Today we’re going to check out Willie Brooks BBQ in Waynesville, NC. They’re located on Highway 19, Dellwood Rd., which leads right into Maggie Valley. I held off on posting this due to Hurricane Florence and the affects she had on NC. I’ve checked out some Facebook pages and everything seems to be ok in this part of the state so here goes. They were pretty easy to find. If traveling on I-40 they are just a short drive off the interstate at Clyde, NC. Take Hwy. 74 to 19 and you’ll be right there.
The Restaurant and Staff:
Willie Brooks BBQ looks like an older business from the outside. Inside they have done a total makeover. They’ve only been open for about 5 months. The décor inside has walls and ceilings made of plank boards which have been reclaimed. The dining room is medium size and there is outside tables as well. It’s very welcoming and relaxing.
When you go in you place your order at the counter and pay there also. You then choose your seat. They will call your name when your order is ready. Just a note for those who like bbq sauces: when ordering take a look at the sauces that are available. You need to request some of them. Sweet Tomato & NC Vinegar are on the table. Even though you don’t actually get a waitress, they still have people check on you while you’re there.
Our Choices at Willie Brooks BBQ:
Brisket Platter with Corn Pudding and Mac & Cheese.
Tammy ordered a Sliced Brisket Platter with Mac & Cheese and Corn Pudding. The mac & cheese was wonderful. Homemade, very creamy and plenty of cheese. We both loved it. The corn pudding was not like any I’ve seen or tasted in the past. I’ve never been a fan of it but this was good. Tammy loved it. It was almost like a cornbread and it appeared to have jalapenos chopped up and mixed in. Not hot but plenty of good flavor.
The Brisket was awesome. It had a beautiful smoke ring and charred edges. Loved the smoke and rub flavors combined. And no sauce, thank you. Between the brisket itself, the rub and the smoke flavor that Willie Brooks BBQ had, this brisket was great. They nailed it.
I had a Pulled Pork Platter with Slaw and Baked Beans. The slaw was really good. It had a mayo base and I believe it was homemade. The slaw had some large shreds of cabbage mixed in with thinner. I can imagine this cabbage being hand chopped. It went well with the Q. The baked beans were fantastic. The picture is
deceiving. It makes them look like a can of pork-n-beans but that’s way off. This mixture is delicious.
Pulled Pork Platter with Slaw and Baked Beans.
Now comes the pulled pork. It was as good as any I’ve had and better than a lot. Caleb, the pitmaster, didn’t look old enough to be this good. Nice smoke ring and bark that would leave you wanting more. Not to mention a great smoke and rub mix to bring it all together. I knew it looked good but could not get enough once I started eating.
Sauces:
Tammy tried their Mustard Sauce with hers but only sampled it. She loved it and said it reminded her of Maurice’s Barbeque in SC. That’s quite a compliment from her since Maurice’s was her first mustard sauce and everyone else gets compared to theirs. I sampled the Sweet BBQ Sauce. It was good but I couldn’t eat much, I just didn’t want sauce on this Q. The NC Vinegar Sauce was good too if you insist on sauce. Like I said before check the list at the counter for more sauces.
Final Thoughts:
I love this place. I’d go so far as to say it’s worth it to leave I-40 in Clyde, NC to visit here. You’d smile all the way back to the interstate. It’s not often you can find a restaurant this new that is this good. We actually stopped here on our way home from Cherokee. We made a few stops in Maggie Valley because they weren’t open yet. Once they opened up we stopped in. I am so glad we did. Hopefully they’ll keep plugging away at it and become even better.
We talked to Caleb before we left for our trip home. He was a nice and friendly young man. He told us how long they’d been open and how they smoke everything there except the sausage. By the time I post this Willie Brooks BBQ will probably have been in business around 6 months. And just as their slogan says, “It’s Willie, Willie Good.”
Now For Your Thoughts:
Let’s hear from some folks that have stopped in at Willie Brooks BBQ. What did you think? Did you have a good visit like we did? We’d love to hear from you. Tell us anything about your visit. Get those comments in so I can post them with this review.
What do you regulars think?
How about you regulars. We came in just before the lunch rush on a Tuesday. The place filled up as we were finishing. They have to have a pretty loyal following. Tell us what keeps you going back to Willie Brooks BBQ. What are your favorites? Tell us more about the place. Take advantage of this to share your thoughts with everyone about your bbq joint. Got a favorite employee? Here’s your chance to recognize them in front of everyone. Let’s get some comments rolling it.
I look forward to hearing from you.
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You can check out their website at: http://williebrooksbbq.com/
You can also find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/contactwilliebrooksbbq/
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