Top 4 Barbecue: the Joint, Hillbilly, Walker's, Ugly Dog

The approach of the July 4 holiday sends up a smoke signal to barbecue fanatics all across the nation: it's time to get your grill going. Given the summer swelter in New Orleans this time of year, however, sometimes it's a better idea to let a professional take care of this craving. Below are my picks for the four best barbecue specialists around town. Each can provide a smoky feast either in their restaurants or, with notice, packed up to go for your own party.

4. Ugly Dog Saloon

401 Andrew Higgins Dr., New Orleans, 504-569-8459

A Warehouse District fixture since the 1990s, the Ugly Dog is a large, roomy tavern with a crowd somewhere between biker bar chic and middle management on casual day. But everyone is here for the barbecue, which is served up fast. While this cooking won't change your world, it can really hit the spot for a quick, easy, inexpensive barbecue fix. Pork ribs make the best eating here, and the pulled pork and brisket are both decent too, though the smoke doesn't penetrate as deeply as I'd like. Sides are very good and a bit offbeat. You can get an order of hot, surprisingly al dente steamed broccoli here, for instance. The marquee Ugly Dog side, though, is a mug of pinto beans served in a rich, slurpable broth of stewed tomatoes topped with crunchy onions, sour cream and cheddar. The smoked potato is another good one.

3. Walker's Southern Style BBQ

10828 Hayne Blvd., New Orleans, 504-241-8227

Even people who have never ventured out to Walker's tiny smokehouse on the New Orleans East lakefront may well be familiar with its bestseller. That would be the cochon de lait po-boy, a fan favorite the Walker family serves at Jazz Fest each spring. This is a smoky, crusty lode of Cajun-style roast pork crammed into a loaf with plenty of slaw and Creole mustard. It's just as delightful year-round at this walk-up barbecue stand as it is at Jazz Fest, and Walker's also has the more traditional barbecue fundamentals down pat. Homey sides like skin-on potato salad and mustard greens round out plates. The smoked chicken is particularly good. The restaurant itself is as minimal as it gets: order at the tiny counter and watch as they assemble your stuff. Walker's does share some indoor seating with the adjacent Castnet Seafood, but take-out is the way to go here.  

2. Hillbilly Bar-B-Q

208 Tallulah Ave., River Ridge, 504-738-1508

Hillbilly proudly trades in the barbecue traditions of Kentucky, and the staff here point out that the wood for its smoker is hickory brought in from that very state. Wherever it comes from, it's working. Pork shoulder is a specialty, and you can count the deep, purply smoke rings worked into this flavorful flesh. Brisket is broken down into tender, glistening planks. Hillbilly provides an assortment of sauces, with most based on the vinegary Kentucky style of course. The sides are standouts: corn salad is spiked up with pepper and the baked beans are loaded with bits and chunks of pork. You can get links of smoked alligator sausage or boudin and the "hobo tater" is a baked potato packed to overflowing with cheese, bacon and sour cream.

1. The Joint

801 Poland Ave., New Orleans, 504-949-3232

By all appearances, this place truly lives up to its name.  A small, cramped, yellow-painted cinderblock building way down in the Bywater, it really is a joint. It's also the place to find the best barbecue in New Orleans right now. What puts it ahead of the pack is the deep smokiness that makes all of the meats so consistently and reliably good. Duck your head out the backdoor where a few tables are set up and you'll see - and smell - the enormous smoker at work. The results are served up quick and generous at the counter as combo plates and sandwiches. The ribs are the best item on the menu - examine one and you'll see the proper variegation of color, the smoke rings tingeing this meat different shades of pink before ending in a crusty surface. The brisket has the perfect, pull-apart texture and a deep dark crust all around the edges. The smoked chaurice sausage is worth a try too. Sides are solid and the sauces are superb - either the spicy, mustardy, slightly sweet version or the thin, vinegar-based one. Grab a beer and get down to business. For those searching for barbecue, this place is worth a trip from far across town.