Where's the Best Barbecue in Las Vegas?

Thanks for an opportunity to ask questions regarding Las Vegas. I really have enjoyed reading the questions and answers. Therefore, where are the best barbecue places to eat in Las Vegas?

Barbecue is burgeoning, not only in Las Vegas, but all over the country. So in July 2021, we launched a survey of the best barbecue joints hereabouts.

It wasn't easy.

The best “smoke shops” serve only a few items — brisket, ribs, pulled pork, sausage, chicken/turkey, along with coleslaw, potato salad, beans, and corn bread — and they’re mostly the same, with some regional variations. So the differences can be difficult to distinguish.

Also, unlike Texas, the Carolinas, Memphis, and Kansas City, Vegas doesn’t have its own brand of barbecue, so we had to sort through the different styles on offer here and try to come to some comparative determination.

Anyway, we tried and reviewed 10 different barbecue restaurants over the next eight months. Two went out of business since then and we discovered another recently that we really like. Here are some of our findings, updated to reflect the opening and closing. Also note that we didn't review some of the most popular BBQs, such as the Rollin' Smokes, John Mull, and Mabel's, which we'd covered previously, or Famous Dave's, Dickey's, and Lucille's, which are national chains.

For best quality overall, we liked Soulbelly, in the Arts District at 1327 S. Main Street.

The best bang for your buck will come as no surprise: Benny’s Smoking BBQ and Brews at Binion's, which serves humongous meals for a pittance, especially with the players card discount. And the barbecue is definitely decent for the price.

For the best brisket, it's definitely Blood Bros. BBQ at the Famous Foods Street Eats food hall at Resorts World. Note, however, that it's also the most expensive by a long shot; here, you get three slices of brisket, a la carte, for $19, the price of a two- or three-meat combo plate at most other smoke houses.

The best pulled pork we found at Braeswood Barbecue, on S. Main almost directly across the street from Soulbelly.

The best ribs were at Chicks and Butts, but that's gone; second best are at Ellis Island.

Best side dishes are also at Benny’s Smoking BBQ and Brews at Binion's.

For best sauces, we picked Jessie Rae’s, on S. Valley View near the corner of Russell Road, just down the block from our office. Excellent brisket there too.

The new place we stumbled on is L2 Texas Barbecue on W. Warm Springs Road just west of Eastern Avenue. This could supplant Soulbelly for best quality overall, but we've only been there once, so we need to try it at least once more to decide.

We're sure many of you have favorite barbecue joints in Las Vegas. Let's hear about them.

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Jackie Feb-09-2023

Never ate BBQ in Nevada

But I'm a native Texan, 4th gen, and know a lot about BBQ.
I'm sure your taste buds did more to determine the BBQ places in Las Vegas but BBQ and their sauces really come down to the cooking method and ingredients.
Sauces are either vinegar based or molasses based.
Vinegar base is the most popular in Texas, other southern States prefer molasses.
The meats are slow cooked over wood fires with mesquite wood smoking for several hours on rotisseries. The result is "melt in your mouth" briskets and ribs.
I never experienced BBQ anywhere else that could compete and I've sampled BBQ in a dozen or more States.
There is one restaurant in Fort Worth that will often have customers from the White House, Congress, Judiciary, and the Pentagon.  It's close to Carswell AFB so it's easy to drop in for lunch.
Pictures on their wall prove it.

thebeachbum Feb-09-2023

Missed One

Or did you try John Mull’s Meats & Road Kill Grill?

alohafri Feb-09-2023

Rick's Rollin' Smoke

Don't sleep on this place. My wife loves the brisket baked potato.

Dorothy Kahhan Feb-09-2023

Big B's Texas BBQ

Big B's Texas BBQ on St. Rose is pretty decent, and the prices are reasonable. They're got a wide variety of sides as well.

Having lived in the deep south for a number of years, and having traveled around the country, I know a little bit about BBQ, each area having its own unique flavor. My favorites were in Georgia and Texas. But what I wanted to say that back in the day, BBQ was  very inexpensive, generally found in some hole-in-the-wall joint. As it used the cheaper cuts of meats, it was favored among the not-so-well-off. Like other dishes, when chefs began to "elevate" BBQ, the prices were elevated as well. It's akin to going out for spaghetti at $10/plate, or "pasta" for $20-25/plate. 

Given that, I try to avoid these "elevated" BBQ restaurants, such as Mabel's, Lucille's, etc. They're just not worth the high cost, especially for theae cheaper cuts of meat.

ChazWozzer Feb-09-2023

Didn't enjoy John Mull

I've been to Vegas about a dozen times and tried BBQ there only once. In 2013 a friend and I took a super expensive cab ride from Mandalay Bay to John Mull's Meats & Road Kill Grill. I can't tell you how disappointed I was. We sampled most of the menu items and  it was OK at best. Maybe it was a bad day since it gets good reviews on average, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go there again. If I happened to be nearby for another reason perhaps I might give it another try.

[email protected] Feb-09-2023

I’m from…

Everybody is an expert on BBQ, just like everyone thinks they are good at table tennis/ping pong. 
Things change, there are great pit masters old & young in lots of different places. As the author mentioned there are lots of variations of BBQ (Texas has how many different styles? I know of at least 3 - Central, East & West. I think there may be a South one too and maybe others). So there is room for everyone at the table. BBQ is subjective based on personal preferences. Everyone is allowed to have their own opinion folks. 

Now BBQ isn’t cheap, so do your research and read up and find the one you think you may like based on your preferences. Not everyone else’s.

[email protected] Feb-09-2023

AVOID Brisket ($$$)

As a native Texan that has been eating Central Texas (Lockhart, Llano, Taylor, Elgin) BBQ since 1960, I can say that mainly because of Aaron Franklin and BBQ Pitmasters, there is now widespread "pretty" good quality brisket in a lot of places BUT the problem is that because of exploding demand for it...prices are outrageous usually $30+ per pound! That's why in Las Vegas I would never look to buy brisket but instead go to Ellis Island or SouthPoint and order the steak special or prime rib specials for less than $20 for the entire meal! As far as BBQ goes..stick to chicken and pork ribs for most bang for the buck and avoid Dickey's as that place is worse than cafeteria BBQ.

Lotel Feb-09-2023

I am not telling

I have learned , If I ever find a place with  great BBQ, Pizza, Mexican etc. at a great price do not go on social media or the internet and tell everyone. next thing the place will become crowded, prices go up and food quality goes down.

Howard M Feb-09-2023

AYCE REGRETS

We all have regrets and mine is never fulfilling the high buck list desire to enjoy the AYCE BBQ (Mabel's) at The Palms, pre-pandemic. AYCE anything, anywhere, is an iffy proposition, but this being the sister restaurant to esteemed Michael Symon's Cleveland, OH establishment, surely it held great promise. It's open again, post-pandemic, but no longer offers an AYCE option.
The only BBQ restaurant I know of here in LV with an AYCE menu option is Rollin Smoke. There are numerous reviews and videos online. I plan to get there in the next few months before I have to live with more regrets.

Roy Furukawa Feb-09-2023

Helper

If the LVA staff needs help tasting any of these BBQ joints, I will sacrifice myself and volunteer for this dangerous mission. :D

[email protected] Feb-11-2023

 4 star BBQ in Vegas

I accidently ran into the place of Marah of 2022, thanks to Bar Rescue. There are 2 breweries on each side. Hudl which they share space with Soul Belly. Bruce Kalman is a James Beard nontimed. He has been on Chop, and Beat Bobby Flay.  In the 2000's I used to go to Top Of the World restaurant located at the Stratosphere. I would rather spend my money at as an individual owner like  Soul belly and Hudl, verses Caesar or Harrah's properties. Able Baker Brewery is also awesome

Question of the Day - 09 February 2023

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