Best Barbecue Restaurants at the Beach ~ Southern Vacation Rentals
Barbecue is not just for your backyard cookout anymore – down South, you’re likely to find a barbecue joint on just about every corner. Everyone has their own favorite barbecue restaurant, but we have to contend that there is nothing like barbecue at the beach. That’s right! Even at the beach, you’ll find some of the best barbecue restaurants known to locals and visitors alike. It was tough, but we narrowed down our top favorites across each of our areas. So, even if you’re staying in a Pensacola Beach vacation rental or a beachfront home in Panama City Beach, you can still enjoy barbecue at the beach! Plus, when planning your Labor Day vacation, it isn’t complete without barbecue! Be sure to bookmark your favorite restaurants to enjoy when you visit the Gulf Coast during Labor Day weekend.
Have you tried any of these restaurants below? Let us know your favorites on our Facebook page!
1. Panama City Beach – Back Beach Barbecue
We love any barbecue place open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and Back Beach Barbecue in Panama City Beach certainly doesn’t disappoint. Featuring “Grab & Go Tacos,” burritos, biscuits, and more for breakfast in addition to slow-smoked meat by the pound for lunch, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu here. If you’re dining in, they also invite you to try any of their domestic or craft beers available. They’ll even cater your event! All their sauces are made in-house, and we bet you’ll have a hard time picking just one.
Back Beach Barbecue is located at 19714 Panama City Beach Pkwy.
2. 30A – Barefoot BBQ
Boasting “The best darned organic Caribbean/Texan/Southern fusion BBQ this side of the Mississippi,” Barefoot BBQ in Seaside‘s menu is just as large as your appetite. You’ll find this barbecue joint in Seaside’s Airstream Row, right at home among the other gourmet food trucks like The Meltdown on 30A and Wild Bill’s Beach Dogs. Patrons of Barefoot BBQ insist on the beef brisket sandwich with their homemade mac and cheese and potato salad – barbecue favorites that will never disappoint! Their sauces are one-of-a-kind too: the “Hang Ten” made from a tomato base with brown sugar and bourbon; the “Wipeout,” a vinegar-base sauce that’s light, tart, and fruit; the “Pipeline,” with a sweet and spicy mustard base; and the “Hot Lava” not for the faint of heart, spicy with a kick of cayenne and pepper sauce.
3. Destin – Jim & Nick’s
When it comes to the best barbecue restaurants in Destin, we find ourselves turning to Jim & Nick’s BBQ time and time again. This Southern chain also has roots in Alabama, Colrado, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, so if you fall in love with it here, you’re likely to be able to getit back home. With a menu this extensive, you’ll want to try something new every time you visit. Don’t forget the cheese biscuits! Can’t dine in? They also offer BBQ to go for you to enjoy back home or in your Destin vacation rental. The Jim & Nick’s store also has merchandise, cheese biscuit mix, barbecue sauce, and more for you to purchase and take back home.
Jim & Nick’s BBQ is located at 14073 Emerald Coast Pkwy.
4. Fort Walton Beach – Kinfolk’s Barbecue
If you’re staying with us in Fort Walton Beach on Okaloosa Island, you’ll have to make a trip into Fort Walton Beach for Kinfolks, but the drive is well worth it. Kinfolks was voted “Finest on the Emerald Coast” for dining in 2017, and for good measure too! It won’t be long before you’re drooling over slow-smoked meats and homemade sauces – try their chipped chicken with the homestyle brunswick stew for authentic down-home comfort food. Be sure to save room for the peanut butter pie!
Kinfolks BBQ is located at 333 Racetrack Rd.
5. Navarre Beach – The Rib Shack
Touted as a “down-to-earth, family-owned restaurant,” you won’t find a better mom-and-pop restaurant operation on Navarre Beach than The Rib Shack. They claim this is the “best barbecue your tastebuds will ever experience,” and we invite you to put that challenege to the test! You’ll have to head into Navarre from the beach to find The Rib Shack, but your tastebuds will be thanking you as soon as you do. At first glance, their appetizers are delicious enough to make a meal of their own. Try out the fried mushrooms or chicken and sausage gumbo, or maybe even their BBQ shrimp.
The Rib Shack is located at 9532 Navarre Pkwy.
6. Pensacola – Hot Spot Barbecue
If you aren’t looking for it, you’re likely to drive past Hot Spot Barbecue during a trip to Downtown Pensacola. Locals and visitors all rave about Hot Spot Barbecue across Facebook and Google; so much, in fact, that the restaurant was awarded InWeekly’s Best of the Coast from 2013-2017. Everything is made fresh in-house, and that goes for their pies too. All items are available for carry-out, and they’ll even cater your next party or meeting. To date, they’ve sold over 60 tons of ribs! If that doesn’t speak to the quality of their food, we don’t know what does. The smoked pork is a must, along with their smoked ham mac & cheese and corn on the cob. Also, if you’re ordering a sandwich and want coleslaw on it, then just ask!
Hot Spot Barbecue is located at 901 E. La Rua St.
7. Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que – Orange Beach
Originating in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que has since expanded all across Alabama and throughout the United States, with locations even in California, Maine, Ohio, and Tennesse. You’ll even find a location outside the U.S. in Mexico City! How’s that for well-known barbecue? Moe’s Orange Beach location is not one to miss, with indoor seating for 40 and outdoor deck seating for 20. Weather permitting, they even feature live music in the backyard. Their menu of “Southern soul food revival” is full of your homestyle favorites, with smoked meats, St. Louis-style spare ribs, and even Southern Fried Catfish. Be sure to save room for the Oreo Chocolate Puddin’!
Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que is located at 25603 Perdido Beach Blvd.
8. Gulf Shores – Picnic Beach
After a long day of splashing in the surf, treat yourself to some delicious barbecue at Picnic Beach in Gulf Shores. One of the best barbecue restaurants in Coastal Alabama, their menu has something for everyone. Where else will you be able to find smoked meat platters along with protein bowls and healthy smoothies? Try any of their daily slow-smoked meats, with everything from pulled chicken to Conecuh Sausage and prime brisket, you’ll have a hard time making a decision. Try a spin on brisket with their Brisket Bowl, featuring smoked brisket with korean BBQ sauce, apple mojo, and key lime coleslaw.
Picnic Beach is located at 128 E. 1st Ave.
Where is your favorite place to get barbecue at the beach? We’re always looking for the best local restaurants, so let us know!
