TV Restaurants

Is Bessinger's Bar-B-Q Still Open? Food Paradise Update (Charleston, SC)

Food Paradise, Season 9 Charleston, South Carolina

Current status

Open

As of October 2026, Bessinger's Bar-B-Q is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What the source shows: Yelp's listing for 1602 Savannah Hwy, updated 2026-07, shows 385 reviews and 219 photos with no closed designation, and Google Places marks the same address operational. How we decide a status →

What happened after Food Paradise? 2 episodes

Food Paradise, Season 9, Episode 9

The episode featured Bessinger's Bar-B-Q's mustard-based barbecue plate, including the restaurant's chopped pork served with hash and rice. Bessinger's has operated on Savannah Highway in Charleston since the Piggie Park Drive-In opened there in 1961 and was later renamed Bessinger's-The Barbecue Family, according to Charleston Magazine's history of the restaurant. The current location at 1602 Savannah Hwy continues to operate, according to a Yelp listing updated July 2026 that shows recent photos and reviews posted at that address.

Man v. Food, Season 5, Episode 3 Aired

Man v. Food (S5E3, aired 2017-08-14) featured slow-smoked barbecue at Bessinger's Bar-B-Q on Savannah Highway in Charleston, South Carolina. The restaurant, styled as Bessinger's BBQ on current listings, is a barbecue restaurant at 1602 Savannah Hwy serving smoked pork, ribs, chicken, and brisket. According to Yelp, a listing for this address titled 'BESSINGER'S BBQ' was updated 2026-07 and showed 385 reviews and 219 photos with no closed designation. Google Places listed the same address's business status as operational when the record was compiled on 2026-09-08. The restaurant's own website returned a server error when checked directly on 2026-09-08, so this record relies on the Yelp listing and the Google Places status rather than the business's own site.

The episodes Food Paradise

Episode 9
Air date not confirmed
Title: BBQ Bliss · What was featured: Bessinger's mustard-sauce pulled pork barbecue plate
Man v. Food, Season 5, Episode 3
Aired
What was featured: Slow-smoked barbecue at the Savannah Highway location
How Food Paradise restaurants have fared: 27% closed →

Also in Season 9 Food Paradise

Season 9: 70 of 100 still open · 6 renamed, moved or under new owners

All 13 Season 9 episodes →

Nearest restaurants By distance from 1602 Savannah Hwy

  • The Early Bird Diner

    Charleston, SC 0.1 mi away

    Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

    Open

  • The Glass Onion

    Charleston, SC 0.8 mi away

    Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

    Open

  • Bushido (Bushido Japanese Restaurant)

    Charleston, SC 2.5 mi away

    Man v. Food

    Open

  • Marina Variety Store Restaurant

    Charleston, SC 3.6 mi away

    Food Paradise

    Closed

  • Fuel Cantina

    Charleston, SC 3.7 mi away

    Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

    Closed

  • Hominy Grill

    Charleston, SC 3.8 mi away

    Best Thing I Ever Ate · Food Paradise · Man v. Food

    Closed
All 50 TV restaurants in South Carolina →

Before you go: Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources we checked 3 references

  1. charlestonmag.com https://charlestonmag.com/the_mustard_sauce_migration_the_evolution_of_charleston_barbecue_part_1
  2. Yelp https://www.yelp.com/biz/bessingers-bbq-charleston
  3. bessingersbbq.com https://bessingersbbq.com/
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Record mvf-285 · checked by Cal Marchetti.