Best Of Tucson®

Best Barbecue

Famous Dave's

Once upon a time in Kentucky, a certain scurvy Best of TucsonTM writer was treated to "real barbecue" by the locals. Expecting some tiny hole-in-the-wall smokehouse run by crusty, gap-toothed folk, he was instead shown the inside of a behemoth known as Famous Dave's. Much to his pleasant surprise, they served up big fat piles of edible fare, including sweet cornbread, baked beans, thick steak fries and some delightfully sloppy apple thingy. But the real treasure was the meat--great, glistening planks of ribs, slathered with whatever sort of sauce tickles yer fancy. And now, Famous Davey has washed up on Tucson's shore. Say it with me. Meat. Mmmeat.

Runners up:

2. Jack's Original Barbeque, 5250 E. 22nd St., 750-1280, www.jacks-bbq.com

3. Rod's K.C. Barbeque, 601 N. Fourth Ave., 623-0182