15 Louisiana BBQ Houses Where Scoring A Table Feels Like Winning The Jackpot
Louisiana barbecue hits different. While Texas hogs the spotlight and Carolina claims the vinegar throne, this state quietly smokes meats with its own Creole-Cajun accent – boudin links, cochon-de-lait, and brisket that bends like butter.
But scoring a seat at the best spots means timing your arrival like a heist, dodging weekend rushes, and sometimes eating standing up in a gravel lot.
These 15 smokehouses turn patience into a religion and every meal into a minor victory worth bragging about.
1. The Joint – New Orleans (Bywater)
Bywater’s tin-roof temple of smoke runs custom pits and sells out of ribs and brisket while the line snakes past colorful porches. Order a two-meat plate, claim a picnic table, and count sauce-stained napkins like trophies.
I rolled in on a Tuesday, thinking I’d beat the crowd, but twenty people already had the same genius idea. The brisket arrived dark-rimmed and tender, collapsing under a fork like it had given up on life in the best way possible.
Weekends turn this place into a full-contact sport, so arrive early or prepare to make friends in line.
2. Blue Oak BBQ – New Orleans (Mid-City)
A perpetual buzz on North Carrollton, where wings come lacquered and brisket slices bend like a handshake. Happy tables spill onto the patio, and the counter hums from lunch through dinner every day.
The jalapeño cheddar sausage here deserves its own fan club. Snappy casing, smoky heat, and a cheese pull that makes you forget your manners. Pair it with collard greens that taste like someone’s grandmother supervised the pot.
Parking can be a puzzle, so circle the block twice and accept your fate.
3. Central City BBQ – New Orleans (Central City)
Smoked meats, a sprawling patio, and whole-hog parties give this spot a festival energy even on weeknights. Slide in for brisket, jalapeño cheddar links, and happy-hour bites before the crowd claims every seat.
The patio here feels like someone threw a backyard cookout and invited the entire neighborhood. String lights, communal vibes, and plates heavy enough to require two hands. Brisket arrives sliced thick, with a bark that crunches before melting into smoke.
Weeknight visits offer breathing room; weekends demand strategy and patience.
4. Devil Moon Barbecue – New Orleans (Downtown)
Cajun smokehouse traditions meet Texas-leaning barbecue a block from the Superdome, with Brewery St. X pouring next door. Get sausage, ribs, and boudin on the same tray and taste South Louisiana’s barbecue accent.
Boudin balls here are crispy grenades of rice, pork, and spice that pop on the first bite. The ribs pull clean, and the brisket holds its own against any Austin export. Pre-game crowds pack the place, so plan accordingly.
Post-Saints-game rushes turn this spot into a scrum, but the payoff is worth the hustle.
5. Walker’s Southern Style BBQ – New Orleans East
Open just a few hours on select days, Walker’s turns a simple window into a street party when the cochon-de-lait po’boys hit the pass. Show up early, eat in the lot, and watch the pans empty fast.
Last time I visited, I arrived fifteen minutes before opening and still ended up tenth in line. The cochon-de-lait sandwich arrived messy, dripping, and absolutely perfect.
Crispy pork, soft bread, and a sauce that tied everything together like a love letter to Louisiana.
Check their schedule religiously or risk missing out entirely.
6. LA 23 BBQ – Belle Chasse (Plaquemines Parish)
A refinery-country favorite that starts serving before sunrise, then fires back up for lunch. Brisket, rib plates, and sandwiches fuel workers and line-sitters who know the drill.
The sunrise brisket here tastes like it’s been smoking since yesterday, which it probably has. Sliced thick, served hot, and gone by mid-morning if you sleep in. Rib plates arrive with beans that have been simmering long enough to develop opinions.
Early risers win big here; late arrivals find empty trays and regret.
7. BRQ Seafood & Barbeque – Baton Rouge
Part smokehouse, part Gulf-leaning kitchen, BRQ pairs brisket and ribs with seafood specials and weekend brunch. It’s the spot where family dinners stretch long and the pit keeps breathing.
The surf-and-turf approach here works better than it has any right to. Smoked ribs share a plate with fried catfish, and somehow both shine.
Weekend brunch adds boudin Benedict and other Cajun-Texan hybrids that make purists nervous and everyone else happy.
Reservations help, especially on Sundays when families claim tables for hours.
8. TJ Ribs (Acadian) – Baton Rouge
A local institution and LSU gameday magnet where baby backs headline and platters arrive hot and generous. Swing by the S. Acadian Thruway location and let the rib stack do the talking.
I made the mistake of visiting on a Saturday during football season and waited forty-five minutes for a table.
The baby backs arrived fall-off-the-bone tender, glazed just enough to catch the light, and worth every minute of standing around pretending to be patient.
Gameday crowds turn this place into a pilgrimage site, so plan ahead or embrace chaos.
9. Cou-Yon’s BBQ – Port Allen
Across the river from Baton Rouge, Cou-Yon’s packs tables with chopped-brisket potatoes, rib plates, and house sauces. Daily hours mean the line moves, but the room stays lively.
The Chop Baker here is a loaded baked potato that abandoned all pretense of moderation. Chopped brisket, cheese, sour cream, and a drizzle of sauce turn a simple spud into a meal that requires strategic fork work. Ribs come sauced or dry, both worth ordering.
Lunch rushes fill every seat, but turnover is quick enough to keep hope alive.
10. Outlaw’s Barbecue – Alexandria
Drive-thru smoke perfume and trays stacked with sliced brisket, rib tips, and Texas toast define this Cenla standby. Families pile in early; the pits run late.
The drive-thru here moves faster than you’d expect for a place that smokes everything low and slow. Brisket slices arrive warm, tender, and ready to fold like a napkin. Rib tips come sauced and messy, perfect for eating in the car if shame isn’t part of your vocabulary.
Dinner rushes test patience, but the line keeps moving and the payoff stays consistent.
11. Grayson’s Bar-B-Q – Clarence (near Natchitoches)
Since mid-century days, this roadside smokehouse has sold ribs and ham by the pound to folks who measure weekends by the smell of pecan smoke. Doors swing Tuesday through Sunday; go hungry.
Pecan smoke here smells like nostalgia and good decisions. Ribs come in full slabs or by the bone, and the ham is sliced thick enough to make sandwiches at home for days.
The dining room feels like someone’s porch, and the service moves at the pace of a Sunday afternoon.
Closed Mondays, so plan your road trips accordingly or face disappointment.
12. Hickory Stick – Shreveport
Red-checkered, old-school, and steady since the ’90s: chopped beef, pork plates, and rib racks keep Youree Drive busy at lunch and supper. Order at the counter and claim a booth.
The chopped beef here comes piled high on soft buns, sauced just enough to hold everything together without drowning the smoke.
Pork plates arrive with slaw that’s tangy, beans that are sweet, and toast that soaks up every last drop. Booths fill fast, but counter seating offers a front-row view of the pit action.
Lunch crowds pack the place, so arrive early or prepare to wait your turn.
13. Silver Star Smokehouse & Tavern – Bossier City
Big-skillet steaks meet pit-smoked brisket and ribs in a roomy lodge where families linger. It’s the Northshore of the Red River’s crowd-pleaser for smoky plates and game-night gatherings.
I brought my family here on a Friday night, and we stayed two hours without anyone complaining.
The brisket was tender, the ribs had that perfect tug, and the steaks made the non-barbecue folks happy. The lodge vibe feels like a vacation cabin, and the portions justify the price tag.
Weekends see families camping out for hours, so reservations save headaches and hunger.
14. Danken Trail Bar-B-Q – Monroe
A hometown classic where the pits start before daylight and trays hit tables until night. Ribs with that gentle tug and thick-cut toast are the move.
The ribs here pull clean but not too clean, leaving just enough chew to remind you they were cooked right.
Thick-cut toast arrives buttered and grilled, perfect for mopping up sauce and leftover drippings. The dining room hums with regulars who know the menu by heart and order without looking.
Lunch and dinner rushes fill every seat, but the kitchen keeps pace without cutting corners.
15. Paul’s RibShack Barbecue – Lake Charles
Live-wood fire, Texas-style cuts, and a little Louisiana swagger make this the Calcasieu stop for brisket, ribs, and house sausages. Weekend crowds prove the point – show up ready to wait.
The brisket here has that Texas bark with a Louisiana attitude, crusted dark and sliced thick. House sausages snap on first bite, and the ribs come with just enough sauce to enhance the smoke without drowning it. Weekends turn the parking lot into a game of musical chairs.
Patience pays off here, but impatient folks should visit on weekdays for shorter waits.