Favorite BBQ joints

[bugo]

I'm a BBQ snob, and I have lots of favorite places.  I'll limit mine to a few favorite places in different geographical areas.

Kansas City: Gates or LC's
Oklahoma: Elmer's or Wilson's
Arkansas: Jo Jo's or McClard's

I haven't had any Memphis BBQ except for Corky's franchises in Arkansas and I wasn't impressed at all.  I want to try Interstate.

[corco]

There is a place in Catalina, Arizona called Bubb's Grubb that has the best barbeque I've ever had outside of barbeque country.

City Market in Luling, Texas is also pretty magical. There's a place called Fat Boys just off I-30 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas that's pretty spectacular too.

I can second Wilson's as being very good too.

[kphoger]

If you're ever in Amarillo, I highly recommend Dyer's Bar-B-Que.  Arrive hungry.

[cjk374]

For BBQ in a pinch, Key'rail BBQ in Gibsland, LA is wonderful.  Located just off US 80 beside the railyard, it's carryout only, & served from a very small building.  There are picnic tables located under a breeze way at the community center close by from which you can eat & watch the trains go by.

[Takumi]

Just off the top of my head:
Richmond/Petersburg: The Halligan Bar & Grill, King's BBQ, Nanny's (buffet)
Hampton Roads: Malbon Brothers
A couple in South Hill, VA whose names elude me
I've never had Boog's in Baltimore, despite visiting Oriole Park twice, and I can't think of any NC places offhand.

[formulanone]

Local places I like to frequent on the road:

Bib's Downtown in Winston-Salem, NC
Williamson Brothers in Marietta, GA
Poole's BBQ* in East Ellijay, GA (not sure if twice counts as "frequent")
Pig Out in Dothan, AL.

Back home, Lucille's Bad To the Bone BBQ in Boca/Delray/Boynton Beach, Florida (three locations)...not the best, but it's really the only BBQ places that have stuck around over the years in South Florida. I don't turn my nose up nor refuse the chance to go, however.

* Website sound warning.

For the chain BBQ places:

Rudy's (Texas) - I like the brisket sandwiches and buttered red potatoes, along with dozens of glass-bottled soft/alcohol choices.

Sonny's (Southeast) - Okay, but they're the first BBQ I've ever had, and they do have occasional All-You-Can-Eat specials.

Shane's Rib Shack (GA/NC) - Not bad, but not stellar; I do give them credit for using FHWA/Roadgeek fonts, and their creative and/or cheesy use of the MUTCD.

BBQ is kind of like Mexican food, in that it's really hard to make it taste bad!

[TheHighwayMan3561]

There's a place called Q-Fanatic's in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Damn good barbecue.

BBQ is kind of like Mexican food, in that it's really hard to make it taste bad!

You obviously never had Chi-Chi's.

[Jim]

A topic I'll have to look back on when planning a trip.

Probably my favorite was Hickory Bill's in North Adams, Mass.  He closed the restaurant a did catering only as of several years ago - don't know if he's still around or not.

When visiting Naples, Florida, you can't beat the Brown Bag BBQ in Golden Gate.  The place is nothing to look at, but you will not be disappointed with anything that comes out of there.

When traveling through the New Orleans area about 10 years ago, I stumbled across a little local place in Metairie.  I wish I could remember the name and location, because it was outstanding.  It was pretty clear I was the only non-local in there but no one seemed to hold that against me.

Closer to home, Brooks BBQ in Oneonta, NY, is a favorite.  They do a great job on chicken, especially, and they're always doing fundraiser catering across a wide area.

For the chain places, I was once a big fan of Famous Dave's, and would always find my way there when visiting the upper Midwest (first discovered them in the MSP area).  But after the national expansion, I tried them in a few other places (MD, UT, VA) and was disappointed 3 times in a row.  So I haven't been back in several years.

I have always liked Rudy's.  You order by the pound and get some ridiculous number of slices of plain white bread with the order.  Great selection of specialty sodas in the big drink trough.  Have been to two Albuquerque locations and one near Dallas.  Never disappointed.

I saw Sonny's mentioned.  It was good the couple times I've been, but not great.

There have to be others...

[1995hoo]

Company 7 in Dayton, Ohio (technically the address is Englewood)–Exit 29 from I-70, go north, and it's on the left at the first traffic light after the one serving the ramp from westbound I-70. Very good barbecue with a nice range of sauces and the bar was pretty neat because it's a converted fire truck. I was also quite chuffed to find Green Flash IPA on tap last October. I never expected to find that stuff in Dayton! The restaurant is not a chain.

I like the ribs at King Street Blues, a small local chain here in Northern Virginia that's roadhouse-themed.

I was extremely disappointed with the smoked gator ribs at Skippers Smokehouse off I-275 north of Tampa. The lack of air conditioning didn't help in June, either, but we'd already driven there so we ate anyway. I would not care to go back unless they had a band playing I particularly wanted to see.

[Special K]

Kreuz Market - Lockhart, TX
The Salt Lick - Driftwood, TX
Sam's BBQ - Austin, TX

[realjd]

I'm a BBQ snob, and I have lots of favorite places.  I'll limit mine to a few favorite places in different geographical areas.

Kansas City: Gates or LC's
Oklahoma: Elmer's or Wilson's
Arkansas: Jo Jo's or McClard's

I haven't had any Memphis BBQ except for Corky's franchises in Arkansas and I wasn't impressed at all.  I want to try Interstate.

If my schedule is flexible, I'll often have Delta reroute me through their Memphis hub specifically for the Interstate BBQ location at the airport. Good stuff!

I had Salt Lick at AUS yesterday for lunch. It wasn't bad but also wasn't memorable. I've had much better BBQ from some of the touristy Austin shops like Stubbs or Iron Works. I blame the fact that it's Salt Lick's airport location so the meet is shipped in from their main stir and held warm in an oven.

[nexus73]

Is there any truly good authentic BBQ in the PNW or California?  I'm having a hard time finding it!

Rick

[realjd]

Is there any truly good authentic BBQ in the PNW or California?  I'm having a hard time finding it!

Rick

I've been to a few good BBQ places in San Diego. Also, California's central coast has its own BBQ style actually - the Santa Maria style. It's much lesser known but can hold its own to any of the other American BBQ styles IMO. Tri-tip is one of my favorite beef cuts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_Style_Barbecue

[nexus73]

Thanks Realjd for the info!  My best friend and I are planning on a SoCal trip in April.  If you have any recommends for San Diego BBQ places, please do post them up as we will be in that city at some point on the trip.

Now to see if anyone in the PNW has any places that serve great BBQ.

Rick

[kphoger]

No list would be complete without Gates Bar-B-Q in Kansas City.
Apparently its chief rival, KC Masterpiece, is no longer open.

[Scott5114]

Gates. Just Gates.

[kphoger]

Gates. Just Gates.

Huh?  "Bar-B-Q" is right there on its sign:

[Scott5114]

No, I mean "just Gates" as in "just Gates, no other BBQ place can compare." Not intending to reply to your post, sorry.

[Coelacanth]

I haven't had any Memphis BBQ except for Corky's franchises in Arkansas and I wasn't impressed at all.  I want to try Interstate.

Go to the original Corky's. I thought Interstate was OK: solid, but not "OMG this is good".

[bugo]

Posts removed due to unnecessary merging.

[yanksfan6129]

Dinosaur BBQ. Fantastic authentic BBQ in the northeast.

[Alps]

Dinosaur BBQ. Fantastic authentic BBQ in the northeast.

Ehhh. It's a pretty good approximation of BBQ. I've been to enough places in the South that I know the difference. It's like eating Mexican food in Maryland vs. New Mexico.

[Special K]

Dinosaur BBQ. Fantastic authentic BBQ in the northeast.

Ehhh. It's a pretty good approximation of BBQ. I've been to enough places in the South that I know the difference. It's like eating Mexican food in Maryland vs. New Mexico.

That's the thing about BBQ.  There's more than one way to do it.

[kphoger]

Just like Mexican.  I think of New Mexican cuisine and Mexican cuisine as separate but related things.

[agentsteel53]

Just like Mexican.  I think of New Mexican cuisine and Mexican cuisine as separate but related things.

heh, the best Mexican food I've ever had was a  little stand by the side of highway 1 near the San Pedro Martir turnoff.  and it was fairly different from what they serve in the US.