232 editor-picked american bbq restaurants across 57 cities.
American barbecue is one of the great regional cuisines of the United States, a slow-cooking, hardwood-smoke tradition that descends from West African pit-roasting, Caribbean and indigenous Taino barbacoa, German and Czech butcher traditions in central Texas, and the long Southern necessity of turning cheap, tough cuts of pork and beef into the best food in the region. The defining technique is low-and-slow cooking over hardwood smoke (post oak, hickory, mesquite, or pecan, by region) for hours, often overnight, at temperatures around 225 to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. This is fundamentally different from grilling: BBQ is slow, indirect-heat cooking; grilling is fast, direct-heat searing.
The cuisine is regional first and national second, and arguing over which region's BBQ is best is a national pastime. Texas (especially central Texas) is beef country, dominated by salt-and-pepper-crusted post-oak-smoked brisket and beef sausage. The Carolinas are pork country, with whole-hog cooking and vinegar-pepper or mustard sauces. Memphis is pork ribs and pulled pork, dry-rubbed or sauced, with hickory smoke. Kansas City is everything (the most omnivorous BBQ style), with a sweet-and-tangy tomato-molasses sauce that has become the national supermarket standard.
A serious BBQ restaurant is rarely fancy. Counter service, butcher paper or trays, white bread or saltines, and a few cold sides (slaw, beans, potato salad, mac and cheese, banana pudding) are the form. Brisket and ribs are measured by the bark (the dark, peppery crust), the smoke ring (the pink layer just under the bark), and the tenderness. Some of the best BBQ in America is sold from a parking lot trailer or a tin-roofed roadside shack.
Beef-led, post-oak-smoked, served on butcher paper with white bread, raw onion, and pickles. The Texas trinity is brisket, beef ribs, and sausage (often jalapeno-cheese or coarse-ground beef sausage in the German-Czech butcher tradition of Lockhart, Luling, and Elgin). Sauce is on the side and often optional. Franklin Barbecue in Austin and Snow's in Lexington are the modern benchmarks.
Whole-hog cooking over hickory or oak coals, pulled and chopped together (white meat and dark, with bits of crackling), dressed with a thin vinegar-and-red-pepper sauce. Served with coleslaw (often vinegar-based, sometimes mayo-based) and hush puppies. Skylight Inn in Ayden is the institution.
Pork shoulder only (not whole hog), with a vinegar-tomato-sugar sauce called dip, and a red slaw (vinegar-based, with the BBQ dip mixed in). Lexington is the town that gave the style its name.
Pork-led with four regional sauce zones, the most famous being mustard-based (Carolina Gold), invented by German immigrants in the central state. Eastern South Carolina uses vinegar-pepper; the Pee Dee region uses tomato-vinegar.
Pork ribs and pulled pork, smoked with hickory. Ribs come dry (with a spice-rub crust, sauce on the side) or wet (mopped with a tangy-sweet tomato sauce). Sandwich is pulled pork with slaw on top, on a soft bun. Rendezvous (dry ribs) and Cozy Corner are the institutions.
The most omnivorous style: beef, pork, ribs, sausage, even mutton, all smoked with hickory or oak, and dressed with the sweet, thick, tomato-molasses sauce that has become the supermarket standard for BBQ sauce nationally. Burnt ends (cubed brisket point trimmings) are a Kansas City invention. Arthur Bryant's, Gates, and Joe's Kansas City are the icons.
At a Texas BBQ joint, the line is the line. You walk in, get a tray, and order by weight at the counter (half-pound of brisket lean, half-pound moist, two beef ribs, a link of sausage, a half-pound of pulled pork). The pitmaster slices the meat in front of you. Sides are scooped on the side or in a separate cup. Sauce is on the table; in Texas, you may not need any. At a Carolina or Memphis joint, order the sandwich or the platter, choose two sides, and pick your sauce (or take the house style). Drinks are sweet tea or beer.
The rookie mistakes: ordering rare brisket (it cooks until tender, not until medium-rare), dousing the meat in sauce before tasting it (the bark and smoke are doing work), refusing the white bread or saltine on the side (it is the traditional starch), and confusing the regions (asking for whole hog in Texas, or beef brisket in eastern Carolina, marks you as a tourist immediately). Cash is king at many of the best old-school joints.
Sweet tea is the universal Southern table drink; an unsweetened cold brewed iced tea works in Texas. Beer is the alcohol pairing of choice: cold lager (Shiner Bock in Texas, Lone Star, a local pilsner everywhere else) cuts the fat and salt. American whiskey, bourbon especially, finishes the meal. Wine is unusual but a fruity Zinfandel or a Texas Tempranillo from the Hill Country can pair with brisket. With burnt ends and Kansas City sauce, a darker craft beer or a stout. The non-alcoholic side: lemonade, Dr Pepper (Texas), and Cheerwine (Carolina cherry soda).
Texas is the destination for beef and brisket pilgrimage: Franklin in Austin, Snow's in Lexington (open Saturdays only), La Barbecue in Austin, Truth in Brenham, Goldee's in Fort Worth. The Carolinas for whole-hog: Skylight Inn in Ayden, Sam Jones BBQ, Scott's Bar-B-Que. Memphis for ribs: Rendezvous, Payne's, Cozy Corner. Kansas City for the omnivore: Arthur Bryant's, Joe's Kansas City, Gates. Outside the US, real American BBQ is essentially nonexistent: London and Berlin have a few imitators (Texas Joe's, Stovell's), but the wood-and-time commitment that defines BBQ does not export.
American BBQ descends from West African pit-roasting techniques carried via the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Caribbean and indigenous Taino barbacoa (the word's origin), and central European butcher traditions brought by German and Czech immigrants to Texas in the 19th century. The modern regional kingdoms emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries: the Texas meat-market BBQ (pioneered by Kreuz in Lockhart, 1900), Carolina whole-hog (rooted in the antebellum tradition of celebratory pig roasts), Memphis dry ribs (Rendezvous opened 1948), and Kansas City sauce-forward (Henry Perry, the founder of KC BBQ, opened in the 1910s).
Grilling is fast, direct-heat cooking over hot flame or coals (steaks, burgers, hot dogs). Barbecue is slow, indirect-heat cooking with hardwood smoke at 225 to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, for hours. A burger on the backyard grill is not barbecue, even though Americans often call it that.
An unresolvable argument. Central Texas (Franklin, Snow's) and eastern North Carolina whole-hog (Skylight Inn) are typically the two most cited as world-class. The honest answer is to try all four major regional styles and pick favorites by meat and sauce.
Region-specific. Post oak in central Texas; hickory across the South and the Memphis-Kansas City corridor; pecan in some Texas and Oklahoma kitchens; mesquite in west Texas and the Southwest (with caution, as mesquite burns hot and can over-flavor). The wood is part of the regional identity.
A traditional wood-smoking operation on the Djursland coast making cold-smoked eel, hot-smoked trout and pickled herring from local catch. At Egens Havhuse.
Why locals love it: A seasonal smokehouse operating from a converted fishing hut on the Djursland coast, an hour from Aarhus.
Tip: Call ahead to check availability (Danish only). Open April to October on weekends.
Mols Smokehouse at Egens Havhuse near Ebeltoft smokes fresh fish on-site with views of Kalø Castle Ruin, serving smoked herring, eel and salmon with rye.
Order: Freshly smoked herring with rye bread and pickled cucumber; the eel when in season from August to October.
Tip: No reservation needed. About 45 minutes east of Aarhus. Outdoor seating only, dress for the weather. Worth combining with a visit to Kalø Castle.
Fox Bros Bar-B-Q on DeKalb Avenue in Atlanta has run Texas-style smoked brisket and pork since 2007. Located in Candler Park. Kitchen leans texas-style bbq.
Signature: Brisket, Texas-fries, Brunswick stew
Order: Sliced brisket plate with Brunswick stew and a side.
Tip: Counter ordering; the Beltline-adjacent patio runs dog-friendly. Closed Mondays.
Community Q BBQ in Decatur, Atlanta runs Southern-style smoked pork, brisket and ribs since 2010 with mac and cheese that became a local cult side.
Signature: Pulled pork, Mac and cheese, Brunswick stew
Order: Pulled pork plate with mac and cheese and Brunswick stew.
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays. Cash and card. Family meals scale to feed six and travel well.
Distant Relatives is Damien Brockways modern African-American BBQ at Meanwhile Brewings South Austin yard, with smoked collard greens as a quiet showstopper.
Why locals love it: Damien Brockway's modern African-American BBQ at Meanwhile Brewing's South Austin yard pulls a fraction of Franklin's queue and is the best new BBQ in town.
Tip: Sit at Meanwhile Brewing and order BBQ to the table; the smoked-collard-greens side is the room's quiet showstopper.
Mum Foods Smokehouse is a american bbq room in Austin. Order the Rachel sandwich and a side of matzo ball soup; the kitchen runs Wednesday-Sunday lunch only.
Why locals love it: The pastrami sandwich was voted the best in Texas and made the Infatuation's 18 Best Sandwiches in America list, yet the Manor Road deli rarely has a line.
Tip: Order the Rachel sandwich and a side of matzo ball soup; the kitchen runs Wednesday-Sunday lunch only.
Stubb's Bar-B-Q in Austin is the Red River BBQ-and-music venue running late on show nights, an 1850s limestone building with smoked plates and a long.
Try: Smoked plates and bloody marys
Order: Smoked-meat plate and a bloody mary at the bar.
Tip: Show nights run later than the regular kitchen; check the calendar before planning a 1am eat.
Chaps Pit Beef on Pulaski Highway is the benchmark for Baltimore pit beef, charcoal-grilling top round rare and piling it on a kaiser with tiger sauce.
Signature: Pit beef sandwich, Tiger sauce, Pit turkey
Order: The pit beef on a kaiser, rare, with tiger sauce and raw onion.
Tip: Order it rare with tiger sauce and onion; the stand recently moved a few hundred feet down Pulaski Highway.
Big Stuff Smoked BBQ inside Berlin's Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg pulls brisket and pork off an 80-kilo Texas-style smoker; the counter runs Wednesday.
Why locals love it: Big Stuff trades from a single counter inside Markthalle Neun behind an 80-kilo smoker shipped over from Tennessee.
Tip: Brisket sells out by 14:00 Thursdays during Street Food Thursday; arrive before 13:00 or accept the pulled pork.
Saw's Soul Kitchen on 41st Street South in Avondale Birmingham is the 2012 sibling to Saw's BBQ, mixing Alabama white sauce barbecue with soul-food sides.
Signature: Pork and greens, Pulled pork sandwich, Banana pudding
Saw's BBQ in Homewood near Birmingham is the 2009 Mike Wilson original, the Birmingham room that introduced Alabama white sauce on smoked chicken.
Signature: Smoked chicken with white sauce, Pork ribs, Pulled pork sandwich
Saw's Soul Kitchen on 41st Street South in Avondale Birmingham is the 2012 sibling to Saw's BBQ, mixing Alabama white sauce barbecue with soul-food sides.
Signature: Pork and greens, Pulled pork sandwich, Banana pudding
Bluebird Barbecue runs from an early-1900s farmhouse on Riverside Avenue overlooking the Winooski River. Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Smoked wings, BBQ ramen
Order: The brisket plate by the pound, a basket of smoked wings and a side of cornbread.
Tip: Closed Monday through Wednesday; book Thursday-Sunday or arrive at 16:30 opening for a counter seat.
Vermont's best-known barbecue room out of an early-1900s Riverside Avenue farmhouse on the Winooski River. Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Signature: Smoked brisket, BBQ ramen, Smoked wings
Order: The brisket by the pound, smoked wings and a side of cornbread.
Tip: Closed Mon-Wed; open Thu-Sun from 16:30 onwards. The brisket runs out by 19:30 on a busy Saturday; arrive at open.
John Lewis's Lewis Barbecue in Charleston runs central-Texas-style brisket and hot-guts sausage from a Nassau Street smokehouse since 2016. Priced at $$.
Signature: Brisket by the pound, Hot guts sausage
Order: A quarter-pound of fatty brisket and a hot-guts link, plus the green chile corn pudding side.
Tip: Order at the counter. Brisket runs out by 19:00 most nights; arrive earlier for the full menu.
John Lewis's central-Texas pit fires brisket and sausage every morning at the Nassau Street counter. Located in Upper Peninsula. At 464 N Nassau St.
Try: Brisket sandwich, sausage plate with two sides
Tip: Order at the counter, sit at the picnic tables. The brisket sandwich at lunch is the move when the full plate is too much.
Palmira Barbecue in Charleston runs wood-fired Texas-Carolina barbecue with Puerto Rican accents from a West Ashley strip-mall counter since 2023.
Signature: Beef cheek barbacoa, Guava burnt ends
Order: The beef cheek barbacoa, a guava burnt-end side.
Tip: Counter ordering, no reservations. Meats sell out by 19:00 on weekends; arrive by 17:00 for the full menu.
Lewis Donald's Sweet Lew's BBQ in Belmont is the counter-service barbecue room running wood-smoked pork shoulder, brisket and house sausages since 2018.
Signature: Pork shoulder, Brisket, House sausage
Order: A two-meat plate of pork shoulder and brisket with house sausage and a side of mac.
Tip: Counter-order only. Get there before noon to beat the meat sell-out.
Sweet Lew's BBQ in Belmont is Lewis Donald's wood-smoked Carolina BBQ counter, smoking whole pork shoulders, brisket and house sausages on a quiet street.
Why locals love it: A counter-service BBQ room on a quiet Belmont street, easy to drive past unless you're looking for it.
Tip: Get there before noon. The meats sell through by mid-afternoon.
A backyard smokehouse near Wat Umong turning out Texas-style brisket and pulled pork by the pound, a cult stop for the city's low-and-slow crowd.
Signature: Brisket, Pulled pork, Ribs
Calumet Fisheries in Chicago is the East Side smokehouse on the 95th Street bridge since 1948, with smoked chub, fried perch and shrimp wrapped in butcher.
Signature: Smoked chub, Fried lake perch
Order: Smoked chub by the piece and a fried perch fillet plate.
Tip: Cash only, no seating. Walk to the bridge and eat the chub on the railing watching the boats; that is the meal.
Calumet Fisheries in Chicago is the East Side smokehouse on the 95th Street bridge since 1948, smoked chub locals walk away with in butcher paper to eat.
Why locals love it: An East Side smokehouse two miles from any other restaurant, beside the 95th Street bridge from The Blues Brothers.
Tip: Cash only, no seating. Walk to the bridge with smoked chub in butcher paper, eat on the railing.
Lem's Bar-B-Q in Chicago is the Chatham South Side aquarium-smoker barbecue counter on 75th Street since 1954, with rib tips and hot links wrapped in butcher.
Try: Rib tips, hot links
Tip: Cash and counter only; open until 02:00 most nights. The tip-and-link combo on white bread is the canonical Saturday-night order.
Labrewtory Brewing Company is an American-owned brewery 5 minutes from the train station; free tours, outdoor terrace with bring-your-own grills nightly.
Why locals love it: American-owned brewery 5 minutes from the train station and zero minutes from any guidebook map, with the only hard cider on tap in Moldova.
Tip: Tours are free in three languages on request; the outdoor terrace has grills for guests to bring their own meat to barbecue.
Eli's BBQ on Riverside Drive in Cincinnati's East End is the smoker-led pulled-pork and brisket counter that grew from a single backyard pit.
Signature: Pulled pork sandwich, Jalapeno cheddar grits
Eli's BBQ on Riverside Drive in Cincinnati's East End is the smoker-led pulled-pork and brisket counter that grew from a single backyard pit.
Signature: Pulled pork sandwich, Jalapeno cheddar grits
Eli's BBQ on Riverside Drive in Cincinnati's East End is the smoker-led counter for pulled pork sandwiches and jalapeno cheddar grits, picnic-table only.
Try: Pulled pork sandwich and cheddar grits
Mabel's BBQ on East 4th Street in downtown Cleveland, Michael Symon's smokehouse since April 2016, builds Cleveland-style BBQ on fruitwood smoke and Bertman.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Cleveland-style ribs
Order: The four-meat tray with smoked kielbasa, plus an order of the spicy pickled vegetables.
Tip: Walk-ins seated at the bar; reserve the dining room on OpenTable two weeks ahead.
Mabel's BBQ on East 4th Street, Michael Symon's smokehouse since April 2016, builds Cleveland-style BBQ on locally sourced fruitwood and Bertman Ball Park.
Signature: Cleveland-style BBQ, Smoked kielbasa
Order: The four-meat tray with smoked kielbasa, plus an order of the spicy pickled vegetables.
Tip: Walk-ins seated at the bar; the dining room takes reservations on OpenTable two weeks out.
WarPigs on Flæsketorvet in Vesterbro's Kødbyen runs a Texas-style smokehouse out of the old slaughterhouse, pouring 23 craft beers on tap brewed on site.
Signature: Brisket, Pulled pork, Beef ribs
Order: A half-pound of brisket with pickles, plus a pint of the house lager from the on-site brewery.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive by 18:00 weekends or expect a 45 minute queue.
WarPigs on Flæsketorvet in Vesterbro's Kødbyen runs the smoker through dinner with brisket, ribs and pulled pork to 22:00, plus 23 craft beers on tap to last.
Try: Texas-style barbecue
Tip: Brisket sells out by 20:00; arrive earlier for the full menu. Bar runs later than the kitchen.
WarPigs in Kødbyen on Flæsketorvet sells brisket, pulled pork and ribs by weight from the counter, with single-meat 100g portions sliding under 100 kroner.
Try: Texas-style barbecue tray
Tip: Order at the counter; sides are extra. The bread roll comes free with any meat order.
Sibling to Market Lane next door, Elbow Lane pairs an in-house nano-brewery with a smokehouse kitchen on Oliver Plunkett Street. The German Purity Law beers.
Signature: Slow smoked baby back ribs, Wood-grilled ribeye, Elbow Lane house beers
Cork's smokehouse and nano-brewery on Oliver Plunkett Street, with ribs, brisket and wood-grilled meats matched to in-house beers made to German Purity Law.
Order: Slow smoked baby back ribs with house-brewed pale ale; the ribs need the full smoke time, so arrive by 19:30.
Tip: Book a table; the room is small and the regulars know when to show up.
The smokehouse side of Cork's Market Lane restaurant group brings slow-cooked fire cooking to a dinner format: ribs, brisket and wood-grilled cuts paired.
The Deep Ellum BBQ institution that made Dallas a serious stop on every national list. Brisket, ribs, and pulled pork in a lively brick room on Main St.
Order: Beef brisket by the pound, beef rib on Saturdays while supplies last.
Tip: Arrive by 11:30am on weekends; they sell out before 2pm and do not restock.
A suburban BBQ legend open just three days a week. Akaushi Wagyu brisket and Duroc pork, a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and a Texas Monthly Top 50 ranking.
Order: Akaushi Wagyu brisket. The Toddfather sandwich. Crack cake for dessert.
Tip: Pre-orders of whole meats are available by Tuesday at 5pm. Show up at 10am and expect to queue. BYOB.
Deep Ellum's most-visited dining room: long communal tables, cold beer, and brisket that made national food media relocate their coverage of Texas BBQ.
Order: Beef brisket by the pound. Jalapeño cheddar sausage. The beef rib on Saturdays.
Tip: The beef rib on Saturday is the highlight. Come at 11am or accept the queue. They sell out daily.
Award-winning BBQ and Cajun in Beaverdale: spiced fried catfish and pulled pork at the lower end of Des Moines casual dining prices with porch seating.
A Beaverdale neighbourhood favourite since 1997, Flying Mango started as a catering operation and farmers market stall before settling into its Hickman
Signature: Memphis-style ribs, Smoked brisket, Red beans and rice
Beaverdale's neighbourhood cornerstone since 1997. Memphis-style ribs and brisket share the menu with Cajun-Caribbean sides, red beans and rice, and a
Signature: Memphis ribs, Smoked brisket, Sweet potato pancake with mango sour cream
See all 9 american bbq rooms in Des Moines →
Slows Bar BQ on Michigan Avenue has anchored Corktown's revival since September 2005. The barbecue room that put Corktown back on the map. Priced at $$.
Signature: Pulled pork, Burnt ends
Order: Yardbird pulled-pork sandwich with mac and cheese, plus a Michigan craft draft.
Tip: No reservations; expect a wait at peak hours. Tiger Stadium site is across the street.
Slows Bar BQ on Michigan Avenue has anchored Corktown's revival in Detroit since September 2005. The barbecue room that put Corktown back on the map.
Signature: Pulled pork, Burnt ends
Order: Yardbird pulled-pork sandwich with mac and cheese, plus a Michigan craft draft.
Tip: No reservations; expect a wait at peak hours. Tiger Stadium site is across the street.
A nationally recognised whole-hog barbecue on Cole Mill Road where pigs are smoked overnight over hardwood. The banana pudding is as celebrated as the pork.
Signature: Whole-hog pulled pork, Banana pudding, Brunswick stew
Open since 1952, Bullock's is Durham's longest-running restaurant and the centre of Eastern NC barbecue culture. Cash only, family-run, unchanged in method.
Signature: Eastern NC whole-hog barbecue, Brunswick stew, Hushpuppies
Tony's The Pit Bar-B-Q on Myrtle Avenue is El Paso's classic barbecue address, with mesquite-smoked brisket, ribs, and sausage since the 1970s.
Order: Brisket sandwich or the pork ribs
Tip: Get there by 13:00 because popular cuts sell out before the evening push.
Tony's The Pit Bar-B-Q on Myrtle Avenue is El Paso's classic barbecue address, with mesquite-smoked brisket, pork ribs, and sausage served in a no-frills.
Order: Brisket sliced plate with jalopy pickled onions, or the pork ribs
Tip: Popular cuts sell out; arrive by 13:00 for the full selection.
Tony's The Pit on Myrtle Avenue serves mesquite-smoked brisket sandwiches at walk-up prices: the most accessible barbecue counter in downtown El Paso.
Order: Brisket sandwich or the chopped beef plate
Tip: Brisket is smoked from the night before and ready at opening; the early-afternoon run on brisket leaves slim pickings by 15:00.
Goldee's Barbecue in Fort Worth is a Michelin-recognised pitmaster destination open only Friday through Sunday, and sells out early most days.
Order: Brisket, pork ribs, house-made sausage links, banana pudding.
Tip: Arrive at opening or call ahead. They sell out most Fridays by 13:00 and do not restock once the pit is empty.
Goldee's Barbecue in Fort Worth is a Michelin-recognised pitmaster destination open only Friday through Sunday, and sells out early most days.
Order: Brisket, pork ribs, house-made sausage links, banana pudding.
Tip: Arrive at opening or call ahead. They sell out most Fridays by 13:00 and do not restock once the pit is empty.
Goldee's Barbecue in Fort Worth is a Michelin-recognised pitmaster destination open only Friday through Sunday, and sells out early most days.
Order: Brisket, pork ribs, house-made sausage links, banana pudding.
Tip: Arrive at opening or call ahead. They sell out most Fridays by 13:00 and do not restock once the pit is empty.
Connemara Smokehouse in Ballyconneely 75km from Galway city produces cold-smoked Atlantic salmon; the drive west for direct coastal salmon is worth it.
Why locals love it: An hour from Galway city on the Connemara coast at Bunowen Pier; the best cold-smoked Atlantic salmon in Ireland is sold direct.
Tip: Call ahead to confirm shop hours before the drive; the oak-smoked side salmon vacuum-packed makes the best edible souvenir from the west.
RØK in Hal 16 at Dok Noord builds its menu around fire: slow-cooked meats, charcoal-roasted vegetables and grilled fish come out in sharing formats that suit.
Signature: Slow-cooked ribs, Charcoal-roasted vegetables, Sharing platters
Order: The mixed sharing platter, which gives the widest view of what the kitchen does with smoke and charcoal.
Tip: Pair the meal with beers from Dok Brewing Company next door, which shares the Hal 16 space.
Henry's has chopped pork down to a science on Wade Hampton since 1992: house-mixed rubs, four-sauce SC line-up, sweet tea by the gallon. Counter service.
Signature: Chopped pork, Pulled pork sandwich, House BBQ sauce
Henry's runs counter-service barbecue on Wade Hampton: chopped pork sandwich and a side under fifteen dollars, four South Carolina sauces on the table.
Try: Chopped pork sandwich and a side under fifteen dollars
Mac's Speed Shop runs barbecue and a deep beer list on the West End: pulled pork, smoked brisket, babyback ribs, dog-friendly patio, live music on Thursdays.
Signature: Pulled pork, Smoked brisket, Babyback ribs
Rainbow Drive-In in Kapahulu Honolulu has slung budget plate lunches since 1961, with mix plates of loco moco, BBQ beef and boneless chicken averaging $11.
Try: Plate lunch with two scoops rice
Tip: Lunch peak 11:30-13:00. The mix plate at $14 is the most expensive plate and feeds two.
Truth BBQ in Houston is Leonard Botello IV's Heights Boulevard smokehouse, the Brenham original relocated in 2019, with post-oak-smoked brisket Texas.
Signature: Brisket, Pulled pork
Order: Brisket fatty, sliced thick. Pulled pork. A side of pinto beans and a slice of the strawberry cake.
Tip: Open Wed to Sun, lunch only until they sell out (usually 2 to 3pm). Get there by 11am for brisket; the line moves fast.
Truth BBQ in Houston is Leonard Botello IV's Heights Boulevard smokehouse since 2019, with post-oak-smoked brisket regularly ranked on Texas Monthly's Top 50.
Signature: Brisket, Strawberry cake
Order: Brisket fatty. The strawberry cake (the legend of Truth). Pulled pork.
Tip: Wed to Sun lunch only until sold out, usually 2 to 3pm. Get there by 11am for brisket.
Killen's Barbecue in Pearland is Ronnie Killen's smokehouse on East Broadway, a Michelin Bib Gourmand 2025 pick with a Texas beef rib that defined Houston.
Signature: Beef rib, Brisket
Order: The Texas beef rib. Brisket fatty. The creamed corn.
Tip: Lunch only Tuesday through Saturday; sold out by mid-afternoon. The beef rib runs out first; order on entry.
Crown Hill takeout pit from Texan Hank Fields on Martin Luther King Drive since 2004, brisket smoked 8 to 12 hours over Texas mesquite; closed Mondays.
Why locals love it: A small barbecue counter on Martin Luther King Drive, Indianapolis. The brisket is the city's quiet best, run from a strip-mall storefront.
Tip: Run out by mid-afternoon. Go by noon for a full plate Word-of-mouth is the only marketing.
The Pig and Pint in Fondren pairs eclectic BBQ - brisket, baby back ribs, and fried green tomato tacos - with one of Mississippi's largest craft beer.
Order: Sliced brisket plate with the fried green tomato tacos on the side
Tip: The patio under the trees fills fast on warm evenings; arrive at opening for the best outdoor seating.
The Pig and Pint in Fondren pairs eclectic BBQ - brisket, ribs, and fried green tomato tacos - with Mississippi's largest craft beer selections.
Order: Brisket plate with fried green tomato tacos and a rotating Mississippi craft beer
Tip: The rotating craft beer selection is genuinely excellent; ask the bartender what's new on tap.
The Pig and Pint pairs some of Jackson's best BBQ with one of Mississippi's largest craft beer selections - around 80 rotating handles - in a relaxed Fondren.
Signature drink: Rotating Mississippi craft beer on draft
Food: Full BBQ menu
Order: A local Mississippi craft beer with a brisket plate and fried green tomato tacos
Tip: The beer selection rotates constantly; the bartender knows what's new and what pairs with the BBQ.
See all 7 american bbq rooms in Jackson →
Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que runs out of a working Shamrock gas station at 47th and Mission in Kansas City, Kansas, where the Stehneys opened in 1996.
Signature: Z-Man sandwich, Burnt ends, Carolina pulled pork
Order: The Z-Man sandwich, slow-smoked brisket with provolone, onion rings and barbecue sauce on a kaiser roll.
Tip: Open Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday. Walk-in only and the line moves; lunch sells out by 14:00 on weekends.
Arthur Bryant's on Brooklyn Avenue in Kansas City is the canonical BBQ address, with roots back to Henry Perry's 1908 pit and the Bryant family's takeover.
Signature: Burnt ends, Beef brisket sandwich, Pork ribs
Order: Burnt ends sandwich on Wonder Bread with the rust-coloured original sauce.
Tip: Open Monday through Friday 10:00-20:00, Saturday 11:00-20:00, Sunday 11:00-19:00. Cash and card; sauce sold by the bottle.
Slap's BBQ on Central Avenue in Kansas City Kansas runs a competition-pitmaster operation since 2014 and sells out daily by mid-afternoon, ribs first.
Signature: Burnt ends, Pork ribs, Brisket
Order: Burnt ends and pork ribs at the counter; grab them before the kitchen sells out.
Tip: Open Tue to Sat 11:00-19:00, often closed earlier if meat runs out. Walk-in only.
Paris Texas on High Street is Kilkenny's BBQ specialist, a family-run pub since 1996 with a wood-smoking oven and New Orleans-inspired smokehouse plates.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Pulled pork, Jambalaya
Order: Smoked brisket or the mixed grill with ribs and pulled pork; the jambalaya is a cut above pub-food norms.
Tip: National Irish Pub of the Year and Whiskey Specialist. Walk-in only on bank holidays and festival weekends.
Paris Texas on High Street is Kilkenny's BBQ house, family-run since 1996 with a wood-smoking oven for American South West and New Orleans-inspired dishes.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Pulled pork, Jambalaya
Order: Mixed grill of brisket, ribs and pulled pork from the wood smoker; the jambalaya is excellent pub food.
Tip: Walk-in only on bank holidays and festival weekends; book ahead during Savour Kilkenny week in October.
Dead End BBQ on Sutherland Avenue in the Pond Gap neighborhood near Bearden, the competition-team-turned-restaurant, runs award-winning smoked brisket.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Pulled pork
Order: A combination plate with brisket and pulled pork and two East Tennessee sides.
Tip: Order from the counter and find a seat; Friday and Saturday dinners run busiest.
Buddy's Bar-B-Q on Kingston Pike, the original flagship since 1972 where Buddy and LaMuriel Smothers opened the chain, anchors Knoxville's East Tennessee.
Signature: Pulled pork plate, Pit-smoked turkey
Order: A pulled-pork plate with two sides and a sweet tea.
Tip: The Kingston Pike flagship is the original; the chain runs a dozen East Tennessee locations now.
Buddy's Bar-B-Q on Kingston Pike, the original flagship since 1972, runs a $9-13 pulled pork plate with two sides as Knoxville's most reliable East TN BBQ.
Try: Pulled pork plate with two sides
Tip: The pulled pork plate with cole slaw and beans clocks under $13; counter ordering moves fast.
Soulbelly BBQ in the Las Vegas Arts District is Bruce Kalman's smokehouse since May 2021, plating salt-and-pepper brisket, Carolina pulled pork.
Why locals love it: James Beard nominee Bruce Kalman left Pasadena's Union for this Arts District smokehouse; tourists never make it south of Charleston Boulevard.
Tip: Order the salt and pepper brisket and the mac and cheese with pork parm crumbs (panko, parmesan, chicharrones).
Hammerheads in Germantown Louisville smokes lamb ribs and BBQ sliders until 22:00 from a Swan Street basement, the after-dinner room locals book for a second.
Try: Smoked lamb ribs, BBQ sliders
Tip: No reservations. Get in before 18:00 or expect a 45-minute wait on weekends.
Doc Crow's on West Main in Louisville smokes brisket and shucks oysters on Whiskey Row, pairing both with a bourbon library of more than 2,700 expressions.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Raw oysters
Order: Smoked brisket with two sides, plus a flight of three Kentucky bourbons.
Tip: Book on OpenTable for dinner. Lunch runs walk-in until 14:00.
Feast BBQ on East Market in Louisville runs a counter-service NuLu pit, slicing brisket and pulled pork until the smoker runs out for the day.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Pulled pork
Order: A brisket plate with two sides and a side of pickles.
Tip: Get there before 14:00 on weekends. The brisket sells out fastest.
Raymond Robinson's North Parkway Memphis BBQ joint has smoked Cornish hens, bologna and ribs over hickory in a one-room shack since 1977. Priced at $.
Signature: Smoked Cornish hen, Bologna sandwich
Order: Smoked Cornish hen with the slab.
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays. Cash works best; the bologna sandwich is worth ordering even if you came for ribs.
Payne's Lamar Avenue Memphis BBQ counter has run chopped pork sandwiches and mustard slaw out of a converted gas station since 1972. Locals' top chopped pork.
Signature: Chopped pork sandwich, Slaw with mustard
Order: Chopped pork sandwich, mustard slaw, fizzy red drink.
Tip: Lunch only, Tuesday to Saturday, 11:00-17:30. Cash preferred and the line moves fast.
Cozy Corner BBQ on North Parkway in the Pinch District in Memphis serves the city's most singular plate: hickory-smoked Cornish hens, idiosyncratic.
Why locals love it: Tourists head to Rendezvous; locals and BBQ pilgrims drive to Cozy Corner for the Cornish hen.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday only. The bologna sandwich is the second order.
Lakefront Brewery on North Commerce Street, Russ Klisch's 1987 brewery, runs the city's defining Friday fish fry with a polka band and free brewery tours.
Signature: Friday fish fry, Cheese curds
Order: All-you-can-eat perch fish fry with the polka band on Friday night.
Tip: Friday fry fills by 17:30; reservations recommended on the brewery site for groups of 6 or more.
Carson's on West Juneau Avenue downtown near Fiserv Forum serves baby-back ribs in barbecue sauce with garbage salad and the Carson's potato since 1977.
Signature: Baby-back ribs, Garbage salad
Order: Full slab of baby-back ribs with garbage salad and a Carson's potato.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable; the bar takes walk-ins. Close to Fiserv Forum on event nights.
Smoke Shack on North Milwaukee Street in the Third Ward serves Memphis-Texas barbecue with smoked brisket, pulled pork and house-made sauces in a warehouse.
Signature: Brisket, Pulled pork
Order: Brisket plate with collard greens and mac and cheese.
Tip: Walk-in only; brisket sells out by 21:00 on weekends Walk-ins usually OK.
Animales Barbeque Co. runs the smoker that defines Minneapolis barbecue, with brisket and ribs from a 12,500 square foot Harrison music hall on Fremont Ave N.
Order: The brisket plate by the pound with white bread, pickles and onions.
Why locals love it: After a decade as a Bauhaus parking-lot pop-up, the smoker moved into a 12,500 square foot Harrison room with a live music stage in 2025.
Tip: Wednesday to Sunday only; meats sell out by 8pm on busy weekends. Order at the counter, grab a booth, listen for the band.
Northbound Smokehouse in Minneapolis runs a Longfellow brewpub on East 38th Street with house-smoked wings, American barbecue and beers brewed.
Order: Smoked wings with house barbecue and a pint of the Honey Wheat.
Why locals love it: Off the East 38th Street corridor in Longfellow, the smokehouse paired with an in-house brewery rarely shows up on downtown lists yet pours its own beer with smoked wings nightly.
Tip: Kitchen runs to 9:30 weekdays and 10:30 Friday and Saturday. Walk-up tables open after 8pm on weekday evenings.
Darryl Bell's Kansas City-influenced BBQ in a Quonset hut in the Rail Arts District. Among the most acclaimed BBQ operations in Northern California.
Signature: Kansas City burnt ends, Smoked ribs, Brisket
Tip: Closes at 19:30 and can sell out by 17:00 on weekends. Order online for pickup if you want to be sure.
Darryl Bell's Kansas City-style BBQ in a Quonset hut in the Rail Arts District. Among the most distinctive BBQ operations in Northern California.
Why locals love it: Three blocks from the tourist circuit in the Rail Arts District, inside a converted Quonset hut with no visible signage. The wine-tour crowd drives right past it.
Tip: Closes at 19:30 and sells out by 17:00 on weekends. Order online for same-day pickup if you want to guarantee the burnt ends.
Bounty Hunter pairs an 1880s Old West building with BBQ and 400 wine bottles covering small Napa producers. Smoked meats from a wood smoker in the back.
Signature: Smoked BBQ, Beer can chicken, 400 wine bottles
Tip: Good for a casual wine-and-BBQ combination that most wine-country restaurants won't offer you.
Edley's 12 South barbecue counter in Nashville runs Friday and Saturday until 22:00 with pulled pork, the Tuck Special and a patio off 12th Avenue South.
Try: Brisket with pimento cheese (the Tuck)
Tip: Order at the counter; the patio gets the runoff from 12 South nightlife. Late-night kitchen Friday and Saturday only.
Carey Bringle's Gleaves Street BBQ joint in The Gulch, Nashville smokes Memphis-style dry-rub ribs since 2013. Family-owned, catering-strong, taproom-tight.
Signature: Dry-rub ribs, Pulled pork plate
Order: Half rack of dry-rub ribs, smoked beans, banana pudding.
Tip: Lines build by 12:00; come at 11:00 for an easy table. Bourbon list is unusually deep for a BBQ joint.
Edley's 12 South barbecue counter in Nashville smokes pork shoulder over hickory and serves the city's reliable BBQ-and-beer lunch since 2011.
Signature: Pulled pork sandwich, Tuck Special
Order: The Tuck Special: smoked brisket with pimento cheese and bacon on Texas toast.
Tip: Late-night kitchen runs Friday and Saturday until 22:00; patio gets the runoff from 12 South strolling.
Great N.Y. Noodletown on Bowery has poured roast-meat congee until 04:00 in Manhattan Chinatown New York City since 1981. Salt-baked shrimp, BBQ duck.
Try: Salt-baked seafood, BBQ duck
Tip: The duck noodle soup at 02:00 is the order. Cash speeds the bill; counter and floor service both move fast.
Iron Star Urban Barbeque in Oklahoma City is a low-key Midtown BBQ spot delivering some of the city's best smoked brisket with craft beer pairings.
Order: Smoked brisket plate; St. Louis-cut ribs
Tip: Less famous than Cattlemen's but preferred by local regulars, especially for the craft beer tap list alongside the BBQ.
Iron Star Urban Barbeque in Oklahoma City smokes ribs, brisket, and pulled pork in a casual Midtown setting with craft beers and a rollup garage door patio.
Order: Smoked brisket plate; St. Louis ribs
Tip: Lunch specials offer the best value, and the garage-door patio is ideal on pleasant Oklahoma evenings.
Iron Star Urban Barbeque in Oklahoma City smokes meats low and slow beside the Paseo Arts District, pairing brisket and ribs with a rotating craft beer list.
Order: Smoked brisket plate; pulled pork sandwich
Tip: Arrive before noon on weekends as the most popular cuts sell out early.
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4 Rivers Smokehouse on South Orlando Avenue in Winter Park is the John Rivers Texas-style barbecue chain founding location, with brisket, ribs and burnt ends.
Signature: Texas-style brisket, Burnt ends
Mike's BBQ in Philadelphia is the South Philly barbecue counter on 11th Street since 2018, founded by Mike Strauss and now run by Daniel Grobman.
Signature: Brisket, Pork ribs
Order: A sliced brisket plate; pork ribs; the burnt-end sliders if they are running.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Open Thursday to Sunday; the brisket sells out by 14:00 on a Sunday.
Mike's BBQ in Philadelphia is the South Philly barbecue counter on 11th since 2018, founded by Mike Strauss and now run by Daniel Grobman, with whole-hog.
Signature: Brisket, Pork ribs
Order: A sliced brisket plate; pork ribs; the burnt-end sliders if they are running that week.
Tip: Closed Mondays through Wednesdays. Open Thursday to Sunday; brisket sells out by 14:00 on a Sunday.
Matt Vicedomini's smoker on N Mississippi at Prost Marketplace in Portland, a brisket sandwich on white bread with pickles for $14, eat at the heated patio.
Try: Brisket sandwich
Tip: Order the sandwich or by the half-pound. Sides cost extra; the brisket is the meal.
Matuska brewery's first restaurant in Dejvice (Praha 6) on Dejvicka serving American BBQ alongside its uncompromising house lagers, opened 2019.
Why locals love it: Matuska's Dejvice taproom hides behind the Vitezne namesti corner, with no street-facing window. The craft-beer crowd knows; tourists head for U Fleku instead.
Tip: The IPA travels, the lager rotates; check the chalkboard for guest taps.
ZZQ in Scott's Addition runs central Texas brisket and ribs from a counter. Wednesday to Sunday until sold out, with mezcal cocktails alongside the meat.
Signature: Brisket, Pork ribs, Smoked sausage
ZZQ in Scott's Addition runs central Texas brisket and ribs from a counter. Wednesday to Sunday until sold out, with mezcal cocktails on the side.
Signature: Brisket, Pork ribs
ZZQ in Scott's Addition runs Texas brisket sandwiches under twenty dollars. Counter-service barbecue, mezcal on the side, until sold out daily.
Order: Brisket sandwich with one side for under twenty dollars.
Tip: The counter sells by weight; a quarter pound of brisket with a side hits the budget line.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Rochester occupies a 1905 railroad station on Court St, overlooking the Genesee River. Named Best BBQ in Best of Rochester 2025.
Signature: St. Louis ribs, Pulled pork, Prime brisket
Order: St. Louis ribs with coleslaw and mac and cheese on the side.
Tip: Best seating is at the bar overlooking the river. Live blues music on weekend evenings. Reservations available on Resy.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que on Court St occupies the 1905 Lehigh Valley Railroad Station with Genesee River views, named Best BBQ in Best of Rochester 2025.
Signature: Prime brisket, St. Louis ribs, Smoked half-chicken
Order: The prime brisket platter with mac and cheese and collard greens.
Tip: Live blues music on weekends. The bar occupies the original station waiting room. Reservations on Resy.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que on Court St is open until midnight on weekends in the downtown railroad station, one of the few late full-kitchen options downtown.
Tip: Kitchen closes at midnight on Friday and Saturday. Live blues runs until 00:00 on weekends. The bar itself may stay open later than the kitchen; confirm on arrival.
Tank House on J Street, midtown Sacramento, is the smoked-meat counter backing the 1881 water tank house, brisket and craft beer on tap rows.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Dirty tots
Order: Smoked brisket, the ribs, dirty mac and the dirty tots
Tip: Patio under the historic tank house. Full menu to 22:00 then late-night menu to midnight. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives stop.
Pat's Barbecue on Commonwealth Avenue south of downtown, the Texas-style smokehouse founded by pitmaster Pat Barber and serving Salt Lake since 2004.
Signature: Brisket, Burnt ends
Order: A brisket plate with burnt ends if it's a Friday plus a side of pit beans.
Tip: Closed Sundays. The counter sells out of brisket by early evening on weekends; arrive before 18:00 to be sure.
Pat's Barbecue on Commonwealth Avenue, the Texas-style smokehouse founded by pitmaster Pat Barber and serving Salt Lake since 2004, runs Utah's defining.
Signature: Brisket, Burnt ends
Order: A brisket plate with burnt ends if it's a Friday plus a side of pit beans.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Counter sells out of brisket by early evening; arrive before 18:00 to be sure.
Pat's Barbecue on Commonwealth Avenue, the Texas-style smokehouse founded by pitmaster Pat Barber and serving Salt Lake since 2004, serves brisket plates.
Try: Brisket plate at the counter
2M Smokehouse on the South Side serves Tejano-accented barbecue; order by the quarter pound and add the cheap sides to keep a BBQ lunch under twenty dollars.
Try: BBQ by the quarter pound
Tip: Order by the quarter pound and add the cheap Tejano sides to keep a BBQ lunch under twenty dollars. Go early; it sells out.
Pinkerton's Barbecue brought Texas brisket downtown; get there at opening before the beef rib and brisket sell out, and order by the pound to a nearby bench.
Order: Brisket, beef rib and jalapeno cheese sausage.
Tip: Get there at opening; the beef rib and brisket sell out. Order by the pound and take it to a downtown bench.
2M Smokehouse on the South Side smokes brisket and chicken with Mexican-influenced sides, a Michelin-recommended pit open Thursday to Sunday until sold out.
Order: Brisket, the smoked chicken and Mexican-influenced sides.
Tip: Open Thursday to Sunday only, and it sells out. Arrive within the first hour for the best of the brisket and ribs.
Phil's BBQ in San Diego is the Sports Arena Boulevard barbecue counter, a Texas-leaning shop with mesquite-smoked beef ribs, pulled pork and the famous onion.
Signature: Beef ribs, Pulled pork sandwich, Onion ring tower
Order: The Mr. Pig sandwich and a half-rack of beef ribs; the onion ring tower for the table.
Tip: Take-out from the side window has a shorter line; full table service runs the indoor dining room.
Phil's BBQ in San Diego is the Sports Arena Boulevard BBQ counter, a mesquite-smoked Texas-leaning shop with beef ribs, pulled pork and the onion-ring tower.
Signature: Beef ribs, Pulled pork (Mr. Pig) sandwich, Onion ring tower
Order: The Mr. Pig sandwich and a half-rack of beef ribs; the onion-ring tower for sharing.
Tip: Take-out from the side window has a shorter line; full table service runs the indoor dining room.
Phil's BBQ on Sports Arena Boulevard in Point Loma, San Diego, the long-queue mesquite-grill counter selling sandwiches under fourteen and a half-rack.
Try: Ribs, pulled pork sandwich, BBQ chicken
Cowgirl BBQ spans nearly a block of Guadalupe Street with patio, billiards, live music most nights and mesquite-smoke barbecue plus a Frito pie on the menu.
Signature: Mesquite-smoked brisket plate, Buffalo burger, Frito pie
Cowgirl BBQ keeps the kitchen open until 22:00 weeknights and 23:00 weekends; bar runs later with live music most nights on Guadalupe Street.
Try: Frito pie or buffalo burger
Wiley and Janet McCrary built a competition-circuit BBQ reputation before settling in Savannah in 2005; US 80 strip-mall room is the locals' benchmark.
Signature: Beef brisket, St. Louis cut ribs, Redneck nachos
Order: A brisket plate with two sides, plus the redneck nachos to start.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive by 18:00 to avoid sellouts on weekends.
Wiley's brisket sandwich plus two sides comes in under $20 at the counter on US 80, with sausage and rib plates also under $20. Walk-in only; arrive by 18:00.
Try: Brisket sandwich plus two sides
Dave Pynt's Michelin-starred barbecue restaurant at Dempsey Hill. Asia's 50 Best No. 38 in 2025. 4-tonne custom kiln; smoke-roasted meats and raw bar.
Signature: Burnt Ends burger, Dave's hot links, Pulled pork
Order: The pulled pork sandwich at lunch, served at the bar without a reservation
Tip: Reserve exactly 30 days ahead when bookings release at 10am; the walk-in bar at lunch is the shortcut locals use.
Pappy's smokes Memphis-style ribs over apple and cherry wood in Midtown and lands on national BBQ lists. The ribs are the order, and they sell out daily.
Order: Dry-rubbed ribs smoked over apple and cherry wood.
Tip: Arrive before noon at weekends; they smoke a fixed amount each day and close when it is gone. Cash and card both work.
Serving since 1941 on Route 66, Ted Drewes sells cheap, thick frozen-custard concretes, the landmark dessert handed over upside down to prove it.
Try: Frozen custard concretes
Tip: A concrete is a few dollars and a city rite of passage. Cash-friendly; expect a summer line at the window.
Steve's Hot Dogs on South Grand stays open late on weekends, loading creative toppings onto griddled dogs for the after-show and post-bar crowd.
Try: Loaded St. Louis-style hot dogs
Tip: The loaded specialty dogs hit best late at night. It is counter service with quick turnaround on busy weekends.
Põhjala Tap Room in Noblessner runs Texas-style barbecue and 24 Põhjala craft beers on tap past midnight on Friday and Saturday in a converted naval shipyard.
Try: Texas-style barbecue and 24 craft beers
Albert G's slow-smokes every cut in-house and pairs ribs and brisket with an extensive American whiskey and bourbon selection at this downtown Tulsa barbecue.
Signature: Smoked ribs, Brisket, Smoked chicken wings
Downtown Tulsa's go-to BBQ counter with slow-smoked brisket, pulled pork, and Oklahoma-style sausage, with trays served cafeteria-style on butcher paper.
Downtown BBQ counter with cafeteria-style tray service, slow-smoked brisket plates, pulled pork sandwiches, and Oklahoma sausage at prices that haven't kept.
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