The Lowcountry’s juiciest barbecue spots

When it comes to barbecue, the Lowcountry knows how to bring the heat — and the smoke. From slow-cooked brisket and fall-off-the-bone ribs to pulled pork piled high with tangy slaw, our region offers some of the best barbecue in South Carolina. Whether you’re craving a casual counter-service spot in Hilton Head or a hidden gem in Ridgeland, this guide rounds up the top BBQ joints across Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Beaufort, Port Royal, Ridgeland and Daufuskie Island. Each listing includes the name, location, website, photo and a flavor-packed description so you can find your next favorite spot to feast. Fire up your appetite — this is your ultimate Lowcountry BBQ roadmap.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND

Big Jim’s BBQ, Burgers, Pizza & Catering

This Palmetto Dunes restaurant opened in 2012 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course clubhouse. It is named after Jim Self, the visionary who acquired Palmetto Dunes in 1979 and also loved to cook. He swore by a recipe for Tennessee coleslaw he found while scouting a potential acquisition and perfected his own special barbecue sauce, both of which are featured on the menu. Barbecue highlights include slow-smoked ribs, pulled pork and pulled chicken, complemented by Southern sides and cornbread muffins.

Address: 7 Trent Jones Lane, Hilton Head Island

Website: www.bigjimsbbqcatering.com

Phone: (855) 225-8214

One Hot Mama’s

One Hot Mama’s is a beloved local barbecue restaurant with locations on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton. Opened in 2007 by Orchid Paulmeier and her husband, Mike, the menu features Southern favorites like collard greens, cornbread and slow-cooked barbecue, blended with Orchid’s unique recipes. Orchid, a contestant on season seven of The Next Food Network Star and a 2016 South Carolina Chef Ambassador, was also a featured chef at the James Beard House Dinner. Menu highlights include baby-back ribs, meat and three combo platters, BBQ platters, burgers, wraps, salads, char-grilled chicken and wings. Her barbecue is a highlight at many local events and the winner of many professional cooking competitions.

Address: 33 Office Park Road, Hilton Head Island & 104 Buckwalter Parkway, Bluffton

Website: onehotmamas.com

Phone: 843-682-6262 (HHI) & 843-815-6262 (Bluffton)

The Smokehouse

This iconic restaurant has been serving award-winning barbecue since 1999. Originally located at Coligny Circle, it moved to a new location off Palmetto Bay Road. After an electrical fire in 2019 forced a two-year closure, owner Jerry Leonard reopened his beloved restaurant to much fanfare. The popular lunch and dinner menu features barbecue, ribs, wings and chili. The happy-hour specials are also fantastic. Patrons can enjoy handcrafted drinks at The Chimney Bar, the only part of the building that survived the fire.

Address: 34 Palmetto Bay Road, Hilton Head Island

Website: www.smokehousehhi.com

Phone: (843) 842-4227

Bullies BBQ

Bullies BBQ, an establishment that’s been around for over a decade, underwent a change in ownership in 2023 when Bob Sutton retired and sold the restaurant to its employees. After the change of ownership in 2023, Bullies BBQ can proudly announce that it is now owned by Bob Sutton, who has come out of retirement and bought the restaurant back! Bob intends to bring Bullie’s back to its former glory. This old-school, counter-service gem continues to offer a mouthwatering array of barbecue meats and sides for dine-in, delivery and takeout. The restaurant specializes in lean pork slow-smoked over hickory and mesquite woods. Bullies’ ribs are smoked for up to six hours, while pork butt and briskets are smoked for up to 14 hours in a large-capacity smoker, ensuring tender and flavorful meats.

Address: 3 Regency Parkway, Hilton Head Island

Website: www.bulliesbbq.com

Phone: (843) 686-7427

Forrest Fire BBQ

Temporarily Closed for unknown reasons

Forrest Fire BBQ is a newer addition to the local barbecue scene, offering wood-smoked barbecue crafted in a time-honored tradition. Owned and operated by pitmaster Scott Forrest Bodkin, the restaurant’s offerings change daily and frequently sell out. Scott’s baby-back ribs are cooked 3-2-1 St. Louis style: smoked for three hours, wrapped in foil for two hours, then unwrapped and smoked for a final hour, with sauce brushed on during the last hour. The ribs are smoked over apple and pecan wood. His brisket is smoked over hickory and pecan, while his chicken is smoked over cherry and apple for a fall-off-the-bone texture. The pork butts are smoked for 16 hours over pecan and cherry wood.

Address: Coligny Plaza, Hilton Head Island 

Website: forrestfirehhi.com

Phone: (843) 341-3473

Snack Bar

Located in a quaint red shack on Spanish Wells Road, this spot is open Tuesday through Saturday. Pitmaster Carl Campbell dazzles with his mastery of barbecue, skillfully slow-cooking over charcoal and assorted woods. His expertise shines through in dishes like Boston butt and spare ribs, where he blends the robust flavors of oak, pecan and hickory to create mouthwatering results. Whether you’re craving traditional barbecue or looking to explore new flavors, Snack Bar promises a satisfying and memorable meal.

Address: 575 Spanish Wells Road, Hilton Head Island

Hours: Thursday, Friday & Satruday from 12-4 p.m.

BLUFFTON

Bluffton BBQ

This charming counter-serve restaurant in the Promenade is renowned for its slow-cooked barbecue and home-style sides served in a rustic setting. Owned by Ted and Donna Huffman, Bluffton BBQ has been delighting guests since 2005. Ted’s meticulous process involves a dry rub, no injections and smoking at the perfect temperature. Highlights include pulled pork, baby-back ribs, rotisserie chicken, Brunswick stew and the best sweet tea you’ll ever taste.

Address: 11 State Of Mind Way, Bluffton

Website: destination-bbq.com/stores/blufton-bbq

Phone: (843) 757-7427

Choo Choo BBQ Xpress

This Bluffton landmark offers slow-cooked barbecue and homestyle sides in a unique setting with railroad decor and a kitchen in an old train car. Specialties include oak wood-smoked pulled pork, chicken and baby-back ribs, topped with exclusive barbecue sauce. Enjoy savory home-cooked side dishes and a daily lunch special: any sandwich with two sides and a drink for $12.

Address: 129 Burnt Church Road, Bluffton 

Website: choochoobbq.net

Phone: (843) 815-7675

Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q

A laid-back chain celebrated for slow-cooked barbecue and famous cheese biscuits, Jim ‘N Nick’s has developed a strong local following. Honoring generations-old recipes, the menu features barbecue favorites like pork sandwiches, baby-back ribs, beef brisket and smoked turkey breast. Its renowned cheese biscuits, a perfect blend of cheddar and sweetness, are a must-try. 

Address: 872 Fording Island Road, Bluffton

Website: www.jimnnicks.com

Phone: (843) 706-9741

Farmers Market of Bluffton

One of the best spots for barbecue in Bluffton is the popular farmers market, held every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Here renowned local pitmaster Brentt Toole of Calibogue Catering fires up his giant grill to serve cherry wood-smoked baby-back ribs glazed in bourbon barbecue sauce, Texas-style Angus beef brisket and the finest barbecue hash in the Lowcountry.

Address: 86 Boundary St., Bluffton (Thursdays) 

Hours: Thursdays from 12 to 4 pm from September to May and 10 am to 2 pm from June to August

Website: www.caliboguecatering.com

Phone: (843) 301-2501

Young’s BBQ

Rodney Young is the man behind Young’s BBQ, a popular food truck located across from the Turn One Shop on Highway 46 in Bluffton. Known for its slogan, “We don’t do BBQ; we do Super BBQ!” it opens at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, staying open until 5 p.m. or until it sells out. Young’s BBQ also caters, specializing in smoked chicken leg quarters, smoked pork and beef ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork and a variety of sides including collard greens, mac and cheese, baked beans, green beans and corn on the cob.

Address: 1193 May River Road, Bluffton

Facebook: www.facebook.com/YoungsBBQLLC

Phone: 843-415-2764

RIDGELAND

Pistol Jo’s Cherry Point BBQ

This gem, located at the corner of Highway 170 and Argent Boulevard in Ridgeland, is touted by many as having the best barbecue in all of the Lowcountry. The restaurant offers a variety of slow-cooked dishes, including weekly specials on baby-back ribs and beef brisket. Additionally, it is famous for its made-to-order crispy fried chicken.

Address: 2915 Okatie Highway, Ridgeland 

Website: ordercherrypointbbq.com

Phone: (843) 645-4227

Duke’s BBQ

Good barbecue, good folks, and good times — Duke’s BBQ has been a local barbecue shrine since 1997. It serves up authentic, slow-cooked barbecue. Whether you’re craving ribs, pulled pork or a homemade Sunday lunch just like Grandma used to make, Duke’s BBQ has you covered.

Address: 10190 South Jacob Smart Boulevard, Ridgeland

Website: destination-bbq.com/stores/dukes-bar-b-que-5

Phone: (843) 726-6244

PORT ROYAL

The Smokehouse at Paris Avenue

The Smokehouse at Paris Avenue is a charming, family-run restaurant offering classic barbecue fare with a smoky twist. Its meats are expertly smoked to ensure they are both flavorful and juicy. This is the place for mouth-watering barbecue, featuring pulled pork, smoked chicken, brisket, chicken, shrimp wraps and a variety of local Southern dishes.

Address: 914 Paris Ave., Port Royal

Website: www.thesmokehouseatparisavenue.com

Phone: (843) 522-0322

Roadhouse

Choose from barbecue pulled chicken, beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked sausage, spare ribs, herb and garlic smoked chicken or a combo of meats, all served with two delicious sides. Its meats are dry-rubbed with brown sugar and slow-smoked in a custom-designed smoker filled with oak and pecan wood, ensuring a rich and savory flavor in every bite.

Address: 7 Toppers Lane, Port Royal

Website: www.roadhouseribs.com

Phone: (843) 379-8899

BEAUFORT

Q on Bay

Q on Bay is a beloved local barbecue joint run by Jason Bailey and Chris Johnson. Their standout offering is the pulled pork, smoked for 12-14 hours over hickory wood in a Southern Pride smoker. The menu also features a variety of smoked delights, including shoulders, butts, brisket, ribs, chicken, smoked wings and more.

Address: 822 Bay St., Beaufort

Website: www.qonbay.com

Phone: (843) 524-7771

DAUFUSKIE ISLAND

Up in Smoke BBQ

At the wonderful intersection of tradition and innovation, Up in Smoke BBQ, nestled on beautiful Daufuskie Island, is an absolute must-visit! With a passion for creating barbecue, from perfectly smoked brisket to juicy smoked chicken, and pairing these delights with beloved southern sides like creamy mac and cheese and refreshing fresh coleslaw, their menu makes the boat ride over truly worthwhile.

Address: 103 Buckthorn Ln, Daufuskie Island, SC 29915

Website: www.upinsmokebbq101.com

Phone: (843) 368-7939