Best BBQ in Las Vegas 2026: Brisket, Ribs and Where to Go

Las Vegas didn't invent a barbecue style, but it has good smokehouses serving several of them, mostly away from the Strip. This guide covers six places whose details we checked against their own websites in September 2026, what each does best, and how to order well wherever you end up.

Barbecue kitchens cook a set amount each day, so popular cuts can sell out, and menus and prices change. Check the restaurant's own site or call before you make a special trip.

Las Vegas BBQ at a Glance

The Regional Styles in Brief

Most menus in town borrow from more than one tradition. Knowing the basics helps you read a menu and order what you actually want.

The Best Off-Strip Smokehouses

John Mull's Meats & Road Kill Grill

A butcher shop and meat market with a barbecue grill attached, at 3730 Thom Blvd in the northwest of the valley. It has been on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and it is as unfussy as a butcher's counter: order, grab a table, eat.

• Hours: the Road Kill Grill is open Monday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm, and closed Sunday. It is a lunch and early-dinner stop, not a late one.
• Why go: barbecue from people who cut the meat themselves. The market also sells meat, rubs and sauces if you are staying somewhere with a grill.
• Getting there: it is about a 20 to 30-minute drive from the Strip, depending on traffic.

Rollin Smoke Barbeque

Rollin Smoke runs restaurants on Highland Drive (just west of the Strip across I-15), on Grand Canyon Drive on the west side, and at Pawn Plaza downtown, and sells food at Allegiant Stadium. The Highland Drive menu, checked September 2026, shows why people go:

• Burnt ends ($16), caramelized brisket ends tossed in the house "Mama's Sweet Sauce".
• Smoked meatloaf ($23) and the "Outlaw" burger ($21), a hamburger and brisket blend.
• Plates from $21 to $44, sandwiches from $13 to $21, and party packs for groups from $95 to $315.
• All-you-can-eat at the Highland location for $62 including a drink.
• Vegetarian and vegan options, which is rare at a smokehouse.

Prices differ by location and change, so check the menu for the one you plan to visit.

SoulBelly BBQ

In the Arts District at 1327 S Main St, SoulBelly describes its food as regional barbecue with a strong emphasis on Central Texas, and adds cocktails and live entertainment. It is the best pick here for turning barbecue into an evening: the Arts District's bars and breweries are a short walk away.

• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 11am, until 10pm on Friday and Saturday and 9pm otherwise; closed Monday.
• Getting there: about 10 minutes by car from the Strip or downtown's Fremont Street.

BBQ on the Strip

Virgil's Real Barbecue (LINQ Promenade)

The Las Vegas branch of the New York barbecue restaurant sits on the LINQ Promenade, the outdoor walkway between the LINQ and the Flamingo, at 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. Virgil's says it smokes its meats at low temperature over indirect heat for up to 10 hours, with a mix of hickory, oak and fruit woods. It is the easiest full-service barbecue for Strip visitors on foot. Check the Las Vegas menu and hours on its site before you go.

Gilley's BBQ (Treasure Island)

Gilley's combines a barbecue restaurant with a Texas-style honky-tonk saloon. Treasure Island lists brisket sandwiches, ribs, chicken, steaks and chili, and puts the average cost at $25 to $45 per person.

• Hours: the dining room is open 5pm to 11pm daily; you can eat in the saloon from noon to 11pm.
• Entertainment: live music daily, mechanical bull riding from 4pm, and line-dancing lessons Monday to Thursday at 7pm.
• Cover: the saloon charges $10 per person after 9pm, so eat earlier if you only want dinner.

Ellis Island BBQ (just off the Strip)

Ellis Island Casino & Brewery on Koval Lane, a few blocks east of the Strip near Flamingo Road, runs a barbecue restaurant built around ribs and chicken cooked low and slow.

• Hours: daily from 4pm, until 10pm Sunday to Thursday and 11pm Friday and Saturday.
• Adults only: the restaurant is 21+, and it doesn't take reservations.
• Bonus: Ellis Island brews its own beer on site.

Want more cheap Strip-adjacent meals? See our cheap eats guide.

Which One Should You Choose?

• No car, staying center-Strip: Virgil's at the LINQ, or Ellis Island BBQ if everyone is 21+.
• Want a show with dinner: Gilley's at Treasure Island.
• Serious about brisket and burnt ends: Rollin Smoke on Highland Drive, a short ride from the Strip.
• Making an evening of it: SoulBelly, then the Arts District's bars.
• Lunch with character: John Mull's, but only Monday to Saturday before 6pm.
• Feeding a group: Rollin Smoke's party packs.

How to Order Like You Know Barbecue

• Go early. Barbecue is cooked ahead, and the best cuts run out first.
• Moist or lean brisket? "Moist" (or "fatty") comes from the point and is richer; "lean" comes from the flat. Ask for some of each.
• Taste before you sauce. Good smoked meat should stand on its own; add sauce after the first bite.
• Judge ribs by the bite. Meat should pull cleanly from the bone when you bite it; falling off the bone means overcooked.
• Share. Plan on about half a pound of meat per person, less if you order several sides.
• Takeout: brisket, pulled pork and sausage travel better than ribs and burnt ends. Ask for sauce on the side and reheat in a low oven.

Pair your barbecue with local beer using our craft beer guide, or browse the rest of the city's food in our Las Vegas food guide.