Chefs share the best and worst things to order from a barbecue restaurant

Sophia MitrokostasAug 8, 2020, 02:22 IST

Specialty dishes, like brisket, are usually a good thing to order from barbecue restaurants.iStock / Getty Images Plus

Insider asked chefs about their favorite and least favorite dishes to order at barbecue restaurants.
Some chefs said you should always order the burnt ends and baked beans.
You may want to avoid ordering a hamburger or queso macaroni and cheese.

Barbecue is an important part of cuisines around the world, but some dishes translate to a restaurant setting better than others.

Insider spoke with professional chefs and grilling experts to find out what you should be ordering at a barbecue restaurant, and which dishes you can usually skip.

Here are the best and worst things to get from a barbecue joint:

Always try the regional specialty.

Ordering a restaurant's specialty is usually a wise idea. Sydney Kramer

Burnt ends are a classic and tasty barbecue dish.

The charred bits of a brisket can be some of the tastiest pieces. Royalty-free / Getty Images

Baked beans are almost always a safe bet at a barbecue restaurant.

Many barbecue joints will season their beans with leftover meat. grandriver/Getty Images

Smoked turkey makes for great leftovers.

When prepared well, smoked turkey can be juicy. iStock / Getty Images Plus

Try the pork butt to gauge the quality of the restaurant.

Pork butt is tricky to get just right. iStock / Getty Images Plus

On the other hand, you may want to reconsider ordering extra barbecue sauce.

Some of the pros argue that truly great barbecue doesn't require sauce. INSIDER

The queso macaroni and cheese isn't always a worthy side.

Some mac and cheeses are made with a queso base. Elizabeth Livermore / Getty Images

"Slop" platter or bucket specials are sometimes just kitchen leftovers.

Sometimes these platters and buckets consist of foods that aren't selling well. Kevin Trimmer / Getty Images

Green beans can be a lackluster side.

Some BBQ joints take their green beans to the next level with toppings and seasoning, but some leave them quite plain. Royalty-Free / Getty Images

A hamburger usually isn't the best thing on a barbecue menu.

One chef said burgers are only on the menu to appease those who don't like BBQ. Katherine Frey/The Washington Post/Getty Images

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