Chattanooga & Louisville BBQ

[robd]

I will be driving from sunny Wisconsin down to FL this weekend. On the way there we are staying in Chattanooga, TN and on the way back in Louisville, KY. Does anyone have a personal recommendation of great BBQ in those areas?

Thanks,
Rob

[jfmorris]

Paging Karon Adams to this thread - she lives in Chattanooga, and can probably recommend the best BBQ. I've only had the touristy places in downtown Chattanooga like Sticky Fingers and Sugars. I am sure there is something better to be had.

[Mgils24]

Not sure about Chattanooga or Louisville but when you are traveling thru Nashville you should definitely try Martin’s if time allows

[jfmorris]

Ok, turns out this is a repeat of questions that have already been answered. Look at these 2 threads for recommendations.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/bbq-restaurant-roundup/tennessee/504786-best-bbq-joint-in-chattanooga-tennessee

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/bbq-restaurant-roundup/kentucky/460071-restaurant-recommendations-in-the-louisville-ky-area

[DeusDingo]

bourbon stops on the way home, would be my suggestion

[klflowers]

Chatt Smokehouse is pretty good:

http://chatt-smokehouse.com/index.html

[robd]

Thanks guys, I'll let you know what I find out!

[Steve R.]

Louisville is close to being a destination type place for food. But honestly, no "great" BBQ places jump out at me, although my backyard has a solid reputation.

Personally, I wouldn't limit myself to BBQ when there is a ton of other stuff in the area that is top notch.

[Karon Adams]

There are a couple of good ones around there.t he very BEST ones are the ones that are just trailer smokers by the side of the road. that's how the good stuff is done aorund here. someone gets a spot and they have a trailer in which they work, a fenced area for the wood storage and the smoekr, itself, and a wooden step, small deck/porch so you can step up to the trailer's window and place the order.

If you can get out of dowtown or away from the northshore, most of the areas have their own 'main' street and somewhere along that road is a trailer cooking Q.

Where will you be sting here in ChattaVegas?

There's Hickory Pitt on Ringgold Rd 5611, Ringgold Road in East Ridge

Hill Billy Willie's is on Browns Ferry Road. if you're coming from Nashville, you'll go right past Brown's Ferry Road before you hist ChattaVegas. 115 Brown's Ferry Rd

Choo-Choo BBQ isn't too bad. they have three locations, now.
900 Appling which is off Amnicola. I'll recommend this one for two reasons. it sits in an area of town that is the 'poor' side of town on one side and the industrial side of town on the other. that means they have REAL BBq folk who live there and the folks who work for a living for the lunch crowd. they CAN'T be bad. This is where the Police Department, the Coca Cola & Pepsi plants and seed packacking plant, Glass plant, you get the idea. Oh, and the tech school. they have to be good or they go out of business.
Another also here in East Ridge, at 3910 Ringgold.

their other location is 7910 East Brainerd Rd. a bit more of a 'wealthy' part of town. still, not bad Q. but I wouldn't reccomend the area this time of year. it is absolutely choking as it is a very populace area AND near the mall.

there are a number of them in more low income residential parts of town. some do BBQ and soul food. and those are extremely delicious BBQ and also the places you'll find the best BBQ Chicken as opposed to pork & beef. it's all what you are interested in trying.

take a look at this yelp page. some great reviews. I would recommend avoiding the Downtown or Northshore areas as well as the ooltewah, Mall area or East Brainerd east of the freeway. the reason is you're in the 'trendy' parts of town there. less authentic BBQ, more of the cookie cutter, franchise type BBQ, made for folks who eat BBQ because it's cool, not because they like Q. these are the folks, remember, who think the way to make BBQ at home is to pop your meat in a slow cooker and pour a botytle of KC Masterpiece on it and walk away. sadly, the BBQ 'restaurants' in those areas reflects that idea. but the ones in the poorer parts or more industrial parts get you the better Q. yep, I'm a poor snob on this one, cause they are the ones who lvoe the stuff and make it right or they go out of business.

[Karon Adams]

oops, forgot to link the yelp page

https://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=bbq&find_loc=Chattanooga%2C+TN

[klflowers]

Karon Adams, we live in East Brainerd; the Choo Choo BBQ at that location isn't that great (and I have to take issue with the "wealthy" part of town cause we live there ). robd, Sunset on Dodson is pretty good (http://www.sunsetbbq-chatt.com/) and I hear good things about Big Jeffs (4272 Bonny Oaks Dr Suite # A, Chattanooga, TN 37406) though I haven't made it over there yet. Chatt Smokehouse is near downtown, but it is pretty legit.

[Karon Adams]

Hey, I sold Real Estate, that area is generally the 5000 square foot central. there are some older, smaller places but you gotta know about Mountain Shadows....LOL!

the place on Dodson I have also heard good things about. I've heard good stuff about the one on 58. We have a choo choo here in East Ridge but I'd go to the other one IF I were gonna buy BBQ.

[Karon Adams]

actually, I can't remember the last time I bought BBQ. I'm basing my recommendations on the signs I would go by when going into a new city. I look for the places that aren't fancy shmancy, places that have to feed working folks, places in lower income neighborhoods cause people with little money will buy GOOD food. and there is nothing like soul food BBQ if you want chicken BBQ. (and great potato salad)

[klflowers]

Karon Adams, I forgot about this thread - I guess I got caught up in Xmas prep. I have had q from Sunset, but it was awhile ago, and I have had some Smokehouse q. I like mine better than both places, but that is because of everything I have learned here. robd, did you find any q that you liked in Chatt? Let us know in advance next time and maybe we can whip you up some home made q.