10 North Carolina Restaurants Locals Steer Clear Of & 10 They Love To Visit

North Carolina’s food scene is full of flavor, but not every restaurant earns a return visit.

Locals know the difference between a spot that serves up true Southern comfort and one that just coasts on hype.

While some places fall short with bland dishes or inconsistent service, others win hearts with every plate.

If you want to eat like a true North Carolinian, it pays to know which restaurants are worth the stop – and which to skip.

1. Applebee’s: Microwaved Mediocrity

Applebee's: Microwaved Mediocrity
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Nobody goes to Applebee’s expecting culinary excellence, but North Carolinians particularly avoid this chain when their state offers so much better.

The lukewarm appetizers and suspiciously fast-arriving entrées have locals raising eyebrows. Most residents can name at least three local spots with better wings and burgers for the same price.

When visitors suggest Applebee’s, expect a polite but firm redirection to somewhere with actual cooking happening in the kitchen.

2. IHOP: Pancake Disappointment Central

IHOP: Pancake Disappointment Central
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Morning regret comes in the form of rubbery pancakes at North Carolina IHOPs.

Locals whisper about the mysterious “pancake batter” that somehow finds its way into scrambled eggs, creating an unsettling texture that haunts breakfast dreams.

The sticky tables and perpetually understaffed locations have earned this chain a spot on the “only if it’s 2 AM and nothing else is open” list.

Tar Heel natives know their state offers countless superior breakfast spots with actual homemade batter.

3. Olive Garden: The Pasta Pretender

Olive Garden: The Pasta Pretender
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“When you’re here, you’re…wishing you went somewhere authentic instead.” That’s the unofficial slogan according to North Carolinians who avoid this Italian-ish chain.

The unlimited breadsticks can’t compensate for pasta that arrives suspiciously quickly from the kitchen.

With vibrant Italian communities in Charlotte and Raleigh offering legitimate alternatives, locals reserve Olive Garden visits exclusively for out-of-town relatives who insist on “something familiar.”

The fake Tuscan decor fools absolutely no one who’s ever had real Italian food.

4. Red Lobster: Seafood Sacrilege

Red Lobster: Seafood Sacrilege
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Serving seafood in North Carolina—home to the Outer Banks and some of America’s finest coastal cuisine—Red Lobster commits what locals consider culinary blasphemy.

Those sad, frozen shrimp make coastal North Carolinians physically cringe. Even the famous cheddar biscuits can’t save this chain from being the butt of jokes among natives.

“Why would anyone eat imported frozen fish when we’re an hour from the ocean?” is a common refrain. The artificially colored “fresh catch” options particularly offend those who know what real Carolina seafood tastes like.

5. Cracker Barrel: Tourist Trap Nostalgia

Cracker Barrel: Tourist Trap Nostalgia
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Rocking chairs and country store knickknacks can’t disguise what locals know: Cracker Barrel serves up mediocrity with a side of artificial nostalgia.

The food arrives suspiciously quickly, raising questions about how “homemade” those mashed potatoes really are.

North Carolinians particularly scoff at out-of-staters who think this represents authentic Southern cooking.

The chain’s popularity with interstate travelers keeps locations busy, but you’ll rarely spot locals in those rocking chairs unless they’re entertaining elderly relatives from up North.

6. Denny’s: The Desperate Last Resort

Denny's: The Desperate Last Resort
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Fluorescent lighting illuminates questionable breakfast choices at North Carolina Denny’s locations, where locals venture only in moments of extreme hunger or profound poor judgment.

The sticky menus and mysteriously shiny eggs have earned this chain its reputation as “emergency food” rather than a destination.

College students might stumble in at 3 AM, but functioning adults with access to literally any other option steer clear.

Even the Grand Slam breakfast can’t compete with what any respectable local diner serves up for roughly the same price.

7. Outback Steakhouse: Aussie Imposter

Outback Steakhouse: Aussie Imposter
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G’day, mate! Prepare for steaks with absolutely no connection to Australia and prices that make locals wonder why they didn’t just fire up their own grill.

North Carolinians particularly mock the fake accents and manufactured “Down Under” atmosphere. The Bloomin’ Onion might be legendary, but it doesn’t justify the rest of the experience.

With excellent local steakhouses throughout the state, Tar Heels view Outback as the domain of business travelers and suburban families celebrating minor achievements with mediocre meat.

8. TGI Fridays: Frozen Food Fiesta

TGI Fridays: Frozen Food Fiesta
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Remember when TGI Fridays was actually cool? Neither do most North Carolinians under 50.

This fading chain clings to its 1990s heyday while serving increasingly disappointing appetizers that locals suspect come straight from a Costco freezer to the fryer.

The sticky floors and flair-less servers reflect the chain’s decline. Native North Carolinians avoid these establishments except when trapped in airports or when grandparents insist on treating the family.

The signature red-and-white stripes now signal “abandon hope of quality food, all ye who enter here.”

9. Buffalo Wild Wings: Sauce Can’t Save Everything

Buffalo Wild Wings: Sauce Can't Save Everything
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Screaming televisions, sticky floors, and wings that somehow manage to be both overcooked and undercooked simultaneously—welcome to Buffalo Wild Wings, North Carolina edition!

Locals refer to this chain as “the place where good chicken goes to drown in mediocre sauce.” Sports fans might tolerate the atmosphere during big games, but anyone serious about wings knows better options exist.

The multiple sauce options can’t disguise the fact that the actual chicken quality falls somewhere between “airplane food” and “school cafeteria.” True Carolinians prefer their local sports bars with personality.

10. Golden Corral: Buffet of Broken Dreams

Golden Corral: Buffet of Broken Dreams
© The Pilot

Born in North Carolina (Fayetteville, 1973), Golden Corral has become the native son that locals pretend isn’t related to them.

The endless buffet of questionable freshness and the infamous chocolate fountain (that children definitely haven’t stuck their fingers in) create an experience best avoided.

The “all-you-can-eat” concept attracts tourists who don’t know better, while locals drive past with windows rolled up.

North Carolinians joke that the real state sport isn’t basketball but avoiding eye contact with neighbors spotted entering a Golden Corral.

11. The Pit Barbecue: Smoke Ring Royalty

The Pit Barbecue: Smoke Ring Royalty
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Barbecue debates can end friendships in North Carolina, but The Pit in Raleigh manages to unite even the most stubborn whole-hog and shoulder-only factions.

Their pit-cooked Eastern-style ‘cue with that perfect vinegar tang has locals forming lines that stretch around the block. What makes this place special isn’t just the perfectly smoked meat.

The sides—from crispy fried okra to the creamiest mac and cheese—could stand alone as meals.

Even barbecue purists admit the upscale setting doesn’t detract from the authentic flavors that honor North Carolina’s smoking traditions.

12. Lexington Barbecue: Pork Pilgrimage Destination

Lexington Barbecue: Pork Pilgrimage Destination
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Affectionately dubbed “The Honey Monk” by devoted fans, Lexington Barbecue stands as the holy grail of Western North Carolina barbecue style.

Since 1962, this temple of smoke has perfected the art of pork shoulders with that signature red-tinged sauce that locals defend with religious fervor.

People literally plan road trips around eating here. The hickory-smoked pork shoulder, chopped or sliced, comes with mandatory red slaw (never that mayo stuff).

True devotees know to order the “outside brown”—those extra-charred, caramelized exterior bits that deliver concentrated barbecue nirvana.

13. Skylight Inn: The BBQ Time Machine

Skylight Inn: The BBQ Time Machine
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Beneath that iconic dome in Ayden, Skylight Inn has been cooking whole hogs the same way since 1947—before electricity was even common in the area.

Locals make pilgrimages for the wood-fired pork chopped with cleavers on wooden blocks, creating a texture impossible to replicate.

The menu’s beautiful simplicity—just pork, cornbread, and slaw—reflects the no-nonsense approach to barbecue.

Even the building tells you everything: “If God didn’t want us to eat pigs, why did he make them out of meat?” True North Carolinians consider a visit here a birthright and a responsibility.

14. Allen & Son Barbecue: Smoke-Kissed Perfection

Allen & Son Barbecue: Smoke-Kissed Perfection
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Before closing in 2018, Allen & Son represented barbecue perfection that still haunts the dreams of North Carolinians.

Keith Allen split his own hickory, tended fires from dawn, and created Eastern-style whole hog ‘cue that made grown men weep with joy. The legendary establishment served as a bridge between Eastern and Piedmont styles.

Locals still speak of it in reverent tones, describing the perfect bark, the vinegar-pepper kick, and hushpuppies that seemed touched by divine inspiration.

Many consider its closure the end of a barbecue era, leaving an unfillable void in Carolina’s culinary landscape.

15. Biscuitville: Breakfast Worth Waking Up For

Biscuitville: Breakfast Worth Waking Up For
© Johnston County Visitors Bureau

Fast food that doesn’t taste fast—that’s the miracle of Biscuitville, where North Carolinians willingly form lines before 7 AM.

Those cathead biscuits, made fresh every 15 minutes, come stuffed with country ham, pimento cheese, or fried chicken that puts national chains to shame.

Local farmers supply the ingredients, and you can watch biscuit-makers through the “biscuit window” kneading dough while you wait.

The spicy honey chicken biscuit creates morning traffic jams across the state. True regulars know to add a side of grits and grab extra honey packets for later.

16. Dame’s Chicken & Waffles: Sweet-Savory Symphony

Dame's Chicken & Waffles: Sweet-Savory Symphony
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Chicken and waffles might seem like an odd couple, but at Dame’s, they’re soulmates in a culinary love story that has North Carolinians lining up in Durham, Greensboro, and Cary.

Their crispy, perfectly seasoned chicken meets fluffy waffles in a romance enhanced by “schmears”—flavored butters that melt into every crevice.

The Orange Speckled Chai schmear paired with crispy chicken creates flavor combinations that have inspired marriage proposals.

Locals recommend the “Pink Mimosa” chicken and waffle combo with strawberry crème schmear and honey dijon drizzle. Newcomers often become evangelists after just one visit.

17. Nana’s Soul Food: Grandma-Level Comfort

Nana's Soul Food: Grandma-Level Comfort
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Hidden in Charlotte’s West Side, Nana’s serves soul food so authentic you’ll swear someone’s grandmother is in the kitchen (because someone’s grandmother actually is).

The oxtails fall off the bone with barely a glance, while the mac and cheese has converted even the pickiest eaters.

The daily specials draw locals who plan their week around Nana’s schedule—Thursday’s smothered pork chops cause near-riots.

Don’t expect fancy presentation; food this good doesn’t need it. The sweet potato pie creates such demand that regulars order it first, before even considering their main course.

18. Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue: Downtown ‘Cue Since 1938

Clyde Cooper's Barbecue: Downtown 'Cue Since 1938
© Yahoo

Raleigh’s oldest restaurant hasn’t survived for over 80 years by accident.

Clyde Cooper’s Eastern-style whole hog barbecue—chopped, not pulled—maintains standards that have outlasted decades of food trends and downtown development.

The vinegar-pepper sauce cuts through the rich pork perfectly, while the fried chicken rivals any in the state. Locals appreciate that despite moving locations in 2014, the restaurant kept its soul intact.

The Brunswick stew causes spontaneous happiness, and regulars know to save room for the peach cobbler that tastes like summer in a bowl.

19. Beasley’s Chicken + Honey: Southern Comfort Reimagined

Beasley's Chicken + Honey: Southern Comfort Reimagined
© Intentionalist

Chef Ashley Christensen’s downtown Raleigh hotspot elevates fried chicken to an art form.

The signature chicken and waffles, drizzled with honey, creates a flavor explosion that keeps locals coming back despite weekend waits.

The industrial-chic space buzzes with energy, while the menu celebrates Southern classics with modern twists.

Their pimento mac and cheese side dish has developed its own cult following among Raleigh residents.

20. Midwood Smokehouse: BBQ Perfection Without Pretension

Midwood Smokehouse: BBQ Perfection Without Pretension
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Smoke wafts through the air at this Charlotte institution where pitmaster techniques meet quality ingredients.

The brisket, smoked for 14 hours until fork-tender, converts even stubborn Texas-style barbecue loyalists to North Carolina’s approach.

Families gather around wooden tables beneath strings of lights, sharing massive platters of pulled pork, ribs, and burnt ends.

Their house-made sauces—from tangy Eastern NC vinegar to rich Western tomato-based—satisfy every regional preference.