Stamey's Barbecue

Located at 2206 W. Gate City Boulevard in Greensboro, Stamey’s offers country breakfasts and Lexington-style barbecue for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. The restaurant has a drive-thru window, and catering is available.

I first tried Stamey’s not long after moving to Greensboro and was very underwhelmed. The location seemed dated, and the chopped barbecue was gray, mushy, and flavorless. For the better part of a decade, I avoided this place and was baffled by the favorable reputation it enjoyed. At my wife’s urging, however, I decided to relent and give Stamey’s another try. While my opinion hasn’t quite done a complete 180, I can definitely admit that Stamey’s is a lot better than I remembered.

An old-school barbecue joint dating back to the 1930s, Stamey’s still cooks its pig over hardwood coals, which is commendable. The interior is, as noted, quite dated, but there is also a bit of folksy retro appeal in that. Though the restaurant draws a sizeable lunch crowd, there is plenty of seating, and while you can try to grab a table, your best bet may be to claim a spot at the counter.

Stamey’s lunch/dinner menu is true to its concept. Selections include barbecue pork or chicken, sliced or chopped on plates, or in sandwich form, with a few sides and some tasty-sounding desserts (including seasonally rotating cobblers) as well. I opted for a barbecue plate – sliced this time – with hushpuppies and slaw. Despite the lunchtime bustle, it came from the kitchen remarkably quickly. The hushpuppies were very good and delivered a nice onion note. The finely chopped slaw was a “red” variety, and while I’ve had some bad experiences with that kind in the past, Stamey’s version thankfully was not vinegar overkill. The pork was definitely more palatable this time. Though still grayish, it was moist and tasted fresh. However, it came very lightly sauced and without any smokiness or depth of flavor. Be prepared to apply copious amounts of sauce to get the desired taste.

Stamey’s servers and cashiers are equal parts friendly and efficient, and the pricing here is downright cheap. A regular sliced plate was only $7 (with two sides included), and a large would have only been sixty cents more. One can get quite a bellyful for $10 here.

Despite their similarities in pork preparation, no-frills ambiance, and local popularity, Stamey’s is not in the same league as Lexington Barbeque, and I would hesitate to rank it above the more-modern Hillsborough BBQ Company, for that matter. But as a Greensboro-based option, Stamey’s ultimately proved to be fast and affordable with decent, if unspectacular, food.

7.5/10