The #1 Must-Visit Barbecue Spot In The Country, According To Yelp
No culinary tour of the U.S. can be complete without heaps and heaps of barbecue. It's arguably America's greatest contribution to the culinary arts, and in some regions of the country, it's practically a religion. Everyone's got their own opinions about which style of barbecue is the tastiest and which barbecue restaurants do it the best, but Yelp has brought the nation's favorites together in its list of the Top 100 Barbecue Spots of 2024. It features a wide variety of styles from coast to coast, but the number one spot went to Wright's Barbecue in Johnson, Arkansas.
To compile its top 100 list, Yelp singled out restaurants in the barbecue category and ranked them according to the number and ratings of reviews featuring the word "barbecue". The site found that reviewers favored restaurants that focused on a specific regional style (FYI, too many regional styles at a single barbecue joint is a red flag) and considered the quality of side dishes as well as meats. Wright's topped the rankings, and despite being in Arkansas, its menu is largely inspired by its western neighbor, Texas. That means sausage links, big ribs, and a whole lot of brisket.
What diners have to say about Wright's Barbecue
Wright's Barbecue began when pitmaster Jordan Wright started slinging ribs and brisket from a food truck at local farmers' markets and events. In 2017, he opened a brick-and-mortar location in Johnson, and today, Wright's has three additional locations in Bentonville, Rogers, and Little Rock. According to Yelp, the original Johnson location is still the best-reviewed. As of the writing of this article, it holds 4.7 stars with 638 total ratings.
"I have not had anything from this place that wasn't top tier food," wrote one Yelp reviewer. Another added "Truly the GOAT of bbq in our region, perhaps the entire state. I dream of their brisket and am often caught daydreaming about the unreal collard greens." The most popularly reviewed dishes at Wright's are the Texas Trinity — a heaping plate of brisket, ribs, and jalapeño-cheddar sausage — and the Rocket Man, which one reviewer described as "mashed potatoes topped with brisket, burnt ends, cheese, BBQ and anything else you want. It's a whirlpool of delicious!"
What's the secret to Wright's Barbecue? Local wood — the restaurant smokes over pecan wood from central Arkansas — and a lot of time. Barbecue is not just grilling — it's a much more intricate process requiring slowly smoking the meat. Wright's is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, and it keeps the smokers running around the clock for ultra-tender slow-cooked meats, crafting true local flavor through-and-through.