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10 Best BBQ Spots in NYC

If you’re looking for the best BBQ in NYC, you can rest assured that every restaurant on this list will satisfy you…and then some. Even in the heart of Yankee territory, you can find some serious takes on Southern classics that will have your taste buds thanking you all evening long. From the tender meat to the rich and creamy sides, these joints really know how to smoke it. Read on for the 10 best BBQ spots in NYC.

Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque (West Village)

might quinn rib bbq

Image: Mighty Quinn's

You used to only be able to get a Mighty Quinn’s brisket or pulled pork sandwich during Brooklyn’s weekend Smorgasburgs, but now that our favorite BBQ spot has a few brick-and-mortar locations, there’s enough barbecue to go around any day of the week. The brisket is the star of the show here, getting 22 hours on the smoker, while sides like the sweet potato casserole and buttermilk broccoli salad also hold their own for a scrumptious backyard-inspired meal. Additional locations in the East Village, Battery Park, and the UES. 75 Greenwich Ave., 646-524-7889, mightyquinnsbbq.com

Blue Smoke (Battery Park)

Blue Smoke

flickr/T.Tseng

Louisiana native and barbecue chef extraordinaire Jean-Paul Bourgeois knows what good barbecue is all about, and that’s clearly demonstrated in Blue Smoke's smoked chicken wings served with Alabama white sauce or Tabasco hot honey sauce, as well as his baby back ribs, pulled pork, and 7-pepper brisket, all straight from the pit. Additional location in the Flatiron. 255 Vesey St., 212-889-2005, bluesmoke.com

Hill Country Barbecue Market (Flatiron)

Hill Country BBQ Brisket NYC

If you’re looking for large portions of tender, fall-apart-in-your-mouth meat, then Hill Country Barbecue Market should be at the top of your foodie bucket list. This place doesn’t kid around, carving meats to order and selling them strictly by weight. Their beer-braised cowboy pinto beans and white shoepeg corn pudding are perfect for pairing with your mountain of meat. Additional location in Brooklyn. 30 W. 26th St., 212-255-4544, hillcountry.com

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Harlem)

Dinosaur BBQ Tray with ribs, brisket and corn bread

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que originated in Syracuse, making its way to the city to provide hungry New Yorkers with jumbo BBQ chicken wings, Dino Poutine (hand-cut fries, beef gravy, house pimento cheese, pulled pork, pickled jalapeños, crispy belly cracklings), St. Louis ribs, and the like. You may have to head way up into Harlem or way down into Gowanus, Brooklyn to get some of this goodness, but it is so worth it. 700 W. 125th St., 212-694-1777, dinosaurbarbecue.com

Daisy May’s BBQ (Hell’s Kitchen)

Daisy May

Can’t decide between sweet and sticky ribs or Memphis dry rub ribs? Get them both at Daisy May’s. And while you’re there, you might as well throw in a honey-glazed turkey leg, because if you’re eating BBQ for dinner, you better do it right. Classic sides like bourbon peaches, collard greens, and a seven-cheddar mac 'n' cheese complete any dish wonderfully. 623 11th Avenue, 212-997-1500, daisymaysbbq.com

Ducks Eatery (East Village)

Get your barbecue cravings met in Ducks Eatery’s barnyard setting with the help of some hickory-smoked jerk-rub chicken wings and dry-rub St. Louis ribs. Sides of cornbread with roasted squash brown butter and house pickles made with jicama, radish, wax beans, okra, dill, and anise have a culinary twist that will make them your new favorite small plates for accompanying BBQ. 351 E. 12th St., 212-432-3825, duckseatery.com

Fette Sau (Williamsburg)

Plate of BBQ at Fette San in Williamsburg Brooklyn

Brooklyn really is the place to go for some jaw-dropping barbecue, and Fette Sau in Williamsburg hovers at the top of the list. With a menu that changes daily, you know what you’re getting is the freshest of fresh. If you can get the hand-pulled Berkshire shoulder or the Berkshire pork belly, don’t hesitate to order them both. Impressive sides here include the German potato salad and broccoli salad. 354 Metropolitan Ave., 718-963-3404, fettesaubbq.com

Virgil’s Real BBQ (Theater District)

virgil's real bbq nyc

Virgil’s is the longest running wood-smoked barbecue joint in the city, so it’s pretty safe to say, this restaurant won’t disappoint. From BBQ chicken wings and BBQ shrimp to pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches and Carolina pulled pork sandwiches, there’s no shortage of meat behind these doors. Also worth trying are the crispy hush puppies and cheddar cheese grits. 152 W. 44th St., 212-921-9494, virgilsbbq.com

Mable’s Smokehouse & Banquet Hall (Williamsburg)

We weren’t kidding when we said Brooklyn knows how to make barbecue. Mable’s Smokehouse in Williamsburg is no exception. The brisket here is so perfectly cooked that it falls apart in your mouth with its smoky flavor engulfing your tastebuds. Bet’s Best Potato Salad really is the best, as are the candied yams, and they can both be purchased as sides. 44 Berry St., 718-218-6655, mablessmokehouse.com 

John Brown Smokehouse (Queens)

Their pulled pork, pork belly, beef brisket, and rib tips are all commendable, but it’s John Brown Smokehouse’s “burnt ends” that makes this place a standout option that justifies a trek to Queens. Sweet, yet crispy, these little pieces of meat contain all the flavor of classic barbecue in a form that’s perfect for dipping, pairing, and straight up devouring. 10-43 44th Dr., Long Island City, Queens, 347-617-1120, johnbrownseriousbbq.com

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