Update your barbecue bucket list with help from our ranking and local tips below. To learn how we ranked the cities, see our methodology<\/a>.<\/p> Check out the slideshow below for highlights on each of our top 5 BBQ cities.<\/p> Contents<\/h2>
Top 5 BBQ Cities in America<\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Kansas-City-Missouri-1.png\")
Number of BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>32 | Rank: 36
Average Number of Reviews per BBQ Establishment: <\/strong>604 | Rank: 4
Number of Top-Rated (4.5+ Stars) BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>7 | Rank: 14
NBBQA Award-Winning Cooking Teams in Past 5 Years: <\/strong>15 | Rank: 1
Number of KCBS 180 Club Members: <\/strong>21 | Rank: 1
Local tips: <\/strong>With a history going back to the early 1920\u2019s, the self-proclaimed BBQ Capital of the World<\/a> continues to smoke all contenders from the restaurant scene to the competitive sphere.\u00a0
Highlights range from legendary Arthur Bryant\u2019s Barbeque<\/a> to locally loved Q39<\/a> to Char Bar<\/a> \u2014 a spot for both vegans and carnivores.
Taste the best of the best by exploring the city\u2019s BBQ Trails<\/a> or attending the largest BBQ contest<\/a> in the world.
Photo Credit: Dave Herholz<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ License<\/a><\/figcaption> <\/figure>![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/4863707056_c59c083f71_k-1.png\")
Number of BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>162 | Rank: 1
Average Consumer Rating for BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>4.2 | Rank: 120
Number of Top-Rated (4.5+ Stars) BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>20 | Rank: 2
Number of KCBS 180 Club Members: <\/strong>3 | Rank: 26
Number of KCBS 700 Club Members: <\/strong>3 | Rank: 8
Local tips: <\/strong>You can literally order \u201cThe Meat Sweats\u201d from Moo\u2019s Craft Barbecue<\/a>, which received a Bib Gourmand distinction<\/a> from the Michelin Guide.
Hit up Bludso\u2019s BBQ<\/a> for Texas-style meats from a James Beard Award-winning chef.\u00a0
Photo Credit: Julian<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ License<\/a><\/figcaption> <\/figure>![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/HOUSTON-TX-1.png\")
Number of BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>160 | Rank: 2
Number of Top-Rated (4.5+ Stars) BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>10 | Rank: 7
NBBQA Award-Winning Cooking Teams in Past 5 Years: <\/strong>5 | Rank: 4
Teams in Top 25% of Past 3 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World\u2019s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest: <\/strong>59 | Rank: 1
Number of KCBS 180 Club Members: <\/strong>8 | Rank: 6
Local tips: <\/strong>Truth Barbeque<\/a> and Brisket & Rice<\/a> are 2 smoking spots recommended this year by both Texas Monthly<\/a> and inspectors from the Michelin Guide<\/a>.
Pinkerton\u2019s Barbecue<\/a> boasts many accolades, including a Bib Gourmand and two-time Beef Champion at the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.\u00a0
Pappas Bar-B-Q<\/a> is another local BBQ staple that got its start in Houston in 1967 and has since expanded as a chain of restaurants to over 90 locations across 8 states.
Photo Credit: Denis Barthel<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ License<\/a><\/figcaption> <\/figure>![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/7224594592_25b4b115bf_k-1.png\")
Number of BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>72 | Rank: 12
Average Consumer Rating for BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>4.3 | Rank: 66
Number of Top-Rated (4.5+ Stars) BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>15 | Rank: 3
Winners in Top 25% of Past 3 Jack Daniel\u2019s World Championship Invitational Contests: <\/strong>2 | Rank: 4
Number of KCBS 180 Club Members: <\/strong>12 | Rank: 2
Local tips: <\/strong>The stars of St. Louis\u2019 BBQ scene are Bogart\u2019s Smokehouse<\/a> and Pappy\u2019s Smokehouse<\/a>.
Other favorites include Stellar Hog<\/a>, Adam\u2019s Smokehouse<\/a>, and Salt + Smoke<\/a>.\u00a0
Photo Credit: John H<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ License<\/a><\/figcaption> <\/figure>![\"Hungry](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/52743212909_da3f81bc49_k-1.png\")
Number of BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>109 | Rank: 7
Average Consumer Rating for BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>4.2 | Rank: 108
Number of Top-Rated (4.5+ Stars) BBQ Establishments: <\/strong>21 | Rank: 1
Teams in Top 25% of Past 3 Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Contests: <\/strong>4 | Rank: 5
Teams in Top 25% of Past 3 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World\u2019s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest: <\/strong>2 | Rank: 5
Local tips: <\/strong>Austin is home to 3 barbecue spots with a 1-star Michelin rating and 6 more with a Bib Gourmand.
Leroy and Lewis Barbecue<\/a> and InsterStellar BBQ<\/a> both boast Michelin stars and appearances in Texas Monthly\u2019s Top 10 BBQ Joints<\/a> in 2025. The city\u2019s 3rd Michelin-starred spot is female-owned La Barbecue<\/a>.
Line up early for beloved BBQ staple Franklin Barbecue<\/a>.
Photo Credit: Phil Whitehouse<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ License<\/a><\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/div>
![Denis Barthel<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/](\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Pappas_BBQ_Houston.jpg\"){kind=link}