248 editor-picked american bbq restaurants across 62 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.
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The best-scored american bbq place in each of 12 cities.
Goldee's Barbecue in Fort Worth is a Michelin-recognised pitmaster destination open only Friday through Sunday, and sells out early most days.
OrderBrisket, pork ribs, house-made sausage links, banana pudding.
TipArrive at opening or call ahead. They sell out most Fridays by 13:00 and do not restock once the pit is empty.
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.
OrderBeef brisket by the pound, beef rib on Saturdays while supplies last.
TipArrive by 11:30am on weekends; they sell out before 2pm and do not restock.
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.
OrderThe Z-Man sandwich, slow-smoked brisket with provolone, onion rings and barbecue sauce on a kaiser roll.
TipOpen Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday. Walk-in only and the line moves; lunch sells out by 14:00 on weekends.
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.
TrySmoked lamb ribs, BBQ sliders
TipNo reservations. Get in before 18:00 or expect a 45-minute wait on weekends.
Truth BBQ in Houston is Leonard Botello IV's Heights Boulevard smokehouse, the Brenham original relocated in 2019, with post-oak-smoked brisket Texas.
OrderBrisket fatty, sliced thick. Pulled pork. A side of pinto beans and a slice of the strawberry cake.
TipOpen Wed to Sun, lunch only until they sell out (usually 2 to 3pm). Get there by 11am for brisket; the line moves fast.
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.
SignaturePulled pork sandwich, Jalapeno cheddar grits
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 $$.
OrderA quarter-pound of fatty brisket and a hot-guts link, plus the green chile corn pudding side.
TipOrder at the counter. Brisket runs out by 19:00 most nights; arrive earlier for the full menu.
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.
TryBBQ by the quarter pound
TipOrder by the quarter pound and add the cheap Tejano sides to keep a BBQ lunch under twenty dollars. Go early; it sells out.
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.
OrderThe pulled pork sandwich at lunch, served at the bar without a reservation
TipReserve exactly 30 days ahead when bookings release at 10am; the walk-in bar at lunch is the shortcut locals use.
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.
TryTexas-style barbecue and 24 craft beers
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 $.
OrderSmoked Cornish hen with the slab.
TipClosed Sundays and Mondays. Cash works best; the bologna sandwich is worth ordering even if you came for ribs.
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.
SignaturePork and greens, Pulled pork sandwich, Banana pudding
Goldee's Barbecue in Fort Worth is a Michelin-recognised pitmaster destination open only Friday through Sunday, and sells out early most days.
OrderBrisket, pork ribs, house-made sausage links, banana pudding.
TipArrive at opening or call ahead. They sell out most Fridays by 13:00 and do not restock once the pit is empty.
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.
OrderBeef brisket by the pound, beef rib on Saturdays while supplies last.
TipArrive 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.
OrderAkaushi Wagyu brisket. The Toddfather sandwich. Crack cake for dessert.
TipPre-orders of whole meats are available by Tuesday at 5pm. Show up at 10am and expect to queue. BYOB.
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.
OrderThe Z-Man sandwich, slow-smoked brisket with provolone, onion rings and barbecue sauce on a kaiser roll.
TipOpen Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday. Walk-in only and the line moves; lunch sells out by 14:00 on weekends.
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.
TrySmoked lamb ribs, BBQ sliders
TipNo reservations. Get in before 18:00 or expect a 45-minute wait on weekends.
Truth BBQ in Houston is Leonard Botello IV's Heights Boulevard smokehouse, the Brenham original relocated in 2019, with post-oak-smoked brisket Texas.
OrderBrisket fatty, sliced thick. Pulled pork. A side of pinto beans and a slice of the strawberry cake.
TipOpen Wed to Sun, lunch only until they sell out (usually 2 to 3pm). Get there by 11am for brisket; the line moves fast.
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.
SignaturePulled pork sandwich, Jalapeno cheddar grits
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 $$.
OrderA quarter-pound of fatty brisket and a hot-guts link, plus the green chile corn pudding side.
TipOrder at the counter. Brisket runs out by 19:00 most nights; arrive earlier for the full menu.
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.
TryBBQ by the quarter pound
TipOrder by the quarter pound and add the cheap Tejano sides to keep a BBQ lunch under twenty dollars. Go early; it sells out.
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.
OrderThe pulled pork sandwich at lunch, served at the bar without a reservation
TipReserve exactly 30 days ahead when bookings release at 10am; the walk-in bar at lunch is the shortcut locals use.
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.
TryTexas-style barbecue and 24 craft beers
Heim Barbecue in Fort Worth serves celebrated bacon burnt ends and slow-smoked brisket from a full bar and dining room on White Settlement Road.
OrderBacon burnt ends, beef brisket by the pound, smoked jalapeño cheddar sausage.
TipHappy hour runs Monday through Friday 14:00-18:00. Go early on weekends for the best cut selection.
The BBQ queue that defines Deep Ellum's food culture. Pecan Lodge's brisket, ribs, and sausage links draw lines before noon every day they are open.
OrderOne-pound brisket; pork spare ribs; jalapeno cheddar sausage link
TipArrive by 10:45am to join the queue before noon. Wed-Fri wait times are shorter than Sat-Sun. The sold-out time varies but assumes 1:30pm on busy Saturdays.
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 $.
OrderSmoked Cornish hen with the slab.
TipClosed 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.
OrderChopped pork sandwich, mustard slaw, fizzy red drink.
TipLunch only, Tuesday to Saturday, 11:00-17:30. Cash preferred and the line moves fast.
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.
OrderBurnt ends sandwich on Wonder Bread with the rust-coloured original sauce.
TipOpen 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.
OrderBurnt ends and pork ribs at the counter; grab them before the kitchen sells out.
TipOpen Tue to Sat 11:00-19:00, often closed earlier if meat runs out. Walk-in only.
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.
SignaturePork and greens, Pulled pork sandwich, Banana pudding
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.
OrderThe Texas beef rib. Brisket fatty. The creamed corn.
TipLunch only Tuesday through Saturday; sold out by mid-afternoon. The beef rib runs out first; order on entry.
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.
TryBrisket sandwich, sausage plate with two sides
TipOrder at the counter, sit at the picnic tables. The brisket sandwich at lunch is the move when the full plate is too much.
Firestone Grill is San Luis Obispo's tri-tip sandwich benchmark, carving oak-grilled beef onto garlic rolls since 1995 for a queue that snakes out the door.
OrderThe tri-tip sandwich on a garlic-butter roll, with a side of fries.
TipThe line moves faster than it looks; order at the counter and grab a patio table on Higuera Street.
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 goDamien 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.
TipSit 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 goThe 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.
TipOrder the Rachel sandwich and a side of matzo ball soup; the kitchen runs Wednesday-Sunday lunch only.
Little Coyote smokes Texas-style brisket for tacos on house tortillas in St. Elmo, Chattanooga's only Bib Gourmand in the 2025 Michelin American South guide.
OrderSmoked brisket with house-made tortillas and pinto beans.
TipSaturday and Sunday open at 11:30 for full-day service; weekdays are dinner only from 16:00. Same Niel family as Easy Bistro.
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.
OrderAll-you-can-eat perch fish fry with the polka band on Friday night.
TipFriday fry fills by 17:30; reservations recommended on the brewery site for groups of 6 or more.
Panther City BBQ in Fort Worth is a Michelin-listed neighbourhood smokehouse celebrated for its creative brisket tacos and sausage programme.
OrderSmoked brisket tacos, chorizo sausage, peach cobbler.
TipThe bar stays open until midnight Wednesday through Sunday. Try the smoked beef tallow fries alongside the brisket.
Charlie Vergos's basement Memphis BBQ room off Second Street has served charcoal-broiled dry-rub ribs since 1948. The signature rub is sold by the bag.
OrderFull slab of ribs, dry, with the cheese and sausage plate and a pitcher.
TipEnter through the alley off Monroe; closed Sunday and Monday. They cook ribs over charcoal, not in a smoker; dry-rub purists call it grilled.
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.
OrderDry-rubbed ribs smoked over apple and cherry wood.
TipArrive 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.
TryFrozen custard concretes
TipA concrete is a few dollars and a city rite of passage. Cash-friendly; expect a summer line at the window.
Saw's BBQ in Homewood near Birmingham is the 2009 Mike Wilson original, the Birmingham room that introduced Alabama white sauce on smoked chicken.
SignatureSmoked chicken with white sauce, Pork ribs, Pulled pork sandwich
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.
TryPulled pork sandwich and cheddar grits
Palmira Barbecue in Charleston runs wood-fired Texas-Carolina barbecue with Puerto Rican accents from a West Ashley strip-mall counter since 2023.
OrderThe beef cheek barbacoa, a guava burnt-end side.
TipCounter ordering, no reservations. Meats sell out by 19:00 on weekends; arrive by 17:00 for the full menu.
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.
SignatureChopped pork, Pulled pork sandwich, House BBQ sauce
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.
TryBrisket with pimento cheese (the Tuck)
TipOrder at the counter; the patio gets the runoff from 12 South nightlife. Late-night kitchen Friday and Saturday only.
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.
SignatureBrisket, Pork ribs, Smoked sausage
Pat's Barbecue on Commonwealth Avenue south of downtown, the Texas-style smokehouse founded by pitmaster Pat Barber and serving Salt Lake since 2004.
OrderA brisket plate with burnt ends if it's a Friday plus a side of pit beans.
TipClosed Sundays. The counter sells out of brisket by early evening on weekends; arrive before 18:00 to be sure.
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 goAn hour from Galway city on the Connemara coast at Bunowen Pier; the best cold-smoked Atlantic salmon in Ireland is sold direct.
TipCall ahead to confirm shop hours before the drive; the oak-smoked side salmon vacuum-packed makes the best edible souvenir from the west.
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.
SignatureTexas-style brisket, Burnt ends
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.
TryBrisket sandwich
TipOrder the sandwich or by the half-pound. Sides cost extra; the brisket is the meal.
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.
TryLoaded St. Louis-style hot dogs
TipThe loaded specialty dogs hit best late at night. It is counter service with quick turnaround on busy 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.
OrderSmoked brisket with two sides, plus a flight of three Kentucky bourbons.
TipBook 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.
OrderA brisket plate with two sides and a side of pickles.
TipGet there before 14:00 on weekends. The brisket sells out fastest.
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.
OrderSmoked chub by the piece and a fried perch fillet plate.
TipCash 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 goAn East Side smokehouse two miles from any other restaurant, beside the 95th Street bridge from The Blues Brothers.
TipCash 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.
TryRib tips, hot links
TipCash and counter only; open until 02:00 most nights. The tip-and-link combo on white bread is the canonical Saturday-night order.
Dead End BBQ on Sutherland Avenue in the Pond Gap neighborhood near Bearden, the competition-team-turned-restaurant, runs award-winning smoked brisket.
OrderA combination plate with brisket and pulled pork and two East Tennessee sides.
TipOrder from the counter and find a seat; Friday and Saturday dinners run busiest.
County Club smokes Kentucky-raised beef, hog, sheep and goat over hardwood on Jefferson Street, Lexington barbecue rebuilt around a monthly-changing menu.
TipOpen Wednesday to Saturday evenings only; the smoked-meat board changes monthly, so ask what just came off.
Blue Door Smokehouse slices Texas-style brisket to order in Lexington's Warehouse Block, selling until the day's smoked meat runs out by mid-afternoon.
SignatureBrisket, Pulled pork
TipGo before 13:00; when the brisket sells out they close, whatever the posted hours say.
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.
OrderHalf rack of dry-rub ribs, smoked beans, banana pudding.
TipLines build by 12:00; come at 11:00 for an easy table. Bourbon list is unusually deep for a BBQ joint.
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.
OrderSmoked brisket plate; St. Louis-cut ribs
TipLess famous than Cattlemen's but preferred by local regulars, especially for the craft beer tap list alongside the BBQ.
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.
OrderSliced brisket plate with Brunswick stew and a side.
TipCounter ordering; the Beltline-adjacent patio runs dog-friendly. Closed Mondays.
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.
OrderA two-meat plate of pork shoulder and brisket with house sausage and a side of mac.
TipCounter-order only. Get there before noon to beat the meat sell-out.
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.
SignatureWhole-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.
SignatureEastern NC whole-hog barbecue, Brunswick stew, Hushpuppies
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.
OrderThe brisket plate by the pound with white bread, pickles and onions.
Why locals goAfter 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.
TipWednesday to Sunday only; meats sell out by 8pm on busy weekends. Order at the counter, grab a booth, listen for the band.
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.
OrderA sliced brisket plate; pork ribs; the burnt-end sliders if they are running.
TipClosed Mondays. Open Thursday to Sunday; the brisket sells out by 14:00 on a Sunday.
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.
OrderA brisket plate with two sides, plus the redneck nachos to start.
TipWalk-in only; arrive by 18:00 to avoid sellouts on weekends.
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.
TryPlate lunch with two scoops rice
TipLunch peak 11:30-13:00. The mix plate at $14 is the most expensive plate and feeds two.
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 goJames Beard nominee Bruce Kalman left Pasadena's Union for this Arts District smokehouse; tourists never make it south of Charleston Boulevard.
TipOrder the salt and pepper brisket and the mac and cheese with pork parm crumbs (panko, parmesan, chicharrones).
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.
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.
OrderBrisket, beef rib and jalapeno cheese sausage.
TipGet there at opening; the beef rib and brisket sell out. Order by the pound and take it to a downtown bench.
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.
OrderA half-pound of brisket with pickles, plus a pint of the house lager from the on-site brewery.
TipWalk-in only; arrive by 18:00 weekends or expect a 45 minute queue.
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.
OrderThe Mr. Pig sandwich and a half-rack of beef ribs; the onion ring tower for the table.
TipTake-out from the side window has a shorter line; full table service runs the indoor dining room.
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 goA seasonal smokehouse operating from a converted fishing hut on the Djursland coast, an hour from Aarhus.
TipCall ahead to check availability (Danish only). Open April to October on weekends.
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.
OrderPulled pork plate with mac and cheese and Brunswick stew.
TipClosed Sundays and Mondays. Cash and card. Family meals scale to feed six and travel well.
Bluebird Barbecue runs from an early-1900s farmhouse on Riverside Avenue overlooking the Winooski River. Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
OrderThe brisket plate by the pound, a basket of smoked wings and a side of cornbread.
TipClosed Monday through Wednesday; book Thursday-Sunday or arrive at 16:30 opening for a counter seat.
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 $$.
OrderYardbird pulled-pork sandwich with mac and cheese, plus a Michigan craft draft.
TipNo reservations; expect a wait at peak hours. Tiger Stadium site is across the street.
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.
OrderThe pit beef on a kaiser, rare, with tiger sauce and raw onion.
TipOrder 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 goBig Stuff trades from a single counter inside Markthalle Neun behind an 80-kilo smoker shipped over from Tennessee.
TipBrisket sells out by 14:00 Thursdays during Street Food Thursday; arrive before 13:00 or accept the pulled pork.
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 goA small barbecue counter on Martin Luther King Drive, Indianapolis. The brisket is the city's quiet best, run from a strip-mall storefront.
TipRun out by mid-afternoon. Go by noon for a full plate Word-of-mouth is the only marketing.
Over 200 BBQ competition awards turned into a reliable local chain. Pulled pork sandwich, brisket plate and house sauce variety at family-friendly prices.
Demetri's BBQ on 28th Avenue South in Homewood Birmingham has run a Greek-American meat-and-three since 1973, continuing the 1961 El Rancho BBQ tradition.
SignaturePulled pork plate, Greek salad, Banana pudding
Goode Company Barbeque on Kirby Drive in Houston is Jim Goode's 1977 mesquite-smoked barbecue room, the city's introduction to commercial Texas barbecue.
OrderBrisket and a jalapeno pork sausage link. Jambalaya. Pecan pie to close.
TipMultiple Goode Company locations across Houston exist. The Kirby flagship is the original and the only one with the screened porch.
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.
OrderSliced brisket plate with the fried green tomato tacos on the side
TipThe patio under the trees fills fast on warm evenings; arrive at opening for the best outdoor seating.
The Pig and Pint maintains one of Mississippi's largest rotating craft beer selections - around 80 handles - making it the most serious beer destination.
OrderCurrent Mississippi or Southern craft handle on tap, paired with the brisket plate
TipThe beer list rotates constantly; the bar team tracks what is freshest and can guide pairings with the BBQ menu.
The Montgomery Inn Boathouse on Riverside Drive is Cincinnati's Ohio River barbecue outpost, with sauce-glazed pork ribs and a long porch over the water.
SignaturePork ribs, Saratoga chips
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.
OrderA pulled-pork plate with two sides and a sweet tea.
TipThe Kingston Pike flagship is the original; the chain runs a dozen East Tennessee locations now.
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.
TryTexas-style barbecue
TipBrisket 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.
TryTexas-style barbecue tray
TipOrder at the counter; sides are extra. The bread roll comes free with any meat order.
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.
OrderFull slab of baby-back ribs with garbage salad and a Carson's potato.
TipReservations on OpenTable; the bar takes walk-ins. Close to Fiserv Forum on event nights.
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.
SignatureKansas City burnt ends, Smoked ribs, Brisket
TipCloses at 19:30 and can sell out by 17:00 on weekends. Order online for pickup if you want to be sure.
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.
OrderSt. Louis ribs with coleslaw and mac and cheese on the side.
TipBest seating is at the bar overlooking the river. Live blues music on weekend evenings. Reservations available on Resy.
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.
SignatureSmoked ribs, Brisket, Smoked chicken wings
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.
OrderThe four-meat tray with smoked kielbasa, plus an order of the spicy pickled vegetables.
TipWalk-ins seated at the bar; reserve the dining room on OpenTable two weeks ahead.
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.
SignatureMesquite-smoked brisket plate, Buffalo burger, Frito pie
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 goAmerican-owned brewery 5 minutes from the train station and zero minutes from any guidebook map, with the only hard cider on tap in Moldova.
TipTours are free in three languages on request; the outdoor terrace has grills for guests to bring their own meat to barbecue.
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.
TrySalt-baked seafood, BBQ duck
TipThe duck noodle soup at 02:00 is the order. Cash speeds the bill; counter and floor service both move fast.
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.
OrderSmoked brisket, the ribs, dirty mac and the dirty tots
TipPatio under the historic tank house. Full menu to 22:00 then late-night menu to midnight. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives stop.
The Smoke Shack grew from a food truck into a Broadway BBQ joint near Alamo Heights, smoking brisket and pork ribs and piling them onto loaded baked potatoes.
OrderBrisket, the mac-daddy stuffed baked potato and pork ribs.
TipThe mac-daddy baked potato is a meal on its own. Order at the counter and grab a patio table when the weather is good.
Old SLO BBQ Co. smokes Santa Maria-style tri-tip over red oak on Higuera Street, and keeps carving until 02:00 on San Luis Obispo's weekend bar nights.
OrderOak-smoked tri-tip by the plate, with pinquito beans and salsa.
TipThere is a second counter at 3870 Broad Street; downtown is the late one, open to 02:00 Thursday to Saturday.
The Purple Daisy Picnic Cafe plates barbecue and picnic fare at the base of Lookout Mountain in St. Elmo, Chattanooga, next to the Incline Railway.
OrderThe BBQ plate, or the Rainbow sandwich if you want the local cult order.
TipClosed Sunday. Order at the counter and take the side garden; it is the natural lunch stop after riding the Incline down.
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.
OrderBrisket plate with collard greens and mac and cheese.
TipWalk-in only; brisket sells out by 21:00 on weekends Walk-ins usually OK.
Northbound Smokehouse in Minneapolis runs a Longfellow brewpub on East 38th Street with house-smoked wings, American barbecue and beers brewed.
OrderSmoked wings with house barbecue and a pint of the Honey Wheat.
Why locals goOff 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.
TipKitchen runs to 9:30 weekdays and 10:30 Friday and Saturday. Walk-up tables open after 8pm on weekday evenings.
Beloved local BBQ chainlet born in Des Moines: BBQ nachos with pulled pork, half-rack of ribs and mac-and-cheese brisket sandwich at family-friendly prices.
Calhoun's on the River at Volunteer Landing, the Copper Cellar group's barbecue and burger room overlooking the Tennessee River, runs baby-back ribs.
OrderA rack of baby-back ribs with a Smoky Mountain Brewery pour and a river-side patio table.
TipPatio seats fill on UT home football Saturdays and Vols baseball nights; weekdays are reliably easier.
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.
OrderBrisket sandwich or the pork ribs
TipGet there by 13:00 because popular cuts sell out before the evening push.
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.
SignaturePulled pork, Smoked brisket, Babyback ribs
J. Render's Southern Table & Bar smokes barbecue plates and pours bourbon in Beaumont Centre, west Lexington's full-service Southern table since the 2010s.
TipThe kitchen closes an hour before the bar every night; Sunday service starts at 10:00 with brunch dishes.
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.
OrderSmoked-meat plate and a bloody mary at the bar.
TipShow nights run later than the regular kitchen; check the calendar before planning a 1am eat.
Chatter Box Cafe smokes barbecue low and slow from a Chattanooga food truck and its W 33rd Street kitchen, the menu changing with what comes off the smoker.
TrySmoked meats off the trailer smoker
TipThe former Shallowford Road dining room closed; the truck and catering carry on, so check the Chattanooga Food Trucks group page for the day's pitch.
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.
SignatureSlow smoked baby back ribs, Wood-grilled ribeye, Elbow Lane house beers
Matuska brewery's first restaurant in Dejvice (Praha 6) on Dejvicka serving American BBQ alongside its uncompromising house lagers, opened 2019.
Why locals goMatuska'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.
TipThe IPA travels, the lager rotates; check the chalkboard for guest taps.
Boondocks BBQ is a neighbourhood smokehouse near Belhaven, known for smoked brisket, pulled pork, specialty burgers, and long lunch queues mid-week.
OrderSmoked brisket sandwich with house sauce, or the smoked wings
TipThis is the kind of neighbourhood BBQ that doesn't get tourist coverage; locals eat here for a reason.
Mac's Speed Shop runs barbecue and beer until midnight Friday and Saturday on the West End: live music Thursdays, big patio, late-night ribs.
TryPulled pork plate, brisket, ribs
Le Barbier qui Fume on Rue de la Monnaie in Lille smokes its own meat, onglet and Quebec-style brisket, and runs a weekday lunch formula at 18.50 euros.
OrderBeef onglet with shallots, from the smoker.
TipWeekend service runs non-stop from 10:00, which is unusual for a smokehouse.
The Place Rihour branch of Le Barbier qui Fume in Lille runs non-stop from 10:00 to midnight, and puts smoked ham and Galloway cheddar into its welsh.
OrderThe welsh, made with smoked ham and Galloway cheddar.
TipNon-stop service all day means it solves the 16:00 problem in central Lille.
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.
OrderSmoked brisket or the mixed grill with ribs and pulled pork; the jambalaya is a cut above pub-food norms.
TipNational Irish Pub of the Year and Whiskey Specialist. Walk-in only on bank holidays and festival weekends.
Low and Slow smokes pulled pork and brisket for St Nicholas Market lunchboxes, Bristol barbecue counter cooking with a jackfruit option for herbivores.
TryPulled pork, brisket and jackfruit boxes
TipBrisket runs out first; the half-and-half box with both meats is the move before 13:00.
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.
SignatureBrisket, Pulled pork, Ribs
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.
OrderThe mixed sharing platter, which gives the widest view of what the kitchen does with smoke and charcoal.
TipPair the meal with beers from Dok Brewing Company next door, which shares the Hal 16 space.
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.
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.
SignatureSmoked BBQ, Beer can chicken, 400 wine bottles
TipGood for a casual wine-and-BBQ combination that most wine-country restaurants won't offer you.
Fort Worth21 places
Goldee's Barbecue, Heim Barbecue
Dallas19 places
Pecan Lodge, Cattleack Barbeque
Memphis17 places
Cozy Corner BBQ, Payne's Bar-B-Que
Kansas City16 places
Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, Arthur Bryant's Barbeque
St. Louis10 places
Pappy's Smokehouse, Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
Des Moines9 places
Flying Mango, Smokey D's BBQ
Louisville9 places
Hammerheads, Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar
Birmingham8 places
Saw's Soul Kitchen, Saw's BBQ
Houston7 places
Truth BBQ, Killen's Barbecue
Jackson7 places
The Pig and Pint, The Pig and Pint (Beer Selection)
Chicago6 places
Calumet Fisheries, Calumet Fisheries (Smokehouse)
Cincinnati6 places
Eli's BBQ, Eli's BBQ Riverside
Knoxville5 places
Dead End BBQ, Buddy's Bar-B-Q
Charleston4 places
Lewis Barbecue, Lewis Barbecue (lunch plate)
El Paso4 places
Tony's The Pit Bar-B-Q
Greenville4 places
Henry's Smokehouse, Mac's Speed Shop
Lexington4 places
County Club, Blue Door Smokehouse
Lille4 places
Le Barbier qui Fume (Vieux-Lille), Le Barbier qui Fume (Place Rihour)
San Antonio4 places
2M Smokehouse, Pinkerton's Barbecue
San Luis Obispo4 places
Firestone Grill, Old SLO BBQ Co.
Austin3 places
Distant Relatives, Mum Foods Smokehouse
Chattanooga3 places
Little Coyote, The Purple Daisy Picnic Cafe
Copenhagen3 places
WarPigs Brewpub, WarPigs (late kitchen)
Cork3 places
Elbow Lane Brew and Smokehouse
Milwaukee3 places
Lakefront Brewery, Carson's Prime Steaks and Famous Barbecue
Napa3 places
Stateline Road Smokehouse, Bounty Hunter Wine Bar
Nashville3 places
Edley's Bar-B-Que, Peg Leg Porker
Oklahoma City3 places
Iron Star Urban Barbeque
Richmond3 places
ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque
Rochester3 places
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
Salt Lake City3 places
Pat's Barbecue
San Diego3 places
Phil's BBQ
Tulsa3 places
Albert G's Bar-B-Q, Albert G's BBQ Downtown
Aarhus2 places
Mols Smokehouse
Atlanta2 places
Fox Bros Bar-B-Q, Community Q BBQ
Burlington2 places
Bluebird Barbecue
Charlotte2 places
Sweet Lew's BBQ
Cleveland2 places
Mabel's BBQ
Detroit2 places
Slows Bar BQ
Durham2 places
Picnic, Bullock's Bar-B-Cue
Kilkenny2 places
Paris Texas Bar and Restaurant
Minneapolis2 places
Animales Barbeque Co., Northbound Smokehouse and Brewpub
Philadelphia2 places
Mike's BBQ
Santa Fe2 places
Cowgirl BBQ
Savannah2 places
Wiley's Championship BBQ
Baltimore1 place
Chaps Pit Beef
Berlin1 place
Big Stuff Smoked BBQ
Bristol1 place
Low and Slow
Chiang Mai1 place
Dinky's BBQ
Chișinău1 place
Labrewtory Brewing Company
Galway1 place
Connemara Smokehouse
Ghent1 place
RØK BBQ
Honolulu1 place
Rainbow Drive-In
Indianapolis1 place
Hank's Smoked Briskets
Las Vegas1 place
Soulbelly BBQ
New York City1 place
Great N.Y. Noodletown
Orlando1 place
4 Rivers Smokehouse
Portland1 place
Matt's BBQ
Prague1 place
Automat Matuska
Sacramento1 place
Tank House BBQ and Bar
Singapore1 place
Burnt Ends
Tallinn1 place
Põhjala Tap Room
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.
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