"The Hands-Down Absolute Best BBQ Restaurant In Every State" From Tasting Table

[Huskee]

Agree or disagree for your state? For me they may be close but I don't think their pick for MI is 100% accurate.

Article:

https://www.tastingtable.com/2031718/absolute-best-bbq-every-state/

[au4stree]

Archibald’s is good, but certainly not the best in Alabama. While I am a Big Bob Gibson homer, I’d give the nod to Saw’s. They recently added brisket to their menu and nailed it. It’s a great addition to a terrific line up of smoked meats. Let the games begin, fun to debate the “best” bbq.

[au4stree]

jfmorris, Archibald’s is a Tuscaloosa legend. Their pork ribs are pretty dang good, I happen to prefer Dreamland’s though. Call me weird….🤦♂️

[jfmorris]

au4stree my wife loves that Dreamland sauce, so we have no choice but to go to Dreamland. It's a little different than most BBQ sauce for sure. I have to keep a quart of it in the fridge for her when I make BBQ.

[RhodeHog]

jfmorris Same here. Since you can get Dreamland Rub and Sauce at Publix and Piggly Wiggly, I usually keep some rub on hand.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Of the places of been, I can't argue with this list. Some of the places weren't in existence when I was in the states/areas but some of the places in those states that were supposed to be the best (and on best lists) aren't, and these places I haven't been to are.

[briano52]

I live in California with many dozens if not hundreds of BBQ joints. I have been to some good one and some not so good joints. We have way too many for me to know which is the best. Haven't been to one on the list.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Some states for sure need multiple entries. CA for size, NC for diversity, etc... but if you can only list one per, what do ya do

[TripleB]

Just speaking of the Los Angeles area where I've lived my life and I'm not talking about great, fabulous or knock your socks off delicious BBQ....just a good BBQ restaurant. And I have not been to one yet. Have not been to Heritage and hear nothing but good things about it.

Been to Leroy and Lewis in Austin Texas and it was just a good BBQ restaurant. Nothing to get excited about. Barb's and Terry Blacks was way better.....IMHO.

[BBQPhil]

Been to Heritage (2nd location in Oceanside). Decent, but not worth the $8 per rib for baby backs.

[Huskee]

For Michigan it lists Slow's in Detroit. I've been to Slow's a couple times. It's a great place, large, TONS of beer choices, fun vibrant place to be, not too far from where the old Tigers Stadium used to be. The BBQ, it's OK. It's not the best I've had in Michigan. I think both Two Scotts in Grand Rapids and Sparks in Traverse City beat the food, at least as far as my personal experiences went in all those places.

[SheilaAnn]

My takeaway is “tasting table” is still a thing? I though they faded away a while ago!

[Panhead John]

I can’t argue with their pick for Texas, Leroy and Lewis in Austin. Even though I’ve never eaten there, several of our Pit Members have on a couple of our Meatups…and they gave great feedback on their food. Having a Michelin Star and recently ranked #2 by Texas Monthly, I’d say they’ve got some pretty good credentials and are worthy of the #1 spot on their list. But their first sentence says it all……it was nearly impossible to pick a #1 BBQ spot in Texas.

[synodog]

Little Miss BBQ is a worthy pick for Arizona.

[ecowper]

I honestly don’t go to BBQ restaurants much in WA, so I can’t say if Jack’s is the best, or not. The best BBQ is in my backyard, anyway …. Just the reality of a state where salmon is the best, not ribs

[dpearce]

Never heard of Cockeye BBQ, but then again Warren is a haul for me. Maybe when the weather gets better I’ll take a road trip and report back. I’m just glad they didn’t pick City BBQ. That would’ve been a disappointment.

[Bkhuna]

Eye of the beholder. 'Nuff said.

[DavidNorcross]

Never been to ZZQ. I am guessing it would have to go a ways to be RonB 's Place

[Lynn Dollar]

Clarks Crew in Oklahoma is close, its high on my list. But here, it depends upon what style of barbecue you like. We have a mix of KC and Texas styles, and some fusion between the two.

If ya lean more to the KC style, then Butcher BBQ in Wellston is tops.

But if Texas barbecue is what your after, Edge Craft in OKC has it, no question. FWIW, Daniel Vaughn put Edge Craft at #9 on his list of joints outside the state of Texas, who do Texas barbecue.

However, I've not gone to Tulsa to eat barbecue, yet . And there's a guy way down in the southeast of corner of the state, near Idabel. He grew up there, left to go become a chef in New Orleans. Now he's come back home and I hear is doing some great barbecue.

[jayjordan]

From what I understand of their methodology they base their articles on published reviews. I could be wrong but doesn’t appear that they have eaten at any of the restaurants. Same with the article following about top bbq chains.

[Mosca]

First thing I did was look at their methodology.

[Mosca]

You have to take into account that the 500th best bbq in Texas (or North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, etc) might be better than the best bbq in Pennsylvania. Having been to a couple of “Pennsylvania BBQ Festival”s, it wouldn’t surprise me.

They’re just artificial boundaries. You might as well write an article “Best BBQ within 50 miles of a navigable river”. It does the same thing, it will include places that people like because they’re the only bbq around, and leave out places worth crossing borders for.