Wicked Weed Smokehouse, Cherokee NC (Permanently Closed)

In their fifth barbecue review, the Pit Stop crew travels to Cherokee, North Carolina—while staying in nearby Bryson City—for a getaway that included casino time at Caesars and a visit to the Wicked Weed Smokehouse located inside the casino. While the atmosphere delivered a cool brewery-style vibe with visible smoke, friendly staff, and an inviting setting, the food ultimately fell short of expectations. A warning from the server to skip the potato salad set the tone, and the coleslaw proved bland and forgettable, though the baked beans stood out as the best item of the meal with a sweet, meaty flavor that became the clear highlight. Beverage options were equally underwhelming, with an overly sour cider and a lackluster house Chardonnay. Among the meats, the pulled pork was tender but overly fatty, lightly smoked, and needed sauce to carry flavor, while the brisket was the weakest offering—dry, crumbly, and compared to canned tuna in texture, with minimal smoke and seasoning. The ribs were the strongest of the meats but still only average, featuring decent tenderness, a honey-style barbecue sauce, and heavy smoke that bordered on overpowering. Ironically, the standout flavor of the visit came from the mustard-based South Carolina–style barbecue sauce, which impressed enough to inspire a future chicken tender order—though likely at another location. While acknowledging this casino location may not represent the brand’s best, the crew plans to give Wicked Weed another chance at its main location, but would likely skip this particular spot in favor of other dining options when returning to Cherokee. Despite the disappointing barbecue, the trip delivered memorable casino wins, including multiple jackpots, and the episode wrapped with lighthearted moments, gambling highlights, and a call for viewers to help name the crew’s new barbecue pig mascot.