Chefs Pick the Best BBQ Spots in America
From the smoky flavors of Texas brisket to the tangy sauces of North Carolina pulled pork, the American landscape is brimming with great barbecue. The rich aroma of succulent meats cooking low and slow over a wood fire is unmistakable and often irresistible, whether you're dining at one of the country's popular barbecue chains or one of the many singular, beloved barbecue spots down South.
Well-made barbecue focuses on technique and high-quality ingredients, and it draws upon various regional styles. If you've traveled the country and sampled some of these styles, you'll often find very specific, slow-smoking methods and the use of different types of wood to enhance the meat's flavor.
It's nearly impossible to say which style of 'cue is the best, so we turned to the experts who've sampled smoked meats around the country. We asked some of the best chefs around where they head when they've got a craving for smoked meats. Ahead, you'll find out their favorite spots.
And, of course, watch out for these BBQ joint red flags from pitmasters.
Terry Black's BBQ
This Texas-based, family-owned mini-chain serves legendary barbecue in communities including Dallas, Lockhart, and Waco, and its Austin location was declared "the most underrated barbecue joint" in the city by Texas Monthly. Kenny Leung, executive chef at Yao in New York City, says Terry Black's is worth the trip to the Lone Star State. "When I visit Austin, Texas, I always look forward to going to the classic, Terry Black's BBQ," says Leung. Can't make it to Texas? Terry Black's will send you some of its famous brisket and sausages via Goldbelly.
Fette Sau
While good 'cue is most often found in the South, Leung is also a fan of Fette Sau, a long-standing barbecue spot located in a former auto-body shop in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Yes, Brooklyn!) "Fette Sau is my favorite," says Leung. "It's still fantastic after all these years. I really love the vibe because I'm into cars and motorcycles. Some BBQ places tend to be overwhelmed with sauce, then again that's maybe what BBQ is all about, the sauce. But Fette Sau's dishes have the perfect amount of sauce."
Saw's BBQ
Saw's BBQ has six locations in Alabama, and serves pulled pork, smoked chicken, ribs, and a huge selection of southern-inflected comfort sides. Robert Harris, the chef and owner of Season to Taste in Cambridge, Mass., is an Alabama native, and Saw's is his first stop when visiting family in his home state. "My favorite BBQ when I'm visiting my family in Birmingham is Saw's," he says. "It's a bit of a mash up between North Carolina BBQ and Alabama BBQ that's super consistent and tasty. I'm originally from Tuscaloosa, Ala., but most of my family now live in Birmingham. So whenever I'm in town, I enjoy the ribs from Saw's."
Black Strap BBQ
Alabama native Harris can't always head down south to get his barbecue fix, but he says you can still get great smoked meats up north. "For Boston, my go to is Black Strap BBQ in Winthrop, Mass. They pull inspiration from different BBQ regions in the South and Texas," says Harris. "The 'cue is always top notch along with a killer bar. It's a bit off the beaten track out in Winthrop, but well worth the drive! Be sure to check out their Texas-style sliced beef brisket, so good!"
3 Beards BBQ
Jose Horrach, executive chef at Chica & The Don in New York City, discovered one of his favorites during a road trip to Florida. "I stopped at a BBQ place in Tifton, Georgia, called 3 Beards BBQ. I had an amazing meal there," Horrach says. "The ribs were immaculate, the brisket was tender, and the mac and cheese was out of this world!"
Blinky's OffSet BBQ
Not every incredible barbecue destination is a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Sometimes it can come from an unassuming food truck. "A favorite BBQ place of mine is a food truck in Nashville, Tennessee, called Blinky's Offset BBQ," says chef Miguel Bautista of Perry Lane Hotel in Savannah, Ga. "The pitmaster competes in a lot of BBQ competitions across the country and is doing things really differently. He has a Nashville hot mojo pork butt that he does that is amazing, and he grew up in Miami, so has a lot of Latin American influences that inspired that pork butt recipe."
Pecan Lodge
Lines out the door are always a sign of good barbecue, and that's just one reason to check out Pecan Lodge in Dallas. "For me, Pecan Lodge in Texas is the quintessential American BBQ," says Thomas George, executive chef of Bombay Brasserie in San Francisco. "Everything from the huge airy room to the line snaking all the way outside, and most importantly the high-quality beef, slow cooked for ages. Definitely go for the brisket, but don't limit yourself to one meat choice either!"
Pig Rig
Another unlikely destination for delectable hickory-smoked meats is found in the oft-overlooked state of Connecticut. "Pig Rig in Wallingford, Conn., is one of those places you can just smell before you walk in," says Eric Bishoff, chef at The Quarterdeck in Falmouth, Mass. "When you go in there are three big guys behind the counter and you know it's gonna be good. The sauces, the meats, the sides, everything is delicious. My favorite is the diesel beans. We buy bottles of the sauces to bring home with us when we go."
2Fifty
You don't have to go to the Lone Star state to enjoy Texas-style 'que with a twist, says Robert Weland, executive chef of Art and Soul and Deck 11 in Washington, D.C. "My favorite barbecue restaurant is 2fifty in Riverdale Park, Maryland," Weland says. "They are locally and immigrant-owned incorporating some of their own Salvadoran food traditions with Texas-style, wood-only BBQ. I love their brisket, especially their brisket tamales special when they have it, alongside a mango salad and their interpretation of Mexican street corn."
BBQ 4 U
The American Southwest has some incredible barbecue—even in burrito form, says chef Jackie Alpers, author of 2023's The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook. "BBQ 4 U in Tucson, Arizona, has some of the best BBQ in the U.S. Their tri-tip burritos and sandwiches served with their homemade salsa are only sold on Saturday mornings straight from their grill truck in a local Safeway parking lot."
The Smoke Shop BBQ
Another East Coast pick this writer can personally get behind is a favorite of Damian deMagistris, director of operations & co-owner of Il Casale and The Wellington in Massachusetts. "The Smoke Shop BBQ by Andy Husbands goes down as my favorite BBQ spot," deMagistris says. "You can always count on them for a reliable classic brisket and top-notch cornbread (which is understatedly a very important factor of barbeque food) across all of their locations."
Hoodoo Brown BBQ
Another impressive Texas-style barbecue spot that is quite far from Texas can be found in Ridgefield, Conn. "I'd have to say Hoodoo Brown BBQ is the best of the best for Texas 'outlaw' barbecue in the Northeast!" says chef Dan Delancey from the Pilot House in Sandwich, Mass. "It's a must visit for beef ribs that are up there for my favorite, but when it comes to the different sausages they make—it's silly mind-blowing. Don't miss the house-made pickles."
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