An all-American delicacy, barbecue ribs come in many forms – from racks of St. Louis or baby back pork ribs to tender, juicy beef ribs. Whatever kind you're into, everyone knows that the most delicious ribs are the ones that are seasoned to perfection, slowly smoked until a dark crust forms, then smothered in a sweet, sticky glaze. But where to find the best near you? Simple. Consider our round-up of the most amazing ribs in every state your ultimate guide.
Click or scroll through our gallery to find the tastiest barbecue ribs your state has to offer.
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
At hole-in-the-wall joint Saw’s BBQ, every bit of the team's energy and passion goes into barbecuing. The ribs here are so meaty and tender that customers say they’re the finest they’ve ever eaten. A half slab (five ribs) is usually more than enough for one person, and it comes served with white bread, sauce, and pickles. Fans also recommend checking out the white barbecue sauce, which is on another level. There are six Alabama locations.
For a taste of Texas barbecue in Alaska, be sure to stop by Big Daddy's BarB-Q. There's plenty of meaty goodness to tempt you here, from tasty prime rib sandwiches to loaded St. Louis plates – which come with half a rack of slow-cooked spare ribs, your choice of two sides, and Texas toast. Customers say the ribs are so tender, the meat falls off the bone.
There's no shortage of great rib joints in Arizona, but steak and barbecue restaurant Bobby Q stands out. This place is consistently praised for its baby back ribs, which are smoked for 22 hours over almond and mesquite wood before being finished on a wood-fired grill. Though they're not cheap, they’re definitely worth the price tag.
Prior to opening Whole Hog Cafe, husband-and-wife duo Rich Cosgrove and Nancy Green were competing on a world-championship barbecue team – so you already know their food is going to be ridiculously good. Ribs come as a half slab, full slab or in fours, along with two sides, a dinner roll, and a variety of sauces. The restaurant is cafeteria style, but the friendly waitstaff are a prime example of Southern hospitality.
Tucked away in the charming seaside town of El Granada, Breakwater Barbecue is the place to go when rib cravings strike. Customers recommend the pork ribs tray, loaded with perfectly smoked meat, two sides, pickles, sliced onions, and thick sliced bread. Huge beef ribs are also available on the first and third Sunday of every month.
Chef-owner Daniel Castillo draws inspiration from Texas at this always-busy barbecue restaurant, which wins rave reviews for its perfectly smoked meats and fun atmosphere. Heritage Barbecue's customers say the huge, juicy beef rib is so tender that the bone just slides out. They also love the pork spare ribs with a maple glaze, and say the sides are to die for – especially the chili and Cheddar-jalapeño biscuits. The joint shuts when it sells out, so make sure you grab a table early.
The best baby back ribs in California are served at Phil’s BBQ, a San Diego spot that’s been going strong since the 1990s. They’re seasoned with a seriously tasty dry rub to amplify their flavor, then grilled over mesquite wood until tender and tasty. The restaurant is so beloved that it now has five locations throughout the state.
Succulent ribs with crunchy ends can be found at Smokin’ Yards BBQ – which serves both baby back and St. Louis–style ribs as a half rack with one side, or as a full rack with two sides. The flagship Denver restaurant is located right on the beautiful Clear Creek River, and there's another location in Idaho Springs.
At Old West–themed barbecue restaurant Hoodoo Brown BBQ, you can get fall-off-the-bone pork spare ribs, and beef ribs that have been smoked for up to 14 hours. It’s a little on the expensive side, but customers say the serving sizes are so huge they'll break the table! It’s also a nice place to have a few craft beers or a cocktail.
Cute Georgetown restaurant Fat Daddy's is known for barbecuing its meats to mouth-watering perfection – and customers say you won't find better ribs anywhere else. Available as a half or full rack with a choice of two sides, they're perfectly spiced, and the tender meat falls off the bone. If you're really hungry, check out the rib special: a full rack served with six wings and two sides.
Esteemed Miami chef Raheem Sealey was so inspired after a trip to Austin that he decided to open Drinking Pig BBQ. The popularity of the joint has grown and grown, with people flocking to the restaurant to try what many call the best barbecue in Florida. The juicy, succulent pork ribs are a firm favorite – and customers also love the fun atmosphere and cocktail bar.
Serving the Homestead community for over 70 years, Shiver’s Bar-B-Q is frequented by customers who’ve been coming back to eat hickory-smoked goodness on the joint's cozy indoor picnic tables since they were kids. On its menu you'll find pork spare ribs and beef ribs, but it's the baby back ribs customers rave about – some people say they’re the best they’ve ever eaten.
Fox Bros Bar-B-Q sure knows how to do ribs. It serves tender, saucy whole and half racks, white bread spare rib sandwiches, and crunchy chicken fried ribs – which are breaded, then deep fried. Try them with white barbecue sauce or the restaurant's much-loved, sharp-but-sweet vinegar sauce.
Originally a food truck, Sunset Texas BBQ – run by Texas native James Kim – is now a bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Kaka’ako. It smokes its pork spare ribs and beef ribs with hickory and mesquite for 12 to 14 hours, until they’re perfectly charred and tender. The beef ribs are a little more expensive than the pork, but they’re both exceptional.
Located at the intersection of Old State Street and Eagle Road, Bodacious Pig Barbecue is a smart barbecue joint run by husband-and-wife team Joel and Tricia Anderson. Get the St. Louis ribs barbecue plate, which comes with two sides and garlic bread, for a dry rubbed, slow-smoked rack customers call the best they’ve had. Just make sure you get there early, before it runs out!
There are many things to love about the rib dinners at Smoque BBQ in Chicago’s Old Irving Park neighborhood. The racks are prepared with a spicy dry rub – and then, once cooked, they’re served with either a sweet Memphis sauce or a spicy sauce, both of which complement the flavors perfectly. The portions are huge, so make sure you bring an appetite.
Looking for ribs on the go? Drive-through barbecue joint King Ribs Bar-B-Q has you covered. Sometimes the wait is a little long, but the smoky, charred, and meaty ribs you will be rewarded with are totally worth it. The rib dinner comes with two sides and two sauces – hot and mild, which have the perfect level of spice when mixed.
It’s the barbecue sauce at Jimmy Jack’s Rib Shack that takes already delicious slow-smoked St. Louis racks and makes them something truly special. If you like smoky flavors, go for Cowboy (sweet and smoky); if you like spicy foods, try Chicago Fire (sweet and hot); and if you like honey mustard, check out the Carolina Mustard (honey mustard, but better). You can also buy bottles of sauce to take home.
Everyone who has visited Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que says it serves the best ribs in Kansas City – which shouldn’t be a surprise, since its owners Jeff and Joy Stehney have been involved on the competition circuit since the 1990s. It offers full slabs, short ends, and long ends, and customers say the smoky flavor is terrific. There are four locations in the state.
The baby back ribs from Blue Door Smokehouse receive outstanding reviews. They’re cooked until the meat's ready to slip straight off the bone, and the sauces (Sweet, Spicy, and Tangy), are allegedly good enough to drink. Occasionally, you'll find giant beef ribs on offer here, too.
Lively and atmospheric, The Joint, with its wooden paneling and colorfully decorated interior, might be a nice place to grab a Negroni – but it also serves brilliant baby back rib plates with sumptuous sides. Customers say the dry rub it uses is delicious, and the meat is always cooked to perfection.
At Wilson County Barbecue, the cooking is done in the Eastern North Carolina tradition – meaning it’s a whole hog barbecue. The baby back ribs come accompanied by hush puppies or a biscuit, a choice of two sides, and a sweet, vinegary red sauce. In terms of the decor and vibe, it’s a modern, hip spot, with craft beers on draft.
Well-smoked pork spare ribs are what keep Heritage Smokehouse's happy customers coming back for more – though sometimes this spot adds ridiculously big beef ribs to its menu, too. Some people say they'd almost given up looking for good barbecue in Baltimore before they stumbled upon this buzzy establishment.
Regularly topping 'best of' lists, B.T.’s Smokehouse is known for its juicy beef ribs and huge, high-quality pork ribs – which are dry-rubbed and smoked until a perfect crust forms. What’s more, it’s BYOB, so grab your favorite bottle of beer and head on down.
Halal barbecue joint AB’s Amazing Ribs is all about tender, tasty beef back ribs – you won’t find any pork here. The barbecue sauce isn't too overpowering, which is great because the meat barely needs it at all. The restaurant gives customers plastic gloves to use while eating, which is a trend we can get on board with.
StormKing Brew Pub is an especially good spot for Texas-style barbecue in Minnesota. According to customers, the St. Louis ribs are very meaty and smoky, with absolutely no fat. You can order them as a half rack or a whole rack, and sides include fries and coleslaw. Whatever you decide, it's imperative you accompany your meal with one of the beers brewed on site.
Clay’s House of Pig – a barbecue restaurant inside a bait and tackle shop – is especially famous for its pecan-smoked pork butt. However, it also serves unforgettable pork ribs and tips (meaty chunks from the underside of spare ribs, which contain cartilage but no bone). Customers say they have just the right amount of pull, and a great flavor. The Memphis-style tomato and vinegar sauce is a must-try, too.
Get your napkins ready – the sticky, candy-like ribs at Pappy’s Smokehouse come with two sides and an array of super-delicious sauces, and you’re going to want to get stuck into them all. Sweet Baby Jane is on the sweet side, Original is thin and tangy, and Hoodoo is ultra-hot.
Hidden gem Blue’s BBQ is attached to a gas station in Billings, so some might assume the food isn’t going to be very good. However, it’s the locals' go-to place for epic barbecue. The baby back ribs, which come plated up with sides or on their own, have the perfect meat-to-fat ratio – and they've been described by customers as 'to die for.'
The pork spare ribs at old-fashioned joint Smokin Barrel BBQ are coated in a bourbon sauce that’s so intensely flavored and complementary that it receives rave reviews. The restaurant also occasionally runs succulent-sounding rib specials, such as deboned pork belly ribs in a mango-habanero glaze.
The extremely popular Rollin Smoke Barbeque offers spare ribs, baby back ribs, and beef ribs that are smoked until the meat is crispy on the outside but still juicy within – and it pairs them with a selection of mustardy, spicy, and vinegary sauces. If you can’t choose, get the rib platter for a taste of each. There are five Las Vegas locations in total.
Bringing the flavor of the Lone Star State to New Hampshire, Smokeshow Barbeque specializes in Texas-style barbecue. The joint serves nicely rubbed and smoked pork ribs alongside brisket, pulled pork, smoked turkey, and sausages. Note that the meat is sold in half pounds – so for six ribs, you want to order one pound.
Red White & Que Smokehouse in Green Brook is famous for its juicy, smoky pork spare ribs, as well as what the menu refers to as 'big ol' beef ribs.' Customers also love the sides and complementary sauces – especially the habanero barbecue sauce, which pairs perfectly with the beef rib.
Mighty Mad Jack’s Mountaintop Barbecue, a log cabin restaurant in the Lincoln National Forest, calls its beef ribs 'Dino' ribs because they’re so huge. It's open Thursday to Sunday, so if you're hungry, join the crowds – but remember it’s not fast food, so expect to wait to be served.
Local chain Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, which first opened in the 1980s, is a destination as well as a rib restaurant. Besides excellent dry-rubbed, slow-smoked St. Louis ribs – which come lightly brushed with sticky barbecue sauce – it has a full bar, root beer on tap, and an upstairs outdoor patio.
A true North Carolinian barbecue joint, Midwood Smokehouse uses hickory to smoke its St. Louis pork ribs. The meat here is nicely seasoned, then served dry or sauced, depending on your preference. The menu also features Yucatan ribs – a dish that's made by smothering a half rack of hickory-smoked ribs with achiote (a traditional Mexican spice), then steaming them inside a banana leaf. It comes with pineapple pico de gallo and pickled red onions on the side.
The award-winning team members at the homely Spitfire Bar & Grill aren’t afraid to experiment if it means achieving irresistible results – and the joint's gourmet raspberry ribs (slow smoked St. Louis ribs coated in a slightly sweet raspberry glaze) are a resounding success. The meaty dish is huge, and it comes with a choice of two sides.
After a successful run as a food truck, Eli’s BBQ set up permanently on Riverside Drive – and the way it prepares its ribs is different from other places. First, they’re hickory smoked, then they’re crisped up and dusted with seasoning. They’re so great as they are, they don’t even need sauce; just order Eli’s tasty cheesy grits and jalapeño cornbread as sides.
The folks at King’s BBQ, a laid-back spot in Oklahoma City, really know how to barbecue. The racks of ribs are seasoned with rub, and there’s the option to have them covered in barbecue sauce as well – or you can have the sauce on the side for dipping. Not in the mood to get your fingers sticky? There’s a rib sandwich on the menu, too.
At Botto’s BBQ, the focus is 'craft barbecue' – meaning its meats are all-natural and cut to order, and its sauce flavors are experimental. The tender beef ribs, available on Fridays, go best with the buttery, sweet, and savory Texas sauce. Meanwhile, the pork ribs pair well with Tamarind BBQ or Spicy White (smoked habanero with mayo vinegar).
The spare rib racks from Mike’s BBQ are branded the best in the tri-state area by fans. The delicious finger food is first rubbed, then smoked until the meat cuts like a warm knife through butter. Sauce-wise, check out Sweet Heat and Mike’s BBQ, and don’t disregard the complementary smoked pickles.
Upmarket barbecue restaurant Durk’s Bar-B-Q serves out-of-this-world pork ribs, according to satisfied customers. They’re prepared with a dry rub and smoked with a mix of locally sourced woods in the restaurant's beloved smoker, which is affectionately known as Stella. Looking for more reasons to love this place? It also has a cocktail bar – and the service is top level.
A cool spot whose walls are covered in memorabilia donated by a local collector, Railroad BBQ gives customers a glimpse into South Carolina’s Black history. It also serves some of the meatiest, smokiest St. Louis ribs in the state; order The Porter for a full rack and two sides. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how quickly it all comes to the table.
Customers are effusive about the pork spare ribs served at Big J’s Roadhouse, which has two locations – one in Humboldt, and one in Harrisburg. People say they’re smoky and flavorsome, and that they’d eat here every night if they could. What's also great is that you rarely have to wait for a table.
Hogwood specializes in artisan smoked meats – and its St. Louis ribs don't disappoint. First, they're seasoned with the joint's signature spice blend; next, they're smoked to the optimal temperature over locally sourced orchard wood; and finally, they're cut to order. Juicy and tender, the meat falls off the bone.
Mini-chain Martin's BBQ has six locations in Tennessee, as well as outposts in Kentucky, Alabama, and South Carolina. The flagship Nolensville restaurant opened in 2006 and immediately became popular thanks to its delicious whole hog barbecue. The meat takes 24 hours to smoke, and everything, from the sides to the sauces, is made from scratch daily. Customers love the full slab of spare ribs, which comes with a choice of three sides (including fresh cut fries, mac 'n' cheese, and green beans).
Old-school barbecue joint Peg Leg Porker is run by experienced pitmaster Carey Bringle, who has more than 30 years of experience, and has even cooked at the James Beard House. Its dry-rubbed ribs are the star of the show, but the creamy coleslaw, mac ‘n’ cheese, French fries, and barbecue beans are worth a look in, too.
Franklin Barbecue is one of the most famous restaurants in Texas – and for good reason. It's run by James Beard Award–winning chef Aaron Franklin, and people wait in line for hours just to sample its renowned smoked meats. Fans particularly rave about the pork spare ribs and the beef rib (available at weekends), as well as the mouth-wateringly tender brisket. Pro tip: pre-order your meat to skip the line.
Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack is famous for its Chicago-style and baby back ribs, which customers say are hickory smoked to perfection. As well as tucking into meat plates, you can also enjoy ribs and rib tips in a sandwich – and fans recommend trying the fried corn on the side. Be sure to save some room for the homemade peach cobbler, too.
For the best beef ribs in town, make a beeline for Terry Black’s Barbecue, a family-run affair with locations in Austin, Dallas, Waco, and Lockhart. The fatty, juicy hunks of meat are expensive but truly unmissable – and the pork ribs are also delicious, if you’re looking to save a penny or two. So, who is Terry Black? Once a regular on the barbecue scene, he passed down everything he knew to his twin sons, Michael and Mark Black, who own the joint.
Rustic Charlotte-Rose’s Carolina BBQ is the place to go for the best barbecued meats and sides in Utah. The baby back ribs are particularly praised for their soft, succulent meat, and they come with a killer piece of cornbread, plus a choice of sides. What’s more, there are seven sauces to choose from (customers say the North Carolina Vinegar is the best).
You'll probably recognize Bluebird Barbecue from Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives – its burnt ends ramen was featured on the show. However, the spare ribs, which are coated in rub, slow-smoked, charred on the grill, then lacquered in a mouth-watering maple syrup glaze, are worthy of an entire TV series.
Another location that earned a feature on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque melds the technique of Texas barbecue with the flavors of Virginia to create something truly wonderful. The meat is juicy and dripping with sauce – and the beef ribs, encased in a beautiful black bark, are as soft as butter in the center. The spot also serves delicious pork spare ribs.
The home of 'Northwest Barbecue,' Brileys BBQ is Seattle's number one spot for incredibly tender, succulent ribs, which – like the other tasty meats on the menu – are fired over local cherry wood for a wonderfully smoky flavor. Customers say that the portion sizes are impressive, with tons of fries on the side, and that the sauces are on point.
What started as a streetside stall is now one of the best barbecue restaurants around, all thanks to owner Adrian Wright’s epic skills. Dem 2 Brothers and a Grill’s pork ribs, which come either as whole slabs, half slabs, or tucked into meaty sandwiches, are described as crisp, chewy, and tender. Like your food spicy? The house hot sauce is off-the-scale delicious.
For meaty baby back ribs and succulent St. Louis ribs flavored with a delicate infusion of hickory smoke and sweet and savory spices, Double B’s BBQ is your spot. It offers a selection of sauces, which you can either pour over your meat or have on the side. The restaurant is also praised for its beautiful, homey decor.
Really decent St. Louis ribs and baby back ribs can be found at Bubba’s Bar-B-Que – a chilled-out brunch and barbecue joint in Jackson Hole. The ribs are slowly smoked over applewood, finished on the char-broiler, then coated in sauce. Customers say the portions are huge, and that the meat tastes amazing.
Now discover America's best barbecue styles and where to try them
Last updated by Dominique Ayling.