Gardner's Barbecue 301 Flagship Store

I have been going to gardner’s for 30 years, everything is great as always, the buffet has a good variety, eating is very good. the service is good. the barbeque is excellent. unfortunately, if they extended their occupancy, they eliminated most of their parking spaces for half lkw.

We live in Louisburg, NC and were visiting Rocky Mount for the day. My father grew up in Rocky Mount and used to eat there when he was younger. He wanted barbecue and said let's go to Gardners because they have the best barbecue. I really wasn't expecting it to be as good as it is. We got the buffet and I tried a little of everything. I'm not exaggerating when I say EVERYTHING I put in my mouth was delicious. It's been a long time since I could say that a restaurant was that good! The collard greens were so good that I told my dad that I could make a meal with just collards. I am a great southern cook (told by all my family and friends...lol) and am very critical of restaurants...especially with chicken and dumplings because I make my own at home. When I tasted the dumplings...I was VERY impressed. I tried to taste a little of everything but I couldn't get to everything because I filled up on collards and dumplings! I have been asking my dad and family since then to make a trip back to rocky mount just to go to Gardners but it just hasn't worked out yet. So tomorrow we are going and I'm SUPER excited! I did taste the barbecue and slaw and they were delicious as well. If you are looking for some good southern food stop here...you won't be disappointed!

The food was not fresh and tasted old. So disappointed today because I would tell anyone this was the best BBQ spot in Rocky Mount. The BBQ was completely dried out. I couldn't even eat it. The chicken was definitely refried and hard. Couldn't eat all the meat because even the meat of the chicken was fried hard like the skin. The potatoes had no flavor at all. The whole family meal was a bust, and my whole family was disappointed. Won't be coming back for a long time unless I hear of any changes. $40 down the drain and completely unsatisfied. ????

Buffet, good eastern style pork bbq. Collards and BBQ potatoes were really good. Oh and they have corn sticks, true NC BBQ must have..

We ate quickly as they had a party and had lock the doors after we entered. It was good as usual just felt like we're there past time, heat off so dinner was cooler than normal eating. Big problem came not with food but ladies restroom dust machines had caked dust from machine up the wall and ceiling, suddenly you felt like breathing was dangerous, washing futile, and all around unhealthy. Sad to say when the staff seem to have been working hard everywhere else, but as you stepped in to the restroom there was a sign for checked cleaning of restroom which had been initialed so how anyone step in much less cleaned and had not seen this could only be blind. We promptly paid and after being allowed out by key left not to return!