The heartland of traditional American barbecue spans from the smoky pits of the Carolinas in the east to the bold flavors of Texas and Missouri in the west, but these aren't the only places you’ll find mouthwatering brisket, whole smoked hog, and glistening racks of ribs. We’ve hunted down America's best local barbecue joints – from acclaimed restaurants run by expert pitmasters to low-key mom-and-pop operations – where the meat is smokin’, and the sides are sensational.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover America's bucket-list barbecue restaurants, counting down to the greatest of all.
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
A key part of Western Kentucky’s barbecue tradition is pit-cooked mutton – a dish that can either be served in wafer-thin slices, or chopped up and topped with a vinegary sauce. Old Hickory Bar-B-Q in Owensboro, a hub of the region’s barbecue scene, certainly has the technique finessed; it's been smoking mutton (and other meats) since 1918, when Charlie Foreman first stoked the pits. Six generations later, the family-run business has a loyal following for its low and slow-cooked smoky meats, down-home sides, and legendary sweet and tangy sauce (or dip, as it’s known here).
The low and slow barbecue traditions of Central Texas inspire Smokemade Meats + Eats, run by pitmaster Dylan Taylor in his hometown of Orlando. Here, brisket is rubbed with 16 spices, then smoked for 16 hours until meltingly tender. Meanwhile, the spot's pulled pork gets 10 hours of smoke, and it's served Carolina style, with a sharp vinegar sauce to cut through the richness. Don’t miss the double-smoked sausages, either – especially the jalapeño-Cheddar ones, which are packed with meaty flavor and chili heat. Every side and sausage is made from scratch, with serious pitmaster care.
Starting out as a traveling concession stand in the early 1980s, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que opened its first bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Syracuse in 1988. It’s since gone from strength to strength, housing six locations across New York state. Expect all of your usual barbecue favorites, from St. Louis–style ribs to pulled pork and smoky wings. Go for one of the combo plates, piled high with your choice of meats (think prime brisket, smoked chicken, and Korean-style pork belly), two sides, and a hunk of cornbread.
Georgia isn’t officially part of the Barbecue Belt, but it sure has some hot takes on the tradition. In Atlanta, Fox Bros Bar-B-Q is the restaurant to know. The popular pit stop began in the backyard of the Texas-raised Fox brothers before they opened a bricks-and-mortar restaurant – and there are now six locations. The beef ribs are the ultimate feast, the brisket is up there with the best around, and the hickory-smoked chicken wings are incredibly delicious. Be sure to add Texas twinkies (smoked bacon–wrapped jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese and brisket) to your order, if they’re available.
Central Texas–style traditions and Latino flourishes lend a certain finesse to the dishes at the acclaimed Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano’s historic downtown. The joint is owned by Daniel and Brenda Castillo, who started out cooking in their driveway, and all its meats are smoked on fires fueled by Californian white oak. Go for the brisket, the house-made sausages, and the maple-glazed pork spare ribs, plus specials like pulled pork adobo bowls, house-pickled jalapeños, brisket beans with Cotija cheese, and banana bread pudding.
A roadside joint where you order from a window hatch, Brenda’s Bar-Be-Que Pit’s modest exterior belies the legendary status of its food. This family-owned operation has been smoking meat since 1942, when it became a key meeting place during the Civil Rights Movement. The pit remains in family hands, and it's still a hub of the community – but now, it also lures barbecue aficionados from far and wide for a taste of history. As well as its heaving plates of pork ribs, regulars love the spot's Southern-fried whiting and pig ear sandwiches.
Established in 2022, Alzer’s Barbecue has firmly found its feet, drawing in crowds from across the state for its halal-friendly barbecued meats. As it adopts halal practices, there’s no pork, but fans say you really don’t miss it as the other meats are so mouthwateringly good. Locals constantly rave about the tender brisket, as well as the smoked turkey, lamb sausage, quail, and beef back ribs. The sides are just as mighty, with favorites like barbecue beans, potato salad, and cream corn.
Jones Bar-B-Q Diner is a bona fide barbecue gem – it's thought to be the oldest African American-owned restaurant in the US, and it's part of the food fabric of the Arkansas Delta. It serves simple fare; expect pulled pork sandwiches with slaw and a piquant sauce. Helmed by pitmaster James Harold Jones, whose grandfather first fired up the pit, the two-table spot was given an America’s Classic designation from the James Beard Foundation in 2017. The building suffered extensive damage from a fire in 2021, but soon it reopened after an outpouring of donations.
As well as music, Memphis is all about smoked meat – and The Bar-B-Q Shop is one of the best ‘cue spots in town. Pork is the star here, namely the meltingly tender ribs. As well as Memphis’ traditional dry rub ribs, the joint does a gloriously glazed rack. Go for 'half and half' to try both. And don't leave without trying the restaurant’s most iconic dish: Bar-B-Q Spaghetti. This messy Memphis classic combines spaghetti, smoked pork, and barbecue sauce, and it's said to have been invented by the restaurant’s founder, Brady Vincent.
Once you’ve sampled this joint's pork ribs, encrusted with Memphis dry shake, there’s no untasting them. Since 1948, legendary pitmasters have been slow-smoking ribs in this basement eatery, which draws crowds from near and far for its slabs served with red beans and tangy mustard slaw. Choose a combo to sample the tender brisket as well, or keep an eye out for the flavorful lamb riblets – a lesser-known but equally delicious treat. The old-school ambiance (think red-and-white checkered tablecloths) only adds to the timeless charm.
With a seal of approval from the Michelin guide, Smok takes its meat very seriously. The team is headed up by chef Bill Espiricueta, who brings his fine dining experience and combines it with the delicious art of slow-smoked barbecue. The result is always flawless, with fall-off-the-bone meats and hearty sides. Try the burnt ends, pork spare ribs, and the fried Nashville hot chicken sandwich.
Opened by so-called 'king of ribs' Arthur Bryant, this long-running institution continues to be integral to Kansas City's rich barbecue tradition. Once you’ve sunk your teeth into the succulent dry-rubbed ribs, move on to the pulled pork and brisket, both of which are cooked long, low, and slow. Everything is bursting with flavor. For a signature snack, be sure to get the burnt ends; this iconic barbecue delicacy is said to have been invented here.
You can't go to Texas’ capital without trying the butter-soft brisket at this legendary eatery. Started by husband-and-wife team Aaron and Stacy Franklin in 2009, Franklin Barbecue began as a roadside barbecue trailer on the Texas interstate. Since then, the operation has moved to Austin's East Side, and it's scooped countless accolades – including a James Beard Best Chef Award for Aaron. Besides the drool-worthy brisket, other barbecue classics like ribs, pulled pork, and turkey are all next level. Expect long lines but plentiful portions once you make it to the front.
Barbecued hog and rib-stickin’ Southern sides draw steady crowds to Rodney Scott’s restaurants, where pitmasters carry on the time-honored craft of whole hog cooking – a skill Scott mastered as a kid. The James Beard Award winner slow cooks butterflied pigs over oak, hickory, and pecan coals, a method rooted in his South Carolina upbringing. He now has locations in Charleston, Alabama, and Georgia, and he’s known nationwide for his Carolina-style pork. Don’t miss the chicken and brisket, served with buttery cornbread, collard greens, and black-eyed peas.
At Corkscrew BBQ, beef reigns supreme, just as Texan barbecue tradition dictates. Founders Will and Nichole Buckman began by delivering their oak-fired brisket before opening this restaurant, which is now famed for its Creekstone Farm beef – served lean, moist, or mixed with bold, smoky sauces (order a plate, or load it into potatoes and tacos). Pulled pork and ribs impress, too. The joint's dedication to quality shines through in scratch-made sides like pit-smoked beans, loaded potatoes, and three-cheese mac 'n' cheese. Don’t miss the house-made cobbler of the day.
A Central Texan barbecue joint with Mexican influences, the award-winning Reese Bros does a roaring trade in barbecue tortas, smoked barbacoa, smoked red pork tamales, and smoked sausages stuffed with queso fundido. Don’t miss out on the house-made flour tortillas, the pickles and poblano mac ‘n’ cheese, the Smoked Verde Burgers, and the spicy-citrussy salsa naranja – it's the perfect foil for all that gloriously greasy meat. As the name suggests, the restaurant is helmed by two brothers: the barbecue-obsessed Nick and Elliott Reese.
One for the barbecue purists, Skylight Inn BBQ is a family-run place that’s been smoking whole hogs North Carolina style since 1947 – and it picked up a James Beard America's Classics Award for its contribution to the country’s culinary history along the way. Here, the hogs are smoked for around 16 hours over smoldering oak coals before being chopped finely (crispy skin and all), seasoned, and mixed with a dash of vinegar and a little hot sauce. Go for a hog sandwich, or a plate with a slice of deliciously moist cornbread and classic sides like potato salad and coleslaw.
From food truck to Michelin-starred restaurant, LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue is helping to revolutionize what lip-smacking barbecue is. Established in 2017, the joint works with small, responsible suppliers, meaning the quality is so excellent that it often sells out. Favorites include the pulled whole hog, beef cheeks, and tri-tip. There are even some veggie main options, which some say are just as smoky and delicious.
'Cook slow, serve fast' is the modus operandi at Pig in a Pickle, which has two restaurants in California's Bay Area – both of which serve mouthwatering meats by the pound. The sourcing here is meticulous, with an onus on using small, quality suppliers, so some menu items can sell out. The 18-hour brisket is flawless, while the joint's dry-rubbed baby back ribs, smoked chicken (dunked in a peppery Alabama white sauce) and house-made spicy hotlinks are full of flavor. All sides are made from scratch, and there are tempting specials like smoked pork tenderloin served on a pillowy buttermilk biscuit.
The traditions of the Lonestar State are expertly showcased at these laid-back restaurants from esteemed Texan pitmaster John Lewis. The sublimely smoked pork spare ribs, juicy ‘Texas hot guts’ sausages, and legendary beef brisket are cut to order at the counter or table. Everything is priced by the pound, and you can order as much or as little as you like. Keep watch for daily specials; fall-off-the-bone beef back ribs are served on Tuesdays, and smoked prime rib is offered on Wednesdays. The mustardy potato salad is a standout on the sides menu.
Pitmaster Carey Bringle has made a name for himself in the barbecue world thanks to his oh-so-tender ribs (which are dry rubbed and smoked to juicy perfection) and his soft, juicy pulled pork. His Nashville joint Peg Leg Porker is all about big, flavorful barbecue, offering meats that are smoked daily, plus a scattering of scratch-made classic Southern sides (the smoked green beans are a crowd favorite). Can’t decide? Go for the combo platter, which comes heaving with ribs, a whole chicken, pulled pork, and sausage. The chocolate, peach, and apple fried pies are all worth saving room for, too.
A low-key local joint in Evansville, Wyoming, HQ BBQ is a must-stop for a barbecue hit on any road trip through the Rocky Mountains. Set in a repurposed gas station, the bustling restaurant is renowned for its sweet tea hickory–smoked ribs, which fall off the bone, and its beautifully blackened brisket. There’s pulled chicken and smoky andouille too, as well as big bowls of chili, warm honey cornbread, fries (of course), and a choice of sauces with varying spice levels – smother them on your meat as you please.
Southern-style pit–smoked meats and classic sides keep the crowds coming to Hometown Bar-B-Que, the brainchild of restaurateur Billy Durney, in Brooklyn's Red Hook. Besides classic brisket, pulled pork, turkey, and spare ribs (all cooked over oak wood), the joint serves Oaxacan chicken, Korean sticky ribs, and Vietnamese hot wings. Looking for a big ol’ bowl of comfort? The smoked brisket Texas red chili with a square of honey butter cornbread will hit the sweet spot. There are branches in Brooklyn's Industry City and Miami, Florida, too.
Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q is a legend in the barbecue world – what began as a hand-dug pit in a railroad worker’s backyard grew into two Decatur restaurants with World Championship accolades. Crowds flock to both Big Bob joints to try the famous smoked chicken, dunked straight from the pit into Big Bob’s signature white sauce, and the tender St. Louis–cut ribs. The restaurants are now run by Big Bob's grandson Don McLemore and his son-in-law Chris Lilly, but the tradition of cooking over hickory wood (Big Bob’s favorite for its deep, rich flavor) lives on. Don’t skip the coconut cream pie for a sweet Southern finish.
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Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.