We Ranked 10 Of The Best BBQ Restaurants In Mississippi And Here’s Who Made The Cut

Nobody plans to stop for barbecue. You catch that hickory smoke through a cracked window somewhere in Mississippi and suddenly the exit ramp is making decisions for you.

The pitmasters here treat a pork shoulder the way a musician treats an instrument, all patience and feel and hours nobody sees.

Ten of them made this ranking, which took a fair amount of tasting, comparing, and genuine disagreement to sort out. Ribs against brisket against pulled pork is not a fair fight, and we had it anyway.

Grab a napkin before you scroll. The countdown gets messy, and that is entirely the point.

10. Bishop’s BBQ Grill

Smoke gets the first word here, and it has excellent timing. Bishop’s BBQ Grill keeps the menu broad without losing sight of the pit.

Pulled pork, brisket, smoked turkey, sausage, and chicken all appear on the menu. That gives a group enough room to order without turning lunch into committee work.

Belden keeps the smoke close to Tupelo. You will find the restaurant at 3018 McCullough Boulevard in Mississippi.

The setting is casual, which suits food that arrives ready for sauce, napkins, and very little ceremony. Pulled pork is an easy starting point.

Brisket gives beef fans a richer choice, while smoked turkey offers a lighter route through the menu.

A pork tenderloin sandwich adds another useful curveball. It comes on Texas toast with lettuce, tomato, and ranch.

Smoked sausage lands on a hoagie with mustard, onions, and peppers. Those details make the lineup feel bigger than a standard plate and two sides routine.

Tenth place still carries some swagger because Bishop’s gives Mississippi barbecue fans several solid directions to take. Nobody needs to study the menu like a final exam.

Pick a smoked favorite, add a side, and let the hickory do the persuasive work. The menu also includes catfish and shrimp sandwiches, so a mixed group has backup choices.

That little bit of range can save lunch when barbecue opinions get unusually serious.

9. Blue And White Restaurant

Barbecue egg rolls sound slightly mischievous, which is part of their charm. Blue And White Restaurant wraps smoked pulled pork in a crisp shell and serves it with barbecue ranch.

It fits a menu that pairs Southern comfort food with road trip appetite.

Tunica gives this smoker a roadside stage. The restaurant sits at 1355 Highway 61 North in Mississippi.

Its current menu also includes a BBQ Pork Plate made with pork shoulder smoked on the restaurant’s smoker. The plate comes with two sides, and the kitchen suggests baked beans and coleslaw. That pairing keeps the pork in charge.

One menu can keep a whole carload happy. Blue And White is broader than a dedicated barbecue joint.

Breakfast, Southern plates, and other comfort food share the menu, so smoked pork is only part of the draw. That actually helps when a table cannot agree on lunch.

Nobody has to negotiate over the last rib like it is a peace treaty. Ninth place still comes with bragging rights. The restaurant has range.

The barbecue has enough character to deserve attention, while the rest of the menu keeps the experience flexible. For a Mississippi road trip through Tunica, the pork plate and those clever egg rolls make a persuasive detour.

That mix is practical, playful, and Tunica.

8. Rob’s BBQ On The Side

Sausage fans get a menu worth reading twice. Rob’s BBQ On The Side currently offers Cajun, pineapple, jalapeño and cheese, and Conecuh links.

Choosing one can become lunch’s hardest task. That variety keeps lunch interesting.

Pascagoula gives all that smoke a coastal address. The restaurant serves guests at 2816 Market Street on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

St. Louis style ribs anchor the menu, with whole slabs, half slabs, and smaller rib orders available. Pulled pork and pulled chicken are smoked slowly, coated with the house barbecue sauce, and sold as sandwiches or plates.

Combo plates settle lunch debates fast. That is useful here.

Ribs can share a tray with sausage or chicken. Potato salad, coleslaw, baked potato salad, and the house baked beans cover the classic supporting roles.

Banana pudding and strawberry cream cheese delight handle dessert without making a big speech about it.

Eighth place arrives with a sausage link on the side. The menu knows its lane and stays there.

Seafood naturally draws attention near the Mississippi coast, yet Pascagoula also has serious smoke on Market Street. Order ribs and a sausage link together.

Consider it delicious research with very few wrong answers. A sausage link beside the ribs turns lunch into a neat flavor test.

Smoke, spice, sweetness, and snap all compete politely.

7. Hometown Prime

A steakhouse crashing a barbecue ranking needs a good explanation. Hometown Prime is officially a steakhouse, and its own site says Black Angus beef is the specialty. That distinction matters in a barbecue ranking.

Walnut Grove puts the grill in central Mississippi. Hometown Prime serves guests at 15459 Highway 21.

Steaks and pork lead the menu. Ribeye, filet, and sirloin style dining is the clearer reason to make the trip.

Here is where the ranking changes gears. The steakhouse focus changes the mood for a moment. A deeply seared steak brings a different pleasure than low and slow barbecue. The crust matters.

The center matters. So does the simple joy of ordering beef exactly the way you like it and letting the grill earn its keep.

Seventh place wears a steakhouse badge proudly. That calls for a little honesty.

Hometown Prime is a strong Mississippi meat stop, but readers seeking a classic pit house should know what they are getting. Think of it as the ranking’s well dressed cousin who showed up with a steak knife and excellent timing.

The restaurant is clear about its specialty. That clarity keeps the recommendation fair and useful.

No steak has to pretend it came out of a smoker.

6. Memphis BBQ Company

Ribs arrive here with championship credentials behind the kitchen. Memphis BBQ Company was founded by Melissa Cookston, a decorated competition pitmaster, and the restaurant still builds its menu around barbecue with serious pedigree.

Horn Lake gives this barbecue pedigree a Mississippi address. The restaurant stands at 709 Desoto Cove.

Baby back ribs are a major draw, and the current Pitmaster Sampler pairs a half slab with two additional meat choices. Those options include sliced brisket, chopped brisket, pork, pulled chicken, and quarter chicken.

That sampler is useful for anyone who dislikes menu regret. One plate lets brisket and pork share space with ribs, so you can compare textures without ordering half the kitchen.

The menu also offers barbecue nachos, giving the table an easy shareable option before the heavier plates arrive.

Sixth place has real competition history behind it. The smokehouse menu also gives diners room to explore.

Northern Mississippi sits close to Memphis barbecue country, and the influence is clear here. Start with the ribs, then let the sampler settle the brisket versus pork debate.

Delicious diplomacy rarely works this efficiently. Pork and brisket bring different textures to the same tray, while the ribs keep the meal anchored.

That makes the sampler especially useful for a first visit.

5. Sylvester’s

Rib tips make a strong opening argument here. Sylvester’s MS Style BBQ keeps them beside racks of ribs, chicken, pork steak, and sausage.

Smoke does the heavy lifting, while the sides know when to stay in their lane.

Raymond keeps the formula pleasantly direct. The restaurant operates at 9434 Highway 18 in Mississippi.

Current menu listings cover ribs, rib tips, chicken, pork steak, sausage, and pulled pork. Baked beans, potato salad, and coleslaw keep the sides familiar.

That restraint keeps lunch simple while smoke carries most of the conversation.

Chewy rib tips are the order for anyone who likes a bit more chew and smoky edges to spare. Sausage brings a firm snap, while chicken gives the table another route when pork has already claimed most of the tray.

A mixed order makes good sense here. Fifth place smells like smoke and good judgment. The Mississippi spot keeps the format simple.

Sylvester’s does not need a long explanation to make the case. Ribs, tips, sausage, chicken, and sides cover the ground neatly.

Bring an appetite and a napkin. The rest of the plan practically writes itself.

The menu’s restraint is part of the charm. You spend less time decoding clever names and more time deciding how many ribs make sense.

4. Doe’s Eat Place

History sits close to the table at Doe’s Eat Place. The original Greenville restaurant has been family owned since 1941 and built its name around steaks and hot tamales.

Doe’s is a steakhouse first, which matters here.

Greenville keeps the original story right on Nelson Street. The restaurant remains at 502 Nelson Street in Mississippi.

Its official site still highlights legendary steaks and the family’s tamale tradition. The building began as a grocery store.

Order with steakhouse expectations and the meal makes sense. Large steaks are the headline, while Delta style hot tamales give the meal a strong regional accent.

The combination has helped Doe’s become one of Mississippi’s best known dining names without needing to pretend it runs like a smokehouse.

Fourth place bends the barbecue rules on purpose. The label still needs to be clear.

Doe’s belongs in a broader conversation about iconic Mississippi meat restaurants, yet barbecue purists should set their expectations correctly. Visit for steak, tamales, and history.

The kitchen has been doing its own thing since 1941, and that confidence is part of the appeal. That honesty makes the section stronger.

That clarity helps. A ranking can bend a little, but the reader should always know exactly what is on the grill.

3. The Pig & Pint

Pepsi Cola glazed ribs are difficult to ignore. The Pig & Pint uses that signature glaze on baby back ribs, giving Jackson a barbecue plate with a playful streak. They appear in several samplers and family orders.

Fondren gives the smoke a lively Jackson backdrop. You will find the restaurant at 3139 North State Street in Mississippi.

Brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken, and smoked sausage round out the core smoked meats. The Pitmaster Sampler combines a half rack of ribs with two additional meats, two sides, and Texas toast.

The side paths are nearly as entertaining. BBQ tacos can be ordered with brisket, pulled pork, or smoked chicken.

BBQ nachos pile meat over tortilla chips with queso, beans, onions, pico de gallo, jalapeños, and sauce. Fondren Fries take a similar approach with hand cut fries underneath.

Third place earns a little swagger. This Mississippi barbecue restaurant likes a clever twist while keeping smoked meat at the center.

Order the glazed ribs first. Add a sampler if curiosity wins.

Jackson gives you more than enough reasons to turn one meal into a very tasty comparison chart. The menu has enough variety for a group without feeling scattered.

Every detour still circles back to smoke, sauce, and a generous plate.

2. The Shed

Personality refuses to whisper here, and the place likes it. Its Ocean Springs home mixes barbecue and weekly live music.

The mood follows suit nicely. The official site keeps smoked meats front and center, with ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and chicken featured throughout its menu and ordering pages.

Ocean Springs gives The Shed room to be its loud self. The restaurant sits at 7501 Mississippi Highway 57.

Its current site lists service seven days a week and promotes weekly live music. Its official site also highlights years of barbecue competition.

The pit still gets the final word. Food is the reason to pull over.

Baby back ribs and brisket give new visitors an easy place to begin, while pulled pork is a simple choice that rarely needs explaining. Smoked chicken adds another choice when a full tray starts looking like an ambitious personal project.

Second place comes with a soundtrack. The Gulf Coast stop has both flavor and character.

Mississippi barbecue can be wonderfully serious about smoke without acting serious at the table. The Shed understands that balance.

Order enough to share, claim a seat, and let the place provide the soundtrack. There is room for a quick plate or a slower afternoon when the coast puts everyone in an unhurried mood.

1. Abe’s Bar-B-Q

A century of smoke gives Abe’s Bar B Q a head start on almost everyone. The restaurant began in 1924, and Visit Mississippi identifies it as the oldest continuously operated barbecue restaurant in the state.

Clarksdale gives that century of smoke a famous neighborhood. Abe’s serves guests at 616 North State Street near the Crossroads area.

The current menu includes barbecue pork sandwiches, ribs, rib tips, beef plates, and hot tamales. Smoked meats and Delta food traditions share the same address, which makes the stop feel distinctly Mississippi.

The pork sandwich is the obvious first move. Rib tips add a chewier option, while tamales bring a regional favorite into the order.

Anyone building a full meal can mix those staples without turning the table into a buffet of indecision.

First place has had a century to practice. Abe’s still carries both history and purpose.

It has served barbecue for generations while staying connected to one of Mississippi’s most famous music towns. Come for the pork and add tamales.

A restaurant that opened in 1924 still gives people a reason to pull off the highway. The address also makes an easy food stop during a Clarksdale visit, so the meal can sit naturally beside the city’s broader blues history.

That staying power deserves real respect.