Where to get barbecue in Savannah: downtown and the Southside

Last checked Oct. 6, 2026. Refreshed every three months.

Savannah’s barbecue is split between downtown, where Savannah Smokehouse and District Smokehouse serve near Broughton Street and on River Street, and smaller pits on the east side and Southside: Wheaton Street, Ogeechee Road, Waters Avenue and East 37th Street. Three of the seven have no website, so call or stop by before a trip.

How we made this list. The places come from OpenStreetMap records inside Savannah’s city limits, the same data behind our local directory, checked against each place’s own website on Oct. 6, 2026. We added District Smokehouse from the Plant Riverside District restaurant directory and Slow Fire BBQ from its own site, and we checked every address against the U.S. Census Bureau’s geocoder, so barbecue places with Savannah mailing addresses outside the city line, in Sandfly, on Whitemarsh Island and on Ogeechee Road past the city limit, are not here. For places with no website, we kept only those the Chatham County restaurant inspection database shows inspected in 2026. BowTie Barbecue Co.’s site blocked our check; its kitchen was inspected April 23, 2026. The list is alphabetical. It is not a ranking or a recommendation, and nobody paid to be on it. Run one of these places? Write to us to correct your entry.

The list

The places

BowTie Barbecue Co. is a barbecue restaurant on Waters Avenue on the Southside. Its website blocked our automated check, so we cannot list its hours or menu here; the county inspected its kitchen in April 2026.

District Smokehouse is Plant Riverside District’s barbecue spot on the riverwalk. Its page describes Southern barbecue slow-cooked on site, homemade sides, local craft beer and an open-air bar, and says it has a spacious open-air pavilion with outdoor seating.

Quiky’s BBQ is a barbecue place on Ogeechee Road. It has no website; the county inspected the kitchen July 8, 2026.

Randy’s Barbeque is on Wheaton Street on the east side of downtown. It has no website; the county inspected the kitchen June 5, 2026.

Savannah Smokehouse calls itself a fast-casual, counter-service barbecue restaurant on West State Street downtown. Its site says its meats are hand rubbed, hand sliced and smoked on site every day, and its draft list includes several Georgia breweries. It takes catering orders of any size.

Slow Fire BBQ is a hardwood barbecue kitchen led by pitmaster Terren Williams, a Savannah native, according to its site. It smokes over oak and pecan, names the local farms it buys from, takes pickup orders online and books catering. Its site lists hours only Thursday to Saturday.

Tricks BBQ has no website. The county inspection record lists it at 1218 Waters Ave., inspected Sept. 10, 2026; older listings show other addresses, so check before you go.

Related lists: wings, pizza, Mexican and Tex-Mex, breakfast and coffee, burgers, sushi and Asian, ice cream and desserts, bakeries, patios and outdoor dining and every list by category. Also: brunch, date night, the business directory and restaurant inspection scores.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get barbecue in downtown Savannah?

Savannah Smokehouse is at 16 W. State St., and District Smokehouse is on the riverwalk at Plant Riverside District, 400 W. River St. Randy’s Barbeque is on Wheaton Street on the east side of downtown.

Which Savannah barbecue places are open on Sunday?

Savannah Smokehouse lists noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, and District Smokehouse lists 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Slow Fire BBQ lists hours only Thursday to Saturday.

Is there outdoor seating at a Savannah barbecue restaurant?

Yes. District Smokehouse at Plant Riverside District says it has a spacious open-air pavilion with outdoor seating on the riverwalk.

Which Savannah barbecue places have no website?

Quiky’s BBQ on Ogeechee Road, Randy’s Barbeque on Wheaton Street and Tricks BBQ on Waters Avenue have no website of their own. County inspection records from 2026 show all three are operating.