Thrillist has published a list of what they think are the best BBQ joints in each of the 50 states, plus DC. Personally, I think they’re nuts. I agree with their choice for California - Phil’s in San Diego is superior BBQ by anybodys standards. Ditto Nevada - Rollin Smoke is the real deal in a state that is anything but. But Louis Mueller for Texas? That’s insane! Snow’s puts it to shame, as does every single BBQ place in Lockhart. And don’t get me started about North Carolina!
Thoughts?
Looks like they got Missouri and Kansas right, per the consensus.
I don’t know. I personally love Arthur Bryant’s, but people have been saying that they’ve gone seriously downhill in the last few years and are riding on rep. I’m pretty sure there are better places in KC these days.
I have not been to Snow’s, so it may very well be the best, but Franklin’s is the best BBQ I’ve had anywhere in Texas. Or anywhere else, though I admit I’m a total newb when it comes to Carolinas’ BBQ.
I detest having to admit that, as the line to get into Franklin is utterly ridiculous at the best of times, and “WTF are we thinking!,” on the weekends. Like playing Pebble Beach though, IMHO it’s worth the wait and the hassle to do it once. As has already been mentioned, Louie Mueller in Taylor, while good, isn’t the equal of the Lockhart greats. Very salty, peppery rub, and I found I ended up tasting that more than the smoke or flavor of the meat, when I went there. I’d like to taste some of John Mueller’s 'que, provided he can overcome his demons and keep his Austin place open. LA Barbecue in Austin is also supposed to be very good. And there are two new places opening in Houston that are supposed to try and shake things up.
Pulykamell, you know Illinois 'Que. (And are one of the posters here I trust when it comes to cooking and food.) Is 17th Street BBQ better than Smoque?
AB’s is alright but I’d no where near the best in Missouri. Pappy’s BBQ is the best in the state.
I lived for 11 years in Kansas City, Missouri and my personal favorite BBQ all those years was Smokestack’s. I’d always thought that Arthur Bryant’s just rode on their national reputation and PR and was never quite as good as Smokestack’s.
I won’t disagree with their North Carolina choice, Skylight Inn in Ayden. It’s Eastern Carolina Q(pulled pork), which is the only proper Q in NC. 
In Eastern Carolina there is one that is it’s equal–Allen & Sons in Chapel Hill(Go Heels) and, to me, the best in NC. But, you have to remember the divide in NC between the East(Vinegar sauce, no ketchup) and the West(Greensboro going West) which has the same yummy sauce but adds ketchup.
15 years ago, there was a website(still accessible) done by Dave Lineback which was the end all/be all of websites for North Carolina BBQ. He rated the best not only on the quality of their Q but on whether they still smoked with wood. Many have fallen by the wayside because of that.
<snick!>
Them’s fightin’ words!
I’ve always been more partial to Western NC BBQ, especially Lexington #1. But it’s all good.
For Michigan I figured it would be either Union Woodshop or Slow’s, and it turned out to be the former, though they gave a mention to Slow’s.
My sister, who used to live close by the Union Woodshop and went there pretty often until she recently moved, told me Kid Rock is rumored to be a silent partner for the Union Woodshop. There’s some evidence it’s true, because Kid Rock was a guest on “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” with Guy Fieri and took him to the Clarkston Union (another restaurant 1/2 block down the street with the same owners as the Woodshop) to extoll the virtues of their Mac & cheese, which is also offered at the Woodshop. Or maybe KR just really likes their Mac & cheese.
I agree with the choice for Alabama. Big Bob Gibson’s in Decatur is where white BBQ sauce was invented and it’s the best BBQ I’ve had in the state.
Per consensus! I hadn’t heard they were going downhill. My personal favorite is Jack Stack, and though it be legendary, I have no use for Gates. Joe’s is plenty good. I was surprised a couple years ago and found Haywards BBQ, had the best burnt ends I’ve ever had there. Unfortunately, went back a year later with high expectations and was disappointed.
Was that down on Wornall? Think I remember seeing the stack…
As a point of information, the owner of Smokestack’s was Russ Fiorella. His son, Jack Fiorella founded Jack Stacks. Current owner is Case Dorman.
For mutton barbecue in Kentucky, Moonlite is the most famous, but I found Old Hickory to be the best of the Owensboro barbecue (we tried Moonlite, Old Hickory, Ole South, and George’s [which I believe is gone now]). Moonlite was solid and a fine yardstick for mutton barbecue, but we liked the mutton (and other barbecue) at the other three places better.
For Illinois–yeah, 17th Street Barbecue is pretty well-known and established, so I’m not surprised to see that as the pick. I’m more of a fan of tips & links Chicago south and west side barbecue, so I would have chosen differently, but I can’t complain about that pick.
The only other state I have some more barbecue familiarity with – Tennessee – I see they chose Payne’s. Yeah, I could live with that. Payne’s was one of my favorites for Memphis barbecue.
They got Kentucky’s right, although the places that pulykamell mentioned are respectable honorable mentions. Tennessee they got wrong. Your best plate will be found at Morris Grocery in Eads.
17th Street is pretty good and got a mention by me in the recent “surprising place you’ve found a good restaurant” thread, though it’s not up to Texas standards.
My wife and daughter go on mother-daughter trips, so I take the opportunity to get my dog and travel from San Antonio to any of the famous brisket places surrounding the city. Looks like this year we’ll be visiting Franklin’s - heard quite a bit about it, but have yet to make the trip.
That was the place that would have been our number one pick, too.
Their choice for Mass–The Pit Stop–is good but not the best (plus it’s only open three nights a week). For me Blue Ribbon BBQ is easily the best.
Allocate a, no kidding, four hours to sit in line if you go on a weekend. It may be a bit more. Maybe I’ve just been unlucky? I’d try to go during the week.
I’d been reading the unlikely restaurant thread, but missed your thoughts on 17th Street. I’ll have to try it if I’m ever in that part of Illinois. I’d heard so many great things about Smoque, it was surprising to me that another joint I’d not heard of would be better.
That’s the one I would have picked for number one from the places I’ve had it in Tennessee so far. Actually, that’s my favorite pulled pork sandwich (as I mentioned in a recent thread) I’ve ever had anywhere.
Gray Ghost - sorry I missed your question. From the two times I’ve been to 17th Street, I have to say I actually preferred Smoque, but they’re both on the same level, in my opinion. It’s not really fair for me to judge from two visits (I’ve been to Smoque much more often, though.) That said, my favorite barbecue around here would have been tips & links from Uncle John’s, but that place has been gone now for a year or so (although the pitmaster’s daughter opened up a place on 47th and Vincennes that I haven’t checked out yet), so I might have to go with the ribs from Lem’s or tips & links from Barbara Ann’s. But they are very representative of Chicago cue, which is cooked a bit hotter than regular cue (maybe around 275F) and in an aquarium smoker.
(As for Owensboro, I dug up my notes and post about the barbecue here. Looks like the sliced mutton at Old Hickory was my favorite, while my cousin preferred the chopped at Ole South, and Moonlite our least, but still good and worth visiting.)
Washington State, While I cannot say I have eaten all the bbq we have up here I can say that Pecos Pit has some incredible food. Their pulled (Pecos) pork is one of my favorites anywhere.