Best BBQ in America: Top 15 Cities
10. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Bologna may be derided as a tube of congealed lunch meat in most towns, but it Oklahoma City, they throw it in the smoker and call it “Oklahoma Prime Rib.” Slow-cooked for hours and cut thick before serving, the bologna at Leo’s, Jamil’s Steakhouse, and Back Door BBQ is among the best.
9. Houston, Texas
Though they may be known as “spare” ribs, the racks at Houston’s best barbecue joints are anything but—instead, they’re meaty, tender, and delicious. For the best in pork, drop by Killen’s BBQ, Jackson St. Barbecue, or Gatlin’s BBQ and order up a mess of smoky bones.
8. Birmingham, Alabama
Big Bob Gibson BBQ, located about an hour north of Birmingham, popularized their signature dish of smoked chicken with tangy mayo and vinegar-based white sauce, but Saw’s BBQ and Jim ‘n’ Nick’s BBQ have brought their own excellent versions to the ‘Ham for barbecue fans who don’t want to make the drive.
7. Dallas, Texas
In Dallas, they love their sausages smoked and their links hot. Sold old-school meat market style by the pound or by the link, the spicy and smoky sausages at Cattleack BBQ, Kuby’s Sausage House, and Lockhart Smokehouse are among the best of the worst.
6. Nashville, Tennessee
Three major interstates run within a mile of each other in Nashville’s downtown, so it’s no surprise that the city is also a crossroads of barbecue styles, such as the West Tennessee whole hog at Martin’s Bar-b-que Joint, the Memphis-style dry ribs at Peg Leg Porker, or Edley’s BBQ’s notable smoked chicken with Alabama white sauce.
5. Fort Worth, Texas
Home to the country’s most famous stockyards, Fort Worth loves their beef, meaning beef—instead of its porcine cousins—is more popular on menus. The ribs at Riscky’s Barbecue, Cooper’s Old Time Pit BBQ, and the Woodshed Smokehouse represent the best of the boeuf.
4. Kansas City, Kansas
When you cross the state line from Missouri to Kansas in Kansas City, the barbecue gets a little wackier. One sandwich, in particular, the “Z-Man” at Joe’s Kansas City BBQ, is a legendary concoction of BBQ brisket topped with smoked provolone, fried onion rings, and tangy sauce named after a local disc jockey. Those seeking more traditional tastes should dive into ribs at Slaps or Woodyard BBQ.
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