Good Eats: The Best Barbecue in Las Vegas

Let’s face it, Memorial Day Weekend just isn’t the same without lighting up the grill and throwing on some meat and veggies while also sipping on an ice-cold beer. While it’s not that easy to just whip out a grill on your Vegas vacation, we do recommend that you get in your rental car or grab a cab and head to one of these three phenomenal barbecue joints to enjoy Memorial Day Weekend like it was intended.

Rollin Smoke BBQ
Located in the heart of Las Vegas right off of The Strip is this Southern Style BBQ hotspot.  It has ranked as one of the top 20 barbecue restaurants in America and for good reason. The secret is in both the Rollin Smoke Rub and their secret homemade barbecue sauce. Everything is cooked fresh to order and when it comes to their brisket, it is mouthwatering, tender and seasoned to perfection. Other equally as amazing items include the Smoked Meatloaf with a concoction of sweet BBQ sauces and fried onion strings on top and The Outlaw Burger. This is a burger to die for, if you can get your mouth around it that is. A giant-sized burger made with brisket, onion, ground beef, green pepper, BBQ sauce, rub – and this is just in the patty. The burger is then topped with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion strings, red cabbage slaw and Chipotle Aioli. Yeah, you’ll be leaving with a loosened belt, better yet, just bring sweatpants so you can enjoy every last bit of your meal here.

John Mull’s Road Kill Grill
Having been featured on Guy Fieri’s Food Network show, Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, this barbecue establishment didn’t start out as one. In fact, in the 1940s, it was a butcher shop in the middle of the desert. Today, however, it’s a barbecue eaters dream. You’ll commonly find a line in this backyard style venue, which further adds to the feel of eating barbecue at the neighborhood block party. The menu is fairly simple. Pick from either the Half Chicken, Brisket or 5-Bone Rib Dinner, grab a sandwich or do a 2 or 3 meat combo, which includes choice of Hot Link, Brisket, Ribs, Pulled Pork, Pulled Chicken, or ¼ Chicken. Fall-off-the-bone tender meats with home-cooked sides like Potato Salad, Mac & Cheese or Green Beans, you’ll eat every last morsel.

Big Ern’s BBQ
A relative newcomer to the Las Vegas scene, Big Ern’s BBQ is located in Container Park in downtown Las Vegas. It was started by Big Ern Loya who is from Los Angeles, but don’t hold that against him because even though he isn't from the South, he still became a master barbecue through self-teaching and an experienced palate. He began by selling his barbecued meats, sauces and salsas at various farmers’ markets around town before setting up shop in the new Container Park. Big Ern keeps his barbecue simple; it’s straight up delectable, well-seasoned, fall-off-the-bone barbecue at reasonable prices. Finger-licking goodness like pulled pork or chicken, hot links, sliders or St. Louis-style ribs is what you’ll get a this original BBQ hotspot.