These Minnesota BBQ Spots With Reservations So Rare, They’ve Become Local Legends
I used to think snagging concert tickets was tough until I tried booking a table at one of Minnesota’s legendary BBQ joints.
These smoky sanctuaries have turned the simple act of reserving a spot into an Olympic sport, with locals refreshing booking pages like their lives depend on it.
From brisket that melts faster than spring snow to ribs that inspire poetry, these eight establishments have earned their impossible-to-get status through sheer deliciousness and dedication to the craft.
Whether you’re planning weeks ahead or joining a waitlist that feels longer than winter, these spots prove that the best things in life are absolutely worth the wait.
1. The Preserve Smokehouse At Grandview Lodge
Nestled in the northwoods near Brainerd, this smokehouse turned reservation hunting into a full contact sport for good reason. My cousin once set an alarm for 6 AM just to snag a Friday night table, and she still talks about it like winning the lottery. The brisket here doesn’t just fall apart; it practically apologizes for being so tender.
What makes this place legendary isn’t just the food but the entire experience wrapped in lakeside luxury. Smoke billows from custom pits while diners enjoy views that make you forget you’re in a landlocked state. The pulled pork gets kissed by applewood smoke for fourteen hours, creating flavor layers that would make an onion jealous.
Reservations open exactly thirty days in advance, and locals know the drill better than their own birthdays.
2. Smoke In Lonsdale
Driving through Lonsdale, you might miss this gem if you blink, but your nose will betray its location from three blocks away. Smoke pours from their pits like a delicious beacon, calling BBQ lovers from Minneapolis and beyond. I learned the hard way that showing up without calling ahead means eating your feelings in the parking lot while watching others enjoy their fortune.
The pitmaster here treats every rack of ribs like a canvas and hickory smoke like paint. Folks drive an hour each way because the burnt ends alone justify the gas money and the scheduling gymnastics required to secure a spot. Their sauce selection reads like a choose your own adventure book, from vinegar tang to molasses sweetness.
Weekend reservations disappear faster than free samples at the grocery store.
3. Smoak BBQ In Rochester
Rochester’s medical community might heal bodies, but Smoak BBQ heals souls one brisket slice at a time. My friend who works at Mayo swears the post surgery recovery rate improves when patients know they have a Smoak reservation waiting. The name plays on smoke with that cheeky spelling, and everything about this place shows similar creativity.
Texas style brisket meets Minnesota hospitality in a marriage arranged by the BBQ gods themselves. The bark on their meats could win beauty contests, crackling with peppery perfection while hiding impossibly juicy interiors. They use OpenTable, which sounds convenient until you realize fifty other people had the same dinner idea exactly when you did.
Pro tip: Tuesday lunches offer slightly better odds than trying to win actual bingo.
4. The Butcher’s Tale In Minneapolis
Urban sophistication collides with backyard BBQ traditions at this Minneapolis marvel that treats meat like fine art. Walking in feels like entering a gallery where the exhibits happen to be edible and smell incredible. I once waited six weeks for a Saturday reservation, and my calendar reminded me daily like it was my wedding anniversary.
The chefs here source whole animals and break them down with surgical precision, wasting nothing and flavoring everything. Their house made sausages rotate seasonally, keeping regulars guessing and coming back for surprise flavor combinations. Burnt end nachos became so popular they caused their own reservation surge, creating a delicious problem nobody minds solving.
The online booking system opens monthly, and savvy diners treat it like Black Friday shopping without the trampling.
5. Butcher & The Boar
Downtown Minneapolis houses this temple to smoked perfection where reservations feel like golden tickets to Willy Wonka’s factory, except everything’s savory and nobody turns purple. My first visit happened after three failed booking attempts, teaching me patience I didn’t know I possessed. The name promises exactly what you get: expert butchery meeting whole hog devotion.
Communal tables encourage strangers to bond over shared appreciation for meat that spent the night getting coaxed into tenderness by steady smoke. Their pitmasters wake before dawn to tend fires, creating breakfast for dinner guests who’ll never know the dedication behind each bite. Weeknight availability exists if you’re flexible and quick on the draw.
The trick involves checking their site religiously like you’re tracking a package containing something actually important.
6. Buddy Boy Barbeque In Minnetrista
Lake Minnetonka’s western shore hides this BBQ paradise where boats dock and bellies get filled with equal enthusiasm. My uncle proposed here because he figured if his girlfriend loved the ribs this much, marriage stood a fighting chance. Smart man. The casual vibe tricks you into thinking walk ins work until reality smacks you with a two hour wait.
Competition style meats win awards that line the walls like diplomas from the university of deliciousness. Pulled pork comes piled so high it defies physics, while mac and cheese sides earn their own fan clubs. Summer weekends turn reservations into contact sports, with lake visitors and locals competing for limited seating.
Calling ahead Thursday for Saturday feels excessive until you’re actually eating instead of waiting outside looking pitiful.
7. Handsome Hog In Saint Paul
Saint Paul’s culinary scene got exponentially cooler when Handsome Hog opened its doors and immediately made getting through them a challenge. The name undersells the experience like calling the Grand Canyon a ditch. I’ve watched grown adults refresh the reservation page with the intensity of gamers trying to beat a final boss.
Smoke meets creativity in unexpected ways, with flavor combinations that make traditional BBQ joints seem quaint. The menu changes enough to keep regulars guessing while maintaining classics that built their reputation. Brisket tacos became so legendary they spawned imitators across the Twin Cities, none quite capturing the original magic.
Prime time slots vanish within minutes of becoming available, turning dinner planning into a test of reflexes and determination worth passing.
8. Beast Barbecue In Minneapolis
Ordering by the pound sounds intimidating until you taste why this Minneapolis spot earned its fierce name and fiercer following. My brother once bought three pounds thinking it was too much, then returned the next day for four. The counter service setup feels deceptively casual until you realize the line outside tells a different story about accessibility.
Texas transplants weep with joy finding brisket this authentic north of the Mason Dixon line. Sausage links snap with each bite, releasing juices that make napkins completely inadequate for the job. The no frills approach lets the meat do all the talking, and apparently it’s very chatty because word spread faster than wildfire.
Showing up right when they open gives you fighting chance, though calling ahead for large orders saves sanity and guarantees satisfaction.