1
Wright's Barbecue Johnson
Fayetteville$$4.8(2,936 Google reviews)
Laid-back outpost serving an array of smoked BBQ meats & hearty sides, plus a roomy outdoor patio. Closed Sunday.
2212 Main Dr, Fayetteville, AR 72704, USA
Best BBQ Restaurants in Northwest Arkansas
As of November 2026, Wright's Barbecue Johnson is the most-reviewed BBQ joint in Northwest Arkansas with 2,936 Google reviews and a 4.8-star average. Smokin' Joe's Ribhouse (2,426 reviews) and Sassy's Red House (1,979) round out the top three.
Updated November 1, 2026 · How we rank
2
Smokin' Joe's Ribhouse
Rogers$4.4(2,426 Google reviews)
BBQ joint doling out staples such as ribs & pulled pork, plus burgers, sandwiches & classic sides. Closed Sunday.
200 N 8th St, Rogers, AR 72756, USA
3
Sassy's Red House
Fayetteville$4.4(1,979 Google reviews)
Ribs, brisket, pulled pork & more dished up at this casual BBQ joint with a lively, sports-bar vibe. Open seven days a week.
708 N College Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
4
Smokin' Joe's Ribhouse
Bentonville$4.3(1,845 Google reviews)
BBQ joint doling out staples such as ribs & pulled pork, plus burgers, sandwiches & classic sides. Closed Sunday.
2504 E Central Ave, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA
5
Wright's Barbecue Rogers
Rogers$$4.8(1,707 Google reviews)
Closed Sunday.
5001 W Pauline Whitaker Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758, USA
6
Penguin Ed's Bar-B-Que
Fayetteville$4.6(1,387 Google reviews)
Long-running local chain serving serving hickory-smoked BBQ, beer & vegetarian options. Open seven days a week.
230 S E Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
7
Penguin Ed's Barbeque
Fayetteville$4.4(1,345 Google reviews)
Open seven days a week.
2773 E Mission Blvd, Fayetteville, AR 72703, USA
8
Sam's Olde Tyme Hamburgers & Barbecue
Rogers$4.4(1,340 Google reviews)
Open seven days a week.
223 E Locust St, Rogers, AR 72756, USA
9
Wright's Barbecue Bentonville Square
Bentonville$4.7(1,153 Google reviews)
Brisket, ribs & pulled pork plates are showcased at this casual counter-serve with outdoor seating. Closed Sunday.
208 NE 3rd St, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA
10
Sassy's Barbecue and Grille
Fayetteville$4.1(937 Google reviews)
Laid-back Southern-style BBQ joint for meats, sides & homemade sauces, plus sports on TV & beer. Open seven days a week.
1290 Steamboat Dr, Fayetteville, AR 72704, USA
11
RibCrib BBQ
Siloam Springs$$4.2(914 Google reviews)
Barbecue chain dishing up ribs, brisket, sandwiches & sides in a laid-back setting. Open seven days a week.
3475 US-412, Siloam Springs, AR 72761, USA
12
Whole Hog Cafe
Fayetteville$4.3(754 Google reviews)
Outpost of a local BBQ chain dishing out ribs, brisket & other standards in a laid-back atmosphere. Open seven days a week.
3009 N College Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72703, USA
13
Beach BBQ
Bentonville$4.6(633 Google reviews)
Open seven days a week.
1080 SE 14th St, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA
14
Lucky Luke's BBQ
Fayetteville$4.4(535 Google reviews)
Laid-back BBQ joint serving hickory-smoked meats & award-winning wings, plus local & craft beers. Closed Sunday.
1220 Garland Ave #1, Fayetteville, AR 72703, USA
15
South Side Smoke Shack
Fayetteville$5.0(502 Google reviews)
Closed Monday and Sunday.
596 S Happy Hollow Rd, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
16
RibCrib BBQ
Centerton$3.8(469 Google reviews)
Barbecue chain dishing up ribs, brisket, sandwiches & sides in a laid-back setting. Open seven days a week.
1801 E Centerton Blvd, Centerton, AR 72719, USA
17
Rudy's "Country Store" and Bar-B-Q
Fayetteville$3.6(407 Google reviews)
Brisket, ribs & sides served up cafeteria-style in a no-frills setting with indoor picnic tables. Open seven days a week.
4084 W Martin Luther King Junior Blvd, Fayetteville, AR 72704, USA
18
Yankabilly Smokehouse
Cave Springs$4.7(268 Google reviews)
Open seven days a week.
1499 S Main St, Cave Springs, AR 72718, USA
19
Beau's Bayou Smokehouse
Farmington$4.9(220 Google reviews)
Open seven days a week.
243 W Main St, Farmington, AR 72730, USA
20
Blue Ember Smokehouse
Rogers$4.2(217 Google reviews)
Open seven days a week.
1723 W Pleasant Grove Rd, Rogers, AR 72758, USA
21
Wes BBQ Burger Plus
Fayetteville$4.4(187 Google reviews)
Closed Sunday.
14 S University Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
22
Smith and Betts Barbecue
$4.3(163 Google reviews)
Open seven days a week.
13548 AR-72, Hiwasse, AR 72739, USA
23
Smoke 'N' Willie
Fayetteville$4.9(135 Google reviews)
Closed Monday, Tuesday and Sunday.
1255 W Wilson St, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
24
Wright's Barbecue Bentonville at Walmart Campus
Bentonville$4.7(121 Google reviews)
Closed Sunday.
1410 SE 8th St #14, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA
25
BBQ King
Bentonville$3.8(118 Google reviews)
Closed Monday and Thursday.
2505 S Walton Blvd A, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA
26
Sunset Grill & BBQ
Springdale$$4.0(71 Google reviews)
Closed Monday.
3418 US-412, Springdale, AR 72762, USA
27
Smith and Betts Barbecue - Springdale
Springdale$4.5(46 Google reviews)
Closed Monday.
7420 W Sunset Ave, Springdale, AR 72762, USA
28
La Costillita Ahumada BBQ
Siloam Springs$$4.8(33 Google reviews)
Closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
4100 US-412, Siloam Springs, AR 72761, USA
29
30
Rub Me Raw BBQ & Smash Burgers
Fayetteville$$4.7(25 Google reviews)
Closed Monday and Sunday.
2121 N Center St, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
How we rank
We search Google for every BBQ joint in Northwest Arkansas, keep open businesses with at least 5 reviews whose Google listing matches the category, and rank them by total Google reviews, with average rating as the tiebreaker. Lists update monthly. No business can pay to appear. Full methodology.
Questions
- Who is the most-reviewed BBQ joint in Northwest Arkansas?
- Wright's Barbecue Johnson has the most Google reviews of any BBQ joint in Northwest Arkansas, with 2,936 reviews and a 4.8-star average as of our last check.
- Which BBQ joint in Northwest Arkansas has the highest rating?
- Among BBQ joints with at least 50 reviews, South Side Smoke Shack has the highest average at 5.0 stars across 502 reviews.
- Which cities are these BBQ joints in?
- The 30 ranked BBQ joints are spread across Fayetteville (12), Bentonville (5), Rogers (4), Siloam Springs (2), Springdale (2) and other NWA cities.
- How expensive are the top BBQ joints in Northwest Arkansas?
- Of the 29 BBQ joints with a Google price level, 23 inexpensive, 6 moderately priced. Price levels are Google's four-tier scale.
- How is this ranking calculated?
- We pull every BBQ joint Google lists in Northwest Arkansas, drop any with fewer than 5 reviews or marked closed, and rank the rest by total Google review count, with rating as the tiebreaker. This list covers 22,899 reviews. No business can pay to be ranked.