The Best Barbecue in Minnesota

Where to find the finest brisket, ribs, sides, & more throughout the state

Surly's brisket on a cutting board.
Surly’s brisket

photo by terry brennan; styled by lara miklasevics


For years, great barbecue spots in the land of lutefisk were few and far between. We had the classic, family-owned style of Market Bar-B-Que, the sweet, sleek polish of Rudolphs, and the smell-it-for-blocks-around, no-frills beauty of Ted Cook’s. Today, there’s a whole new league of chefs across Minnesota clamoring for a space at the pit, tending fires, coaxing flavors, and perfecting the balanced simplicity of smoke, meat, sauce, and seasoning. Revival’s Thomas Boemer said it best, “New-school barbecue is examining old ingredients through a new lens.” We’ve scoured the state for the best in bone-sucking, sauce-slapping, ember-tending barbecue.

A cutting board of Revival's butter ribs, part of the best barbecue in Minnesota.

Best Ribs

Surly Brewing Co.'s brisket on a cutting, part of the best barbecue in Minnesota.

Best Brisket

A picture showing the best side dishes, part of the best barbecue in Minnesota.

Best Sides

A collection of barbecue sauces, part of the best barbecue in Minnesota.

Best Sauce

OMC's pork and grits on a table, part of the best barbecue in Minnesota.

Best New-school ‘Cue

Ribs from Rudolph's on a cutting board, part of the best barbecue in Minnesota.

Best Old-school ‘Cue


More MN BBQ

Twin Cities Metro Area

Aesop’s Table

919 Dale St. N., St. Paul | 651-488-6591 | aesopstable.com

Blue Collar BBQ

4115 Woodland Rd., Lexington | 651-493-8589 | bluecollarbarbeque.com

C&G’s Smoking Barbecue

4743 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis | 612-825-3400

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

Various locations | dickeys.com

Famous Dave’s

Various locations | famousdaves.com

Hickory Hut

647 University Ave. W., St. Paul | 651-224-9464 | hickoryhutstpaul.com

Mama D’s Authentic Southern Cooking

920 E. Lake St., Minneapolis | 612-280-5044 | mamadskitchenmn.com

Northbound Smokehouse

2716 E. 38th St., Minneapolis | 612-208-1450 | northboundbrewpub.com

Old Southern BBQ Smokehouse

4501 France Ave. S., Minneapolis | 612-236-4827 | oldsouthernbbq.com

Pimento Kitchen

2524 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis | 612-345-5637 | eatpimentokitchen.com

The Rib Cage

19000 County Rd. 81, Osseo | 612-245-3516

Rooster’s

979 Randolph Ave., St. Paul | 651-222-0969 | roosterq.com

Scott Ja-Mama’s

3 W. Diamond Lake Rd., Minneapolis | 612-823-4450 | scottjamamas.com

North

NE BBQ & Smokehouse

7 Eighth St., Cloquet | 218-499-8885 | ne-bbq-smokehouse.business.site

Louie’s Bucket of Bones

101 Fourth St., Ironton | 218-545-3232 | sites.google.com/site/louiesbucketofbones

The Piggy

607 Minnesota Ave., Walker | 218-547-6465 | thepiggybbqofwalker.com

Screaming Eagle

520 N. Broadway, Pelican Rapids | 218-863-1741 | hescreamingeagle.net

Smoke-n-D’s

31 Benton Dr. N., Sauk Rapids | 320-240-6540 | smokeindsbbq.com

Smokey’s Pub N’ Grill

552 Lincoln Dr., East Bethel | 651-464-6046 | smokeyspubngrill.net

Timberjack Smokehouse & Saloon

4443 County Rd. 168, Pequot Lakes | 218-563-6070

South

Baldy’s

11276 210th St. W., Lakeville | 952-469-3343 | baldysbbqmn.com

Bob’s Smoke Stack Ribs

120 Second Ave. SE, Elgin | 507-876-0152 | bobssmokestack.com

John Hardy’s Bar-B-Q

929 W. Frontage Rd. NW, Rochester | 507-288-3936 |1940 Broadway S., Rochester | 507-281-1727 | johnhardysbbq.com

Mr. Pig Stuff

1561 First Ave. E., Shakopee | 952-233-7306 | mrpigstuff.com

Piggy Blue’s Bar-B-Que

323 Main St. S., Austin | 507-434-8485 | piggybluesbbq.com

Quetopia

5757 Sanibel Dr., Minnetonka | 952-405-8495 | quetopiabbq.com

ZZQ Smokehouse

3390 Coachman Rd., Eagan | 651-452-9900 | zzqbbq.com

Food Trucks

Come and Take It BBQ

31620 125th St., Princeton | 763-360-3702 | comeandtakeitbbq.com

Doc E’s BBQ

507-327-8371 | docesbbq.com

Tollefson Family Grill

tollefsonfamilypork.com

Bubba’s Fusion BBQ

facebook.com/bubbasfusionbbq

Sizzling Wagon

612-986-6338 | roaminghunger.com/sizzling-wagon

Finer Meats & Eats

3747 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis | 612-327-8006 | finermeatseats.com

Roberts BBQ & Grill

roaminghunger.com/Roberts-bbq-and-grill

The Rookie Barbecue

763-245-6004 | rookiebbq.com

Signature on Wheels

612-444-2108 | signatureonwheels.com

The Meat & Greet MN

roaminghunger.com/the-meat-greet-mn

Z’s Smokin Bonez

612-382-3735 | smokinbonez.com

Nella’s Barbecue

612-730-1728 | nellasbarbecue.com

The Purple People Feeder

roaminghunger.com/the-purple-people-feeder-msp

Get Sauced Food Truck

chefdrivencompanies.com/home/get-sauced

B3 BBQ Food Truck

651-214-7565 | facebook.com/b3truck