They call Arvada the Front Range’s smokehouse capital, and the scent of hickory and mesquite its unofficial welcome. Drive its sunbaked streets, and you’re in for the best barbecue pilgrimage you can take without heading to Texas—featuring fall-off-the-bone ribs, brisket with perfect bark, Carolina-style pulled pork, one hell of a burnt ends plate, and so much more. You don’t even need a smoker, just a stack of napkins and a hearty appetite.
Hong Kong BBQ
$ | (303) 937-9088 | WEBSITE
Arvada’s strip mall scene—in a space that was once something far less delicious—may be a long way from the bustling streets of Hong Kong. But inside this casual Cantonese spot, you might as well be dining in a Kowloon alley. Hong Kong BBQ’s expertly roasted Peking Duck, crisp as the paper-thin pancakes it’s served with, is some of the best we’ve tasted. Order the whole bird, with that crackling skin and soft steamed buns.
The friendly, fast-moving staff keeps things humming in the basic but functional dining room, where the real draw is the tender pork belly and that nostalgic pork-and-preserved-egg congee, perfect with a side of Chinese fried dough. It’s simple, delicious food at reasonable prices—just bring cash and maybe skip a trip to the bathroom.
Rolling Smoke BBQ – Wheat Ridge
$$ | (720) 749-5120 | WEBSITE
The Arvada barbecue scene wouldn’t be complete without this influential Wheat Ridge spot, opened in 2015 by former pitmaster Mike Johnson. At just a single laminated page, Rolling Smoke’s straightforward, meat-focused menu makes ordering easy, but you can’t go wrong with the particularly smoky and tender Redneck Cuban sandwich, any of the fall-off-the-bone ribs, or the creamy, comforting mac n cheese. The pulled pork sandwich is also a standout, with the pork being especially juicy and flavorful.
If you’re catching a game, grab a seat at the rustic wooden bar with exposed brick and flat-screen TVs. There’s a solid selection of local craft beers on tap, but you can also bring your own six-pack for a small cooler fee.
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
$ | (720) 769-5441 | WEBSITE
Doesn’t it feel good to find authentic comfort food in a strip mall? Take in the clean counters and bright lighting for a moment, then focus your attention on the neatly packaged treasure behind the counter. Open for lunch and dinner, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is a masterclass in friendly consistency, whether at noon or 7pm—when you might catch families grabbing affordable plates before soccer practice, or friends fresh from work, their appetites gradually awakening over BBQ mix combos.
Spam Musubi and BBQ chicken plates are strong choices here, as is anything with the magical fish combo.
GQue BBQ – Westminster
$ | (303) 379-9205 | WEBSITE
You’ll find the heart of Arvada’s BBQ scene deeper into Westminster, with a number of great smokehouses like GQue BBQ clustered together. But GQue BBQ, near this area, is worth a special trip too. You’ll feel at home among tables full of families, friends jockeying for the last bites of brisket, and staff who won’t hesitate to help you workshop your order. Bring a hungry group to take on the massive smoked turkey.
The turkey tastes as showstoppingly delicious as it looks: wonderfully tender, flavorful, and smoky. The mac and cheese and pulled pork sandwiches are incredible too, with the dining area always clean and the atmosphere lively with sports on TV. Each table has BBQ sauce bottles available, allowing you to indulge to your heart’s content. The catering for parties is superb, with food that holds up well in a buffet.
GQue is the best BBQ in Colorado, and you’re lucky to have it nearby for a quick bite or to pick up for dinner.
Cupbop – Korean BBQ in a Cup
$ | (720) 741-2408 | WEBSITE
Arvada might be the single most surprising spot for Korean BBQ in Colorado, if not the entire Front Range. More than a dozen variations are served here, and the location off Ralston Road has become a destination for great bulgogi, bibimbap, and potstickers, among many other dishes. But one place keeps us coming back, and not just because it’s affordable: the Korean restaurant Cupbop. Consider the divine pork bowl—steaming lid revealing a generous cloud of rice and spice—mandatory.
Cupbop’s counter is almost always busy, but we have never been happier to have such friendly service. (There’s also hope for a newer, larger location in Colorado Springs.)
Blue Sky Bistro
$ | (720) 628-5213 | WEBSITE
An airport lobby is not, broadly speaking, a place that stirs culinary excitement. But just inside the terminal doors, you’re in for a revelation of a barbecue meal at Blue Sky Bistro. At a patio table, under the vast Colorado sky with planes gliding in against mountain peaks (nature’s own spectacle), the Pork Green Chili—a symphony of smoky heat and texture, simultaneously rich and bright—could lift anyone’s spirits, even after the tedium of a long security line.
Maybe airport dining isn’t so bad after all. Maybe.
Riot BBQ
$$ | (303) 872-6862 | WEBSITE
When the city gets too predictable, you need a destination. Ideally, a destination where you can pretend you’re a Texas pitmaster in a rustic, sun-drenched patio with weathered wooden tables. This Arvada staple is one of our top recommendations for barbecue seekers, but it’s well worth a trip even for the most skeptical of food critics passing through Colorado. The sides are hit or miss, but the brisket will never fail you.
Neither will the superb, and varied, tap beer selection—perfectly chilled, as bold as you like, and accompanied with an almost too-generous portion of pit beans.
Ragin’ Hog BBQ
$ | (303) 859-6003 | WEBSITE
Drive through Sunnyside and stop when you see the welcoming red-and-white sign for Ragin’ Hog BBQ. This barbecue joint is probably the most satisfying place to refuel in Arvada. The melt-in-your-mouth pork, homemade coleslaw, and collard greens make for a great family-style meal, but Ragin’ Hog is perfect just for a quick overload sandwich, too.
Sample from their selection of real variety sauces—the tangy, slightly sweet house sauce stands out—or go full-send with a generous, meat-packed platter that leaves you happily stuffed.
Rock Rest Lodge
$ | (303) 216-2895 | WEBSITE
Every time we pull into that sprawling parking lot, we get a little giddy over the lively energy spilling out from bustling Rock Rest Lodge. This place makes us feel like a kid in an arcade, except instead of tokens, it’s game after pool table after pinball machine after dance floor of rowdy weekend fun. Start your night on a bar stool near the DJ booth, digging into an affordable plate of decent barbeque—washed down with as many drinks as you can handle—priced for a hungry group’s night out.
Brothers BBQ Catering
$ | (720) 297-7801 | WEBSITE
This catering service puts you in proximity to a number of worthy barbecue options in Arvada, but the best event catering in the area comes from the opposite side of the city. Brothers BBQ Catering is known for their delicious yet perfectly presented meals, meticulously prepared with attention to dietary needs. The team’s efficient, beautifully arranged setups—like those for graduation parties and wedding weekends—have a devoted following.
But we’re all in on their classic yet subtly elevated, extra-attentive service, praised for their friendliness and professionalism.
Franks Bar-B-Que
$ | (303) 893-9181 | WEBSITE
Don’t overthink it at Franks Bar-B-Que: Get the two-meat special with two sides, maybe some coleslaw and potato salad, in a clean, welcoming dining area. BBQ. (Unless you’re catering-bound—in which case, it’s brisket-o’clock.)
Blessed BBQ
$$ | (303) 882-4714 | WEBSITE
Arguably no stop along the Denver metro area represents a greater embarrassment of smoky, meaty riches than Arvada. And we’re confident that you won’t find anything like Blessed BBQ anywhere else. Inside this Target parking lot stand, among the cars and shopping carts, you’ll find the owner, a stand-up guy, slicing thick-cut brisket that melts in your mouth.
You can get yours served on a sandwich with the Holy Heat sauce that provides just the right amount of kick, or with sides like the stellar mac and cheese and pit beans that enhance the overall experience. Or better yet, get one of each.
Lot Que
$$ | (720) 949-0808 | WEBSITE
Lot Que is one of Arvada’s most beloved barbecue joints, the kind of place where you’d swear decades’ worth of hickory smoke and family memories linger in the air, along with the sweet scent of slow-cooked brisket. It’s perfect for a weekend feast, but don’t overlook the pleasures of a casual, spur-of-the-moment dinner here.
Pull off the main road, and wander into the rustic dining room for burnt ends so tender you’ll need to eat them with a fork, unless you don’t mind getting sauce on your shirt. Even at 6pm on a Wednesday, you’ll spot more than one family sharing a platter of turkey and beans.
Seasoned Swine BBQ
$ | (303) 802-6646 | WEBSITE
This stretch of Arvada’s dining scene is home to a number of great, long-time barbecue institutions like Hickory House and GQue BBQ. Of these, our favorite is Seasoned Swine BBQ—the only one to feature a beautiful, well-decorated upstairs space, and also the only one with a cherry chipotle barbecue sauce that’s a perfect mash-up of flavors.
Established with passion by a knowledgeable owner, and open for lunch and dinner, this cozy spot has a straightforward, smoke-focused menu ranging from ribs to burnt ends. When in doubt, go with some form of sizzling, well-smoked brisket. (Sorry, vegetarians.)
GQue BBQ – Lakewood
$ | (720) 524-3660 | WEBSITE
If you only saw the unassuming strip-mall exterior, you might miss Arvada’s premier Southern-style BBQ joint. Inside, GQue BBQ is a haven with the rich, smoky aroma of slow-cooked meats, and assertively tender yet comforting dishes like their signature sandwiches: generous portions of smoked meat piled high on soft buns. And yes, there’s a small on-site ice cream shop tucked near the back.
So far, we’ve been too full from the phenomenal mac and cheese to sample it, but this is our public promise to save room for a scoop on our next visit. And to extensively google how to make their Arnold Palmer first.
Mama Jo’s Chicken, Biscuits, BBQ
$$ | (303) 333-7627 | WEBSITE
On the streets of Arvada, tucked among the local shops, you’ll find Mama Jo’s Chicken, Biscuits, BBQ, a spot that feels like a backyard cookout. The space’s cozy atmosphere glows with string lights and quirky chicken pictures. The tender brisket is smoky and rich, and the pimento mac and cheese, creamy with a sharp bite, is absolutely to-die-for.
If the handful of tables inside gets crowded, don’t let that stop you—we’ve balanced our plates on a ledge by the door to savor those flaky biscuits, and we’re only a little embarrassed to confess it.
Piggin’ Out Smokehouse
$ | (303) 988-2749 | WEBSITE
It’s a pleasure to dig into Piggin’ Out Smokehouse’s hearty, deeply smoky barbecue wherever you can find it—now in Arvada and beyond—but we have a soft spot for the original location, where we swear the pulled pork is just a little more tender in that funky, rustic atmosphere. Don’t resist the comfort-food promise of the killer mashed potatoes, either, which are creamy and perfectly seasoned on the outside, yet wonderfully fluffy on the inside.
Then adjourn to the casual outdoor eating area on the very same property, to play a round of cornhole, accompanied by even more of that superb Carolina mustard sauce.
Kkoki Korean BBQ Denver
$$ | (303) 953-2422 | WEBSITE
It’s impossible to leave Kkoki Korean BBQ Denver without a smile when you’re surrounded by fantastic Korean barbecue—and by other diners also in great spirits, because they too made the wise choice of stopping into Kkoki. Let the friendly and attentive staff guide you to the excellent bulgogi or maybe the massive naengmyeon. The tteokbokki was great, too. (And while you’re already in this tasty section of Arvada, consider the seafood pancake, which was also delicious.)
Pit Fiend Barbecue
$ | (303) 955-7810 | WEBSITE
There’s plenty of barbecue in Arvada, but only one place that so convincingly channels a D&D tavern that you half-expect to roll for initiative when you walk in. At this lively, dungeon-themed spot with surprisingly fair prices (a pound of that outstanding brisket, $24), the friendly staff will hand you a tray of sauces inspired by monsters. They might even recommend pairing the smoky pork belly with the dragon’s breath hot sauce.
The tender pulled pork is a sure thing, and the mouth-watering mac and cheese is perfect for a feast, provided you have no quests afterwards that require a light touch.