Cooking meat low and slow over an indirect heat source—the only real qualifications for barbecue—is a truly American tradition, going back to indigenous cultures and picked up by early Spanish colonizers who also gave it the name the cooking style goes by now: barbacoa. Today, barbecue is a wildly popular staple across the U.S., with many cities and regions boasting their own take (and all claiming to have the best). Because barbecue meat spends hours upon hours cooking, restaurants are a go-to source for many Americans who would rather not spend all day and all night tending to their flames. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated barbecue restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Some restaurants on the list may have recently closed.
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#16. Home Team BBQ
– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (441 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: American, Bar
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 2209 Middle St, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482-8780
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#15. Smokey Bones N. Charleston
– Rating: 3.5 / 5 (182 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: American, Bar
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 7250 Rivers Avenue, Charleston, SC 29406
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#14. Melvin’s BBQ
– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (427 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 925 Houston Northcutt Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464-3448
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#13. Southern Roots Smokehouse
– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (91 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5)
– Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 2544 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29414-5325
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#12. Cumberland Street Smokehouse
– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (184 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: American, Bar
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 5 Cumberland St, Charleston, SC 29401-2603
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#11. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint
– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (35 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 1622 Highland Ave, Charleston, SC 29412
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#10. Melvin’s Barbecue
– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (132 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 538 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412-3002
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#9. Duke’s BBQ
– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (94 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)
– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 331 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412-2548
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#8. Bessinger’s Barbecue
– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (578 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 1602 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407-7869
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. Home Team BBQ – Downtown Charleston
– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (134 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: Barbecue, American
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 126 Williman St, Charleston, SC 29403-3113
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#6. Rodney Scott’s BBQ
– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (552 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 1011 King St Corner of King Street and Grove Street, Charleston, SC 29403-4140
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#5. Poogan’s Smokehouse
– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,207 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: Barbecue, American
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 188 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401-2123
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#4. Home Team BBQ – West Ashley
– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (476 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: American, Bar
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 1205 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29407-5301
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. Swig & Swine
– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,182 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: American, Bar
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 1217 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407-7826
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. Queology
– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,445 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)
– Type of cuisine: American, Bar
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 6 N Market St, Charleston, SC 29401-2062
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#1. Lewis Barbecue
– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (839 reviews)
– Detailed ratings: Food (5.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5)
– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American
– Price: $$ – $$$
– Address: 464 N Nassau St, Charleston, SC 29403-3828
– Read more on Tripadvisor