For The Best BBQ, Head To Your Favorite Restaurant Early

There are myriad reasons to visit your favorite restaurants a little on the earlier side. A pre-primetime pop-in might make scoring a table easier, for one. Those dining with children may also find the thinner crowds and the daylight hour mealtimes more amenable than nighttime dining. And many foodstuffs solidly slotted in the barbecue category can also be even more delicious fresh off their low and slow cook time. Sheer popularity might also force folks to gather before their meat-seeking hunger really starts rumbling, Pig Beach co-founder and executive chef Matt Abdoo tells Chowhound exclusively.

"At a place like Franklin in Texas, people start lining up hours before lunch because that's when everything is coming hot off the smoker — and once it's gone, it's gone," Abdoo says. "In Texas, it's common to sell out because barbecue is at its best when it's freshly cooked, rested, and served." The finest pitmasters plan the day's ribs, brisket, and pulled pork preparations for quality throughout the day, Abdoo says. "The real enemy of barbecue is long holding times and reheating," he explains. "That's why so many people feel lunch is the best time — if it's coming straight off the pit, it's always going to taste better."

A little trial and error is required to maximize your own local saucy potential, whether you're breaking bones with the brisket experts at Franklin barbecue itself, or any one of the nation's esteemed, though lesser-known, BBQ destinations. Matt Abdoo has some more precise guidance for each of Pig Beach's locations in New York City, Boston, and Florida. Like the best he already mentioned, Abdoo's Pig Beach outposts also stagger their cooking of the meat, keeping fresh protein moving throughout lunch and dinner.

"If you're looking for the absolute sweet spot, it's usually right when the doors open — around 11:30 or noon for lunch, or the first dinner seating around 5:30," Abdoo says. "If you're going to one of those iconic spots that's known for selling out, the earlier you get there, the better the experience," he adds. 

Social media can serve as a kind of crystal ball when trying to determine how early is early enough, as netizens are wont to post updates about the length of the line at an eatery. Also, be aware that some restaurants that do not technically accept reservations for average-sized parties may also occasionally bend that policy for larger groups, so assemble your crew and see what you can do.