Best Barbecue in the Smokies

The Smokies gateway towns run on hickory smoke. Gatlinburg and Cherokee both have enough barbecue to keep you occupied for a week without repeating a restaurant, which is exactly why a ranked list is useful: waiting in the wrong line on a peak October Saturday is a real cost.

All seven picks here sit in the gateway towns, not inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park itself, where food service is extremely limited. Gatlinburg anchors the Tennessee entrance; Cherokee sits at the North Carolina side of the park. Crossing between them takes at least 45 minutes on US-441 under normal conditions, considerably longer during fall foliage season when traffic on the Newfound Gap corridor backs up solidly.

The list covers genuine stylistic range. Corky's is the purest regional case: Memphis-style, slow-smoked, no frills. Bennett's runs a similar traditional playbook with hickory wood instead of Memphis-style seasoning. Three Jimmys and Calhoun's fold barbecue into broader menus with steakhouse cuts and wood-fired options, which helps with groups that can't agree. Guy Fieri's and Pit Stop BBQ anchor the Cherokee side and both typically run shorter lines than their Gatlinburg Strip counterparts, which is worth keeping in mind.

A few things worth knowing before you go:

• Crowds: July and October are the hardest periods. Arriving before 11:30 a.m. or after 2 p.m. cuts wait times meaningfully at the busier Gatlinburg addresses.
• Parking: The Strip fills fast. Gatlinburg's city trolley serves outlying lots and is usually faster than circling.
• Reservations: None of these spots take them. Walk-in only.
• Cash: Several places still prefer it. ATMs on the Strip carry tourist-rate fees, so withdrawing before you arrive saves the hassle.