Honey Bear’s lineup of smoked eats includes classics like combo plates packed with wood-smoked proteins, hefty sauce-drenched sandwiches, and all the standard fixings including collard greens, Cowbro’ Beans, and the unmissable, uber cheesy, Meaty Mac topped with your choice of pulled pork, beef brisket, or shredded chicken. Don’t miss housemade sweets like the golden crusted peach cobbler and Honey Bear’s iconic sweet potato pie.

This Gilbert Heritage District barbecue joint is a time-tested East Valley favorite, which made its delicious debut in 1998. Here, proteins are smoked to perfection over Arizona pecan wood, a labor of love that spans 12 hours. There’s no wrong way to order here, truly. Although, the four-meat sampler plate, a medley of ribs, chicken, brisket, pork, and cornbread, makes for a great introduction to what Joe’s has to offer.

Arizona ‘cue fans can get a taste of Central Texas-style barbecue with proteins like sliced and chopped brisket, pulled pork and pork spare ribs, sausage, turkey breast, and beef short ribs, all of which are available by the pound at Little Miss. The jalapeño-cheddar grits, ranch-style beans, spoonable mac and cheese, and personal smoked pecan pies are undoubtedly worth saving room for, too.

This rustic barbecue hideaway draws some influence from Tennessee-style cooking. But rest-assured, JL’s offers a style and taste that’s uniquely its own. It might be hard to comeby a smoked bologna sandwich, but you’ll find it on the menu at JL’s. Other popular southern favorites include JL’s must-order brisket, beef short rib tacos, BBQ chicken nachos, smoked sausage, and pork belly sandwich, all of which are smoked to precision onsite.

Trapp Haus BBQ first emerged along Downtown Phoenix’s Roosevelt Row in 2018. The rest is history. Since the beginning, barbecue devotees have descended to the Downtown Phoenix barbecue joint for pitmaster Phil Johnson’s award-winning fare, which ranges from family-style platters of hickory-smoked brisket, burnt ends, ribs, hot links, and whole chickens to sandwiches, salads, and bowls.

Smoked meats and whiskey make for a legenedy pairing. Starlite BBQ seems to think so, too. After all, that’s what their business model is based on. Equal parts barbecue restaurant and whiskey bar, Starlite surprises even the most discerning barbecue connoisseurs with elevated takes on ‘cue and curated selections of rare and hard to come by spirits. Starlite’s standouts include the 12-hour smoked brisket and for more modest appetites, the smoked and slow-roasted pulled pork sandwich.

Naked Q’s approach to barbecue is rooted in the basics. While some pitmasters and ‘cue freaks live and die by the sauce and seasonings, Naked Q doesn’t slather on the sauce or rely on excessive seasonings or smoke when it comes to preparing their proteins—it’s in the name. Naked Q’s Oren Hartman puts his uncomplicated dry rubs to work for a straightforward take on ‘cue. Naked Q’s concise menu features a gang of barbecue sandwiches of the pulled pork, chopped brisket, and hot link varieties.

Executive Chef Mark Hittle and owner Bob Sikora have a good thing going at Bobby-Q. Since opening in the early 2000s, this now chain of local barbecue restaurants has delighted hungry patrons with its extensive lineup of smoky, slow-cooked barbecued eats. Bobby-Q doesn’t show any allegiances to one specific style of barbecue. Here, you can get your ribs Texas-style or St. Louis-style—both are equally tasty. All of the proteins are moked onsite for 22 hours.