Lexington, North Carolina-style barbecue is the only REAL barbecue. Everything else is merely an imposter.

Yes, I'm a close-minded barbecue bigot, yes I'm willing to admit it and yes I'll argue with you about it.

Thanks to everyone who has been contributing to this thread. As summer travel begins, this will make for a great guide to chomping down while on the road through the USA. BTW this past weekend was the annual BBQ Ribs and Beer festival in Toronto's St.Lawrence Market. And the third year I have had to be out of town and missed it. Amazing how one can keep missing things in one's back yard, but make similar events in other corners of the world.

Now, if I can only find enough paper onto which to print this thread out on...

Here's another vote for the Original DREAMLAND in Tuscaloosa. It has the true ambience that others try to copy.

You really have to separate by subspecies of BBQ. Comparing Texas and Memphis or KC and South Carolina is pretty meaningless. On that note a really nice thing about Virgils in NYC is that it actually has most of the different styles represented. The same is somewhat true of at least the original Red Hot and Blue in Arlington, Va. which had a couple styles at least. I would say neither of these places were at the top level in either style but then again neither are some of the other places that have been mentioned. Im most familiar (and fond I suppose) of Texas BBQ. I would think a real afficionado would consider County Line to be a bit of a laugher in this. Best Texas BBQ is in Lockhart. My personal favorite from years ago was Black's but I have heard great things about Kruez's as well. In Austin, Iron Works was a very good serious BBQ place.

And while we're on the subject of Lockhart, Texas, barbecue, I'll remind everyone that that's the stuff with NO sauce on it at all. I think the best BBQ is so good that it doesn't need sauce, though I also understand that the sauce itself has become an integral part of the barbecue.

One other thing that hasn't been touched upon, I believe, is MSG. I've read some people who say they wouldn't dare serve "prize-winning" BBQ without using MSG. Personally, I think that's a cheap copout. MSG is just a lazy way to add flavor.

Now we're talking. Someone who really knows what barbeque is supposed to be all about. ^

Dixie's BBQ in Bellevue WA has THE MAN. I think that they have pretty good BBQ, but I'm not positive- took my mouth a few months to recover from that hot sauce! If you're in the Seattle area & see the bumper stickers that say "I met the man!" -this is the place they refer to.

The purpose of really hot BBQ sauce is to cover up poorly flavored BBQed meat ;)

Curious ... I had The Man sauce at Porter's in Tacoma (now
apparently gone). Any relation?

Come on!!!
 

How can anyone who has ever been in KC not say ARTHUR BRYANTS!!

Dripping Springs (austin)
 

SALT LICK.....

by far

Is that a real dumpy place almost like a shed? Im pretty sure I hit that place when I lived in Austin. Good, but not Blacks in my opinion. Actually, in Austin I thought Bill Millers, which was a local BBQ fast food chain was better than County Line. County Line had great views though. Bill Miller sold fresh brewed iced tea buy the 1 gallon bucket. Nice to go with the BBQ on those 110 degree days :) I think there was a Bill Miller on Speedway out near Research, but this was like 1986.

In Houston...

Luling Street, Pappas or Goode company...there are a few "hole in the wall" places, but I can never remember the names, just know how to get there.

Best to get the sauce on the side. :cool:

Oh, if you have time go up to Huntsville (1 hour north on I-45) to Mt. Zion Baptist church (most call it BBQ church) for all you can eat family style BBQ that will make you want to sing the gospel...

Best Franchised BBQ
 

I know, I know, the best BBQ in the US thread is just below this one at the present time. I suppose franchised BBQ = good BBQ is mutually exclusive but are there any chains that offer something halfway decent?

I often find myself not having the time to drive around for the hole-in-the-wall place. Let's define BBQ (for the purpose of this thread) as anything that resembles a slab of connected bones, lose meat, etc, does not qualify. A chain is anything with at least 10 restaurants in more than one state.

Personally, I find Damons (http://www.damons.com) to have the best "chained" offering yet. Famous Daves is ok but often inconsistent, Chili's need not apply, same with Applebees and any place that unwraps precooked ribs, reheats and covers (up) with brown goop.

Was surprised to see a Corky's in Springfield IL, and the ribs
were decent (a hair oversmoked, but the dry rub was
identifiably Corky's). Don't know if it's a chain as you define it, tho.