In 2010, Mr. Anthony Wooten founded Woots Barbecue. He had never initially planned on founding his own restaurant. But after having worked for Procter and Gamble for 25 years, Mr. Wooten began his culinary adventure by catering dinners in honor of P&G’s retirees.

Mr. Wooten is native of Kinston, North Carolina. Barbecue is a huge part of North Carolina’s culture, and if you’ve had North Carolina barbecue before you’ve probably realized that Woots’ barbecue has that same taste.

Over the past six years, Woots has become a family favorite in the White Oak area. It’s known for its mouthwatering meals, but Woots also has exceptional customer service. Right when you walk in the door, you’re greeted by warm smiles from the staff. Its layout makes you feel as if you’re right at home, enjoying a nice family meal. When asked about some of his restaurant’s core philosophies, Mr. Wooten replied, “I try to make sure that we put out a good product for each and every customer. We make sure to socialize with our guests and want them to feel like they’re right at home.”

Woots’ philosophies have had a great impact on the opinions of its customers. Many consider Woots to be one of the best family barbecue restaurants around. My cousin Max Scherch, a senior at St. Xavier High School, lives only minutes away from Woots and has eaten there several times. When asked about his opinion of Woots, Max replied, “It’s such a nice place. The staff is always so welcoming. They work so hard, yet they always have time to make you feel at home.”

Now Woots didn’t just earn its popularity through its hospitality. Their menu is loaded with classic barbecue meals like pulled pork, chicken, ribs, and various other items. When asked what has been their most popular item, Mr. Wooten responded saying that it is their pulled pork. However, he did mention that their smoked fried chicken was catching up to it. I’ve tried both items, and it has been impossible for me to pick a favorite between the two.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Alex Wertz

A look at what Woots' menu looks like.

Along with his work in the restaurant, Mr. Wooten also caters for parties and events. When asked what his favorite catering experience has been over the years, Mr. Wooten told me his favorite event was the Jazz Festival at Paul Brown Stadium. The festival was held on a Friday and Saturday night, and it seems as if he enjoyed every minute of it. Mr. Wooten described that he had plenty of customers during those two days. In fact, after showing up to the event on Saturday and getting set up around 11 o’clock in the morning, he served customers till midnight. Mr. Wooten ended up leaving Paul Brown by 7 in the morning the following Sunday.

Over the past year, Woots has become one of my favorite restaurants. Even though I live about 30 minutes away from it, I always look for excuses to take a trip out to Woots. Whether it be nice family dinners, meetings over lunch, or spending some quality time with your friends, you can’t go wrong with stopping by Woots for some amazing barbecue.

Click here for a link to Woots’ website.

Woots is located on 5826 Cheviot Road.