Each year, we ask Orange County Register readers to choose their favorite places to shop, dine, play and do business in OC.<\/p>\n
Here are the top picks for Best barbecue restaurant:<\/p>\n
1. Lucille\u2019s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que<\/p>\n
Multiple locations; lucillesbbq.com<\/a><\/p>\n The 10 separate barbecue preparations for beef, chicken, pork and sausage are just the start of the culinary adventure at Lucille\u2019s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que. Pair those with nine sides and five premium sides, like bacon queso fries, and you get the idea this is more than a typical barbecue shack.<\/p>\n Add Southern specialties, like fried chicken in gravy or honey-glazed salmon, starters, desserts and specialty drinks and you\u2019re climbing into another level of dining.<\/p>\n However, undergirding it all is the \u201cauthentic, slow-smoked barbecue with genuine Southern hospitality\u201d according to Brad Hofman, president of Hofman Hospitality Group.<\/p>\n That was at the heart of the first restaurant when it was opened and remains true 27 years and 19 locations later.<\/p>\n Depending on the style of barbecue, meats are either hand-rubbed or marinated by pitmasters and set to cook over hickory, which you can view in on-site smokers.<\/p>\n Emblematic of the time-honored and time-consuming preparation of the Texas-Style Beef Brisket, \u201cWe slow-smoke it for up to 24 hours to achieve the tenderness, flavor and quality we\u2019re known for,\u201c Hofman stated. \u201cIt\u2019s a process that requires patience and dedication, and it\u2019s not something you can rush or cut corners on.\u201d<\/p>\n Patrons are also drawn to \u201cthe signature biscuits and apple butter and the variety of barbecue styles represented on the menu,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n Diners can flavor their meals with Lucille\u2019s special sauces: Memphis, BBQ and Hot and Spicy.<\/p>\n Also see: Best of Orange County 2026: See all the winners<\/a><\/p>\n 2. Heritage Barbecue<\/p>\n