Sonny's BBQ is not good. It's tolerable if you can smother it with their sauces and wash it down with some sweet tea. The worst part is that it used to be a good value, we would go 2-3x a week from work for the $4.99 lunch special, but that's long gone and the average ticket is north of $10 at which point it's not a good value.

In Tampa our choices are between slim and poor, my two favorite, Hog Heaven on 301 and Big John's Alabama BBQ on 40th street are now closed.

I know i am replying to a post over 5 years old but it just brought back such great memories of the old Tom's, the little shack on Old Dixie Highway in Delray, you could only fit about 5 people inside at a time, used to eat at the picnic tables outside and I'll never forget the amount of Rolls Royces, Ferraris and Lambo's that used to pull up to this tiny little place that pulled racks of ribs out of garbage cans. Those were the days.......

I went to college in Boca and used to eat at the place regularly in the early 80's. When he moved to Boca it wasnt quite the same. I know they bounced around quite a bit since that time but I believe they finally went out of business at their last stop on Federal Highway in Delray. Is that the case or did they ever open back up?

There sauce is great though. There is one in Mobile, just off I-65, and room for me to park.


I stopped at Tipton's in Wilkesboro, NC. Liked that, too bad I dont get there more often.

For me it's a tie between Gates in MCI [original location] and Powdrell's in ABQ.

Powdrell's has the best hotlinks I have ever tasted. I am not ashamed to admit that I have on occasion even dreamed about them.

Also, IMO the S.E. can keep all of that rotting vinegar nastiness.

Best BBQ in USA
 

Hands down, it is Jack Stack in KC. I am planning a trip from San Diego because Jack is totally incomparable. My husband and I try BBQ everywhere and I am a pretty darn great chef; but Jack is what I aspire to and without a smoker or hours to perfect that glaze, it is worth a flight and hotel stay credit weekend just to get those "burnt ends" and mouth watering brisket.

Being a native of Kansas City, I'm very biased when it comes to BBQ. I truly believe we have the best in the USA.

Here are my picks:
Kansas City Area
#1-Arthur Bryant's (Yes, the do have one located in Terminal A at MCI, however, it's NOT the same experience and food quality as what you'll get at the downtown location).

#2-Smokehouse BBQ
#3-Gates BBQ
#4-Jack Stack
#5-Wabash BBQ (Excelsior Springs, MO)
#6-Winslow's City Market BBQ
#7-Oklahoma Joe's BBQ

#8-Wyandot BBQ

Elsewhere in Missouri
#1-Three Pigs BBQ (Lake of the Ozarks/Gravois Mills, MO)
#2-B&P BBQ Pit (Lake of the Ozarks/Sunrise Beach, MO)
#3-Brown's BBQ (Clinton, MO)
#4-Rib Shack BBQ (Springfield, MO)

Oklahoma City Area
#1-Dale's BBQ (Moore, OK)
#2-Oklahoma Station BBQ
#3-Larry's Rib Pit
#4-Crockett's Smokehouse (Midwest City, OK)

I've been to both of the above, but that's because I was a tourist and these are the touristy places. While they were fantastic, I assume locals have their own favorites other than these two.

For a non-traditional suggestion, if you live in San Francisco, try Sneaky's BBQ. It's delivery only, and comes cold unless you're having an event catered, so you will have to warm it in the microwave. But the meat is absolutely delicious. (I do not care for their sides, however.)

Checking in from a Memphis Downtowner:

If you're an out of town visitor, go to Rendezvous or Corky's, They are both popular and world-famous for a reason. Also the best place to spot a celebrity. Rendezvous defines the standard for Dry ribs.

Locals from Memphis prefer Interstate BBQ or Central BBQ. My favorite rib place on Beale St. is Blues City Cafe (great tasting ribs and it's where Tom Cruise starred in "The Firm"), with a five-way tie for 2nd place.

+1 on Sonny's... just thinking about the sweet sauce is like Pavlov's bell to me. And the pulled pork... yum.

I also loved Corky's.

Black's, Kreutz or Smitty's in Lockhart. Salt Lick in Austin, for the family and tourist trade. Cooper's in Llano, long an oasis for traditionalists.

As previously noted, sweetenings in BBQ sauce ranks close to the Albigensian Heresy as anathema. Additionally, barbecue is at its best served on butcher paper, un-sauced, minimal accompaniments except for bread ("store bought", what my Granny called "light Bread"), pickles and onions and a thin "dipping sauce" on the side.

Sausage can be a world of its own, with some of the small packing house brands being superlative. Towns like Elgin, Snook, West Station and Brenham can be visited for no other reason than to buy sausage. Then there are "Hot Links", the poor man's meat treat, "ring bologna" beatified, an East Texas standard.

Cabrito and Lamb require both a gentle heat and a very careful pit man. Then there are the appetizer courses, not barbecue, but "smoked", mullet, wild goose and some wild ducks, gems of the home smoker's art. Can you still find smoked mullet in the "Fish Camps' which once could be found on the "Redneck Riviera" from Pensacola to Apalachicola?

Long ago, 5 decades or so, the ribs at Lou Bono's in JAX were hard to match, but occasional repeat visits reveal a sad descent toward mediocrity (at best).

Pork can be good, but much of the finely chopped "Pulled Pork" served in the Carolinas, etc., reminds me of the contents of some canned military rations of my youth. Just give me a large section of the pig, and I'm happier. Pulled Pork falls into same same category as "Barbacoa" (the best made from the head), convenient, but not barbecue, and usually not up to snuff.

As for "Santa Maria", there's nothing wrong with grilling, except calling it BBQ.

God created brisket to supply the carnal appetites, sophisticated palates and refined tastes of Jews and Texans, two cultures under-appreciated for their substantial contributions to mankind.

Speaking of, I have to say that the best Barbacoa I've ever had comes from the meat/deli counter of an HEB in Corpus Christi. $6 a pound, with some lime, cheese, and fresh tortillas, sitting in a chair on Padre Island, and I'm a happy fellow.

See, we can agree on something. Blacks was my favorite when I lived in Austin. But Salt Lick and Ironworks were excellent. Heck, even a bunch of brisket and a bucket of sweet tea from Bill Miller has quite the treat. :)

Arthur Bryant's ... touristy? Maybe if you went to the one at the airport or the Ameristar casino ...

Wait ... Kansas City ... touristy? ;)

Yup. Blacks, Salt lick, Iron Works are great. There really are too many small places in Central Texas that have their own style and 'atmosphere' to pick only one.

I wasn't overly impressed with The salt lick BBQ. The atmosphere was great but the food only mediocre and had the appearance of grilled ribs slathered in sweet sauce.

My favorite Texas place is the chain of "Rudys' country store and BBQ" gas station BBQ restaurants. Top notch meats. The brisket sandwich is only topped by the one in KC (Oklahoma Joes'). Rudy's sides could use some work.

For BBQ, I haven't yet found a region that could beat KC. Jack Stack's and Oklahoma Joes' are my favorite. Didn't care much for the Smokehouse BBQ or Zarda's.