Barbecue is not just a food choice, it’s a way of life. It’s a whole cuisine on its own! Grilled and slowly cooked to perfection, the BBQ life is addictive. When it comes to Americans and their love for BBQ, it gets really hard to please them given so many styles competing with developing recipes and fusions! While we have come a long way from the classics and done a lot of innovation on this end, the good old wood burnt BBQs have kept their place too.

The taste of charcoal and burnt yet succulent bits of meat tossed into some hot sauce is what we live for and so here goes the most comprehensive list of the best 10 BBQ restaurants in the US. This list is no bias to age old restaurants or celebrity chefs – just pure taste, perfection and BBQ to the Q according to us! These places consist of trucks, shacks as well as full-fledged restaurants with the vibe and the songs too but all with some mind-blowing BBQ dishes that we think you must try. Maybe a lot of these places have been all over your favorite TV shows, magazines and travel shows too but we have personally gone ahead to the BBQ battle to give you our verdict. With so much competition, the Top 10 BBQ joints in all of the United States of America with over 320 million people fighting with opinions of which style of BBQ is better, isn’t exactly a small title, right?

The Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que is on the top of the list and for good reason! This Alabama local bbq restaurant has a fan base so big that they actually don’t just run a restaurant, they also have apparel, books and some amazing gift baskets with their signature sauces as well. This legendary bbq joint run by pit master Chris Lily has appeared in TV shows, rated for awards and has been known in the culinary world for the best BBQ in the world! Having won 10 world championships and over half a dozen world titles, you surely believe they’ve got magic served on a plate. So, if you’re looking for bbq restaurant near me on google even if you’re a 1000 km away, this will still be the best bbq restaurant to eat at in all of the US! What you must try if you actually visit this legendary place is definitely their red sauce and white sauce, but they offer all sorts of meat from beef, chicken, turkey to pork. The pulled pork, brisket and the pork ribs are known to be the most recommended dishes to try here.

How much is too much when it comes to BBQ? This Bbq restaurant near me in Memphis has some of the most generous servings of the most delicious meats there can be! Central BBQ has snacks, plates, sandwiches and salads with one key ingredient: BBQ meats and BBQ sauces! You absolutely must try the brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs and the smoked turkey here! Chips and blue cheese? YES! Their restaurants in Memphis have a cool air to them, options are plenty and the flavors almost melt in your mouth leaving you the smoky BBQ aftertaste! Expect loads of crowd at this award-winning BBQ restaurant but this definitely hits the list of affordable BBQs that’s absolutely worth every penny you put in!

Beast Craft Barbecue was founded by Dave Sandusky in 2014 with a single store intending to provide Belleville with its own restaurant that specializes with Barbecue. This well-founded idea became a legendary restaurant known all over the US with its selective and organically sourced meats which means protein that is unadulterated with hormones and genetically modifications. Quality proteins, consistent taste and extraordinary recipes have made this Belleville BBQ restaurant a hero of the country! They pride their associations for being their biggest USP with: Wagyu beef organically sourced from Snake River Farms, pork from Compart Family Farms and Non-GMO chicken from Forester Farmers Market. Quality meats barbecued to perfection coupled with crafted beers is an equation that can simply never go wrong and that’s what has worked wonders for this Illinois bbq restaurant near me. They also have a store named Beast Butcher and Block where you can buy premade products from BEAST as well as buy meats or eat at the smokehouse as well. The Wagyu beef steak is one of their most recommended dishes on the menu apart from the brisket and Pulled pork. While they have only been around for a while, the Beast Craft Barbecue has become a renowned name in all of St. Louis.

Like we said, its not the celebrity chefs or just the restaurants that we look at. This owner went to over 300 restaurants to taste BBQ and understand how to make his BBQ the best. Brownie points for passion? Yes! They definitely stand up against the best in the country and the sausages are highly recommended here. If you want a plate full of heaven, it is here. This place is not your typical eat out and has a different twist to it but if you go by the service and food, there’s no giving this place less than five stars for the smoked meats served! What is also peculiar about Harp’s is that they are opened only on Saturdays. Nope, not throughout the week. Not on Sundays, either. Only on Saturdays from 11am! A word of caution for most is the sauce here being spicier than usual being based off vinegar. If you’re somebody who is sensitive to spice, then watch out for this one. Wear a good pair of shoes and get ready for the waiting, but we promise it’s worth the wait too! This isn’t your typical restaurant outlay and there’s little seating so be prepared for that too.

Did you say Kansas City BBQ? Yes, Kansas City actually has its own classic flavors like their tomatoes and molasses-based sauce! Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que is so famous that if you think BBQ near me then you will think Joe’s Bar-B-Que! Slow cooked pork pulled apart with brisket in a bun, the Smokey Joe is one of their top selling items on the menu and you must not miss this if you’re looking for some amazing portions of this succulent and Smokey meat and even Smokey portobello if you're vegetarian. Whether you’re in Missouri on Kansas City, they say joe’s is a reason to cross the border! So we can only imagine how good it could be for you to do that. What’s special about their joint is that it is set up in an old gas station but brightly lit to add to the BBQ atmosphere.

Matt’s BBQ in Portland is known for too much variety from sandwiches to steaks and tacos or shebangs. Imagine pulled pork with a huge pile of fries or maybe a plate full of brisket and coleslaw, the sight is quite tempting. The beef ribs are available only on Sunday but are an amazing pick from Matt’s. Inherent with the issue of being on the country’s top 10 BBQ places, this place almost always sells out midday, so it is in your best interest to visit early! If you see a support group of disappointed fans who’ve seen sold out more than 5 days out of 7 at Matt’s, don’t let that deter your spirit. If you’re in Portland and can make it early, get a shebang to try a good portion and kinds of meats on one platter. We can vouch for the portions, being rest assured that the taste will be simply marvelous. You can also go grab some beer from around the Prost marketplace.

You have watched people try the Brisket from Little Miss BBQ on enough videos and TV shows to be really inspired to go try on your own but let’s recommend that to you again! Little Miss BBQ is a brand nobody forgets in Phoenix for their commitment to serving fresh meats and no other. Appreciating their motto to bring only the freshest food cooked the same day to the table, their fan base has been quite rewarding. So to say, they’re almost always sold out within a few hours of opening the shop. Their fatty brisket and pork ribs with tender meat cooked to perfection is the best kind of therapy you need. Maybe it’s the Arizona wood and pecan wood that makes their Texas style BBQ a hit, or maybe it’s the pitmaster’s hand. They serve crunchy coleslaw and sides with chewy succulent meats with great perfection. If you happen to be surprised by the food, can we also suggest you try the pecan pies?! The best desert to top off your wonderful meal is their pie.

Stanley’s Famous pit barbeque was started back in the 1960s and is a family owned bbq restaurant with a good BBQ sandwich, side and drink for under $10, they’re known in all of Texas for their amazing brisket and pulled pork plates. The most recommended dishes here are Brother in law, Sliced Brisket, Chopped Brisket, the Ex wife, Two Meat combo plate and the Mother Clucker. The baby back ribs rubbed in their amazing sauces are a must try for typical ribs lovers! Having been around for over 50 years, they have adapted their pricing and recipes quite a lot to fit their growing fan base which is why the variety you find is almost unbelievable. Their outlet in Tyler has an amazing family atmosphere and you can also hit the bar for some of your favorite beers and bourbons to go with your smoked love. Apart from just great food and alcohol, their vibe is one the best in the city with live music on weekdays. They do have a lot of options for those who’re not looking for strictly BBQ as well. This place also has great happy hour deals if it pleases you! Check up on events before going to make the experience here a better one. Texas styled BBQ with a laid back atmosphere and plenty of amazing cocktails to sip while gorging on those ribs is definitely something you don’t want to miss.

Missouri has been sending some really tough competitors for this Top 10 in the US list and Stanley’s second outlet in St. Louis happens to be here too. They’re open from Mondays to Fridays with the same vibe as their Texas outlet. An amazing patio, live music and bar await you along with 5 star service and scrumptious food. Taking a dig into your favorite food can’t be made a more satisfying experience than this with everything in place from the décor, vibe to taste and nitty gritty details. Whether you’re in St. Louis or Tyler, the moment you hit bbq restaurant near me, you will see Stanley’s as the best recommendation. If you love BBQ then this will be your new favorite and go-to bbq restaurant. The joint has become so famous that now you can buy their signatures sauces and rubs, merchandise, pickles and more from their stores too. Pitmaster’s spike, Hot and Spicy, Spicy and Tangy and East Texas style rubs are their best selling sauces so you can recreate a small part of their magic back at home!

This establishment has been around for years and is one of the best in North Carolina for their classic dishes. So, what does it take to be a bigwig in the Barbecue capital? This was started by Pete Jones back in the 1940’s and has been an iconic BBQ restaurant for all of NC. Their way of barbecue was made with wood and that’s exactly what makes this a NC “Classic”. Trying a plate of whole hog BBQ is a brand new BBQ experience on its own. Sam Jones also has a more peppy new place named Sam’s BBQ if you want to explore but Skylight Inn remains the top favorite here. You can actually buy by the pound or simply pick your favorite meat barbecued in wood here. Cornbread is an inclusion with their classics that hasn’t changed here and slow cooked pork is on the top of every local’s favorite from here. Though the restaurant can promise a sizeable portions, great quality and a little bit expensive, but it is definitely worth the try for their “Classics”. Best part is the sauces spread on the table. You can pick and choose whatever you like and make your own dish. They’re shut on Sundays but if you’re in North Carolina don’t hit bbq restaurants near me, just go straight to this place without second guessing.