Southern Livings "South's 20 Best BBQ Joints" list

Saiko · Jul 25, 2011

First things first, don't kill the messenger, this is not MY list! :-D

The July issue of Southern Living has an article by Matt and Ted Lee, (who I believe also wrote "Southern Living's Big Book of BBQ").

They ranked a total of 20 BBQ restaurants based on four styles/regions: Carolina Style, Texas Style, Memphis Style and Kansas City Style. There was a overall winner for each style, plus a list of "More Pit Stops", which I guess means they rated them high. Thought I would share the list for the folks that are always asking about places to eat when they travel. So here it is:

Carolina Style
Winner:
Wilber's
Goldsboro, NC

More Pitstops:
Lexington Barbeque No. 1
Lexington, NC

Skylight Inn
Ayden, NC

Scott's Bar-B-Que
Hemingway, SC

Sweatman's Bar-B-Que
Holly Hill, SC

Texas Style
Winner:
Smitty's Market
Lockhart, TX

More Pit Stops:
Black's Barbeque
Lockhart, TX

City Market
Luling, TX

Lambert's Downtown Barbeque
Austin, TX

Sonny Bryan's
Dallas, Tx

Memphis Style
Winner:
A&R Bar-B-Que
Memphis, TN

More Pit Stops:
Charlie Vergos Rendevous
Memphis, TN

Interstate Barbeque
Memphis, TN

Cozy Corner
Memphis, TN

Payne's BBQ
Memphis, TN

Kansas City Style
Winner:
Arthur Bryant's BBQ
Kansas City, MO

More Pit Stops:
Gates Bar-B-Que
Kansas City, MO

Oklahoma Joe's Barbeque
Kansas City, KS

Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbeque
Kansas City, MO

Woodyard Bar-B-Que
Kansas City, KS

tamadrummer · Jul 25, 2011

That may be an accurate list for people that live in those few places but they missed out on some serious bbq from the state of FL. From basically fast food bbq at Sonny's (which is awesome) to some of the more local joints here in the Tampa area. They missed some beautiful food.

deguerre · Jul 25, 2011

They lost credibility with me on these two:

More Pit Stops:
Charlie Vergos Rendevous
Memphis, TN

Interstate Barbeque
Memphis, TN

bigsapper · Jul 25, 2011

I can't imagine Sonny Bryan's (Dallas) out scoring *anything* from the Central Texas region. Certainly not anything coming out of Lockhart.

Seriously, you're gonna score Smitty's top and not even mention Kreuz?

burris · Jul 25, 2011

Arthur Bryant's isn't good at all. I went with a dozen people, so we tried everything. I really wanted to like it but we all agreed it was terrible. Everything was dry, tough, and flavorless.

When I was in KC I did have a very good beef rib at Fiorella's, though.

jimithing78 · Jul 25, 2011

bigsapper said:
I can't imagine Sonny Bryan's (Dallas) out scoring *anything* from the Central Texas region. Certainly not anything coming out of Lockhart.

Seriously, you're gonna score Smitty's top and not even mention Kreuz?

Yup, list lost it's cred after I saw this too. Maybe Sonny Bryan's was something back in the day but it's not good BBQ now. Looks like the list was just created based on stuff they read on the internet.

Kcbigben · Jul 25, 2011

burris said:
Arthur Bryant's isn't good at all. I went with a dozen people, so we tried everything. I really wanted to like it but we all agreed it was terrible. Everything was dry, tough, and flavorless.

When I was in KC I did have a very good beef rib at Fiorella's, though.

Agreed ok joes should have been tops

colonel00 · Jul 25, 2011

Speaking for the KC joints listed. All 5 are top notch and if ever in town you should hit them all. Personally I would order them this way based on my preferences but I can see how everyone has their own favorite.

Kansas City Style

Oklahoma Joe's Barbeque
Kansas City, KS

Gates Bar-B-Que
Kansas City, MO

Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbeque
Kansas City, MO

Woodyard Bar-B-Que
Kansas City, KS

Arthur Bryant's BBQ
Kansas City, MO

Regardless, if you ever make it to KC, hit them all. Plenty of other great places too but I think these are a good representation of the KC style.

JD08 · Jul 25, 2011

tamadrummer said:
That may be an accurate list for people that live in those few places but they missed out on some serious bbq from the state of FL. From basically fast food bbq at Sonny's (which is awesome) to some of the more local joints here in the Tampa area. They missed some beautiful food.

I have yet to have a meal from Sonny's that could be called good. And I've been to several over the years.

tamadrummer · Jul 25, 2011

JD08 said:
I have yet to have a meal from Sonny's that could be called good. And I've been to several over the years.

I like their "big deal" with sliced beef on garlic bread with their hot bbq sauce and fries.

I don't know where in SE FL you live but they didn't have Sonny's down there when I lived there. We had fat boys and a few other places. I lived in Lauderhill and Davie but it has been 15+ years since I lived down that far south.

Bigmista · Jul 25, 2011

burris said:
Arthur Bryant's isn't good at all. I went with a dozen people, so we tried everything. I really wanted to like it but we all agreed it was terrible. Everything was dry, tough, and flavorless.

When I was in KC I did have a very good beef rib at Fiorella's, though.

Agreed. Arthur Bryant's was crap when i went also. Oklahoma Joe's is much better.

Gore · Jul 25, 2011

Thanks for posting the list. It is always interesting to see what they pick. They do always seem to pick the same diehards even though there are probably hundreds of other places just as good or better. Regardless, interesting to see and rekindle the discussions with Brethren, new and old.

Zing · Jul 25, 2011

Have to echo the dissapointment I felt after eating at Arthur Bryant's. Last time I was in KC I made it a point to eat there. I was expecting at the very least for the Q to be good, and was hoping for excellent (considering how well it is spoken of in publications). Saying the Q I was served was marginal is probably giving it too much credit. I can go to any number of local joints and get better, Chit! I can go to Famous Dave's and get better. I think more than one of the above joints listed are basically tourist trap bbq, and those that write these articles just don't know any better.

landarc · Jul 25, 2011

I think it speaks to the importance of reputation and the manner in which it affects perception of reality. I have to say, having eaten at none of them, I have no idea whether any are good or not.

bluetang · Jul 25, 2011

caseydog · Jul 25, 2011

This Texas resident would like to go on the record to say that SONNY BRYAN'S BBQ SUCKS ARSE JUICE! It may have been good a long time ago, but it is a chain of fast-food BBQ joints, now, and it is one of the worst BBQ chains around here, IMO.

I do like Smitty's and Black's, though. I haven't been to Lambert's.

But none of these Texas BBQ joints is one of my own personal favorites.

CD

posey's_pork_pit · Jul 25, 2011

Sorry if this seems harsh but.......

Ignorance can be educated, stupidity is terminal!

Just saying :tape2:

Muzzlebrake · Jul 25, 2011

caseydog said:
This Texas resident would like to go on the record to say that SONNY BRYAN'S BBQ SUCKS ARSE JUICE! It may have been good a long time ago, but it is a chain of fast-food BBQ joints, now, and it is one of the worst BBQ chains around here, IMO.

I do like Smitty's and Black's, though. I haven't been to Lambert's.

But none of these Texas BBQ joints is one of my own personal favorites.

CD

so what is your fave?

Saiko · Jul 25, 2011

From what I am reading, it seems the big miss is having Arthur Bryant's as the winner for Kansas City style instead of Oklahoma Joe's.

The only place on the list I have actually been to is Rendevous in Memphis, and that was probably more than ten years ago when I wouldn't know a good rib from a bad one.
I was as surprised as others that they had Smitty's on there but no Kreuz. I can't believe they would omit Kreuz but include a few of the non-Lockhart locations.

I'm curious if anybody has been to Wilber's in NC and what they thought of it.

Edit: Forgot to add, I'm not quite sure what the "More Pit Stops" list exactly was pointing out. Were they "almost" as good as the winner, or just some other places that they tried? I don't think they were in any particular order.

Ismellsmoke · Jul 25, 2011

Goode company on Kirby in H-town. I used to eat there three days a week in the early 90's. I crave that sauce.

Southern Livings "South's 20 Best BBQ Joints" list

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