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Hole-in-the-walls sure are different these days. They were once a community’s well-kept secret. They catered exclusively to in-the-know locals by quietly offering up familiarity, authenticity, and good food. Local barbecue joints, in particular, were kept quiet by clientele who didn’t want to see their favorite under-the-radar spot put on any culinary map. Recognition and acclaim could bring change, refinement, and, worst of all, crowds. Locals balked at sharing their favorite barbecue, and they still do. That’s why great hole-in-the-wall barbecue joints are hard to find. There is hope, however. We’ve scoured locales all across the country, both digitally and in person, for barbecue joints that embrace their status as hole-in-the-wall local favorites.
In the digital age, every delectable-looking slab of ribs and each drool-worthy pulled pork sandwich is destined for Instagram fame. Modern pitmasters must be self-promoters and savvy PR flacks. That complicates both what exactly a hole-in-the-wall is and how best to identify them. Familiarity can lose out to experimentation. Authenticity can give way to accessibility. Community can be usurped by coolness. Most importantly, the food, either as a result of getting gussied up or dumbed down, can get worse.
All restaurants want to be profitable and grow, but not at the expense of what makes them great: The joints you’re about to discover still proudly serve familiar, authentic barbecue, and cater to the community that they call home. Because that’s what a good hole-in-the-wall does, and that’s what we’re searching for. Sometimes it’s best to fly under the radar.
1. HUNTS Tennessee BBQ in Henderson, TN
Memphis barbecue is famous worldwide for its slow-cooked pulled pork and ribs, served either dry (rubbed with spices) or wet (flooded with sweet, tangy sauce). Tennessee is a big state, though, and the best under-the-radar barbecue can be found about ninety minutes due north of the River City in the tiny, rural burg of Henderson.
Hunt’s Tennessee BBQ is a hole-in-the-wall in the best way: It’s popular with locals, but basically unknown to the greater barbecue world. After all, why eat in Henderson when there’s so much more available just a short drive south? As someone from west Tennessee who has eaten at Hunt’s, let my tell you why: It’s the food. The barbecue is authentic Tennessee, and the aesthetics are pure small town hole-in-the-wall.
Go to Memphis if you must, but the pulled pork at this little barbecue shack in the middle of nowhere is just as good and most likely better. If you’re looking for a true hidden gem, come to Henderson and eat at Hunt’s.
HUNTS Tennessee BBQ
731-445-0520
870 US 45, Henderson, TN, 38340
2. Trigger’s BBQ in Pawhuska, OK
For Texas-style brisket without the crowds or the hype, head to Oklahoma. Located in Osage County, within the Osage Nation Reservation, Trigger’s serves up the same great barbecue you’ll find in Austin without any of the Texas capital’s “It City” trappings. The pitmaster at Trigger’s, known only as “The Captain,” embraced his restaurant’s hole-in-the-wall status, particularly when speaking of his goals for his place. He continues to adhere to his philosophy, writing on the Trigger’s BBQ website that, “Most folks with a business mission are just trying to copy terms and sound smart for Stockholders and investors. That is not a mission.” He explains further, saying, “at the end of this day, (there’s) just a duty to provide good BBQ and memories.”
Reviewers say the brisket “melts in your mouth,” and the portion sizes are huge. The best advice: Visit Pawhuska, go to Trigger’s, order the brisket, and then figure out what to do with the leftovers. If you’re looking for suggestions: Leftover brisket makes a great addition to mac and cheese.
Trigger’s BBQ
918-287-2922
414 Kihekah Avenue, Pawhuska, OK, 74056
3. Smokin’ Mike’s Meats in Gainesville, GA
Sometimes, a small place turns out big barbecue. Smokin’ Mikes’s Meats, located just a stone’s throw from Lake Lanier in North Georgia, believes that there’s no such thing as too much barbecue. They are known for their extra-large portion sizes: piles of pulled pork, huge beef briskets, and dangerously overstuffed kielbasa. They embrace both the grandeur of the lake and the small town-feel of the community perched on its banks.
“Huge portions for what you pay for,” writes one reviewer. “Friendly folks, too.” That sentiment nicely sums up the best aspects of any hole-in-the-wall barbecue joint. It’s not just the food that makes these places worth going out of your way to visit. It’s the people, too. And the people at Smokin’ Mike’s go out of their way to serve the best Southern barbecue without any nods to artifice or pretension.
Smokin’ Mike’s Meats
706-974-4100
5646 Price Road, Gainesville, GA, 3056
4. Skylight Inn BBQ in Ayden, NC
Skylight Inn BBQ is a little different than other hole-in-the-wall barbecue joints in that it does, in fact, come with some big time acclaim. In 2003, it was awarded the prestigious “American Classics Award” by the James Beard Foundation. The thing is, when you’ve been making some of the South’s best barbecue since 1947, you’re bound to get a little attention, whether it’s wanted or not.
Fortunately, that attention hasn’t turned the Skylight Inn into a tourist trap. It still caters to the locals, just as it did nearly eighty years ago when original pitmaster Pete Jones, only seventeen at the time, started cooking up traditional Appalachian barbecue for his neighbors in the small town of Ayden. Outsiders are welcome, of course, but those looking for modern styling and innovative flavor profiles should look elsewhere. This hole-in-the-wall specializes in old time authenticity, and that’s more than good enough for both the people of Ayden and the James Beard Foundation.
Skylight Inn BBQ
252-746-4113
4618 Lee Street, Ayden, NC, 28513
5. Bar-A-BBQ in Montgomery, TX
As an epicenter of American barbecue, there are plenty of great barbecue joints in Texas that qualify as holes-in-the-wall, and many of them are undoubtedly worth a visit. A favorite, however, is Bar-A-BBQ in Montgomery, an exurb of Houston.
Pitmaster Cooper Abercrombie, himself a Montgomery native, elevates his array of traditional Texas favorites by focusing on bold flavors and Southern hospitality. What he has created is a community barbecue joint with a fanbase full of rabid locals.
It’s Texas, of course, so brisket is the star. Reviewers, however, write just as glowingly about the sides and add-ons. “The mac and cheese was great. Creamy and infused with the BBQ smoke flavor,” writes a customer who also makes special mention of the cucumber salad, saying it contains “fresh, large chunks,” with a “good peppery back end.”
Though not as famous as other Houston-area barbecue joints, Bar-A-BBQ adds authenticity and a small-town feel to the massively overcrowded, often underwhelming city scene. This is one hole-in-the-wall that should have the Texas big boys running scared.
Bar-A-BBQ
936-548-5658
21149 Eva Street, Montgomery, TX, 77356
6. Fork Grove Barbecue in Anderson, SC
You can try making your own sausages: It can be a fun, if often frustrating, exercise in culinary precision and patience. You’ll need lots of practice, though, if you want to compete with the sausages offered up by Fork Grove.
This hole-in-the-wall in Anderson, South Carolina, mostly sticks to the basics: They have all the Carolina favorites like pork spare ribs, pulled pork, and barbecued chicken. And there’s also all of the sides you would expect, like collard greens and white mac and cheese. But what really sets Fork Grove apart is their impressive array of homemade sausages.
Made in the traditional Carolina way, with plenty of spice and a little heat, Fork Grove’s homemade links beckon locals to come in, pull up a chair, and stay awhile. As one reviewer says, it’s a “true bbq lover’s hideout.”
Fork Grove Barbecue
864-225-2425
1721 Highway 187 South, Anderson, SC, 29624
7. Amazon’ Blaze BBQ in Hardin, KY
Some areas have well-defined barbecue traditions and flavor profiles. In Alabama, for instance, it’s smoked meat drowned in a mayonnaise-based white sauce. In Kansas City, it’s burnt ends showered in sweet, tangy red sauce. In short, you know what you’re getting in those places, like in most other barbecue hotspots. But what about the Bluegrass State? What exactly is Kentucky barbecue?
Turns out, it’s mostly chicken. And nobody is doing it better or more authentically than the folks at Amazin’ Blaze BBQ, deep in the woods of Marshall County. Given that Kentucky’s most famous culinary figure is Colonel Sanders, this focus on the barnyard bird shouldn’t come as a surprise. But if you’re craving real Kentucky chicken that’s barbecued instead of fried, pull up your map and make the trip to Hardin.
At Amazin’ Blaze BBQ, you’ll get the complete hole-in-the-wall experience: great barbecued chicken, friendly service, good conversation, and absolutely no frills. Just don’t try to pigeonhole them as a chicken joint: That’s what they’re known for, but they also offer up some delectable, traditional pork offerings. As their slogan goes, “Amazin’ Blaze, How Sweet the Sow.”
Amazon’ Blaze BBQ
270-252-9021
15649 US-68, Hardin, KY, 42048
8. Wild Waylon’s BBQ in Fredericksburg, VA
Can strip mall barbecue actually be good? At Wild Waylon’s the answer is a resounding “yes.” This family-owned and operated hole-in-the-wall, er…hole-in-the-mall, specializes in chicken quarters and pulled pork sandwiches. What has reviewers raving, however, are Wild Waylon’s beef ribs. “The beef ribs (have) fall off the bone tenderness and (the) flavor is stunning,” one reviewer writes, “and the sauces all complimented the meat.” Other customers echoes the sentiment, while also singling out the sides, particularly the pimento mac ‘n cheese and the traditional baked beans.
Located about halfway between Richmond and Washington, DC, the hour or so drive from either metropolis to Fredericksburg is well worth it for barbecue lovers of all stripes. Wild Waylon’s diverse menu of Southern barbecue favorites offers a little something for everyone. It’s got the location and atmosphere of the best hole-in-the-walls, and it has the food to match. Don’t judge a barbecue joint by what it’s attached to, but rather on its own merits.
Wild Waylon’s BBQ
540-554-9888
43 Town and Country Drive #101, Fredericksburg, VA, 22405
9. Billie Rae’s BBQ Soulfood and Catering in Knoxville, TN
This black-owned barbecue start-up high in the Tennessee hills has only been around since 2023, but it has already become the place to go for barbecue in Knoxville. What started as a catering company is now a full-fledged hole-in-the-wall, serving up smoky, Southern favorites. Their smoke-fried chicken is delicious and sweet. Billie Rae’s is also gaining a reputation for its approach to brisket, which is more associated with Texas than Tennessee. In addition to the expected brisket plate and brisket sandwich, there’s also something called the “Big Gene Brisket Dog,” an all-beef sort-of chili dog that sounds like the ultimate hangover food. Conveniently, and perhaps not coincidentally, Billie Rae’s is located right by a package store.
The small team at Billie Rae’s is committed to feeding it’s often-overlooked community in East Knoxville. That area is often said to be a “food desert,” meaning limited options are available to the people there. As Billie Rae’s continues to entrench itself in the community, this little caterer turned hole-in-the-wall will grow in prestige and reputation. With barbecue like this, Billie Mae’s may soon outgrow its hole-in-the-wall status and begin appearing on more prestigious lists.
Billie Rae’s BBQ Soulfood and Catering
865-444-1160
1920 E. Magnolia Avenue, Knoxville, TN, 37917
10. The Shed Barbecue and Blues Joint in Ocean Springs, MS
Anytime you travel to the coast, you have to watch out for tourist traps. And in picturesque Ocean Springs, they wear pretty, nautical-themed disguises and promise you things like fried shrimp, margaritas, and hours of Jimmy Buffet music. But amid the predictable Gulf Coast culinary offerings, there shines a bright light through a hole-in-the-wall, attracting the in-the-know crowd through the tourist debris and towards some of the best barbecue in Mississippi.
The Shed may sound like a tourist trap at times, when the live music gets cranked up to eleven and the drinks start flowing, but that’s just window dressing. The thing that the locals focus on is the barbecue. There’s nothing innovative about the menu: It’s just traditional Mississippi barbecue done right. The 16-Hour Brisket is the highlight of the menu, and G-Maw’s Baked Beans are close to perfect, but everything The Shed serves is uniformly good.
The Shed Barbecue and Blues Joint
228-875-9590
7501 MS HWY 57, Ocean Springs, MS, 39565
11. Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que in Kansas City, KS
Some of the best Kansas City barbecue comes from the corner of a gas station on the Kansas side of the border. At least, that’s where it started. Now Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que has two additional locations. No matter how far into the suburbs Joe’s expands, the original one in the gas station at the intersection of 47th and Mission will always be the hole-in-the-wall that best represents the Kansas City barbecue culture and all of its sweet, tangy eccentricities.
“Kansas City” is right there in the name, so you know you’re getting brisket. Joe’s standout is the “Z-Man,” a slow-smoked brisket piled with provolone and onion rings and smashed into a bun. But if you want to be contrarian, or maybe you’re visiting from Memphis, there are plenty of great pork options with creative names, too. Try “The Hog Heaven.” It’s a pulled pork sandwich topped with Joe’s house-made sausage.
Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que
913-722-3366
302 West 47th Avenue, Kansas City, KS, 66103
12. Offset BBQ in Chicago, IL
Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood is well-known for its Chicago-style hotdogs. Barbecue, however, is harder to find. Particularly good barbecue.
Offset BBQ is a charming little hole-in-the-wall that is working to remedy the situation. The team at Offset experiment with flavor and spice a little more than maybe is necessary, but it’s exactly that which has contributed to its draw. Not all hole-in-the-walls need to be old fashioned, as long as the food is good and the community is supportive.
Wings are the things that keep Northsiders coming back to Offset. They’re sticky and smokey in the best way possible, and their sauce selection makes for a choose-your-own-adventure story of heat and sweet. But if you can’t imagine Chicago without a hot dog, try their smoked beef sausage with all the fixings. It’s kind of the best of both worlds.
Offset BBQ
773-360-7753
1720 N California Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60647
13. Johnson’s Boucanière in Lafayette, LA
This little hole-in-the-wall down on the bayou started as a dry goods and specialty meats store in 1937. In the nearly nine decades since, it has become Louisiana’s best kept secret for barbecue.
The original store closed in 2005, but three years later, the store owner’s granddaughter, Lori Johnson Walls, opened her updated version, and the boucanière was born. “Boucanière” is a Cajun word for “smokehouse.” And Wall’s smokehouse churns out consistently amazing barbecue using many of the same recipes and techniques that her grandfather used.
The Smoked Meat PoBoys are a local favorite, but anything on the menu with the word “smoked” before it is worth trying. Also try anything that’s tough to pronounce, like the Begnaud Special: smoked brisket and pork sausage on a hamburger bun. Actually, just close your eyes and point — everything is that good.
Johnson’s Boucanière
337-269-8878
1111 Saint John Street, Lafayette, LA, 70501
14. Smokin’ Barrels in Barrington, NH
What started as a beachside shack with a small but rabid following has turned into one of New England’s best little barbecue joints. At Smokin’ Barrels, the focus is on feeding the community that has embraced their special brand of hole-in-the-wall barbecue.
There’s no continuity here in terms of style: At Smokin’ Barrels, there’s a little bit of everything. There’s a Texas-style brisket sandwich, plenty of Southern-tinged pork, and some of the best jerk chicken north of Boston. Maybe that is New England’s signature barbecue style: a harmonious mishmash of the best of American barbecue. But there’s more here in New Hampshire, and it’s a polite nod to our neighbors from the North: One of their most popular featured items is the very Canadian Country Poutine featuring their slow-smoked, melt-in-your-mouth brisket.
New England’s barbecue style might be hard to define, but it’s easy to eat. Whatever Smokin’ Barrels brand is, it’s delicious.
Smokin’ Barrels
603-905-9112
904 Calef Highway, Barrington, NH, 03825
Methodology
Liliya Krueger/Getty Images
Unlike in home repair, “hole-in-the-wall” is a hard-to-define concept in the restaurant business. For this piece I scoured the internet for positive reviews, local press, and other reliable data from trusted sources. That in and of itself was a problem: There are many great barbecue joints — true “hole-in-the-wall” spots — that are so under-the-radar that that kind of digital footprint doesn’t exist. For my purposes, I looked for barbecue restaurants that were small in scope, embraced by their respective community, and dealt in delicious, happily unpretentious food.
So I drew from places I know and that I’ve personally eaten at first. Next, I consulted barbecue experts and industry insiders to get their opinions and recommendations. Lastly, I researched each restaurant using whatever material I could find from reliable outside sources.
No list like this can ever be complete, there’s just too much good barbecue out there. And that’s a good thing.
Dining and Cooking