1. Jefferson Street BBQ (Converse)
Despite being situated in the small town of Converse (population 1,200), Jefferson Street is a busy place. You know it’s a good BBQ place when they sell out of meat daily. While they offer straight up piles of meat like many barbeque places, they also have some great dishes that have their own great flavors, such as the pulled pork nachos/baked potatoes or the Mac’anic, a burger piled with mac and cheese and pulled pork. The best type of meat you can get from here is the brisket, but I enjoy every kind of meat they have. Their sides also have some notoriety; the jalapeno cornbread and white chicken chili are both quite popular.
2. Shigs In Pit (Fort Wayne)
I’d say this place has the best BBQ in Ft. Wayne. Their meat/BBQ sauce combo is fantastic. At Shigs In Pit, your order and pay at the counter, and they call you back up when your food is ready. The ribs and pulled pork won me over the most here. However, plenty of people like the burnt ends. Like Jefferson Street, this restaurant has a couple of sides that shine just as brightly as the meat. Lots of people enjoy the potato casserole, though I’d say I enjoy the corn “spoon” bread more. The apple pie baked beans stand out as well. If your restaurant has won multiple awards for their barbeque, you must be doing something right!
3. Lucille’s BBQ (Fort Wayne)
While not quite as good as Shigs In Pit, Lucille’s still serves up some great barbeque. When my wife and I visited, we actually thought that the best part of the meal was the sides. We loved the cornbread, drunken apples, white cheddar corn, and mac and cheese. People online also have expressed that the brussels sprouts are good, if that’s your kind of thing. I would avoid the brisket here because of its tendency to be fatty, but I highly recommend the ribs and burnt ends. What is great about Lucille’s is the variety of sauces available to you. The have their sauces up at this bar area, and you’re free to go up and try or mix all kinds of sauce. While I’m more of a traditionalist, there are some adventurous flavors like raspberry chipotle.
4. Big Hoffa’s (Westfield)
The entire setting of Big Hoffa’s is very unique. The building itself is a bright red with white columns and a large mural on the side. The interior is…pirate themed. There is also frequently a line to order, but it goes quickly. The best brisket I’ve ever eaten came from here, and plenty of people rave about the pulled chicken as well. What sets Big Hoffa’s apart from other BBQ joints is the uniqueness of some of their dishes, such as jasmine rice topped by a meat of your choice. The sides do a great job of carrying the meal as well. The fries are seasoned very well and the applesauce has actual apple chunks in it.
5. City Barbeque (various locations)
It’s hard to think of good barbeque being in a chain restaurant, but City Barbeque does an awesome job of it. There are a handful of locations in the Indy area, and each one dials up great food from their 3 smokers at each location. They also pride themselves on making their sides and desserts from scratch. I haven’t had anything bad from the few times I have been to a City Barbeque, but I also haven’t had anything that really stood out either. I will say that they do have great customer service, though.
6. Squealer’s (various locations)
If I mention City Barbeque, I also need to mention another local Indy chain, Squealer’s. I know less about Squealer’s because I haven’t actually been there, but I have heard plenty of great things about it. People rave about their fried biscuits and apple butter. The highlights here are the pulled pork and baby back ribs. They also partner with Indiana Pork Farmers, which is nice that they keep things local. Unfortunately, many reviewers say to stay away from the brisket because it has the tendency to be chewy and dry. It is also worth noting that the Castleton location has the worst ranking of the 3 locations.
7. Johnson’s BBQ Shack (Bargersville)
Johnson’s BBQ Shack is not as well known as several other places on this list, largely due to its location in a small town. However, locals and online reviewers have all kinds of great things to say about this place. The outside is very eye-catching because of the beautiful outdoor seating area it has. Like Lucille’s, this place serves the meat plain and gives you plenty of great types of BBQ sauce to add to it. People recommend basically anything on the menu, but the pulled pork, ribs, corn casserole, and mac and cheese are talked about the most.
8. Hank’s Smoked Briskets (Indianapolis)
As the name states, Hank’s is known for selling their brisket. There is also smoked corned beef and potato latkes, which is not something you find at every BBQ place. They also make a couple special trips to Texas each year (where the owner is from) to pick up mesquite wood. Hank’s has no tables, so you do have to take your order to go. People talk about how Hank is a funny, interesting guy to talk to and how free samples of the brisket and corned beef are often given out. Customers also highlight the cobbler and the mac and cheese there.
9. Bombers BBQ (Munster)
All the meat here is smoked a minimum of 15-16 hours, and everything is delicious here. Unlike typical barbeque places, Bombers serves seafood as well. All appetizers are made from scratch, and the same can be said for their sauces. They are known for having one kind of sauce that is so hot that you have to sign a waiver when you order it. The best things people mention from here are the burnt ends, brisket, pulled pork, and chicken wings. Their meats have been winning all kinds of awards since they opened in 2013.
10. Hawg Heaven (Kokomo)
This motorcycle-themed restaurant is a local favorite to residents of Kokomo. They pride themselves on their pulled pork and brisket, though many people have a lot to say about their cornbread, potato salad, and pork quesadilla. I can personally attest that the brisket and cornbread are quite tasty. Another huge highlight here is their dessert: peanut butter pie. One minor negative point is that people point out that the sides are smaller portions, which I noticed with the applesauce I got but not the cornbread .The menu here is not as large as other places on this list, but when you churn out quality items, there is no need to diversify.
Honorable Mention: Ribfest (Fort Wayne)
Ribfest is a little slice of heaven that comes to Fort Wayne for several days in June each year. Located in Headwaters Park, Ribfest is home to countless award-winning barbeque places, all vying for your money. Many of these places will even have their awards on display, making it very difficult to pick from. Many of these vendors have sample sizes, but you have to determine whether it’s more worth it to sample a bunch of items or just try one or two in larger sizes. 2018’s Ribfest was June 14-17, so I’d expect similar dates in 2019.
