Three Michigan cities received high marks for their barbecue options in a recent national survey
LawnStarter, a lawn service company with locations throughout the U.S., conducted a national survey of the best towns to find barbecue. Fourteen Michigan cities ranked in the top 476, and Lansing, Grand Rapids and Detroit were inside the top 100.
Kansas City, Missouri (No. 1), Houston (No. 3), St. Louis (No. 4),and Austin, Texas (No. 5), were the top of the list, alongside unexpected standout, Los Angeles (No. 2).
The BBQ Capital of the world, Kansas City takes its BBQ game seriously, with 32 establishments — of which Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque, Q39, Char Bar were highlighted — and hosts barbecue events in a food and agriculture competition called The American Royal that began in 1899.
“Los Angeles cooks up the best access to BBQ establishments and the 2nd highest number of top-rated BBQ spots, behind Austin (Texas). To some, it might seem like BBQ is suddenly trending in LA. However, the tradition has a rich history in the region, influenced by access to cattle and a fusion of multiple culinary cultures,” LawnStarter’s rankings said said.
Los Angeles topped the rankings with 162 barbecue places while Austin has 160. Austin, however, has 21 of the top-rated restaurants while L.A. has 20.
Kansas City had 11 teams place in the top 25% during the past three Royal Series of barbecue contests. Overland Park, Kansas had eight and Kansas City, Kansas, had six.
In Michigan, Grand Rapids ranked No. 80, Lansing was No. 92 and Detroit ranked No. 100.
While Michigan may not be in the heart of what’s considered barbecue country, it has a number of high-level barbecue restaurants and even hosts festivals celebrating the cooking technique.
On Aug. 8-10, Detroit will join barbecue and live music at the city’s Ribs and R&B Music Festival. The festival invites local BBQ and grilling experts alongside R&B artists.
In addition, a festival in Westland, Michigan, offers blues, drinks and barbecue. The BBQ festival in Westland will take place on Aug. 1-2.
Here’s more on barbecue in Michigan:
What are the top 10 cities known for their BBQ?
According to LawnStarter’s 2025 BBQ ranking, here are the top 10 cities in the U.S.:
See the full LawnStarter rankings
What Michigan cities were ranked for best barbecue?
In Michigan, 14 cities were featured in the list of 476 locations:
What elite BBQ restaurants are in Grand Rapids?
As the highest ranking Michigan city, Grand Rapids at No. 80 obtained an overall score of 19.67. Popular barbecue restaurants in the city include:
Which BBQ restaurants in Lansing are rated highly?
Lansing, No. 92 with an overall score of 19.31, has numerous restaurants that stand out, among them:
Where should I go for a BBQ feast in Detroit?
Detroit, at No. 100 with a score of 10.01, offers an wide array of delicious cuisine, including barbecue. Among the top places are:
What was the methodology or this ranking?
According to LawnStarter, researchers calculated scores out of 100 points for each city and factor to determine its ranking.
“A city’s overall score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Best” (No. 1) and the lowest “Worst” (No. 476),” LawnStarter said.
Researchers weighed several metrics to determine the ranking, here are the metrics:
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Best barbecue in Michigan? These 14 cities ranked among best places to eat
Reporting by Sarah Moore, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
