The South is known for great BBQ, and Charleston has more than its share of mouth-watering Q. The scene has shifted quite a bit in the past year, so we have rewritten this guide from the ground up. Here are the 5 best barbecue restaurants in Charleston right now — from locals who eat at them.
Last verified: August 2026.
Where's the Best BBQ in Charleston, SC?
Best BBQ in Charleston - Downtown
What Happened to Rodney Scott's BBQ?
If you came here looking for Rodney Scott's, here is the short answer: the King Street location closed at 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, 2026, and remains closed until further notice.
Rodney Scott opened his namesake restaurant on Upper King in 2017 in partnership with Nick Pihakis, and won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast the following year. The closure came alongside several others tied to the Pihakis Restaurant Group, which is facing lawsuits and liens over unpaid bills and rent. Management framed it as a pause rather than an ending, and told staff they did not believe it was the last chapter.
Whether the smokers fire back up on King Street remains to be seen. In the meantime, the good news is that Charleston barbecue has not slowed down — and one of the places below is cooking whole hog at a level that would make any pitmaster proud.
Lewis Barbecue
If you are a fan of Texas-style BBQ, head to the east-central area of downtown to Lewis Barbecue on Nassau Street. Cut to order, this beef brisket is the real deal. Crispy with just the right amount of char, John Lewis serves up the most authentic brisket in town.
Really hungry? Try the El Sancho sandwich, piled high with brisket and house-made sausage, and top it off with the pickled onions. The beef tallow fries have developed a following of their own. There is a great outdoor patio alongside the indoor dining room, and the line moves faster than it looks.
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Expect a wait at peak hours — it is worth it.
James Island Barbecue Restaurants
Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint
For West Tennessee-style whole hog BBQ, we love Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint on James Island. The ribs and pulled pork are top-notch. Smoked over hickory for more than 20 hours, native Memphians will tell you Martin's is the closest thing in Charleston to home.
Beyond the smoked meats and sauces, there is a music-themed indoor dining room, an outdoor bar with TVs and plenty of seating, and picnic tables outside where the dog is welcome. Worth knowing: the pulled pork sandwich comes with slaw on it by default, so speak up if you would rather have it on the side.
West Ashley BBQ Joints
Palmira Barbecue
Here is the one to build a trip around. Palmira Barbecue on Ashley River Road took the top spot on Southern Living's list of the best new barbecue joints in the South, and it has only gotten better since.
Pitmaster Hector Garate started as a roving pop-up before landing a permanent home in West Ashley. What he does is genuinely his own: South Carolina whole hog crossed with Texas technique, seasoned with the flavors of his native Puerto Rico. The pigs are locally raised heritage breeds, basted with sofrito as they cook for twelve hours over a wood-fired pit.
Order the beef cheeks — served instead of brisket, buttery inside with a crunchy bark. The house-ground sausages, the Puerto Rican beans, and the hash and rice are all worth the trip. So are the pork ribs.
Two things to know before you go. Palmira is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and popular cuts sell out, so go earlier in the day on weekends.
Home Team BBQ
Next, head to Home Team BBQ for the wings. The flagship location on Ashley River Road serves up the best dry-rub wings in Charleston, and Home Team is the hometown choice for many area residents. The ribs are excellent and so are all the sides.
The dining room feels like a blues club, with live music on the calendar and plenty of TVs for game day. If you want to bring your dog, there is a great outdoor patio with picnic-table seating. Home Team caters, too, and there are now additional locations downtown and on Sullivan's Island if West Ashley is out of your way.
Kiawah Island BBQ Restaurants
Cherrywood BBQ & Ale House
Finally, if you are out on Seabrook or Kiawah Island and looking for tasty Q, head to Cherrywood BBQ & Ale House at the Osprey Point clubhouse on Kiawah Island. A stop on the South Carolina BBQ Trail, Cherrywood smokes its meats over local hardwoods and serves them with house-made sauces. The four-cheese macaroni has taken home honors from the Charleston Mac-Off every year it has been entered.
Craft beer is the other star here, with more than 60 local, imported, draft, and craft options. The veranda runs the length of the restaurant and looks out over the golf course and the pond below, where the resident alligators tend to draw a crowd.
Open daily, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations are recommended for dinner, and required during busy stretches of the season. Villa and home guests of the resort receive preferred pricing when charging to an amenity card.
More Local Barbecue Joints Worth Your Time
- Hugh-Baby's BBQ & Burger Shop on St. Andrews Boulevard in West Ashley — Pat Martin's second Charleston concept, now well established. Memphis-style BBQ, griddled burgers, hot dogs and milkshakes, with a drive-thru.
- Swig & Swine on Savannah Highway in West Ashley — whole hog, ribs and one of the better sauce lineups in town.
- Poogan's Smokehouse on East Bay Street in downtown Charleston — the most convenient option if you are staying on the peninsula.
- Dukes Barbecue on Folly Road, James Island — old-school South Carolina buffet with hash over rice and mustard sauce. Closed Mondays.
- Easton Barbecue Co. in Hollywood, SC — a short drive from Johns Island and worth the detour. Open Thursday through Sunday only.
There Has Never Been a Better Time to Live in the Lowcountry
The Barbecue scene in Charleston is constantly evolving. Our list of 5 best barbecue restaurants in Charleston will probably grow to 10 soon! Are you looking to live in South Carolina where beaches and BBQ go hand in hand? Our Charleston Area Guide is a great resource to acquaint yourself with our area and all the great things to do here.
About Pam Harrington Exclusives
Founded in 1978, Pam Harrington Exclusives is a leading luxury real estate brokerage specializing in Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, Johns Island, Wadmalaw Island, and the greater Charleston area.
From our Johns Island office just off the island, we provide exceptional representation backed by decades of local expertise, trusted relationships, and a reputation for outstanding service.
Our office is located at 4341 Betsy Kerrison Parkway — the same road that leads to Kiawah and Seabrook Island — giving us daily visibility into the markets we serve. Stop in, call us at 843.768.3635, or reach us at info@phesales.com.