Besides the ribs my husband makes at home, lately my favorite has been Big Dave's BBQ in Longview Tx (on 259 No). They make a version of frito pie that is amazing!!!
Lisa

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Tony's Strip Club and parking lot BBQ just outside Atlanta.

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My hand trimmed meat, my rub/marinade/sauce, my Smokey Joe...priceless.

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My thoughts exactly. Didn't seem touristy at all.

But I'd rather do Gates or Jack Stack, unless I had to be in that area (the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and Bryant's makes a nice doubleheader.)

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Shealy's BBQ in Batesburg-Leesville, SC

I love my Smokey Joe! It can do some great smoked chicken breasts without drying the meat. ^

Went to Two Bros. in San Antonio this week, was pretty good and VERY cheap.

Wow, reading this thread makes my mouth water. As a self confessed bbq aholic, some of my favorite BBQ joints include the following.

Kansas City: Oklahoma Joes, Gates, Jack Stack (not a huge fan of Arthur Bryant's)
Lockhart, TX: Krueze Market
Raleigh: The Pit
Birmingham, AL: Full Moon
Denver: KT's
Bentonville, AR: Whole Hog

I could go on and on.....darn, I'm hungry!!

New Orleans - VooDoo BBQ
Los Angeles - Woody's or J.R.'s

If you're comfortable at Kreuz Market, slip over to Luling to City Market, or to Llano's Cooper's, other "butcher paper" venues patronized by wrinkled purists and dedicated followers of classicbarbecue.

Hmm... thought I had already commented in this thread many years ago.

In any case, as a Kansas City native: Arthur Bryant's for the meat, particularly a full slab to share and Gates for the sauce (either the hot or the regular sauce from Gates). The 16th & Brooklyn Bryant's location is relatively convenient en route to MCI, where I've been known to bring full slabs as my carry-on luggage for impromptu dinner parties after landing back East.

Gates will ship cases of sauce, which obviates the need to try to smuggle bottles past the liquid patrols at airport security. I've shipped Gates sauce as far as France before.