Barbecue joints aren't hard to find in Texas, but San Antonio locals are still willing to drive 20 miles to Adkins to check out Texas Pride Barbecue. Guy recommends their #1 selling smoked brisket, which is made even better with a side of baked beans.

A family-owned and operated restaurant that serves Korean cuisine; their house favorites are Bibimbap, Gochujang Chicken and Spicy Pork Bulgogi. Kenji Ichikawa, patron-turned-(co)owner, says he loves the level of attention Soy Bistro gives to their cuisine and to their customers, pledging to uphold the standard.

At Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint, to go "whole hog" literally means roasting a 200-pound hog in its entirety. The meat is hit with a signature blend of spices, then cooked over hickory wood for 24 hours, which Michael Symon said results in “the perfect bite of pork.” Michael’s favorite order is the whole hog platter accompanied by sides such as the bacon-studded broccoli salad and onion-flecked hushpuppies. The succulent meat also serves as the filling for the sliders, which made Guy Fieri a fan. He called the pork “beyond juicy and moist and flavorful.”

55 South serves up traditional Southern dishes like the Nashville Hot Chicken and the Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya. But the fresh seafood served here is also a major highlight. Guy loves the “wood smoke component” of the char-grilled oysters topped with garlic-lemon butter and Parmesan.

Guy loves Phat Bites’ Long Life Salad served on a bed of kale with black-eyed peas, Christmas lima beans, black beans, split lentils, red quinoa, pecans, dried cranberries, gold raisins, plums, mangoes and a citrus vinaigrette. Prefer a sandwich? Try the Big Jerk with jerk pork, cheese and onions.

At Center Point Pit Barbecue, owner Robert Duke smokes his pork until in turns "black as night." But as Guy learned on DDD, the holiday ham is unlike any other. After a four-day brine and a six-hour smoke, the ham is sprinkled with sugar and torched, resulting in a delicious "ham brittle," Guy says.

Cafe Rakka is no ordinary restaurant. Rather, it's a "Nashville-Mediterranean-Indian experience in Music City," according to Guy, where you'll find country music legends among the regulars. Try the filet mignon kebabs, cooked on a sizzling Himalayan salt block, for a flavor-packed meal.

The saying goes that if Colonel Sanders had Uncle Lou's fried chicken recipe, he'd be a general. On The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Guy loved Lou's "crazy" fried chicken that's dipped into a sauce once called "Corruption." Now, thanks to Guy, it has been rechristened Sweet Spicy Love.

The food at this gastropub is cheap and in some cases free, but it all tastes great. One of the signature dishes is the duck fried rice, which Guy was crazy about and it costs only $5. Guy also liked the free and addictive house seasoned popcorn. Try the Jack and Coke bread pudding too.

At this upscale diner, Chef Michael Patrick is reinventing Southern comfort food. The savory chorizo meatloaf juxtaposed with tangy green tomato gravy tantalized Guy's taste buds, while the lobster pronto pups had a light batter and perfectly tender meat.

Leonard's Pit Barbecue owner Dan Brown says if you visit for dinner you'll experience the same delicious recipes passed down from "last century" to "last week" Open since 1922, this iconic Memphis, Tenn., eatery has loads of fans, like Guy, who called the chopped pork sandwich "all-star barbecue."

Chef Suhair may be from Jerusalem, but she can cook Southern food "like no other." Her fried chicken, which Guy describes as light and crispy, has a secret Middle Eastern twist. The menu rotates during the week, but crowd-pleasers like corn sticks and poppin' Johns are served fresh daily.

You might not see locals at Graceland, but you'll definitely see them at Marlowe's Ribs. Like Guy, locals know they can call Marlowe's for a free pink-limo ride to the restaurant. Good thing too because Guy couldn't wait to try the Elvis favorite: ribs smothered in Marlowe's tangy barbecue sauce.

Cozy Corner knows its Tennessee barbecue and locals come in droves for their ribs, wings and smoked sausage. But Guy was caught off-guard by their equally tasty whole chickens and bologna barbecue sandwiches. The real kicker? Cornish hens. Guy says you'll just have to come over and get your own.

At this farm-to-table eatery Chef Mac Edwards buys his ingredients directly from the source. The pan-seared catfish with mac 'n' cheese and greens as well as the banh mi Guy called "outstanding." Guy got messy with the sloppy joe full of "big flavor." Locals love the country fried pork chops.