Easton Barbecue Co. — Restaurant in Hollywood

My son and I made our traditional monthly visit to a NEW barbecue spot and today we headed out to Hollywood, SC for a special treat! From top to bottom, everything we had today at Easton Barbecue was delicious!

Proteins…pulled pork was juicy and sweet with a small vinegar kick. Both the fatty and lean brisket had lots of flavor and the bark you got even hints of pepper and salt. Brisket burnt ends always a bonus! The ribs had smoky flavor with great seasoning and a tad bit of sweetness in each bite. The wings, hot honey mustard and a nice dry rub, each delicious in their own way. No dipping sauce required. My son and I both loved the slight crispy skin on the dry rub wings. That daily special sandwich with the shaved pork belly was SO GOOD!

Sides…I’m good with many different variations of slaw, but this had a nice mustard kick to it. Pork and Beans (pinto) little chunks of tomato, meat, and spices all throughout. Lots of thought went into those flavor combinations for sure. The pasta salad was so good! Corkscrew noodles with little chunks of tomatoes and Parmesan cheese all throughout. More of a mustard vibe on the potato salad, but I respect the huge chunks of red potatoes. I enjoy many different styles of hash and rice but this had a good meaty flavor with a little sweetness, which I appreciate. Backbone and rice, yes please!

The sauces…bold and tangy, certainly lived up to its name. Zing and sting (vinegar) don’t breathe deep 😂. Sweet tooth was really good. Not overly sweet. Alabama white, WOW a different take on this and it’s like no other white sauce I’ve had before. VERY GOOD! Joel’s Gold (mustard) just like the Alabama white, he puts his own spin on it and it’s got a delicious vinegar vibe which I loved. 

Dessert…all of my respect in the world for the banana pudding with real banana slices all throughout. The bread pudding was equally as delicious as was the addition of the smoked candied pecans. After about five seconds of chewing them, that subtle smoke flavor hits.

Our favorite part of this tradition is trying new styles of barbecue. We all have a preference, but never be afraid to step outside the comfort of your own taste buds and try something new. Go out there and...

I visited Easton BBQ at around 12:15 today. I was looking forward to it because I've eaten there before and enjoyed the food, and I always try to support local businesses. There was a line to order when I went in, but that didn't bother me too much. I waited for about 15 minutes to get to the counter. When it was my turn to order, the hostess told me that the kitchen was backed up and she would write my order on a piece of paper, but not ring me up or send it to the kitchen until the cook was caught up. (She did not say this to anyone in front of me.) Mind you, my order was 1lb. of pulled pork to go. It seems like that's something you just have to put into a container. I waited for another 20 minutes and approached the counter. The hostess told me that they would probably put my order in "soon." I'm not looking for sympathy, but I'm a cancer patient and felt like hell. I had surgery a week ago to remove the lymph nodes in my neck. It's pretty darn obvious because I have big slash across my throat that is clearly recent. There were two hostesses wandering around the room asking people if they'd like more water. There was no longer a line. It seems like one person could take the time to put a pound of pulled pork into a container. I will not patronize Easton BBQ again, nor will I...

Man, this place definitely surpassed expectations. There were 6 of us and we ended up trying nearly everything on the menu between us all, including a kids' meal. There wasn't a disappointing bite in the meal. Brisket smashburger was so damn good and I paired that with the collard greens, which were phenomenal. I tried bites of the ribs, pulled pork, pork and beans, hash and rice, brisket quesadilla, potato salad, and the pickled carrots/onions that come with the special. Sweet tea was perfectly sweet. I even topped it off with the bread pudding. As great as the food is, the service is equally as good. Constantly coming around refilling drinks, asking if we need anything, and getting us a to-go box.

Definitely make the stop. You won't be disappointed.

My only complaint is we live in Arizona and I'll only get to visit...