On its own, smoky, perfectly charred barbecued meats and veggies are a gift to mankind. When covered in a mouthwatering brown sauce, however, barbecue ascends to an entirely new level. As there are numerous varieties of BBQ sauce flavors ranging from tangy, vinegar-based goodness to full-bodied gravy with a kick of chipotle, barbecue can easily transform into countless scrumptious forms. Moreover, if served along with tasty sides like creamy mac and cheese, sweet potato fries, and refreshing coleslaw, barbecue becomes a soul satisfying experience that is made all the better when shared with loved ones. With that said, here are the best BBQ restaurants in the United States:
The Best BBQ Joints in Each State
Alabama Greenbrier Restaurant Madison, AL | Montana Blue’s BBQ Billings, MT |
Alaska Roscoe's Catfish & Barbeque Madison, AL | Nebraska Hartland Bar-B-Que Omaha, NE |
Arizona Little Miss BBQ Phoenix, AZ | Nevada Rollin Smoke Barbeque Las Vegas, NV |
Arkansas Whole Hog Café Madison, AL | New Hampshire KC’s Rib Shack Barbecue Manchester, NH |
California Phil’s BBQ San Diego, CA | New Jersey Hot Rods BBQ Madison, AL |
Colorado Jabo's Bar-Be-Q Madison, AL | New Mexico The Cube BBQ Albuquerque, NM |
Connecticut Chester’s Barbecue Madison, AL | New York Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque New York, NY |
Delaware Fat Daddy's BBQ Madison, AL | North Carolina Skylight Inn BBQ Madison, AL |
Florida Holy Hog BBQ Tampa, FL | North Dakota Spitfire Bar & Grill West Fargo, ND |
Georgia Southern Soul Barbeque Saint Simons Island, GA | Ohio Eli’s BBQ Cincinnati, OH |
Hawaii Uncle Bobo's Smoked BBQ Madison, AL | Oklahoma Iron Star Urban Barbeque Oklahoma City, OK |
Idaho Pitmaster BarBQue Company Idaho Falls, ID | Oregon Podnah’s Pit Barbeque Portland, OR |
Illinois Smoque BBQ Chicago, IL | Pennsylvania Percy Street Barbecue Philadelphia, PA |
Indiana Big Hoffa’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que Westfield, IN | Rhode Island Rick’s Roadhouse Providence, RI |
Iowa Hickory Park Restaurant Co. Ames, IA | South Carolina Southern Belly BBQ Columbia, SC |
Kansas Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que Madison, AL | South Dakota Big Rig BBQ Sioux Falls, SD |
Kentucky Old Hickory Bar-B-Que Owensboro, KY | Tennessee Peg Leg Porker Nashville, TN |
Louisiana Johnson’s Boucaniere Lafayette, LA | Texas Black’s Barbecue Madison, AL |
Maine Salvage BBQ Portland, ME | Utah R&R BBQ Salt Lake City, UT |
Maryland Andy Nelson's Southern Pit Barbecue Madison, AL | Vermont Bluebird Barbecue Burlington, VT |
Massachusetts B.T.’s Smokehouse Madison, AL | Virginia Dixie Bones BBQ Woodbridge, VA |
Michigan Union Woodshop Madison, AL | Washington Ranch House BBQ & Steakhouse Olympia, WA |
Minnesota Big Daddy’s Old Fashioned Barbeque St. Paul, MN | West Virginia Ridge View BBQ Madison, AL |
Mississippi Pig & Pint Jackson, MS | Wisconsin Smoky Jon's #1 BBQ Madison, WI |
Missouri Q39 Kansas City, MO | Wyoming Boomer’s BBQ Laramie, WY |
District of Columbia DCity Smokehouse Washington, D.C. |
Ask the Experts:
We reached out to each of these BBQ joint to learn which of their specialties they'd most recommend, and the results are in! Check out some top picks below:
Ridge View BBQ, West Virginia
This restaurant recommends trying out their pulled pork, a hybrid recipe of Memphis and Carolina styles. They also offer some french fry side dishes to savor, or you can sample the lot by going for a 4 meat sampler platter.
Old Hickory Bar-B-Que, Kentucky
While you don't see sheep on every menu out there, Old Hickory encourages you to try their award-winning mutton. It also specializes in burgoo, a traditional Kentucky stew that has won Best in Owensboro for 7 of the last 8 years.
Black's Barbecue, Texas
This joint has a dream pedigree for BBQ lovers- opening in 1932, 5 generations of Blacks have been barbecuing in the same custom-built brick pit. Just about any meat you can imagine is available, including hand blended and stuffed sausages.
Peg Leg Porker, Tennessee
The recommendation from this star BBQ joint is simple: dry ribs! Both half and full racks are available.
Big Rig BBQ, South Dakota
The brisket is the star of the show here, with people traveling hours to grab a sandwich. For those who prefer prok, the ribs and pulled pork have also gotten rave reviews.
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This article was written by Justina Tran.