Where to get barbecue in Charleston: downtown and West Ashley

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Refreshed every three months.

Charleston’s barbecue is split between the peninsula and West Ashley. Three places on this list are downtown, on North Nassau, Williman and East Bay streets; three are in West Ashley, two of them on Savannah Highway; and one is on James Island.

How we made this list. The places come from OpenStreetMap records inside Charleston, the same data behind our local directory, checked against each place’s own website on Oct. 16, 2026. We added Bessinger’s BBQ, Lewis Barbecue and Swig & Swine because their own sites give Charleston addresses. We left out Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ on King Street, because its own website now lists only its Birmingham, Alabama, restaurant; Eastside Soul Food and Smoke N’ Brew, which have no website of their own to check; and Galpão Gaucho, a Brazilian steakhouse. Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ in the map data is Home Team BBQ downtown. The list is alphabetical. It is not a ranking or a recommendation, and nobody paid to be on it. Run one of these places? Write to us to correct your entry.

The list

The places

Bessinger’s BBQ on Savannah Highway in West Ashley serves slow-smoked pork, ribs, chicken and brisket with sandwiches, and calls its style Carolina barbecue. It is a family-friendly counter restaurant open every day.

Home Team BBQ has two Charleston restaurants, downtown on Williman Street and in West Ashley on Ashley River Road. Its menu is multi-regional Southern barbecue, including smoked chicken wings, ribs, pulled pork and brisket, and both locations seat first come, first served. The downtown restaurant has a 35-seat bar.

Lewis Barbecue on North Nassau Street serves Central Texas-style barbecue, its site says, with cold drinks. It also has restaurants in Atlanta and Greenville and does catering and events.

Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint on Highland Avenue on James Island is part of a chain that also has restaurants in Nashville, Birmingham and Louisville. Its staff come in at 5 a.m. to smoke barbecue for more than 20 hours over local hickory, the site says, and it hosts live music on Friday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m.

Poogan’s Smokehouse on East Bay Street is a Southern barbecue restaurant from the group behind Poogan’s Porch, with a second location in Summerville. It takes reservations through Resy and does catering and holiday meals.

Swig & Swine on Savannah Highway in West Ashley is a barbecue restaurant with other locations in Summerville and Moncks Corner. It is open every day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

More food lists

• Where to get wings, burgers and pizza
• Patios and outdoor dining
• All our where-to-eat lists
• Restaurant inspection scores
• Local business directory

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get barbecue in Charleston?

This list has seven places: Lewis Barbecue, Home Team BBQ and Poogan’s Smokehouse downtown, Bessinger’s BBQ, Swig & Swine and a second Home Team BBQ in West Ashley, and Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint on James Island.

Which Charleston barbecue places are open late?

Both Home Team BBQ locations are open to midnight daily, with the full menu to 10 p.m. and a late-night menu after that. Lewis Barbecue is open to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.

Where is there barbecue in West Ashley?

Bessinger’s BBQ is at 1602 Savannah Highway, Swig & Swine is at 1217 Savannah Highway and Home Team BBQ is at 1205 Ashley River Road. All three list hours to at least 9 p.m. daily.

Is there whole hog barbecue in Charleston?

Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint at 1622 Highland Ave. on James Island describes itself as a whole hog barbecue restaurant that smokes over hickory wood for more than 20 hours.