We are very serious about barbecue in this state! But that’s to be expected with it being the birthplace of the cuisine. We even have a BBQ trail in South Carolina highlighting some of the best spots to indulge in this wonderful southern tradition. But we thought we’d take a different approach on the topic and let you know what the best BBQ restaurants in South Carolina according to you are! Ready? Let’s go …

We're going to start this list off with the "honorable mentions," which were all very close in the number of recommendations you made. Because of this, they are in two groups of four, which are in alphabetical order.

Group 2:

Bessingers Bar-B-Q – Charleston

Bessinger's BBQ, 1602 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407, USA
management/TripAdvisor

Midway BBQ – Buffalo

Midway BBQ, 811 Main St, Buffalo, SC 29321, USA
Chris Ketterman/Google Reviews
You will find some of the best barbecue in South Carolina here!

One Hot Mama’s – Bluffton, Hilton Head Island

One Hot Mama's American Grill, 104 Buckwalter Pkwy Suite 1A, Bluffton, SC 29910, USA
One Hot Mama's American Grill, 1 Greenwood Dr Ste 7A, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, USA
Dennis J/TripAdvisor
*Psst! You must not miss the chocolate ribs here.

Sweatman’s Barbeque – Holly Hill

Sweatman's Barbeque, 1427 Eutaw Rd, Holly Hill, SC 29059, USA
Christina Hattaway/Google Reviews
Group 1:

Circle M BBQ – Liberty

Circle M Barbecue, 345 Martin Sausage Rd, Liberty, SC 29657, USA
Circle M BBQ - South Carolina/Facebook
The chicken here is particularly good, too!

Duke’s Bar-B-Que – Orangeburg

Dukes Bar-B-Que, 1298 Whitman St SE, Orangeburg, SC 29115, USA
Dukes Bar B Que Whitman/Facebook
Duke's BBQ is great for anyone who is craving an amazing meal! You'll never regret a trip here.

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Shealy’s Bar-B-Que – Batesburg-Leesville

Shealy's Bar-B-Que, 340 E Columbia Ave, Batesburg-Leesville, SC 29070, USA
Rhine D/Google Reviews

Smokin’ Pig – Anderson, Easley, Pendleton

Smokin' Pig BBQ of Anderson (Hwy 81), 1696 Evergreen Rd, Anderson, SC 29621, USA
The Smokin' Pig of Pendleton, 6630 Clemson Blvd, Pendleton, SC 29670, USA
The Smokin' Pig of Easley, 701 S Pendleton St, Easley, SC 29640, USA
Andrea T/Google Reviews
And now for the Top 5 Countdown!

5. Lewis BBQ – Charleston, Greenville

Lewis Barbecue Charleston, 464 N Nassau St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
Lewis Barbecue Greenville, 214 Rutherford St, Greenville, SC 29609, USA
Don133/TripAdvisor
Lewis BBQ is your Number 5 pick for delicious barbecue in South Carolina. And you're certainly in good company, right along with the Lewis BBQ cult following!

4. Lone Star BBQ Tavern & Grille – Santee

Lone Star BBQ Tavern and Grille, 2212 State Park Rd, Santee, SC 29142, USA
Lone Star BBQ & Mercantile/Facebook
Editor's Note: Unfortunately, this restaurant was destroyed in a fire. There are hopes to rebuild, so check on the Lone Star BBQ Facebook page for updates.

Coming in at Number 4, Lone Star BBQ Tavern and Grille is one of your most loved barbecue spots in the state. Located in Santee, Lone Star BBQ Tavern and Grille has a very interesting story behind its name and building.

3. Swig and Swine – Mount Pleasant, Charleston, Summerville

Swig & Swine, 1217 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407, USA
Swig & Swine Mount Pleasant, 2379 SC-41, Mt Pleasant, SC 29466, USA
Swig & Swine, 1990 Old Trolley Rd, Summerville, SC 29485, USA
Swig & Swine/Facebook
The Number 3 most recommended place for barbecue you've identified is Swig and Swine, which has three locations in the greater Charleston area. When you're looking for BBQ in Summerville, SC, you will definitely want to try this delicious spot! And not only does it serve great barbecue, but you'll want to try some of the best corn pudding in South Carolina, too!

2. Carolina BBQ – New Ellenton

Carolina Bar-B-Que, 109 Main St, New Ellenton, SC 29809, USA
Juliette/Google Reviews
Your second place recommendation is Carolina BBQ, which guests continually say has the best barbecue they've ever had. It's located in New Ellenton, which is just outside of Aiken.

1. Scott’s Bar-B-Que – Hemingway, Charleston

Scott’s Bar-B-Que, 2734 Hemingway Hwy #5420, Hemingway, SC 29554, USA
Rodney Scott's BBQ, 1011 King St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
Lisa K./Google Reviews
It's no surprise that Scott's Bar-B-Que is your Number 1 pick, being that it's also been recognized by The New York Times and other publications for its amazing barbecue. Beyond that, Pitmaster Rodney Scott won the coveted James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southeast. If you want to visit the original Scott's, take a day trip to Hemingway, which is about an hour west of Myrtle Beach.

And now … since we’ve opened up the floodgates, we know we’ll be getting even more feedback. Tell us your vote for the best BBQ restaurants in South Carolina in the comments section below! When you think “What are the best BBQ restaurants near me?” which ones come to mind? Is your favorite on this list? We look forward to hearing from you! And if you are planning a fun trip to multiple restaurants, you can prepare by taking a look at The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List by OnlyInYourState.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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