Ask around in the Pee Dee region about where to find good ribs, and one name keeps coming up. Shuler’s BBQ sits on a quiet highway in tiny Sellers, with a cabin-style dining room and a deck looking over a pond full of fish and turtles.
Road trippers heading to Myrtle Beach stop here, and locals keep coming back week after week. Here is what makes this smokehouse worth the short detour off the highway.
A Cabin Smokehouse on SC-38
Out where the fields stretch wide and the traffic thins, a wooden building at 419 SC-38 in Sellers draws a steady stream of hungry cars. Shuler’s BBQ is a barbecue restaurant built to feel like a big country cabin, and it serves South Carolina-style pulled pork and ribs.
The place holds a 4.5-star rating from nearly 2,000 Google reviews, which is a lot of praise for a small town spot. One traveler noted it sits just about five minutes off the highway, and said it would be worth the trip even if it were twenty.
Inside the same building, guests also find a store and a bakery. There is even a banquet hall on site, so the property does a lot more than serve plates of pork.
If you are driving toward the beach or passing through the area, this is the kind of stop that turns a quick meal into a real memory. Hotel staff in the region have been known to send visitors here, and plenty of first timers leave planning their next visit.
Thirty Years of Family Recipes
Grandma-style cooking is not a marketing line here. According to the owner, most of the recipes were passed down from a traditional Southern mom, and the business has been going strong for about 30 years.
That history shows up in the barbecue itself. The owner explains that barbecue in this part of South Carolina leans on vinegar or mustard, and Shuler’s makes a sauce that blends the two.
Fun fact: the restaurant says it earned a 100 mile BBQ recognition from the SC state BBQ Association. It also describes itself as listed among the top in the state for smoked barbecue.
Guests seem to pick up on that homegrown feel right away. One diner said the food tasted just like a visit to a Southern grandmother, and her mom, a skilled cook herself, agreed it was the real deal.
Another visitor said the barbecue needs no sauce at all. When a recipe has been tested on family tables for decades, that kind of confidence makes sense.
Ribs Worth Asking About
Ribs came up in 66 reviews, and that is no accident. People who love dry rub say these are the ones to order, and some families have members who simply adore them.
Timing matters, though. The owner notes that after 4 pm, the kitchen offers ribs and barbecue chicken off the grill for a higher price than the lunch buffet.
So if ribs are your mission, plan for a later visit. Many guests pair them with the pulled pork, which reviewers describe as tasty and full of flavor.
One family passing through from Pennsylvania to Florida said the ribs, chicken, and sides were all amazing. Beach regulars also mention that the barbecue and ribs never let them down on the drive.
Not every diner is a fan, of course. One visitor who drove an hour was disappointed with the barbecue, so tastes do vary.
Still, the overwhelming feedback points to ribs that earn their reputation.
The Famous Southern Buffet
Bring an empty stomach. With 233 mentions, the buffet is the most talked about thing at Shuler’s, and guests call it huge and well stocked.
The owner lists a long spread: pork bog, liver hash, rice with red or brown gravy, collards, cabbage, butter beans, string beans, baked beans, mashed potatoes, and squash casserole. There is also sweet potato souffle, fried corn on the cob, slaw, fried pork chops, fried chicken, and barbecue.
The mac and cheese is made with real cheddar, the owner points out. One fan called it the best they had ever eaten.
Fried chicken may be the surprise star, with 64 mentions. Diners rave about the crispy, crunchy skin and meat that falls off the bone, and several call it the best Southern chicken they have tried.
Collards with a sweet tang, meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, and biscuits also get love. Visitors notice the line stays clean and organized, with staff constantly swapping in fresh pans.
Not that hungry? There is a regular menu too.
Cobbler, Pudding, and Sweet Tea
Save room. That advice shows up again and again from guests who say the desserts beat their expectations.
Past visitors describe three choices: apple with brown sugar, banana pudding, and peach cobbler. One diner called the apple cobbler the best they had ever tasted.
Here is an insider tip from a regular. Bread pudding is available, but you have to ask for it.
Dessert is included with the lunch buffet, which makes it easy to try a little of everything. Even people who usually skip sweets admit they were glad they did not.
And then there is the tea. Visitors describe it as classic Southern sweet tea, exactly what you would hope for in South Carolina.
Even the one unhappy reviewer still praised the tea and biscuits.
Some guests have even been handed tea to go as they left, a small touch that sends you back to the car smiling.
Pond, Turtles, and a General Store
Kids tend to remember the turtles more than the barbecue. Behind the restaurant, a pond with fish and turtles gives everyone a reason to linger.
A walkway circles the water, and you can buy fish food on your way out to toss to the crowd below. One family on a road trip said it made the stop a highlight for their children.
Takeout fans like it too. Guests have grabbed plates to go and eaten at the picnic tables out back while enjoying the water view.
Back inside, the general store is its own little adventure. One shopper bought dolls there and praised the quality of the merchandise, and the on-site bakery adds another stop.
Visitors say the scenery feels relaxing and welcoming. After a big buffet plate, a slow stroll by the pond is just about perfect.
Checkered Tables and Big-Hearted Service
Red and white checkered tablecloths and a paper towel roll on every table. One diner joked that this alone tells you the food is good.
The room is spacious, and guests say they never feel rushed. Families, road trippers, seniors, and locals all seem right at home.
The staff, though, may be the real story. Reviewers often ask for favorite servers by name and describe them as attentive and quick with refills.
Some stories go far beyond good service. One couple left a purse behind and got a phone call halfway to Myrtle Beach saying it was safe.
Another traveler’s truck broke down out front in high 90s heat. During the two-hour wait for a tow, staff offered free tea and ice pops and even gave $50 toward the towing bill.
Kindness like that is hard to forget, and it shapes the warm, down-home feel guests describe.
Planning Your Visit and Final Thoughts
Check the calendar first. Shuler’s BBQ is open only Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from 11:30 am to 8 pm, and closed Sunday through Wednesday.
The owner lists lunch buffet pricing at $14.95 for adults and $13.95 for seniors, with your drink and dessert included. Ribs and grilled barbecue chicken after 4 pm cost more.
Crowds can be real. One newcomer found the line out the door on the first try, while another group arrived at 5 pm on a Friday to beat the rush.
You can call ahead at 843-752-4700 or visit shulersbbq.com for details. The address is 419 SC-38 in Sellers.
So is it worth it? For honest Southern cooking, a generous buffet, ribs that people rave about, and a pond full of turtles, most visitors say yes.
Go hungry, stay a while, and you may find yourself sending the next rib lover this way.
Enjoyed this story?
Add Fast Food Club as a preferred source to see more of our reporting on Google.