Could the former president of a billion-dollar healthcare company have possibly been responsible
for creating the best barbecue franchise around? Bring some extra napkins, because we're ranking
barbecue chains!
Most barbecue chains get their start as small, local restaurants, serving up their region's
signature style of barbecue. That can't be said for Famous Dave's, however.
Famous Dave's founder Dave Anderson grew up in Chicago. Even after spending 25 years searching
for the nation's best barbecue, he wound up opening his first restaurant in a small resort
he purchased on Big Round Lake in Hayward, Wisconsin. The "restaurant" was actually a
barbecue shack, and the resort featured just eight cabins. But the location was hugely
popular, often serving as many as 1,000 diners a night.
"I learned how important it is to have the right ingredients, and that good food takes
time."
Today, Famous Dave's has around 150 locations across the U.S., with locations in 32 states.
Menus vary a little from one location to the next, but most serve a variety of types of
barbecue, loosely inspired by regional specialties. In reality, their smoked and grilled meats,
sides, pastas, and other dishes are more in line with standard chain restaurants than
they are with a classic corner barbecue shack. Or, as one reviewer put it:
"If you've ever had real BBQ, you should never go to this place."
Dickey's Barbecue Pit started as a single location in Dallas, Texas in 1941. Founder
Travis Dickey served beef brisket and pit hams alongside two side options; barbecue
beans and potato chips. Two of Dickey's sons took over the family business in the late
1960s, and quickly turned the restaurant into a chain, opening locations throughout Dallas
and Fort Worth.
In 1994, Dickey's Barbecue Pit began franchising, and in the 2000s, it went international. Today,
Dickey's has more than 500 restaurants, making it the largest American BBQ chain in the world.
Dickey's has suffered some of the effects of any restaurant that grows to this size,
however, with the most notable one being that the food can fall under par. For example,
one reviewer reported that the mac & cheese "tasted eerily like Stouffers," and generally
reported that the meats were "not bad." The verdict? If you live in an area that isn't
known for its barbecue, and local restaurants aren't an option, Dickey's Barbecue Pit should
still be your last resort.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que doesn't have nearly the number of restaurants as most of the other
large BBQ chains out there. Instead, the company has just six locations, all of which are in
New York. If you're thinking that New York doesn't have
its own barbecue style — well, you're correct. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que actually specializes in
St. Louis-style ribs, which are dry-rubbed and slow smoked, although it does offer a
number of other options, too, each coming from a different regional tradition.
With fewer locations than its rivals, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is able to offer a better experience
than some of the bigger chains. But without a single style tying everything together,
the menu feels a little random and disconnected. And some reviewers report that while the meat
itself isn't bad for an East Coast restaurant, the dishes are practically drowned in sauce.
Most authentic barbecue restaurants let diners sauce the meat themselves, rather than doing
so in the kitchen — which is arguably Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's biggest mistake.
Another chain founded in a city that isn't known for its BBQ, City Barbeque got its start
in Upper Arlington, Ohio, near the state's capitol. It's also newer than most of the
barbecue chain restaurants ranked on this list, having been launched in 1999 by founder
and current owner Rick Malir.
"It lasted about a day until I told my wife Bonnie, and then it became 'we' very quickly,
and now we have over a thousand teammates of 'we.'"
Today, the chain has locations in seven states. While it might not be a top choice for proper
barbeque lovers, it has succeeded in bringing barbeque to areas where the style is less
common. One thing in particular that makes City Barbeque stand out from the big names
is that they often run out of certain meats partway through the day. If this sounds like
a bad thing, you'll think otherwise when you hear the company's explanation. According
to Malir:
"We're proud of the fact that we don't reheat food and only serve fresh products. [...] When
we sell out, we sell out, and we need to let the guests know that because sometimes it's
going to happen."
If you've never visited Hawaii, you might not know that the state has its own unique
style of barbeque. L&L Hawaiian BBQ was first launched in the Aloha State and, for over
50 years, it has served fresh lunches throughout the islands. Today, the brand has expanded
to more than 200 locations in the lower 48.
L&L Hawaiian BBQ is known for serving up authentic Hawaiian-style barbecue. This means plates
with a double serving of white rice, macaroni salad, a sampling of fresh-caught seafood,
chicken, and other proteins — which are grilled rather than smoked. This unique style
of barbecue is the result of 19th-century sugar plantation laborers who came to Hawaii
from all over the world in search of work, sharing their lunches in the process. This,
in turn, led to the development of a blend of regional cuisines; hence the white rice
alongside macaroni salad and grilled meats.
While ribs and brisket aren't on the menu here, a variety of other options will be — ones
that are arguably more interesting than anything you'll find in a standard BBQ joint.
Corky's Ribs and BBQ has its roots in real Memphis-style barbeque. The first Corky's
opened in Memphis, Tennessee in 1984. The restaurant is far from a copy of authentic
Memphis-style barbeque, too; in fact, it's one of the restaurants that pioneered it.
Despite having expanded beyond Memphis and even beyond Tennessee, the restaurant remains
popular among locals; in fact, it's been voted the #1 barbeque joint in the city a whopping
22 times. Its Memphis-style barbecue starts with a spice rub, which often has a unique
blend of herbs and spices created by each restaurant's pitmaster. Next, sauce is added
to the various types of meat as it is smoked. The result is added flavor and a caramelized
finish.
Today, Corky's Ribs and BBQ locations keep things classic, with Memphis-style brisket,
pork, ribs, and sausage. According to reviewers, however, some Corky's locations can be a little
better than others. For example, one reviewer called the chain's Gatlinburg, Tennessee location:
"The worst BBQ place I have ever been."
In Memphis, BBQ meats are sauced, then smoked. But in St. Louis, that order is flipped. St.
Louis is known for its ribs in particular, which are grilled rather than slow-smoked,
then sauced heavily in the city's classic style of sauce, which is sweet and a little
acidic. But while ribs might be the star of the show, other meats get the same treatment
in the Gateway to the West.
St. Louis has plenty of barbecue restaurants to choose from, of course. One of the most
popular chains, however, is Sugarfire Smoke House. The company was started by Mike Johnson,
a restaurateur and chef who was already running several successful restaurants across the
city when he heard that a local Dickey's was going out of business. Johnson stepped in
with his own unique take on St. Louis BBQ — and found immediate success.
Today, Sugarfire Smoke House has several locations across the country. The chain wins major points
for its take on its home city's ribs and its unique sides, though other restaurants might
be a better choice for other kinds of smoked meat.
Full Moon Bar-B-Que was founded in 1986 in the heart of Birmingham, Alabama. If you're
eager to visit the original location, keep in mind that it follows tradition in more
ways than one, and like most old-school barbecue stands, it's only open on weekdays and is
closed on weekends. However, if you're looking to get your barbecue fix at any other time,
you can visit one of their other 16 locations.
While many barbecue chains have switched to smokers, Full Moon BBQ keeps things classic.
Each of the restaurant's locations has a 30 foot by 15-foot brick fire pit where they
smoke their meats daily. Brisket, pork, chicken, turkey, and catfish are some of the menu's
popular proteins, while traditional Southern "trimmings" are also available, including
corn on the cob, collard greens, and deviled eggs.
But while Full Moon's menu shines in some areas, it's a little lacking in others, and
some reviewers have reported their meals being a little hit and miss.
After visiting one of Mission BBQ's locations, you won't be surprised to learn that the chain
was opened on September 11th, 2011, in an effort to "change the world" in one small
way ten years after the events of 9/11. Originally founded in Baltimore, this barbeque chain
goes above and beyond in honoring veterans of the U.S. military, as well as firemen,
police, and other first responders.
The décor of each of their restaurants feature vintage photographs of military men and women,
as well as hundreds of police, fire, and military badges, uniforms, and other memorabilia, much
of which is provided by the chain's patrons. Every day at noon, the restaurant's staff
also pause and stand to play the National Anthem.
"O'er the land of the free…"
As for the food, rather than focusing on a single barbeque style, the menu features a
selection of different regional specialties, and you can dig into Texas-inspired brisket,
St. Louis-style ribs, or Memphis marinated meats. And it's pretty good, too.
Nashville, Tennessee might not be as well-known for barbecue as its western neighbor — but
you wouldn't know that from the lines that wrap around the block at Martin's BBQ's downtown
Nashville location. Still, while Nashville might not have its own unique barbecue style,
West Tennessee does. Rather than a style of rub or sauce, though, whole-hog barbecue is
the tradition on this side of the state.
Whole-hog roasts were once a staple in the region, but it's a dying tradition, thanks
in part to rising meat costs and the time it takes to properly smoke a whole pig. Martin's
Bar-B-Que is perhaps the best known place to still do it — of the 30-ish barbecue
joints across the U.S. that continue to roast whole hogs, six of them are Martin's locations.
While not all Martin's Bar-B-Que Joints offer whole hog roasts, those that do roast on-site,
over coals and hickory chips.
So if you're looking for delicious, authentic BBQ or a whole hog experience, Martin's is
a must-visit on your next trip to Nashville.
In 1990, Jeff and Joy Stehney attended their first barbecue contest — and they were instantly
hooked. Not long after, they bought a competition-style smoker and started their own team, naming
it Slaughterhouse Five. The team quickly started winning some of the most prestigious barbecue
competitions in the country.
It wasn't long before friends and acquaintances were begging the pair to open a restaurant.
They resisted for several years, before finally giving in early in 1996. Their first restaurant
was actually called Oklahoma Joe's, and opened in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Then, when the chicken
counter in a gas station and convenience store closed in their neighborhood, they jumped
at the opportunity to open a BBQ joint closer to home.
They named it Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que… and the rest, as they say, is history. The
original location still exists, but has since taken over the entire building. Despite having
plenty of competition, Joe's continues to be one of the most popular barbecue joints
in Kansas City. If you want to experience authentic Kansas City barbeque at its finest,
Joe's is always a great choice.
Founder John Rivers launched 4 Rivers Smokehouse in 2009, with one simple goal; to serve delicious,
de-regionalized BBQ. His restaurant is a passion project that he only launched after leaving
behind a successful 20-year career as the president of a billion-dollar healthcare company.
The restaurant actually got its start in 2004 after Rivers launched the "Barbecue Ministry,"
a fundraiser cookout he hosted to raise money for a family with a young daughter diagnosed
with cancer. It took a few years, but this garage operation inspired him to open a store.
A line formed out the door of that restaurant on the first day and has returned nearly every
day since then.
The chain has since expanded across Florida. In particular, 4 Rivers Smokehouse prides
itself on delivering its own delicious take on each and every dish. This effort shows,
too; the restaurant is popular among locals and visitors alike. As one reviewer put it:
"Who doesn't love 4 Rivers???"
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