I think Bonedaddy's is a chain, so I'll add that to the list... I've eaten there several times when I was on travel to Richardson/Dallas, TX. Of course, I only remember the outfits that that obscenely young waitresses were wearing, so I can't speak for the food. ;)

Also a small chain in Denver--Brother's BBQ--has made the Denver Best Restaurant list many times. They have a delicious brisket.

Hey thanks.

I hadn't heard of this place before. I see one is opening in Philly soon close to where I live. But its going to be in the same shopping centre as Chik Fil A.

:mad:

Corky's in Memphis - Best Pork BBQ
 

Corky's in Memphis for wet. For the best dry: Rendezvous across from the Peabody Hotel in Memphis.

If you want to read about whole hog pork BBQ check out
www.southernfoodways.com/

Obviously, these aren't chain places! ^

How about Smokey Bones in your area?
 

Ours is pretty average, just another sports bar. :o

Corky's in the South

In the MIA area, hands down: SHORTY's!!! ^ ^ ^

Dinosaur's Started in Syracuse
 

Dinosaur had its beginning in Syracuse. The clientele there is not limited to bikers, as the poster seems to imply. While there are certainly a good number of bikers who patronize the Dinosaur, the place draws heavily from employees at the Hanley Federal Building, a couple of blocks away. Also, Niagara Mohawk employees, with their headquarters a block away, are regulars there.

You can talk about the Rochester location being superior to the one in Syracuse, but you cannot deny the fact that when the powers that be in Rochester wanted to liven up their downtown as has been happening in Syracuse, one of the first establishments they encouraged to open there was Dinosaur. In short, they saw the success Dinosaur was enjoying in Syracuse and wanted some of it in their town. The folks at Dinosaur, thanks to their success in Syracuse, were able to afford more attractive surroundings than the humble quarters in which they launched their business....in Syracuse.

Well, if we're going to revive this thread, let me call attention to the just-completed week-long series on searching for the nation's best barbecue in Slate.com's "Well-Traveled" section. It's at:

http://www.slate.com/id/2118542/entry/2118537/

I just finished an extended stint in Houston, and on recommendation of FT'ers Premex and TXHolly, I went to Baker's BBQ (a.k.a. "The Pig Place").

Each of the last three weeks I've been there, and feel its in my top three list nationwide. The pork ribs and meats are great, as our the sides. The added bonus is very low prices. Pork ribs with two other meats, and two sides, is $9.95.

Easy to find, its ten minutes from the Galleria, on Voss just south of San Felipe.

Moonlite Inn, Owensboro, KY

The best and most unique of the regional types of BBQ is Western Kentucky. They feature mutton, chopped in a unique sauce. There is also a unique stew/soup called burgoo. It's a little like Brunswick stew, but quite different. We often mail order a lot of the mutton and burgoo from them around holiday time.

Also, am I the only one who has scheduled a layover at MEM just to eat a Neely's Interstate BBQ? :)

Now I'm hungry :).

PJ's Bar-B-Q in Saratoga Springs, NY. Incredible bar-b-q food and just down the road in the drive-in's which are great in the summer time and they even have their own brand of soda that they sell: Sarasoda Loganberry

mmmmm, now all we need is the warm weather to get to us up here and we'll be all set :D

I've seen the names of a bunch of very good places that I've been to. But I haven't seen the best place I've come across: Cooper's Pit BBQ in Llano, Texas. It's about an 2 hours west of Austin.

If you're in Austin and in the mood for a great day trip, start your morning with breakfast at the Bluebonnet in Marble Falls, mess around on the lake for a couple of hours or go for a nice walk at Enchanted Rock, then head to Llano for lunch or dinner.

KCs BBQ in Berkley, CA.

What a great thread! This should be it's own forum....

For me the best is DINOSAUR BBQ, in Rochester and Syracuse, NY. Shoot, they catered our wedding! Must visit if you are in those areas. Other noteable BBQ on my treks across the USA:

MEM Airport (is that Corky's? That was fantastic. Interesting to note all the other fast food empty, while me and many others waited in line 45 minutes for that little BBQ place in the terminal). The airport smells of BBQ as soon as you get off the plane!

Bob's BBQ: in the Ramada Inn, Norman, OK.
Center Street BBQ: Batavia, NY
Kentucky Greg's BBQ: Buffalo, NY (Depew)
A friend of mine has mentioned a great place in Paris, Ontario but I do not recall the name.
McCall's BBQ: Goldsboro, NC.
Great BBQ place in the Fort Worth Stockyards, shoot I forget the name!
Sonny's BBQ Chain, in the SE (Gainesville FL is where I ate there)
"Red-Hot and Blue" is a chain, sometimes I have had a great meal (Raleigh, NC), other times I have been dissapointed (Laurel, MD)
Pardner's BBQ: Kingsport, TN

I don't have nearly the wisdom of BBQ-dom since I haven't done much extensive travel in the South. I can give my recs for these places here in the Western US:

KT's BBQ (various locations in Boulder/Denver area)
http://www.ktsbbq.com/

JR'S Texas BBQ (south of Sacramento, CA)
http://www.jrtexasbbq.com/

Barbecue Pit The 2888 University Ave San Diego, CA 92104

Buckboard Catering/Restaurant (Santa Maria Style BBQ)
http://www.buckboardcatering.com/

Johnny Reb's - Fairly decent for a small chain in Los Angeles
http://johnnyrebs.com/

There are two BBQ joints in MEM, justifying such a small city's hub status, IMO. Corky's is OK, but they're a chain and sort of generic. The "other" BBQ restaurant at MEM, Interstate BBQ, is much better and more authentic to Western TN.

If he's talking about the "little place" where you can see all the other fast food joints, that's Interstate, in the food court at the junction of the Y in B.

Corky's is on down in B, by itself in the 30s,, and is actually a sit-down restaurant (although it does have a take-out window).

I like both, but Interstate gives consistently better product.

Famous Dave's Brisket is very good

Arthur Bryant's in KC has lots of good meat

Gates sauce from KC is good on just about anything

Smokehouse in Gladstone, MO is great

Snook's Bar-b-que in Advance, NC; little shack with good food

Sell your soul for BBQ at the Crossroads of the Blues
 

Well I'm surprised that nobody's mentioned Abe's in Clarksdale MS. I don't know if it's worth selling your soul for, but maybe I'd agree to a short sublet.
The Delta Blues Museum, Abe's, and the Shack Up Inn - who could ask for more?

I think this was the plate I ate at. It was near a "regular" food Court (McD's, etc I think) which was empty! And I am pretty sure now that it was NOT Corky's.

Fantastic! I also had Corkys catered at the Memphis Zoo once which was also good. Kentucky Greg's BBQ here in Buffalo sells Corky's sauces so they must be marketing that.

If you're ever back in town, hit up Goode Company Barbecue, the original location on Kirby Dr. on the south side of town. The same plate with three meats will run you $9.25, and you'll never, ever find a more consistent, outstanding brisket. The way they crank out moist, perfect brisket at Goode Co. is simply a marvel of great barbecue. That said, however, everything else there rules, too -- the sides, the chicken, ham, turkey, duck, ribs, pork sausage, and, possibly my favorite of everything, the Czech sausage. You won't be disappointed.

I've travelled extensively in the south. The best places are out of the way, local establishments with a word of mouth following. I like ALL kinds of BBQ, so semantics over type be damned.

The following top my list;

Ridgwood Barbque - Elizabethton, TN
Moonlight Inn - Owensboro, KY
Mark's Feed Store - Louiville, KY
Rendezvous - Memphis, TN
Sonny's - Macon, GA

Mmmm have to remember that. Your location made me think of another BBQ joint I ate at and enjoyed: Luther's BBQ in Houston. Their smoked ham BBQ sandwich is something that is hard to come by at many places, and was great.

I think that sauce helped get me out of trouble also. I was traveling in South Texas, near Brownsville, where I got stopped at one of those immigration checkpoints they have about 50 miles inland. They were very suspicious for some reason and searched the whole car. When he got to my luggage and saw the bottles of Luther's BBQ he smiled and things went better after that!
I found out about Luther's from a tip from an ex-boss who lived in Houston for a time.

There was another awesome place in Bessemmer, AL , I wish I wrote some of these down!! ....

In Warner Robins, GA found two decent places:
Pomo's, on Rte 247. Another was in a gas station on the west end of town, I don't know if it has a name. Both were fantastic, and had BBQ with that "mustardy" taste to it, I did not know to associate that flavor with Georgia. I liked it!

My heart is still with the Dinosaur BBQ in Rochester & Syracuse! Try Center Street Smokehouse in Batavia, NY if you are up this way, also.

I was last at MEM in July 03, but remember eating at Interstate, I think by B14, looking at the terminal maps. Interstate is adjacent to a tavern, I think with a Jack Daniels label on it. There is seating, but it's limited. It looks like MEM has been remodeled and there are three Interstate BBQs in the terminal area now.

This is one thing I like about MEM is that it has more than the standard nasty Pizza Hut expresses, Burger King/McDonalds and other restaurants found at most other airports and food courts in the US. MCI needs to add a BBQ restaurant :).

In case anyone is interested, here is that place north of the border that is supposed to be awesome:

Camp 31 BBQ serves up the best American-Canadian BBQ found in North America. Check us out we are on the corner of #2 & #5 Highway, Paris Ontario.


(519) 442-3560

cooper's pork chop is great. (you can fly a small plane into llano and borrower a car at the airport to get there). That is a beautiful part of the State.

There is a place in Stephenville, Tx called the Hard 8. You can fly (small plane, no FFM) into the local airport and take the golf cart over to the resturaunt. It is greatness. They burn the wood about 40 feet away and pipe the heat to the smoker. good stuff.

in KC, I love Oklahoma Joes and Smokestack. I also like Arthur Bryants, probably because he's a Texan!!! ^

Never been to Memphis and when I am outside of Texas, I usually don't eat Mexican (Tex Mex) or BBQ, unless I am in KC or the deep south.

In east Texas, a place called Bodacious BBQ is pretty good (they have 2 or 3 locations).

Someone mentioned a place in Hot Springs, that place is good.

I am combining two of my threads a little but .....

Any good BBQ reccomendations for the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Eugene, Crater Lake, Boise, Glacier NP, Calgary, and points in betwee :)

I don't think of those areas as BBQ havens but as we know a good BBQ joint can turn up anywhere. In case we have a BBQ hankering on our vacation up there ....

Thanks!!

In El Paso

State Line

Smokey's and Smitty's are also very good

I used to like also like (now closed) City Limits BBQ.

Hard to beat those State Line BabyBack Ribs....emmmmmm.

OK, just tried a great new BBQ joint here in Western New York. One Eyed Jack's in Lockport, NY.

http://oneeyedjacksbbq.com

Southerners don't be skeptical, we have had a rash of good BBQ opening up here the past few years. 10 years ago I wouldn't feel comfortable trying it unless I flew/drove south about 400 miles!

For pulled pork in Montgomery Ala, go to Sams. Its a dive looking place, but the pulled pork is some of the best.

Any Rudy's BBQ & Grill in Texas!

Red Hot & Blue in Virginia...it's of course not the best, but it works for over here!

Ah yes an BBQ Chain restaurant that is pretty good. Sometimes I have found them to be variable, I have had some delicious meals there (Laurel MD, Arlington TX), but a few other times (Raleigh NC I recall one) I came away dissapointed. Have others noticied this inconsistency?

Another chain I have enjoyed in the SE is Sonny's, but I have heard others say they have come away dissapointed.

Best in SoCal at least in the VALLEY
 

Best in SoCal: Dr Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texan Barbecue. up in the valley somewhere on sepulveda. incredible.[/QUOTE]

cross street is roscoe blvd then south on sepulveda.
just off the 405 frwy in van nuys.
also the BEAR PIT farther up sepulveda at the 118 frwy.
BBQed lamb to die4. imho.

first amendment
 

he is entitled to his views. but corprations are also entitled to protect there profits if they think his opinons can have a negitive effect on there bottom lines. and also they have First Amendment rights also.

just my 2 cents

karl

BBQ in the Northeast
 

I can't say I have ever really had BBQ down south, but Redbones in Somerville, MA has the best BBQ I've ever had... they also have an excellent beer selection from PBR all the way the Rogue from the NW!

Check it out if you are ever in Boston.

Alphaguy

Ridgewood - Bluff City, TN
 

Here's another vote for Ridgewood in Bluff City, TN (Near Elizabethton). Hickory smoked pork with a sweet sauce. Also has very good beans (they put some of the BBQ in the beans) and fries. It out of the way, but well worth the trip.

Ridgewood: A Barbecue Icon

For pork, Dreamland BBQ in AL/GA tops my list.
http://www.dreamlandbbq.com/main/default.asp

For beef, it's always been about Salt Lick in Austin.
http://www.saltlickbbq.com/

"I didn't get to the top of the food chain to become a vegetarian."
-g

I have to give a vote to Carmen's in Hayward, CA

Jamaican family owned, a nice mix of southern BBQ and Jerk... and deadly hot sauce.

I have made the three-hour drive from Toronto to Rochester on a number of occasions to dine at Dinosaur BBQ. ^ ^ from me.