Just outside the bustle of Columbia, the Maurice’s Piggie Park location on Lake Murray Boulevard in Irmo offers a steady hand in the art of South Carolina barbecue. For decades, Maurice’s has represented the Midlands’ best-known tradition—mustard-based barbecue served with wood-smoked meats and a side of Southern hospitality.
This location continues that legacy, serving Irmo-area locals and visitors with the flavors and techniques that have stood the test of time.
What makes Maurice’s stand out is its commitment to smoking meats the way it’s been done for generations: low and slow over real hardwood coals. There’s no gas, no shortcuts—just open-pit cooking and the kind of attention to detail that comes from doing things the right way. Whether it’s pulled pork, brisket, ribs, turkey, or BBQ chicken, each cut is treated with the respect it deserves.
As the folks at Maurice’s put it, “pit-smoked BBQ gets its deep flavor from the natural smoke of real wood embers.” That slow process infuses the meat with a depth of flavor you simply can’t fake.
Maurice’s wouldn’t be Maurice’s without its signature sauce. The famous Southern Gold recipe—tangy, bright, and unmistakably mustard-based—has helped define South Carolina’s central barbecue identity. It’s a style born of German influence and passed down through generations of barbecue cooks.
While the mustard sauce remains the headliner, Maurice’s also offers other options, including Spicy, Honey, Hickory Red, and Original Red. But the classic yellow blend remains at the heart of the brand, and it’s easy to see why fans keep a bottle on hand at home.
The Lake Murray Boulevard restaurant delivers all the favorites Maurice’s is known for. Choose from tender pulled pork, smoked chicken, brisket, ribs, or turkey—available as platters, sandwiches, or combo meals. Each comes with classic sides made in-house daily, like mac and cheese, collard greens, BBQ beans, fried okra, or the beloved hash and rice.
If you’re after something lighter, you’ll find salads topped with your choice of smoked meats, and sandwiches served up on buns. Party packages make takeout simple, and kids’ meals provide familiar, crowd-pleasing options for the little ones.
Desserts like banana pudding and pecan pie round out the experience with just the right note of sweetness.
Maurice’s Piggie Park on Lake Murray Boulevard stands as a reliable stop for barbecue lovers craving something real. With its dedication to pit-smoked meats, time-tested sauces, and made-from-scratch sides, this location continues the work the family started generations ago—offering a taste of South Carolina BBQ that never goes out of style. Whether you’re feeding a family or just hungry for something honest, Maurice’s delivers.
(Of course, South Carolina’s barbecue scene is packed with legendary joints and hidden gems. See more BBQ restaurants in SC to discover where to go next in the state or find other great BBQ joints around Columbia.)
Among the many Google Reviews, Local Guide Andrew Novack is a regular to Maurice’s Lake Murray Blvd. location for a reason:
Great restaurant that never disappoints. This is one of our favorite restaurants and we always go there when in the area. As always, the food was excellent. The BBQ is the best. Everything is delicious but would highly recommend the macaroni & cheese and the hash over rice.
Over on Yelp, Ashley M., a Texas native, was blown away by Maurice’s SC BBQ:
Nodding and eating- yessss!! I’m from Texas and mustang based BBQ sauce is totally unheard of… but whoa momma!!! Server at the front desk was super helpful- she showed me the whole buffet and explained the “most popular meat” which was chopped pork, and the “most popular side” which is hash and rice.. I decided to try the buffet so I could try EVERYTHING!!! (Note: Buffet no longer offered.)
Yeah, ok…sure. You can pull positive reviews from a website, but what do they know about BBQ? What about the folks who train the judges for BBQ competitions in South Carolina? What do they think?
The SC BBQ Association deems Maurice’s Piggie Park to be 100-Mile BBQ, their highest rating.
Here’s an excerpt from their review:
Maurice’s is true 100 mile barbeque and it’s conveniently located so that everyone in the central part of the state can easily stop by and fill up. And since they operate seven days a week they can do so whenever they desire. So, for over 50 years people have come to just expect that succulent, slow cooked-over-coals, top quality barbeque to always be there and easily obtainable.
Read their full review.
Find more videos on their YouTube and TikTok channels.
Note: Menu prices and options are subject to change over time. Contact the restaurant for the most up-to-date information.
Maurice’s restaurants can be found at these locations:
Columbia
West Columbia
Lexington
Irmo
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