Our Best BBQ Bites of 2023

We shared some of top BBQ dishes from around the country, including spectacular ribs, pastrami, pulled pork, burnt end soup, smoked beets, and more.

This year, we were fortunate enough to have the chance to try some incredible barbecue at restaurants and events around the country. Now, as the year begins to close, we’ve started looking back on all our travels and restaurant visits to highlight some of the best dishes we had this year. We also asked our friends Monk from the Barbecue Bros and John Tanner from John Tanner’s Barbecue Blog to share some of their favorite bites as well.

Here are some of our favorite individual BBQ bites that we ate in 2023 from all around the country.

The pork spareribs are a standout item at J’s Smokehouse in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Wai Chan)

Pork Spareribs from J’s Smokehouse in Omaha, Nebraska
After becoming obsessed with barbecue just two and a half years ago, pitmaster James Hawk taught himself how to smoke meat in his backyard by watching videos on YouTube. Last year, Hawk opened J’s Smokehouse food truck, serving barbecue out of a karate school owned by his parents. Recently, Hawk has begun serving out of the American Legion Post 32 a popular spot where legions of fans line up to get the oak-smoked meats Hawk cooks on his twin offset smokers. The peppery Texas-style ribs are some of the absolute best in town and Hawk was recently awarded first place at the Omaha Ribstock Competition. The ribs are just as great on their own as they are accompanied by Hawk’s tangy, vinegar-based sauce. — Ryan Cooper

One of my favorite bites of the year was this Galangal Burnt End Soup from the Buck Tui X Meat Mitch Masters Dinner in Kansas City. (Photo by Phon Wills)

Galangal Burnt End Soup from Buck Tui BBQ and Meat Mitch BBQ in Overland Park, Kansas
One of my most memorable bites of the year was from the Buck Tui X Meat Mitch Masters Dinner that took place in April in Kansas City. The dish was a Galangal Burnt End Soup with oyster mushroom, onion, cilantro, and Meat Mitch burnt ends. The dish was paired with oolong tea with chrysanthemum and jujube for this dinner course. The smokiness of the burnt ends, in combination with the rich flavors of the soup, was mind-blowing, and I hope to see this on the menu at Buck Tui BBQ in the future. — Ryan Cooper

Not a bad bite on this Little Miss BBQ platter, but the turkey surprised me. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)

Smoked Turkey at Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix, Arizona
Turkey is often an underrated meat at BBQ joints. That’s the case at Little Miss BBQ, which has tons of admirers who champion the brisket, beef ribs, and amazing burritos. When I thought about my visit early in the year, I came back to the turkey, which was incredibly moist and tender, some of the best I’ve ever had at a BBQ joint. — Sean Ludwig

Everything was good at Wildwoods BBQ but the smoked beats over tzatziki (lower right corner) shined for its inventiveness. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)

Smoked Beets Over Tzatziki at Wildwoods BBQ in North Wildwood, New Jersey
I didn’t eat a bad bite at Wildwoods BBQ during my visit in July, and the delicious brisket lived up to the hype after the joint won Brisket King NYC a few months before. What shocked me was that the inventive vegetable sides were just as good as the meats. The smoked beets over tzatziki were topped with jalapenos, pickles, and onion. Wildwoods’ fried cauliflower with hot sauce and sesame seeds was a close second in the veggie arena. — Sean Ludwig