were very good, too. My daughter had the Caesar salad and I got the other (garden?) salad. I can't remember what they called it on the menu. Both salads were quite good, but there isn't a lot I can say about them.

The one thing I found slightly disappointing was that the barbecue sauces they had were thinner than I prefer them. My favorite sauce was called "19," and was very tasty, but I would have liked it even more if it were thicker. One of the other sauces was quite runny, and didn't stick to anything I put it on. They all had great flavor, though.

Our meal was satisfying for both of us, and came to $50 before tax and tip. I felt it was reasonably priced for what we received. If I find myself back in Charlotte again, and need somewhere to get a great meal, I will happily return here.

To me, this is the kind of place that I would happily go for a special occasion or for a casual slightly upscale dining experience. There are less expensive barbecue restaurants out there, but I don't think they offer the same level of service, quality, or ambiance that Noble...

First time to Noble Smoke. I confess I never liked #Brisket until I had it at Jon Gs bbq. I was told this place was just as good so I had to check it out. The place is perfect for a bbq joint. Good beer list, ample bourbon. Loved the vibe. It's hoppin! Service was good. Manager was great. As to meat and sides... @jongsbbq wins on the meats, #Brisket and #SmokedTurkey. @noble_smoke wins on the sides. We had #SmokedBrisket, #SmokedTurkey, SmokedWings, CollardGreens, #FieldPeas, #HushPuppies, #PickledVeggies, #BroccoliSalad, #StewedSummerSquash and #BreadPudding.

The Collards, Broccoli salad, pickled veggies and bread pudding were standouts. Included in the pickled veggies were red onions, golden beets and dill cucumber slices. The beets were to die for. The onions were best ever. The pickles were meh. The meats were good but not as good. Both were a bit dry and lacking in flavor. The three bbq sauces on the table were ojay. A vinegar based one, a smoky one and a standard red one which fit my palate best. The ranch for the wings was tiny, not enough.

#JonGs brisket is juicier, has a thicker smoke ring and the rub is more flavorful. #JonGs turkey is juicer, like butter and more delicious. The Broccoli Salad had walnuts, golden raisins, broccoli, mayo and pickled onions. The Bread Pudding had a lemon glaze, served warm and completely disappeared. 😋 The hushpuppies were less than desirable. Fried too long to a dark brown, a bit greasy and lacking flavor. The wings were smoked and seasoned a bit peppery. I wouldn't order either of these again.

I like that they paid homage to the legends of smoked meats w plaques with special seats as well as a hand washing station. Great for sloppy beards too. 😜

The bill was $92 ($112 w tip) for two people with no alcoholic drinks. The brisket (and other items) is really high priced but they have a huge overhead in the heart of Charlotte.

I look forward to trying the corn, ribs and brussels sprouts on...