Brisket is a staple at many barbecue restaurants, though rising beef prices recently led one Texas eatery to take it off the menu, prompting debate. The cut comes from a cow’s breast or lower chest, and Americans consumed an average of about 58.5 pounds of beef per person in 2025, according to the USDA.
A recent roundup of barbecue restaurants highlighted five chains known for their brisket, with choices spanning New York, Florida, and Oklahoma. The selections considered factors such as smoking methods, tenderness, flavor, and diners’ experiences.
Mission BBQ
Mission BBQ opened in 2011 and has built its identity around honoring people who serve the country. Its dining rooms feature patriotic displays, and some locations hold a daily salute to the American flag.
The chain offers oak-smoked brisket sliced or chopped, including in sandwiches. Other menu options include pulled pork and chicken, baby back ribs, smoked chicken, and sausage in classic and jalapeño-cheese varieties. Smaller appetites can opt for brisket sliders.
Mission BBQ has locations in 24 states and says it focuses on fresh ingredients. The restaurants do not use freezers or microwaves, according to the company.
4 Rivers Smokehouse
John Rivers developed a taste for brisket while traveling in Texas, then opened the first 4 Rivers Smokehouse in Winter Park, Florida, in 2009. The chain ages its brisket for 30 days, applies a spice rub, and smokes it for about 18 hours.
The restaurant describes brisket as a dish that takes patience and care to get right, and says it’s an important part of the business. Diners can order it sliced, in a sandwich or bowl, or as a topping on the Smoke Stack burger.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que began in 1983 as a concession stand serving motorcyclists at the Harley Rendezvous in Albany, New York. John Stage started the business with two partners, one of whom was nicknamed Dino. The chain now has restaurants in five New York cities.
Its brisket is made with USDA Prime beef, aged for 30 days, smoked fresh each day over oak and hickory, then sliced by hand. Because the meat is cooked low and slow, the restaurants warn that they may run out. Brisket is available on its own, in sandwiches, and in combination plates. Other menu choices include pork belly sliders, fried green tomatoes, a shrimp boil, and barbecue chopped salad.
Billy Sims BBQ
Former Detroit Lions running back and 1978 Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims opened the first Billy Sims BBQ with business partner Jeff Jackson in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2004. The chain has since grown to more than 30 locations across six states.
Brisket is smoked slowly over pecan wood and served chopped or sliced, in sandwiches, or in tacos. A brisket plate comes with two sides, Texas toast, pickles, onions, and barbecue sauce. Diners can also buy brisket and other smoked meats by the pound.
Sonny’s BBQ
Sonny’s BBQ opened in Gainesville, Florida, in 1968 and now operates in eight states. The chain trains aspiring pit masters through its P.I.T. Academy program.
Brisket is smoked in-house every day and can be ordered on a sandwich, added to a salad, or served over tater tots. One diner reviewing the restaurant praised its smoked wings, brisket, and baby back ribs for being moist and tender.
