#BBQ101: San Francisco’s Best Barbecue Restaurants

Living in the Bay Area means always being in close proximity to an excellent range of restaurants and can’t-miss culinary destinations. In this blog, we’re shining the spotlight on eight must-visit stops for the best smoked meats in San Francisco:

• 4505 Burgers and BBQ
  705 Divisadero Street

  Whether you want your meats by the pound or the platter, or even in sandwich form, expect 4505 to deliver on your comfort food cravings any day of the week. Ribs, pulled pork and chicken, and briskets headline a mouth-watering menu. Irresistible side dishes like baked beans, mac-and-cheese, and crunchy chicharrones are sure to keep you coming back for more.

• Baby Blues BBQ
  3149 Mission Street

  Baby Blues BBQ is a must-visit restaurant for Memphis-style, Texas-style and baby back ribs, tri-tip roasts, and pulled pork and chicken barbecue favorites. You can also try their catfish, salmon, or shrimp if you want to go for a seafood binge. In addition to the San Francisco location, you can find Baby Blues in LA – in Venice and Echo Park – and in Philadelphia via its custom food truck.

• CatHead’s BBQ
  1665 Folsom Street

  With its founders hailing from Michigan and Tennessee, CatHead’s BBQ delivers a unique take on regional comfort food favorites by using seasonal ingredients that abound in San Francisco. Must-try dishes here include the Coca-Cola Smoked Brisket and Slow-Smoked Pulled Pork. Don’t forget the CatHead buttermilk biscuits – the perfect foil to your zesty meats.

• Hardwood Bar & Smokery
  680 8th Street Ste. 170

  Hardwood is a recent addition to the city’s growing roster of “San Francisco-style” barbecue hotspots. Located in San Francisco’s Design District, it opened in 2017. Executive Chef Jake Kwan-Rosenbush combines traditional and innovative smoking techniques to create inventive BBQ fare – the perfect match for the Bay Area’s diverse and trendsetting crowd.

• Memphis Minnie’s BBQ Joint
  576 Haight Street

  The authentic southern smokehouse experience is guaranteed in this celebrated restaurant near the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. The BBQs served here are slow-smoked over white oak logs for as long as 18 hours to capture a distinct flavor that will leave you awestruck. This restaurant is also known for its four signature sauces served alongside the meats.

• Native Sons BBQ
  2245 3rd Street

  Combining traditional Texas-style BBQ with Chinese culinary influences, Native Sons BBQ presents a unique take on the smoked meat tradition. Find their pop-ups at breweries like Triple Voodoo and Harmonic Brewing where you can get great brews to go along with the succulent dry-rubbed, oak fire barbecues.

• Smokestack
  2505 3rd Street

  As the in-house barbecue component of Haight-Ashbury fixture Magnolia Brewing, Smokestack is a fresh addition to the neighborhood dining scene. Offering a self-proclaimed “non-denominational” barbecue style, Smokestack combines influences from Texas, the Carolinas, Kansas, all the way to Asia.

• Sneaky’s BBQ at Southpaw
  2170 Mission Street

  Sneaky’s BBQ is a hometown favorite that made its name from pop-ups at food parks and local events. In 2015, it found a permanent home at beloved Mission restaurant Southpaw. The collaboration puts Sneaky’s award-winning North Carolina-style pulled pork, baby back ribs, brisket, and wings alongside Southpaw’s curated selection of spirits and craft beers.

The BBQ scene is just one reason to get excited about living in San Francisco just like the Award-Winning Bars you can visit. Know more about the local neighborhoods and real estate opportunities from Bernie and Mike Homes. Call 415.906.6000 or 415.308.4281 today for inquiries.