Here at Only In Your State, we’re always looking for restaurants, attractions, and other experiences we may have missed – and the best way we often get tips on hidden gems is you, our loyal readers! This is why we always have a nominations form open so you can submit your picks for feature recommendations. We often get recommendations for places we know and love, but it’s even better when we see a nomination for a place we’ve never heard of before! That’s certainly the case for barbecue, which is quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing types of food in the Garden State. You spoke loud and clear about where to find the best BBQ in New Jersey. Some of these places are barbecue specialty restaurants, while others are neighborhood bar-and-grill locations that happen to deliver some amazing ‘cue. We can’t wait to spotlight your recommendations, so come hungry!

1. Salt Creek Grille/Princeton
Salt Creek Grille/Google Local
A small chain with a few locations in New Jersey and California, this western-style grill house has a few high-quality barbecue options on the regular menu.
The ribs are always a highlight, perfectly smoked before being doused in a sauce that's just the right mix of sweet, tangy, and spicy.
Salt Creek Grille, 1 Rockingham Row, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
Jenn Pak/Google Local
2. Pulled Fork BBQ/Long Valley
Christa Walter/Google Local
The only fully BBQ-focused recommendation that is currently open, Pulled Fork BBQ is an out-of-the-way location in Washington Township.
This reasonably priced casual-dining location specializes in sandwich, and the pulled pork and chopped smoked sausage are both highlights.
Pulled Fork BBQ, 38 E Mill Rd, Long Valley, NJ 07853, USA
Christa Walter/Google Local
3. Fielder's Pubn/Hammonton
Fielder's Pub/Google Local
Fielder's Inn has been a local institution for decades. The sports bar and live music venue specializes in sandwiches - and you should focus on one in particular.

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The restaurant smokes its own pork. You can have it with barbecue sauce - or Italian-style, with herbs and topped with provolone. It's an only-in-NJ barbecue experiment.
Fielder's Pub, 386 S White Horse Pike, Hammonton, NJ 08037, USA
Fielder's Pub/Facebook
4. The Jug Handle Inn/Cinnaminson
Retna Slater/Google Local
The Jug Handle Inn is another casual-dining favorite in a small town - with one specialty you won't want to miss.
The slow-smoked ribs, basted with sauce before being put on the grill, are up there with the best BBQ in New Jersey. Get them before they sell out!
The Jug Handle Inn, 1018 Forklanding Rd, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077, USA
The Jug Handle Inn/Google Local
5. The Pickwickian/Richland
The Pickwickian Tavern & Smokery/Facebook
This quaint pub has "smokery" in the name for a reason - you can usually smell that delightful meat smell in the air.
The barbecue specials change frequently, but the brisket and sausage are both excellent. If either is on the menu, make sure to order it!
Pickwickian Tavern & Smokery, 1252 Harding Hwy, Richland, NJ 08350, USA
The Pickwickian Tavern & Smokery/Facebook

Have you visited any of these under-the-radar barbecue locations? Tell us about your visit in the comments section, and let us know your picks for the best BBQ in New Jersey if we missed any! You can submit it directly to our recommendations page. For some more barbecue hidden gems, check out this list of some of our favorite hole-in-the-wall BBQ joints.

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