09/14/2026
Thank you Southern Illinois Smoke Ring
🔥 **SOUTHERN ILLINOIS BBQ SHOWDOWN** 🔥
# # **The Top 25 BBQ Restaurants & Food Trucks in Southern Illinois**
**By Southern Illinois Smoke Ring**
Southern Illinois has a BBQ identity all its own.
From the historic pits of Murphysboro to the food trucks traveling the region, barbecue has become more than a meal here. It is a tradition, a competition, a business, a gathering place—and for many pitmasters, a way of life.
With that in mind, the **Southern Illinois Smoke Ring** presents its inaugural **Southern Illinois BBQ Showdown: Top 25 BBQ Restaurants & Food Trucks**.
This ranking recognizes BBQ operations from across Southern Illinois and considers more than just one plate of food. Our editorial scoring takes into account **overall BBQ quality, reputation, consistency, specialty meats, sides, sauces, value, competition pedigree, customer response, regional identity and the overall BBQ experience.**
This is **not a sanctioned BBQ competition**, and these rankings should be viewed as an editorial assessment and a celebration of Southern Illinois barbecue.
There is no single definition of great BBQ—and that's exactly what makes this region so interesting.
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# 🏆 THE TOP 25
# # # **1. 17th Street Barbecue — Murphysboro**
**96/100 | LEGEND**
Few names carry more weight in Illinois barbecue than 17th Street. With a history deeply connected to competition BBQ and Murphysboro's reputation as a BBQ destination, 17th Street sets the standard for Southern Illinois BBQ.
**Known for:** Ribs, pulled pork, pork steak and competition-style barbecue.
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# # # **2. Pat's BBQ & Catering — Murphysboro**
**94/100 | LEGEND**
Pat's represents another pillar of the Murphysboro BBQ tradition. Its competition pedigree and long-standing reputation make it one of the region's essential BBQ destinations.
**Known for:** Pulled pork, brisket, pork steak and traditional BBQ.
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# # # **3. Blazing Trails Texas BBQ — West Frankfort**
**93/100 | DESTINATION**
Blazing Trails brings a distinctly Texas-inspired approach to Southern Illinois. Brisket is a major attraction, giving Southern Illinois BBQ fans an opportunity to experience a different regional barbecue tradition without leaving home.
**Known for:** Brisket, turkey and creative smoked specialties.
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# ⚓ **4. SHELLBACK BBQ — SESSER**
# # # **91/100 | DESTINATION**
At number four, **Shellback BBQ** represents one of Southern Illinois' strongest mobile BBQ operations.
The Veteran-owned Sesser food truck has developed a recognizable identity built around smoked meats, creative sandwiches, that mobile presence, combined with an award-winning BBQ background and distinctive branding, makes Shellback one of Southern Illinois' most interesting **rising BBQ operations**.
**Known for:** Pulled pork, brisket, smoked chicken, ribs and specialty sandwiches.
**Southern Illinois Smoke Ring distinction:**
🏆 ** #1 BBQ Food Truck**
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# # # **5. Porch Chair BBQ — Ina**
**90/100 | DESTINATION**
Porch Chair BBQ has earned its place among Southern Illinois' destination BBQ operations. Traditional smoked meats and a strong local following make it a standout in the region.
**Known for:** Brisket, ribs, pulled pork and smoked chicken.
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# # # **6. Smokin K's BBQ & Cajun Cuisine — Marion**
**89/100 | DESTINATION**
Smokin K's adds another dimension to the Southern Illinois BBQ scene by combining smoked meats with Cajun influences.
**Known for:** Brisket, ribs and Cajun-inspired specialties.
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# # # **7. Urban Legend BBQ — Herrin**
**88/100 | DESTINATION**
Urban Legend has established itself as a strong Southern Illinois BBQ contender, earning attention for quality smoked meats and a growing local reputation.
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# # # **8. Big Blues Que — Creal Springs**
**87/100 | DESTINATION**
A smaller operation with a big personality, Big Blues Que represents exactly what makes Southern Illinois BBQ special: local pitmasters building loyal followings one plate at a time.
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# # # **9. Johnson Southern Style Bar-B-Q — Harrisburg**
**86/100 | LOCAL ICON**
Johnson's represents old-school Southern Illinois BBQ. Its sliced pork and distinctive sauce give it an identity that is immediately recognizable.
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# # # **10. Riley's Smokehouse — Marion**
**85/100 | LOCAL FAVORITE**
A respected Marion-area BBQ operation with a strong local following and a place in the Southern Illinois BBQ conversation.
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# # # **11. Chuck's BBQ — Herrin**
**84/100 | LOCAL FAVORITE**
Chuck's continues to represent traditional Southern Illinois barbecue with a strong emphasis on smoked meats and catering.
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# # # **12. Dixie Barbecue — Jonesboro**
**84/100 | LOCAL ICON**
An old-school Southern Illinois BBQ institution, Dixie Barbecue brings history and tradition to the table.
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# # # **13. Big Nate's Barbeque — De Soto**
**83/100 | LOCAL**
A mobile and catering-oriented operation contributing to the region's growing BBQ culture.
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# # # **14. Up In Smoke BBQ & Catering — Bismarck**
**82/100 | MOBILE**
A smaller BBQ operation demonstrating that great barbecue doesn't require a large restaurant footprint.
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# # # **15. Hamp's Smoke N Q**
**81/100 | MOBILE**
A Southern Illinois mobile BBQ operation bringing smoked meat to events and communities.
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# # # **16. Hoggy's Southern BBQ**
**80/100 | MOBILE**
Another mobile operation contributing to the variety of BBQ available throughout Southern Illinois.
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# # # **17. Community of Faith BBQ Heroes — Marion**
**79/100 | COMMUNITY**
An operation that combines barbecue with community involvement and events.
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# # # **18. Smokehouse BBQ**
**78/100 | MOBILE**
A Southern Illinois mobile BBQ operation serving smoked-meat fans across the region.
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# # # **19. Southern Fixins Food Truck — Marion**
**77/100 | MOBILE**
A Southern comfort-food operation incorporating smoked meats into its menu.
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# # # **20. Hut 1 Hut Smoked Meat Sandwiches — Carlyle**
**76/100 | MOBILE**
A smoked-meat concept taking a creative approach to BBQ sandwiches.
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# # # **21. Smoked to the Bone — Iuka**
**75/100 | LOCAL**
A smaller Southern Illinois operation focused on traditional smoked meats and comfort food.
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# # # **22. Prairie Hogs BBQ**
**74/100 | MOBILE**
A mobile/catering operation representing the grassroots side of Southern Illinois barbecue.
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# # # **23. Fat Patties — Carbondale**
**73/100 | BBQ CROSSOVER**
Not a traditional BBQ restaurant, but a Carbondale favorite that incorporates smoked meats into its broader menu.
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# # # **24. Bandana's Bar-B-Q — Carbondale**
**72/100 | ESTABLISHED**
A recognizable Southern-style BBQ brand with a long-standing presence in the region.
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# # # **25. Great Boars of Fire — Murphysboro**
**71/100 | COMPETITION**
A competition-oriented BBQ name rounding out our inaugural Top 25.
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# 🔥 THE CATEGORY CHAMPIONS
The overall ranking only tells part of the story.
Different pitmasters excel in different areas, and that's why the Smoke Ring also recognizes individual BBQ categories.
# # # 🐖 BEST PULLED PORK
**🥇 Shellback BBQ**
🥈 Pat's BBQ
🥉 17th Street Barbecue
# # # 🥩 BEST BRISKET
**🥇 Blazing Trails Texas BBQ**
🥈 Porch Chair BBQ
🥉 Shellback BBQ
# # # 🍖 BEST RIBS
**🥇 17th Street Barbecue**
🥈 Pat's BBQ
🥉 Shellback BBQ
# # # 🍗 BEST SMOKED CHICKEN
**🥇 Shellback BBQ**
🥈 Pat's BBQ
🥉 Smokin K's
# # # 🥫 BEST SAUCE
**🥇 Johnson Southern Style Bar-B-Q**
🥈 17th Street Barbecue
🥉 Porch Chair BBQ
# # # 🥗 BEST OVERALL SIDES
**🥇 17th Street Barbecue**
🥈 Pat's BBQ
🥉 Shellback BBQ
# # # 🚚 BEST BBQ FOOD TRUCK
# 🥇 SHELLBACK BBQ
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# 🌳 WHAT MAKES SOUTHERN ILLINOIS BBQ SPECIAL?
Perhaps the most important takeaway from this list isn't who finished first.
It's how many great BBQ operations exist within a relatively small region.
You can travel from **Murphysboro to Marion, West Frankfort to Sesser, Harrisburg to Carbondale and communities in between** and find completely different interpretations of barbecue.
Some pitmasters chase competition perfection.
Some preserve recipes that have been around for generations.
Some specialize in brisket.
Others are known for ribs or pulled pork.
And some are taking BBQ in completely new directions.
That's what makes Southern Illinois barbecue worth celebrating.
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# 🇺🇸 SUPPORT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS BBQ
The **Southern Illinois Smoke Ring** isn't about tearing down one BBQ business to build up another.
It's about putting a spotlight on the people who get up early, light the fires, tend the pits, prep the meat, make the sides and serve their communities.
Behind every BBQ restaurant and food truck is a pitmaster who has invested time, money, sweat and passion into their craft.
So don't just read the list.
**Go try them.**
Visit a BBQ restaurant you've never been to.
Track down a food truck.
Order something you've never tried.
Support a local pitmaster.
And then tell us what you think.
Because at the end of the day, **Southern Illinois BBQ belongs to all of us.**
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# # 🔥 THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SMOKE RING
**Celebrating the pitmasters, restaurants, food trucks, competition teams and backyard BBQ enthusiasts who keep Southern Illinois smoking.**
🇺🇸 **Eat Local. Smoke Local. Support Local.**
# # # **WHO DID WE MISS?**
This is our **inaugural Top 25**, and the list is meant to evolve.
Tell us in the comments:
**Who deserves to be on the next Southern Illinois BBQ Showdown?**
**Who should move up the rankings?**
**Who makes the best ribs?**
**Who has the best brisket?**
**Who has the best pulled pork?**
And most importantly...
# # # **WHO MAKES THE BEST BBQ IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS?**
🔥 **Let the BBQ debate begin.** 🔥
