Well, I dunno if I'd want to say they're the "best", but one nice thing about Tony Roma's is that they're all over the world and pretty much consistent. When you're hungry for ribs in a country where BBQ = "grilled", it serves a purpose.

It's like a port in a storm, covered in modified food starch and high fructose corn syrup.

I don't know why, but I really like the BBQ ribs from Rock Bottom Brewery. Very meaty ribs, and the sauce has just the right amount of kick.

So what you are really looking for is the best franchised ribs. Because brisket, pulled pork, etc is definitely BBQ.

Rib Crib is a decent BBQ chain still based mostly in Oklahoma.

I kind of like Tony Roma's. The original sauce is good.

Sonny's BBQ and their sweet sauce is the best

The McRib from McDonalds, now that's good eatin' ;)

I am flying into BHM today, and can't wait to visit Dreamland. I have been told by friends it is amazing. I think I will goto the original Tuscaloosa location tomorrow. I always plan my trips in the southern states around Good BBQ and Mexican! Both are lacking in my neck of the woods.

I have eaten at Virgils in NYC and thought it was really good, especially since you are in Times Square. My favorite spot so far was a rib joint in Lexington Kentucky called Billy's. It was around 7 years ago, and I remember it being pretty dumpy, but excellent ribs. I have tried Carolina style BBQ in Charlotte, and wasn't impressed. I have also tried doing Carolina style on my smoker at home, and you can keep it.

The ribs I smoke at home are smoked with Mesquite, and I rarely use sauce. The sauce really covers up the true taste of the smoke and meat. Makes me want to fire up that Weber right now!

I've had some wonderful BBQ in Memphis/Nashville.

Fresh back from BHM, and made a visit to Dreamland on Monday night. I would rate the quality of the ribs as excellent, but the sauce as terrible. The ribs would have been excellent dry.

The Banana pudding was unbelievable!

Famous Dave's opened across from Corky's in Knoxville. Cork's was closed within 6 months.

^

Sonny Bryants is decent. I hear good things about Red Hot and Blue.

If you really, really, want the "best" BBQ, there's only one way to get it.

Get certified by the Memphis in May committe as a BBQ judge and then go to the contests and judge them.

Or do the same for the Kansas City group.

Either way, you will get BBQ cooked to a 15-minute window for absolute perfection. There is no way that any restaurant can cook food to that demanding standard.

Best part, it is free food!! (Well, you have to pay your own way, pay for your own lodging, etc., but what price perfection?)

Sonny's was always good eatin'...
 

It's been a few years, but when we lived in GA, Sonny's always fit the bill! The food was great! Let me know if they are still around.

I'm partial to the Carolina Honeys myself. A few notes on Tony Roma's,

-their Shanghai location occassionally gets absolutely enormous potatos
-the skillet cookie sundae is one of my all time favorite desserts
-the Makati Tony Roma's is insanely cheap

mmmmmmmm......BBQ
 

^ "Rudy's", based mainly in Texas and the rest of the West, is without a doubt my favorite. Meats prepared with drry rubs with wet/hot sauces on the table. Food handed to you on a piece of paper and a stack of white bread thrown in. Billed by the owner as "The Worst BBQ in Texas", it's not.

Corky's runs a distant second for me. Just ate at one in Miami. It was OK, compared to the lack of any good BBQ in New Jersey.