Best Ribs Restaurants in St. Louis

Pappy's Smokehouse

Pappy's Smokehouse serves barbecue over-the-counter Memphis style. You can find this charming little smokehouse in Midtown St Louis near the Emerson Performance Center. They serve tender, delicious ribs in a half-slab and full-slab, depending on how hungry you are.  Ribs also come in The Big Ben combo, which is perfect for large groups that need a picnic-style meal to share. This includes a full slab of ribs, beef and pulled pork sandwiches, 1/4 a smoked chicken, and 4 sides.

Sides include baked beans, apple sauce, potato salad, vinegar slaw, green beans, fried corn on the cob, sweet potato fries,  and baked potatoes. There are only a few tables set up picnic style in the small dining table, but you're welcome to stay as long as you need to devour your barbecue. 

Roper's Ribs

Roper's Ribs is a historical family-owned rib place that St Louis locals have been frequenting for over 30 years. They are commonly called on to cater to the local universities. While you can get huge amounts of barbecue to go, the inside of the restaurant has hardly changed in the last three decades, as welcoming and friendly as it has always been with checkered-cloth tables and a friendly team.

Their ribs are prepared old-school with hand-rub and secret spice mixes that have made them a place of legend. They serve baby back, St Louis Ribs, and beef rib slabs or racks smothered in a sauce of your choice or enjoyed spiced and dry based on your personal tastes.

Smoke N Bones BBQ

With a name like Smoke N Bones, they've got to have ribs. Smoke N Bones BBQ near Wilmore Park is a great place for ribs and diverse other barbecue options. They serve half and full racks in delicious combo plates. You can get ribs for one with a dinner combo with a half rack and two sides or combo plates for 2, 3, and 4, which come with a full rack of ribs and a second or third meat and sides to share.

Their ribs are tender and delicious, but with less variety than a specialty ribs place like Roper's. There is a lot more space in the sunny dining room, including bar seating. They are particularly well known for their cheesy potatoes, the perfect meeting point between mac 'n' cheese and potato salad.

Sawmill BBQ

The Sawmill is a charming old-timey-themed place to get barbecue by the plate. You can find it conveniently close to the St Louis Downtown Airport if you're arriving or departing and need a good place for lunch. The portions are modest and so are the prices, so plan ahead if you want more to take home.

There are a lot of combo platters to choose from, including baby back ribs. They're one of the few places you can get a 1/3 rack for just the right amount of meat, in addition to 1/2 racks and full racks. In addition to the typical sides like potato salad and applesauce, they also have delicious corn nuggets, sweet potato fries, and mac 'n' cheese bites.

Boggart's Smokehouse

The very first thing on the Boggart's Smokehouse menu is ribs. They offer a half-slab, full-slab, or a 1/4 slab with a second meat. Every order of ribs is an automatic combo platter that comes with two sides so you can build your perfect Ribs meal with zero effort. All you have to do is order and dig in. If you come with a group, try the Old Joe Platter, which includes a full slab of ribs, 3 sandwiches, and 4 sides for an amazing BBQ picnic-style lunch or dinner.

This efficient little smokehouse can be found right next to Soulard Park and is a hotspot for sating the local daily barbecue craving. We love Boggart's for its simple and clean menu and absolute dedication to flavor and smoke quality. The ribs are always fall-off-the-bone tender and perfectly flavored every time.

Discover Great Ribs Anywhere in St Louis

What it really comes down to is that there are great ribs in every direction when you live in St Louis. It all starts from your St Louis apartment. Start your journey to amazing ribs at The District apartments. Contact us to learn about availability, floorplans, amenities, and more great local tips.