Sara Crocker
Audio By Carbonatix
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No matter the region or style, when it comes to great barbecue, you can smell it from the parking lot. An aroma of burning mesquite or hickory hits you as soon as you get out of the car. Plumes of smoke let you know you’re in the right place and your stomach growls in anticipation of the savory meats and selection of sauces inside.
In metro Phoenix, there are a number of spots where you’ll find outstanding ‘cue. A heavy influence from Texas, a splash of Carolina-style sauce, a mix of Tennessee and Louisiana flavors and a few twists from Mexican cuisine meld to create something uniquely Arizonan.
Some of these spots made our list of the Top 50 Restaurants in Phoenix, and one was crowned the winner in our Best of Phoenix awards. In May, one Valley smokehouse was named the best in the entire country. From Southeast Gilbert to Peoria, north Scottsdale to Ahwatukee, here are the 10 best barbecue restaurants in the Valley.
At Caldwell County BBQ in Gilbert, walk past the giant smokers outside and find a seat in the welcoming dining room.
Tirion Boan
Caldwell County BBQ
Multiple locations
Caldwell County BBQ got its start in the far East Valley, but now has spots around town. Line up at the counter and order links, turkey and thick slices of brisket by the pound at the Gilbert, Peoria and Queen Creek eateries. Sauce options grace each table and add a sweet, spicy tang to the meat. Essential additions include green chile mac and cheese, creamy sweet corn casserole, jalapeno and pulled pork-spiked beans and banana pudding. Outside, giant black smokers with names such as Mr. Big and Little Boy keep the aromas coming and the kitchens stocked.
Pork ribs and vinegary Dr. Pepper barbecue beans are among the standouts at Cryin’ Coyote BBQ.
Sara Crocker
Cryin’ Coyote BBQ
6130 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek
It’s been a couple of years since Cryin’ Coyote BBQ replaced Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue and the smokehouse continues to show it’s carrying on the mantle of Cave Creek ‘cue. Cryin’ Coyote smokes the full gamut of meats, but the standout among them is the restaurant’s ribs, which find the right balance of tenderness, smoke and bit of char. The fat is beautifully rendered, making for a rich bite that carries a hint of sweet and saltiness. The sides are distinctly influenced by the Southwest — a chile relleno-style rice casserole stands in for mac and cheese, for instance. Cryin’ Coyote is a place where you should save room for dessert. The Texas sheet cake, a moist, rich chocolate cake, pays homage to the classic with added warmth from cinnamon and ginger.
Don’t skip the elote and make sure to leave room for banana pudding at Eric’s Family BBQ.
Tirion Boan
Eric’s Family BBQ
12345 W. Indian School Road, Avondale
Eric’s Family BBQ, a white-painted adobe-style building in Avondale, churns out some of the best barbecue in the Valley. This joint is known for its Texas-style brisket, which takes 16 hours to create, but don’t sleep on the turkey, infused with sweet tea to keep it juicy. Eric’s serves both pork and beef ribs, as well as pulled pork measured by weight at the counter. Find the daily menu scribbled on brown paper taped to the walls. The ‘cue is excellent, and sides of cheesy elote, craveable beans and spirals of mac and cheese complete the meal. For dessert, the classic banana pudding brims with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Chow down at a picnic table inside, or sprawl out on the patio as music fills the space.
Find the original location of Honey Bear’s BBQ on Van Buren Street.
Lauren Cusimano
Honey Bear’s BBQ
5012 E. Van Buren St.
The recognizable Honey Bear’s BBQ midtown A-frame location closed due to the pandemic and was set to become another barbecue spot which ran into issues of its own. But thankfully, the original location of Honey Bear’s on Van Buren and 52nd streets remains open. This restaurant and catering company has been serving Tennessee-style barbecue since 1986. Standouts on the menu include Honey Bear’s specialty pulled pork shoulder and ultra-creamy mac and cheese.
Sara Crocker
Little Miss BBQ
8901 N. Seventh St.
4301 E. University Drive
No Phoenix barbecue list would be complete without the restaurant that reigns supreme in this Valley. Little Miss BBQ, with locations near Tempe and in Phoenix’s Sunnyslope neighborhood, stands at the top, and for good reason. Customers line up around the block, waiting for their turn to try the brisket that former New Times food critic Chris Malloy called “a portal to another dimension.” Add a dose of Arizona to your barbecue adventure with a green chile burrito smothered in bright enchilada sauce.
Meats are served sauce-free at NakedQ.
Tirion Boan
NakedQ
Multiple Locations
Lucky for Valley residents, NakedQ has restaurants in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Glendale, meaning this modern counter-service joint and its aroma of smoking meat are never too far away. The “naked” in the name refers to barbecue served without sauce and only minimal spices. The sauces can be added later, and they are nothing to miss. Order a butcher paper-lined tray of chopped or sliced brisket, moist and smoky pulled pork or tender St. Louis-style ribs, and douse it all in the house, spicy or mustard-based sauces. Peppery mac and cheese and a block of cornbread round out the meal.
Stop in at the Tempe or Ahwatukee location of Word of Mouth Grill.
Sara Crocker
Word of Mouth Grill
7660 S. McClintock Dr., Tempe
Owner and pitmaster Demetrious Makel and his wife Jacque Gomez-Makel opened Word of Mouth Grill in Tempe in 2019, after running a catering company of the same name. The restaurant’s tagline is “where flavor speaks,” and that’s evident in the thoughtful housemade dry rubs on Word of Mouth’s meats, which are smoked over mesquite. The smokehouse offers eight housemade sauces, which range from a sweet honey barbecue to a fiery habanero. Diners will find brisket, pulled chicken and pulled pork available by the pound, on combo plates or between a brioche bun. We’re partial to the rib tips. These hunks of spare ribs have a craggy, crisp exterior with meltingly tender morsels of pork underneath. Have it alongside Word of Mouth’s creamy four-cheese mac.
The four-meat plate comes with two sides and allows customers to try a little of everything at Sweet Magnolia Smokehouse.
Tirion Boan
Sweet Magnolia Smokehouse
4929 E. Chandler Blvd., #405
There are many restaurants in the shopping center that Sweet Magnolia Smokehouse calls home. But the scent of barbecue fills the entire parking lot, beckoning customers to make their way in for some excellent smoked meats. Sweet Magnolia has been serving Mississippi-style barbecue in the Valley since 2011, starting with a food truck and catering business before opening its Ahwatukee counter service spot. In a Valley filled with Texas-style barbecue, the sweet sauce and pork specialties are a different and welcome treat. On the menu, we’re partial to the three- and four-meat plates, which allow you to try a little of everything. The rib tips and brisket each have a deep layer of smoke that has seeped into the rich, tender meat. The smoked pork hot link has great snap and a hint of heat. And Southern sides, including outstanding macaroni and cheese, collard greens and sweet potatoes, round out the experience. The menu also includes smoked wings, loaded mac bowls, flavored lemonade and sweet tea.
The Thumb is many things including a gift shop, gas station store, coffee shop and barbecue restaurant.
Tirion Boan
The Thumb
9393 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale
How many gas stations have you visited that have a giant, sparkling chandelier inside? How about a full coffee counter? A cute gift shop? A stocked wine selection? An entire barbecue restaurant? And no, we are not talking about a certain Texas-based, beaver-themed, cult-followed West Valley travel center. We’re talking about The Thumb in north Scottsdale, a spot that has it all. Outside, drivers pull up to the pumps to fill up their cars like they would at any normal gas station. But inside, The Thumb is so much more. Head to the counter and order — we recommend the three-meat platter to get a taste of everything — and then mosey around the gift shop while you wait. When your number is ready, grab a seat in the circular dining room under the chandelier or by the large fish tank. Dig into thick slices of brisket, served lean or moist, snappy sausage and savory pulled pork. The meats pair perfectly with the house barbecue sauce or a ruddy chipotle version. For sides, the beans are packed with meat to the point they are almost chili. Creamy mac and cheese counters the tangy barbecue sauce and rounds out a meal that makes your brain swirl when you remember you’re sitting in a gas station. Fill up on the way out.
Sara Crocker
Wild Barbecue
601 W. University Drive, Tempe
When brothers Ahmad and Mo Abu Ghazal tasted slow-smoked Texas-style barbecue, it was completely different from the hot and fast way meat is traditionally cooked in their home country of Jordan. The engineers started tinkering with barbecue while living in Dallas, and brought their version of Lone Star ’cue to the Valley, starting as a food truck in 2023 before opening a brick-and-mortar in 2025. The Ghazal brothers infuse their culinary history into the barbecue, giving Valley diners something they haven’t tasted before. At Wild Barbecue, you could easily order a tray filled with Texas classics done well – moist brisket, gargantuan beef ribs, snappy jalapeño-cheddar smoked sausages, smoked beans and coleslaw. But exploring the parts of the menu that nod to the Ghazals’ history and where they make their home today are the most exciting options. Try the boldly spiced, juicy tandoori turkey and ask the person at the carving station to knock you off a lamb chop or two. Round out your plate with Mediterranean rice or a Mexican corn salad inspired by esquites.
