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West Michigan’s Best BBQ

Nothing says “summer” as much as smoky, saucy BBQ. Get your taste buds ready for some delicious barbecue! We’ve gathered some of West Michigan’s best BBQ dishes to try. 


Atwater Brewing, Grand Rapids

Grab a drink and the VJP Pulled Pork Sandwich: a slow roasted pulled pork sandwich with vanilla java porter BBQ sauce, fried onions, and sweet slaw on a brioche bun.


Audie’s Restaurant, Mackinaw City

When you’re visiting Mackinaw City, stop by Audie’s Restaurant for their BBQ Baby Back Ribs: baby back pork ribs dry rubbed, slow roasted, then oven-bronzed in homemade Kansas City style BBQ sauce.


Bellaire Smokehouse, Bellaire

You’ll find all kinds of smoked and fresh seafood and meat, as well as awesome smoked barbecue ribs! Call ahead for the ribs as quantity is often limited. 


Bell’s Brewery, Kalamazoo

What goes great with a pint of your favorite Bell’s beverage? A plate of their delicious BBQ chicken wings! 


Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant, Holland

Boatwerks features New American fare, top-notch service, and stunning waterfront views of Lake Macatawa from the outdoor patio and lounge. Barbecue lovers will enjoy their Peach Bourbon BBQ Ribs, made with house made peach-bourbon BBQ sauce, or the Cajun BBQ Shrimp Scampi: sweet & spicy New Orleans style BBQ rubbed shrimp served with spinach and linguine tossed in lemon-garlic butter sauce.


Boone’s Long Lake Inn, Traverse City

Boone’s Long Lake Inn’s legendary steaks, seafood, and prime rib have made them a northern Michigan landmark. Stop by for their BBQ St. Louis style pork ribs dinner on your next Traverse City visit! 


Calhoun County Visitors Bureau

OT’s Up N Smoke is a longtime favorite for barbecue fans in Battle Creek. Maybe it’s the award-winning barbecue sauce or the smoked flavor or the simply delicious sides. OT’s is order out, which is no problem in the summer. Take your meat down the road to Bailey Park, where there are picnic tables, a playground, and an area for dogs to run around. Click here for more delicious stops in the Battle Creek area. 


Cherry Republic, Traverse City

When the temps start to rise, we start dusting off our barbies. Cherry Republic’s tempting line of sweet and spicy cherry barbecue sauces and spice rubs will make sure you have everything you need to take your grilling to the next level!


CityFlats Hotel, Holland & Grand Rapids

Whether visiting CityFlats Hotel Holland or CityFlats Grand Rapids, enjoy the smoky pulled pork shoulder with house bbq, pickles, and coleslaw on an artisan bun.


Coldwater Country

Barbecue pulled pork, barbecue ribs, beef brisket, and much more is what visitors will find at Dickey’s BBQ Pit in Coldwater Country. Stop in for traditional southern BBQ or carry out to enjoy at your picnic on any one of the 100+ Coldwater Country lakes. Visit the Coldwater Country site for more lunch and dinner options! 


Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, Kentwood

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants is built upon the passionate belief that food and wine hold the power to forge lasting connections. Enjoy a glass of wine and the Bourbon Lacquered BBQ Pork Chop: a boneless loin, chipotle mashed, tomato-braised kale, and buttermilk onion rings.


Cork Wine & Grill, Grand Rapids

Cork offers guests a great selection of fresh, quality food from artisanal sandwiches and hand-crafted appetizers, to pastas, steaks, and pizzas such as the BBQ chicken pizza, as well as one of the most extensive wine lists in the Grand Rapids area. 


Discover Kalamazoo

Barbecue fans will find a variety of local foodie favorites in the Kalamazoo area, such as TNT’s Lil Brother’s BBQ, owned and operated by high school sweethearts Terrance & Tisha.


Founders Brewing Co, Grand Rapids

Founders Brewing may be famous for its craft beers, but be sure to order one of their Bourbon Barrel-Smoked Plates with options of beef brisket, jerk chicken, and baby back ribs!


Ghost Isle Brewery, New Buffalo

Summer is a perfect time to enjoy dinner outside on the patio and deck of Ghost Isle Brewing! Add an order of chicken wings in your choice of barbecue sauce or dry-rubbed, slow-cooked baby back ribs in Ghost Isle BBQ Sauce with your favorite Ghost Isle brew for a great summer evening. 


Gravity Taphouse Grille, Grand Rapids

Gravity offers 64 taps of craft beer perfectly paired with an eclectic variety of made-from-scratch dishes, including braised short ribs, BBQ pizzas, and chicken wings with house-made buffalo or Michigan cherry sauce. 


Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau

Looking for the best bbq in Lansing? Head to MEAT Southern Carnivore Cuisine or Saddleback BBQ to find some smoking great barbeque that will leave you with messy fingers and in need of a stack of napkins. Click here for more barbeque restaurants to visit in the Lansing area.


Grill House Restaurant & Silo Banquets and Catering, Allegan

Come experience fun and extraordinary dining at the Grill House, where the Grill Masters are ready to serve you! 


Hotel Walloon, Walloon Lake

When you visit Walloon Lake, be sure to stop by Barrel Back Restaurant next door to Hotel Walloon! The wood-fired rotisserie smoker, oven and grill creates an intoxicating aroma of smoked chicken, brisket and wood-fired pizzas throughout the Village and gives the food a one-of-a-kind flavor.


Houghton Lake Area Tourism Bureau

The Shake Houghton Lake Country Music Festival and Backyard BBQ will be held in Houghton Lake August 20th & 21st. The event features live country music by some of Michigan’s finest Country bands, arts and crafts vendors, adult beverages, and great food! 


Hudsonville Winery/Pike 51 Brewing Co, Hudsonville

Enjoy a great time with food, wine, and beer and be sure to try their Memphis Style Pork Tacos.


Mitten Brewing Co., Grand Rapids

The Mitten Brewing Co. is a vintage baseball-themed microbrewery that expertly pairs handcrafted beers with gourmet pizzas, such as the Hog Heaven Pizza, with chipotle BBQ sauce, house smoked pulled pork, cheddar jack cheese, tortilla strips, green onions, and cajun aioli.


New Holland Brewing, Holland & Grand Rapids

Visit New Holland Brewing in downtown Holland or The Knickerbocker New Holland Brewpub location in Grand Rapids to enjoy your favorite New Holland craft beer, artisan spirits, and handcrafted cocktails with their rustic, seasonal menu, showcasing local and regional agriculture, old world techniques, with a fresh perspective; including nose to tail butchery, heirloom produce, and scratch cooking over fire.


Old Boys’ Brewhouse, Spring Lake

Whether you drop in for a cold brew or a char-grilled burger, Old Boys’ Brewhouse provides a fun experience. Barbecue fans should make note to try out the BBQ Bacon Cheddar Burger or the pulled pork sandwich.


Perrin Brewing Co, Comstock Park

Stop at Perrin not only for their unique brews, but also the O.D.B.: Brisket, pepper jack cheese, house pickled jalapenos, and Carolina BBQ on Nantucket Baking Co. brioche bun. 


Porter’s Smokehouse, Dorr

Porter’s offers take out and to-go BBQ at their Dorr location Thursday – Saturday, as well as take out on the BBQ concession trailer Spring to Fall. You can also find them Tuesdays through Fall at Trail Point Brewing in Allendale, and in Hudsonville at TerAvest Farms beginning June 16th. They specialize in smoked BBQ beef brisket, ham, turkey, ribs, rib tips, tacos, pulled pork, chicken, bacon, sides, and more.


Pure Ludington

If you crave smoked brisket, chicken, or pork, the Q Smokehouse is a must during your summer vacation with daily features like tacos, sandwiches, and family picnic packs. Check the Ludington Area CVB website for more restaurants to add to your Ludington visit. 


RedRock Grille, Holland

RedRock Grille is named after its 500-degree lava stones that guests can use to cook signature dishes, including steak, shrimp, fajitas, and more! RedRock doesn’t stop with its popular hot rock dishes, they also offer innovative cuisine that showcases diverse seafood and pasta dishes, artisan sandwiches, gourmet burgers, and BBQ ribs.


Reds at Thousand Oaks, Grand Rapids

Try brisket with a twist with the BBQ Smoked Brisket Tacos: BBQ smoked brisket with street corn relish, cotija cheese, avocado salsa, and fried onion.


Rush Creek Bistro, Grandville

Prefer seafood options? Try the BBQ Shrimp Wrap at Rush Creek Bistro: seasoned shrimp, romaine, cilantro-lime crema, street corn salsa, and cotija cheese in a tortilla wrap.


Rusted Spoke Brewing Company, Mackinaw City

Rusted Spoke Brewing’s Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese or BBQ Tater Tot Nachos will satisfy your barbecue cravings on your Mackinaw City adventures! 


Saugatuck Brewing Co., Douglas & Kalamazoo

When you visit Saugatuck Brewing Co. at the Douglas location, be sure to order the Short Rib Mac! This dish features gemelli pasta tossed with their Paled It! beer cheese and topped with BBQ boneless beef short ribs, diced tomato, and green onions. In the Kalamazoo area? Stop by the Saugatuck Brewing Kalamazoo restaurant and tasting room for their smoked chicken stack served with Saugatuck Brewing’s beer-b-que sauce.


Saugatuck-Douglas Convention & Visitors Bureau

Baldy’s Smoked Meats offers fast casual barbecue and full-service catering based in Saugatuck with authentic BBQ pit-smoked daily and homemade rubs, mops, and sauces. Find more restaurants in the area on the Saugatuck-Douglas CVB website


Shelton Farms & Market, Niles

Grab your grilling & barbecue supplies! Shelton Farms & Market has everything you need, including Hog Wild Meat Bundle – approximately 45 lbs of meat! You’ll also find country style ribs, pork butt roast, and all the meats you can throw on the grill.


Short’s Brewing, Bellaire

No trip to Bellaire is complete without a stop to Short’s Brewing! Order the Tastes Good on the Bun, a sandwich with cider braised pulled pork, Carolina BBQ sauce, sweet and spicy pickle chips, and white cheddar on brioche. 


Silver Harbor Brewing Co, St. Joseph

For a unique BBQ option, try the Pastrami Rubbed Ribs which are slow cooked in SHBC Root Beer finished with frizzled onions and your choice of spicy bourbon sriracha or wild chipotle cherry BBQ sauce. 


South Haven/Van Buren CVB

Located in the parking lot of The Fun Park, Momma TJM’s Barbeque food truck is the place to go for delicious barbeque in South Haven! Ribs, pulled pork, chicken, and brats are on the menu! Find more mouthwatering destinations to experience in South Haven here.


Sovengard Biergarten & Kitchen, Grand Rapids

The Sovengard offers a true farm-to-table dining experience in very unique dining spaces and seasonal menu options. View their menu online for current offerings. 


Stormcloud Brewing, Frankfort

The BBQ Pork Sandwich from Stormcloud Brewing features pulled pork with homemade BBQ sauce served on naan bread. 


Taste, South Haven

Experience a different kind of BBQ chicken with the Korean Chicken BBQ at Taste, made with Korean bulgogi sauce.


The Green Well Gastro Pub, Grand Rapids

“Gastro pub” is British for a public house that specializes in high-quality food served in a relaxed atmosphere. Try the BBQ Pork Plate: braised pork, BBQ sauce, caramelized onions, with spinach, sweet corn, cajun sausage, and creamy polenta.


The Livery, Benton Harbor

Located in The Arts District of Benton Harbor, The Livery features 16 taps of their own “Hand-Forged” craft beer, a pet-friendly outdoor beer garden, and a kitchen serving locally-sourced food, focusing on spent-grain pizza, such as their Thai BBQ Chicken Pizza.


Travel Marquette

Known for smoking everything, SMOKD food truck serves some of the best brisket burgers, and other delicious creations in the U.P. – all smoked to perfection, and the Lake Superior Smokehouse Brewpub community-based restaurant is known for providing quality barbeque, serving up some of the best Michigan brisket and ribs, smoked low and slow alongside their house barbeque.


Visit Charlevoix

If you’re looking for BBQ when you visit Charlevoix, stop at Pigs Eatin’ Ribs. Everything that comes from their scratch-made kitchen is a labor of love that begins with a respect for great ingredients, attention to detail, and a refusal to take shortcuts. Find more places to eat in the Charlevoix area on the Visit Charlevoix website


Visit Muskegon

Taste of Muskegon will return to Hackley Park September 24th & 25th, but that doesn’t mean we can’t eat great food now! Celebrate the traditional week of the festival, June 12th-19th, with Virtual Taste. A map and menus is available online. Each participating location will offer a Taste flight with up to four featured items. Eat your way through Muskegon County as you support amazing local food! 


Walldorff Brewpub & Bistro, Hastings

Enjoy the Walldorff’s Brewmaster Burger, a 7 oz fresh ground chuck wood grilled and topped with pepperjack cheese, hickory smoked bacon, fried onion tanglers, and a drizzle of Bee Sting BBQ sauce on a sourdough bun.


Waypost Brewing Company, Fennville

Waypost Brewing will be hosting a variety of food trucks this summer, including Smoke’n Joe’s BBQ and Two Bone BBQ. Check the online calendar to see what trucks to expect on your visit.