13 Hole-In-The-Wall BBQ Restaurants Across The US You Need To Visit At Least Once

While food is essential to powering through the day, good food can significantly boost your quality of life. There are many different cuisines to choose from, but BBQ takes a back seat to none. In 2023, a survey conducted by Brisk It Labs found that 75% of Americans who participated would like to have barbecue at least once a week (via PR Newswire). That's pretty popular. If you are a fan, you probably want to know where to find the best BBQ in every state. If taking a historic road trip and visiting the best BBQ spots along Route 66 isn't a possibility, you might be just as well off visiting the hole-in-the-wall down the street.

One of the great things about smoky, grilled meats, aside from the taste, is that it's casual fare. You don't have to get dressed up, and eating with your hands is encouraged. These restaurants don't have to be fancy. All you really need is a smoker and a picnic table, and some of the best joints in the U.S. don't have much more than that. Despite their scaled-down approach, the food is incredible, offering the best ribs, brisket, and hot dogs around. These hole-in-the-wall BBQ restaurants remind us that tasty meals sometimes come in the most unassuming places.

For many people, Kentucky evokes fast horses, great bourbon, and fried chicken. While the Bluegrass State may not bring to mind BBQ, in the tiny town of Hardin, population 580, there lies a place that seems to be quite the crowd-pleaser: Amazin' Blaze BBQ. The hole-in-the-wall is small, but it has a rustic feel to it. This eatery serves pulled pork nachos, tri-tip sandwiches, and grilled chicken, along with sides like fried okra and Texas toast. You can also purchase its smoked meats by the pound. 

Reviewers on TripAdvisor praise the restaurant. One customer wrote, "Great little BBQ restaurant ... I recommend the ribs and brisket. The ribs are tender and juicy. Dry rub is used. Hot and mild sauces are on the tables ... I have never been disappointed with the tasty food they serve." Over on Yelp, one customer commented, "This place lives up to the name, amazing!" On a Marshall County Daily page for the restaurant, a commenter wrote, "These folks know their barbecue. Hands down the best barbecue and sauce around."

amazinblaze.net

(270) 252-9021

15649 US-68, Hardin, KY 42028

Texas is one of the largest states in the U.S. and boasts plenty of rich culinary traditions. Among some of the must-try Texas foods, BBQ is certainly high on the list. You can find several great BBQ spots in Austin alone. For a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, however, a little town called Montgomery in the eastern part of the state has a solid option. Bar-A-BBQ is a family-owned and operated joint that started in a trailer. It's now set in a no-frills building, serving pulled pork, smoked sausages, and grilled turkey, along with daily specials and tasty sides.

Texas Monthly published a glowing review for Bar-A-BBQ, writing, "This joint proves Greater Houston is producing some of the best barbecue around." Considering Texas is a state with endless barbecue options, that's not a statement to be taken lightly. Customers seem to agree, as one reviewer said on Yelp, "This restaurant delivers on quality and flavor, not the salt and pepper seasonings, but big, bad East Texas flavors." Another commented, "All I can say it is all great. Every single thing I tasted was masterful."

barabbq.com

(936) 548-5658

21149 Eva St, Montgomery, TX 77356

The Carolinas offer many major styles of BBQ, and you would certainly expect to find solid options for smoked meats in both states. Depending on your definition of a restaurant, the small white building in Greenville, North Carolina, may qualify as more of a shack. Nevertheless, the hole-in-the-wall is a local landmark, and the owners know BBQ.

B's BBQ is minimalist in its approach to decor. They don't even have a phone. The limited menu is an old-school plastic board that hangs above the order window. Pulled pork and chicken, as well as sides and drinks, are all you will see on it. But you'll be glad you ordered. The North Carolina-based Barbecue Bros blog rated the barbecue joint five out of five hogs, praising the pork and cornmeal sticks.

On a Reddit thread celebrating the restaurant, one user commented, "I love B's! It tickles me to see the path worn through the steps and floorboards from people over the years lining up for BBQ." According to TripAdvisor's ranking, B's BBQ is also in first place out of 194 restaurants in Greenville. If you're ever in eastern North Carolina, it would seem this is the BBQ joint to visit.

facebook.com/bsbbq (Unofficial page)

(252) 758-7126

751 B's Barbecue Rd, Greenville, NC 27834

Kansas City has its own unique style of BBQ and plenty of places to chow down on delicious smoked meats. With so many great restaurants around, it's not easy for one to stand out. Would you believe a BBQ joint in a gas station climbed to the peak? Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que (formerly known as Oklahoma Joe's) moved its first location into a gas station in 1996. Although the restaurant has since opened two more locations and a fine-dining spin-off, you can still eat at the original location. If you're craving the hole-in-the-wall BBQ experience, it's precisely the gas station you'll want to visit.

The house specialty is pulled pork, but the menu also has smoked ham and turkey, beef brisket, and ribs. Many of the menu items can be ordered as sandwiches or as dinners. Sides like BBQ beans or dirty rice are available to round out your meal. If you ned any more convincing, Joe's is the restaurant that Anthony Bourdain called the best BBQ in Kansas City. How's that for an accolade?

Locals love Joe's, and customers on TripAdvisor are raving, too. One review said, "This BEST BBQ I have ever had! The ribs melted of the bone and were quite flavorful even without sauce. The sauce however takes the ribs to another dimension in the world of flavor. The brisket was so tender and moist you just can't stop eating it."

joeskc.com

(913) 722-3366

3002 W 47th Ave, Kansas City, KS, 66103

While Louisiana has the bayou, alligators, and Mardi Gras, it's also home to some pretty good BBQ eateries. One of the locals' favorites is a modest restaurant called The Joint. Located in a small brick building on a street corner in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans, this establishment uses pecan wood in its smoking process. This gives the meat a unique and recognizable flavor that has garnered attention even outside the Big Easy.

The menu offers pulled pork, grilled chicken, and brisket burnt ends when available. Southern comfort food enthusiasts will especially love the saucy smoked meats and traditional sides at The Joint. Customers on TripAdvisor left high reviews for the restaurant, with one writing, "We travel around the states and frequent Kansas City and Texas which are known for BBQ. We both like The Joint better than most all."

For an extra push to convince you that it's worth a visit, the restaurant was featured on "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." Host Guy Fieri specifically praised the house's flavorful BBQ sauce.

alwayssmokin.com

(504) 949-3232

701 Mazant St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Stockyards City is a historic neighborhood in Oklahoma City that has always been the center of the state's cattle industry. It's also a good place to find some tasty BBQ. While it's not exactly a regional barbecue chain, Oklahoma Smoke BBQ does have two locations, one in Stockyards City and the original in the nearby town of Moore. Both are no-frills joints that serve delicious, smoky barbecue. This establishment also uses pecan wood for smoking. 

BBQ meats are available as individual items or by the pound, and include favorites like brisket, beef ribs, and grilled turkey. The menu also displays regular, garlic pepperjack, or jalapeño cheddar sausages. Customers enjoy the pulled pork and sides, and also describe the ribs as soft and tender. Local foodies mention that the smoked meats have a subtle sweetness that isn't overwhelmed by the smokiness. A Yelp reviewer gushed, "This BBQ joint blew us away. Laid-back atmosphere. Good hospitality. Reasonably priced entrees. The ribs were delicious: a good balance of sweet and savory flavors. No sauce is needed but if you want to, their Carolina BBQ sauce is excellent."

oksmokebbq.com

2501 Exchange Ave 110, Oklahoma City, OK 73108

(405) 673-7218

Tennessee is a great place to find delicious Southern cuisine and good whiskey. There are folks in the Volunteer State who know BBQ as well. In fact, one of Elvis Presley's favorite restaurants was a BBQ joint in Memphis. In Bluff City –– a charming little burg in the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol area –– you'll find The Original Ridgewood Barbecue. Despite its rural location, the BBQ joint stays busy and crowded most of the time.

One of the menu's top entrees is a barbecue platter with your choice of beef or pork, accompanied by French fries, fresh coleslaw, and rolls. Apart from BBQ, you can also order steaks, burgers, and hot dogs. If you're debating between beef and pork, the latter may be the way to go. The pork is rich and tasty, smoked over hickory in a pit next to the building. Of course, you can't go wrong with the beef either, which boasts a smoky flavor complemented by a sweet barbecue sauce. If you need any more convincing that this spot deserves a stop in Tennessee, one customer summed it up on the eatery's Facebook page, "I've traveled many States and Ridgewood is my favorite BBQ restaurant."

ridgewoodbbq.com

(423) 538-7543

900 Elizabethton Hwy, Bluff City, TN 37618

Kansas City is not the only place in Missouri known for BBQ. Over on the eastern side of the Show Me State, St. Louis is no slouch when it comes to barbecue. Roper's Ribs is a little family-owned place that isn't afraid to brag about just how good its ribs are. The hole-in-the-wall has earned national recognition for its ribs, and even Steve Harvey praised Roper's barbecue meats.

In addition to ribs, the joint serves pulled pork, shrimp, and brisket, all hickory-smoked with a special house rub. The food at Roper's has earned it a spot as one of St. Louis' best BBQ places. Happy customers on TripAdvisor leave plenty of five-star reviews for the restaurant. One diner said, "Texas girl here who wasn't happy in St. Louis until I found Roper's Ribs. The St. Louis ribs and rib tips are really the best ever. The new dry rub is my favorite. In addition to the tender, juicy, delicious BBQ, the jumbo fried shrimp is seriously cooked to perfection."

ropersribs.com

(314) 381-6200

6929 W Florissant Ave, St. Louis, MO 63136

Mississippi is widely considered to be the birthplace of the blues. As with many Southern states, it also has some tasty BBQ spots. You can enjoy both the music and food at The Shed Barbeque & Blues Joint in Ocean Springs, set on the beautiful Gulf Coast near Biloxi. Its story is incredible. The owner built an actual shed with the help of his family from junk he had collected. The restaurant's patrons, known as "ShedHeds," contributed to expanding the eatery into a bigger shed. The place serves baby back ribs, chicken, Mississippi sausage, and 16-hour smoked brisket. You can also catch live blues performances on Friday and Saturday nights.

The joint won the 2024 World Barbecue Cooking Championship, claiming its third win in 17 years. A review from the Biloxi Sun Herald gave The Shed high praise, writing, "It's a one-of-a-kind journey that highlights the uniqueness that Southern Mississippi offers to the culinary world." Customers love the saucy brisket and sweet potato casserole.

theshedbbq.com

(228) 875-9590

7501 MS Highway 57, Ocean Springs, MS 39565

You can find another terrific hole-in-the-wall BBQ spot in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Shuford's Smokehouse was started (and is still owned by) Jeff Davis, who bought the restaurant in 1986. The site was originally a gas station in the '50s. Davis uses hickory wood for smoking and has a secret sauce recipe that only he knows. Although there are now two locations, the menus feature sandwiches and plates with traditional BBQ offerings: pork, ribs, brisket, and turkey. You can also order Polish sausage from the Signal Mountain Road location, along with Brunswick stew and homemade chili.

Customers who left reviews on the restaurant's Google Maps page raved about the food and service. One wrote, "THE BEST BBQ in Tennessee. Incredibly friendly and down to earth people. Family-owned and the food is made fresh in-house. Everything I ate was fantastic." Another said, "Don't let the building fool you ... The barbecue is simply top notch, and the owner himself will bring your order to the table." That's exactly the type of experience that sets apart an excellent hole-in-the-wall BBQ establishment.

shufords-smokehouse.com

(423) 267-0080

924 Signal Mountain Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37405

Back in North Carolina, in the little town of Ayden, there's a small brick building crowned with a capitol dome. The structure went up after National Geographic dubbed Skylight Inn BBQ the capital of barbecue in 1979. The family-owned eatery has been in business since 1947, earning high praise for its Eastern North Carolina-style whole-hog BBQ.

The menu is simple, featuring pork and chicken. The restaurant also uses a regional favorite vinegar-based barbecue sauce for its smoked meats. You can order either protein on its own, in a combo with classic sides, or in bulk. The place is beloved by customers and decorated with accolades. On a Reddit thread praising the restaurant, one commenter posted, "It's the best I've ever tasted, and it's not even close." Yelp reviewers also enjoyed the meats at Skylight Inn. "Maybe the best Eastern-style NC BBQ there is," one diner said. "Watching them chop it in the window behind the front desk is mesmerizing. Smoky, rich and delicious." Considering there's a fair amount of controversy between Western and Eastern North Carolina BBQ styles, not all customers will be immediately convinced. Skylight Inn prepares its pork without much fuss, and the cornbread is as simple as it gets. Nevertheless, the restaurant's awards speak for themselves. In 2003, this little BBQ joint won a James Beard Award in the America's classics category.

skylightinnbbq.com

(252) 746-4113

4618 Lee St, Ayden, NC 28513

Georgia is another home for the best Southern cuisine, and in a small cinder block building called Smokin' Mike's Meats, you'll find some of the state's great BBQ offerings. This little joint has garnered praise for its brisket, ribs, and pulled pork. It also serves chicken, pork belly, and smoked kielbasa. You can order the meat on its own or as part of a plate with classic sides, making this eatery a must-visit destination for BBQ lovers.

After visiting Smokin' Mike's, many customers leave glowing reviews online. One patron commented on the establishment's Google Maps page, writing, "Excellent ribs! Nice texture and not cooked so long the meat dries and falls off ... Well worth the drive."

Reviewers on TripAdvisor were no less enthusiastic. One proclaimed, "First time there and could not believe how great the food was. The smoked pork was just right. Not too much smoke and not too little ... Best bbq I've had since moving here 30 years ago."

facebook.com/smokinmikesmeats

(706) 974-4100

5646 Price Road, Gainesville, GA 30506

Although Virginia may not be the first state that comes to mind for barbecue, Wild Waylon's BBQ in Fredericksburg still rightfully deserves a spot on this list. It's a small restaurant in a strip mall that serves up food with big flavors. Pulled pork, chicken quarters, and pork belly are all on the menu, and if you want to sink your teeth into a sandwich, you've got options like smoked turkey, brisket, and sloppy joes. The meat is smoked daily and can be paired with house-made sauces.

Yelp customers overwhelmingly celebrate Wild Waylon's. One diner commented, "Oh, my, law. Run, don't walk, here on the weekends. Why? Because they only do their beef ribs on Sat/Sun and IT IS SO WORTH IT." Another said, "What a place! We had the beef ribs, which are only offered on weekends, and the pulled pork sandwiches ... Everything was delicious!!" Satisfied patrons on TripAdvisor had similarly enjoyable experiences here, making it clear that you can find excellent BBQ in the states you'd least expect it.

wildwaylonsbbq.com

(540) 554-9888

43 Town and Country Dr #101, Fredericksburg, VA 22405