Here Are The 5 Most-Recommended BBQ Restaurants In Kentucky, According To Our Readers

Highlighting five reader-recommended BBQ restaurants in Kentucky worth visiting.

Here at OnlyInYourState, we're always open to reader suggestions and nominations -- y'all know best, after all! Especially when it comes to barbecue restaurants in Kentucky. We receive lots of emails and DMs about your favorite barbecue hot spots, and are sharing five of y'alls most-recommended BBQ restaurants in Kentucky. Don't worry -- they aren't listed in any particular order... all of these establishments are equally delicious and worth adding to your Bluegrass BBQ bucket list

1. Starnes Barbecue - Paducah

Hailed as the most legendary barbecue in the South, Starnes Bar-B-Q is a Paducah institution that's truly a bucket-list must. Step inside this unassuming blue building and prepare yourself for bold, smoky barbecue (smoked out back, in fact!) smothered in finger-lickin' sauce. Pro tip: buy a bottle (or two... or 10) to take home!

2. Bubby's BBQ - Corbin

You'll think you've died and gone to hog heaven when you step inside Bubby's. Readers rave about how tender and melt-in-your-mouth the ribs are, and although it's all-you-can-eat here, there's a fierce commitment to quality that makes dining here more akin to a proper sit-down restaurant.

3. Feast BBQ - Louisville and Lexington

Feast BBQ is a true feast for the senses. For proof of this, simply look at the above spread! If you like your meal to look as delicious as it tastes, this is the KY BBQ spot for you. With two locations -- Lexington and Louisville -- you're never far from darn delicious barbecue! Pro tip: don't forget to order an Ale-8-One Bourbon Slushie with your barbecue feast!

4. J & B Barbecue & Catering - Henderson, KY

From its Kentucky sports memorabilia and winsome wood booths, to its red checkered curtains and matching tablecloths, everything about J&B Barbecue makes diners feel right at home. Folks rave about the ribs, which have a sticky-sweet sauce you'll happily sop up with a few slices of plain white bread. If you're looking for darn delicious, down-home BBQ in Kentucky, this is it.

5. Red State BBQ - Lexington

We get more reader comments about Red State BBQ than anywhere else -- and for good reason! This down-home BBQ joint has killer Memphis-, Texas-, and Carolina-style sauces slathered on your choice of brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, ribs... this place is heaven for Bluegrass BBQ aficionados!

Have many of these reader-recommended BBQ restaurants in Kentucky have you visited? Any surprises on the list? Any places you think should have made the cut? Share them in the comments below -- or nominate your favorite BBQ joint and tell us why we should feature it in an upcoming Only In Kentucky article!

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