Tucked along US-70 in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Wilber’s Barbecue has been feeding hungry travelers and locals since 1962. Founded by Wilber Shirley, this no-frills roadside landmark is famous for cooking whole hogs low and slow over real hardwood coals — the old-fashioned way.
Decades have passed, but the pits keep burning and the tradition keeps going strong. If you have never experienced authentic Eastern North Carolina barbecue, Wilber’s is the place to start.
A History That Started With Wilber Shirley in 1962
Some restaurants are just places to eat. Wilber’s Barbecue is a piece of living history.
Wilber Shirley opened the doors in 1962, and from day one, the focus was simple: cook whole hogs the right way, over real hardwood coals, and serve the community.
For decades, Wilber’s became a trusted stop for travelers cruising US-70 through eastern North Carolina. The restaurant built its reputation one plate at a time, earning loyal fans who came back again and again.
When Wilber’s briefly closed in 2019, the community felt the loss deeply.
A local group, including Willis Underwood, stepped up to bring it back. That revival was not just about reopening a restaurant — it was about preserving a tradition that eastern North Carolina could not afford to lose.
The legacy Wilber Shirley started over sixty years ago is still very much alive today.
Whole Hog Cooking Over Real Hardwood Coals
Forget gas burners and electric smokers — Wilber’s does things the old-fashioned way. Every hog is cooked whole over a bed of real hardwood coals, a method that demands patience, skill, and serious dedication from the pit crew.
Split oak logs are delivered in bulk, stacked daily, and burned down into a steady bed of coals. Those coals are then shoveled — literally by hand — into the pit room, where they radiate steady, even heat underneath each hog.
The process cannot be rushed, and that is exactly the point.
Slow cooking over hardwood gives the pork a depth of flavor that no shortcut can replicate. The fat renders slowly, the skin crisps up beautifully, and the meat soaks in that unmistakable smoky richness.
Whole hog cooking is rare today, which makes Wilber’s commitment to it all the more impressive and worth celebrating.
The Art of Reading the Fire — No Clocks Allowed
Here is something you will not find at most modern restaurants: a pitmaster who cooks entirely by instinct. At Wilber’s, the longtime pit expert does not use a thermometer or set a timer.
He gauges doneness by watching and listening to the drippings hit the coals below.
When Willis Underwood installed overhead lights in the pit room, the pitmaster reportedly asked to keep them off. The darkness was not a problem — it was part of the process.
Decades of standing in the same heat, listening to the same fire, had sharpened his senses beyond what any gadget could match.
That kind of deep, earned knowledge is what separates a legendary BBQ joint from an ordinary one. Every hog that comes off the pit at Wilber’s carries the mark of that expertise — cooked not by the clock, but by feel, sound, and experience built over a lifetime.
Eastern NC Chopped Pork — Tangy, Smoky, and Perfectly Done
Eastern North Carolina barbecue has its own identity, and Wilber’s chopped pork is a textbook example of why. The pork arrives on your plate already glazed with a tang-forward vinegar sauce, with pepper flecks scattered throughout and a smoke flavor that speaks for itself without shouting.
Unlike heavier, tomato-based styles from other regions, eastern NC barbecue relies on the natural flavor of the pork elevated by acid and heat. The vinegar cuts through the richness, brightening every bite and keeping things light enough to go back for more.
Wilber’s chops the meat to a satisfying medium texture — not too fine, not too chunky.
Reviewers consistently rave about the pork, calling it the clear star of every combo plate. Whether you order a sandwich or a full dinner plate, the chopped pork at Wilber’s delivers that authentic pit-cooked flavor that keeps people driving from hours away just for a taste.
Hush Puppies and Chicken Gravy — A Combo You Did Not Know You Needed
Walk into Wilber’s and before you even place your order, something special lands on your table. A basket of hot hush puppies and a bowl of warm chicken gravy arrive as a complimentary welcome — and customers absolutely love it.
The hush puppies are fried to a golden crisp on the outside with a soft, slightly chewy center. Dipped into the savory chicken gravy, they become something almost addictive.
Multiple reviewers admitted they had never tried hush puppies with gravy before visiting Wilber’s, and nearly all of them said it changed their opinion of the classic Southern side dish entirely.
It is a small gesture, but it sets the tone for the whole meal. Wilber’s is the kind of place that thinks about how guests feel from the first moment they sit down.
That warm, generous welcome is baked right into the culture of the restaurant, and regulars never get tired of it.
The Skin Tray — A Crispy, Unapologetic Treat
Not every BBQ spot offers this, but Wilber’s keeps it real with one of their most talked-about menu items — the skin tray. Pulled straight off the hog after cooking, the skins are handed over unseasoned and honest, just like the menu openly warns you.
Some pieces come out crackly and perfectly crisp, while others are chewier depending on where they sat on the hog. That inconsistency is actually part of the charm — it reminds you that a real animal was cooked here, not a factory product.
Paired with the complimentary chicken gravy, even the chewier pieces become a worthy snack.
One visitor noted that the skin tray and gravy should officially be offered together, and honestly, that is hard to argue with. It is a bold, unfiltered experience that fits perfectly with Wilber’s no-nonsense approach to barbecue.
Adventurous eaters should absolutely add it to their order without hesitation.
The Sides That Complete the Plate
Great barbecue deserves great sides, and Wilber’s does not treat them as an afterthought. The coleslaw is a classic eastern NC version — green cabbage only, chopped fine, dressed with vinegar and just enough mayo to hold it together.
It is clean, bright, and built to reset your palate between bites of smoky pork.
The barbecue potatoes carry a soft, comforting texture with a gentle smokiness in the background, while the collard greens and mac and cheese round out the menu with familiar Southern warmth. One reviewer praised the baked mac and cheese as genuinely delicious, well worth ordering even if it is not always listed on every menu version.
Vegetables are sourced from local farmers, which shows in the freshness of the produce. From Brunswick stew to butter beans and sweet potatoes, the sides at Wilber’s tell their own story about eastern North Carolina food culture and the people who keep it alive.
The Smokehouse — Where the Magic Actually Happens
Behind the dining room at Wilber’s lies the real heart of the operation — the smokehouse. Step inside and decades of cooking are written right into the walls.
The bricks have turned a deep, glossy black from years of smoke and heat, creating a patina that no renovation could ever fake or replicate.
The pits run in a long corridor, each one loaded with carefully shoveled hardwood coals. Whole hogs are staged in refrigeration before being placed over the pits, where they cook slowly in the rising heat.
The air carries that deep, woody smoke smell that tells you something serious is happening in here.
Willis Underwood has been known to personally walk curious guests through the smokehouse, and visitors consistently describe the tour as a highlight of their entire visit. Seeing where the food comes from — the real process, not a sanitized version — makes every bite taste even better once you sit back down.
Willis Underwood and the Revival of a Goldsboro Icon
When Wilber’s closed in 2019, it felt like a piece of eastern North Carolina’s soul went quiet. Thankfully, Willis Underwood and a dedicated local group refused to let the story end there.
They took over the restaurant and committed to keeping the whole hog tradition exactly as Wilber Shirley had built it.
Willis has become the face of the revival, and by all accounts, he wears that role with genuine warmth. Multiple reviewers mention him by name, praising his personal tours of the pit area and his obvious passion for the food and the history behind it.
One visiting couple called him “warm-hearted and generous” after he walked them through the entire cooking process himself.
Running a place like Wilber’s is not just a business decision — it is a cultural commitment. Willis and his team understand that preserving this tradition means doing the hard, unglamorous work every single day, and they show up to do exactly that.
Friendly Service That Keeps Customers Coming Back
Good food alone does not build a 60-year reputation — the people serving it matter just as much. At Wilber’s, the staff is mentioned in review after review as a genuine reason customers return.
Server Heather, in particular, has earned a loyal following among regulars and first-time visitors alike.
Reviewers describe her as patient, knowledgeable, and almost impossibly polite. She keeps sweet tea glasses full before they even reach the halfway mark, answers every question with confidence, and makes guests feel genuinely looked after.
Another server, Nikki, drew similar praise for making ordering easy and keeping the mood friendly and relaxed throughout the meal.
For a restaurant that has been open since 1962, that level of care feels like part of the DNA. Wilber’s is not trying to be trendy or flashy — it just wants every guest to leave happy, full, and already thinking about when they can come back again.
The BBQ Sauce — Bottled Eastern NC Flavor You Can Take Home
Some sauces are good. Wilber’s BBQ sauce has its own fan club.
The tangy, vinegar-forward blend is exactly what you would expect from an eastern North Carolina pit master — bright, peppery, and built to complement smoky pork without drowning it out.
Customers love it so much that Wilber’s bottles and sells it, along with branded merchandise like t-shirts and hats. One reviewer specifically mentioned picking up a case of sauce as a souvenir, calling it one of the best things they brought home from the entire trip.
Another customer raved about the sauce in an online order, saying the bonus goods in their double box made them want to share the BBQ love with everyone they knew.
Taking a bottle home means the Wilber’s experience does not have to end when you pull out of the parking lot. It is a small but satisfying way to keep that eastern NC flavor alive in your own kitchen long after your visit.
A Menu Built Around Comfort and Variety
Wilber’s menu is not trying to impress you with trendy fusion dishes or complicated flavor profiles. What you get here is honest, well-executed Southern comfort food built around the pit-cooked BBQ that made the place famous.
Combo plates let you mix and match proteins and sides to build exactly the meal you want.
Beyond the chopped pork, the menu includes fried chicken, beef BBQ, pulled turkey BBQ, ribs, and even a BBQ pork sandwich for those who want something handheld. The beef BBQ drew particular praise from one reviewer who described it as surprisingly light and flavorful.
The pulled turkey BBQ even won a friendly family taste-test competition against Texas-style barbecue during a Thanksgiving dinner order.
Desserts are made in-house, which is a detail worth noting in a world full of pre-packaged sweets. The variety at Wilber’s means there is genuinely something for everyone at the table, whether you are a die-hard BBQ purist or a first-time visitor still figuring out what to try.
Why Food Lovers Drive Hours to Reach Goldsboro
There is something almost mythical about a BBQ joint that makes people rearrange their travel plans just to eat there. Wilber’s has that kind of pull.
One reviewer drove nearly two hours for a business trip specifically because a local told them not to leave without trying it. Another couple was touring North Carolina for an entire month and called Wilber’s their single best meal of the trip.
The restaurant even earned a mention in Matt Moore’s book “The South’s Best Butts,” which sent food-curious travelers straight to the door. That kind of word-of-mouth credibility cannot be manufactured — it is earned over decades of consistent, quality cooking.
Located at 4172 US-70, Wilber’s is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 7 PM and Sunday from 11 AM to 3 PM. If you find yourself anywhere near Goldsboro, making the detour is not a question — it is the obvious answer for anyone who takes real barbecue seriously.