The 13 Hands-Down Best BBQ Ribs In The US

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While not everyone has the time, space, or equipment to smoke a massive brisket low and slow, BBQ ribs are much more accessible. It's entirely possible to whip up some amazing baby back ribs with honey mustard BBQ sauce with a little help from both your oven and grill, and an oven is all you need for sweet, spicy, smoky raspberry chipotle ribs that are sticky, downright glorious, and well worth the four hours they'll spend in the heat. That said, getting ribs at a BBQ place that's really doing things right is a next-level experience, and we wanted to know where to find the best of the best.

Full disclosure: There's a ton of great BBQ restaurants across this great nation of ours, all with different styles, sauces, and methods. Choosing was hard, but we do want to stress that we didn't discount any restaurant's ribs based on style. So, how did we choose?

We looked for places that not only got rave reviews for the BBQ in general and the ribs in particular, but we also looked for things like national attention and coverage, name-dropping by celebrity chefs and organizations like the Michelin Guide, and took awards and accolades into account, too. Consistency is key as well, and in order to be the best, restaurants need to have shown that the pitmasters have things down to a science, and take pride in their commitment to a long process and guaranteed delicious ribs. Here are the restaurants that made the cut.

Anyone who loves cooking shows, competitions, and more has probably heard of 17th Street: It's been featured on everything from "Chopped" and "Beat Bobby Flay" to "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." It's also got some big-name fans. In an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, Michael Symon told us the best ribs in the country come from 17th Street, and it's easy to see why. Helmed by the award-winning Amy Mills, it's a multi-generational testament to BBQ, and it's putting out the kind of ribs that have Kansas City natives claiming they're the best they've ever had ... outside of KC, at least.

Originally, it was Mills' father, Mike Mills, behind the restaurant's incredible meats, and when he died in 2020, Reddit threads were filled with users sharing their condolences and their fond memories of a BBQ legend. Honors include a number of nods for best ribs in the country, and in 2010, Mike was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame. If you're not heading to Illinois soon, you can order 17th Street's world championship-winning ribs on Goldbelly, and if you prefer to try things for yourself, check out Amy and Mike Mills' cookbook, "Peace, Love & Barbecue." 

17bbq.com

(618) 684-3722

32 N 17th St, Murphysboro, IL 62966

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is a name that's synonymous with ribs, and this is another one that might be something of a household name in barbecue-loving families. What started out as a concession stand most frequently seen at fairs and motorcycle rallies back in the early 1980s has grown considerably, buoyed by the success of the BBQ in general and the ribs in particular.

You might think it's logical that this place got its name to advertise selling ribs so big they look like they were plucked off a dinosaur, but that's not the case at all. (One of the original partners was named Dino.) These are the kind of ribs that are nothing short of awe-inspiring, and the good news is that pitmaster and founder John Stage has thoughtfully shared the recipe. The key, Dinosaur boasts, is taking Southern traditions and adding something unique, which absolutely works — with some help from a paprika-heavy red rub and a mop sauce with Worcestershire, Tabasco, and vinegar. 

dinosaurbarbque.com

Multiple locations

How good are the ribs at Franklin Barbecue? Customers who fly all the way across the country then stand in line for more than four hours report that they're absolutely worth it, and that's some mind-boggling praise. The idea that both the beef ribs and the pork ribs are worth waiting hours for is one that's repeated a lot, and so is the sentiment that you're going to want to get a lot while you're there, so there's plenty of leftovers. 

Pitmaster Aaron Franklin has absolutely perfected his technique and gotten the attention of both the Michelin Guide and the James Beard Foundation. It's the pork ribs that get a mention in the Michelin Guide, and it's easy to see why. There's an unprecedented attention to detail here, and when Franklin spoke with us here at Tasting Table, he shared some insights into things like choosing the best beef ribs to grill or smoke (and why that's so important), and how to make sure your pork spare ribs turn out perfectly tender and smoky. The secret there is a multi-step cooking process and attention to temperature, and yes, it's a process. But how else do you end up with ribs this good?

franklinbbq.com

(512) 653-1187

900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702

Don't let the name fool you: This place is in Mississippi, and if you want to talk about award-winning, take a gander at the incredible list of awards and accolades collected by pitmaster Melissa Cookston. Those include seven world champion titles, so anyone who goes here should absolutely expect some outstanding BBQ. That's what you're going to find, and that includes ribs that are celebrated as being perfectly tender and absolutely delicious. 

How tender? They're so tender that you can pull the meat off the bone with your fingers, and the sauce makes this a not-to-be-missed experience. Order them wet and have all the work done for you, or opt for dry ribs and choose exactly which sauces you use; you might want to go that way simply because sauce-free ribs are delicious, too. In any case, you won't be disappointed. Cookston's ribs are available on Goldbelly, and when you order on the website, you'll still have the benefit of choosing your sauces and adding a few outstanding sides.

memphisbbqco.com

(662) 536-3762

709 Desoto Cove, Horn Lake, MS 38637

Ribs can be tough, and we get it if they're not the first thing you think to order at any BBQ restaurant. You're certainly not alone, but it's the ribs at Pappy's Smokehouse that have customers changing their minds about what ribs can and should be. These are deliciously rich, perfect without sauce (although the sauces get some high praise, too), and are heavy with meat that can be plucked from the bone. 

When we say Pappy's is heavy with meat, we mean it: Customers say the ribs are huge. They're also amazing if you're the type of person who prefers the flavor of the meat not to be buried beneath an overwhelmingly smoky taste, and the balance here is spot-on. Others say that these are definitely the best-ever kinds of ribs, and there are so many fans that it's probably a good thing there are two locations, one in St. Louis and one in St. Peters. Nowhere in the area? Pappy's sells full racks of ribs on Goldbelly.

pappyssmokehouse.com

Multiple locations

Yes, you'll need to get there early, and yes, you should probably plan on a bit of a wait. But given that the Michelin Guide has not only given CorkScrew BBQ a one-star rating for high-quality cooking but also says that some of Texas's best beef ribs are coming out of this place, you should also just remind yourself that all good things come to those who wait. 

CorkScrew notes right on the website that if you want to guarantee you're going to get what you want, you'll need to plan on being there at 10 a.m. or earlier. Otherwise, you're just taking your chances, and some of the biggest complaints about this place we found were that, yes, everything was sold out by midday. Those who are lucky enough to get the ribs report they're generously meaty, perfectly-cooked, and others confirm that while they're a little on the pricey side, you get what you pay for — and you're getting Michelin-quality meats. 

corkscreworders.com

(281) 330-2178

26608 Keith St, Spring, TX 77373

When we here at Tasting Table sat down to chat with Andrew Zimmern, he admitted that barbecue was a polarizing thing and that everyone has the spots they think are the best. He also threw down who he thought was making the very best ribs around, and that's Peg Leg Porker's pitmaster Carey Bringle. These aren't your typical ribs, either; these are dry-rubbed ribs that might look a little strange to anyone who's used to having their ribs slathered with sauce. 

For many, it's a difference that makes these ribs absolutely outstanding. There's flavorful seasoning there, meat that's juicy and tender in the middle, an incredible crust on the outside, and the fact that the sauce is on the side allows you to control each and every bite. With ribs this good, you're going to want to, and they're lauded for being as close to BBQ perfection as you can get. The texture of the ribs is even more outstanding alongside ultra-creamy mac and cheese, and they're wonderfully smoky and the sort of straightforward BBQ that's not hiding behind heavy sauces. Different? Yes. Delicious? Also, yes. (Want to try them yourself? Order them on Goldbelly.)

peglegporker.com

(615) 829-6023

903 Gleaves St, Nashville, TN 37203

You may have heard that bit of wisdom that suggests that if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. That's kind of what's happening at Saw's BBQ, as this award-winning Alabama BBQ restaurant was started by a classically-trained chef who dabbled in BBQ and sauces as a hobby before deciding to make it a full-blown thing.

That, in turn, made plenty of people very happy indeed, and Saw's gets a lot of love from customers who say you're not going to go wrong with the giant ribs here. Sweet and tangy dance together in the same sauce, coming together in perfect harmony in a vinegar-based one that might be a little different than what some are used to. It totally works, though, with some customers saying that these are the kind of ribs that show up in your dreams. 

sawsbbq.com

Multiple locations

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q has expanded to two locations, both in Decatur, Alabama. However, if you're not heading down Alabama way any time soon, there's good news: You can absolutely order the restaurant's championship-winning ribs on Goldbelly. You can also order some of the sauces to go with the ribs, and you should — the restaurant has brought home awards for the habanero red sauce and mustard sauce as well (among others). 

It makes sense that this place has gotten so many awards, as it's had plenty of time to get things perfect. With roots that go back to 1925 and a focus that landed squarely on pork and chicken — and that legendary white sauce — Big Bob's has made a lot of people happy, especially with rib platters that come recommended by staff and are served piled high with deliciously tender meat. The meat is the sort that you can pick off with your fingers, the sauces are the perfect accompaniment, and as for the sides? They're pretty great, too. 

bigbobgibson.com

Multiple locations

It almost goes without saying that Rodney Scott knows a thing or two about barbecue: His Whole Hog BBQ involves a long process that ends with pulled pork that the Michelin Guide praises, and as for the ribs, those aren't just shoved in a smoker and left to do their thing unsupervised. They're cooked over coals and watched carefully, and that's the kind of dedication that makes all the difference in the final product.

When we here at Tasting Table got the chance to ask Scott some questions about ribs, he noted that the biggest mistake he saw people making was boiling ribs to kick-start the cooking process. That's a major no-no, and the way he's doing it means perfectly smoky ribs each and every time. Add in a variety of equally delicious sauces to choose from, and you have ribs that get some serious rave reviews, lauded for outshining even the best of the competition. While you can order his ribs on Goldbelly, there's a waitlist for them at the time of this writing. That kind of says it all, doesn't it?

rodneyscottsbbq.com

Multiple locations

Visit any locations of Killen's Barbecue (in Pearland, Shenandoah, and Cypress, Texas) and you're in for a treat — especially if you love beef ribs. Those come from Snake River Farms, which meat-lovers might recognize as a leader in breeding American herds of Japanese Wagyu beef, and a supplier of some of the best steakhouses in the U.S. The ribs commonly get mentioned in reviews as among the best in the state, and given that we're talking about Texas here, that's some serious praise. Among those offering it is the Michelin Guide, which calls this just outstanding. 

And yes, we do have to add that one of the most common comments we found was on the pricing here, but these days, that's really nothing new, isn't it? Plenty of customers say that it's absolutely worth paying a little extra for ribs that are just extraordinary, and don't let the size fool you. They're ultra-tender, perfectly smoky, deliciously moist, and everything that a stellar beef rib should be. 

killensbarbecue.com

Multiple locations

Hamilton Pork has been serving up outstanding barbecue since 2016, and that includes pork ribs that some call the best in the area. It's particularly good if you're in the mood for something that's a little outside the norm, as there are things like sticky ribs with Kung Pow and sesame seeds, and a baby back rack that's smeared with a molasses-heavy BBQ sauce.

The sticky ribs in particular have a lot of fans, and when paired with the cocktails, they're the perfect thing to enjoy on a sunny summer day. They all make it into the best-ever category for many customers, and it's no wonder, really. Just check out that featured image of a beef rib that looks nothing short of beautiful, and keep in mind that others note that great ribs are made even better by some incredible sides and desserts. 

hamiltonpork.com

(201) 957-7245

247 10th St, Jersey City, NJ 07302

Anyone heading to Cattleack Barbeque in Dallas might wonder what to get, and of course, we're about to suggest the ribs. You don't have to take our word for it, though, as the Michelin Guide gives the ribs a shout-out in its review of this Bib Gourmand restaurant. That photo is of one of the fan favorites, a pastrami beef rib that has customers saying it's not only one of the best ribs ever, but one of the best meats, full stop. They're smoky, moist, and so good that some customers say it took them a couple of tries to successfully order, as they're often sold out. 

The regular pork and beef ribs are nothing to turn your nose up at, either, though, with customers lauding them for being just as tender and packed full of an unparalleled flavor. They're described as having a peppery sweetness, and don't worry if there seems to be a long line. It'll move fast, and you'll be enjoying those must-have ribs in no time.

cattleackbbq.com

(972) 805-0999

13628 Gamma Rd, Dallas, TX 75244

In order to find the best of the best BBQ ribs out there, we started by looking at the places that had gotten national attention, or recommendations from organizations like the Michelin Guide and the James Beard Foundation. We also looked at customer reviews (at all of a restaurant's locations, if it was a chain) to make sure customers were reporting overwhelmingly positive experiences over the years. 

In order to be among the best, we needed to find customers who confirm that the ribs are consistently perfectly cooked, that the beef ribs are worth the price, that the sauces and rubs were just as good as the meat, and didn't overpower the beef or pork itself.