White Swan BBQ — Restaurant in Smithfield

$7. Let me repeat. $7. Thats how much ½ pint of macaroni is, and it was terrible. Either the owners think their food is sprinkled with gold flakes, or the customers have zero taste, or y'all just haven't ever had good food. And who warms their slaw? That mess was nasty...the worst slaw ever! Once I tasted the slaw, I turned down the BBQ because I already had my conclusion about the place. My son just had a dental procedure and could only eat soft food. The only thing they had was mac. We decided to eat elsewhere for ourselves so I could quickly get that horrible taste out my mouth. Look, you choose what you want, but I'm from the south. They failed at mac. They failed at slaw. If I had eaten the BBQ and they failed at that....well, I may have thrown my food on the floor, spit on the wall, and cursed the whole place. But to end on a good note. The waitress was excellent....but not good enough to compensate the blandness to get me to buy more food. So here's my two cents....fix your food, not...

So they deleted my original review. What an absolutely disgusting place. My husband and I always stop at the breakfast place on our way heading north but we were returning south and decided to give it a try. So the big grill put back that they were cooking chicken on had birds all around diving in to pick at the chicken. We ordered hush puppies that were so grease filled, Mac and cheese that was bland and 2 chicken sandwiches and they still had the bone in! WHY!!?? It was awful, at least if the chicken was flavorful but why bother we had to salt everything. Which I never use salt. The staff were so unwelcoming and just rude. The bathroom omgosh there are 2 stalls and no door, so when you open the main store customers can see you! If I could give this place a negative rating I would. If anyone rates this place more than a 1 star get out of your local town and experience actual food. I love southern good home cooking not this! So disappointed, terrible...

This review is built up over about 20 years of stopping at White Swan (at least annually).

My wife and I travel south from Virginia to the beaches in Southern NC every summer to see family, and White Swan is our regular lunch stop-off on the way down and the way home over the past several years. One time we were in there with an NC state senator, who was being interviewed by a Russian film crew regarding the differences between Western NC bbq and Eastern NC bbq. They chose the White Swan as the place to spotlight the Eastern style!

Great location just off of I-95. They've got great eastern NC style barbecue and I've never been disappointed in the sides, either. I usually go for the string beans and Brunswick stew, but slaw is great and my kids usually share fried chicken with no complaints. Great hushpuppies brought out as soon as you sit down, as well!

Friendly people cooking and serving, always quick with the food and make you feel...