I ate here a few weeks ago with my daddy and his cousins. I hadn't eaten here since I was like 10 or maybe younger. My daddy grew up around here and I wanted to eat here when him and I took a trip back to his hometown. It was great!! Everything I had was very well cooked and was seasoned just right (at least to me). I really enjoyed the veggies. I'm not a big meat eater but I did have the BBQ and fried chicken. I wanted to taste everything. My favorites were the lima beans and the collards. The lima beans weren't too over cooked either they were just right and I like the taste of the collards. The people were nice and I had a great experience!!
(5)
patrick r.
Ok Im a southern boy born and raised. I now live in NYC but go home a couple of times a year to visit my family. A couple of years back they brought me to Shealys. It was love at first bite. You walk in and its like a big lunch room with long tables. The the food is buffet style and its nothing but good home cooking with hot fresh food. Everything Ive tried has been fantastic!. Cant wait to go back.
(5)
Scott T.
Good food. Not great. Long drive for just okay BBQ and veggies. Place is living on reputation from an era of less competition.
(3)
Cooper W.
I always leave Shealy's satisfied. They offer an enormous amount of food every night, including specials on certain nights. Their barbeque is the best I've ever had, some may disagree. But for an all-you-can eat restaurant under $10 you can't beat it. Also check out their desserts and salad bar. The ice cream is legendary among my friends and family.
(5)
Wendy R.
The best in BBQ you will find! Yummy! They also have a great buffet that can't be beat. The greenbeans are so good.
(5)
Deb B.
This is the BEST BBQ in the entire Southeast!! It is worth the drive from Atlanta or Charleston for this place. It is a buffet style with Chicken, liver's, gizzards and BBQ. Every "southern" dish your grandma made is served here. I get myself ready a few days in advance for Shealy's and there's not a visit that goes by where I don't have to unbutton my pants on the drive home! This is down home, stick to your ribs, make your mouth water BBQ. I can't stress enough that if you're on I20 outside of Columbia, SC, find Shealy's!
(5)
B S.
I live in Leesville and I'm sorry to say I'm not impressed. Though, I will admit I'm not a native. The food is served buffet style and reasonably priced, I've never left hungry, but the food is not impressive. After you've eaten their a few times the lack of variety lessens your desire to return. The decor leaves a lot to be desired, it reminds me of my middle school cafeteria with long tables seating many people. Can't say I enjoy eating with people I don't know. I had more privacy eating in the mess deck on a submarine, at least then I only shared the table with three other men and I always knew my crew mates. All in all, I'd have to say the experience feels more like strapping on a feed bucket for the sake of filling my stomach than a pleasurable dining experience. If you find yourself in town it's worth trying, but I wouldn't make any special trips.
(2)
Mike T.
One of the best barbecue joints around. You can't beat it for 10 bucks you get a drink and all-you-can-eat country buffet. And you get a salad bar along with an ice cream bar can you seriously beat that?
(5)
S A S.
The food was great, all you can eat; however I don't like sitting at long tables with strangers...just not my style. There were many choices & they live up to their award winning reputation; if I come back to town I'll just order to go.
(4)
paul D.
Pretty decent. The chicken was good, look for the 'Pulley Bones', the wishbone and meat. Very delicious! Friday is rib night. Ribs were pretty good, a bit dry, the sauce was pretty good though. This place is a corral-you'll be eating at a long table with 100 of your favorite strangers. Save room for desert-the puddings are pretty darn tasty!
(4)
Bill D.
Very good, mustard sauce is the best thing there. Nice place, lots of families, lots of good vibes. I'll go again.
(4)
Ray M.
My wife and I celebrated her birthday at Shealy's tonight. As usual, the food and service was great. You could cut the country fried steak with a spoon. We go here rather often and they are consistently wonderful.
(5)
Maryann V.
Raised in California, one of my first memories is of going here at night during a trip to my grandpa's hometown of Lexington (about half an hour from B-L); I thought it was gigantic as a three year old, and a little disappointed when I saw it later in life and saw it was REALLY small! My favorite thing was the pulled pork, ESPECIALLY because of the yellow mustard BBQ sauce - I tried bringing some home for my BIL to try but it burst on the airplane :(. I don't eat pork anymore, but both the salt and pepper and mustard sauced pulled pork was AMAZING. At least until something changed - the quality here, I'm afraid, has been going down. It saddens me because of the found childhoos memories, but everything tastes BLAND now, even with shaking on a tad of salt it just doesn't taste the like it used to. I AM going to try ordering a bottle of their sauce from their site for shipping though, I'd be plesed as punch to be able to do some chicken in it!
(3)
Ray A.
From my hometown of Batesburg-Leesville, SC this place has the BEST SAUCE IN THE SOUTHEAST!!!! Very underrated because it's mustard based, but it's the haters that die faster than lovers!!! The chicken wings are the best in SC. They're medium-sized greasy wings with crunchy breading. No sauce on em, they're not in the style of Buffalo Wild Wings, or places like that. They're very unique. The menu itself is southern cuisine at it's finest!! You won't find another place like this for states, if you find any at all. The red velvet cake is ON POINT!!! The main thing everyone rave about here is the barbeque pork. I don't eat pork so I can't comment on that, but from what I heard it's addictive. Go there and make this small town favorite something on Food Network.
(5)
David Y.
I will tell you that I have eaten here all my life.And for great food and the best serve yourself all you can eat Barbeque this is the best BANG for your buck.Always clean great vegetables . would recommend anyone to take everyone they know here.I rarely give a perfect to anyone so this will actually be the first.
(5)
Daniel T.
Great food! If you like Deep South cuisine this is the place for you!
(5)
Travis A.
I can't believe some of the reviews. I have had QUE all over the south, and Shealy's ranks with the best. I've sampled QUE from Gum, MS. Birmingham, AL. Little Rock,AR. Memphis and Nashville. Shealy's puts out consistently the best. Going to Shealy's isn't just going out for a meal. Its truly an experience. Its waiting in line for 25 minutes around the building. Washing your hands before you get your ticket. Walking down the entire buffett looking at everything that looks sooo good. Pulley bones, mustard sauce, and sweet tea. I never leave SC without a bottle or 2 of sauce for myself.
(5)
Epicurious E.
Shealy's BBQ is probably one of the favorite and more well-known southern bbq buffets in South Carolina, and for good reason - it has an incredible spread of Southern food (and desserts!) that I haven't seen matched at any of the bbq restaurants I've been to so far (but they don't have one of my favorites, hush puppies, what's up with that??). However, regarding the taste of the food, I think I've had better flavored food at a lot of the other southern bbq buffets I've been too. One thing they specialize in is their pulley bone chicken - a piece of fried chicken cut around the pulley bone. Where is that, may you ask? I previously had no idea before going to Shealy's, but I found out it refers to the wishbone area of the chicken. This piece of chicken was cooked pretty well; it was pretty juicy despite being white meat, and the texture of this chicken piece was a bit chewier than eating a chicken breast, if that makes any sense. Interesting, but I still prefer my dark meat. =) It is deep within the SC countryside, almost a one hour drive away from Columbia, with at least twenty to thirty minutes of that drive off the I-20 exit. But the drive is good in a way, because by the time you get there, you will definitely have developed an appetite for the food, and it is all-you-can-eat! =) The restaurant itself is very large, with at least three large areas to seat everyone (you get assigned area to sit in after you pay), but it still fills up very quickly. When we got there, we still waited in line for about ten-fifteen minutes or so before getting a seat, but the line moves pretty quickly. For more details about the food, as well as photos of both the restaurant and some of the dishes offered here, you can visit my food blog, epicurious-eats.blogspot…
(3)
Josh A.
It's almost blasphemy that someone hasn't reviewed this place yet! Granted, I haven't eaten here, because it was closed for renovation when I did have the chance, but I have had the sauce. The sauce would easily rank as one of my top 5 of all time. It is mustard based, so don't be afraid.
(4)
Virgil H.
I can't believe the high reviews. Sure, it is well known. This place gets 5-stars for the zillions of items on their buffet. Unfortunately, quantity does not necessarily equate to quality. I have tried their pulled pork, hash, chicken, and many sides. Nothing was very good. Dry meat, over-salted sides. Do yourself a favor and go to Jackie Hite's a few blocks away. Hite's is truly 5-star. To the reviewer who wants Shealy's on Food Network, I would point out that Jackie Hite's HAS been featured on TV.
(2)
David M.
I have only been there once as it was closed for holidays during my other trips to SC but it sure was good. They have a sink on the way inside so you can have clean hands when you dig in. Everything was fresh unlike most buffet places where they leave the food out until someone finally eats it.
(5)
Daniel S.
Another BBQ place where the fixings are better than the Que. Don't get me wrong, it's good...just not as good as it used to be back in the golden days. Since I grew up in the country with family barbecues, I'm a tough critic.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Lauren W.
I ate here a few weeks ago with my daddy and his cousins. I hadn't eaten here since I was like 10 or maybe younger. My daddy grew up around here and I wanted to eat here when him and I took a trip back to his hometown. It was great!! Everything I had was very well cooked and was seasoned just right (at least to me). I really enjoyed the veggies. I'm not a big meat eater but I did have the BBQ and fried chicken. I wanted to taste everything. My favorites were the lima beans and the collards. The lima beans weren't too over cooked either they were just right and I like the taste of the collards. The people were nice and I had a great experience!!
(5)patrick r.
Ok Im a southern boy born and raised. I now live in NYC but go home a couple of times a year to visit my family. A couple of years back they brought me to Shealys. It was love at first bite. You walk in and its like a big lunch room with long tables. The the food is buffet style and its nothing but good home cooking with hot fresh food. Everything Ive tried has been fantastic!. Cant wait to go back.
(5)Scott T.
Good food. Not great. Long drive for just okay BBQ and veggies. Place is living on reputation from an era of less competition.
(3)Cooper W.
I always leave Shealy's satisfied. They offer an enormous amount of food every night, including specials on certain nights. Their barbeque is the best I've ever had, some may disagree. But for an all-you-can eat restaurant under $10 you can't beat it. Also check out their desserts and salad bar. The ice cream is legendary among my friends and family.
(5)Wendy R.
The best in BBQ you will find! Yummy! They also have a great buffet that can't be beat. The greenbeans are so good.
(5)Deb B.
This is the BEST BBQ in the entire Southeast!! It is worth the drive from Atlanta or Charleston for this place. It is a buffet style with Chicken, liver's, gizzards and BBQ. Every "southern" dish your grandma made is served here. I get myself ready a few days in advance for Shealy's and there's not a visit that goes by where I don't have to unbutton my pants on the drive home! This is down home, stick to your ribs, make your mouth water BBQ. I can't stress enough that if you're on I20 outside of Columbia, SC, find Shealy's!
(5)B S.
I live in Leesville and I'm sorry to say I'm not impressed. Though, I will admit I'm not a native. The food is served buffet style and reasonably priced, I've never left hungry, but the food is not impressive. After you've eaten their a few times the lack of variety lessens your desire to return. The decor leaves a lot to be desired, it reminds me of my middle school cafeteria with long tables seating many people. Can't say I enjoy eating with people I don't know. I had more privacy eating in the mess deck on a submarine, at least then I only shared the table with three other men and I always knew my crew mates. All in all, I'd have to say the experience feels more like strapping on a feed bucket for the sake of filling my stomach than a pleasurable dining experience. If you find yourself in town it's worth trying, but I wouldn't make any special trips.
(2)Mike T.
One of the best barbecue joints around. You can't beat it for 10 bucks you get a drink and all-you-can-eat country buffet. And you get a salad bar along with an ice cream bar can you seriously beat that?
(5)S A S.
The food was great, all you can eat; however I don't like sitting at long tables with strangers...just not my style. There were many choices & they live up to their award winning reputation; if I come back to town I'll just order to go.
(4)paul D.
Pretty decent. The chicken was good, look for the 'Pulley Bones', the wishbone and meat. Very delicious! Friday is rib night. Ribs were pretty good, a bit dry, the sauce was pretty good though. This place is a corral-you'll be eating at a long table with 100 of your favorite strangers. Save room for desert-the puddings are pretty darn tasty!
(4)Bill D.
Very good, mustard sauce is the best thing there. Nice place, lots of families, lots of good vibes. I'll go again.
(4)Ray M.
My wife and I celebrated her birthday at Shealy's tonight. As usual, the food and service was great. You could cut the country fried steak with a spoon. We go here rather often and they are consistently wonderful.
(5)Maryann V.
Raised in California, one of my first memories is of going here at night during a trip to my grandpa's hometown of Lexington (about half an hour from B-L); I thought it was gigantic as a three year old, and a little disappointed when I saw it later in life and saw it was REALLY small! My favorite thing was the pulled pork, ESPECIALLY because of the yellow mustard BBQ sauce - I tried bringing some home for my BIL to try but it burst on the airplane :(. I don't eat pork anymore, but both the salt and pepper and mustard sauced pulled pork was AMAZING. At least until something changed - the quality here, I'm afraid, has been going down. It saddens me because of the found childhoos memories, but everything tastes BLAND now, even with shaking on a tad of salt it just doesn't taste the like it used to. I AM going to try ordering a bottle of their sauce from their site for shipping though, I'd be plesed as punch to be able to do some chicken in it!
(3)Ray A.
From my hometown of Batesburg-Leesville, SC this place has the BEST SAUCE IN THE SOUTHEAST!!!! Very underrated because it's mustard based, but it's the haters that die faster than lovers!!! The chicken wings are the best in SC. They're medium-sized greasy wings with crunchy breading. No sauce on em, they're not in the style of Buffalo Wild Wings, or places like that. They're very unique. The menu itself is southern cuisine at it's finest!! You won't find another place like this for states, if you find any at all. The red velvet cake is ON POINT!!! The main thing everyone rave about here is the barbeque pork. I don't eat pork so I can't comment on that, but from what I heard it's addictive. Go there and make this small town favorite something on Food Network.
(5)David Y.
I will tell you that I have eaten here all my life.And for great food and the best serve yourself all you can eat Barbeque this is the best BANG for your buck.Always clean great vegetables . would recommend anyone to take everyone they know here.I rarely give a perfect to anyone so this will actually be the first.
(5)Daniel T.
Great food! If you like Deep South cuisine this is the place for you!
(5)Travis A.
I can't believe some of the reviews. I have had QUE all over the south, and Shealy's ranks with the best. I've sampled QUE from Gum, MS. Birmingham, AL. Little Rock,AR. Memphis and Nashville. Shealy's puts out consistently the best. Going to Shealy's isn't just going out for a meal. Its truly an experience. Its waiting in line for 25 minutes around the building. Washing your hands before you get your ticket. Walking down the entire buffett looking at everything that looks sooo good. Pulley bones, mustard sauce, and sweet tea. I never leave SC without a bottle or 2 of sauce for myself.
(5)Epicurious E.
Shealy's BBQ is probably one of the favorite and more well-known southern bbq buffets in South Carolina, and for good reason - it has an incredible spread of Southern food (and desserts!) that I haven't seen matched at any of the bbq restaurants I've been to so far (but they don't have one of my favorites, hush puppies, what's up with that??). However, regarding the taste of the food, I think I've had better flavored food at a lot of the other southern bbq buffets I've been too. One thing they specialize in is their pulley bone chicken - a piece of fried chicken cut around the pulley bone. Where is that, may you ask? I previously had no idea before going to Shealy's, but I found out it refers to the wishbone area of the chicken. This piece of chicken was cooked pretty well; it was pretty juicy despite being white meat, and the texture of this chicken piece was a bit chewier than eating a chicken breast, if that makes any sense. Interesting, but I still prefer my dark meat. =) It is deep within the SC countryside, almost a one hour drive away from Columbia, with at least twenty to thirty minutes of that drive off the I-20 exit. But the drive is good in a way, because by the time you get there, you will definitely have developed an appetite for the food, and it is all-you-can-eat! =) The restaurant itself is very large, with at least three large areas to seat everyone (you get assigned area to sit in after you pay), but it still fills up very quickly. When we got there, we still waited in line for about ten-fifteen minutes or so before getting a seat, but the line moves pretty quickly. For more details about the food, as well as photos of both the restaurant and some of the dishes offered here, you can visit my food blog, epicurious-eats.blogspot…
(3)Josh A.
It's almost blasphemy that someone hasn't reviewed this place yet! Granted, I haven't eaten here, because it was closed for renovation when I did have the chance, but I have had the sauce. The sauce would easily rank as one of my top 5 of all time. It is mustard based, so don't be afraid.
(4)Virgil H.
I can't believe the high reviews. Sure, it is well known. This place gets 5-stars for the zillions of items on their buffet. Unfortunately, quantity does not necessarily equate to quality. I have tried their pulled pork, hash, chicken, and many sides. Nothing was very good. Dry meat, over-salted sides. Do yourself a favor and go to Jackie Hite's a few blocks away. Hite's is truly 5-star. To the reviewer who wants Shealy's on Food Network, I would point out that Jackie Hite's HAS been featured on TV.
(2)David M.
I have only been there once as it was closed for holidays during my other trips to SC but it sure was good. They have a sink on the way inside so you can have clean hands when you dig in. Everything was fresh unlike most buffet places where they leave the food out until someone finally eats it.
(5)Daniel S.
Another BBQ place where the fixings are better than the Que. Don't get me wrong, it's good...just not as good as it used to be back in the golden days. Since I grew up in the country with family barbecues, I'm a tough critic.
(4)