Bayport BBQ - Bayport, MN

My family was nice enough to take me out for some BBQ for Father's Day. I've been wanting to visit Bayport BBQ for quite some time, especially after they appeared on "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives" in 2015. They can be found at 328 5th Avenue North in Bayport, Minnesota.

The atmosphere is casual, as a BBQ joint should be. The food was served buffet style and included pork ribs, sausage, pulled pork and brisket (a rare item in Minnesota) with multiple sides like corn bread and cheesy potatoes.

I don't want to knock this place. It's family owned and they work hard. The bread is fresh and the lemonade is good. However, this is not a bread & lemonade establishment - it's all about the meat. A few of the meats were good, a few were so-so and one was terrible (ribs). Will I be back? This place is a one and done for me.

Smoque - Chicago, IL

One of the culinary hidden gems of Chicago has to be the BBQ restaurant called Smoque. This place has been featured on the TV show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," among others. I wanted to try as much of their food as I could. The photo below shows sausage, pulled pork, brisket, french fries and mac 'n cheese. You can find Smoque at 3800 North Pulaski Road in Chicago, Illinois as of August 2015.

Qfanatic BBQ - Champlin, MN

Qfanatic BBQ, located at 180 Miller Road in Champlin, Minnesota, was featured on the hit TV series "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives." The food isn't bad, but unfortunately BBQ isn't really a popular thing in Minnesota.

Smokey D's BBQ - Des Moines, IA

Every time I am in Des Moines, I make it a point to visit Smokey D's. I particularly enjoy going to their 5505 NW 2nd Street location (they have three different locations as of 2014) to see all of their major awards lining the walls. I snapped the photo below when I saw they had BOTH the Kingsford Cup AND the BBQ Pitmasters Grand Champion trophies, two of the biggest prizes in competition BBQ, side-by-side. There are other BBQ joints in Des Moines that put up billboards allong the interstate but it's all smoke in mirrors. Smokey D's is legit! Great service and amazing food keeps me coming back for more!

Bee Hive BBQ Oven - St. Louis Park, MN

This historic, early 20th Century BBQ oven can be found in Lilac Park in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Lockhart BBQ - Dallas, TX

These guys were featured on BBQ Pitmasters and their food was EXCELLENT!