While it may evoke memories of a laid back culinary experience,
barbecue is a very serious matter. You can find decent barbecue all over the South,
but does "decent" really cut it? Keep watching for where to go for the best of the best.
To the outsider, Rudy's "Country Store" and Bar-B-Q may not look
like the place you want to be for truly stellar barbecue. But
if you can put aside your initial reservations, you won't regret it.
Rudy's serves up true Texas barbecue as good as the rest of them, along with family-sized
tubs of mouthwatering side dishes. And really, is there any other way sides should be served?
The chain started out as a convenience store in a little town outside San Antonio dating back
to the 1800s. It eventually evolved into a full-on barbecue restaurant,
which can now be found in nearly 50 locations - mainly in the southwest.
And the locals have a soft spot for it, whether they admit it or not.
Think of it as a one-stop-shop of wonder: What started as a one-stop shop for everything from
a full tank of gas to a full stomach and enough barbecue to make you appreciate
the very concept of "leftovers," has grown exponentially. Their brisket,
juicy sausage links, and signature barbecue sauces are not to be missed.
"Fate brought us together, and from the first moment, it was electric."
Florida may not be top of mind among southern barbecue standouts,
but 4 Rivers Smokehouse may be on its way to changing that reputation.
Founder John Rivers started out serving up barbecue out of his garage for schools,
churches, and community organizations. After seeing that people loved his barbecue,
Rivers shuttered his other establishments, and opened his first 4 Rivers location in 2009.
Since then, 4 Rivers has grown to 13 locations across Florida, garnering some serious attention
along the way. Why? Maybe it's because there is something for everyone to love here.
They're smoking up every type of meat you might crave, from brisket to pork,
sausage, chicken, turkey, and ribs. Beyond a classic barbecue platter
with homestyle sides, there's also a menu of decadent signature creations.
That's things like the Six Shooter, described as "baked cheese grits piled high with pulled pork,
Southern Coleslaw, pickles, jalapeños, and 4R Signature Sauce."
Or, there's the Longhorn, which the restaurant describes as "Chopped brisket, Texas sausage
served on a toasted roll over smokehouse relish, topped with onion rings and melted provolone."
In today's world of ever-evolving food trends and Instagram-worthy menus,
sometimes some simplicity can be welcome – the nostalgic comforts that stand the test of time,
because it's always been done that way and it just works.
That's the spirit of Sonny's BBQ. The chain was opened by a husband and wife duo in Gainesville,
Florida in 1968, and more than 50 years and 100 restaurants later,
Sonny's boasts that they're still honoring the recipes and traditions that got them started.
They call it the "Art of BBQ" – premium cuts of pork and beef,
slow-smoked to perfection, always over oak, and paired with Sonny's signature sauces.
It's a time-perfected practice, one that Sonny's takes very seriously.
Bottom line? You know that you're getting top quality barbecue,
crafted by a certified pitmaster, at each of Sonny's locations, which you'll find
all over Florida, as well as Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, and the Carolinas.
Full Moon Bar-B-Que has been serving hickory-smoked barbecue since it was
founded by famous football coach Pat James and his wife in 1986.
While the ownership changed hands in the '90s, pretty much everything else is the same as
it's always been: Same low and slow tradition for barbecue that fans keep coming back for,
especially the turkey sandwich, which has become a signature staple at Full Moon.
There's the same down-home southern-inspired items like authentic chow chow and fried green tomatoes,
and don't forget the award-winning sweet and tangy
barbecue sauce perfect for slathering all over… well, almost anything!
If you haven't heard of Florida-based Smokey Bones yet, chances are you will soon. The chain
is known for serving up cold drinks and good times in an atmosphere that's as comforting as the food.
Smokey Bones has around 60 locations across 16 states,
and the company is moving forward with all kinds of expansion plans.
But we don't just mean new restaurants. Smokey Bones opened its first ghost kitchen in 2021.
And it's also serving customers through its two exclusively virtual brands,
the Wing Experience and Burger Experience. There's also talk of opening drive-thru locations.
And, Smokey Bones is even planning to expand its menu – which already features different
prominent regional barbecue styles in America – to include new barbecue flavors inspired by
international flavors from places like Thailand, China, Japan, and India. And while you're there,
make sure not to miss out on Smokey Bones' happy hour specials and signature cocktails.
Once upon a time, a father and son from Birmingham,
Alabama named Jim and Nick figured out that they could whip up mouthwatering barbecue together.
More than 35 years later, Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q has grown to nearly 40 locations - mainly in the
deep south. And, the chain has continued to announce plans for further expansion.
Fans love their slow-smoked pulled pork, slathered in sauce, of course, and the barbecue chicken,
which the pitmaster recommends with white barbecue sauce. And don't overlook the famous
barbecue pork mac and cheese, or their famous house-made chili loaded with smoked brisket.
Either way, you'll come for the meat, but chances are you'll stay for the absolutely crave-inducing
so-called "world famous" cheese biscuits, which come with every meal at Jim 'N Nick's. They're so
good that the chain might be most famous for them, above all else. How good are they? The Alabama
Tourism Department even named the biscuits as one of the 100 dishes you need to eat before you die.
"Please, sir, I want some more."
For this one, you'll definitely need to come hungry. The folks at Bono's [BOH-nohz] Pit
Bar-B-Q, based in Jacksonville, Florida, know a thing or two about barbecue tradition.
They've been smoking up live pit barbecue since 1949, and still do things the old-fashioned way,
striving above all else to serve customers what they describe
as an "authentic Southern Pit barbecue experience."
Everything at Bono's is prepared in-house every day, and meats are cut to order, so you're always
getting the juiciest, most flavorful bite. The menu is full of all the classic fare you'd expect
at a barbecue restaurant worth its snuff, plus a few surprises as well, like sweet corn nuggets,
and heaping Smokehouse Stackers, which require a big appetite and an even bigger stack of napkins.
There are nearly 20 Bono's [BOH-no’s] locations - mainly around the greater Jacksonville area.
Time will tell if new Bono's locations pop up in between.
Among the staple barbecue destinations around the country, Memphis is high on the list.
The city is known for its tender, dry-rubbed, slow smoked ribs,
pork shoulder. And there's arguably no better place to sample it than Central BBQ.
At Central BBQ, all the meat is marinated for 24 hours and rubbed with a secret,
signature dry rub before dry-smoking to perfection. The sauce is added later.
Load up on a full plate of smoked meats and sides, or try out Central's famous specialty,
barbecue nachos. They come loaded up with barbecue pork or chicken, beef brisket, or smoked turkey,
and smothered in cheese, barbecue sauce, and jalapeños. Central BBQ is a local favorite
in Memphis — for a good reason — and has several locations there and in Nashville.
You could say Gates Bar-B-Q is a Kansas City institution.
It was founded by George W. Gates back in 1949, and while it moved around
locations a few times over the years, it never stopped cooking up barbecue.
Today there are several locations in Kansas and Missouri where customers can chow down on ribs,
chicken, mutton, and piled high barbecue sandwiches – barbecue so good it got Ollie Gates,
son of the founder, inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame. Though the place has grown,
Gates is still family-owned and remains one of the best barbecue joints in the city,
both for the food, and the uniquely comforting atmosphere.
And talk about the ultimate endorsement – President Biden himself paid a visit
to Gates during a trip to Kansas City. He reportedly feasted on none other than the
restaurant's famous Presidential Tray, of course, which features sliced beef,
ham, and turkey, barbecue chicken, a slab of ribs, and house-made sausage,
along with Gate's signature barbecue beans and potato salad on the side.
Another surefire staple if you're looking to try a taste of Memphis-style barbecue
is Corky's Ribs & BBQ. You can find Corky's restaurants scattered all
throughout Tennessee, as well as in Arkansas and Mississippi.
The chain has been perfecting its hickory and charcoal-smoked ribs for more than 30 years,
and they're serving up full slabs of them, family-style, plus a full menu of other
barbecue favorites and sides. And Corky's claims that locals love this place so much,
it's been voted the top BBQ joint in Memphis 22 times.
While Corky's did have some expansion plans that didn't quite pan out a few years ago, the
company did recently name a new CEO, so there's no telling what's in store for Corky's future.
And if you don't live anywhere near a Corky's, but still want to get your Memphis barbecue fix,
then you're in luck. Corky's sells and ships its baby back ribs via shopping network QVC.
Moe's Original BBQ was founded two decades ago by three friends who met at the University of Alabama
in Tuscaloosa [tuhs-kuh-LOO-suh], and bonded over their shared love of more than just college
football. The journey took the three founders to the mountains of Colorado after graduating,
where the dream for Moe's really took shape, first as a catering company, then as a restaurant.
By 2005, they opened their first restaurant in Eagle, Colorado. And today Moe's has more
than 50 locations in 14 states, catching the attention of fans around the country.
Moe's keeps the menu simple – serving up pulled pork, smoked chicken and turkey,
and fried fish, plus a rotation of sides to choose from – but don't
forget to check out their daily food and drink specials as well.
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus, even more Mashed
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