BBQ Restaurants in Kentucky

When Guy Fieri brought his cherry-red Camaro rolling through the Bluegrass State, he uncovered a BBQ scene that proves Kentucky’s culinary prowess extends far beyond bourbon and fried chicken. Between 2010 and 2016, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives spotlighted 2 smokin’ hot barbecue joints across Kentucky’s most vibrant cities, with an average rating of 4.2 stars from passionate diners.

From Louisville’s beloved Momma’s Mustard, Pickles & BBQ—earning an impressive 4.5-star rating with its soulful, homestyle approach to smoked meats—to Lexington’s J.J. McBrewster’s serving up 4-star worthy ‘cue, these pit masters showed Guy what Southern hospitality tastes like when it’s slow-smoked to perfection. While one of these legendary spots has since closed its doors, the flavors and memories live on in Triple D history. Whether you’re chasing perfectly charred burnt ends or tangy pulled pork, Kentucky’s BBQ trail offers an authentic taste of pitmaster passion that earned Guy’s famous “Winner, winner, chicken dinner” approval.