13 Great Barbecue Restaurants in the Twin Cities (2024)

Animales

Nashville hot smoked drummies, saucy half-racks, and tender oak-smoked burnt ends

by Eater Staff Updated Jun 13, 2024, 1:30pm CDT

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| Animales

Smok’N Outdoors made the food truck-to-restaurant transformation in 2021. This family-owned spot smokes its brisket, ribs, and other cuts with local oak to evoke the flavors of the outdoors. Keep an eye out for updates on Smok’N Outdoors’ Facebook page — the restaurant posts whenever it has burnt ends available.

• Open in Google Maps

Black Market StP smokes its meat with locally-harvested black cherry wood — the dry-rubbed barbecue comes straight out of the pit, no sauce necessary. Plan ahead and and reserve your order well in advance: This truck opens just once weekly on Plato Boulevard in Saint Paul, on Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The brisket is a must.

• Open in Google Maps

Black Market StP

Tai Hoa is a small, cash-only spot on University Avenue serving some of St. Paul’s best barbecue. Order the whole roast duck or the roast pork, which has remarkably crispy skin. Tai Hoa sells out fast, so show up early to get a cut.

• Open in Google Maps

After gaining a devoted Minneapolis following slinging brisket and burgers in the Ombibulous parking lot, Dylan Boerboom’s Boomin Barbecue has converted to a pop-up as it searches for a forever home. Its first appearance of the season will be at Volstead House in Eagan; keep an eye on Instagram for details on where this 80’s neon-adorned mobile kitchen will pop-up next.

• Open in Google Maps

Family-owned Firebox Deli’s North Minneapolis location has closed, but the St. Paul one is still kicking. Pair beef brisket, rib tips, wings or other cuts with sides like mac and cheese, potato salad, and slaw — or order by the pound or rack to feed a bigger crowd.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Firebox Deli

Chef John Wipfli’s Animales serves exceptional barbecue out of a food truck at Bauhaus Brew Labs in Northeast Minneapolis. These ribs don’t come slathered in sweet sauce — they’re dry-rubbed, a bark of crushed peppercorns and salt stealing nothing from the meat’s oak-smoked flavor. The menu changes often, adding dishes like pork shoulder congee bowls, beef cheek banh mi, and hot beef sandwiches to the mix. Get there early, as Animales often sells out.

• Open in Google Maps

Justine Jones

Champlin’s Q-Fanatic is famous for its sauces. Order brisket, grilled slab bacon, or back ribs a la carte, and slather them with honey, espresso, pepper vodka, vinegar, or mustard sauce, the latter two odes to Kansas City-style barbecue. The calling card here is the brisket, though the ribs are equally popular.

• Open in Google Maps

• Open in Google Maps

StormKing Brew Pub is all about Texas-style barbecue. Carnivores should spring for “The Perfect Storm,” a combo plate of brisket, pulled pork, quarter chicken, a half rack of ribs, and sides — though the pulled squash sandwich is a great vegetarian option.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Founded in 1968 by Ted Cook himself, Ted Cook’s 19th Hole Barbeque (now under new ownership) wafts fragrant smoke over the Standish neighborhood from its spot near Hiawatha Avenue. This barbecue is smoked with hickory and cherry wood: Get a full slab of the baby back pork ribs or the beef hot links, and add a slice of sweet potato pie.

• Open in Google Maps

Ted Cook’s

It's hard to know what to tear into first: Smoke In the Pit’s well-seasoned rib tip buckets, smoked turkey legs, or tender beef brisket sandwich. (If the catfish tempts, it’s also a great option.) Just plan for dashboard dining or carry these over to nearby Powderhorn Park for a picnic, as this circa 1998 spot is takeout only.

• Open in Google Maps

Smoke In The Pit

C&G's smokes a mean rib, but it's the brisket sandwich that calls the regulars back time and again. Be sure to grab an order of the Hot Water Bread, made from a secret family recipe. The cornmeal comes boiled, fried, and served as a hot, crispy patty.

• Open in Google Maps

Baker’s Ribs is based in Dallas — it has five Texas locations, and, for mysterious reasons (though we’re not complaining) this suburban Minnesota outpost. This place has a no-frills vibe, with checkered tablecloths and paper towel rolls on every table. Try the brisket, the dirty rice, and the fried apple pie.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Smok’N Outdoors made the food truck-to-restaurant transformation in 2021. This family-owned spot smokes its brisket, ribs, and other cuts with local oak to evoke the flavors of the outdoors. Keep an eye out for updates on Smok’N Outdoors’ Facebook page — the restaurant posts whenever it has burnt ends available.

• Open in Google Maps

Black Market StP smokes its meat with locally-harvested black cherry wood — the dry-rubbed barbecue comes straight out of the pit, no sauce necessary. Plan ahead and and reserve your order well in advance: This truck opens just once weekly on Plato Boulevard in Saint Paul, on Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The brisket is a must.

• Open in Google Maps

Black Market StP

Tai Hoa is a small, cash-only spot on University Avenue serving some of St. Paul’s best barbecue. Order the whole roast duck or the roast pork, which has remarkably crispy skin. Tai Hoa sells out fast, so show up early to get a cut.

• Open in Google Maps

After gaining a devoted Minneapolis following slinging brisket and burgers in the Ombibulous parking lot, Dylan Boerboom’s Boomin Barbecue has converted to a pop-up as it searches for a forever home. Its first appearance of the season will be at Volstead House in Eagan; keep an eye on Instagram for details on where this 80’s neon-adorned mobile kitchen will pop-up next.

• Open in Google Maps

Family-owned Firebox Deli’s North Minneapolis location has closed, but the St. Paul one is still kicking. Pair beef brisket, rib tips, wings or other cuts with sides like mac and cheese, potato salad, and slaw — or order by the pound or rack to feed a bigger crowd.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Firebox Deli

Chef John Wipfli’s Animales serves exceptional barbecue out of a food truck at Bauhaus Brew Labs in Northeast Minneapolis. These ribs don’t come slathered in sweet sauce — they’re dry-rubbed, a bark of crushed peppercorns and salt stealing nothing from the meat’s oak-smoked flavor. The menu changes often, adding dishes like pork shoulder congee bowls, beef cheek banh mi, and hot beef sandwiches to the mix. Get there early, as Animales often sells out.

• Open in Google Maps

Justine Jones

Champlin’s Q-Fanatic is famous for its sauces. Order brisket, grilled slab bacon, or back ribs a la carte, and slather them with honey, espresso, pepper vodka, vinegar, or mustard sauce, the latter two odes to Kansas City-style barbecue. The calling card here is the brisket, though the ribs are equally popular.

• Open in Google Maps

• Open in Google Maps

StormKing Brew Pub is all about Texas-style barbecue. Carnivores should spring for “The Perfect Storm,” a combo plate of brisket, pulled pork, quarter chicken, a half rack of ribs, and sides — though the pulled squash sandwich is a great vegetarian option.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Founded in 1968 by Ted Cook himself, Ted Cook’s 19th Hole Barbeque (now under new ownership) wafts fragrant smoke over the Standish neighborhood from its spot near Hiawatha Avenue. This barbecue is smoked with hickory and cherry wood: Get a full slab of the baby back pork ribs or the beef hot links, and add a slice of sweet potato pie.

• Open in Google Maps

Ted Cook’s

It's hard to know what to tear into first: Smoke In the Pit’s well-seasoned rib tip buckets, smoked turkey legs, or tender beef brisket sandwich. (If the catfish tempts, it’s also a great option.) Just plan for dashboard dining or carry these over to nearby Powderhorn Park for a picnic, as this circa 1998 spot is takeout only.

• Open in Google Maps

Smoke In The Pit

C&G's smokes a mean rib, but it's the brisket sandwich that calls the regulars back time and again. Be sure to grab an order of the Hot Water Bread, made from a secret family recipe. The cornmeal comes boiled, fried, and served as a hot, crispy patty.

• Open in Google Maps

Baker’s Ribs is based in Dallas — it has five Texas locations, and, for mysterious reasons (though we’re not complaining) this suburban Minnesota outpost. This place has a no-frills vibe, with checkered tablecloths and paper towel rolls on every table. Try the brisket, the dirty rice, and the fried apple pie.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

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