wow.. multiple votes for Arthur Bryant in KC. I guess I need to plan a special trip....

Leon's BBQ in Galveston, Texas
Roscoe's in Rochester, MN

Robinson's Ribs in Oak Park, IL and Uncle Bub's in Westmont, IL

the original Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse NY (also in Rochester NY and recently opened in NYC)

Another vote for Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse NY.

The Red Pig - Concord, NC

If you are serious in your quest for BBQ you will come to the BBQ Festival in mid October, Lexington, NC. If you also cycle, join us for the Tour De Pig.

This is an interesting question that can give rise to great debate. I praise the current posters for being civil in their responses. However, I notice that XBT has not appeared to present statistical data on why some unknown barbecue joint in Dallas is the best, ever.

On Slate, a writer visited Kansas City, Memphis and Texas, on a pilgrimage in search for the best barbecue. It is an interesting series for the barbecue aficionado. The link is http://www.slate.com/id/2118542/entry/2118537/

I live in Texas, so I cannot say much about the other regions. I do know that Arthur Bryant’s is the mecca of Kansas City barbecue. Robb Walsh has written a great book about barbecue in Texas: Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook: Recipes and Recollections from the Pit Bosses.

In the list that follows, I have excluded chains.

Here in Houston, I prefer Luling City Market over Goode Company. Williams Smokehouse has some of the best ribs.

Central Texas (i.e., Austin area) has many revered barbecue joints. Some to consider include Luling City Market (Luling), Kreuz’s Market, Smitty’s, and Black’s Barbecu (Lockhart), Louie Mueller’s and Mikeska’s (Taylor) and Cooper’s Old Time Pit Barbecue (Llano). Salt Lick is okay, not great.

If in Dallas, you have to go to Fort Worth for good barbecue. Try Angelo’s or Railhead. Sonny Bryant’s has faded.

Almost everyone will always list Arthur Bryant, Gates and KC Masterpiece in KC. They are good, but I was surprised when I first went there and wasn't as "wowed" as I thought I would be. I'm not native to the area, but have tried these as well as some others. One is the Wabash in Excelsior Springs NE of Kansas City and the baby back ribs are unbelievable. Jack Stack Barbecue is great too, and the baked beans there are fantastic.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Corky's in Memphis? Wet or Dry, their 'Q is fantastic!

Charlie Vergo's Rendevous Ribs in Memphis gets my vote. I do a nice rack that is bbqed and then blackened . They become moist with a crunch.

Cozy Corner in Memphis. Best I ever had.

Dreamland - Tuscaloosa, AL

Only ribs and white bread on the menu. Best you ever had.

Houston's in San Francisco - the only BBQ on the menu is their Knife and Fork ribs but boy, are they good and they fall off the bone so you CAN eat them with a fork! (Other menu meat items are delish, too. Best French Dip sandwich ever. They just know how to cook meat.) And save room for the Scharffen Berger hot fudge sundae!

I stumbled onto the BBQ cookoff near Reno once. Whoo-doggie! A day of sampling ribs, sauces and slaws from "portable" stands boasting the biggest trophies I've ever seen. I think it happens in September at the Nugget in Sparks.

And yes, Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse, NY, is dandy. Don't knock over a Harley on the way in!

I need more of a definition of BBQ. Do you want cow or pig? Tomato, mustard, or vinegar based sauce? Pit cooked? Cooked on a cooker?

So many variations so there really isn't one answer to the question.

However, if you are ever in Columbia, SC you should go to the piggy park. He has bible quotes on why you should eat pork. I guess it's from the new testament.

Cargillman,
My hubby grew up in the south, so whenever we travel back there, we are always on our never-ending quest search for the best BBQ, always trying BBQ everywhere we go.

The one place that stood out for us was Fat Matt's Rib Shack in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. Live music, great ribs and sides, and casual dining. We loved the food, the atmosphere, and the down home country ambiance. If you go there-don't do what we did--overdress. Faded t shirt and ratted jeans very appropriate.

If you ever come to Southern Utah around the Lake Powell area, you MUST go to Paria Outpost! It's a little mom & pop place on Highway 89 between Page, Arizona and Kanab, Utah. They are only open on Friday and Saturday nights for dinner. They serve an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring Texas-style smoked beef brisket (so tender you can eat with a spoon!), bbq chicken, ribs, salad, salmon (on Friday), pizza (on Saturday), and their cinnamon rolls are huge and heavenly! Sometimes they have live music, but they don't serve booze, so you can take your kids to hear music without some drunk in the back row hollering at the band to play "FreeBird!" ha ha ha

Well, the best in KC, and therefore the world, is LC's.
The Woodyard and Smokin' Guns are tasty too.
Check this out:
http://gasbbq.net/lc.htm
http://www.gasbbq.net

Rudy's - multiple locations, but like the Austin or Round Rock, TX locations.
Also County Line BBQ in Austin for the babyback ribs.

Montgomery Inn in Montgomery OH (near Cincinnati) or The Boat House on the river in Cincy. Both are owned by the Gregory family and their ribs are EXCELLENT!

The City Market in Luling Texas . . not to be confused with Luling City Market in Houston . . different branch of the family.

Rich