Rodney Scott's BBQ

Rodney Scott's BBQ commands serious respect among Charleston locals and food community insiders, with the whole-hog pit BBQ widely cited as the city's — and arguably the South's — best, drawing on a family tradition stretching back decades to Hemingway, SC. However, knowledgeable locals note a quality-consistency debate that's grown louder since Scott's expansion and partnership with a larger restaurant group, with some forum regulars and repeat visitors flagging dry ribs or pulled pork that doesn't always match the legend. Sides like hush puppies, banana pudding, and mac and cheese earn near-universal praise, but prices ($25+ for a half rack) and the polarizing vinegar sauce mean the experience is genuinely love-it-or-leave-it.