--- title: Best Barbecue Joints in America: TripAdvisor Names Top 10 description: Well, according to TripAdvisor canonical: https://time.com/3890520/best-barbecue-joints-tripadvisor/ author: Samantha Grossman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-05-20T16:02:16.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:47:33.393Z og:title: These Are the Best Places in America to Eat Barbecue This Summer og:description: Well, according to TripAdvisor og:url: https://time.com/3890520/best-barbecue-joints-tripadvisor/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: These Are the Best Places in America to Eat Barbecue This Summer twitter:description: Well, according to TripAdvisor twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # These Are the Best Places in America to Eat Barbecue This Summer by [Samantha Grossman](https://time.com/author/samantha-grossman/) ## Samantha Grossman May 20, 2015 4:02 PM UTC by [Samantha Grossman](https://time.com/author/samantha-grossman/) ## Samantha Grossman May 20, 2015 4:02 PM UTC If you’re planning a road trip this summer, we recommend structuring it around food. Specifically, barbecue food. Because when it’s hot out, you deserve to eat a bunch of meats and complementary side dishes. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the delicious barbecue options across the country, allow TripAdvisor to help. The travel site rounded up millions of reviews to determine the absolute best spots for BBQ. Here are the site’s top 10 BBQ joints, along with some comments from TripAdvisor reviewers and pictures of the best dishes. **1\. Joe’s BBQ – Blue Ridge, Georgia**  TripAdvisor _“The pork and ribs are the standouts. Both were tender and packed with flavor, and smoked perfectly.”_ **2\. Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que – Kansas City, Kansas**  TripAdvisor _“Don’t mind the line; it’s so worth the wait. I can’t stop thinking about the simple unadulterated pulled pork.”_ **3\. Bogart’s Smokehouse – Saint Louis, Missouri**  TripAdvisor _“The food is tender, juicy and has just the right amount of smoke in each bite. My favorites are the ribs, brisket and burnt ends.”_ **4\. Reuben’s Smokehouse – Fort Myers, Florida**  TripAdvisor _“The ribs have smokiness in every bite and the bacon wrapped meatloaf was cooked to perfection, not to mention the price is so right and leaves you feeling satisfied.”_ **5\. Andy Nelson’s Southern Pit BBQ – Cockeysville, Maryland**  TripAdvisor _“The best barbecue to be found in the Baltimore area and beyond! Wonderful food served with authentic southern style hospitality.”_ **6\. Captain’s BBQ – Palm Coast, Florida**  TripAdvisor _“The meat was great, but they flat out know how to cook the sides as well. Fabulous baked beans, collards and coleslaw.”_ **7\. HogsHead Café – Richmond, Virginia**  Hogshead - Hog Dog TripAdvisor _“The barbecue ribs melt in your mouth and the pulled chicken was just as good.”_ **8\. Buck’s Smokehouse – Destin, Florida**  TripAdvisor _“The pork ribs and brisket were some of the best I’ve ever had! Great flavor and the meat was extremely tender.”_ **9\. Franklin Barbecue – Austin, Texas**  TripAdvisor _“The wait is worth the best brisket and ribs you will ever have; they just melt in your mouth. It’s enough to make you go to the back of the line and start over.”_ **10\. Pappy’s Smokehouse – Saint Louis, Missouri**  TripAdvisor _“The best ribs I’ve ever had! Beef brisket that has such good flavor it doesn’t even need sauce, but don’t skip the sauce – it’s great too.”_ ### See 15 Mouthwatering BBQ Photos  Smoked pork hot link with collard greens and mac and cheese at Jim 'N Nicks Bar-B-Q in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  Fried chicken at Husk in Charleston, S.C., named "Best New Restaurant in America" by Bon Appétit in 2011. Andrew Hetherington  Catfish with a selection of sides (including large lima beans, fresh green beans, collard greens, boiled cabbage, fresh mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts) from the daily cafeteria menu at Niki's West in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  Holeman & Finch Public House in Atlanta infamously serves only 24 burgers a night, at around 10 pm. Get there early; they almost always sell out. Andrew Hetherington  James Beard award-winning chef Sean Brock holding house-cured meat at McCrady's in Charleston, S.C. Andrew Hetherington  Whole pig ready to be butchered at Husk in Charleston, S.C. Andrew Hetherington  Smoked pork ribs with watermelon pickle at Cochon in New Orleans Andrew Hetherington  Menu display at Gus's Hot Dogs in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  Hot dog on the griddle at Gus's in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  The finished product at Gus's in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  All 24 burgers on the griddle at the same time at Holeman & Finch Public House in Atlanta. Andrew Hetherington  House-cured meat at Star Provisions in Atlanta. Andrew Hetherington  Bread for sandwiches and hamburgers at the soda fountain in Add Drug in Athens, Ga. The store is well known for the best-value lunch in town. Andrew Hetherington  Crawfish boil on the banks of the Mississippi in New Orleans with chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski of Cochon restaurant. The crawfish are cooked with lemons, garlic, and salt, then tossed with Old Bay and Cajun spices before being dumped on a plastic table for eating. Andrew Hetherington  Lemon meringue pie at Niki's West in Birmingham, Ala. 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