The smell of smoked brisket, ribs, pulled pork, sausage, and chicken is a favorite among many. Certainly, you may already be imagining how delicious some ribs could be right now. Barbecue is a favorite across the United States, and Las Vegas has enough smokehouses, casino BBQ joints, Korean BBQ spots, Hawaiian BBQ counters, and Brazilian steakhouses to keep meat lovers busy.
But sometimes getting it right seems like a problem. You can be a meat lover, but cooking great barbecue takes more than just fire and a slab of meat. You need smoke, patience, seasoning, timing, wood, sauce, and real skill.
This article will explore where in Las Vegas you can score amazing barbecue, where the smoke alone makes your stomach wake up, and where the ribs, brisket, chicken, hot links, pork belly, and pulled pork are worth the drive. Get ready, for here the meat is the lingua franca-whatever that means.
Best Barbecue Restaurants in Vegas
Whether on the Strip, Downtown, in the Arts District, or across the Vegas outskirts, meat is plenty. You will find a barbecue experience near you that will tickle the carnivorous you, no doubt.
This main list focuses mostly on American-style barbecue and smokehouse restaurants. Korean BBQ, Hawaiian BBQ, and Brazilian BBQ are also included later because they satisfy a different kind of barbecue craving.
1. Rollin Smoke Barbeque
- Address: 3185 S Highland Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Hours: Open daily. Hours vary by location.
- Price: $$
Rollin Smoke Barbeque is one of the most recognizable barbecue names in Las Vegas. The original location at Highland Drive remains a staple, and the brand has expanded across Las Vegas with locations including Highland Drive, Grand Canyon Drive, Pawn Plaza, T-Mobile Arena, and Allegiant Stadium.
The father-and-son team behind Rollin Smoke built its name on Southern-style barbecue, smoked meats, ribs, brisket, pulled pork, hot links, chicken, and classic sides. It is the mother of Vegas’ Rick’s Rollin Smoke and one of the best places to start if you want a dependable Las Vegas BBQ experience.
Treat yourself to brisket, ribs, chicken, pulled pork, burnt ends, fried okra, baked beans, mac and cheese, collard greens, and other Southern-style comfort food.
Diner’s Delight: Pulled pork, brisket, ribs, fried okra, and baked beans.
2. SoulBelly BBQ
- Address: 1327 S Main Street, Las Vegas, NV 89104
- Hours: Tuesday to Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm, Friday to Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm
- Price: $$
SoulBelly BBQ is one of the most important modern barbecue restaurants in Las Vegas. Located in the Arts District, it brings a more chef-driven smokehouse feel to the city while still keeping the food casual, fun, and filling.
The menu includes Texas brisket, pulled pork, smoked turkey, pork belly, pork and cheddar hot links, St. Louis pork ribs, smoked portabellas, sides, sandwiches, and shareable plates. It is a great pick if you want barbecue in a more creative neighborhood setting rather than inside a casino.
SoulBelly is also useful for visitors exploring the Arts District, breweries, bars, vintage shops, and Downtown-adjacent nightlife.
Diner’s Delight: Texas brisket, St. Louis ribs, pork belly, hot links, and mac and cheese.
3. John Mull’s Meats & Road Kill Grill
- Address: 3730 Thom Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89130
- Hours: Road Kill Grill Monday to Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm; closed Sunday
- Price: $$
The famous BBQ and meat market, as featured in Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri, serves hot and steamy meats at John Mull’s Road Kill Grill. Grab amazing meat combinations between pork, chicken, and beef.
John Mull’s is part barbecue restaurant and part meat market, which gives it a different personality from casino restaurants and polished Strip smokehouses. It feels more like a local Vegas BBQ institution.
The outdoor patio setting is simple and casual, but the food is the reason people make the drive. Expect ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken, sausage, and classic barbecue sides.
Diner’s Delight: Pulled pork, brisket, ribs, and combo plates.
4. Ellis Island BBQ
- Address: 4178 Koval Ln, Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Hours: Open daily; dinner-focused hours are usually posted by Ellis Island
- Price: $$
Ellis Island BBQ is known for incredible ribs and delicious chicken with family recipes in play. This is one of the best value barbecue stops near the Strip, especially if you want a casino-adjacent meal that does not feel overpriced.
The slow-cooked meat on low heat means that your meat falls off the bone effortlessly as you gnaw the soft flesh cooked to perfection. No reservations are required to dine in this fine establishment, but you have to be 21+ years to enjoy the barbecue restaurant.
Each barbecue entree is served with Ellis Island root beer barbecue baked beans, corn on the cob, coleslaw, and garlic bread. Current official menu pricing lists the half rack and half BBQ chicken at $20.99, with lower prices available through a players club card and casino play coupon offers.
Diner’s Delight: Half rack and half BBQ chicken, full rack baby back ribs, and Ellis Island root beer barbecue baked beans.
5. Rick’s Rollin Smoke Barbeque & Tavern
- Address: 725 S Las Vegas Blvd, Suites 110 & 210, Las Vegas, NV 89101
- Hours: Restaurant daily from 10 am to 10 pm; tavern from 11 am to 10 pm or later
- Price: $$
The BBQ joint is a partnership between famed Pawn Stars personality Rick Harrison and Rollin Smoke BBQ to bring Southern meat excitement to Vegas. Be ready to taste Southside meats in this epic preparation of ribs, brisket, smoked meatloaf, pulled pork, chicken, and classic sides.
Rick’s Rollin Smoke Barbeque & Tavern is located at Pawn Plaza, which makes it especially convenient if you are visiting Gold & Silver Pawn Shop or doing a Downtown-adjacent sightseeing day.
Do you have a party, event, or want to hang out with some friends and catch up over some ribs and a beer? The restaurant and catering team can handle small gatherings and large events, making it useful for group meals and casual parties.
Diner’s Delight: St. Louis ribs, brisket, smoked meatloaf, and pulled pork.
6. Big B’s Texas BBQ
- Address: 3019 St Rose Pkwy #130, Henderson, NV 89052
- Second Location: 8125 W Sahara Ave, Suite 300, Las Vegas, NV 89117
- Hours: Daily from 11 am to 9 pm
- Price: $$
The iconic feature of Big B’s Texas BBQ is the large smoker sitting at the center of the kitchen. It will have brisket smoked overnight and ribs, chicken, sausage, turkey, and pulled pork ready for hungry barbecue fans.
The wood grill uses oak and mesquite wood, bringing South Texas-style flavor to Southern Nevada. You can already imagine the delicious aroma in the air.
Big B’s now has two locations: one in Henderson on St. Rose Parkway and one in Las Vegas on West Sahara Avenue. That makes it much easier to fit into your trip whether you are staying in Henderson, Summerlin, or the west side of Las Vegas.
Diner’s Delight: Brisket, smoked sausage, ribs, turkey, and Texas-style sides.
7. Virgil’s Real BBQ – Las Vegas
- Address: 3545 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Hours: Monday 10 am-12 am, Tuesday to Wednesday 11 am-12 am, Thursday to Saturday 11 am-1 am, and Sunday 10 am-1 am
- Price: $$
Las Vegas gets a breath from the South with the exquisite recipes from the masters of the smokehouse at Virgil’s Real BBQ in The LINQ Promenade. The meats are slow-cooked in house over indirect heat to preserve flavor and tenderness.
Virgil’s is especially useful because it is one of the better BBQ choices directly on the Strip. It is convenient if you are staying near The LINQ, Flamingo, Harrah’s, Caesars Palace, Horseshoe, or Paris Las Vegas.
The restaurant also has a full bar, patio dining, private party options, and a lively promenade setting. Current Las Vegas specials include happy hour Monday through Thursday from 2 pm to 5 pm and live music Thursday through Sunday from 6 pm to 10 pm.
Parking is available nearby at The LINQ or Flamingo, but parking fees may apply.
Diner’s Delight: Memphis-style pork spare ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and cornbread.
8. Jessie Rae’s BBQ
- Address: 5611 S Valley View Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89118
- Hours: Monday to Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm, and Friday to Sunday from 11 am to 8 pm
- Price: $$
Jessie Rae’s BBQ serves slow-smoked ribs, chicken, pulled pork, brisket, sausage, sandwiches, and loaded barbecue creations that have made it one of Las Vegas’ better-known local BBQ stops.
The restaurant has won multiple Best of Las Vegas awards and is known for fun, casual food rather than polished casino dining. It is a place where you go for big plates, sauce, smoke, and a less formal atmosphere.
Jessie Rae’s is especially good if you want a local Vegas barbecue stop close to the west side of the Strip, Allegiant Stadium, and the industrial area south of the main tourist corridor.
Diner’s Delight: Ribs, brisket, pulled pork, loaded fries, and the famous Fortress-style oversized BBQ creations.
9. Lucille’s Smokehouse BBQ
- Address: Red Rock Casino Resort, 11011 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89135
- Hours: Sunday to Thursday from 11 am to 10 pm, and Friday to Saturday from 11 am to 11 pm
- Price: $$
Lucille’s Smokehouse BBQ at Red Rock Casino Resort is perfect if you are off-Strip looking for a meaty experience in Summerlin.
The professionally done BBQ is delicious, and its sauces are one of the reasons diners return. The smokehouse offers dine-in, takeout, patio dining, bar options, and large-party celebration possibilities.
This is a good choice if you want barbecue in a comfortable resort setting rather than a small local smokehouse. It also pairs well with a Red Rock Casino day, Downtown Summerlin shopping, or a Red Rock Canyon trip.
Diner’s Delight: Texas-style beef brisket, ribs, pulled pork, fried chicken, biscuits, and Southern sides.
10. Gilley’s BBQ
- Address: 3300 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Hours: Restaurant daily from 5 pm to 11 pm; saloon opens daily at noon, with BBQ menu available until 11 pm
- Price: $$
Gilley’s BBQ at Treasure Island has a true Las Vegas honky-tonk feel. It is part barbecue restaurant, part saloon, part dance hall, and part nightlife venue.
The meat is smoked and roasted in moderate temperatures to acquire that soft and tender feel. Barbecue cooked with a Southern touch is what many visitors describe as the experience at Gilley’s.
This is a good Strip pick if you want BBQ with country music, drinks, dancing, mechanical bull energy, and Treasure Island convenience.
Diner’s Delight: Brisket, ribs, barbecue chicken, burgers, and country-style sides.
11. Famous Dave’s BBQ
- Address: 1951 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108
- Hours: Monday to Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm, Friday to Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm
- Price: $$
Famous Dave Anderson, the founder of the Famous Dave’s BBQ chain of restaurants, spent decades perfecting the art of roasted meat. He traveled far and wide into the nation’s BBQ-rich areas and built a menu around ribs, brisket, chicken, pork, sauces, and scratch-made sides.
Grab one of the many ribs or chicken cuts and enjoy what American barbecue should taste like. You are in for a good time as there are beers to down the meal and fresh-made sauces and salads to pair your meat.
Famous Dave’s is a chain, so it does not feel as local as John Mull’s, Rollin Smoke, Jessie Rae’s, or SoulBelly. Still, it remains a reliable northwest Las Vegas option for families, catering, and large BBQ platters.
Diner’s Delight: All-American BBQ Feast, St. Louis-style ribs, brisket, roasted chicken, Wilbur beans, fries, and cornbread muffins.
12. Wild Fig BBQ
- Address: 9555 Del Webb Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89134
- Hours: Check current hours before visiting
- Price: $$
Wild Fig BBQ is a Summerlin-area barbecue and catering operation located in Sun City. It is a good addition to this list because it gives northwest Las Vegas another local BBQ choice away from the Strip.
Wild Fig is especially useful for takeout, catering, casual meals, and people who want barbecue in the Summerlin area without driving to Downtown, the Strip, or Henderson.
The menu can include smoked meats, sandwiches, ribs, brisket, pulled pork, sides, and larger party orders. Since hours and availability can change, check the current menu and order options before making the trip.
Diner’s Delight: Brisket, ribs, pulled pork, smoked meats, and catering trays.
13. Fox Smokehouse BBQ
- Address: 930 Nevada Way, Boulder City, NV 89005
- Hours: Check current hours before visiting
- Price: $$
The meat house has competed in various national barbecue competitions, many of which Fox Smokehouse BBQ emerged from as a winner. This goodness is now available near Las Vegas in Boulder City, making it a strong stop if you are heading to Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, or Boulder City.
Commit to coming to this barbecue joint if your itinerary takes you southeast of Las Vegas. Experience what it feels like to stay close to the masters of fire and meat.
Fox Smokehouse is not in central Las Vegas, but it belongs on this list because Boulder City is a common side trip for visitors, and good barbecue can make that day trip even better.
Diner’s Delight: St. Louis ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and barbecue plates.
More BBQs in Vegas You May Be Interested In
Best Hawaiian BBQ in Vegas
- #1 Hawaiian Barbecue: Hawaiian BBQ ribs, chicken, teri beef, mahi mahi, fresh ahi poke, loco moco, Hawaiian Sun drinks, Thai tea boba, and more.
- Lulu Hawaiian BBQ: Hawaiian menu with low-carb options suitable for lighter eating.
- Aloha Hawaiian BBQ: Counter-serve Hawaiian BBQ plates.
- Suha Bites Sushi Burrito & Hawaiian BBQ: Hawaiian BBQ and sushi burritos, with vegetarian-friendly options.
- Makai: Pacific Island Grill: Prompt service with Hawaiian barbecue, takeout, and dine-in options.
Best Korean BBQ in Vegas
- Gen Korean BBQ House: Local chain serving Korean BBQ in a modern environment.
- Hobak Korean BBQ: Traditional Korean barbecue and cocktails.
- 888 Korean BBQ: Popular all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ in Chinatown.
- Master Kim’s Korean BBQ: Modern AYCE Korean BBQ with multiple Las Vegas locations.
- Korean Garden BBQ: All-you-can-eat pork and beef barbecue.
- 8oz Korean Steak House & Bar: Classic Korean barbecue with a full-bar experience.
- Biwon Korean BBQ and Sushi: All-you-can-eat Korean BBQ and sushi.
Best Brazilian BBQ in Vegas
- Via Brasil Steakhouse: Brazilian all-you-can-eat meats carved tableside from skewers.
- Texas de Brazil: Brazilian steakhouse with all-you-can-eat meats and a salad bar.
- Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse: Brazilian steakhouse on the Strip with churrasco-style service.
- Pampas Churrascaria Brazilian Grille: All-you-can-eat meats, seafood, and salad bar options.
Read More: Best Wings In Las Vegas
Conclusion
Barbecue in Las Vegas is as mouth-watering and distinct as you can find. Whatever your taste, from American smokehouse BBQ to Hawaiian BBQ, Brazilian churrasco, and Korean tabletop barbecue, you will get it all in restaurants serving BBQ specialties in Vegas.
For classic Las Vegas smokehouse barbecue, start with Rollin Smoke, SoulBelly, John Mull’s, Ellis Island BBQ, Rick’s Rollin Smoke, Big B’s, Virgil’s, Jessie Rae’s, Lucille’s, Gilley’s, Famous Dave’s, Wild Fig, and Fox Smokehouse.
Southern recipes find the city’s hunger for steaks and ribs, all grilled or smoked in a fashion to make meat not only evenly done but deliciously looking as well.
Grab an offer in Vegas barbecue spots and remind yourself of what meat tastes like over fire. Let the muscle game begin!