Serious appetites are required if you want to sample the full range of the best ribs in South Carolina. Portion sizes point to the ceiling, while the tangy sauces that drip off the meat are so tasty you’ll have to section off a part of your stomach for them!
Here’s a suggestion: call over some friends, gather around your phone or laptop screen, check out our list of the first-class places to eat the finest South Carolina ribs, and change into waist-expanding clothes. Seriously? Yes, seriously!
Best Ribs in South Carolina
How do these rankings work?
1. Wholly Smokin’ Downtown – Florence
Wholly Smokin’ Downtown is the place to come if you really want to let your hair down and have some proper tasty comfort food. With a large range of beers and cocktails, it is also a great place to spend time with a group of friends and order as much meat as possible.
Be warned: the portion size of the ribs is super generous, so you will want to make sure you bring a serious appetite.
2. Lewis Barbecue – Charleston
There’s no denying that La Barbecue is one of the best places for BBQ in Austin, Texas. So, it comes as no surprise that John Lewis of Lewis Barbecue worked there and has been able to transfer the same superior taste to residents of South Carolina. Beefy ribs are his specialty, so make sure to order a few racks.
3. Scott’s Bar-B-Que – Hemingway
Scott’s puts a huge amount of pride into everything they do, from building their own BBQ pits to sourcing the best produce for their droolworthy meats. It’s a proper old school smoke shack and has been considered one of the best spots for ribs in South Carolina for more than 30 years. Save some room for the roast chicken, too…
4. Poogan’s Smokehouse – Charleston
For authentic smoked meats in Charleston, Poogan’s Smokehouse never fails to hit the spot. They smoke all their fine cuts ‘low and slow’ with a unique blend of woods for a subtle-yet-signature taste. The ribs here are St. Louis style, so expect tender meat and a slather of rich and tangy barbecue sauce.
5. Sticky Fingers Ribhouse
The Memphis-style hickory-smoked ribs are what Sticky Fingers Ribhouse is best known for, and for good reason. These ribs are beyond amazing. They’re smoked over hickory wood then sprinkled with their dry-rub blend of secret seasoning and spices. You can also choose their sweet honey Carolina-style ribs, or add a kick of spicy habañero.
6. True BBQ – West Columbia
True BBQ is a family-owned barbecue joint that’s been growing steadily in popularity since opening in 2010. Now coming into its 10th year in business, the menu has all the meaty favourites, from dark chicken meat to baby back ribs and spare ribs. Those ribs are a real highlight: falling off the bone, with a bold smokey flavour.
7. Roadhouse Ribs – Beaufort
The Roadhouse is a classic American barbecue restaurant that specialises in Southeastern-style bbq. All of the meats are dry rubbed with brown sugar and slow-smoked in a custom designed oak and pecan wood-filled smoker for a full-on taste. Dig into wet barbecue baby back ribs or a dry rub St. Louis rack.
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