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The 16 Hottest Barbecue Restaurants in the US Right Now

by Paula Forbes Jul 2, 2013, 10:55am EDT

53 comments / new

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by Paula Forbes Jul 2, 2013, 10:55am EDT

53 comments / new

As you celebrate this great land this week, perhaps you will take some time to indulge in that most American of foods: barbecue. America is going through a bit of a smoked meats renaissance these days, with barbecue spots opening in places that would've been unheard of just a few years ago (looking at you, New York City).

Below, Eater rounds up 16 of the hottest new smoked meat palaces that have opened in the past year, from traditional Texas-style brisket (John Mueller Meat Co. in Austin, Briskettown in New York, Bludso's in LA) to smoked tofu (yes, smoked tofu) outside of Louisville at Feast BBQ. There's pulled pork in Nashville from Peg Leg Porker, smoked chicken wings in Minneapolis from Smoke in the Pit, and smoked meatloaf at Rollin Smoke in Vegas. And now, without further ado, on to the Eater Barbecue Heat Map; these restaurants are listed in alphabetical order.

There is no way to make everyone (or possible anyone) happy with a barbecue list, but please do air your grievances/overlooked restaurants in the comments below.

· All Barbecue Coverage on Eater [-E-]
· All Eater Heatmaps [-E-]

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Bludso's Bar & Que

Bludso's is a joint venture between a Compton Texas-style barbecue restaurant and LA gastropub Golden State. Here they serve nearly every type of smoked meat under the sun alongside solid cocktails and a variety of sweets and sides.[Photo]

609 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Visit Website

Also featured in:

BrisketTown

Daniel Delaney went to Texas to learn how to smoke meat, and when he went back to Brooklyn he lugged a smoker behind his car the whole way. Briskettown is his original, although he also now has Smokeline in Manhattan. As the name implies, this is straight up Texas-style. And do check IsThereMeatLeft.com before you go so there are no disappointments.[Photo]

359 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Feast BBQ

After Feast BBQ opened outside of Louisville about a year ago, it became known for its barbecue tofu, of all things. Of course, they also serve the more traditional stuff (pulled pork and chicken, brisket) alongside a healthy beer selection and a bourbon of the week.[Photo]

116 W Main St, New Albany, IN 47150

Visit Website

The Granary

Traditional Texas barbecue by night, totally insane modernist-ish composed plates with "barbecue flavors from around the world" at night, the Granary is possibly like no other place in the country. Do not sleep on the beer selection, either; beer is taken very, very seriously in these parts.[Photo]

Open in Google Maps

602 Avenue a, San Antonio, TX 78215

Visit Website

The Greater Good BBQ

The Greater Good opened a little less than a year ago in Tucker, Georgia with smoked meats and a motto: "Barbecue, beer, good times." Look for Carolina-style pork sandwiches, burnt ends and pimento cheese barbecue potato skins (yes, really).[Photo]

Open in Google Maps

Tucker, GA 30084

Visit Website

John Mueller Meat Company

The man, the myth, the legend John Mueller is serving up his famous beef ribs in a new location, now on East Sixth Street. If you're good, he might give you a beer while you wait in line.[Photo]

2500 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Kansas City SmokeShack BBQ

Opened by a father-and-son team in North Kansas City, SmokeShack focuses on sandwiches with KC-style smoked meats. Pro tip: get your order to go and take it next door to Big Rip brewery for some beers[Photo]

Open in Google Maps

900 Swift Ave, North Kansas City, MO 64116

Visit Website

Killen's BBQ

Ronnie Killen started Killen's BBQ as a weekend pop-up outside of his Houston steakhouse. Word got out about the quality of brisket, short ribs, pork ribs and sausage coming out of Killen's smoker, and soon lines were forming. Now Killen has plans for a permanent barbecue restaurant in an old school cafeteria; look out for a late Summer opening, but in the mean time the pop-up's still smoking.[Photo]

Visit Website

Also featured in:

La Barbecue Cuisine Texicana

La Barbecue — which is owned by Leigh Ann Mueller — owes its fame to pitmaster John Lewis' tricked out smoker. Get your brisket, beef ribs, and house made sausage complete with live music on the weekends.[Photo]

1502 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704

Visit Website

Micklethwait Craft Meats

The newest of Austin's new school barbecue spots, Micklethwait serves an East Side crowd out of a vintage food truck painted with a giant acorn on the side. You are coming here for the smoked sausage, with both traditional and more creative styles that vary depending on the day.[Photo]

1309 Rosewood Ave, Austin, TX 78702

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Mighty Quinn's BBQ

A casual barbecue restaurant in New York City's East Village that got two stars from the New York Times? Yes, please. Mighty Quinn is so hot they're already opening a second location, despite only opening the first one in December. The "Texalina" style barbecue features brisket, beef ribs, pulled pork, and more.[Photo]

103 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Peg Leg Porker

Nashville pitmaster Carey Bringle's first brick-and-mortar, Peg Leg Porker opened in April serving up whole hog sandwiches, and dry and wet ribs. The restaurant's name refers to the fact that Bringle lost a leg during cancer treatments as a teenager; the logo for the restaurant is a peg-legged pig and their motto is "Limpin' ain't easy."[Photo]

904 Gleaves Street, Nashville, TN

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Rollin Smoke Barbeque

A catering company that just opened its first brick-and-mortar in April, Rollin Smoke serves every iteration of barbecue you can imagine, from brisket to pulled pork to smoked meatloaf to something called a barbecue sundae. Don't worry: this being Vegas, there's an all-you-can-eat option.[Photo]

3185 S. Highland Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89109

Visit Website

Also featured in:

The Slow Bone

The Slow Bone, a new barbecue concept from Jack Perkins of Maple & Motor fame, was hotly anticipated prior to its April opening and buzz has only built since. This is Texas so there's obviously brisket and sausage, but Slow Bone also does service to baby back and St. Louis-style ribs.[Photo]

2234 Irving Blvd, Dallas, Tx 75207

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Smoke In The Pit

Smoked chicken wings are the order at this takeout restaurant in Minneapolis' Powderhorn neighborhood. Also on offer: ribs, brisket and (sure, why not) fried catfish.[Photo]

Open in Google Maps

3733 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Wilson's BBQ

This tiny take out restaurant from chef Debra Wilson serves saucy St. Louis-style barbecue. Wilson has a background in non-barbecue restaurants as well and as such doesn't skimp on the sides, earning raves from the Riverfront Times for her mac 'n cheese and her deceptively simple-looking cake.[Photo]

Open in Google Maps

4904 Devonshire Ave, St. Louis, MO 63109

Visit Website

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Bludso's Bar & Que

609 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Bludso's is a joint venture between a Compton Texas-style barbecue restaurant and LA gastropub Golden State. Here they serve nearly every type of smoked meat under the sun alongside solid cocktails and a variety of sweets and sides.[Photo]

609 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Visit Website

BrisketTown

359 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Daniel Delaney went to Texas to learn how to smoke meat, and when he went back to Brooklyn he lugged a smoker behind his car the whole way. Briskettown is his original, although he also now has Smokeline in Manhattan. As the name implies, this is straight up Texas-style. And do check IsThereMeatLeft.com before you go so there are no disappointments.[Photo]

359 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Visit Website

Feast BBQ

116 W Main St, New Albany, IN 47150

After Feast BBQ opened outside of Louisville about a year ago, it became known for its barbecue tofu, of all things. Of course, they also serve the more traditional stuff (pulled pork and chicken, brisket) alongside a healthy beer selection and a bourbon of the week.[Photo]

116 W Main St, New Albany, IN 47150

Visit Website

The Granary

602 Avenue a, San Antonio, TX 78215

Traditional Texas barbecue by night, totally insane modernist-ish composed plates with "barbecue flavors from around the world" at night, the Granary is possibly like no other place in the country. Do not sleep on the beer selection, either; beer is taken very, very seriously in these parts.[Photo]

Open in Google Maps

602 Avenue a, San Antonio, TX 78215

Visit Website

The Greater Good BBQ

Tucker, GA 30084

The Greater Good opened a little less than a year ago in Tucker, Georgia with smoked meats and a motto: "Barbecue, beer, good times." Look for Carolina-style pork sandwiches, burnt ends and pimento cheese barbecue potato skins (yes, really).[Photo]

Open in Google Maps

Tucker, GA 30084

Visit Website

John Mueller Meat Company

2500 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702

The man, the myth, the legend John Mueller is serving up his famous beef ribs in a new location, now on East Sixth Street. If you're good, he might give you a beer while you wait in line.[Photo]

2500 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702

Visit Website

Kansas City SmokeShack BBQ

900 Swift Ave, North Kansas City, MO 64116

Opened by a father-and-son team in North Kansas City, SmokeShack focuses on sandwiches with KC-style smoked meats. Pro tip: get your order to go and take it next door to Big Rip brewery for some beers[Photo]

Open in Google Maps

900 Swift Ave, North Kansas City, MO 64116

Visit Website

Killen's BBQ

Ronnie Killen started Killen's BBQ as a weekend pop-up outside of his Houston steakhouse. Word got out about the quality of brisket, short ribs, pork ribs and sausage coming out of Killen's smoker, and soon lines were forming. Now Killen has plans for a permanent barbecue restaurant in an old school cafeteria; look out for a late Summer opening, but in the mean time the pop-up's still smoking.[Photo]

Visit Website

La Barbecue Cuisine Texicana

1502 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704

La Barbecue — which is owned by Leigh Ann Mueller — owes its fame to pitmaster John Lewis' tricked out smoker. Get your brisket, beef ribs, and house made sausage complete with live music on the weekends.[Photo]

1502 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704

Visit Website

Micklethwait Craft Meats

1309 Rosewood Ave, Austin, TX 78702

The newest of Austin's new school barbecue spots, Micklethwait serves an East Side crowd out of a vintage food truck painted with a giant acorn on the side. You are coming here for the smoked sausage, with both traditional and more creative styles that vary depending on the day.[Photo]

1309 Rosewood Ave, Austin, TX 78702

Visit Website

Mighty Quinn's BBQ

103 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003

A casual barbecue restaurant in New York City's East Village that got two stars from the New York Times? Yes, please. Mighty Quinn is so hot they're already opening a second location, despite only opening the first one in December. The "Texalina" style barbecue features brisket, beef ribs, pulled pork, and more.[Photo]

103 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003

Visit Website

Peg Leg Porker

904 Gleaves Street, Nashville, TN

Nashville pitmaster Carey Bringle's first brick-and-mortar, Peg Leg Porker opened in April serving up whole hog sandwiches, and dry and wet ribs. The restaurant's name refers to the fact that Bringle lost a leg during cancer treatments as a teenager; the logo for the restaurant is a peg-legged pig and their motto is "Limpin' ain't easy."[Photo]

904 Gleaves Street, Nashville, TN

Visit Website

Rollin Smoke Barbeque

3185 S. Highland Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89109

A catering company that just opened its first brick-and-mortar in April, Rollin Smoke serves every iteration of barbecue you can imagine, from brisket to pulled pork to smoked meatloaf to something called a barbecue sundae. Don't worry: this being Vegas, there's an all-you-can-eat option.[Photo]

3185 S. Highland Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89109

Visit Website

The Slow Bone

2234 Irving Blvd, Dallas, Tx 75207

The Slow Bone, a new barbecue concept from Jack Perkins of Maple & Motor fame, was hotly anticipated prior to its April opening and buzz has only built since. This is Texas so there's obviously brisket and sausage, but Slow Bone also does service to baby back and St. Louis-style ribs.[Photo]

2234 Irving Blvd, Dallas, Tx 75207

Visit Website

Smoke In The Pit

3733 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Smoked chicken wings are the order at this takeout restaurant in Minneapolis' Powderhorn neighborhood. Also on offer: ribs, brisket and (sure, why not) fried catfish.[Photo]

Open in Google Maps

3733 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Related Maps

Wilson's BBQ

4904 Devonshire Ave, St. Louis, MO 63109

This tiny take out restaurant from chef Debra Wilson serves saucy St. Louis-style barbecue. Wilson has a background in non-barbecue restaurants as well and as such doesn't skimp on the sides, earning raves from the Riverfront Times for her mac 'n cheese and her deceptively simple-looking cake.[Photo]

Open in Google Maps

4904 Devonshire Ave, St. Louis, MO 63109

Visit Website

Related Maps