The BBQ Restaurant Red Flag You Simply Can't Overlook

Whether you're scarfing vinegar-based BBQ in North Carolina or making a pilgrimage to the Kansas City BBQ restaurant that Anthony Bourdain dubbed the best in the country, good BBQ is indefinable but also unmistakable. Finding top-tier BBQ shouldn't depend on what style you opt for, where you consume it, or whether it's a high-dollar plate or served in a roadside cardboard tray eaten while standing. 

Knowing the best BBQ joint in an area is a matter of opinion, but knowing which ones to avoid is elementary. No, it doesn't have anything to do with the secret ingredients in a place's homemade sauce or how many pitmaster awards someone claims to have won. If a BBQ restaurant doesn't have a smoker on-site — and you'll know if it does, because you can't mistake its characteristic smell wafting over the place — it's simply not real BBQ and you shouldn't waste your money.

In today's culinary world, the word "BBQ" (technically, it's a phonetic abbreviation of "barbeque") has been watered down to where it can mean just about anything. Anyone with a piece of meat and an oven can claim they are serving BBQ, and even fast-casual chains may advertise BBQ. But, by strict definition, BBQ meat is smoked low and slow. How you season it, how you sauce it, and how you present it are all up for creative interpretation, but the smoker bit is essential. Therefore, if a restaurant doesn't greet you with the thick, delicious smell of smoked meat from the smoker that is its beating heart, go somewhere else.

To those who take it seriously, "real" BBQ is smoked. That process may happen in a commercial smoker or, somewhat more uniquely, in a pit, but the cooking method is non-negotiable. There is a world of variation within these parameters, however, and a BBQ joint worth its salt has likely identified one of those variations and committed to it. So, be wary of any restaurant that's trying to do too much. Is the BBQ place in question a food truck that's known far and wide for its sauce? Great! Does a hot new BBQ spot in a trendy neighborhood advertise the high-quality sourcing of its meats? As long as it's smoking them, feel free to try it out. Beware, however, of the restaurant that throws everything at the proverbial wall to see what sticks. Be wary if it lists tons of sides, all kinds of different sauces, unusual fusions, or strange gimmicks. Most of the expert tips for better barbecue rely on excellent technique, not flash.

As is the case with most places you go to eat, a great BBQ restaurant commits to a niche and executes it exceptionally well. Those are the places that oftentimes have a line out the door, hundreds of glowing reviews, and a faithful following. They aren't always the prettiest spots or the fanciest, but we know one thing for sure: the smell of the establishment's smokers will greet you like a warm, fragrant hug, even if you can't see them!