10 Of The Best Barbecue Spots In Ohio That Locals Swear By
Smoke rises from a Victorian house, a lunch counter, and a corner lot that began with a tent. Each one belongs on a road trip through Ohio barbecue country.
The lunch counter dates to 1922 and still guards a secret-recipe relish. More than one favorite started out on wheels before settling down.
Do you judge a smokehouse by its brisket or its sides? Either way, smoked mac and cheese, cheddar grits, and banana pudding are waiting.
What about the folks who skip meat entirely? One college-town kitchen keeps a full vegetarian menu next to its burnt ends.
Hours run short at many of these spots, and some close three days a week. A quick schedule check saves a wasted drive.
1. Bronco’s Western BBQ
Ribs, brisket, and pulled pork all come off the smoker here. The kitchen in Cleveland keeps the focus on smoked meat.
The Western Platter is a good way to sample a bit of everything. Prefer poultry?
A Half Chicken Dinner is on the menu too.
Cleveland has a famous sandwich called the Polish Boy, and Bronco’s makes one. It’s a local specialty, so it’s a fun way to taste the city.
Rib Tips Fries are another bold pick.
Sides matter at a barbecue place, and the lineup here is comforting. Cornbread comes by the two-piece order.
Mac and cheese and yams are there to round out a plate.
Planning matters with this one. The doors are open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 7 PM, and closed Sunday through Tuesday.
Friday and Saturday afternoons tend to be the busiest stretches.
Need to feed a crowd? Catering is available, and so is takeout.
Peach cobbler is waiting if you saved room.
Address: 3765 Ridge Rd, Cleveland, OH 44144
2. Ray Ray’s Hog Pit Clintonville
A food truck can earn a following in Columbus, and Ray Ray’s did before opening this Clintonville storefront.
The Clintonville spot serves hardwood-smoked meats all year long.
The menu includes rib tips, smoked wings, and a hot link sausage. You can also add waffle fries or cole slaw on the side.
Dessert deserves attention. Banana pudding and cornbread cobbler both sit on the menu, which makes the finish easy.
Walk up, order at the counter, and find a seat. Table service isn’t part of the plan, and reservations aren’t accepted.
Saturday evening tends to be the busiest time.
It’s open Tuesday through Sunday, from 11 AM to 8:30 PM, and closed Monday. Quieter windows include weekday mornings.
Kids have a menu of their own.
Outdoor seating is available, so a sunny day suits it. Catering is offered too.
Ohio has plenty of smokers, but this spot is a fine place to start in Columbus.
Address: 4214 N High St, Columbus, OH 43214
3. Pig Candy BBQ
Cheddar grits and corn pudding sound more like a Southern church supper than a barbecue side. Pig Candy BBQ in Cincinnati serves them alongside smoked brisket and pulled pork.
The menu also has cowboy beans with bacon and beef. Sweet cornbread and buffalo chicken dip with corn chips are on it too.
Want something lighter? A pulled chicken salad is an option.
Homemade desserts rotate, so the sweet finish can change from visit to visit.
Hours run Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 8 PM. Friday and Saturday stretch to 8:30 PM.
Sunday is closed.
A heated patio gives you a place to sit outside when the weather turns. Dogs are allowed outside.
Kids can use high chairs and a kids’ menu.
You order at the counter. Reservations aren’t accepted, and Saturday afternoon into evening is the busiest time.
Weekday mornings are calmer if you like elbow room.
Address: 5901 Kellogg Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45230
4. Fatback’s Barbecue
Sauce sits right on the table at Fatback’s, so you can season your own plate. Brisket and ribs are the headliners at this laid-back Dayton kitchen.
Bub Britton opened Fatback’s in 2013 inside a building that once housed his heating and air conditioning business. The first dining room seated just 24.
Pick a half slab of ribs or a pound of chopped brisket. Pulled pork and the Pig Pop Platter are also on the menu.
Sides stay simple and hearty. Roasted potatoes, potato salad, and cornbread all show up.
Little ones can order a chopped brisket kids meal.
The restaurant closed in 2020, and fans worried it was gone for good. New owner Curtis Fackler reopened it in March 2021.
Britton gave the new owners his blessing, and the recipes came with the sale. Rubs and sauces returned after the reopening, so you can take the flavor home.
The schedule is tight, so plan ahead. Doors open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 7 PM.
Sunday and Monday are closed.
Afternoons are busy most days. Thursday and Saturday evenings draw a crowd too.
Reservations aren’t taken, so just show up.
Eat inside or take it with you. Curbside pickup and delivery are both offered.
Dogs are allowed outside, which suits a nice-day plan.
Address: 1334 Linden Ave, Dayton, OH 45410
5. Joe’s Barbecue
A tent on the corner and a line to match started it all for this barbecue stop in Kent. It’s an easy place to spot.
Joe Menendez launched the business in 2017 with a small smoker and a pop-up tent. He set up on a gravel lot at a busy intersection.
Bigger smokers followed, along with a trailer and a food truck for carryout. In early 2026, a proper restaurant opened on the same lot.
Smoked brisket and pulled pork lead the menu. You can get brisket by the pound or in a sandwich.
Full racks of ribs are available too. The homemade sauce leans smoky and peppery, and it isn’t too sweet.
The new building added a second 1,000-gallon offset smoker. Pastrami fans know Saturday is their day.
Sides get real attention here. Smoked mac and cheese and buttermilk bacon potato salad are both on the list.
Banana pudding closes things out.
Hours are short and sweet. It’s open Thursday through Sunday from 11 AM to 6 PM, and closed Monday through Wednesday.
Plan on takeout, since there’s no table service and no delivery. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons are the busy times.
Waits are common, so bring patience.
6. Shorty’s True American Roadhouse
Barbecue shares the menu with steaks and burgers at this Toledo restaurant. The dining room is unfussy, and there’s a patio too.
The Mancy family runs this spot, and it has been smoking meat in Toledo since 2003. Cherry wood supplies the smoke.
Start with Memphis egg rolls or onion rings. Then move on to a Texas brisket platter or the pulled pork platter.
Ribs are the pride of the place. They’re St. Louis style pork ribs, dusted with house rub, slow-smoked, and finished on the grill.
The Boss Hog pork sandwich is another pick. Wings are on the list as well.
Can’t decide? The Ultimate Feast brings ribs, split chicken, brisket, and pulled pork with three sides.
Extra cornbread muffins can join the table.
An East Texas potato makes a hearty side. Dessert is also offered, so save a corner of your appetite.
Hours are generous for a barbecue stop. Monday through Thursday it serves 11 AM to 9 PM.
Friday and Saturday run until 10 PM.
Table service and reservations are both available. A fireplace and sports on screen set the mood.
The decor leans barn-inspired. A private dining area works well for special events.
Free Wi-Fi is there too, in case you want to linger.
Address: 5111 Monroe St, Toledo, OH 43623
7. Kennedy Barbecue
A secret-recipe relish and a history that stretches back about a century. That’s the calling card of this Canton barbecue spot.
It opened in 1922 under the name Spiker’s. Jack Kennedy bought it in 1960, renamed it, and ran it for 49 years.
It’s labeled a historic restaurant, and the menu fits the label. Classic pulled pork and ham sandwiches lead the way.
Can a sandwich taste like a century of practice? That famous relish dates back to the Spiker’s days.
It’s made with cabbage, and it brings a tangy, pickled bite to pork and ham.
Traditional bean soup is also on it. Bowls come loaded with chunks of ham, and some regulars crumble cornbread on top.
Brisket and smoked ham get praise too. Macaroni salad is a simple side to add.
Coffee is on the menu if you want a warm cup.
This is a lunch destination, and the schedule shows it. It’s open Monday through Friday from 11 AM to 5:30 PM.
Saturday hours end at 4:30 PM, and Sunday is closed.
Table service is available, and so are reservations. Delivery and takeout work too.
Tuesday is the busiest day, mostly from morning through afternoon.
Address: 1420 7th St NW, Canton, OH 44703
8. Kiser’s Barbeque
Family-owned and pit-smoked, Kiser’s Barbeque brings slow-cooked meat to Athens. Vegetarians get a full menu here too, which isn’t common at a smokehouse.
Ribs are a big draw. Chopped pork BBQ comes in a regular or XL size.
A burnt ends stuffed grilled cheese is one of the more creative picks.
Burnt ends pig pen fries are another bold choice. A Nashville hot chicken sandwich covers the spicy crowd.
A plant-based chicken slider covers everyone else.
Kids can order a cheeseburger. Dessert and a stuffed, loaded potato round out the list.
Ingredients are described as locally sourced and scratch-made.
Hours run Tuesday through Sunday, from 11 AM to 9 PM. Monday is closed.
Friday evening and Saturday afternoon are the busiest times.
Order at the counter and find a seat. Dogs are welcome outside.
Ohio college towns rarely get tastier than this.
Address: 355 E State St, Athens, OH 45701
9. Pickles & Bones Barbecue and Catering
Brisket on a toasted bun is the move at this Milford barbecue spot. Slow-smoked brisket is the headliner, backed by classic sides.
Josh and Nicole House run the place, and both came from fine dining kitchens. They started out in a tiny trailer in August 2015.
You can order it chopped, in a sandwich, or tucked in a quesadilla. Pulled pork and smoked turkey are also offered.
Chicken wings are on the list too.
Hickory and maple wood fuel the smoke. A chalkboard menu and a bright red exterior make the spot easy to recognize.
Sides include cheesy potatoes and mac and cheese. Banana pudding finishes the meal.
Wondering about the name? The pickles are bread and butter pickles with jalapeños, served on the side to cut through the rich meat.
Sauces are sold too, so you can take some home.
The small-town feel keeps things relaxed. Service is quick, and you order at the counter.
Seating is available inside, with outdoor tables as well.
Hours run Wednesday through Saturday, from 11 AM to 8 PM. Closed Sunday through Tuesday.
Saturday afternoon into evening is the busiest window.
Families have changing tables, high chairs, and a kids’ menu. Catering is in the name, so big events are covered.
Address: 887a Business 28, Milford, OH 45150
10. Smoked On High BBQ
Barbecue in a Victorian house with a yard? Yes, please.
This Columbus spot grew out of a food truck. Owner Max McGarity launched that truck, Buckeye Back Ribs, in 2010.
The house opened as a restaurant in 2017. Its old front yard is now a stone patio with picnic tables.
Former living rooms serve as dining rooms, and you order at a counter in the back. Who knew a Victorian could smell this good?
Slow-smoked brisket, pulled pork, and ribs are the stars. The pulled chicken sandwich is another option.
A brisket skinny and a pound of pulled pork round out the meat choices. The pulled pork spends 15 hours over hickory smoke.
Sides have fans of their own. Max N Cheese is a signature pick.
Collard greens and pork complete a plate. Brisket chili is another warm pick.
The sauce is a talking point, and the house-made options get mentioned a lot. Sweet and spicy options are in the mix.
Hours are Wednesday through Sunday, from 11 AM to 8 PM. Monday and Tuesday are closed.
Friday evening and weekend afternoons are busy.
Street parking is the only option, and spaces can be hard to find. Dogs are allowed outside.
Ohio barbecue rarely feels this homey.
Address: 755 S High St, Columbus, OH 43206