BBQ Joint Owners Nationwide Recommend What to Order at THEIR BBQ Joints

Since life is slowly starting to get back to some sort of normalcy, and folks are starting to get back on the road to visit barbecue spots, I thought it would be fun (and hopefully useful) to put together a list, furnished by the BBQ joints themselves, of what they would recommend a first time visitor order to get the best experience and really know that they are all about. There are 170 BBQ joints represented below.

To keep it personal, the responses are in their own words. Some BBQ joints gave long, incredibly detailed recommendations while others were straight to the point. The list is in alphabetical order and will be updated as new ones come in. I have also included both a link to the restaurant's website (or social media if there isn't an official website) and to their menu if it's online.

Due to popular demand I have created an ONLY TEXAS list HERE. As I get more responses I may break off other states for their own list.

1701 Barbecue - Beaumont, TX - MENU

• I love all of our meats, our brisket is USDA Prime, it’s the best we can get, our beef ribs are from 44 farms, they have superior marbling, our pork ribs are St. Louis style, simply seasoned with a lot of smoke and finished with a slightly sweet glaze. At first I would recommend to try these items, but the sleeper on our meats menu has to be our turkey breast and our sausage. Our turkey breast are the hidden gem on our menu. Everyone is expecting a dry piece of turkey, ours is not. I could literally eat it every day. Our sausage is made with all of our brisket trimmings, which our are all USDA prime, so the sausage you are eating is all stuffed with prime beef. Our seasoning is influenced by our regional Cajun cooking traditions and central Texas style favors combined. For the sides, I would say whatever you are in the mood for.
• All of our sides are made from scratch. Our sweet jalapeño relish potato salad is a mustard base potato salad, and instead of regular relish we use a jalapeño one, we love it. Our beans are pinto, ranch style influenced with a hint of sweetness and they rotate from possibly having brisket added to them or our sausage, whatever isn’t ? in our opinion to stand alone by itself as a menu item, any meats, will find a home in our beans and help add some heartiness. Our collard greens are great as well, they are cooked down with lots of bacon. Our Cole slaw is a cilantro slaw, very refreshing. We are a close proximity to the coast and wanting something refreshing like you might have served with some fish tacos etc.

17th Street Barbecue - Murphysboro & Marion, IL - MENU

• A 17th Street experience starts with one of our appetizers, just to whet your appetite. Our wings have been recognized as among the 10 best in the country by Food + Wine magazine, and  pimento cheese and sausage or crispy fried pickles are also solid choices. Priced by the pound, 17th Street’s menu is designed so you can design your own personal or shareable platter of our legendary barbecue. A must for first-timers, or those fresh out of quarantine and excited to visit the restaurant, would be a rack of our famous baby-back ribs, the same ribs that won multiple coveted grand champion trophies at Memphis in May. Seasoned with our Magic Dust® and smoked slowly over apple wood, people travel from around the world to sample them. Add to that tray a pork steak, cut from the butt end of the shoulder. Smoked, then caramelized on the grill, it’s a unique cut of meat not found in many parts of the country. Depending upon how many are sharing, you could add some Certified Angus Beef® brisket to round out the assortment. The from-scratch sides are an important part of the experience at 17th Street. Tangy pit beans, collards spiked with pastrami, potato salad, and tangy, vinegar-based cole slaw are popular picks. 

2M Smokehouse - San Antonio, TX - MENU

• Pork Serrano sausage as I feel that’s something we’re very known for. Also, mac n cheese, brisket, pork ribs, corn, nopales, pickles onions, serranos, tortillas, and slice of orange tres leches or a strawberry pop tart. That’s the tray I’d build someone that’s never been.

Against the Grain Barbecue - Eugene, OR - MENU

• For first timers: we pride ourselves on our Cedar River Farms Prime Brisket, Tillamook Cheddar Cheesy Grits, Pork Spareribs, Texas Frito Pie, Pork Belly Burnt Ends, Banana Pudding. But really, everything we make is stellar! It’s hard to pick. We also offer daily specials: things that we’ve offered in the past that were a huge hit were our 100% prime brisket burgers, Brisket Queso, Green Chile Mac, Dr Pepper Glazed Ribs, Smoked Tritip, and Gochujang Pork Belly.

AJ'S Pit Bar-B-Que - Denver, CO - MENU

• Hey!! We would definitely recommend the Smoked Pastrami, Beef Brisket, and beef ribs.

AJ’s Tex Mex & Barbeque - Valley Village, CA - MENU

• Brisket is our go to item, but the street corn is by far the popular side and for something different, try the pulled pork nachos.

Arthur Bryant's Barbeque - Kansas City, MO - MENU

• So, if I were you I’d order a half pound of Brisket, Turkey, and Burnt Ends (rumor has it Mr. Bryant invented the Burnt End). I’d also order a half slab of ribs (the short end), side of baked beans, and a full order of fries. We have introduced onion rings to our restaurant and they are rather tasty as well. We are known for our quantity on our plates, so if it’s just you and 1 other person this order would be quite a lot.

Baby Back Shak - Dallas, TX - MENU

• I'd recommend the Shak Platter which is ribs, beef, smoked chicken breast, link sausage, and Boudain, along with your choice of two veggies!

Bar-B-Que Center - Lexington, NC

• I would recommend the Chopped Tray with Red Slaw and Hush Puppies for the first timer. It is our most popular item and includes our homemade hush puppies. Also Wednesday through Saturday we offer pit cooked Barbecue Chicken. Everyone must finish with our world famous 4 lb banana split

Bare Barbecue - Cleburne, TX - MENU

• Good morning Kevin. Ideal platter would be our local smoke platter but add a firebox sandwich. It includes prime brisket topped with our house made chimichurri, pork spare ribs, turkey breast with our white sauce along with a quart each of smoked baked beans and street corn. The Firebox sandwich is a thick slice of fatty brisket topped with chimichurri and jalapeños. Thanks!

Bark City BBQ - Portland, OR - MENU

• I would highly recommend our dry rub ribs! They are my favorite, they are special to me!! Our regulars love them, and Daniel Vaughn claimed them his favorite ribs he’s had in Portland! And the Pitmaster nap! It’s a great sampler of all our meats. Two dry rub ribs, pulled pork, a Smokey beer link, smoked turkey, sliced brisket!! It comes with two sides also! Also the banana pudding milkshake! It’s amazing It’s got homemade pudding, vanilla ice cream, crumbled nilla cookies and a brûlée banana!

Beast Craft BBQ - West Belleville, IL - MENU

• Hey, Kevin! Pork steak and also snoot. Both in a traditional St. Louis style.

Big Al's Smokehouse BBQ - Dallas, TX - MENU

• For any 1st timer who loves BBQ, we recommend the Meat Lovers Plate.   It includes our 5 most popular meats: Brisket, Sausage, Turkey, Pork Ribs & a Beef Rib with choice of 2 house sides or an Overstuffed Baked Potato for $20.  

Blood Bros. BBQ - Bellaire, TX

• I would say the one item that someone should try thats not traditional would be our smoked turkey banh mi. We have so many items that change daily but that one is available every day. Also I would suggest the specialty ribs that we have for the day. We do gochujang glazed ribs Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, Thai peanut butter sticky ribs on Fridays, and guava glazed ribs on Sunday.

Bodacious BBQ Hallsville - Hallsville, TX

• Brisket, ribs and sausage. Pork steak or boudin for sure if we have it on that day.

Black Powder Smokehouse - Jamestown, NC - MENU

• Ours is easy. I'd recommend the two meat plate with our Texas Style Brisket (outsells everything by double) and Smoked Turkey. For the sides go with our fresh collard greens and smoked gouda mac-n-cheese. Banana pudding for dessert unless it's strawberry season then you have to get the homemade strawberry cobbler made with local strawberries.

Blake’s BBQ - Martin, Tennessee

• I'd recommend the Bubba Cole (comes on a broiche bun with a 1/4 lb. of brisket, a 1/4 lb. of turkey, and a heaping pile of scratch-made pimento cheese), 1 or 2 deviled eggs, a side of vinegar slaw, 1 pork rib, a 1/4 lb. of pulled pork, a  1/4 lb. of turkey and a lb. 1/4 of brisket. Also, a side of pimento cheese with seasoned crackers.

Bludsos Bar & Que - Los Angeles, CA - MENU

• The Holy Trinity of Texas BBQ: Brisket, Ribs, Hot Links. Sides: Baked Beans, Collard Greens, Mac & Cheese, Coleslaw, Slice of Lime Pie. Beverages: Sweet TeaShiner Bock Beer

Blue Oak BBQ - New Orleans, LA - MENU

• This will sound like a cop out but we have a all meats/ all sides plate that has all the hits on jt and I’d add a side of Sichuan Cracklins.

Blue Smoke - New York, New York - MENU

• Hi! If it’s your first time at Blue Smoke, we recommend some of our favorites: Texas Beef Brisket, Mac & Cheese, Deviled Eggs, Biscuits and our Fried Chicken.

Bodacious Bar-B-Q Hallsville - Hallasville, TX

• Brisket, ribs and sausage. Pork steak or boudin if we have it on that day.

Bodacious Bar-B-Q on Mobberly - Longview, TX - MENU

• I would of course say brisket and ribs but best scenario would be come on a Saturday depending on specials bc our specials are definitely what we're most known for. Sometimes on sat well have boudin, special sausage and pork belly burnt ends. And thats usually when my wife makes other items as well!

Boneyard Bistro - Sherman Oaks, CA - MENU

• Okay. Here's the scoop. Appetizers: Boneyard’s Famous Bacon Blocks and Chili Filled Donuts. Bbq Nachos are a fun shared dish. BBQ: Brisket, Tri Tip, Beef Ribs!

Breakwater Barbecue - El Granada, CA - MENU

• Number one is always brisket. The lamb barbacoa with mojo verde is an awesome special to get on Fridays. Thursday’s we do Tex mex and the smoked Birria tacos have gained a huge following. We also do smoked Huli Huli chicken on Saturdays and our signature “gold rush” rubbed yard birds on Sundays! Don’t miss our house made Sangria!

Brett's Backyard Bar-B-Que - Rockdale, TX -

• Texas Trinity, Brisket, Beef and Cheddar Sausage, Sweet Ribs, Signature House Pork Steak, & Bourbon peach cheesecake.

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbecue - Marathon, TX - MENU

• Texas trinity (brisket, ribs & sausage), mac and cheese and borracho beans and banana pudding. And when on tap the Trost Vienna lager which we feel brew pairs the best with BBQ.

Brix Barbecue - Fort Worth, TX

• I love the idea!!! Thanks for reaching out. I know when I first got the BBQ bug and was driving all over and trying joints this would have been super useful. For us I would say on Saturdays to get the Tour de Brix and add a Funkytown Hot Chicken sandwich. Tour de Brix is a sampler of all the meats, beef cheek tacos, and two sides. On Sundays though you’ve GOT. TO. GET. THE. BURGER. lol.

Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue - Pflugerville, TX - MENU

• The Pflugerville Pfilly which is brisket, queso, sautéed onions and peppers on Amoroso’s roll AND the Texas Cuban- Carolina which is mustard bbq sauce, pickles, Swiss cheese, smoked ham and pork cooked over coals on our Snow’s BBQ pit all on locally made French bread. 

Burnt Bean Co. - Seguin, TX

• Brisket is a must but you have to roll with the Texas Trinity...aaaaaand get all our sides!!! lol

Cali BBQ - Spring Valley & San Diego, CA - MENU

• Easy. We recommend the Tailgater always as it is our number one seller and offers everything on our bbq menu and all our sides. You can see it HERE.

Cattleack Barbecue - Dallas, TX - MENU

• Here are the top 3 items for new people: (1) Texas Trinity Plate - Brisket Sausage and Pork Rib sample for one person; (2) Toddzilla Platter 1/3 lb of pok ribs, burnt ends, brisket, chopped whole hog, turkey and sausage and a whole beef; and (3) Toddfather sandwich with brisket, pulled pork, and sausage, topped with sauce and slaw

Central City BBQ - New Orleans, LA - MENU

• So, we think we have some of the best ribs going. We finished Top 3 at Memphis in May and last year won numerous competitions. The other item is the burnt ends. This is the best part of the brisket. As for a side, Brussels sprouts and spoonbread.

Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous - Memphis, TN - MENU

• That's easy for us :). Sausage and cheese plate and a full order of ribs.

CM Smokehouse - Austin, TX - MENU

• That’s easy. Chips and queso add brisket; Chicken wings, Buffalo; Cauliflower wings, sweet chili sauce; baby back rib wings with bbq sauce, brisket philly, brisket bleus burger, & the sausage and peppers sandwich. Those are always my recommendations. The taco party could be on that too depending on how they look.

City Limits Barbeque - Columbia, SC

• Anything pork belly, brisket and pulled pork. Chopped pork is also really good. as are the greens and ribs.

Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que - Multiple Texas Locations - MENU

• We are the home of The Big Chop, so I’d have to start there. After that, the beef rib is always a great choice.

Curry Boys BBQ - San Antonio, TX - MENU

• 1st time visitor recommendation: Brisket Smoke Show Bowl, side of Chili Garlic Noodles, side of Curry Creamed Corn, & Thai Tea. Boom!

Daddy Duncan's BBQ - Katy, TX - MENU

• The Soul Food Box: Smoked Dr Pepper Oxtails, Mac & Cheese, Sweet Potato Mash, and Collard Greens. This is one of our signature dishes. We currently go through 80-100 pounds of oxtails a weekend. Smoked then braised in Dr Pepper. Comes with Handmade Pickles, Jalapeños, and Sliced Bread. Pairs well with Masked Gorilla at ErmaRose Winery. Maybe add on a Jamaican Rum Cake we offer from Grammy’s Cookie Jar. We also offer The BBQ Box: Prime Brisket, Pulled Pork, Jalapeño & Cheddar Sausage, Potato Salad, BBQ Beans, and Spicy Coleslaw only $30. Comes with Handmade Pickles, Jalapeños, Sliced Bread, and Barbecue Sauce. It’s been a Katy favorite since 2017.

Dayne's Craft Barbecue - Fort Worth, TX - MENU

• Our sausage program is something we take very seriously and work incredibly hard at. We have developed 14 different recipes and are always trying new things. We make 3 different sausages each week. So I'd go with a sausage flight. Maybe add in our "Bacon Brisket" (Smoked Pork Belly) as well.

Derek Allan's Texas Barbecue - Fort Worth, TX - MENU

• I would say our brisket biscuit, breakfast and lunch versions. Also our handmade Wagyu beef sausage. Thanks Kevin!

Distant Relatives - Austin, TX - MENU

• I'm honored you would consider us for this. I would recommend our spare ribs, pulled pork sandwich and a side of the burnt end black eyed peas with lager pickles.

Doziers Barbeque - Fulshear, TX - MENU

• When people ask what they should get I tell them that while everything is really solid, the standouts are the brisket, pork ribs, and turkey. Our sausages are much beloved (we make 13 different styles of sausage in house), and serve 2-3 on the bbq side each day, so they’re also a good choice.  We also offer pit ham and chicken by the half that are quite good. Our most popular sides are the collard greens, mac n cheese, and traditional potato salad. We have two styles of potato salad, two styles of slaw, Texas caviar, ranch beans, pinto beans, and green beans as well. Honestly, it's tough to go wrong with any of the proteins or sides. I worked hard to build a menu with no dogs, and we take a lot of pride in everything we serve.

Eddie O's Texas Barbecue - Houston, TX

• My ideal menu at Eddie O’s Texas Barbecue (according to Eddie O): 1/4 pecan-smoked brisket, 1/4 smoked barbacoa de cachete, -6oz cup of smoked beef sausage and chicharrón charro beans , - Homemade flour tortillas, all the salsas, whole elote, 1/2 raw avocado. That would be MY ideal platter.

Feges BBQ - Houston, TX - MENU

• Pork ribs, pulled pork, Moroccan glazed carrots and Brussels sprouts. Sadly we don’t sell many pork ribs because the office workers don’t want to get their hands dirty. I think our ribs and pulled pork are standout meats for sure. The brisket is great too but lots of pitmasters smoke a great brisket, it’s those pork meats that set us apart. And of course - the sides.

Ferris Wheelers Backyard & BBQ - Dallas, TX - MENU

• To answer the question I would suggest the Full Ride made up of a sample platter of all our meats served family style accompanied by the creamy mac n cheese topped with crushed BBQ Lays Chips, Fried Okra (served with our Texas Gold Sauce) a cup of our Mouthwatering Green Beans and a nice cup of Banana Pudding to top off the meal. We also have daily specials that include Chicken fried Brisket with mashed potatoes and gravy, Burnt ends, Loaded baked potatoes and the best brisket pastrami you'll ever taste!!!

Fette Sau - Brooklyn, NY - MENU

• Our 2 most popular dishes are the Black Angus Brisket and our Burnt End Baked Beans. I'd also add our broccoli salad, since it's unique and brightens up the plate, as do our classic half sour pickles. If we have any specials, like pork cheeks, throw em on! And you can't go wrong with our Berkshire pulled pork or St Louis ribs. ?

Flatpoint Barbecue - Los Angeles, CA - MENU

• I’d recommend a Serrano-cheddar sausage, some brisket, some ribs and any of the sandos

Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue - Brooklyn, NY - MENU

• I would highly recommend they try our cult-favorite bbq fries or nachos as a starter; then definitely our burnt ends, ribs, sliced brisket and our Chili Mac on the side (probably our most decadent offering). For dessert they can’t miss out on our banana pudding, it’s legendary. Hope this helps, thanks for thinking of us!

Fox & Fire Barbecue - North Kansas City, MO - MENU

• We have an “I want it all” platter that is a 1/4 lb. of each meat, one sausage link, 3-bone ribs, 3 large sides + 2 packages of choc chip cookies. It’s not meant to feed a ton of people, but rather give folks a good representation of our menu. I also encourage folks to try the brisket (& sausage) because folks around here aren’t used to “Texas” style brisket. Our Tex-Mex cheddar Sausage is a sleeper for a lot of people too, and usually end up really liking it once the try it

Goldee's Barbecue - Fort Worth, TX - MENU

• I would recommend a little of all the meats. Like a quarter pound brisket, one pork rib, one of each sausages and two slices of turkey. I would recommend a single of each side and one of all the desserts lol. But if that seems like a lot I would recommend when going to any bbq place to order your two favorite meats two favorite sides and one dessert that you like!

G-Que Barbeque - Lone Pine, Denver, Westminster, CO - MENU

• My favorite thing on the menu is the Meltdown Brisket sandwich (Brisket w/ Cheese sauce & Onion Rings on top). I would also add dry rub wings and I think our hand cut fries are outstanding. Of course you have to save room for our homemade ice cream salted Carmel oreo and Bourbon Butterscotch are my two favorites ??. We features breweries that are less than 10 miles away from the shop on all our taps. We also have weekly specials and wing specials that folks should keep an eye out.

Gus's Barbecue - South Pasadena / Claremont / Porter Ranch, CA - MENU

• Appetizer: Cornbread or Pulled Pork Nachos: Our cornbread is made from scratch and baked in a cast iron skillet, served with jalapeno jelly and honey butter. It's divine! And gluten-free which is a nice bonus. Plus, we sell the cornbread mix at our host stand, so you can take it home and make yourself!The Pulled Pork Nachos are totally from left field, but they are a guest-favorite. They actually weren't even intended to be on the menu, but back when we were developing our original dishes after a long day of tastings, our chef Chucky made them from ingredients from all the various dishes to give to the team. The nachos were so good, they made it to the final menu!  Main: Picnic PlatterThis is definitely a great choice if it's your first time and you just want to try a lot of our best BBQ and get a sense for what's your favorite. It includes your choice of: Memphis baby backs or St. Louis spare ribs, bbq brick chicken or southern fried chicken, and one of the following: Carolina style pulled pork / Texas beef brisket / smoked sausage. So you can get a real tour of our BBQ pit! All of our meats are smoked in-house in our Southern Pride smoker over pecan logs, low and slow. It's delicious, no shortcuts BBQ. The plate also comes with two sides, so you can try 2 out of our whopping 13 side options, though I always recommend getting the Mac N Cheese! Drinks: Our best seller is Southern Sangria, which is made in-house of course with fresh fruit and red wine, peach liqueur, bourbon. But there are two cocktails we make that are pretty unique. One is the Almost Palmer, which is wheatley vodka, honey ginger lemonade, lapsang souchong infused scotch, with candied ginger on top. Super delicious and surprising! We also do a classic Mint Julep in a silver cup with a huge mound of crushed ice and fresh mint on the top, which I rarely see anywhere else in LA. For non-drinkers, the Sweet Tea is a must, and many folks who grew up drinking sweet tea in the South and Midwest say it's some of the best and most authentic-tasting sweet tea they can find in the West.Honestly, our beverage menu is so outstanding, it's kind of hard to choose! We have a really robust selection of bourbons and whiskies, rotating beers on tap, and wine. Ask your server or bartender for some guidance, cause there is lots to discover! Dessert: Orange Bourbon Pecan Bar: For dessert, I'd go with the Orange Bourbon Pecan Bar, which is a bar of pecan pie on top of a shortbread cookie crust topped with caramel sauce and french vanilla bean ice cream. When eating BBQ, the more bourbon the better 🙂 

Handsome Devil - Newburgh, NY - MENU

• Hey bud. It makes my day when I see a message from you. Funny you should mention this. Yesterday I had a native Texan and Aggie grad come in and ask what should he have. He’s been searching for a true bbq joint in our area. I said let me make you a plate. I made some dry rub smoked wings, brisket, ribs, a hot link, turkey, collards and slaw. He gave us the seal of approval and said it was as good as anything he had back home. On his way out I gave him a banana pudding and pecan hand pie for the ride home. Looking forward to being able to travel again soon. It looks like things are starting to pick up. Be safe and thank you for all that you do.

Harlem Road Texas BBQ - Richmond, TX - MENU

• Definitely want to try a couple of the specials, lamb chops and octopus. Beef rib, brisket and chicken. The Mac and cheese, coleslaw. Chocolate bread pudding.

Harp Barbecue - Kansas City, MO - MENU

• Awesome, thanks Kevin! For us it would probably be pastrami, sausage and whatever out flavored pork belly burnt ends are that day!

Heim Barbecue - Fort Worth & Dallas, Texas Locations - MENU

• Bacon burnt ends for sure! Also the Heimburger, big cat sandwich, and crispy loaded potato skins

Heirloom Market BBQ - Atlanta, GA - MENU

• Miso injected brisket is our number one seller. We also do a 3 x 3 everyday that I would recommend for a 2 person sampler.

Helberg Barbecue - Waco, TX - MENU

• Howdy! Here’s my ideal Helberg bbq tray. We have 6 meats and 6 sides so here are my top 3 of each: 1/2 chicken (smoked then fried), Pork steak, Moist Brisket, Smoked Gouda Mac & cheese, Chimichurri coleslaw, Collard greens w/ house bacon, Smoked tallow pecan pie for dessert! Thanks for doing this, you’re awesome! Look forward to serving you in the near future.

Heritage Barbecue - San Juan Capistrano, CA

• Our brisket, ribs, turkey, chicken are top notch, definitely recommend getting a little of each on a first visit. What we really have fun with are specials. Our team of chefs is incredibly talented and creative. You could build a platter with just specials. Pastrami torta, (Thursdays) Brisket French dip, Turkey bacon club (weekdays) chips and queso (everyday) Weekends you'll find brunch specials like breakfast tacos, biscuits with brisket gravy, fried egg and smoked pork belly, rabbit Ballotine (stuffed rabbit) over seasonal greens. Don’t skip the sausage that changes weekly.

Hill Barbecue - Lubbock, TX

• Well honestly I don’t know if this is a good answer haha, but I would make a platter with everything. Haha. We try to cook each individual item with love but we intentionally focus on each food item or condiment pairing well with the other foods. Because I believe that makes the BBQ experience just hit a lot harder than only a few items shining on their own! Thank you! You're the man! Keep doing what you're doing!

Hill Country Barbecue Market - New York City and Washington DC - MENU

• Hey Kevin! Wow we LOVE this idea! Checked in with some folks here and of course brisket is a first response — but here are some other responses! Kristen Glosserman, our ambassador & partner (& wife of Hill Country founder Marc!) says the Brisket Nachos are her go-to. Manager Derrick says turkey, Mac & Cheese, Cucumber Salad & Chili Rubbed Wings. & last but not least out pitmaster Ash Fulk says he eats a Frito Pie a day ? so that’s his rec!

Holliday's Barbecue - San Diego, CA

• Yeah that’s awesome, I love it. I always recommend whatever sausage we have on the menu and the brisket...and pork belly, ah and the beef cheek. Dang this is harder than I thought haha

Holy Cow BBQ - 4 Los Angeles Locations, CA - MENU

• Here are a couple of suggestions on what you should order if it is your first time (or your 100^th time). Our BBQ Plates, either two or three meats, depending upon your appetite.  You can choose from: Mesquite Smoked Turkey Breast, BBQ Pulled Chicken, Caroline Pulled Pork, Texas Brisket, Santa Maria Tri-Tip, Baby Back, & Hot Links. Also, the smoked Turkey Club which is one of our newest items and has been met with a lot of enthusiasm(it is mesquite smoked turkey breast, lettuce, bacon, smoked tomatoes, yellow cheddar cheese and our all-new Alabama White BBQ sauce).

Holy Trinity Barbeuce - Portland, OR - MENU

• Hey! Oh man, just a ‘one of everything’ platter is my jam. I don’t ever put something out if I’m not super excited to sell it. Slice of fatty brisket, slice of lean, one middle cut rib or two end cut ribs, one sausage, 1 slice of turkey, 1 slice of pork belly, a few pork belly burnt ends, a little pulled pork on a slice of white bread, (a beef rib if there’s a few people), one of each side, and definitely one of whatever’s on special. We get a lot of ‘1/4 lb of X, 1/4 lb of Y, side of Z’ and not many big platters so it always excites me to put together those big platters for groups that are sharing.

Home Team BBQ - 4 South Carolina and 1 Aspen, CO locations - MENU

• We would suggest sharing a couple of things: Smoked wings with white sauce and make sure to ask for death relish (a sweet and fiery pepper jelly kinda dipping sauce), 2 meat platter (can’t go wrong with meat choice) with two sides of your choice. We highly recommend our Mac & cheese and cucumber tomato salad. Depending on how many people you have sharing the BBQ Nachos with chopped brisket and add Queso. We always recommend trying our daily specials. If it’s 5 o clock somewhere you have to try the Gamechanger and Irish Coffee frozen cocktails

Hutchins Bar-B-Que - Frisco and McKinney (this location currently closed), TX - MENU

• Our brisket is the Texas fave! Hutchins is also know for our Texas Twinkies which are jalapeños stuffed with brisket and cream cheese, wrapped in bacon and smoked. Then topped with a sweet glaze.

Hurtado Barbecue - Arlington, TX - MENU

• Thanks man! I’d definitely recommend the El Jefe platter (1/3 lb. each of prime brisket, pork spare ribs, sausage, pork belly burnt ends, pulled pork, turkey breast and two sides of your choice). You can’t go wrong! It’s a little bit of everything we offer. I’d also add a barbacoa tostada.

InterStellar Barbecue - Austin, TX - MENU

• Our ideal platter would include the following: A slice of lean and moist brisket, jalapeno popper sausage, Frito pie sausage, peach tea glazed pork belly, a slice of turkey, smoked scalloped potatoes. creamed hominy and sausage, jalapeno slaw, & banana pudding.

Intrinsic Smokehouse & Brewery - Garland, TX - MENU

• I mean the basics for sure, but for something super fun, the chicken fried brisket that we serve on Tuesdays and we have a pretty cool BBQ inspired brunch.

JNL Barbecue - Austin, TX

• Definitely the al pastor ribs but I would always recommend trying the Texas trinity at every barbecue place.

Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que - Multiple Kansas City, MO Locations - MENU

• Man that is a super tough question. Joe’s is probably most known for our Z man sandwich & fries. It’s a unique sandwich that everyone talks about. But on one visit a lot of our customers would be recommending burnt ends and rib dinner. It gives you ribs, burn ends, a side and Texas toast.

Joseph's Riverport - Jefferson, TX - MENU

• So, if you’re a first timer I’d have to steer you towards our 2 meat combo plate with brisket, ribs, bbq beans and potato salad. I’d also recommend a small order of our “swamp fries” and 32 ounce Big Red off the fountain or a fresh brewed sweet tea to wash it down. Man, now I’m hungry! Anyway, I hope this helps. Thanks!

Jube's Smokehouse - Fort Worth, TX - MENU

• A sample platter that includes some of everything you produce in a small amount variously itemized. A little of this and a little of that.

Killens Barbecue - Houston, TX - MENU

• The trinity (brisket, sausage, and pork ribs) with potato salad and baked beans. The traditional bbq plate.  Beef ribs are impressive and of course bread OR banana pudding for dessert.

Kimchi Smoke - Westwood, NJ - MENU

• I recommend everyone getting our Bad as Texas Brisket, Collard Greens and Corn Bread. And on weekends get the #lifechanging Chonut! And the sleeper is the Ole Dirty Bird (fried chicken sandwich)

Kreuz Market - Lockhart, TX - MENU

• Our original sausage and our brisket for sure. Possibly slide pork chops or ribs onto that plate too.

Lawrence Barbecue - Raleigh, NC - MENU

• Honestly for a first timer at Lawrence...I’d have to say it’s pretty simple. Order a Pulled Pork Sando, a sixer of our Signature BBQ Oysters on the half shell, and a Smoked Cherry Coke Icee(or as we call them, N’ICEE’s). I can’t think of a more satisfying experience!!!

LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue - Austin, TX - MENU

• I would recommend a two meat plate with beef cheeks or brisket and whole hog, a kale caesar slaw, and a pork hash and rice. Probably a burger and/or a bacon rib and maaaaybe a frito pie.

Lexington Barbecue - Lexington, NC - MENU

• Most of the time when people come for the first time I recommend the chopped bbq tray (they get the bbq/slaw and hush puppies). IF they are still hungry after that I bring them a sample of our brown course chopped bbq.

Liberty Barbecue - Round Rock, TX - MENU

• Smoked and reverse seared ribeye finished in butter and beef tallow and Chicken Fried Steak.

Little Miss BBQ - Phoenix, AZ - MENU

• Hi Kevin! Brisket and or beef ribs are what we are best known for along with the pie. If I made someone a plate it would be those three, a green chile burrito w/ red enchilada sauce, and a side of grits and beans.

Lockhart Smokehouse - Dallas, Plano, Llano, TX - MENU

• The Texas trinity is always a great start. Brisket, Ribs and Sausage. You get a sampling of how each place does their rub, smoke and cuts a little different. After that we customize. Is it Prime Rib day? Absolutely get that. Feeling a little adventurous-try the Leg of Lamb if it’s a special. Watching the waist line? Then our Turkey is so great you won’t miss the red meat!

Longleaf Swine BBQ - Raleigh, NC

• We’re under renovations right now and won’t be open for indoor dining till late summer. For us I would go with pulled pork, spare ribs, sausage link, esquites, potato salad, collards, slaw. Finish with banana pudding.

The Longoria's BBQ - Fort Worth, TX - MENU

• Straight up, small shot out of the brisket chili pot ,then sample out our shop made brisket sausage, that'll make u wondering what to get on top of either one.

Lost Texas BBQ - Pleasant View, UT - MENU

• Sliced brisket, burnt ends and ribs the sides (ranch potatoes and coleslaw).

Matt's BBQ - Portland, OR - MENU

• If a relative or good friend is coming to Matt's bbq they are getting everything on the menu. Its always great seeing how happy they get when that giant tray of meat gets dropped in the middle of the table.

Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse - Elgin, TX - MENU

• Start with the sausage. Beef, pork garlic or jalapeño cheddar(only available on weekends). Elgin IS the Sausage Capitol of Texas. After that, pork ribs, brisket, pepper lime chicken are all very popular. Top it off with cobbler with grandma Meyers cobbler sauce or banana pudding. Everything on the menu is very good. Maybe take a bowl of 3 Mistake Chili to go, because if you eat everything else you won’t have room, but you’ll wish you had some chili in your fridge the next day after you recover from your meat coma, lol.

Micklethwait Craft Meats - Austin, TX - MENU

• Awesome. If they aren’t from Texas, I recommend the classic holy trinity. It’s always a solid option. However what makes us special would be our more unique meats. So if they have already tried brisket, they should try our barbacoa, pulled lamb, and maybe a beef rib too. All very rich and flavorful and you can’t find those at every other spot. Our sides are also a crowd favorite. Grits are mandatory. Then maybe our lemon poppy slaw and my personal favorite, country potato salad, which is aioli based. Let me know if you need anything else and we hope to see you soon.

Midwood Smokehouse - North and South Carolina Locations - MENU

• Definitely the burnt ends. We do them differently from everyone else, and they are USDA PRIME.

Mimsy's Craft Barbecue - Crockett, TX - MENU

• For first timers we will always recommend the classic trio of brisket, ribs, and sausage.  For the barbecue enthusiast, or curious eaters, we have some really good options outside of the classics, that lean more towards a “craft” smoked meat, if you will. We highly recommend the crispy pork belly inspired by the legends, Hoodoo Brown. We also do a smoked porchetta daily that is best served over a bowl of pinto beans. The smoked poblano queso Mac and cheese and smoked maple crispy Brussels sprouts are very popular. Probably our most popular item that everyone talks about is our house made cheesecakes, crafted by our Executive Chef Kathy Elkins, also my wife. If it were up to me though I’d just recommend the whole menu because we put so much love into every dish.  Hope to see some new faces, be sure to mention this story for a free sticker!!

Noble Smoke - Charlotte, NC - MENU

• We have a platter in house called the Miss Mary that has a little bit of everything (1 lb. pork, 1 lb. brisket, 1 lb. turkey, 1 pork short rib rack, slaw (eastern and western) and pickled veggies). It’s hard for me to choose, but I think our bbq sandwich is to die for. The ribs are insane, the turkey will blow your mind and I always suggest riding the pickled beets with any BBQ.

Oak'd Handcrafted BBQ - Dallas, TX - MENU

• To have the best most quintessential OAK’D experience, it’s best to start at the front of the line at the carving station, check out the Wagyu and Prime Brisket, then chose your sides. Spend a little extra time at the dessert section and enjoy what’s called “The Best Desserts in Texas” by Texas Monthly. The banoffee is a must try signature item. Think banana pudding, toffee and Carmel.  If you’re celebrating a special occasion, request a specially curated board by Executive Chef Michael Lane. Stop by the bar, grab a Frosty Ranch Water then head to the patio for live music, fire pit or cool shade. Daily specials are always chef inspired and the OAK’D Smoked tamales are made daily.

Owlbear Barbecue - Denver, CO - MENU

•  Mac and cheese, brown butter miso grits, pork belly, and tenderloin

Panther City BBQ - Fort Worth, TX - MENU

• I would have to say our brisket, brisket elotes, and pork belly poppers are our top 3 popular items.

Pecan Lodge - Dallas, TX - MENU

• That is a tricky question, Kevin! For a first time visit, I would recommend the three meat plate with brisket, jalapeño-cheddar beef sausage, pulled pork, and mac and cheese. Finish off the meal with our famous banana pudding (it’s Boss Lady’s grandmothers recipe - and it is delicious!).

Peg Leg Porker - Nashville, Tennessee - MENU

• Dry ribs with beans and slaw. Fried pie for dessert. 

Phil's BBQ - San Diego Locations - MENU

• Hi Kevin! For a first timer, we would recommend the baby back rib and chicken combo with the beans and coleslaw. If you have the appetite, add the beef bone or pulled pork. And get the homemade cornbread with the maple butter!

Piper's BBQ & Beer - Houston, TX - MENU

• Hey Kevin! I strongly recommend that all our new customers start out trying at least a two meat combo consisting of brisket and ribs, with a side of hot potato salad and either mac n cheese or piper peppers. If they are hungry enough, I recommend really putting us through our paces via the Texas trinity (same sides mentioned previously). This is usually a great barometer of any TX BBQ joint, along with what I feel are our best sides. I'm also particularly proud of our smoked turkey, though understand many folks don't go to a bbq joint for the poultry lol.

Pinkerton's Barbecue - Houston & San Antonio, TX - MENU

• One slice of fatty brisket, 2 pork ribs (one glazed one dry), 1 jalapeño cheese link, small cheese rice, small Mac and cheese (baller style).

Pitforks and Smokerings - Slanton, TX

• Hey! So the one item the sells the most is our frito pie. It is layered with Fritos, beans, brisket mac and cheese, chopped brisket, pickles, onions, jalapenos and bbq sauce. We also do a sampler platter that is my favorite to make! It's a 1/4 pound of every meat and all 4 sides we offer. This one is my favorite for people who have never been here and want to try it all. Plus it looks so pretty all plated up!

The Pit Room - Houston, TX - MENU

• The Feast - that way you try everything and add a chicken and brisket taco as well. The FEAST NO. 1 - feeds 4 - 1 lb. Brisket, 4 Pork Ribs, 1 Beef Rib, 1/4 lb. Pulled Pork, 1/4 lb. Turkey, 1 Beef link, 1 Jalapeno Cheddar link, and 4 Sides.

Porky Butts BBQ - Omaha, NE - MENU

• A three meat plate ( Burnt Ends, Turkey and Brisket) would be a great selection and I would suggest adding two rib bones (this comes with 2 side dishes and I would  suggest the smoked beans and cheesy poblano corn). This would be my ideal order maybe start with an order of BBQ Boudin Balls.

Priedite Barbecue - Los Alamos, CA - MENU

• Brisket, house-made ranchero sausage, pulled pork taco, fennel-jalapeño slaw, hand-made tortillas, pickle & hot sauce program (always on rotation with a few staples). Oddly a challenging question. I like to think there are no sleepers on the menu! Our food is locally sourced, simple, but technique driven and inspired. Not overly aggressive in compounding broad ranges of flavors together. But rather maintaining an identity with my community and culture. Ultimately finding inspiration from our environment, modern California rancho cooking.

Pustka Family Barbeque - Hutto, TX

• Easy for me there...of course brisket is king but our chicken is very popular as well as our handmade sausage. The elotes and jalapeno-green apple slaw are both can’t miss as well. People go nuts for our bbq sauce too.

Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge - Shelby, NC - MENU

• I would definitely recommend the barbecue plate because you get a little bit of everything!! Including barbecue, barbecue slaw, french fries, baked beans, and hush puppies!????

Ricewood BBQ - Ann Arbor, MI - MENU

• That’s easy! You got to get a brisket ricebowl, 50/50. 50/50 is our medium sauce, I love the spicy but I would never recommend it to a first timer. Anyone who comes has to get a ricebowl, it’s our dish. It’s what we are most proud of. The brisket is our bread and butter. The brisket ricebowl is what makes ricewood, ricewood. A unique vessel for barbecue, and the brisket shows how passionate we are about barbecue

Rodney Scott's Barbecue - Charleston, SC & Birmingham, AL - MENU

• Hi. Definitely the Rod’s Original Whole Hog Sandwich. But the 3 Meat combo provides lots of options.

Rollin Smoke - Austin, TX - MENU

• I'd go with The Playboy (a 1/4 lb. of brisket, add a 1/4 lb. of pulled pork and top it with a half-link of our jalapeño cheddar pork sausage) and a smoked Mac n cheese app along with pork belly burnt ends. Believe me I get asked it almost everyday.

Rosie's BBQ & Grillery - Northridge, CA - MENU

• I definitely have 2 suggestions, based on how many people there are. For 1 or 2 people, gotta keep it simple, tough to try too much, so I definitely go with brisket, spare rib, turkey, pork belly burnt end. If there's enough people to share a platter, add on the smoked tri tip, pulled pork, sausage, chicken. Just a little of each, enough to taste it all. You'll end up stuffed. My don't miss outs though are definitely the brisket, spares, PBBEs, turkey. I've recently upgraded to Compart Duroc Pork, and Creekstone Prime beef.

Rossler's Blue Cord Barbecue - Killeen, TX - MENU

• Being that we change our menu up so much, it’s hard to say. However when we offer our pork ribeyes, make sure you’re running to get them. We soak them in a marinade that tenderizes the already tender cut of pork. Then we season with a blend of spices my daughters (Paisley and JuJu), Ryan of Backline Smokers and I all came up with together for that perfect bite. Searing them off on our Backline Smokers “Multi Tool” to a perfect 145, WOW it is magical.

Schoepf’s BBQ - Belton, TX - MENU

• Everything is great here at Schoepf’s! We offer traditional BBQ as well as Tex-Mex BBQ. Everyone has their favorites. Everything is served a la carte on a tray. So the ideal tray we would recommend for a first timer would definitely be our Smoked Prime Brisket/Spare Ribs & Chicken Half and if they are really hungry they should try one of our Giant Beef Ribs. As far as sides we Mexican Street Corn/Barracho Beans/Macaroni & Cheese/& Cucumber Salad. Top it off with a slice of our Homemade Tres Leches Cake. Thanks for reaching out to us we appreciate it!

Schmidt Family Barbecue - Bee Cave, TX - MENU

• Howdy Kevin-I would recommend our Brisket, Smoked Turkey Breast, Poblano Cream Corn and Southern Banana Pudding. Hope all is well with you and your family! Thanks for reaching out.

Scott's Kitchen & Catering at Hanger 29 - Kansas City, MO - MENU

• For us it is for sure our two meat combination of 4 Bones St. Louis Ribs and Burnt ends with sides of our Jalapeno apple slaw and bbq beans!

Shaneboys Craft Hawaiian Grindz - Fort Worth, TX - MENU

• I’d say fried firecracker shrimp, garlic butter beef, and Hawaiian grilled chicken for the first timer. Great balance of some sweet, savory, and heat on the palate. Also, any fried item on our menu is gluten free which is a nice added surprise for our guests. I use coconut flour. The Mac salad is also a must! Mahalo! ??

Shotgun Willie's BBQ - Nashville, TN - MENU

• Well I would say everything, but since I need to narrow it down I would definitely go with the brisket (since we’re all about Texas BBQ), the four baked beans, dill pickle potato salad, bourbon banana pudding and wash it down with an ice cold Shiner Bock or Big Red soda. Or if you’re REALLY hungry, The Texas Trinity - 1 lb. of brisket, 1/2 rack of ribs, 2 sausage links and 3 sides. Feeds 2-4 people or 17 Yankees!?

Slaughter's BBQ Oasis - Sulphur Springs, TX - MENU

• I always encourage our first time visitors to try the “Texas Trinity” brisket, ribs and sausage. Side Note: I always recommend our turkey also. I personally can’t go to a BBQ establishment and not order turkey if they offer it.

The Slow Bone Barbecue - Dallas, TX - MENU

• Thank you for reaching out to us with this fun question. If you are a first timer to Slow Bone, we would definitely recommend our prime brisket and St. Louis style pork ribs to start with. For an individual order, 1/4 lb brisket and 1/2 lb pork ribs-- 2 to 3 ribs depending on the size of the ribs, is a good amount to start with. Next, despite being a Texas BBQ joint, our fried chicken is a must try item. Our fried chicken has won 'best fried chicken' within the DFW community year after year. It is smoke-brined overnight prior to frying, resulting in beautifully crispy crust over moist meat with a subtle hint of the smoke (brine). Last but not least, our Texas Nail offers bold flavors in a sandwich. Built with slow smoked prime grade brisket, Revolver Blood & Honey cheddar cheese, smoked mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted green chiles, and a healthy drizzle of lime crema, this specialty sandwich has easily become one of Slow Bone's go to favorites.

Smiley's Barbecue - Fort Worth, TX - MENU

• Texas Trinity. Come get a 1/4 pound of our Brisket Ribs and Sausage! Don't forget to top it off with our Brisket Balls and Smoked Jalapeno Cream Corn.

Smoak Town BBQ - Royse City, TX - MENU

• I’d have to say Brisket, turkey and for sides potato salad, Lollies Mac, brews beans. And to stay on the look out for the Jale-Berries usually do them every other Saturday. It’s the blueberry muffin sausage I make, wrapped around a jalapeño with cream cheese and then wrapped in bacon ??

Smoke Crafters - Mission, TX - MENU

• I would say our brisket birria quesadilla on Thursdays, mesquite smoked brisket on Fridays, and pork spareribs on Saturdays. We have different menu every day so it's tough to just pick one item.

Smokey Joe's BBQ - Dallas, TX - MENU

• Trying our infamous ribs and also come on Friday or Saturday to try our specialty sides (pro tip - don’t leave without the buttermilk pie). Items that represents us best are the short-end ribs, sliced moist brisket yams, black eye peas, greens Beverly beans, chicken tetrazzini, peach cobbler, and our Jamal stuffed baked potato.

Smoke Sessions Barbecue - Royse City, TX - MENU

• Brisket, turkey, spicy garlic & pepper jack sausage, potato Salad, and mac & cheese.

Smokin Z's BBQ - Hitchcock, TX

• We always recommend first timers try out one of our house made sausage links. All of our sausages are creative and different then what you would find at any of your typical bbq joints. You won’t find a mild, house sausage or jalapeño & cheddar at our trailer. It’s where we’re able to show our fun and creative side! Customers love our Loco Links (Tex-Mex blend of spices, fire roasted poblanos, cheddar and pepper Jack cheese) and our spin on Creole Style Brisket Boudin.

Socks' Love Barbecue - Cumming, GA - MENU

• Hey there. I’m happy to contribute. Here is my go to at Socks...2 meat plate- Brisket (fatty & lean), Turkey, “OMG” Mac & Chee and Collard Greens. Add 1- house made Pickled Pepper & White Cheddar Beef Links. You’re all set with this order.

Sonny Bryan's Barbecue - Various Dallas Locations - MENU

• We’re famous for our onion rings, which are made to be eaten with our BBQ sauce.  They go great with a brisket sandwich or a big plate of pork ribs. I guess if I had to select one plate, that would be it, but all of our meats are good.  I love our pulled chicken, and our turkey is delicious too.  The sausage is always a hit.  Sometimes I have a potato loaded with meat, BBQ sauce, butter (lots of butter), sour cream and chives.  Yum!  So we pretty much have something to satisfy every hankerin’. 

Southside Market & Barbeque - 4 Texas Locations - MENU

• The “Quintessential BBQ Tasting”: Original Beef Sausage, Brisket, & Pork Ribs. This is the selection you want to try at any BBQ restaurant if your are doing a tour so you have equal comparison items. It’s the standard tasting in the area – aka the “Texas Trinity”. The “Special to Southside” sampler: Original Beef Sausage, Brisket, Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage, Pork Steaks, & Sausage Slammers. Original Beef Sausage needs no explanation, having been made here in Elgin since 1882. Our Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage is a top seller and fan favorite, made with fresh jalapenos. Pork Steaks have long been a staple here at Southside and not something folks are used to unless they have been here in the area for a while. Sausage Slammers are wholly unique to Southside, which are a fresh jalapeno, stuffed with cheddar cheese, wrapped in sausage and then wrapped in bacon and smoked on the pit.

Southern Smoke of NC - Garland, NC

• You need to order a BBQ tray and slaw with a rib side. You also have to order a side of our seasonal veggie. In the Winter something like Collard Chowder in the summer cold esquites salad or brown butter creamed corn.

Southern Soul Barbeque - St. Simons Island, GA - MENU

• Pulled Pork Sandwich & Brunswick Stew...and definitely Ribs. Also, Hoppin' John (black-eyed peas and rice), Collard Greens & Banana Pudding.

Southern Q BBQ & Catering - Houston, TX - MENU

• "The Big Poppa". That's our 3 meat loaded potato with chop/beef, sausage, ribs and all the trimmings! Great question, thanks for asking.

Speedy Lohr's Barbecue - Lexinton, North Carolina

• If you are coming down to Speedy Lohr’s for your first time, I would gladly recommend our pit-cooked barbecue. We can serve you up some chopped, sliced, or coarse chopped barbecue on a plate with any of our 2 sides and your choice of rolls or hushpuppies. You have to try out our homemade barbecue slaw or coleslaw and some fresh fries for your 2 sides. You can’t miss out on our homemade banana pudding or one of our homemade cakes like “Pig Picking” and “Hershey Bar”. Come out and enjoy the best pit-cooked barbecue anywhere in the barbecue capital of the world and wash your meal down with endless sweet tea.

Smoke Cellar Barbecue - Livermore, CA - MENU

• If I had to pick must try items it would definitely be the brisket and jalapeño cheese grits. Most people out here haven’t tried TX style brisket and most have never heard of grits. Everyone seems to really enjoy both of them and they sell out first. A nice platter I would go with would be: Brisket, pork belly burnt ends, ribs, grits, blue cheese and bacon potato salad, banana pudding and complimentary pickled jalapeños, onions and TX toast. Our other items are pinto beans, slaw and jalapeño cheddar sausage.

Smoke Sessions Barbecue - Royse City, TX - MENU

• Brisket, Turkey, Spicy garlic & pepper jack sausage, Potato Salad, Mac & cheese.

Snow's Barbecue - Lexington, TX - MENU

• "Try everything."

Sweet Lew's BBQ - Charlotte, NC - MENU

• I suggest the Belmont Buffet:It’s a taste of chopped pork, brisket, pork ribs, turkey breast and our house made sausage. It comes with three sides or two sides and a dessert. To me, it gives a true bbq fan the best way to gauge or cooking. And then you can choose a few sides to taste the soul we put in our food. This gives the best representation of our restaurant as a whole!

Stanley's Famous Pit Bar-B-Que - Tyler, TX - MENU

• Man, good question. But I usually always ask first timers what they are interested in. Traditional plates? Sandwiches? Something more adventurous etc.? Based on that conversation I have my go-to suggestion for each type of category or however I feel that I understand what they’re interested in and in East Texas that is almost always a chopped brisket sandwich. lol

Stiles Switch BBQ - Austin, TX - MENU

• For 1st time visitors I always always suggest getting a little bit of everything as far as the Texas Trinity Goes. Brisket, Ribs, and Sausage. All of our sausage is house made and house smoked. I also suggest the Beef Ribs as we smoke em every day and we call em the "Cadillac of the Menu" for a reason. Sides...our Corn Casserole is always a fan favorite....the potato salad is a dill. German style potato salad and its my favorite. We have a new side that people just cant get enough of which are the Sweet Serrano Fried Brussel Sprouts. I'm also a fan of our wings. The Oak Smoked Wings. We slow smoke em and then flash fry em to finish and toss if em in our house sauces. Alabama White, Honey BBQ, and Buffalo are on the everyday menu and we feature one off daily special sauces frequently as well. Really....I'm a fan of our entire menu. We do a great lineup of Daily Specials that rotate weekly which we update on our Website every Monday or you can follow social to catch em. Like Smoked Prime Rib on Wednesday.

The Switch - Dripping Springs, TX - MENU

• This menu is so outstanding. I don't even know where to begin. We have a large kitchen at the Switch which allows us to really flex the collaborations between the pitroom and the kitchen. I always go back to the basics of don't skip the Texas Trinity with the Brisket, Ribs, and Sausage. The wings too. We do a special Oak Smoked Wing flavor of the day every Saturday here as well. The Switch Gumbo is a big favorite. Smoked Meats over a rich roux and we serve it over potato salad with a side of our house made Dunker's Crackers (spicy saltines).  The Brisket Enchiladas are outstanding as well (3) Brisket Filled Corn Tortillas topped with Chile Con Carne, cheddar cheese and diced onion. Served by the plate with Spanish Rice and Brisket Pinto Beans. We also do a weekend Brunch both Saturday and Sunday which most spots do not offer. The Brisket Benedict as well as the Pulled Pork Migas are my favorites but its a big menu with lots of great items like house Fried Chicken and Waffles.

Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue - Tomball, TX - MENU

• Got to get: Brisket Pork Belly,  Chile Relleno sausage, Carrot Soufflé & corn salad along with a chocolate truffle & chocolate panna cotta dessert. House made Sangria to wash it down.

Tender Smokehouse - Celina and Frisco, TX - MENU

• The El Jefe is our signature sandwich that has brisket, pulled pork, smoked sausage, a scoop of our BBQ beans between Texas toast and topped with a pork spare rib! A good menu to try a little bit of everything. We’d also recommend brisket & our pork spare ribs (comes by the half and full rack). For sides, definitely BBQ beans and of course banana pudding for dessert!

Terry Blacks Barbecue - Austin and Dallas, TX - MENU

• Go with the giant Beef rib as that seems to be what we've become known for. Mac and cheese and our fresh green beans are our two best side sellers by far. Our house made pecan pie or often called a pecan tart due to the minimal filling and maximum buttery crust is also a huge seller. 

Truth Barbeque - Brenham/Houston, TX

• I would have to say my top things to have at Truth are: brisket, ribs, turkey, and pepper jack sausage for the proteins. For sides I would suggest tater tot casserole, corn pudding, and collard greens. For dessert I would have to go with my all time favorite, the coconut cream cake!

Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ - Austin, TX - MENU

• We would definitely tell anyone to try the brisket taco, and if you really want to take it to the next level, get it with sliced brisket. Our in-house sausage is also a must have, and of course our loaded queso. And if Miguel has any specials running that day, always try one. Our regular menu never changes but Miguel’s specials are always so different and delicious. It’s like fine dining quality food from a food truck. 

Wanderlust - Craft BBQ & Coffee - Austin, TX - MENU

• Being a pop-up with a small menu that changes every time, this is a little harder to answer ?. However, if I was gonna build a platter that let’s a first timer know what we are all about, it would include: Pork belly slab - Smoked pork belly, generously seasoned with our Original Wonderdust spice blend served sliced like brisket - Pastrami sausage links - House made 1/3 lb. links made from prime brisket that was wet brined in a custom blend of spices for 10-14 days. The links are double smoked for the perfect texture and snap! - Duck fat potato salad - Since people can’t agree on mayo or mustard, we went with duck fat as a binder to put our spin on this classic BBQ side - El Camino grits - Cheese grits, seasoned with Wonderdust El Camino spice blend, with chopped green chilies and topped with thick slices of our all beef sausage - Cheese-n-Mac - We call it Cheese-n-Mac because we put the important part first (we use 6 different cheeses) AND Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ubons Barbeque of Yazoo - Yazoo City, MS - MENU

• Oh that’s awesome!! I usually recommend our combo-pork beef chicken and sausage. I’m almost always bringing out a side of redneck fries and whatever veggies TT cooked that day. On a day like today I’d have recommended the turkey necks, yams, fried green tomatoes and peas-but today’s feast day. So maybe the real tip is to come on Thursday!

Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Q - Grapevine, TX - MENU

• Things are bouncing back around here and we’ve been busier than ever....Brisket is at the heart of all that we do so if I’d recommend 1 thing it’d be the Brisket. Our BBQ Birria Tacos have gotten a lot of attention and are a huge seller so I’d put them up there as well and since you mentioned platters we do 3 which are a great way to sample everything. 1. The Tour of Texas. 2. The Tour of Tex Mex and 3. The North American Tour.

Wright on Taco Shop - Harleton, TX - MENU

• For the table, our “Gone Loco” queso (white queso loaded with fresh guacamole, pico and chopped brisket)and of course our red and salsa verde. Or the “Big Cheese” loaded queso fries topped with pico, creme, and brisket. Pro tip, add sausage and jalapeños! ? Tacos Texican- smoked prime brisket, house slaw, bbq sauce and pickled jalapeños Willie Good- smoked brisket, guacamole and pico. Hannah- Grilled chicken, bacon and queso. Also I highly suggest our brisket elote, house sausage and Texas Twinkies on Saturdays. Our regular special boards rotation goes as such. Tues- street taco Tuesday Wednesday- varies (Barbacoa, Turkey, Bologna) Thursday- Brisket birria tacos Friday- Smoked burgers Saturday- Texas Twinkies

Wright's Barbecue - Johnson/Bentonville, AR - MENU

• Brisket, ribs, sausage, bacon burnt ends collard greens, green beans, Mac and cheese, and potato salad.

Zavalas Barbecue - Grand Prairie, TX

• 1-Slice 44 farms lean brisket, 1/4 lb. of 44 farms beef cheek, 1 pork rib, 2 slices of turkey, a Sloppy Juan, 3 tortillas, and extra green sauce.

ZEF BBQ - Simi Valley, CA

• The first time “get” would be: brisket, homemade SPAM musubi, Dino Bone Curry and 100% the Nanner Pudding