I'm on a high protein diet right now. That means I can eat bbq, I'll stick to dry rubs to avoid the carbs. There are a lot of BBQ restaurants in Lansing, let's figure out who's got the best.

In my opinion, the Lansing market is saturated with BBQ places. There are so many options available to pork lovers in mid Michigan, some rise to the top. Whether you're looking for ribs, brisket, pulled pork or chicken there's that one "go to" place that you love.

For me, I am a fan of MEAT in Old Town, Gravity on Cedar St. in Holt and Saddleback. The meat mountain is one of the best dishes created in the history of mankind and you can that at MEAT. Gravity has awesome pulled pork. Saddleback BBQ has tasty protein items but their baked beans are the best on the planet.

When putting a list like this together I get feedback from groups like yelp. I don't have the time or money to try every dish at every restaurant in Lansing. I find the reviews to helpful when I am making a decision on somewhere new I want to try.

Each BBQ place in Lansing has their own take on BBQ. I can appreciate that because with so many BBQ places in Lansing, there's got to be something that sets their restaurant aside from others.

Best BBQ in Lansing

Saddleback BBQ - 1147 S Washington Ave Lansing, MI 48910

Auri W:

Excellent food. Ordered takeout and food arrived still hot. We had the pulled pork and it was so good. The prices may look a little high but trust me it's worth every cent. Plus they contribute a lot to the community so win, win.

MEAT BBQ - 1224 Turner St Lansing, MI 48906

John W:

I LOVE me some barbecue, and Meat BBQ in Lansing, MI is one of the best BBQ joints around!  In business for about 10 years, it won best new restaurant in 2012, and has been featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and the Big 10 Network food show. i've been there several times over the past few years and have never been disappointed. At my most recent visit I had the brisket sandwich which, as always, was tender and flavorful. They offer a great array of topping sauces (see photos for list of types).  The portions are ample.  In the past, I've had their ribs, burnt tips, pulled pork, and Texas sausages (not always available). They have an incredible array of custom french fries, as well as very interesting fried pickles and a "BBQ egg roll, " which is stuffed with house made Andouille sausage, pimento cheese and poblano peppers, served with BBQ ranch as appetizers.  The staff is efficient and friendly, and the service is prompt - even post-pandemic.  Truly worth the visit!

Capital City BBQ - 1026 W Saginaw St Lansing, MI 48915

Aracely C:

Always our go to place to get Bahn-Mih's. They pack the sandwiches with a lot of protein. They are a fusion of BBQ and Vietnamese. My favorite is their pork but we also have tried the Brisket. Both are amazing and very filling. Call in ahead and place your order so by the time you arrive, your order will be hot and ready to go.

The Smoke N Pig BBQ - 908 Elmwood Rd Lansing, MI 48917

Deedee B:

To quote one in our group "this is not your everyday ribs"   Food was amazing, staff were friendly, restaurant is clean and smells amazing.   Good find!

Gumps BBQ - 1105 River St Lansing, MI 48912

Rohit R:

Bought a full rack of ribs with Cole slaw and Mac& cheese. The ribs were perfect. Very flavorful, a little spicy Smoky flavor and allowed the meat to be the star. The meat was slightly dry but the BBQ sauce made up for it; it wasn't sweet or overpowering and made the ribs taste better. The Mac & cheese was light and paired well with the rib meat mixed in. The Cole slaw was a perfect ending to the meal, slightly sweet and they used these small black seeds that made it really good. I got there when they were closing (they close early, in the afternoon) but they were very happy to wrap my ribs in foil and put them in a box so they don't fall apart. I thought I would not be able to finish it but I sat there in my car at a park close by eating happily...45min flew by and I was surprised to see I ate everything. Don't be discouraged by it's outside appearance and timing, go in and try the food. Any meat lovers will not be disappointed.

Gravity Smokehouse - 2440 Cedar St Holt, MI 48842

Craig W:

The food here is very good. The service and staff are very friendly. I had the smoked sausage and cornbread and it was very good. The sausage was cooked perfectly with a nice mild Smokey flavor. My wife and son both had the bbq brisket nachos and they absolutely loved them. The gravity sauce makes everything taste better.

The Whistlepig BBQ - 501 N Cochran Ave Charlotte, MI 48813

Mae F:

The absolute best bbq EVER.... oh my gosh!!! The meat is smoked, hot dogs are grilled, all of the sides are homemade... They're only open Friday and Saturday, because they have jobs during the week too! Open at 11 and they close at 8pm or whenever they sell out! (They sell out quick) And their menu changes every week.
Some popular entrees.. pulled pork, brisket, baby back ribs, habanero bbq chicken, frankenswine Some popular sides.. homemade coleslaw(so creamy), grilled corn cakes, German potato salad, pepperjack pasta salad

517 BBQ - 427 E Oakland Ave Lansing, MI 48906

Sarah P:

I sent an inquiry about catering for 14 people at work and 517 BBQ responded quickly to my email. I had two requirements: the food needed to be delivered by 10:30am for our 1st shift lunch break and individually packaged to meet my company's policy of "no communal food" to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Their online catering menu said that this business wasn't available before noon but I got an awesome reply saying, "We've got you covered."

To keep things simple, I gave my team a choice of either a pork sandwich or chicken sandwich ($5.99) and choice of one side ($2.99). If they didn't want a sandwich, they could have a house salad with choice of meat ($8.99). The delivery fee was a super cheap $5 - can't beat that!

Everyone was happy with their meal. The salads had a huge helping of meat. The sandwiches were hearty with soft, fresh buns. All the side dishes were full to the container brim. Each person got a beverage but I just ordered water for everyone because I can't be too nice to my co-workers, otherwise they'll think I actually like them.

Saddleback BBQ - 1754 Central Park Dr Ste G2 Okemos, MI 48864

Mojo:

They've got the best baked beans on the planet and their brisket is tender!

Smokey Bones - 2401 Lake Lansing Road Lansing, MI 48912

Christa M:

Small-sized but good mixed drinks. Hubby and I had combo and smoke turkey platters. Delicious!

Vintage Cereals of The Battle Creek Food Company

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