# Best Barbecue Near You? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 13, 2020, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869 "2020-02-13T11:57:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/41 "2020-02-14T00:10:22Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Pretty sure 17th Street (and yes, they are very good!) is in Marion. At least, the one I went to was in Marion, next to the Country Inn & Suites. There are two, see **Kelevra** ’s post #19. It started in Murphysboro. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/42 "2020-02-14T02:31:08Z")
I did love [Rub Backcountry BBQ](https://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=29136) in West Rogers Park very much. My best bite of BBQ ever was his beef plate ribs. Anyone in Denver should check out the place the pitmaster runs now: > **[Texas-Style Pit-smoked BBQ | AJ's Pit Bar-B-Q | Denver](https://www.pitbarbq.com)** > > AJ's Pit Bar-B-Q serves fresh from the smoker wood-fired BBQ in a mountain cabin setting dining room. Texas style smoked meats served by the pound. > [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > And to be honest, I think I like Earl’s a bit more than Smoque. Cool. If you ever want to meet up there, I’m in. > [@pulykamell](#): > > If you ever find yourself in/near Berwyn and want a good beer bar with smoked chicken wings and an eclectic clientele, try Cigars & Stripes. Especially if you love hot sauces. Ronnie (the owner) makes all sorts of hot sauces himself from mildly spicy to blow-your-head-off. His smoking is on point, and, if you get lucky and pick the right day, he sometimes has smoked Italian beef with homemade giardiniera which I love to bits. I’m loving everything about this place. Beer bar? Smoked wings? Housemade hot sauce? Homemade giardiniera? Owner named Ronnie? **Smoked** Italian beef?! [Rich Koz]Berwyn!?![/RK] ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/43 "2020-02-14T02:56:51Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I’m loving everything about this place. Beer bar? Smoked wings? Housemade hot sauce? Homemade giardiniera? Owner named Ronnie? **Smoked** Italian beef?! [Rich Koz]Berwyn!?![/RK] Oh, and Ronnie was a professional wrestling manager/promoter (and has a personality that fits), and the bar definitely has a Son-of-Svengoolie vibe to it. They do a lot of B-movie nights, stand up nights, live music, etc., but they’ll also do sports and MMA nights as well. [Website link](http://www.stripesbbq.com/). And it’s totally unpretentious. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/44 "2020-02-14T03:17:13Z")
I live in Harlem, so I can’t make it up to Rochester, NY to try their pick. But it can’t be as good as [Izzy’s](https://www.izzyssmokehouse.com/) in Brooklyn, unless it’s better than the same chain’s place in Newark, NJ called Dinosaur BBQ. It was just okay, but Izzy’s is excellent. Try it if you come by. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/45 "2020-02-14T03:39:13Z")
Best BBQ near me? All of them. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/46 "2020-02-14T04:20:18Z")
I’m in Tucson. Best barbecue near me? San Antonio ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/47 "2020-02-14T15:57:35Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > (Expletive Deleted) slideshows. Huh…on my phone everything in the link is on one page and I can just scroll down to find places in my area. I may arrange a slight detour on my road trip to hit the Kentucky joint. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/48 "2020-02-14T16:04:48Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Huh…on my phone everything in the link is on one page and I can just scroll down to find places in my area. > > I may arrange a slight detour on my road trip to hit the Kentucky joint. Old Hickory is very good. I’ve been to all the Owensboro barbecue places (OK, there were only four of them when we went, and I think it’s down to three now: Moonlight, Old Hickory, Ole South. When we went, there was also George’s), and that one was my favorite (we’ve actually been back to it). Western Kentucky is particularly known for mutton barbecue, and is usually served with a “dip” that is based on vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and cuts through the mutton pretty well. Also have a cup or bowl of burgoo while you’re there. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/49 "2020-02-14T16:09:20Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Oh, and Ronnie was a professional wrestling manager/promoter (and has a personality that fits), and the bar definitely has a Son-of-Svengoolie vibe to it. They do a lot of B-movie nights, stand up nights, live music, etc., but they’ll also do sports and MMA nights as well. [Website link](http://www.stripesbbq.com/). And it’s totally unpretentious. If you Chicago guys do hook up for BBQ please count me in! ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/50 "2020-02-14T16:39:41Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Huh…on my phone everything in the link is on one page and I can just scroll down to find places in my area. > > I may arrange a slight detour on my road trip to hit the Kentucky joint. Lucky you. It was a single box that would only show one slide at a time on my desktop. Oh well. Let us know how the Kentucky joint was when you go there. **Bump** , I remember driving by and seeing the Sally Joe’s sign but dismissed ever going in. (There’s a LOT of bad BBQ in Texas. The Dickey’s mentioned upthread, if it’s a member of that chain, is some of the worst.) I’ll have to give Sally Joe’s a try. **Saucywench** , [Smokey Mo](https://www.smokeymo.com/)’s (not affiliated with the reputedly mediocre Texas chain) [is supposed to be good](https://tucsonfoodie.com/2018/08/17/smokey-mo/). House smoked and brined pastrami, if that interests you. All I can tell you about Tucson is I wasn’t a fan of the In-N-Out off 10, 15 years ago or so. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/51 "2020-02-14T16:52:47Z")
IL - Earls is literally four blocks down the alley from my house. It’s nice but for my money the best in the state has to go to Chicago Culinary Kitchen in Palatine. Only open Sat and Sun from 10:30 till the meat runs out. Jared Leonard said it was the best he ever had. My son, whom I like to think I’ve taught a thing or two about food, claims he prefers CCK to Franklin BBQ. And I’m down for a bbq dopefest as well! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/52 "2020-02-14T17:36:54Z")
Anytime I see a “best x state by state” I figure Pennsylvania’s will be in Philadelphia and I’ll have never heard of it. Pennsylvania should be three states; west, central, and east. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/53 "2020-02-14T17:47:21Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Anytime I see a “best x state by state” I figure Pennsylvania’s will be in Philadelphia and I’ll have never heard of it. Pennsylvania should be three states; west, central, and east. That’s the actual situation in Tennessee, with there being a Middle vs. Central difference. But TN is set up geographically for that to work better than other states, with PA being an obvious exception. It might be worth the counting to see how many (and which type) states have a distinct Middle or Central region. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/54 "2020-02-14T17:57:31Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > That’s the actual situation in Tennessee, with there being a Middle vs. Central difference. But TN is set up geographically for that to work better than other states, with PA being an obvious exception. > > It might be worth the counting to see how many (and which type) states have a distinct Middle or Central region. NJ, as small as it is, has at least 3 sections and probably more. NE vs NW vs. Shore vs. Western vs SE. Arguments can be made for anything from 2 to 7 regions. Living in Central Jersey, the most common I hear is 3 regions. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/55 "2020-02-14T17:57:45Z")
There’s a place near us called 12 Bones. It’s where the Obamas like to eat when they come to Asheville. But we almost never eat there, because another nearby place, [Okie Dokies](http://okiedokiesbbq.com/about/), is way more to our taste. Their most brilliant innovation is their sign out front. Or, rather, what’s beneath the sign: an active smoker. Driving by in the summer and smelling that slow-cooked pork, it’s real hard to keep on driving. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/56 "2020-02-14T18:09:51Z")
I live in San Antonio and the best brisket near me is… San Antonio. And Lockhart. And Austin. Got a plethora of BBQ and brisket places here - Rudy’s is fine, but touristy. Big Bib BBQ is excellent, as are the various restaurants around here with “Smoke” in their name - Smoke Shack, Smoke House, etc. Don’t bother with the County Line, unless you really want the tourist meal experience. We also had a chain open near me called B-B-Cutie, which _ **sucks** _. If you tell me “let’s go get some of that delicious B-B-Cutie”, I would have no recourse but to smack you. And, in case y’all care: The above is based on the quality of the meat only. I don’t review, or even eat, BBQ sauce. If your meat needs BBQ sauce, I’m not interested. Right, B-B-Cutie? ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/57 "2020-02-14T18:16:41Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > As for local BBQ in Houston, there are a few new ones I haven’t gotten to try. Plus, there’s always Chinese BBQ at places like the Hong Kong Food Market. > > The Texas BBQ place in Houston I used to love, and rank up there with Lockhart—Pierson and Company—has closed. So it goes. [Gatlin’s](https://www.gatlinsbbq.com/) is the best I’ve tried in the area. LOL at Goode Company. I can vouch for the excellence of Gatlin’s, but even better might be [The Hungry Farmer](https://www.hungryfarmerbarbq.com/). I frequented both when I lived and worked on that side of Houston. In my neck of the woods, both [AJ’s Meat Market](https://www.google.com/maps/@29.4635868,-95.0385821,3a,75y,189.08h,79.47t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sz9hiAymKHJvanMmQpZnf2w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192)(no web presense - that’s a good sign right there) in Dickinson, and [Roosters](http://www.roostersincbaytown.com/) in Baytown serve some of the best BBQ I have ever eaten. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/58 "2020-02-14T18:18:51Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > There’s a place near us called 12 Bones. It’s where the Obamas like to eat when they come to Asheville. But we almost never eat there, because another nearby place, [Okie Dokies](http://okiedokiesbbq.com/about/), is way more to our taste. > > Their most brilliant innovation is their sign out front. Or, rather, what’s beneath the sign: an active smoker. Driving by in the summer and smelling that slow-cooked pork, it’s real hard to keep on driving. You’ve just suggested an entirely separate thread to focus on “food aromas” that tantalize more than most. My entry in that hypothetical thread would be the “yeast rolls” that my family specialized in when I was wee. (There ought to be a perfume!) \<\< In fact, the idea of “pleasant aromas” reminds me of some old Andy Griffith stories where one had the line, “You know, for a fat girl you sure don’t sweat much.” \>\> ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/59 "2020-02-14T18:25:22Z")
> [@MikeG](#): > > IL - Earls is literally four blocks down the alley from my house. It’s nice but for my money the best in the state has to go to Chicago Culinary Kitchen in Palatine. Only open Sat and Sun from 10:30 till the meat runs out. Jared Leonard said it was the best he ever had. My son, whom I like to think I’ve taught a thing or two about food, claims he prefers CCK to Franklin BBQ. > > And I’m down for a bbq dopefest as well! I’ve heard great things about CCK. Thanks for reminding me. I’m on the total opposite end of town (near Midway), but I’d make a trip to Palatine for some good Q. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869/60 "2020-02-14T18:26:43Z")
Just now seeing this article on a related subject that thread participants might want to have seen: > **[These Classic Restaurants No Longer Exist](https://www.lifestyle-a2z.com/fast-food-restaurants-that-no-longer-exist/?utm_medium=yahoo&utm_source=372&utm_campaign=384615257&utm_term=HOMEPAGE_US-c&site_id=yahoo.com)** Potential new thread, maybe? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-barbecue-near-you/847869.md?page=4)