Best BBQ in America: 7 Award-Winning Spots

The best barbecue in America comes out of seven pits, four of them in Texas, from Franklin Barbecue's famous line in Austin to Saw's BBQ in Birmingham. Between them they hold two James Beard awards, and several sell out by mid-afternoon.

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Franklin Barbecue - Austin, Texas

Aaron Franklin's East Austin institution proves that sometimes the best things are worth waiting for. Lines form before dawn at 900 East 11th Street, where devotees bring folding chairs and coolers for the hours-long pilgrimage to Franklin's famous blue trays. The 2015 James Beard Award winner sources only USDA Prime brisket and heritage Duroc pork, smoking everything over Texas post oak until tender enough to cut with a plastic fork.

The restaurant operates Tuesday through Sunday, opening at 11 a.m. and selling out by mid-afternoon—sometimes as early as 2 p.m. when demand peaks. Franklin's Bib Gourmand recognition from the 2025 Michelin Guide confirms what locals have known since 2009: this corrugated metal-ceilinged space serves some of the finest Central Texas barbecue in existence. President Obama's 2014 visit, complete with purchasing lunch for everyone behind him in line, cemented Franklin's status in American culinary consciousness.

Where is the best BBQ in America? Franklin Barbecue, La Barbecue and Terry Black's in Austin, Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, Texas, Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, Pappy's Smokehouse in St. Louis and Saw's BBQ in Birmingham.

What makes Franklin Barbecue Austin's most famous BBQ spot? The brisket. Aaron Franklin buys USDA Prime, smokes it for more than 12 hours over Texas post oak, and still sells out every day despite lines that form hours before opening.

Should I arrive early at Franklin Barbecue to avoid the wait? Yes. Most people arrive two to three hours before the 11 a.m. opening, earlier on weekends. Franklin lends chairs, hands out water and keeps the line shaded, so the wait is easier than it sounds.

Can I order Franklin Barbecue online for delivery? Franklin ships nationwide through Goldbelly, delivering brisket, ribs, pork, and sausage frozen with detailed reheating instructions. Local customers can also pre-order through Franklin's website for expedited pickup, though this doesn't replicate the authentic experience of the legendary line.

Just FYI, there's more barbecue in the best small towns in Texas.

Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que - Kansas City, Missouri

Joe's Kansas City grew out of the Slaughterhouse Five, a championship competition barbecue team, in 1991. The original location still operates inside a functioning Shamrock gas station at 3002 West 47th Avenue, where diners order at the counter before finding seats among filling station fixtures and barbecue memorabilia. Jeff and Joy Stehney's commitment to Kansas City-style barbecue earned them recognition as the world's tastiest ribs according to USA Today.

The Z-Man sandwich epitomizes Kansas City innovation—sliced brisket topped with smoked provolone, onion rings, and barbecue sauce on a Kaiser roll creates the perfect balance of smoke, cheese, crunch, and tang. Joe's smokes everything over Missouri white oak, and its burnt ends are a benchmark for the Kansas City style. Three locations across the metro serve identical menus Monday through Saturday, with the gas station drawing barbecue pilgrims from around the world.

What's the signature dish at Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que? The Z-Man sandwich combines Joe's slow-smoked brisket with melted provolone cheese, crispy onion rings, and Kansas City barbecue sauce on a Kaiser roll, creating the iconic flavor combination that earned Joe's recognition among America's top barbecue destinations.

Does Joe's Kansas City ship barbecue nationwide? Joe's ships frozen smoked meats nationwide through their SendJoesKCBBQ service, offering ribs, brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, and Z-Man kits delivered with dry ice, reheating instructions, and Joe's signature sauces to recreate the Kansas City experience anywhere in America.

Which Joe's Kansas City location should first-time visitors choose? The original gas station at 47th and Mission provides the most authentic experience, complete with working fuel pumps and historic atmosphere. However, the Leawood and Olathe locations offer more spacious seating while serving identical Kansas City-style barbecue without gas station ambiance.

Pappy's Smokehouse - St. Louis, Missouri

Mike Emerson's 2008 vision transformed St. Louis barbecue, bringing Memphis-style dry-rubbed ribs to the Midwest and earning Food Network's "#1 Best Ribs in America" title. Pappy's smokes its meats for four to 24 hours over apple and cherry wood, and the ribs come out dry-rubbed, not sauced the Kansas City way. The Midtown location at 3106 Olive Street sells out daily, with lines forming well before doors open at 11 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Four sauce varieties sit on every table—Sweet Baby Jane, Original, Carolina Vinegar, and HooDoo—allowing diners to customize their experience. But Pappy's ribs need no embellishment, arriving with crispy exteriors and juicy interiors that demonstrate perfect dry-rub execution. The burnt ends, harvested from brisket points, receive extra smoking with sauce and rub until caramelized and tender. Expansion brought Pappy's family to St. Peters, plus sister concepts Bogart's, Dalie's, and Southern across the metro.

How does Pappy's Smokehouse prepare their award-winning ribs? Pappy's applies Memphis-style dry rub to pork ribs before smoking them for four hours over apple and cherry wood, creating tender meat with crispy exterior bark that needs no sauce, though four varieties are available for customization.

What are Pappy's Smokehouse hours and should I arrive early? Pappy's Midtown opens Wednesday-Sunday starting at 11 a.m., closing when meats sell out around 4-7 p.m. depending on demand. Get there 30 to 60 minutes before opening if you want every meat on the menu.

Can I ship Pappy's Smokehouse BBQ as a gift? Pappy's ships ribs, pulled pork, brisket, and burnt ends nationwide through Goldbelly, packaging everything in foam coolers with ice packs for delivery anywhere in the continental United States, complete with reheating instructions and sauce selections.

La Barbecue - Austin, Texas

Ali Clem carries forward the legendary Mueller family barbecue tradition at her Michelin one-star establishment on East Cesar Chavez. Learning the craft from pitmaster John Mueller before building La Barbecue with late wife LeAnn Mueller, Clem became one of only four American pitmasters to earn Michelin recognition for barbecue excellence. The massive custom-built pit behind the restaurant produces brisket so tender Michelin inspectors called it a "meaty miracle," while the shells and cheese side dish elevates classic macaroni to gourmet status.

La Barbecue opened as a South First food trailer in 2012, drawing crowds that followed the operation to its 2021 brick-and-mortar location. Texas Monthly's top 50 ranking preceded the 2024 Michelin star, with Ali's emotional acceptance speech honoring LeAnn's legacy and female leadership in barbecue's male-dominated landscape. The restaurant operates Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. until sold out, with pre-ordering available online to skip the substantial lines.

What makes La Barbecue special among Austin BBQ restaurants? La Barbecue earned a Michelin one-star rating for Ali Clem's exceptional Texas-style brisket, custom-built pit excellence, and innovative sides like shells and cheese, making it one of only four American barbecue restaurants worldwide to receive Michelin star recognition.

How early should I arrive at La Barbecue to avoid selling out? La Barbecue usually sells out two to four hours after its 11 a.m. opening, sooner on weekends. Arriving before noon gives you the best shot at every meat, or customers can pre-order online for specific pickup times without waiting in line.

Does La Barbecue offer catering for private events? La Barbecue provides full catering services for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations, plus maintains the Franklin Backyard event space for groups, bringing Michelin-starred Central Texas barbecue to gatherings throughout the Austin metro area.

Saw's BBQ - Birmingham, Alabama

Mike Wilson brought Carolina-style barbecue to Birmingham in 2009 and named Saw's after his nickname, "Sorry Ass Wilson." The original Homewood location spawned six restaurants across the metro, including Soul Kitchen, Juke Joint with live music, and Southside featuring Gulf seafood fusion. Wilson's North Carolina upbringing and Johnson & Wales training created barbecue that balances vinegar-based Carolina traditions with Alabama's white sauce innovation.

The signature Pork and Greens dish earned Alabama Tourism Department recognition among the state's top 100 must-try foods—cheese grits topped with turnip greens, pulled pork, onion straws, and house sauce create layers of Southern flavor in every bite. Saw's smokes pork, chicken, and ribs over hickory and oak, serving meats plain with three sauce varieties on tables: sweet, vinegar-based Carolina, and Alabama's famous mayonnaise-based white sauce. Founder Mike Wilson died in 2020; the restaurants carry on across Birmingham.

What's Saw's BBQ signature dish that made Alabama's top 100 list? Saw's Pork and Greens combines cheese grits topped with turnip greens, Carolina-style pulled pork, crispy onion straws, and house sauce, creating a uniquely Southern dish that the Alabama Tourism Department named among the state's 100 must-eat foods.

How does Saw's BBQ sauce differ from typical barbecue sauces? Saw's offers three sauce styles—sweet Kansas City-style, vinegar-based Carolina reflecting Mike Wilson's North Carolina roots, and Alabama white sauce made with mayonnaise, perfect for chicken and pulled pork in the state's distinctive tradition.

Which Saw's BBQ location should visitors try first? The original Homewood location provides the most authentic Saw's experience, though Saw's Juke Joint in Crestline Park offers live bluesy jazz with barbecue, and Soul Kitchen in Avondale showcases chef Brandon Cain's elevated Carolina-style approach.

Alabama's barbecue doesn't stop in Birmingham; see these small towns in Alabama.

Louie Mueller Barbecue - Taylor, Texas

Third-generation pitmaster Wayne Mueller rises at 3 a.m. to fire post oak pits in the former gymnasium that's housed Louie Mueller Barbecue since 1959. The James Beard Foundation's 2006 "American Classics" award recognized three generations of Mueller men maintaining authentic Central Texas barbecue, with Wayne carrying forward traditions established when his grandfather Louie first opened in 1949. Texas Monthly has ranked Louie Mueller first or second in nearly every best barbecue list since 1975.

The massive beef ribs, known as "dino ribs" for their prehistoric proportions, weigh nearly two pounds cooked and feature thick peppery crusts surrounding tender, luscious meat. Brisket arrives so juicy that sauce becomes unnecessary, though bottles sit on scarred wooden tables in the cavernous dining room where smoke-darkened walls testify to decades of pit fires. Hand-mixed sausage stuffed on-site and baby back pork ribs round out the menu, all smoked exclusively over native post oak in pits that define the "cathedral of smoke" atmosphere. Texas beef doesn't stop at the pit, either — the state's top steakhouses treat a prime ribeye with the same reverence.

Why is Louie Mueller Barbecue called the "cathedral of smoke"? The New York Times coined "cathedral of smoke" describing Louie Mueller's smoke-darkened former gymnasium interior, massive beef ribs, reverent atmosphere, and third-generation family dedication to post oak pit smoking that's occurred daily since 1949.

What should first-time visitors order at Louie Mueller Barbecue? The beef brisket showcases Louie Mueller's Central Texas expertise, but the massive "dino" beef ribs are legendary—nearly two-pound portions with peppery crusts and tender interiors that Food Network called among America's best barbecue offerings.

Can I call ahead to order from Louie Mueller Barbecue? Louie Mueller encourages families and groups to call (512) 352-6206 for advance orders, especially helpful when traveling through Taylor during busy lunch periods Wednesday through Saturday when the restaurant operates from 11 a.m. until sold out.

Terry Black's Barbecue - Austin, Texas

The Black family barbecue legacy runs deep in Lockhart, Texas's barbecue capital, where Edgar Black Sr. established Black's Barbecue in 1932. When brothers Terry and Kent Black parted ways in 2013, Terry and his sons Mike and Mark opened Terry Black's Barbecue in Austin in 2014, quickly earning Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition for Central Texas excellence. The spacious roadhouse at 1003 Barton Springs Road serves prime sliced brisket and behemoth bone-in beef ribs that demonstrate fourth-generation family knowledge.

Terry Black's smokes its meats in Moberg smokers for 12 to 14 hours, long enough for a deep smoke ring and a dark bark on the brisket. The operation has exploded to five Texas locations plus a 2026 Nashville opening, making Terry Black's among America's fastest-growing barbecue chains while maintaining quality standards. First-come, first-served seating fills quickly, but the sizeable building with indoor and outdoor space accommodates crowds drawn by consistent execution and generous portions that often feed more than expected.

How does Terry Black's Barbecue differ from other Black family restaurants? Terry Black's represents the branch of Black family barbecue started by Terry Black and sons after separating from brother Kent's Black's Barbecue in Lockhart, maintaining similar Central Texas techniques while expanding rapidly to Dallas, Waco, Fort Worth, and beyond.

What's included in the Terry Black's Experience VIP tour? The one-hour VIP experience includes behind-the-scenes pit tours, pitmaster introductions, reserved table seating without waiting in line, and a generous spread of meats and sides—perfect for groups wanting insider access to barbecue operations.

Does Terry Black's Barbecue take reservations for regular dining? Terry Black's operates first-come, first-served for standard dining, though VIP tour reservations are available through OpenTable. The spacious venue usually accommodates crowds efficiently, with both indoor and outdoor seating across the South Austin roadhouse.

For a different kind of Texas beef, see the best steakhouses in Texas.

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