Help in Wilson, North Carolina

[Ichabod]

I will be traveling to Wilson, North Carolina several times in the coming months and need CH recommendations for places to eat. So far, I've seen chains and fast food. Ugh. Please help with suggestions in or near Wilson!

[chicaraleigh]

I've eaten at Jac's Grill a few times - the food is "solid" meaning, not fantastic, but definitely passable. It's a favorite of one of my clients that lives in Wilson.

I've also been a few times to a sandwich shop that is located close to downtown. It's part restaurant/part specialty grocery but for the life of me I can't remember the name.....sorry

You're also not far from Raleigh - I can be in Wilson in 35 minutes

[wb247]

Jac's is great, but was much better. The chef who helped open Jac's left and helped open Qunice, where he still is. Quince is a really classy place with a great menu and the highest quality tap list between Raleigh and Greenville.

[chicaraleigh]

thanks for the update! It's been a while since I've been down to Wilson. I'll be sure to check out Quince next time I'm down that way.

[brandywiner]

Count me as another Quince fan. Great food, friendly people, and Bell's Two-Hearted on tap! I'll be spending time in Wilson on business over the next few weeks, and I plan on visiting frequently!

[goodeatsinadive]

If you do want good eastern NC style bbq, then take the short drive over to Kenly and eat at Moore's, or down to Greenville to eat at B's. You won't go wrong at either place.

And, whoever posted to try Dick's Hot Dogs, yes, definitely worth a visit there as well.

[nyinnc77]

Skip Bills and Parkers. I second the love for Flo's, The Beefmastor and Dicks!

[alkapal]

i go through wilson once every 3-4 years, but always follow the great Q places that were renowned there. i've been to parkers and the other place more downtown (whose name i cannot recall, and which i could not find on my last trip through there).

am i hearing that those places are gone, supplanted by mexican food?

[Naco]

Parker's and Bill's are still there, they're just bad. Parker's is okay but generic; Bill's has been awful since Floyd. As for whether they've been supplanted by Mexican food- depends on whether or not you like Mexican food. Wilson has a large Hispanic population now, and the taquerias to go with it. I love them, they're definitely CH-type places, and Wilson isn't a bbq town anymore to me, so in my case I suppose they have supplanted the bbq joints.

[JayL]

For bbq I'd go to Parker's 50 times before heading to Bill's. Don't really remember why as it's been so long since going to Bill's. Ate at both during my early years and just started to prefer Parker's better. I'll take a small dark combination any day I get an offer.

For a good steak I'd also recommend the Beefmaster. Very small place that cooks a mean ribeye. If you don't like ribeyes, go somewhere else to eat. That, a potato, and a salad are all you're gonna get. No other choices...but worth the experience.

[jmkizer]

Bills BBQ and Parker's BBQ

[goodeatsinadive]

NO on Bill's.

Definite YES on Beefmastor Inn for their ribeyes.
Flo's is also great!

[Naco]

I don't see any point to Bill's or Parker's at this point. Bill's is by far the worse one of the two.

Has anyone been to Ruby's? I saw some pictures of it on a random blog I found recently. Apparently they do traditional Southern food for breakfast and lunch, and then switch to Indian for supper!

[wb247]

Stay far, far, far away from Ruby's. Is it even still open? Oh, avoid Ruby's. Cleanliness is questionable at best. Food quality and freshness is even worse. Unless something has changed in the last 6 months, of course, that remains true.

Check out Quince for a good upscale meal, Beefmastor for a steak, O' Cools for a beer, Paul's for Italian. DICK'S HOTDOGS IS A "CAN'T MISS" LOCAL INSTITUTION. For Mexican, I've heard good things about Torerro's (sp?), downtown, but I haven't had an opportunity to go by. I've also heard good things about 50/50, but have never been there for food; it looks nice, if that helps. Silver Lake is pretty good for seafood. Silver Lake used to be incredible, but quality slipped for a while - it's now being returned to "glory." For BBQ, go to Goldsboro, Kinston, Greenville, or Ayden - there's a ton of threads about BBQ in those towns around. You can't get great BBQ in Wilson anymore.

[Naco]

"You can't get great BBQ in Wilson anymore."

Sad but true. We used to drive from Williamston all the time to eat bbq in Wilson back in the 80s. On the bright side, there's a treasure trove of Mexican places now.

[orzobino]

Rubys is long gone,,its now a questionable Jamaican place 1423 or something..better hurry it wont last long

[Naco]

Wilson is chock full of locally owned places. The Beefmastor Inn has excellent steaks, Flo's Kitchen has great biscuits and fried pork chops, and there are a bunch of authentic Mexican places. The one I've eaten at most recently was Tacos y Tortas El Mexicanito, which was on the corner of Hines and Tarboro St., IIRC. It was excellent. I also like Taqueria Guerrero, but it's been a year or so since I've eaten there. Taqueria las Palmas is on Tarboro St. just up from El Mexicanito, but I haven't tried it yet. I would also imagine that some of the many Mexican grocery and dry goods stores in Wilson serve cooked food.