Cheesy, creamy, and all-round scrumptious, mac 'n' cheese is the ultimate comfort food. It can be a decadent side dish or a meal in its own right, loaded with truffle, lobster tail, or barbecued meats. Wondering where to go for the best mac near you? We've got you. From the home-style to the high end, read on for the best mac ‘n’ cheese dishes in every state. 

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the most deliciously comforting mac 'n' cheese near you.

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 Nashville hot chicken restaurant Hattie B's Hot Chicken, the mac 'n' cheese with pimento is a side order – but customers think it's the best thing on the menu. Guaranteed to cool your mouth down after eating the spiciest chicken on the menu, the contents of the tiny pot are absolutely drowned in delicious cheese sauce.

Casual bar and restaurant Spenard Roadhouse serves a classic take on mac 'n' cheese that customers describe as the 'best ever.' The dish sees pasta shells smothered in a cream, Parmesan, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack sauce, then topped with breadcrumbs. There’s the option to jazz it up with bacon, broccoli, or tomato – plus the menu also features a vegan version of the dish. Warning: it comes as a small plate, but you're going to want to eat a lot more.

You'd expect good things from classy American restaurant Rusconi's anyway, but the indulgent white truffle scented mac 'n' cheese – made with white truffle cream and San Joaquin Gold (a hard cow's cheese) – is an exceptional dish. It comes in a little pot as a side dish, and customers say it's sublime.

Barbecue lovers will adore the Loaded Mac from Wright’s Barbecue, which operates Tuesday through Saturday in Johnson, Bentonville, and Little Rock. The pasta is al dente and swimming in cheese, and it comes topped with brisket or pulled pork and barbecue sauce – a match made in heaven. It's available as a main dish or as a side.

For insanely good mac 'n' cheese, head to Homeroom in Oakland – its menu features seven types of the dish, as well as a range of specials. The Buffalo chicken mac 'n' cheese (grilled chicken, sharp Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Buffalo sauce, chopped scallions, crispy breadcrumbs, and homemade ranch) is a tried-and-true customer favorite. You can also customize the dishes here, so if you like, you can get your mac topped with Flamin' Hot Cheetos for extra fire and crunch.

The best mac 'n' cheese in the Centennial State is said to come from Steuben’s Uptown in Denver. The restaurant's flavorful take on the classic comfort dish features elbow macaroni smothered in a béchamel made with six cheeses, then topped with crispy panko breadcrumbs and optional green chiles. A large portion is big enough for two, so you can share the love.

Cozy Connecticut restaurant Home serves several mac 'n' cheese dishes, including one that comes loaded with shrimp and sherry-stewed tomatoes, and topped with a bacon breadcrumb crumble. However, the all-time favorite here is the spicy Buffalo chicken mac, which is served topped with blue cheese. Customers say it's utterly delicious.

At Wilmington pizza restaurant La Pizzeria Metro, the wood-fired mac 'n' cheese – made with a tempting blend of cheeses – is the surprising star of the show. It comes served in a skillet, is perfectly golden on top, and is highly recommended by those who've tried it. You can also choose to add toppings such as sausage, smoked pork belly, or buffalo chicken to make it even more decadent.

Laid-back Patty Macs Restaurant has made a name for itself serving a lobster mac 'n' cheese that customers describe as irresistible. Made with mascarpone, soft Italian fontina cheese, Gruyère, Cognac, tarragon, and lobster meat, it’s ultra-rich and creamy. After you’ve come here once, you’ll keep returning again and again.

For a fine-dining take on mac 'n' cheese, head to glamorous Wisteria in Atlanta. Here, you can get your hands on a generous portion of the classic comfort dish, complete with collard greens and a deliciously crisp cheese crust. Some people say it’s the best mac 'n' cheese they’ve ever had.

Multi-award-winning Honolulu restaurant The Surfing Pig's fan-favorite dishes include brisket burgers, pork sandwiches, truffle fries, and a smoky barbecue take on mac 'n' cheese. Made with campanelle pasta, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack cheese sauce, it comes topped with Kalua pork, barbecue sauce, and fried onions – and customers love it.

The mac 'n' cheese at Bittercreek Alehouse gets high ratings from happy customers. Served in a skillet, it's made with freshly grated smoked Gouda and mild Cheddar cheese, and it comes topped with toasted breadcrumbs. You can opt to make it even tastier by adding bacon, chicken, or jalapeños.

Served at buzzy bar Bub City in Chicago, Phoebe's Mac N' Cheesy is rich, indulgent, and incredibly cheesy (as its name suggests) – and not only that, but it comes in huge servings. If you really want to push the boat out, you can top it with chili, pulled pork, or brisket. Customers say the brisket version is particularly delicious.

Topped with tasty garlic breadcrumbs, the five-cheese mac 'n' cheese at rustic restaurant The Eagle might be a side dish, but customers can't get enough of it. The decadent dish comes served in a skillet overflowing with creamy sauce – and it goes particularly well with the joint's perfectly crispy and juicy fried chicken.

The best mac 'n' cheese in Iowa can be found at Cheese Bar in Des Moines. To make it, the restaurant's chefs add tube pasta and a cheesy sauce made with Gouda and Cheddar to a searing-hot cast-iron skillet, so it goes crispy on the bottom – and they sprinkle breadcrumbs on top for added crunch. Satisfied customers highly recommend trying it.

One of the standout dishes at swanky fusion restaurant Wine Dive is the mac 'n' cheese. The perfect dish for cheese and seafood lovers alike, it features lobster, shrimp, and crab tossed in a creamy fontina, Cheddar, American cheese, and white wine sauce with curly cavatappi pasta. It's served with slices of locally made baguette, which are perfect for mopping up every last bit.

Customers rave about the mac 'n' cheese from whiskey hall and live music venue Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen in Louisville. The shareable side dish features five deliciously melty cheeses and a crispy herb crust. Happy customers call it 'five-star mac ‘n’ cheese,' and say it's the best in the city.

Customers describe the roasted garlic mac 'n' cheese at esteemed barbecue joint Blue Oak BBQ as a must-try dish. It’s super-creamy, cheesy, and it comes topped with crunchy breadcrumbs – although you really have to love garlic to get through all of it. If you can't make it to New Orleans, there's a second location in Huntsville, Alabama.

Nearly every joint in Maine with mac 'n' cheese on the menu serves a dish with lobster in it, but cozy Side Street Cafe’s version is particularly special. It’s a creamy bowl of pasta shells (rather than macaroni) with plenty of shaved cheese and a huge amount of lobster. Be warned: it will ruin every other mac 'n' cheese for you. 

Nowadays, it’s easy to find good lobster mac 'n' cheese – but a delicious crab mac is harder to come by. For the best, head to modern American restaurant The Chasseur in Baltimore. It’s a fiery take on the classic dish, made with fresh jumbo lump crab, Old Bay (paprika and celery salt seasoning), Cheddar, and sriracha. The punchy flavors work together perfectly.

Craft beer bar Olde Magoun's Saloon knows what it’s doing when it comes to mac 'n' cheese. The joint's signature mac is always baked to order in a cast iron skillet with a choice of grilled Polish sausage, blackened chicken, Buffalo chicken, or steak. Whatever version you choose, you can't go wrong.

The exceptionally cheesy mac 'n' cheese at Slows Bar BQ in Detroit is a crowd favorite that's not to be missed. It comes as a side dish, and it has a tempting orange crust – evidence of how delightfully cheese-heavy it is.

Some of the most beautiful lobster mac 'n' cheese money can buy is served at seafood restaurant Smack Shack, which has three locations (two in Minneapolis, and one in Roseville). A blend of semi-soft Italian Taleggio, sweetcorn, and breadcrumbs makes it stand out from other mac 'n' cheese dishes. Customers say it’s everything you could ever want from the dish; it's creamy, rich, and buttery, with a little crunch.

The smoked mac 'n' cheese side that comes with the barbecue plate at The Pig & Pint in Jackson might not look like much, but the small pot of cheesy pasta gets rave reviews. It’s described as creamy with a hint of smoke, and some customers say it's to die for.

Fancy barbecue restaurant The Shaved Duck serves a fantastic mac ‘n’ cheese that features a creamy, cheesy, savory sauce, and crispy breadcrumbs. Sometimes, the joint also offers an amazing mac 'n' cheese special featuring duck chili. Whichever you go for, it's bound to be absolutely delicious.

Miles City spot Black Iron Grill is famous for serving the tastiest mac 'n' cheese in Montana, made with a three-cheese sauce, curly cavatappi pasta, and breadcrumbs. The best part is that you can add spicy sausage, shrimp, steak, rotisserie chicken, or crispy chicken to make the dish even more flavorful.

Visitors to cozy and casual restaurant Modern Love only have good things to say about its plant-based Classic Mac & Shews. The heavenly dish contains creamy cashew 'cheese' sauce, crispy tofu 'chicken,' garlicky sautéed kale, and chives. It’s so satisfying that once you've tried it, you won't want to go back to non-vegan versions. There's also a version containing Buffalo cauliflower, which is pretty tasty too.

The famous Breakfast Mac from comfort food spot Truffles N Bacon Cafe doesn’t hold back. The huge dish is packed with bacon, ham, and mushrooms, and comes topped with hash browns, a fried egg, and truffle oil. Calling it good is an understatement, according to satisfied patrons.

This casual mac 'n' cheese joint (which has six outposts across New Hampshire) should be at the top of your must-visit list if you love comfort food. The restaurant's Blazin' Buffalo Chicken mac 'n' cheese – with Buffalo sauce, chicken, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, American cheese, and a pot of blue cheese or ranch dressing – is a customer favorite.

At Jersey City joint Emma's you can expect to find plenty of hearty, comforting Southern-style fare – and there's nothing heartier or more comforting than the joint's cast iron mac 'n' cheese, loaded with Cheddar, pepperjack, smoked Gouda, and Gruyère. The creamy, cheesy, great-tasting dish gets customers coming back time and time again.

At Nexus Brewery & Restaurant, a New Mexico soul food restaurant in Albuquerque, fried chicken (or fried catfish) with a side of mac 'n' cheese is the order of the day. The mac's portion size is huge, and it never fails to impress; many customers say it's the best part of the meal.

Southern-style bar Jacob's Pickles in New York City has a huge number of loyal customers, and one of its most beloved dishes is its Buffalo chicken mac 'n' cheese. Far from plain and boring, it’s spicy and creamy, and it comes topped with a blue cheese drizzle. It’s also near impossible to finish in one sitting – but we'd give it a good try!

On the menu at quirky brunch and dinner spot Haberdish you'll find Southern classics such as fried chicken, smoked chicken in white sauce, and barbecue ribs. But the mac 'n' cheese – with a three-cheese mornay sauce, and an extra-cheesy crust on top – is the dish to order. Ask for it with spicy, crispy chicken skins for texture, and it will exceed all expectations.

Head to Würst Bier Hall, which has locations in Downtown Fargo and West Fargo, for a European take on classic mac: spaetzle mac 'n' cheese. The dish features spaetzle pasta pieces in a buttery beurre blanc cheese sauce, and it makes the perfect accompaniment to a great German beer. What's more, it comes with your choice of sausage.

For the tastiest mac in Ohio, head to Lucky's Cafe in Cleveland. Hearty and satisfying, Lucky's take on the classic dish is made with a decadent blend of Cheddar, Brie, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses, and it comes topped with a generous sprinkle of brioche breadcrumbs. There's even a portion of applesauce on the side. Some customers say it's the best mac 'n' cheese they've ever had.

If you’re looking for good mac 'n' cheese in Oklahoma City, make a beeline for modern diner The Press. On the menu there's a Buffalo Mac made with radiatori pasta (so named because it resembles tiny radiators) and topped with spicy Buffalo chicken, blue cheese, green onions, and a ranch drizzle. You can choose to have barbecue chicken instead of Buffalo, if you prefer.

Herb's food truck in Portland is known for serving the creamiest, most creative mac 'n' cheese around. To make it, penne macaroni is smothered in a secret cheese sauce, then topped with your choice of chicken, hot dog, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, or spinach. Every order is made from scratch – and happy customers say it's worth the wait.

A taste sensation, English-style pub The Dandelion’s mac 'n' cheese incorporates braised ham hock and Cheddar. Served in a skillet with a heavy blanket of cheese, it’s certainly not a light version of the dish – but people who visit say it’s one of the best they've ever tried.

Providence restaurant Hemenway's serves a lobster mac 'n' cheese to be reckoned with. Topped with seasoned crumbs and served with garlic spinach, the fancy dish consists of whole lobster and cavatappi pasta in a Vermont white Cheddar béchamel sauce. Many customers vouch that it’s the best around.

People who visit classy brunch and dinner spot Crave are highly enthusiastic about its Famous Mac & Cheese. Made with mature Cheddar, Parmesan, mozzarella, cavatappi pasta, and the 'chef's special ingredients,' it's no ordinary dish. Optional extras include scallops, short rib, Buffalo chicken, shrimp, bacon, and mushrooms.

Irish pub Murphy’s serves a rather refined mac 'n' cheese consisting of Cheddar, Monterey Jack, blue cheese, Parmesan, and corkscrew pasta. It's got a strong flavor, so kids might not like it so much – but adults love it. Try topping it with spicy grilled chicken to make it even more of a satisfying meal.

Modern cocktail, pizza, and burger bar The Stillery in Nashville has one dish that steals the show: the mac 'n' cheese, which is made with cavatappi pasta, house cheese sauce, buttery breadcrumbs, and hot chicken. The combination of crispy, spicy chicken and creamy mac is unbeatable – it's a must-try dish if you’re in town.

There’s more to casual Seabrook joint The Backyard than mac 'n' cheese, but it’s certainly where you should start. The NOLA Mac is made with white Cheddar, mozzarella, andouille sausage (a smoked Cajun sausage), blackened shrimp, onions, and green peppers. Some customers love the dish so much that they order it every time they visit.

At casual restaurant Station 22, you can find the all the American comfort food you loved growing up. Its mac 'n' cheese, featuring smoked Cheddar, Parmesan, and toasted breadcrumbs, is a real crowd-pleaser. It’s super-cheesy, has a crunchy crust, and hits the spot every time.

You won’t find more creative mac 'n' cheeses than the ones at Our House Bistro, where the options include a Breakfast Mac (complete with a fried egg on top) and a Cheeseburger Mac (with ground beef, fries, and ketchup). But the version customers rave about is the Poutine Mac, which comes with bacon, mushrooms, Cheddar curds, gravy, crispy fries, and scallions – it combines so many great flavors in one dish.

For an extra-decadent twist on a favorite dish, head to The Grilled Cheese Bistro in Norfolk. This place serves a toasted sourdough sandwich filled with sautéed lemon-thyme lobster, black truffle mac 'n' cheese, and Cheddar – and customers say it's the tastiest, creamiest treat around.

Casual barbecue restaurant Wood Shop BBQ serves a spicy smoked jalapeño mac 'n' cheese that's said to smell so good it'll knock your socks off. What's more, hungry diners can opt to get it topped with the likes of Portobello mushrooms, pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, and brisket chili. 

Pub and restaurant Huntington Ale House combines two amazing dishes in its mouth-watering pepperoni pizza mac 'n' cheese: cheesy mac topped with mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, marinara sauce, and pepperoni slices. But if pizza pasta isn’t for you, there are other gourmet options to choose from, such as Cajun chicken mac 'n' cheese and Philly steak mac 'n' cheese.

Looking for a cheesy bite to eat in Madison? You can't go wrong with a serving of The Old Fashioned's classic mac 'n' cheese, made with aged Wisconsin Cheddar and flavor-packed SarVecchio Parmesan. Impressively cheesy, customers say it's the best they've ever tried. If you like your mac a little meatier, try the bacon version – it's equally delicious.

The Epic Mac at HQ BBQ, a buzzing smokehouse in Evansville, may be a side dish, but it’s still thought of as one of the best takes on mac 'n' cheese the state has to offer. It's so rich, creamy, and delicious that a small portion is just enough.

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Last updated by Dominique Ayling.