Arkansas BBQ Trail
Ask a dozen Arkansans where to find the best barbecue and you’ll get a dozen different answers, each one delivered with passion.
Across the state, pitmasters guard recipes passed down through generations, tweaking them with a secret spice blend or a sauce that speaks for itself. You’ll find every style: mustard and vinegar tang, thick tomato sweetness, dry rub that bites back, and smoke that lingers long after the last rib is gone.
Arkansas barbecue has both deep roots and national recognition. Some places have become legends. Jones Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna, believed by Southern Foodways Alliance to be the oldest continually operated Black-owned restaurant in the South, dating back to the 1910s, won a James Beard America’s Classics Award in 2012. Wright’s Barbecue, headquartered in Johnson, has also earned a Beard nod. In Hot Springs, McClard’s Bar-B-Q and Stubby’s BBQ have both drawn national attention, while Dixie Pig in Blytheville has been smoking meat since 1923. And in the Delta, Craig’s Bar-B-Q in De Valls Bluff holds a spot in the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame.
Ribs, pulled pork, brisket, tenderloin, chicken—they’re all here, piled high alongside the sides that make a plate complete.
This list isn’t every stop on Arkansas’ barbecue trail. It’s a starting point. A collection of places that locals swear by and travelers crave again. Start here. Pile it high. Enjoy.
Best BBQ Places
Craig's Brothers Cafe
DeValls Bluff, AR
Barbecue sandwiches, plates, ribs, burgers; a true Southern barbecue shack that dates back to the 1940s. Slow-smoked meats, fiery sauces, savory coleslaw.
Ridgewood Brothers BBQ
Russellville, AR
An established food truck on West Main St, the Ridgewood Brothers serve barbecue every Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until they are sold out.
Hoots BBQ, Bakery & Grill
McGehee, AR
Barbecue pork, beef and chicken, burgers, sandwiches, seafood, steaks; bakery features homemade pies, cookies, outdoor seating available; live entertainment in the bar.
Jones Bar-B-Q Diner
Marianna, AR
Believed to be by the Southern Foodways Alliance to be the oldest black-owned restaurant in continuous operation in the South; a cool neighborhood barbecue joint that has been in business for over 100 years; meats are smoked on-site; served on plain white bread with thin, vinegar-based sauce and cole slaw. Named by the James Beard Foundation as an American Classic in 2012.
Wright's Barbecue
Have barbecue the "Wright way!" We take people back to the method of open flame, 100% wood fire, on a pit barbecue, using pecan wood from central Arkansas trees. When you taste this award winning barbecue you'll understand why what started with a backyard smoker became a food truck and then a restaurant with four locations throughout the state. Serving brisket, pork, chicken, sausage, turkey, ribs, bacon burnt ends, southern sides, salads and more.
McClard's Bar-B-Q
Hot Springs, AR
Legendary Arkansas barbecue restaurant established in 1928; meats pit smoked daily on the premises; sauce, cole slaw, beans and hot tamales made with old family recipes; famous for the "hot tamale spread;" featured in Southern Living and Gourmet Magazines and on "The Best of..." television show on Food Network.
Dixie Pig
Blytheville, AR
Third-generation-owned restaurant, serving smoked barbecue since 1923; famous for its chopped pork sandwich known as "the pig sandwich," homemade onion rings and fries, beans; additional sandwiches, barbecue and chicken plates; salads.
Sassy's Red House
Fayetteville, AR
Traditional Southern barbecue with signature sauce developed in 1895; salads, appetizers, sliders, paninis, wraps, sandwiches; pork, brisket, chicken, ribs; steak, catfish, burgers; children's menu; daily drink and food specials.
Brothers BBQ
Heber Springs, AR
Smoked pork and beef, ribs, sides including potato salad, baked beans, coleslaw, fries, corn on the cob; barbecue nachos.
Three Sam's Barbecue
Mabelvale, AR
Family-owned; pork and beef barbecue, burgers, chili dogs, onion rings, fries, chili; homemade desserts including peanut butter, strawberry and lemon ice box pies.
Backyard Barbeque Company
Magnolia, AR
Beef, pork barbecue, potato salad, slaw, barbecue baked potatoes; homemade coconut cream, pecan, cream cheese, Oreo, and banana pudding pies.
Big Jake's Bar-B-Q
Texarkana, AR
Barbecue plates, sandwiches, ribs, fries, baked potatoes; vegetables, desserts; kid's menu; catering available; daily specials; special pricing for groups of 12 or more.
Capitol Smokehouse and Grill
Little Rock, AR
Barbecue, catfish, chicken, burgers; plate lunches; uses fresh Arkansas grown produce; breakfast; outdoor dining area available; dine in or take out. Named in the July 2010 issue of Maxim as one of the "Top 10 Temples of 'Cue in the World."
H B's Barbecue
Little Rock, AR
Quaint legendary barbecue "dive" located in a residential area; seats only 32; great slabs of meat with fiery barbecue sauce, ribs are served on Tuesday only; pork sandwich on an onion roll; featured in September 2006 Vogue Magazine. A descendant of the legendary Shack Barbecue run by members of the original Slaughter family.
Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish
Carlisle, AR
Serving Southern-style, award-winning barbecue since 1979; beef, pork, Polish sausage; smoked ham, turkey, chicken; variety of sides including Mac N Cheese, corn on the cob, potato salad, fried okra; homemade banana pudding, cobblers.
Lindsey's Barbecue & Hospitality House
North Little Rock, AR
Opened in 1956 serving home-cooking and barbecue for lunch; chopped barbecue beef, pork, ribs, smoked links and chicken; fried chicken, catfish; variety of side items including mixed greens, pinto and baked beans, potato salad, onion rings, cabbage; homemade pies including egg custard, sweet potato, fried pies. GROUPS: facility can handle up to 350 guests on-site; no size limit off-site.
Stubby's BBQ
Hot Springs, AR
Stubby's BBQ has been creating fantastic barbecue memories and the tastiest sauce since 1952 when founder Richard Stubblefield Sr. (hence the name Stubby’s BBQ) first fired up his BBQ over fragrantly smoldering logs, slow-cooking the famous meats – ribs, beef, pork and chicken.
Sims Bar-B-Que
Little Rock, AR
Legendary Arkansas barbecue restaurant that has been around since 1937. Features mustard based vinegar sauce. Selected by Southern Living Magazine as a recipient of its " 'cue" awards in 2012. Menu includes pork, beef, ribs, chicken, smoked sausage and bologna; burgers, salads.
Penguin Ed's Bar-B-Q
Fayetteville, AR
Serving hickory-enhanced, slow meats since 1993; barbecue ribs, chicken, pork, beef; smoked ham, sausage, ham, bologna, hot links; appetizers, salads, side items, sandwiches, desserts.
Fox Creek BBQ and Catering
Batesville, AR
Serving up award-winning barbeque and Arkansas hospitality in the old Batesville train depot.
Benny Bob's Barbecue
Blytheville, AR
Barbecue chicken, ribs, pork, baked beans, cole slaw, hushpuppies, catfish, wings; homemade and fried pies.
Kibbs Bar-B-Que
Stuttgart, AR
Ribs, beans, slaw, home-made fries; wings, burgers, chicken.
Related Articles
