Meto Pub — Restaurant in Tega Cay

This is a new location near us and it's nice to have local food by local folks. The inside is well done. Nice decorations and new.

I could do without the big dirty BBQ pit out front spilling out smoke as you walk in. I also don't know who is in thinks is a quality BBQ joint using KINGSFORD wood and charcoal? Really? Are you serious? You are using charcoal from the Wal-Mart instead of using wood? That's not how you do BBQ.

I want to eat BBQ not smell like it. Plus the idea that my lunch is being transported from the parking lot to the kitchen....NO!

The inside is arrange really funny. There is this dedicated BAR area which seems to be the focus inside and then the side where the people who come to eat BBQ sit. At the time the wait staff all seemed to like to hang out there, all while ignoring everyone eating.

What is the focus BBQ or BAR. Pick on and try to do it well and stop doing both. It's the BOTH that gets people into trouble. Do one thing GREAT and do it all the time. Stop trying to be everything. The menu reflect this mess as well.

So the sign says BBQ but the inside says BAR. It's kind of confusing.

The menu is a mess. There is BBQ but then you have all this other stuff and I guess that's the BAR side or the GRILL side of things. BBQ joints should be a half page of perfection in big print. Make BBQ and make it well but stop all the other stuff no one wants and if it comes in a freezer bag in a truck you are doing BBQ wrong! Keep is simple....make BBQ and stop trying to be everything.

I had the LARGE BBQ Sam'ich and my son had the Pork Chop Sam'ich.

So while we were waiting other people came in and were served drinks and then served meals while we waited. There was about a 15 min. wait for the food. My BBQ showed up and the bun was cold. Very cold. Never heated up cold. Been sitting out on the counter cold. The meat was a bit warmer but I am guessing not the right temp at all. Loads of meat but the bun being cold was not good. The server seemed confused when I told her and offered to heat it up? My question was "Do you warm the buns" and she said she didn't know.

The Pork Chop Sam'ich didn't taste like anything at all. It was boring. Tasted like I would have made them at home. I don't go out to eat to eat stuff I can make at home. Make is spectacular or stop making it. Not enough meat on the bun and just boring taste overall.

The 2 sauces are a bit boring too. The Tangy Sauce has way too much going on and the Vinegar based sauce is just a mess of flavors and such. I will commend them on just doing 2 sauces. Most bad BBQ places will have 3 or 4 sauces to try to cover up for them not knowing anything about BBQ. Would have loved a Mustard/Tomatoe Sauce but...meh.

The ice maker/drink station is right in the middle of the seated area and is noisy. It's distracting.

The service was OK but clearly this place is another BBQ joint being run by a few people who entered BBQ contest, won, and then someone told them to open a joint and this is the result.

It's just not working.

They have no idea how to run a restaurant and hope the big smoker thing and a decorated interior is going to make for a good place to eat, when in fact it's not. The price was not bad but $23 for lunch for 2 people and nothing crazy it is a bit much for 2 people. Don't feel like it was anything special.

Overall this was a huge disappointment. I won't be going...

My one and only time to visit to this place. I will never return. The Visit started with entering the store and waiting 10 minutes to have my order taken with only 9 people dining In the restaurant. I saw 4 employees. She finally took my order, And I pointed to what I wanted on the menu and said I want the brisket Tray which is cheaper than the plate it comes with 2 sides. I asked her if hush puppies came at the plate she said no but I could get it as a side or pay extra. She recommended the collard greens after I asked about the green beans. I asked for mac and cheese as a 2nd side. My total was 14.99. I paid and she brought me my food but it was a bbq plate. I took it back to the bar and asked if this was brisket because it looked like bbq. She looked for my order and said you ordered barbeque I said no I didn't come in here for barbecue I came in here specifically for brisket and I pointed to the menu and said I want the brisket tray. She said no you didnt. So she basically called me a liar, then said it will be another $2.00. Taking no responsibility for her mistake, she turned and told the owner that I ordered bbq plate and now wanted brisket. They spoke to each other then tuft and shook their heads. By this time I am getting upset. So I pulled out the sub total receipt because she did not give me a detailed receipt the 1st time and my total was 14.99 on the menu the total for the plate is 13.50 so I asked her why I was charged more, She said because I ordered Mac and cheese and it's a premium side. And it does state beside it that its 2.00 extra. I wasnt paying attention to that detail because extra costs for sides usually are applicable if it is not ordered with a meal. I asked for a detail receipt from my 1st order, the employee said I did give her one and stuck it in the bag. I opened the bag in front of all of them and there was no receipt. When i tried to explain to the owner that I felt like I was being accused of something I did not do, she said Im sorry you are having a bad experience, then defended her employee by saying people should not point to what they want on the menu and the mac and cheese price is written in red letters for the extra charge. I replied that I told her what I wanted and I pointed to make sure she understood what I wanted. Also, most restaurants do not charge extra for sides included with a meal. Then the male owner came over and made a snide remark and the other owner(wife. I am assuming) and the employee that messed up the order in the 1st place made snide comments, giggled, shook their heads and the wife asked do you want the mac and cheese? I paid the extra went to my car compared my receipts and didnt get the full credit of 14.99 that I paid the 1st time and was charged .50 cents extra for an extra bbq sauce. I ended up paying $18 plus tip for this meal. As you can see in the photos that it is not an $18 meal. This is not a gourmet restaurant. I highly recommend Dixie Pig bbq(about a mile from this place) or Jim and Nick's barbecue restaurants. You will definitely get quality service and amazing food in...

I'm finally getting around to writing the review that this place truly deserves!

Honestly, it's tempting to gatekeep this because it's that good, but the folks that run it deserve all the success in the world and packed tables from open to close.

10/10 no notes...I will ramble about it anyway:

I am so SO pleased that this ridiculously sweet family opened this gem of a restaurant. We haven't had a place this good...maybe ever? Certainly not in my 25+ years around here. (grew up here, currently Atlanta based and spoiled on Asian food of many types, but I come back frequently for family)

The food? Fabulous. The drinks? Delicious. The boba? Probably the best in Charlotte metro and I am prepared to fight about it.

Every food item is crafted with care and you can feel it.

Usually an eclectic menu isn't the best sign, but they do everything really well!

The Korean rice cakes (tteokboki) are better than most I've had in Atlanta (perfect flavor ratio in the sauce), the fried items are so nicely fried and drained in such clean oil that I couldn't even tell you what they used, and they should bottle and sell their housemade ranch (hidden valley who? don't know her anymore)

The bar is well stocked, but don't sleep on the housemade Apple Pie Bourbon if they have it!

And I could do a full 30 minute set extolling the greatness of their milk tea. Hokkaido milk tea and really good coffee jelly are actually pretty rare around Atlanta so that's my go to right now while I'm back in town, and the quality rivals the highest rated places down there (which is saying a lot if you know how Ft. Mill used to be and anything about boba selection in ATL)

There's not enough space to properly yap about Meto Pub, seriously.

It became one of my top three favorite restaurants of all time rapidly; and on top of it all, the people really make it shine.

They've been kind enough to listen to me vent and connect on shared experiences, they remember me whether I dine in or just pick up a boba, they left me a really sweet note on a bag of hushpuppies the last time I got lunch to go, and it's great to banter about games and anime and food at the bar.

This place is the best and y'all better patronize them enough to keep it thriving because I need them to be here on all my trips back up here 💜

**Bonus points for epic cat stickers on boba cups, cool glassware, and excellent kpop at a nice...