What Folks Say about
THE MOST COMPLETE COLLECTION
Diversity of recipes. Background stories. Great pics! If you want traditional SC bbq and fixin’s, this is the most complete collection I’ve found. Thanks!
Darrin McCullough
Iron City BBQ Co.
“It wasn’t just food. It was family, ritual, and respect.”
That’s how Jason Merritt describes the spark that lit the fire for Iron City BBQ Co., his downtown Blacksburg smokehouse housed in a once-forgotten century-old building.
“My love for barbecue didn’t begin in a kitchen—it began in my dad’s backyard, somewhere between the glow of glowing coals and the scent of burning wood rising into a Carolina sky,” Merritt recalls.
Those early lessons—how to season with intention, how to wait without rushing, how to know when the pork butt was ready by feel, not by clock—became the foundation of a restaurant that does more than just serve barbecue. It honors a way of life.
Built with Purpose, Rooted in Place
When it came time to open a brick-and-mortar, Merritt didn’t look to a strip mall or new development. He and his family chose a weathered 100-year-old building in the heart of town.
“Most folks wouldn’t have seen what I saw,” Merritt says. “Where others saw ruin, I saw opportunity to build something meaningful for the town that I love and to pay homage to my dad.”
Every nail and board was set with intention—“driven by memory,” as Merritt puts it—and the result is a space that feels both restored and rooted. It’s not just a restaurant. “It’s a living story. A continuation of lessons taught under a fading sun by a father who believed in doing things the right way.”
True Lexington-Style BBQ
Iron City BBQ Co. smokes its pork the way Merritt’s family did: low and slow over hardwood coals. “We cooked Lexington-style—true to our roots,” he explains. That means pork butts smoked until tender, then hand-pulled with just enough bark for texture.
The result is traditional Carolina barbecue served with “respect for the craft and love for the people who gather to share it.”
But pork isn’t the only thing available. The menu includes:
- Brisket
- Pulled Chicken
- Barbecue Chicken
- Fried Chicken
- Smoked Wings finished in beef tallow
- Ribs (offered occasionally)
Sides follow the same Southern playbook Merritt grew up on—think mac and cheese, red slaw, hush puppies, and sweet tea.
House-Made Sauces
The sauces at Iron City aren’t afterthoughts—they’re essential. Made from scratch, they reflect the barbecue geography of the Carolinas:
- Spicy Vinegar (Eastern-style tang and kick)
- Sweet & Smokey (a more mellow, rounded flavor)
- Spicy Honey Mustard (Midlands-inspired with a little zip)
Between the vinegar-pepper, light tomato, and mustard base options, guests can customize their meal to match their own BBQ traditions—or explore another region’s flavor.
Honoring the Town That Inspired It
Even the name Iron City BBQ Co. is a tribute. “We named our restaurant Iron City BBQ Co. because we wanted to highlight our small town,” Merritt says.
Blacksburg, SC, isn’t a large place, but it’s changing. Merritt first started selling his barbecue at Blacksburg High School football games, where he developed a loyal following before opening his restaurant on June 19, 2024.
As the town continues to grow, he’s optimistic about its future—and his role in it. “Blacksburg needs to grow and I believe the mindset is changing,” he told The Gaffney Ledger. “We are kinda like in a sweet spot here.”
Come Hungry
At Iron City BBQ Co., everything circles back to that backyard in Carolina where a father taught a son how to respect the fire and feed a crowd.
As Merritt puts it: “Come hungry, leave full—of smoke, stories, and something that feels a lot like home.”
What Folks Are Saying
Google Review
Among the many Google Reviews, Local Guide Tom Matlock wrote a novel about Iron City BBQ Co.. Here is a excerpted version of his full review:
Great food and service right here in Cherokee County!
Being well-traveled, I’ve had the privilege of enjoying a lot of different styles of barbecue all across the United States. Over the years I’ve developed my own personal top five and top 10 lists…
Iron City BBQ is something special. It’s located just five minutes or so off of interstate 85 in downtown Blacksburg, South Carolina. The restaurant was clean and inviting and had a strong local vibe…
As for my first experience, I had the pork sandwich, with macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, and banana pudding.
Before I tell you about the pork, let’s talk about the sides. The macaroni and cheese was good. Definitely tasted homemade. Great consistency and cheesy. The coleslaw was fresh. I prefer a sweeter slaw, which this was not, but the crisp freshness of it won me over and I would certainly get it again…
Now onto the main event: The pork is pulled…the meat is a lean, dry meat, not dripping with grease as others I’ve experienced, yet moist and very tasty, and is served on a fresh brioche bun. The initial flavor is smoky, then just a hint of heat. They offer several sauces of which the sweet and smoky is the one I tried. It’s a thin sauce, is homemade, and is, in fact, both sweet and smoky. It’s something they are proud of and I certainly enjoyed it…
Iron City BBQ has made my top five list (nationally) and I look forward to many more return visits. Average BBQ is everywhere. Great BBQ is hard to find. Try Iron City BBQ. You won’t be disappointed!
Yelp Review
Over on Yelp, Blacksburg local Will L didn’t need nearly as many words but shared a similar impression of Iron City BBQ Co.:
Great food and restaurant. All home made . Great family owned business. I highly recommend for a good meal.
Menu
Note: Menu prices and options are subject to change over time. Contact the restaurant for the most up-to-date information.
Location, Hours, Contact Info, and More
Map
Directions
Contact Iron City BBQ Co.
115 N. Shelby St
Blacksburg, SC 29702
Blacksburg, SC 29702
Hours of Operation
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | |
| Thursday | |
| Friday | |
| Saturday | |
| Sunday |
Review Sites
Features
Cards and Cash, Light Tomato Sauce, Mustard Sauce, Vinegar Pepper Sauce