One Of The Best-Reviewed BBQ Chains In The US Does Things A Little Differently

When you think of a classic barbecue, one of the first things that might come to mind is a good homemade sauce. Whether it's a tomato-based Kansas City-style, mustard-forward Carolina gold, or mayonnaise-based Alabama white sauce, barbecue sauce across the U.S. usually makes a big difference with the end result.

So it might come as a surprise that one of the best BBQ chain restaurants in the U.S. actually makes delicious barbecue without using sauce. Terry Black's is a smaller chain that originated in Austin, Texas, which is arguably one of the best rated BBQ cities in the country. It has since expanded to include locations in Dallas, Fort Worth, Lockhart, and Waco, with plans to open its first out-of-state location in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2026. The restaurant is most famous for its huge hunk of brisket on the bone, pork and beef ribs, sausage, and smoked turkey — all of which are seasoned with a delicious dry rub and absolutely no sauce.

Now, Terry Black's isn't crazy. It does have its own proprietary barbecue sauces, one of which features a tomato base with brown sugar, vinegar, and chili spices. The catch here is that all of its sauces are served on the side. It's a bit of an if-you-know-you-know situation with central Texas barbecue, where the emphasis is all about how the tasty meat can speak for itself without any extra sauce.

Terry Black's is popular for a reason. Simply visit one of its Texas outposts and find out for yourself. Reviews state how well received this barbecue restaurant and its sauce-on-the-side is to customers. Across the board, the restaurant is rated near 5 stars. Even on Yelp, famous for reviewers who are more than willing to put a restaurant on blast, Terry Black's has 4.5 stars at its Austin location. One Yelper wrote, "Probably the best BBQ I've ever had... The brisket was tender and smoky, the sausage packed with flavor, and the sides were spot-on — especially the coleslaw and the mini pecan pie." One Redditor claimed Terry Black's changed the way they view barbecue, writing, "Before I was strictly a sandwich and smothered in sauce kinda guy. Since having Terry Black's pork ribs and brisket, I've been chasing that sauceless high here in Oklahoma."

If you're able to visit a Terry Black's location, don't sleep on those sides, which include mac and cheese, creamed corn, green beans, potato salad, and more. All around, this spot is just bangin', and you don't need the sauce because the meat itself is fall-off-the-bone tender and perfectly cooked. But if you want, multiple sauces are there for you. Overall, it's just a great barbecue joint you don't want to miss if you're ever in Texas, or Nashville when it opens.