So i’m heading to the US and going to Los Angeles/Vegas/Miami/New York/San Fran. I’m looking to try some American BBQ but not heading down south where i hear it is the best. Wondering out of these places I’m going where i can find the best BBQ?

49 comments

  1. I would assume some outskirts of Miami would. *maybe* Vegas would have some? It wouldn’t be authentic though. LA, SF, and NY would probably have some chain restaurants, but I wouldn’t expect it to be anything close to the real stuff

  2. Your best bet is probably Miami. All these places are not it if you’re looking for BBQ, but Miami is probably the closest

  3. None of these cities have a distinct BBQ culture that they’re known for. I’m sure you’ll be able to find BBQ. People in this country move and bring their food with them. Get on Google Maps and do some exploring.

    Also are you here for like…2-3 months? This seems to be a lot of time being spent in transit and crisscrossing the country and I’m kind of concerned you chose cities because you’ve seen them in news/tv/social media. I’d encourage you to actually look at things you want to do and then decide where to go, not just some guidebook or influencer says you should go to these places

    Keep in mind the US is about the size of Europe. You really should visit regions and not try to see the entire country, you’ll burn yourself out. Especially if you’re only here for the more typical 1-2 week visit.

    I just back from a week in LA and I could’ve easily spent a second week there. There’s a lot to do and a lot of great food. Its just BBQ isn’t what its known for. Food trucks are the key in this city. Fruit vendors are good for a quick snack. Mexican food is amazing and you’ll be eating Mexican food a lot while there.

    I also spent a week in SF. There’s lots of great food there, but I’d struggle to give it a firm food identity like say Chicago has with pizza or NYC has with bagels. Great Chinatown, make sure to visit the Fortune Cookie shop.

    EDIT: **Saw in a comment you are here for 3 weeks, not 3 months.**

    I think you should pick TWO areas to visit.. Give yourself a good base and then use that base to do day trips out of it. All of these cities have plenty of day trips where you can rent a car (or in NYC use transit) and see some great stuff. This also gives you some downtime if you ever just need a couple days to rest and relax.

    Part of traveling is doing your own homework. Get on Google Maps and explore. If you’re not ready to do that, maybe go somewhere where you’re more familiar with the area.

  4. None of them are really known for their BBQ.

    You’ll probably find a decent BBQ chain restaurant in any of them. Might even find a local joint with a good rep. But they aren’t really known for BBQ.

    Of all of them your best bet is probably NYC if only because of how huge and diverse it is.

  5. None of those places is known for BBQ. At all. All have great culinary scenes you need to check out though.

    Please tell me your itinerary includes things other than just those cities. Please go see some beauty and wilderness.

  6. You may be able to find a couple restaurants in those cities that have decent bbq. But none of them will be something to rave about.

    If you’re really wanting American bbq, you might as well add an overnight stop (assuming you’re flying) in one of the bbq Mecca’s (Texas, St. Louis, Memphis, the Carolinas) because they’ll serve you *real* bbq.

  8. You’d be better off going to the individual subs for these cities and asking the question (I actually wish this sub would just link to some of the major city subreddits). Those cities might only have 1 place each that has good bbq, and there isn’t a high enough concentration of people from those places here to really help you.

  10. NY doesn’t have all that strong a BBQ scene. I think the other comments are right about Miami being the best of the bunch but frankly none of the cities mentioned are places to go for BBQ

  11. I’m sure you’ll find BBQ restaurants in those cities, but none of them are true barbecue cities. As someone from the Midwest I’m obviously going to tell you that KC and Texas have the best BBQ. In Vegas and Miami in particular, I’d expect to be massively disappointed but then again there are enough transplants in those cities that who knows.

  12. In Miami my favorite is [Hometown BBQ](https://hometownbbqmiami.com), it just got a Michelin star rating. My sons favorite is [Society BBQ](https://halessocietybbq.com), I haven’t been but I have eaten that chefs other restaurants and he has been featured on food network several times so it’s gotta be good.

    Neither of these places fall into traditional southern barbecue, however are DELICIOUS.

    We also have a restaurant on Miami Beach that is upscale southern called Yard Bird Southern Kitchen and Bar and I freeking love it.

  13. I mean, if you go to Lucille’s BBQ in Henderson (Southeast of Las Vegas, but technically a different city) that’s the best BBQ I have ever had by far. But I’m not exactly well traveled outside of the Southwest U.S.

  14. When you’re there, ask a few locals. All these places have a handful of dedicated barbecue practitioners, often operating out of food trucks. In SF, you’re next to Oakland, which will definitely have some good BBQ. Just ask around and they’ll tell you; that’s seriously the best way.

    Holy shit that’s a lot of traveling. Yeah, ask the locals for sure. You’re gonna be exhausted but I hope you have fun. I think I’d have skipped Miami unless you’re gonna hit the theme parks.

    Vegas has every kind of food, and very very good versions but I advise you to go off the strip for your meals(and your weed, and anything else you might need). That’s where I had the best food.

  15. As others have stated, none of those cities has a great BBQ culture, however I think you might have the best luck in Los Angeles, mainly because so many people from the South and Midwest moved there during the dustbowl era. It’s also possible you could find some good BBQ in Harlem, since so many people from North Carolina moved there during the same era. You might try joining a group from each of those cities and asking about authentic BBQ.

    Also, you should know that BBQ varies widely by region. North Carolina BBQ is not even homogenous within the state! Definitely learn about the different regional types of BBQ and try as many as you can.

  16. None of those cities has a decent barbecue culture but my guess would be that LA or NYC are the most likely to have a good spot based on sheer population numbers and migration patterns from the South. This is the type of answer you’d have better luck asking a local subreddit.

  17. Unless you find a transplanted southerner, your chances of good American barbecue are slim. I would focus on the local specialties. You might be able to find barbecue if you travel far enough inland from Miami. Miami is going to be a lot of Caribbean/Northeastern US influence, and will be a good place to get Cuban food. New York is known for delicatessens, pizza, and bagels. LA has Cali-Mex and has the largest Filipino population in the US.

    Edit: corrected autocorrect’s mistake

  18. Gonna start another parent comment chain rather than the one I had because I feel like I want to help. I was in LA and SF just last month.

    r/askSF and r/asklosangeles r/losangeles also have great Wikis and other resources

    Here are my LA food recs. **Cash is king and may give you slight discounts**, and in terms of street food/food trucks just makes the process a lot smoother. I was based out of Santa Monica so mine is primarily going to be west side, downtown, maybe a bit of Hollywood):

    * [Bootleg Tacos](https://goo.gl/maps/mH68k7jpEphNqnKj9), which when I was in LA was located on the sidewalk outside of this [Whole Foods](https://goo.gl/maps/4aDGk17HLh6erFtC6). ***GET THE TACOS AL PASTOR***
    * LA has just a shit ton of these donut/bakery/boba tea places. The closest one to me was [Donut King](https://goo.gl/maps/CHwwLwGwF8nvVkNf8), but I saw them all over the city.
    * The Santa Monica Pier is mostly substandard tourist trap garbage, but [JAPDOG](https://g.page/japadog-at-santa-monica-pier?share) was very tasty.
    * You’ll see fruit vendors all over the touristy spots of LA. $5-8 will get you a cup of fruit. And its actually pretty good! But look for a fruit vendor who is keeping the fruit on ice and is slicing the fruit fresh for each order. Someone who already has it pre-assembled in a cup, just avoid it.
    * [This hot dog stand downtown was pretty tasty.](https://goo.gl/maps/cg2NAxnxb3YMkMrV7)
    * R[eally good birria tacos at this little hole in the wall place in Santa Monica.](https://g.page/samosoaxaca?share)

    SF, and still have some cash on you for low dollar items especially in Chinatown.

    * [These are legit the best damn fortune cookies I’ve ever had](https://goo.gl/maps/fbT48dBPedMJHb7W8). They also sell flat fortune cookies that they say pair really well with ice cream. We ended up bringing a bunch home with us.
    * [Il Cilientano](https://goo.gl/maps/ShSSwzXCwpLoyKLZ8) for Italian. This is a pasta heavy Italian place, no pizza. And traditionally in Italian, pasta dishes are kind of small so I ended up ordering two dishes. It was really, really good.
    * [This gelato place was awesome](https://g.page/lush-gelato-north-beach?share)
    * [Terra Cotta Warrior](https://goo.gl/maps/stz3tsaF9ee6vLnW9) – good amount of spice
    * Don’t skip on the deli experience. SF is full of them. The best ones make freshly made sandwiches and the bread in SF is A+. Just find the one closest to you or when you’re out and about. Great for an on-the-go breakfast or lunch.
    * [Really great croissants from an actual French person who knows what a croissant should be like, and hand pulled espresso.](https://g.page/LaCuisineCafeSF?share)

    Even if you don’t want to eat at these places, I encourage you to explore these general areas. There’s lots of good restaurants that I bookmarked but didn’t end up going to just because it was too far away, not enough time, or the business hours didn’t work with our plans.

  19. World class southern bbq? None of the above. Really, really good Caribbean and Cuban BBQ? Miami.

  21. I’d guess NY becuase it might have q bigger soul food tradition from the Great Migration.

  22. Do you understand how big of a country this is? It’s the same as traveling from Darwin to Melbourne to Perth to Brisbane to Broome to Alice Springs. You will spend weeks just traveling, especially if you have layovers. You will also need to rent a car in most of these places. If I were you I would seriously re-evaluate your trip and try to narrow it down to maybe two cities so you can actually enjoy yourself and what our country has to offer.

  23. While not known for its BBQ, NYC is still the food capital of the world – and has one of my favorite BBQ restaurants: Fette Sau in Williamsburg. It’s a bit expensive, but the best North Carolina style I’ve had (even after driving across NC).

    Mighty Quinn’s is very good too, nationally recognized, particularly their brontosaurus rib or whatever they call it. It’s a mix of styles otherwise. They have expanded a bit and have a few locations – and I’m not sure how it as post-expansion (a lot of places lose consistency as they grow), but may be worth checking out if you’re already there.

    But all those cities you list should have a great BBQ spot *somewhere*. The key difference is ubiquity and competition. When I was in Texas, their “C tier” would’ve been a Northern “A tier”. You didn’t always need to drive an hour outside a major city to get good q. Up here, ya do.

    LA and Vegas should be solid too. SF has a great culinary scene, but I can’t speak to its BBQ – not something I sought there. And I never been to Miami.

  26. BBQ is great and all but if you eat anything other than Cubano food in Miami, you’re doing it wrong.

  27. I’m not going to lie to you, you’re setting yourself up for failure with such a vast travel distance in such a short time frame. Next time, pick one specific area of the country (Northeast, South, Southwest, PNW, etc.) and spend the three weeks there. You’re going to be very burned out by the time you get to New York or even Miami.

    Also, you WILL need a car, especially in LA, and in Vegas if you intend to get anywhere off the strip or see the Grand Canyon.

    And as everyone here has already said, none of these places are known for BBQ.

  28. Best bets are probably LA or NYC…but like everyone’s said the best BBQ isn’t in the places you’ll be visiting.

    You should also listen to everyone who’s suggested reconsidering your itinerary. I know you said it’s all planned out but you are going to spend most of your time in airports & cars, racing to grab a photo & then back in the car so you don’t miss your next flight. Just getting off the plane is going to take up a huge portion of your day. With the exception of Vegas and Miami, it takes at least an hour by car to get anywhere in all of those cities. You’ll have so much more fun if you drop a few locations.

  29. None of these have a great BBQ scene but at the same time you will definitely find some BBQ restaurants in all of these cities.

    Also, reading the comments, I really hope you know where you’re going in these cities and have your days planned. 3 weeks for all these cities is almost definitely not enough time considering traffic and distances. Personally, I don’t think all the traveling, timezone adjusting, and moving is worth the rush in such a short amount of time, and sure you might make it to all of these places, but are you really seeing what it has to offer? What I mean is, go to a city for a couple days and you might not experience all the wonders it has to offer. I see that you’ve planned to have at least 3 days in each city which is good, I just hope that nothing goes wrong and you’re able to enjoy this trip smoothly. Best of luck and hope you like the US of A!

  30. in NY and LA especially you may be able to find independent restaurants that are oriented to a particular type of BBQ, such as Texas or Memphis because of the owner’s background. These will be small places off the beaten path, and possibly in less mainstream neighborhoods so remain aware of that.

    Food trucks could also be a strong choice; in any case look for the story behind the location’s owner. If it’s someone who moved to the area from Texas or Tennessee, you are more likely to get something closer to authentic.

    Also, stay away from the chains. Texas Roadhouse, for example, is not really any more Texas cuisine than Outback Steakhouse will be identifiably Australian to OP.

  32. I know everyone is giving you a hard time about your itinerary so I’ll skip that. I’ve only eaten BBQ in one of these cities. It was at a place in Brooklyn, NY called Fette Sau. I was born and raised in Oklahoma which is known for having a decent bbq scene and I would say Fette Sau was pretty bbq for being in NY. Safe travels, OP. I hope you and your gf enjoy as much of your trip as possible!

  33. What others are saying is true about none of these places having distinct BBQ culture. Since you’ll be here in NYC, I’ll recommend my favorite NYC places as someone who grew up in Memphis (one of the US’s biggest BBQ towns):

    Mason Jar (30th between Park and Madison): Very good Carolina Style place. Their fried chicken is pretty on point as well.

    Blue Smoke (Battery Park): Where I’d go for ribs in Manhattan.

    Another thing to note, NYC has some truly top notch Korean BBQ joints. Best here in the city (imho) would be “Cote.” It’s a bit on the pricier side but absolutely fantastic

    Have a lovely trip!

  35. I think you framed it the wrong way. You can find places to get good bbq in those cities, but none are especially known for it. For instance, in the LA area heritage BBQ in San Juan Capistrano is awesome.

  37. NYC go to Hometown. Probably the best offering that we have. Just be ready for a long wait.

  38. I don’t have a good BBQ recommendation for those cities, but I just want to say I’m sorry you’ve gotten such a negative reaction to your itinerary. You seem to have it well-thought out and to understand the trade-offs you’re making with a trip like this, so I think you’ll have a great time. Two of my favorite life experiences were trips at a similar pace (2 weeks in England/France/Spain and an 18-day cross-country US road trip), and I don’t regret it at all. I want to see the breadth of human culture and natural beauty and if I could take a week-long vacation to a different destination every month I would, but I can’t. You do you, and enjoy your trip.

  39. I don’t know. that’s like asking if Cleveland, Boston, Boise, or Richmond is best for Tex-Mex.

  41. Skip Miami. Do road-trip from SF to LA. Skip Vegas. Just tourist. You can gamble at Indian casinos in CA. Fly to NY.

  43. I’ve been to two of the cities in your list and didn’t eat any BBQ there. They’re better known for their international cuisine, being on the coasts. BBQ is a Midwest thing. Kansas City Joe’s in Kansas City is the best BBQ. Make it a trip with a visit to the Country Club Plaza for its gorgeous fountains and al fresco dining. You can usually find a festival going on, too.

  44. Literally none of them.

    That’d be like going to Denver for the lobster rolls. You want a shed in New England next to the ocean.

    If you asked, “where can I go to avoid good BBQ?” Those would be the cities I told you.

    BBQ comes from a culture and tradition. It’s slow. It takes hours and hours cook. It relies on good access to poorer cuts of meat and wood. Smokers being passed on down over the years.

    Miami has great seafood, but no real beef or pork. And the influence is Cuban.

    California has it’s own cuisine. And good luck starting a business that involves burning wood

    You might find someone in Vegas who has something that looks like BBQ, but good BBQ it is not. Plus, who wants to man a smoker in 110 degree heat.

    Don’t get me started on NYC. Their best cut of meat is the hot dog. What they celebrate as good BBQ is widely ridiculed.

    Texas, Kansas City, Memphis, Carolinas, and shacks all though out the South.

    Please do not try BBQ in these cities. You’ll just come back on Reddit talking about how bad the BBQ was.

  45. Chicago would be your answer. Outside of the South Chicago has the best bbq. They have their own style in fact.

    People may want to fight me on this. But I don’t think many of the other cities you listed are all that great. Some have fantastic tacos though.

  47. Probably NYC, maybe LA. The real answer is none. You aren’t going to get a great BBQ experience, and I’m afraid you’ll go back home and tell everyone you don’t understand all the hype over American BBQ. (In otherwords… I’ve eaten at Outback Steakhouse, Australian food seems like average chain restaurant food.)

    Besides, all those cities have thier own food culture, which they excel at. I hope you investigate those as well.

    My other concern is that you are getting a very one sided view of the US. I’ve been to all of those cities but Vegas… they will build a very confusing picture. This is going to be a difficult trip. I hope you at least get an opportunity to get outside the cities.

  48. My sweet summer child.

    You’re not going to any cities that have an “authentic” BBQ scene. I’m sure there might be some restaurants there since they’re big cities, but they’ll probably be artistic interpretations of it.

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