Best Barbeque (Regional) (1 Viewer)

[Dennis Nicholls]

Like every other good thing around here, the best barbeque place in San Jose is closing down this month: Andy's on Campbell Avenue next to the Hwy 17 overpass..... It's been there for decades. Just a simple cement block building but with a large fireplace for hanging the ribs and other meat while they smoke for hours....

 

[Jan H]

Cholula rules! I put it on everything, even dessert.


Lew, yes wood chips in a little smoke box for a gas grill is acceptable, I suppose, but I just like throwing a few moist handfuls of chips over charcoal. Still, wood chunks remain king.

 

[Matt Stryker]

Not sure if its been mentioned, but for chopped pork I'm a big fan of Lexington BBQ in Lexington, NC (on I-85 between Greensboro and Charlotte),Kings BBQ in Kinston, NC (off US-70), and Wilbur's right under the landing corridor for Seymour-Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, NC. It seems like the NC vinegar based sauce and basting method is impossible to duplicate outside of NC; I have tried so many resturants here in GA, AL, and SC that claim to do eastern NC Q right, and they just cleanly miss every time. Also around Raleigh there are a few Smithfield BBQ places; they are kind of fast-food looking, but their Q is pretty good and priced right.

I've recently grown very fond of brisket and especially sausage Q; there was a recent article in esquire about some part of LA where there was a great concentration of hot dog and sausage stands that were unbelieveable. Definitely going to check it out when I'm there again. And I keep begging my boss to send me to KC on business.

 

[Jed M]

Out of curiousity about an article I remember reading, I just counted 46 in the KC area, and over 60 if you include duplicates. I think its a fact that KC has more BBQ joints per capita than any other city (but I can't find where I read that, so take it with a grain of salt, or rub in this case). Hey, KC is the #1 or #2 overweight city in the country also. Coincidence?

I am back in KC this week and I would recommend to all the natives still here to try the new Arthur Bryants by the race track, its leap years better than the original, although the sauce is still suspect.

I forgot to mention this earlier, but one great thing about KC that is unique to our region is Burnt Ends. If anybody travels through here make sure you at least try one plate of burnt ends because you will be hooked. I swear one of these days I am going to do a BBQ tour though the entire south. I hear Alabama has some crazy white sauces down there.

 

[Robert_J]

The only people raving about Corky's and The Rendezvous are tourists. I haven't eaten at Old Style even though it's probably the closest BBQ place to my house. I usually go to Leonard's or Interstate.

-Robert

 

[Scott Tucker]

In the St. Louis area Mc Donalds sometimes has the McRib sandwich.
No, but seriously, there is a company called Charlottes Ribs, and the Son of the owners started his own place called C.B. Joes. He is a true chef and has great slow smoked BBQ. Located in Bonne Terre Mo.
Scott

 

[Rob Gardiner]

Well, I went back to Chuck's Hole in the Wall today, this time for the barbeque pork sandwich. It was just as tender and delicious as the brisket of beef sandwich I had last Friday. In a couple days, I'll let you all know how the turkey sandwich is.

 

[Stephen Orr]

Sonny's has always been a favorite of our (Florida).

 

[Mark Philp]

In the northeast it's gotta be the Dinosour BBQ in Syracuse, NY. They also have one in Rochester and soon to have one in NYC. Don't know the address but it's in the neighborhood of Columbia. Be prepared to wait 45 minutes for a table, but it's worth every minute. They also published a great cookbook too.

 

[Greg Morse]

That stinks. I used to love going to Andy's when I was working in Santa Clara.

 

[Shane Martin]

BBQ: One of my favorite things I can say. I'm not very good at it(though some would say I am but I know I'm not).

For Lew, The only BBQ in DFW I've had was Red Hot and Blue. The one I ate at was near Six Flags in Arlington. Their beans are different but their BBQ was pretty good. Then again I'm pretty inexperienced. http://www.redhotandblue.com/

Arkansas wise: If you are near Hot Springs, Mc Clard's is exceptional.

Oklahoma wise: Wilsons in North Tulsa is amazing. It's a rough part of town though. Their slogan is "If you ain't go any teeth, you can't eat our beef". Elmer's on Peoria is southern BBQ at its best. Nothing like a jar of Iced Tea to go along with their Badwich(every meat they have on 2 pieces of Texas Toast Bread).

Kansas City: Fiorella's Jack Stack or Smoke Stack BBQ is the best I've ever had. Their beans are legendary as far as I'm concerned. They have one in Overland Park that is NOT nearly as good as the one in Martin City which is the best.
http://www.smokestack.com/article.asp?ai=121

 

[Lew Crippen]

I've never eaten at Red, Hot and Blue. But I have been to McClards. Go figure.

Get the rib & fry plate.

 

[Rob Gardiner]

Attention barbeque lovers of the Pacific Northwest!

(I appear to be the only one in this thread. :frowning: )

Gurus of the grill to compete in the P-I's Pro BBQ State Championship

 

[Jed M]

Shane, I agree smoke stack is some good stuff (and you are also right about the one in Martin City). Two things that I find differentiates them from other local Q is 1) it is very expensive considering the competitors but its also a cleaner, more restaurant friendly environment and 2) they give out smaller portions than any bbq joint I have been to. That in no way is taking away from its quality though as it is very well respected around KC. Good Onion Rings to boot. To all the onlookers, and example of how the environment is different than most Q joints, one of my friends had his rehearsal dinner at the one in Overland Park.

 

[Shane Martin]

Jed,
I may be inexperienced in the ways of BBQ joints but I didn't feel it was higher priced. I also didn't feel that they served any less then again I don't eat a ton of food. The portions are Jack Stack are MORE than enough...

And you are right about their Onion Rings. D-I-V-I-N-E.

 

[Jed M]

That I would agree with you Shane. Its just all relative. You go to Gates and get a Sandwich and a half (double layer) for around 5 bucks and its three times the amount of food they give you at smoke stack. The dogs at home appreciate that.

Since you are an Oklahoma native you should give Oklahoma Joe's a try when you get up to KC again. I disagree with Chris about having the best sauce, although it is still good, but their pork is out of this world. Also, they use the same smoker as I do (kind of, but mine is the much much smaller version).

Thanks to everyone who has responded. I guarantee I will use this list someday when I am in one of your cities.

 

[Karl_Luph]

Wasn't there a BBQ place called Settler's in or around Little Rock that was a favorite of Bill Clinton's and were known to overnight deliver to him in the White House?

 

[Chris]

Jack Stack is very good.. it's just not my "going out" environment.. their beans are fantastic, though, some of the best in any joint.

The location in OP (On Metcalf) has noticeably improved over the last year and has become a great place to get slabs.

Oklahoma Joes is one that I know a lot of people love or hate; to me, I find their sauce to be exactly what I'm after.. then again, I know a lot of people who love Zardaz, which I never cared for much.

If you go to the original Gates or the one on State Line for lunch, they will lay it on you for the money, and there is nothing wrong with that for a break

KC is nice in the fact that no matter where you are, you are always about 4-5 blocks from BBQ

 

[Mark Pfeiffer]

If you're ever in Columbus, Ohio, make sure to check out City Barbeque. They're up to four locations now, and that's a good thing. When they had just one place, the line was quite long no matter when you went. Probably more in the Texas School of Barbeque, although they do offer a North Carolina version of their pulled pork sandwich.

 

[Robert_J]

That was Walker's BBQ in North LR. They had a lot of pictures of the Prez on the walls. Sim's BBQ on Barrow was the vice Prez's favorite, at least according to the pictures on the wall. My favorite BBQ in Little Rock is The Whole Hog on Cantrell near the Alltel campus.

-Robert