The best BBQ in Longview, Texas starts at Bodacious Bar-B-Q on South Mobberly Avenue, the original Bodacious, open since 1968, and Sunbird Barbecue on North High Street, a newer craft spot that Texas Monthly has written up more than once. Carter's, Boxcar and the Bodacious on Sixth Street round out a list that covers every side of town.
Every place below showed as open on Google Maps on Oct. 26, 2026. Ratings are Google ratings as of October 2026. Barbecue joints in East Texas often keep short hours or sell out, so check before you drive over.
1. Bodacious Bar-B-Q (the original, on Mobberly)
Address: 2227 S Mobberly Ave, Longview, TX 75602 Google rating: 4.7 stars from 726 reviews
This is where the Bodacious name started. The restaurant's own site calls it "The Original Bodacious Bar-B-Q" and dates it to 1968, and Texas Monthly's history of the place says the first location opened on Mobberly that year. It is still run by the same family, three generations in.
The site leans on two things: slow-smoked brisket and a smoked turkey it calls legendary. It has the highest Google rating of any barbecue place in town with a real review count behind it. It is closed Sundays and Mondays.
Getting there from Grace Pointe: about 15 minutes south.
2. Sunbird Barbecue
Address: 415 N High St, Longview, TX 75601 Google rating: 4.6 stars from 203 reviews
Sunbird started as a trailer and moved into a brick-and-mortar building on North High Street in December 2023, per Texas Monthly. The write-up singles out brisket with a heavy, smoky bark, burnt ends, and a chopped brisket and sausage "barbecue melt."
This is the pick if you like craft-style Texas barbecue sold by the pound. Days and hours are limited compared to a regular restaurant, so check its Facebook page before you go.
Getting there from Grace Pointe: about 10 minutes, just north of downtown.
3. Carter's Bar-B-Que
Address: 519 S Eastman Rd, Longview, TX 75602 Google rating: 4.5 stars from 1,180 reviews
Carter's has one of the largest review counts of any barbecue spot in Longview and holds a 4.5 across all of them. That is about as strong a signal as a local joint gets. It sits on South Eastman Road on the east side of town. We could not find a menu or website to say more than that, so read the recent reviews on its Google listing before you order.
Getting there from Grace Pointe: about 15 minutes.
4. Boxcar Bar B Que
Address: 2902 Gilmer Rd, Longview, TX 75604 Google rating: 4.5 stars from 548 reviews
Boxcar is the west-side option, out on Gilmer Road. Review summaries mention the brisket and the sauce most often, per Sluurpy's roundup. Hours listed online don't all agree, so call 903-759-1911 before a weekend trip.
Getting there from Grace Pointe: about 10 minutes west.
5. Bodacious Bar-B-Q on Sixth Street
Address: 904 N Sixth St, Longview, TX 75601 Google rating: 4.1 stars from 627 reviews
A separately owned Bodacious shop on the east side. Its website lists whole brisket by the pound, chopped and sliced beef, pulled pork sandwiches, and a hot link sandwich called "the Mailman." It came back after a fire, per CBS19. It is open more days of the week than the Mobberly location, which makes it handy on a Monday.
Getting there from Grace Pointe: about 10 minutes.
A different kind of barbecue: Korean BBQ
If "BBQ" for you means grilling at the table, KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot at 2802 Tuttle Blvd opened in 2023, per East Texas Weekend, and does all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue and hot pot. It holds 4.7 stars from 1,205 Google reviews. It is about 5 minutes from Grace Pointe.
How to get the most out of Longview barbecue
- Go early. Brisket at small smokehouses can sell out. Lunch is a surer bet than a late dinner.
- Order by the pound for a group. Most places sell meat by weight, which is cheaper than plates for three or more people.
- Check the day. Several of the best spots close one or two days a week.
Want the brisket-only version? See our guide to the best brisket in Longview. For everything else, start with the best restaurants in Longview.
Places we left off, and why
A few barbecue listings came up in our search but didn't make the cut: places with fewer than 20 Google reviews, or that we couldn't confirm with a menu, website or news story. We would rather send you to five sure things than ten guesses.
Grace Pointe Apartments sits just off Judson Road in north Longview, so most of these are a 10 to 15 minute drive. If you're planning a move, you can schedule a tour or call 903-414-6336.
Get the Longview move-in checklist
Moving to Longview, TX? Leave your name, email and phone below for our free Longview move-in checklist, plus current availability at Grace Pointe.