Best Barbecue Restaurants From 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'

The second the warm weather of late spring hits, you can smell it in the air. Smoky wood-burning over charcoal, the mouthwatering aroma of dry-rubbed pork shoulders and 18-hour briskets in the air. And Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives host Guy Fieri has spent over 40 seasons going whole-hog across the country in search of the best barbecue dishes.

Everything is bigger in Texas, especially the dinosaur-sized beef ribs at Louie Mueller's Barbecue in Taylor, Texas. Third-generation pitmaster Wayne Mueller starts lighting the fires and loading the meats as early as 3 a.m. at this joint. Such dedication pays off: The brisket is so juicy that no sauce is needed, and the monstrous beef ribs feature a thick, peppery crust that gives way to tender, luscious meat.

Pitmaster Melissa Cookston knows BBQ: She's won the Memphis in May award twice and is the only female BBQ world champion (which she's won the title of seven times, by the way). Guy got messy with the deliciously tender baby back ribs and he loved the Crunch Burger with pork rinds and juke sauce. The cheese fritters, pulled pork and brisket are local favorites.

At Southern Soul Barbeque, they like things sweet. And they mean sweet: Each rib gets coated in brown sugar and Tupelo honey. The result is super-tender ribs and pulled pork with a unique woody smokiness.

Are you in need of a cure for the common Buffalo wing? Hickory House's crispy, smoked wings are made by someone who cares enough to cut the wings into tasty lollipops. And a blue cheese dressing you could eat with a fork doesn’t hurt either.

Guy stumbled upon Firehole Bar-B-Que Company just four days after it opened. Little Mike Shults and his father, Big Mike Shults, restaurant vets with a place in Idaho, smoke meats in a trailer right outside of Yellowstone National Park. Briskets are better in Big Sky Country, with Guy praising the smoke flavor and bark. Other fan-favorites include ribs and pulled pork, but be sure to order a side of their signature corn salad.

Stack City BBQ originally started as The Sugar Shack BBQ trailer in 2006 before expanding as a storefront under the name Slab BBQ & Beer in 2014. Guy's visit and massive growth followed. After over 20 years filled with happy customers but also tough challenges, pitmaster Mark Avalos announced Stack City as his newest evolution of the restaurant. But don't worry, Mark is still slangin' low-and-slow BBQ and incredible sandwiches in a '90s hip-hop atmosphere, where Guy found the very first rib sandwich in the history of DDD, made with their deboned smoked ribs, Soul-Glo sauce, pickles and onions. “The angels in Flavortown are crying,” said Guy.

The family-operated Sun Wah BBQ has some of the best and most authentic Chinese barbecue in Chicago. Served up Hong Kong-style, menu highlights include peanut butter egg rolls, crispy Beijing duck and a whole roasted suckling pig that Rahm Fama says is "mouthwateringly delicious."

Down by the Mississippi, you'll find a sizable "shed" that houses a loyal community of barbecue lovers and live blues music. At The Shed, the specialty of the house, or should we say "of the shed," is baby back ribs, which Guy calls "as tender as you can get." They also serve up some righteous chicken "wangs" and brisket in massive quantities.

Seattle was severely lacking in Kansas- and Texas-style BBQ until Matt Davis and James Barrington brought Wood Shop BBQ to life. This family-friendly joint has a simple formula: tender meats smoked in solid hickory for maximum flavor. The menu features meat by the pound (which includes a killer brisket), pork spare ribs, smoked wings, sandwiches, mac-and-cheese bowls and every side dish under the sun.

If Guy can't stop talking about how incredible a pulled pork sandwich is, it's time to get in the car and get yourself down there. The Pecan Lodge in Dallas is crankin' out 'cue classics from tail to snout, and Aunt Polly’s Banana Pudding is well-known deep in the heart of Texas.

Diners flock to HoBo's BBQ for the best barbecue in Southern California. Guy tried the BBQ lasagna, a unique dish of pulled pork and chicken layered with pasta sheets, cheese and barbecue sauce.

Twin brothers Jonathan and Justin Fox are serving up a hearty taste of their home state at this Texan barbecue joint in Atlanta, where they smoke around 10,000 pounds of pork and brisket weekly. Guy is a fan of the Fox Bros. “Burger,” which stars hickory-smoked brisket topped with a melty pimento cheese patty, peppered bacon, pickles, tomato and onion, all on a toasted bun. If you like spice, try their Texacutioner, pictured above, a mouth-watering combo of brisket and hickory smoked jalapeño cheddar sausage, topped with mustard, onion and pickles on a brioche bun. Don't skip on dessert — they make their Georgia Peach Cake with local Georgia peaches (obviously!) from Pearson Farms.

Andy Harris used to be a tour manager for rock bands, firing up his smoker for the crews. After sizzling success, he decided that San Diego was in need of some real Texas barbecue, and Grand Ole BBQ and Asado was born. Teaming up with chef Ami Cisneros, who competed on BBQ Brawl Season 4, they're bringing a strong smoke game to the Bay Area. While you're there, be sure to check out the massive El Borracho Beef Rib with housemade queso and pickled red onion relish.

Not satisfied with being just a butcher shop, barbecue master Chuck Frommer runs the Road Kill Gill six days a week, and has a serious claim to the best barbecue in Vegas. At John Mull's Meats and Road Kill Grill, Guy fell in love with the hot links, which are cured for 16 hours before swimming in smoke for another six. Locals swear by the ribs and pulled pork, but those in the know wait for the days they're serving up mouthwateringly tender tri-tip.

You can't get more honky tonk than The Tonk in Chicago. Their pulled pork won the coveted Memphis in May award, one of the most prestigious awards in BBQ. From rib tips and baby backs to the biggest of beef ribs, they're serving everything but the oink and moo.

Smoque is all about barbecue tradition; even the baked beans are infused with smoky flavor. The ribs are simply irresistible, coated in a Memphis-style dry rub and glazed with a sweet, tangy barbecue sauce. Guy can’t get enough of the brisket, which he declares “capital T, tender!"

At Center Point Pit Barbecue, owner Robert Duke smokes his pork until it 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 treat that Guy referred to as "ham brittle."

Matt Vicedomini turns out big flavors from inside his tiny food truck, where he’s smoking meats that'll make your mouth water. At Matt's BBQ, Guy loved the "pull-apart tender," Texas-style spare ribs, which come smothered in an onion-and-garlic-laced glaze. If you've still got room after that, fill that BBQ void with a Whole Shabamwich: a hefty sandwich that’s stacked with pulled pork, sausages, brisket and a rib, along with coleslaw and pickles. “It’s dynamite, man,” Guy raved.

Does the phrase “tender, smoked, charred and chopped meat candy” do anything for you? If so, you’re going to need to hit up Butcher’s Kitchen Char-B-Que in Reno as soon as possible. The picturesque piggy nuggets come with a guajillo-pineapple house barbecue sauce that, sadly, is not available by the pitcher.

Having learned the tricks of the BBQ trade from his grandmother in her smoke shack, chef Kevin Bludso has had a lifetime of experience on the grill. After leaving his job as a corrections officer, he opened his namesake shop and has been serving Texas-style barbecue ever since.

The Improper Pig is not your standard Southern barbecue joint. Here, classic Carolina 'cue shares the menu with new-school creations shot through with Asian flavors. “There is nothing that I do not love about this,” exclaimed Guy when he tucked into the Chaobao Taco. Opt for this dish and you’ll get a steamed bun stuffed with succulent pulled pork that’s slathered with hoisin sauce and topped with a housemade coleslaw.

Cochon Volant is serving up old-school barbecue in the heart of California wine country. Chef Larman puts his unique spin on fried chicken by soaking it in a sweet-and-spicy brine laced with Granny Smith apples and pasilla chile paste. “This is a chef’s fried chicken,” said Guy between bites. Their other claim to fame is the towering WTF Burger. A seared beef patty is topped with 14-hour smoked brisket, smoked pork shoulder, house-cured maple bacon, a fried chipotle pork cake, melted cheddar cheese and housemade barbecue sauce.

Follow your nose through Bakersfield to the smell of Salty's BBQ for what Guy calls "real-deal barbecue." On a scale of one to 10, customers "wish they could give it a 10.5." The Salty's Special takes the best of BBQ: a slow-smoked tri-tip and pulled pork sandwich on Texas toast with their housemade sauce and coleslaw. "Does it come with a free beach towel?" laughed Guy.

Did anyone have Alabama barbecue sauce in Vermont on their list today? Just us? Getting an extra bit of twang from gochujang, the sauce is served with Bluebird BBQ's smoked pitmaster wings. Smoked wings, by the way, that are deep-fried and dusted before heading to your table with that heavenly sauce.

There’s a reason Smokey D’s racks up so many awards: The team prepares some of the best BBQ in the Midwest, with three full smokers turning out brisket, ribs and more around the clock. You can’t go wrong with any of the meats, but Guy recommends the smoked chicken wings in particular, which come smothered in your choice of house sauces. For a decadent finish, order the apple dumpling. This sweet yet tangy dish comprises crisp dough and syrup-soaked soft dough, with tart apple tucked inside.

In an odd location, inside a cellular store, Capital City BBQ is bringing the savory umami of Vietnamese cuisine and Texas-style BBQ. Co-owners Regan Louchart and chef Linh Lee are fusing their two cultures together for a truly unique dining experience. The Brisket Bahn Mi is a combination of meltingly tender smoked brisket and classic banh mi toppings like pickled daikon, cucumber and cilantro.

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.

Guy stepped into a rock ’n’ roll fantasy straight out of Flavortown upon entering Meat Southern B.B.Q. & Carnivore Cuisine. Standouts include the house-smoked pork belly pastrami and pickle fries that are “another level of ridiculous.” Don’t miss the smoked wings with the coffee-kissed Black Magic sauce.

While looking for a space to produce pickles for his growing enterprise, chef Daniel Sheridan stumbled upon a building on the edge of Little Italy, and a concept for a whole-new venture started coming to life. With the goal of pairing barbecue with pickles, Locale BBQ Post took off like hickory wood in a smoker, selling out of meat by 2 p.m. on their first day.