BBQ PASSPORT 2023-2024

Visit barbecue restaurants around the state to taste the best Arkansas has to offer. Collect stamps from the participating restaurants. You could be awarded a new PK grill or other prizes based on the number of stamps you collect.

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Mail completed passport, along with your name, address, email address and telephone number to:

PK Grills, 7821 Doyle Springs Road

Suite I Little Rock, AR 72209

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Questions? email ArkansasBBQTrail@gmail.com.

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Anyone paying attention to the barbecue scene in Arkansas over the past several years will have certainly noticed the emergence of the brisket craze, and luckily, we have Jordan Wright to thank for that. What started out as a humble food trailer at the Fayetteville Farmers Market back in 2016 has blossomed into an honest-to-goodness Arkansas barbecue empire with brickand-mortar locations in Johnson, Bentonville, Rogers and Little Rock. The popularity of Wright’s Barbecue has garnered regional and national press, even getting the nod from Texas Monthly’s respected barbecue editor and brisket connoisseur. Brisket is by far the most popular menu item at Wright’s, with sales almost doubling that of pork butt, ribs, sausage and chicken combined. All the meat at Wright’s is smoked on offset Moberg Smokers using live-fired oak, a process that lends itself to fantastic bark development that is not often achieved with modern propane-assisted rotisserie smokers. Come hungry and come early — there’s liable to be a line.

Bubba’s Barbecue

166 W Van Buren, Eureka Springs, 479-253-7706

Bubba’s, a staple of Eureka Springs’ food scene since 1979, moved to its current location in 1981 and added a wonderful deck in 2021. It’s a great spot to burn a Saturday afternoon. Known for their ribs, Bubba’s also features unconventional offerings like tacos made with pulled pork and brisket.

Girls Gone BBQ

2630 E. Citizens Drive #20, Fayetteville, 479-879-8222

Dana Neely, a native of Des Arc, started Girls Gone BBQ in Seattle, Washington, and luckily for us moved the business to Fayetteville in 2022. The vibe is reminiscent of your grandparents’ house, yet there’s something for everyone here, including vegan and vegetarian options.

Lucky Luke’s 1220 N. Garland Ave. #1, Fayetteville, 479-521-7550

Locals know that Wednesday night is wing night at Luke’s, where they smoke their wings, then flash fry them to lock in their delicious flavor. Come early — this quaint spot fills up fast.

Penguin Ed’s

230 S. East Ave., Fayetteville, 479-521-3663; 2773 E. Mission Blvd., Fayetteville, 479-587-8646

Penguin Ed’s has been a funky Fayetteville landmark since 1993, when pitmaster Eddie Knight opened his first barbecue truck. Today, there are two permanent locations that serve fine hickory-smoked meats.

Wright’s Barbecue 2212 Main Drive, Johnson, 479-935-2834; 208 NE 3rd St., Bentonville, 479-935-2834; 5001 W. Pauline Whitaker Parkway., Rogers, 479-935-2834; 1311 Rebsamen Park Rd., Little Rock, 501-441-5774

Jordan Wright has been serving Texas-style barbecue in Northwest Arkansas since 2016. Originally established as a food truck, this joint has taken the Northwest Arkansas barbecue scene by storm with locations in Johnson, Bentonville and Rogers. As of Sept. 1, Wright’s is now open in Little Rock in the Quonset hutstyle building on Rebsamen Park Road once known as the Wine Cellar. Wright’s is where you’ll find the best brisket this side of the Red River!

IN ARKANSAS, GREAT BBQ STARTS ON THE FARM.

Naaman’s BBQ

Naaman’s BBQ was born, like so many great barbecue joints, as a food truck — this one in Ashdown. In 2012, owner Darby Neaves took his devout following down to Texas, where he leased an old service station on the Texas side of State Line Avenue in Texarkana and began selling the barbecue he prepared seven miles north in Little River County, Arkansas. About nine years later, Neaves came to his senses and moved his operation across the street to the Arkansas side of State Line Avenue, where it lives on today. The interior decoration of the new place is as striking as the meat, displaying antique taxidermy, pull-chain toilets, various relics of Texarkana’s storied past and the old delivery vehicle (which appears to be a beautifully restored 1940 Chevy panel van). There’s not a thing on the menu that isn’t worth ordering, including Texas-style brisket, house-made sausage, down-home pulled pork, pork ribs, steaks and pork chops. Looking for the best-kept secret on the menu? Set your sights on the chicken-fried ribeye served proper with twice-baked mashed potatoes, green beans and white gravy.

Big Gilley’s Smokehouse 290 S. Dupree St., Ashdown, 870-648-7888

Big Gilley’s was last year’s newest addition to the Barbecue Passport, but you couldn’t tell it by the food. They do it all. From briskets to bundt cakes to jalapeno poppers, there’s nothing that Matt Gilley can’t smoke.

Burge’s Hickory Smoked Turkeys & Hams

526 Spruce St., Lewisville, 870-921-4292

Burge’s has been an Arkansas legend since 1962. They smoke it all, including whole turkeys and hams, available for purchase online and at the Lewisville location. The smoked turkey melt with tots and a jumbo cherry limeade is the perfect lunch. Don’t leave without grabbing some smoked turkey salad and pimento cheese to go.

JJ’s BBQ 1000 E. Main St., El Dorado, 870-862-1777

Joe and Joyce Gallea opened JJ’s BBQ in 1990 after perfecting their unique Cajun-inspired barbecue rubs and sauces. All meat is pit-smoked daily, with other standout menu items being catfish and steaks.

Naaman’s BBQ 5200 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, 903-826-282

Naaman’s recently moved back across State Line Avenue to the Arkansas side, and we couldn’t be happier to have them back. From brisket to pulled pork to chicken-fried steaks, Naaman’s does it all in their very classy restaurant space.

Smokin Ricks’ Hickory House 815 S. Main St., Nashville, 870-845-1541

Nashville locals will remember this place as the old Hickory House. Under new management, Smokin Ricks’ does a full breakfast until 11 a.m. daily and a daily lunch special. Everything is smoked over a live hickory fire.

Ridgewood Brothers bbq

Grant Hall and Robert Couser, owners and pitmasters at Ridgewood Brothers BBQ, have single-handedly put Russellville on the Arkansas barbecue map. Like many barbecue entrepreneurs, these two whiz kids began as hobbyists, cooking for friends, family and events. In February 2019, they turned their backyard passion into a food truck, gaining an immediate cult following in the River Valley thanks to tremendous support shown by the Russellville community. Plans were soon set into motion to open a brick-and-mortar on Main Street. They officially opened the doors to their handsome new building in December 2022 and haven’t looked back. Ridgewood Brothers operates like a well-oiled machine, churning out consistently phenomenal brisket that rivals, and often tops, anything to be found in Arkansas or Texas. Other standouts on the menu are the dinosaur-esque beef ribs, impeccably moist smoked turkey, house-made jalapeno cheese sausage and possibly the best pork ribs in the state. The sides are not to be overlooked, either: jalapeno cheese grits, pit-smoked green beans, and banana pudding that would make your grandma proud. All the meat at Ridgewood receives treatment via 1,000-gallon offset Primitive Pits smokers using oak. There’s often a line, and when they run out of meat, that’s it for the day, so come early and come hungry.

Hog Pen BBQ

1265 Sutton St, Conway, 501-327-5177

Dennis Forte opened Hog Pen BBQ in 1999. From the barbecue to the sides to the desserts, everything is made in-house. Hog Pen BBQ holds the distinction of being Conway’s oldest Black-owned eatery.

KnightFire Craft Barbecue 304 S. Main St., Searcy, 501-322-9971

Pitmaster Matthew Knight has single-handedly put Searcy on the Arkansas barbecue map with his Texas-style sliced brisket tacos, tender ribs, pork belly candy (pork belly coated with sugar or honey and smoked) and underrated smoked turkey. KnightFire transitioned from a food truck to a brick-and-mortar in early 2022 and is a must stop if you’re in the area.

Neumeier’s Rib Room 424 Garrison Ave., Fort Smith, 479-494-7427

The Rib Room has been an anchor of downtown Fort Smith since 1998. Stop in for refreshments, live music and some of those state championship ribs. t.

Reid’s Hometown Barbecue 42 W. Main St., Booneville, 479-675-2159

Check out the menu and pictures of the barbecue at Reid’s in Booneville and you’ll want to hurry to this spot in Logan County in West Arkansas. Steve Reid, a former law enforcement officer, opened Reid’s in 2015. The shop has an enticing barbecue menu that also features homemade fried pies and cheesecakes.

Ridgewood Brothers

BBQ

803 W. Main Place, Russellville, 479-567-5760

Russellville natives Grant Hall and Robert Couser turned their backyard passion first into a popular local food truck in 2019, then, in 2022, into a brick-and-mortar that has become possibly the best barbecue restaurant in the state. Their delicious brisket, pork, ribs and sausage roll off an impressive 1,000-gallon smoker. To-go orders accepted online only.

Rivertowne BBQ

205 S. 3rd St., Ozark, 479-667-1808

Rivertowne has been a downtown Ozark staple for over 20 years, delighting locals and tourists alike with their delicious barbecue and legendary “Possum Dumplins” served with coon-fat gravy.

With properties around the state, you’re never too far from a comfortable night’s stay. At Beechwood Pinnacle Hotels, our welcoming rooms and suites are the perfect place to rest after experiencing everything the area has to offer.

www.beechwoodpinnaclesales.com bphsales@lrar.com

DOWNTOWN LITTLE ROCK 811 E. 4th Street Little Rock, AR 72202

BRYANT-BENTON AREA 7224 Alcoa Road Bryant, AR 72015

HOT SPRINGS

200 Marriott Court Hot Springs, AR 71913

JONESBORO

4911 E Johnson Ave Jonesboro, AR 72401

DOWNTOWN LITTLE ROCK 322 Rock Street Little Rock, AR 72202

JONESBORO 2840 S Caraway Rd. Jonesboro, AR 72401

EL DORADO 210 S Washington Ave El Dorado, AR 71730

BENTONVILLE 301 SE Walton Blvd.

AR 72712

CONWAY 2400 Sanders Road Conway, AR 72032

FAYETTEVILLE 1577 W 15th St. Fayetteville, AR 72701

FAYETTEVILLE

728 Millsap Rd. Fayetteville, AR 72703

FAYETTEVILLE 720 Millsap Rd. Fayetteville, AR 72703

LITTLE ROCK

Bass Pro Parkway

FAYETTEVILLE

1234 Steamboat Dr. Fayetteville, AR 72704

BENTONVILLE/ROGERS

SE Walton Blvd

AR 72712

ARKADELPHIA

In 1952, Richard “Stubby” Stubblefield Sr. opened Stubby’s BBQ in Hot Springs. Twenty-four years later, the Dunkel family moved from New York to Hot Springs, and in 1977, the family purchased Stubby’s. Chris Dunkel has been the proprietor ever since. In 2007, the restaurant was rebuilt after a pit fire, but thanks to the quality and originality of Stubby’s offerings, Dunkel’s business acumen and the restaurant’s lucrative location across the street from Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, this legendary Arkansas barbecue institution is as strong today as it ever was. House specialties are usual suspects of pork, brisket and ribs, but also included on the menu are barbecued ham, smoked whole chicken, smoked potatoes and the regionally famous Pot-O-Beans, which are individual servings of smoked beans topped with ham. Stubby’s has been nationally recognized in many publications, including Food and Wine Magazine, Restaurant Business and Restaurant Hospitality, and was even featured on the Travel Channel show “BBQ Crawl.” All the offerings at Stubby’s are smoked over hickory and paired with their savory and sweet barbecue sauce that is bottled and sold all over the United States.

Clampit’s Country Kitchen

5398 N. State Hwy 7, Hot Springs Village, 501-204-5030

Located in Hot Springs Village, Clampit’s Country Kitchen offers daily lunch specials and is home to a country store and meat market featuring prime beef, pork, fish and lamb, plus 20 different sausage varieties made by hand. Dine in, carry out or order barbecue bundles for the whole family. Breakfast served on Saturdays.

McClard’s Bar-B-Q

505 Albert Pike Road, Hot Springs, 501-623-9665

Established in 1928, McClard’s is noted as President Bill Clinton’s favorite barbecue joint. Ask your waiter about the origin of the sauce, and don’t leave without trying the tamale spread.

Smokin’ in Style BBQ

2278 Albert Pike Road, 501-767-9797

Smokin’ in Style has been serving a variety of dry-rubbed barbecued meats to their loyal fans since 2004. The menu features some unconventional favorites, including barbecue nachos, quesadillas and turkey legs.

Stubby’s Bar-B-Q 3024 Central Ave., Hot Springs, 501-624-1552

Loyalties run deep in Hot Springs, and Stubby’s certainly draws their fair share of devotees. Since 1952, their hickory smoked ham, spuds and Pots-O-Beans keep customers coming back for more.

Sweetpea’s Smokehouse 2897 Highway 70 West, Kirby, 870-398-4004

Sweetpea’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering burgers, barbecue and some of the best pie in the Ouachita Mountains. Hunters will be delighted to know they also provide smoking services for deer, turkey, pork or beef.

H.B.’s Barbecue

H.B.’s Bar-B-Q is tucked away in a residential neighborhood in Southwest Little Rock, making it one of the best-kept secrets in town. The humble white-houseturned-barbecue-joint can trace its lineage directly back to the legendary Little Rock barbecue spot called The Shack, which operated from the 1930s to 1988.

H.B.’s original proprietor, Herbert Brooks Slaughter, was the brother of The Shack’s originator, Casey Slaughter, and many see H.B.’s as a continuation of the Central Arkansas barbecue tradition instilled by The Shack. While everything at H.B.’s is exceptionally tasty, don’t miss the opportunity to try their ribs, which are available on Tuesday only. The sauce at H.B.’s is unique: semi-spicy with just a hint of sweet, from something I’ve never quite been able to put my finger on. Is it applesauce? Ginny, the wonderful wonder woman who’s run the place for as long as I can remember, assures me it’s not, though I don’t think she’d let the secret slip either way. Cash only.

Count Porkula

201 Keightley Dr., Little Rock, 501-804-9561; 10840 Maumelle Blvd., North Little Rock, 501-246-5669

This food-truck-turned-brick-and-mortars has become a staple since its founding in 2008, known for creative sandwiches, tasty sides and some of the best brisket in Little Rock. Pitmasters Kelly Lovell and Walt Todd recently departed their Rail Yard beer garden location and in 2022 opened two stand-alone brick-and-mortars “at the Crossroads” in Little Rock and “On the Boulevard” in North Little Rock.

H.B.’s Barbecue

6010 Lancaster Road, Little Rock, 501-565-1930

Little Rockers have been frequenting H.B.’s since it was called The Shack in the 1930s. The Slaughter family still runs the place, it’s still cash only, and you still need to arrive early if you want a place to sit. It’s one of the best-kept secrets in Central Arkansas.

Lindsey’s Hospitality House

207 Curtis Sykes Drive, North Little Rock, 501-374-5707

Lindsey’s has been an anchor of downtown North Little Rock since Bishop D.L. Lindsey Sr. founded the restaurant in 1956. In August, Lindsey’s was one of 25 U.S. restaurants to receive $40,000 through the “Backing Historic Small Restaurants” grant program. Come for the barbecue, the fried chicken and the yams, stay for the salvation!

Ol’ Bart 600 N. Broadway St., North Little Rock, 501-406-7819

1220 Old Morrilton Highway, Conway, 501-613-7142

Bart Likes, pitmaster and avid duck hunter, cut his barbecue teeth cooking for some of the most exclusive duck lodges in North America. Back in Arkansas, Likes began his journey in the barbecue business by opening a food truck in Greenbrier, and soon after opening brick-and-mortar locations Ol’ Bart Southern Eats in Conway and Ol’ Bart at Diamond Bear Brewery in North Little Rock. True to its roots, Ol’ Bart features some interesting wild game offerings, as well as some of the best brisket in town.

Sims Bar-B-Q 2415 Broadway St., Little Rock, 501-372-6868; 1307 John Barrow Road, Little Rock, 501-224-2057

Sims is one of the oldest restaurants in the state, serving its loyal patrons in Little Rock since 1937. Sims’ meats are cooked over an open-flame pit, and its thin and tangy sauce is available by the pint, quart, half gallon or gallon.

Terri-Lynn’s BBQ and Delicatessen

10102 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, 501-227-6371

Terri Lynn’s BBQ started out as a small grocery store and deli in 1959. Over time the deli became the focal point of the business and Terri Lynn’s became known for its in-house smoked deli meats. A popular lunch spot, Terri Lynn’s offers a variety of sandwiches and specialty hot dogs in addition to its barbecue.

Whole Hog Cafe North Little Rock

333 Warden Road, North Little Rock, 501-753-9227

Rich Cosgrove and Nancy Green, the married team behind Whole Hog Cafe North Little Rock, have been smoking meats for nearly 40 years and competed on world championship barbecue teams. The team at Whole Hog North Little Rock barbecues three tons of meat weekly, and typically offers “Beef Rib Tuesdays.” Formerly in a small storefront, Whole Hog Cafe North Little Rock now operates in more spacious digs with a nice outdoor patio.

"No barbecue is worth anything unless it takes all day."

- William Faulkner

Craig’s Bar-B-Q

Craig’s is often mentioned alongside legendary Arkansas barbecue joints Jones Bar-B-Q Diner and McClard’s, and for good reason. Lawrence Craig, a former cook on a Mississippi River boat, opened Craig Brothers Café, along with his brother Leslie Craig and their uncle Wes Craig, in De Valls Bluff in 1947. Not much has changed since then, including the sauce, which is bottled and sold to many loyalists across Arkansas and the South. As such, the recipe remains a closely guarded family secret. It’s not particularly sweet like most Arkansas sauces are; rather, it offers a complex savory and spiced profile, with hints of bell pepper, apples and, perhaps, cinnamon. It comes mild, hot or mixed, with the hot exhibiting evidence of Tabasco and plenty of black pepper. The meat comes sliced or chopped, but most prefer it sliced, which I’m told is the old and proper way. Cash only.

Michael Hardcourt

Craig’s Bar-B-Q 15 W. Walnut St., DeValls Bluff, 870-998-2616

Craig’s has been an Arkansas Delta institution since 1947, and is considered by many to serve the best barbecue sandwich in the state. Get it with slaw and hot barbecue sauce.

Cypress Corner Bar-B-Q 8298 Highway. 1 S., Lexa, 870-295-6546

One of the best-kept secrets in the Delta, Cypress Corner is located at the intersection of Highways 1 and 121 near the tiny town of Lexa. Don’t forget a healthy heaping puddle of spicy sauce on your sandwich.

Hoots BBQ & Steaks

2008 U.S. Highway 65, McGehee, 870-222-1234

An eclectic spot in an old converted gas station, this hometown favorite features some creative menu items, including the BBQ burger, brisket grilled cheese and the Piggy Pie.

Jones Bar-B-Q Diner 219 W. Louisiana St., Marianna, 870-295-3807

The first Arkansas restaurant to receive a James Beard Award, Jones is the oldest continually operated Black-owned restaurant in the South, and perhaps even the country. It is now in its fourth generation of Jones family owners, and the smoked pork is still served on plain white bread. After a fire nearly destroyed the Marianna institution in 2021, the public donated more than $80,000 to help Mr. James Harold Jones rebuild. About six months later, Jones Bar-B-Q Diner was named by the New York Times as one of the best 50 restaurants in the country, the only Arkansas restaurant on the list..

Kibb’s Bar-B-Q 1102 E. Harrison St., Stuttgart, 870-673-2072

Kibb’s has been feeding hungry Delta duck hunters in Stuttgart for over 40 years. If you’re looking for something different, try the smoked bologna with spicy sauce.

Que49 Smokehouse

Que49 is the product of Memphis-born Skip Steele and New York- native Dana Lamel, who spent three years smoking meat together on the food festival circuit. Steele is an old hand at the restaurant business, having opened his first restaurant in Jonesboro in 1980 at just 20 years old. After spending some time away in the shipping and freight industry, he came back to the food business, going on to open restaurants across the U.S. and internationally. Lamel, too, is an experienced restaurant man, having worked at an Italian restaurant on his native Long Island when he was just 14, working his way up to sous-chef and ultimately graduating from the Culinary Institute of America. In 2019, the two culinary forces merged their talents to launch Que49 Smokehouse, which is positively some of the best barbecue in Northeast Arkansas and beyond. Perhaps the secret lies within the blending of cultures (“Redneck meets Yankee,” claims their website), similar to the crossroads of barbecue cultures that meets in Arkansas.

Hannah Steele

Blue Ember Smokehouse 2820 Creek Dr, Jonesboro, 870-933-7058

Blue Ember is the newest kid on the Jonesboro barbecue block. Housed in a beautiful building, Blue Ember has something for everyone, from salads to brisket to pulled chicken to pineapple sausage. Get your sweet fix with the ice cream shop right next door.

Burt’s BBQ 285 SFC 843, Palestine, 870-261-2498

Located off the grid (type in the address rather than the name of the restaurant on Google Maps) in between Brinkley and Forrest City, Burt’s is known for its ribs, pork butt and brisket. Burt’s also has a Fish Plate Friday special featuring three pieces of catfish, two.

Delta Q

1112 N. Washington St., Forrest City, 870-633-1234

They might be the new kid on the block, but don’t let that fool you. Some of the best “fine southern swine” around can be found at Delta Q. Daily specials, homemade desserts and catering are available.

Dixie Pig 701 N. 6th St., Blytheville, 870-763-4636

Vinegar is the name of the game at the iconic Dixie Pig, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2023. “The Pig Sandwich” is a chopped pork delight that comes with a hefty helping of slaw that locals love to douse with their unique sauce, a fiery, thin blend of pepper and vinegar that can be found on the tables in repurposed ketchup bottles. This spot rivals anything that can be found in Memphis.

Hog Pen Barbecue

2874 S. U.S.-61, Osceola, 870-563-2283

Located just off Highway 61, this joint is one of the best-kept secrets in the Arkansas Delta. A popular spot for duck hunters, Hog Pen has some of the best pulled pork, ribs and smoked chicken this side of the Mississippi River.

Oinky’s Barbecue

318 W. Northend Ave., Paragould, 870-236-4659

Oinky’s is a Paragould staple, serving up some of the best baby backs this side of Crowley’s Ridge. They’re known for their “Piggy Fries” and sweet sauce; however, the Friday fried catfish is not to be overlooked.

Que49 Smokehouse

1312 Red Wolf Blvd, Jonesboro, 870-333-5454

The product of two experienced barbecue competitors turned restaurateurs, Que49 serves up some of the best barbecue in Northeast Arkansas and beyond. Be sure to try the burnt ends, tri-tip sirloin, pork steaks and some of the best wings the Arkansas Delta has to offer.

Visit barbecue restaurants around the state to taste the best Arkansas has to offer. Collect stamps from the participating restaurants. You could be awarded a new PK grill or other prizes based on the number of stamps you collect.

over500 prizesTOWIN thisyear!

The Whole Hog

Collect 1 stamp from every restaurant in the passport in 12 months’ time or less. (40 stamps)

The SIXER

Collect stamps from at least four restaurants in each of the seven regions. (min. 30 stamps)

Prize: PK360*

The Three-fer Collect every stamp in five complete regions in the passport in 12 months’ time or less.(min. 20 stamps)

Prize: PK300*

The LOCAL FLAVOR

Collect 5 stamps from every restaurant in one region in 12 months’ time or less.

Prize: Insulated Cup*

The BBQ FAN

Collect any 3 stamps.

Prize: PK Hat*

TAG US: #ARBBQTRAIL #PkGRILLS

*Prizes available while supplies last. PK reserves the right to substitute prizes based on availability. One prize per participant per challenge.

For number of prizes available, please visit pkgrills.com/bbqpassport