NYC’s 11 best barbecue spots

Hometown Bar-B-Que came in hot to Red Hook when it first opened in the nautical hamlet in 2013. High marks, media darling designation and long lines followed for “Brooklyn style” barbecue incorporating flavors from various cuisine categories. Then, it curiously went through a period of being just okay before becoming excellent once more over the last couple of years. So, though it never left, Hometown is back, with pulled pork, ribs a few ways (like Korean sticky ribs with fried shallots and cashews), substantial sandwiches (smoked turkey, pastrami on rye) and classic sides in its sprawling spaces inside and out. 

Lived-in Fette Sau is lined with white tiles behind the bar, exposed brick and and a large mural depicting cuts of meat on one wall. Natural wood tables are topped some of those illustrations made real, like pulled pork, pork belly, ribs and wings with five sauce options (sweet BBQ, spicy BBQ, zippy vinegar, beer-spiked mustard and a house dry rub) for maximum mixing and matching. 

The only Smokehouse in the Bronx opened days before the citywide hospitality shutdowns in 2020, ascending from the ashes ever since. A smattering of knotty wood tables populate the counter-service spot, where metal trays are piled with burnt ends, turkey breast, pork and brisket by the pound, plus sandwiches, wings and plentiful sides (cheesy potatoes, pickled onions). 

Although barbecue in Manhattan could be as confounding as a 1990s Pace Picante Sauce commercial (the Platonic ideal of incongruity humor), Hill Country is right at home in Got–ham City. The ambitious “tribute to the traditional central Texas barbecue experience, Southern hospitality and the artistry of downtown Austin” smokes its meat over wood brought in from The Lone Star State. Order low and slow selections like shoulder clod, brisket spare ribs and small or supersized combo platters. 

The relocated John Brown BBQ still attracts crowds a short distance away from its original location, which first opened in 2011. Its Kansas City-style barbecue by way of Queens two times over includes all manner of meat by the pound, slab, quarter or half, as the case might be. Order at the counter and snag a spot in the lofty dining room or under an umbrella on the patio. 

Barbecue lovers from near and far flock to this perpetually popular Harlem destination, which originally got started in Syracuse in 1988. Now with four locations in New York State and two in NYC, Dinosaur Barbecue is famous near and far for its lengthy menu of all the expected hits, plus sliders, steak, burgers, bowls salads and sandwiches. 

Relocating in 2022, Royal Rib grew its following over the course of half a century at its previous address, and now the family owned business is back in action with old and new fans near its original location. Ribs, chicken and the plentiful sides (potato salad, peas & rice) that have pleased generations are all on the menu.  

As cutesy as all get out, Mable’s is filled with mismatched chairs, distressed wood details, photogenic hunting cabin style, and enough charm that it also doubles as a wedding venue. Say I do to pulled pork and chicken, saucy racks of ribs and juicy brisket. 

Barbecue is one of the finest food groups an omnivore can enjoy. Bark Barbecue has been a moveable feast in NYC since pitmaster Ruben Santana first started serving his low-and-slow, white oak-fueled recipes at outdoor markets and pop-ups citywide (and beyond!) in 2020. Now, Bark’s beautiful brisket, ribs and pulled pork by the pound are available right here, every day, at its first permanent outpost. Pile your pick alongside rib tips, sandwiches and sides like mac and cheese. 

Boozy brunch and DJ tunes set the stage for a party environment at Queens Bully, and orders from the bit provide a foundation to keep the festivities going. Baby back ribs, brisket, pulled pork and smoked jackfruit are all on the menu. 

Pig Beach drew long, sidewalk-clogging lines up and down the Gowanus Canal week after week before it opened this Queens outpost and closed the original. Like before, there's a large outdoor space, plus a variety of meat-lovers sandwiches, ribs, brisket, burgers, dogs and wings. 

Devour porterhouses, sirloins and rib eyes at some of the best steakhouses and steak restaurants in NYC