This list comes primarily from a journal I started keeping in the mid 80's and except for a select few, the restaurants are dedicated to, or primarily focused on BBQ.
This represents approximately 28 years of eating (a little less than half of my life), dating back to 1983. Before that time - call it my awakening - BBQ was what my dad did on the grill out back, and was relegated to hamburgers, hot dogs and a kebab of beef, marinated in BBQ sauce.
This list of 43 restaurants, joints, diners, and other places is in order from what I consider the best to the worst. It reflects my tastes and opinion more than a scientific evaluation. However, I will say that I have a good sense of taste, reasonably educated palate and have studied from the pros such that I understand technique and good execution.
One last note... I have not been everywhere - for example, Memphis is missing - but I have tried all the various styles, and I do have a preference for the Texas style of BBQ. I made my first of 3 trips to the BBQ belt, south of Austin, in 2003, and you'll see most of the ones I've eaten at in my top-tier.
Top Tier
- Smitty's Market, Lockhart TX - recommend blue bell ice cream cone for dessert
- City Market, Luling TX - get there early to include a piece of pie - it sells out
- Kreuz Market, Lockhart TX (pronounced KRITZ - with a long "I")
- Southside Market, Elgin TX - I heard it may be closed, or has changed hands
- Louis Mueller's, Taylor TX - my business card should still be on the wall, with a smoke patina, I'm sure
- Chisholm Trail, Lockhart TX - open later than any of the others in Lockhart, in case you get into town after 4pm
- Sonny Bryan's, Dallas TX (and other locations) - a wonderful first and last stop if you fly out of DFW
- Gavin's, Rosenberg TX - what a pleasant surprise !
- Black's BBQ, Lockhart TX
- Angelo's, Fort Worth TX - it's been a long time since I ate here in the late 80's. I doubt it has changed but I have certainly become more experienced, so...
- 17th st BBQ, Murphysboro IL (Mike Mills). This is the only one where I did not visit the restaurant. Instead, Mike and his daughter brought his food and ate with us at the Blue Horse restaurant in Blue Bell, PA (Sue and I were volunteers for a "Book and the Cook" event there). I highly recommend his cookbook, "Peace Love and BBQ".
Middle Tier
- Salt Lick, Driftwood TX. - they do a lot right but they also just miss on brisket and sausage. The sauce on the other hand, was a big miss
- Cilantro's, Del Mar CA (closed)- not really a bbq place at all but I have to add it for the baby back rib appetizer - smoked and covered with a habanero peanut bbq sauce
- Bovine & Swine BBQ co., Hobbs NM - another pleasant surprise
- Memphis Championship BBQ, Las Vegas NV - There are several here and while the food was good, the distance from Memphis shows.
- Schulze's BBQ, Rosenberg TX
- Arroyo Grill, Manayunk, Philadelphia PA (closed) - an evolving quality for much of the food but when they were doing BBQ and the all-you-can-eat BBQ Wednesdays, it was pretty good
- The Q Smokehouse Buffet, Peoria IL - not bad pulled pork for a Peoria strip mall
- Tularosa Cafe, Tularosa NM - had a super great bbq breakfast burrito
- Arthur Bryant's, Kansas City, MO - I'll leave it at a middle tier rating in spite of my disappointments in almost all areas, especially the LARGE round sausage disks. Part of the issue was my high expectations from its reputation.
- Gus' BBQ, Albany GA - my home for dinner while I was on assignment in Albany, and the only decent restaurant (if you want to call it that) in town
- Zachery's, Norristown PA - new in 2011, may be the current best (and most reasonably priced) in the area. Time and additional visits will tell.
- Currituck BBQ, Barco NC - stellar example of southern bbq
- Percy Street BBQ, Philadelphia PA - in the northern style of pricing (read: expensive for what it is) but close to texas in many other ways
- Sweet Lucy's, Philadelphia PA - pulled pork in the southern style was fine; sides need help, sausage (aka kielbasi) was totally not right for bbq !
- Texana Chili Spill, Edna TX - one of those BBQ and chili festival/contests that spring up on weekends… some great stuff, some that missed, but so much fun
- Nova Terra, New Brunswick, NJ - Argentine style BBQ - which stretches the point.
- Uncle Sam's Plank House, St. Louis MO - also not exactly a bbq place but the ribs were great at the time (but I bet I would judge them differently now)
- Bubba's Texas Barbeque, Page AZ - no notes but that's not a bad thing
- Smokin Sams, Lafayette Hill PA (closed)- at their peak, they tried to be a place that served good BBQ - and the ribs were excellent. Unfortunately, it was a short run before things slid downhill
- Bobby B's BBQ, Somerville, NJ (closed) - in new jersey… 'nuff said
- Bubba's BBQ, Marathon FL - the name is right, the location is possible. it's all so vague and so long ago
Bottom Bucket (no tier)
- Queen Bee, Peoria IL - BBQ from the so-called, "bad side" of town. OK for Peoria but I always had a suspicion about what they used to smoke the meat.
- Kansas City BBQ, San Diego CA - where Top Gun was filmed. BBQ was similar to the movie
- Holy Smoke, Philadelphia PA - first trip there, this place seemed like the real deal. Funny how first impressions can be so wrong after the 3rd visit
- Big O's Ribs, Peoria IL - big pretend, if you ask me… or the gent from Texas that I dined with
- Willie's Tamales and Ribs, Peoria IL - go figure
- El Rancho, Albany GA - you can't believe what they use for their BBQ beef (eye round)
- Bandana's BBQ, Maryland Hgts MO - when they say "smell the smoke", I guess they meant the cigarettes
- The Rib Co., 29 Palms CA - tasteless, smokeless, clueless
- Oakwood Smokehouse, Leesburg FL - created for old people in Florida... it was not my idea to be here, believe me!
- Jack's BBQ, Tucson AZ - my note says, "a dreadful mistake"
- Carson's, Chicago IL - a place that needs a clue
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