You don’t have to search too hard to find great BBQ in the Bluegrass. We have an entire town devoted to barbecue, in fact! Today’s featured destination is a bit of a BBQ outlier; this is a legendary institution that’s not found in the Bar-B-Q Capital of the World, but rather, the charming little river town of Paducah, Kentucky. You’ll find Starnes Bar-B-Q in Paducah’s Midtown neighborhood, in a bright turquoise cinderblock building. Small but mighty, folks drive from all over to partake in the amazing BBQ from Starnes, and after one taste, you’ll understand why.

You know the saying "don't judge a book by its cover?" Well, in Kentucky, one shouldn't judge a barbecue restaurant by its unassuming location.
Loco Franco/Google Local
Especially in Paducah, Kentucky.
Mark T/Google Local
A Paducah institution, Starnes Bar-B-Q has been dishing up delicious, melt-in-your-mouth barbecue since the 1950s.
Mark T/Google Local
Family-owned and operated since 1955, this tiny and unassuming BBQ joint is a local favorite. And when we say "tiny and unassuming," we mean tiny and unassuming.
Michelle Champion/Google Local

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Because Starnes Bar-B-Q is the kind of BBQ restaurant that, if you stretch your arms out, you might touch both walls. It's small. Tiny. But what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in flavor: big, bold, BBQ flavor.
Dorothy Nunemaker/Google Local
This place is the real deal. There's a smokehouse out back, where Starnes slow smokes their meat to perfection. Using old-school techniques and real wood, the barbecue comes out with a smoky char that can only come from a low, slow cook.
Stephen Head/Google Local
The meat is then slathered in a sweet, spicy, sticky sauce; the kind of stuff you wish you could bottle up and drink -- it's that good!
Starnes Bar-B-Q/Facebook
And yes, you can actually take a bottle home with you!
When a place has stood the test of time the way Starnes Bar-B-Q has, you know they're doing something right.
Matthew Mac/Google Local
And that's exactly what this no-frills, fan-favorite, bold-turquoise BBQ shack in Paducah, Kentucky, is doing. This is legendary Kentucky BBQ!

Have you dined at Starnes Bar-B-Q before? It’s a must for your Bluegrass BBQ bucket list!

Looking for more legendary dining establishments in the Bluegrass State? Why not venture over to the World’s Best Dairy Queen in Murray, Kentucky?

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Featured Addresses
Starnes Barbecue, 1008 Joe Clifton Dr, Paducah, KY 42001, USA