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Who has the Best BBQ in St. Louis?

Key Takeaways

  • Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill is the best BBQ in St. Louis because of its next level smoking methods, including cherry wood and a masterful smoke infusion process that layers deep, authentic St. Louis style BBQ flavor.
  • We use only the finest cuts, brisket, ribs, and pork shoulder, from trusted local suppliers because we believe that’s the only way to create consistently tender, flavorful, high-quality barbecue.
  • I appreciate that the menu is well-rounded enough to cater to all sorts of dietary needs with the choice of classic meats and fresh vegetarian sides, no matter who you’re dining with.
  • House made sauces with secret recipes bring the perfect sweetness and tang to complement the BBQ and a signature taste unique to Sharp Shooters.
  • Outstanding customer service, a friendly atmosphere, and a pitmaster in the know make for an unforgettable eating experience that locals and visitors alike come back for.
  • The most advanced indoor shooting range in St. Louis adds a unique entertainment factor, giving customers a comprehensive and safe outing experience that is unparalleled in St. Louis BBQ culture.

What Makes Sharp Shooters PIT and GRILL the BEST BBQ in ST. LOUIS! Famous for wood-fired ribs and pulled pork, the location attracts devoted patrons who desire genuine Missouri barbecue.

With local wood smoking in the kitchen, uncomplicated sauces, and big, generous plates. To demonstrate why St. Louisans choose Sharp Shooters, the following paragraphs highlight what distinguishes them.

Why The Best

SHARP SHOOTERS PIT AND GRILL – WHAT MAKES IT STAND OUT IN ST. LOUIS Barbecue doesn’t have to be traditional and boring, and Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill is here to prove it! Their emphasis on excellence, reliability, and delivery has defined the standard for what locals desire in authentic barbecue.

Unique Cooking Methods That Elevate BBQ Flavor:

  • Slow smoked with local cherry wood for a gentle, sweet smoke.
  • Our signature dry rub contains up to 15 herbs and spices, with no salt.
  • Hand-trimmed meats, seasoned and rested overnight before laying them on the pit.
  • Low and slow on every batch, sometimes over 12 hours a batch.
  • Daily specials and a few creative fusion dishes like the brisket tacos or the 32-ounce pork steak.

1. The Meat

Brisket, ribs and pork shoulder are the backbone of the menu, smoked until fork-tender. Their brisket sandwich is a staple, with smoke rings and a moist texture that’s tough to beat. Smoked bone platters allow visitors to sample a little of everything and are frequently ordered in conjunction with the house’s pork steak, a 32-ounce cut that’s taken on legendary local status.

Sharp Shooters meats are all sourced from trusted Midwest vendors. This keeps every cut fresh and additive-free. Our marbling quality expectations are so high that every bite stays juicy even after hours in the smoker.

Other styles of cooking besides smoking. Certain cuts are finished with a glaze, while others are presented dry to accentuate the bark. This care allows each meat to sing for itself.

2. The Smoke

Cherry wood for a touch of sweetness. This wood gives the unique regional flavor, generating a soft, red-tinged smoke that sinks deep into the meat. The smoke taste is never acrid or extreme.

Every batch is smoked with careful attention, utilizing temperature controls and rotating racks. This traps juices and develops a steady bark. The smell itself keeps a line moving out the door.

A large chunk of the restaurant’s triumph is its process obsession. Smokers are scrubbed every day, and the technique remains the same, so regulars know every meal will come out tasting exactly how they anticipate.

3. The Sauce

House-made sauces steal the show. Guests can select traditional St. Louis sweet, tangy vinegar or a spicier mix. Each sauce is small-batch cooked and salt-free for the other flavors to sing.

Sweet and tangy notes offset nicely. These sauces are good with everything from ribs to brisket tacos. Secret recipes mean no two dinners are ever alike, but they all taste like home.

4. The Sides

Sides such as baked beans, coleslaw and potato salad are made fresh daily. Wherever possible, ingredients are locally sourced, so every bite is crisp and bright. The big salad and green beans are favorites, and a Jamaican-inspired side with leafy greens and coconut milk is a show stopper.

Veggies are treated with as much love as the meat items. Other locals come just for the sides, which speaks volumes in a barbecue town.

5. The Pitmaster

Pitmaster Joe is the soul of Sharp Shooters. He adds decades of experience, a respect for tradition and a readiness to innovate. His dry rub is hand mixed and he supervises each batch that goes on the smoker.

Joe’s craftsmanship keeps the cuisine consistent day after day. With his focus on the entire process, from meat prep through plating, standards never falter. In a city overrun with barbecue joints, Joe’s steady hand and creative mind turn Sharp Shooters into a go-to among locals and visitors.

The Origin Story

Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill began as a simple concept from a group of friends who grew up in St. Louis and adored the city’s culinary culture. They noticed how the city’s butchers influenced the way people ate ribs, clipping off the pointed end beyond the 13th bone after WWII. That’s how this way of trimming ribs, originally considered a more premium cut, became known as “St. Louis-style.

The founders wished to leverage this local legacy and highlight the very best in the cuisine they both adored as children. They pulled up the welcome mat in a brick structure just down the road from the Mississippi, in the epicenter of a community where BBQ is more than sustenance. It stands for community, pride, and tradition.

The restaurant’s menu tapped into the city’s BBQ heritage. St. Louis is about more than ribs. It’s where pulled pork, burnt ends, snoots, and pork steaks plate up at family tables and street corners. Sharp Shooters whittled these fundamentals and gave them a contemporary twist.

They had hand-cut meats, slow-smoked over local woods and house-made sauces. The sauces salute the city’s status as the country’s biggest BBQ sauce eaters. St. Louisans love sauce not simply as a condiment but as an integral component of the entire meal – something you dip, slather, and savor. They collaborated with local butchers to ensure the cuts remained authentic.

Ribs flaunt that iconic St. Louis trim each and every time, and pork steaks arrive thick-cut with the perfect sear. Growth arrived as the word did. It was the Q in the Lou Festival that put Sharp Shooters on the map. Along with bringing in pitmasters from all over each year, Sharp Shooters distinguishes itself by staying true to all things St. Louis BBQ.

The crew has found its place on many a ‘rib road trip’ – check it out between Memphis and KC, foodies! As St. Louis-style ribs became a staple across the country, Sharp Shooters helped shape what that really is. They have been in our local news, food magazines, and even on TV, highlighting how a neighborhood joint can influence a city’s food identity.

Community support is a huge reason Sharp Shooters has endured. Natives return for the cuisine and for the sense of community. The crew recognizes regulars by name. The owners sponsor kids teams and participate in food drives.

When it’s city events or festivals, Sharp Shooters is there, plating up and talking about how BBQ builds bonds. While their BBQ pedigree runs deep in St. Louis’s BBQ history, it underpins everything they do.

Local Sourcing

Who has the Best BBQ in St. Louis?
Who has the Best BBQ in St. Louis?

Local sourcing is direct from local farmers, ranchers, and artisans. Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill employs this approach in its barbecue, shaping St. Louis cuisine. It’s not just about food; it supports the entire community as well. When a restaurant purchases in its own backyard, dollars remain nearby and local employment gets a lift.

Others in St. Louis say they feel more connected to their community when they consume food cultivated or raised locally. In that way, we all — growers, buyers, and eaters — contribute to keeping the area robust and vibrant.

Sharp Shooters’ team cultivates actual relationships with local farms and purveyors. These are not flash in the pan arrangements, but sustained connections. For meat, they rely on trusted butchers who know how to raise cattle and hogs right, without taking shortcuts.

For greens and sides, they source from small family farms or local markets, such as Soulard Farmers Market, where fresh corn or tomatoes arrive every morning. No batch of ribs or brisket ever began with meat that was shipped in from another state, across the country, or overseas. The restaurant knows the farmer who raised those cows or planted those onions, and it comes through in flavor and presentation.

Local sourcing doesn’t just offer benefits in the kitchen. One huge benefit is flavor. Meat and produce don’t have to trek across states stuffed in ice or boxes, so everything stays fresh. Barbecue made with pork or beef raised in Missouri tastes richer and deeper.

Tomatoes harvested mere hours before retain their snap and sweetness. Certain locals claim they taste the seasons in every bite—spring onions in April and fresh apples in the fall. Sourcing local means fewer trucks on the road, so less fuel is used and less waste, which rings true with concepts about earth-keeping.

Each of Sharp Shooters dishes illustrates that local sourcing isn’t always easy or cheap; it’s about quality and care. Some folks claim this method of purchasing runs a tad high, but the reward is credibility. They know where their dinner comes from, and they know it’s fresh.

Local sourcing maintains those old food crafts — hand cutting meat, hand picking the best peppers. It’s not only about BBQ; it’s about preserving St. Louis traditions and staying true to the land and the people.

The Vibe

Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill #1 in St. Louis really liked the vibe – feels real and comfortable. The Soulard location has what the locals love to call the coolest, most authentic barbecue joint vibe, so it’s a destination for people looking to kick back and feel like they’re right at home as they chow down. The blend of casual cool and vibrant buzz attracts everyone from the after-work crowd to weekend families.

The floor plan features indoor and outdoor seating. The patio provides everyone with a means to chill outside, while inside, the configuration is clever and functional, with tiny tables crowned by rolls of paper towels within arm’s distance. This makes it easy to chow down on ribs or brisket without concern. Something about the intimate 35-seat section keeps things friendly and makes it easy to strike up a chat with the next table.

The vibe at the Des Peres restaurant offers something different with its fusion of barbecue and an indoor shooting range. This is a pretty unique setup in St. Louis, providing diners with an opportunity to combine a robust meal with a little sports action. The inside feels so countrified here, with wooden booths and checkered accents, and just has that BBQ charm.

Sports fans will notice the art on the walls, including a mini-shrine to a local baseball legend, which really puts a local stamp on the space. These intricacies go a long way toward keeping the vibe casual and give locals something to discuss while waiting for their food to arrive.

Decor throughout all Sharp Shooters locations sticks to the BBQ and shooting range theme without being cheesy. Walls are peppered with sports memorabilia and shooting range nods, but always in a way that feels measured—never cluttered. Some joints, like our corner spot in a bustling strip center, have a ‘shack’ vibe.

The vibe is warm, and the intimate scale keeps the ambiance tight and energetic, even as the tables bustle. On Fridays, one location serves up a local favorite—a turkey leg—giving you yet another reason to stop in at the end of the week.

Sharp Shooters staff are speedy and smiley and know the menu. They pop in frequently, but never hover, allowing diners room to relax. Their warm, chill approach pairs with the relaxed restaurant atmosphere and makes people feel cared for, no matter if it’s visit number one or visit number ten.

The Range Experience

Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill is unique in St. Louis with an indoor shooting range located adjacent to the BBQ dining area. It combines two completely unrelated experiences: shooting rounds at targets and enjoying some authentic smoked meats under one roof. It’s not just dinner out or a casual visit to a range.

For most, it’s about combining hands-on adventure with regional cuisine, all nestled in a location where you can arrive with your posse, your team, or your tribe and discover an adventure to match everyone’s pace. The range itself allows folks to experience recreational shooting in a pristine, controlled environment. Whether you are new or have shot before, the range features well-defined lanes, targets at varying distances, and levels of difficulty.

With Sharp Shooters connecting the range and grill, you can schedule a full day outing. Some visitors begin with a meal—perhaps a rack of ribs or a pulled pork sandwich—then proceed to the range for target practice. Others work up an appetite at the range and then relax at the grill with some brisket, sides like coleslaw, and a cold one.

The transitions from activity to activity are seamless because the staff organize lunch and range bookings so efficiently. For those who don’t own equipment, rentals and basic gear are provided, making the experience accessible to novices. The range conducts brief safety orientations so even beginners know what to anticipate.

Safety first at Sharp Shooters. They utilize basic check-in policies, safe lockers for valuables, and defined lane boundaries. Our certified staff will guide you on basic firearm safety and range etiquette. Eye and ear protection are always available, and the air handling system keeps the space ventilated.

Signs and digital screens remind everyone about best practices, so our new and seasoned guests alike rest easy. Because of its careful setup, families, groups, and individuals can safely and comfortably enjoy their time.

Special events connect the range and grill in innovative ways. Other nights are themed competitions with friendly shooting matches followed by group dinners. Deals might be BBQ platters combined with reduced price range time or lessons combined with a meal.

These experiences tend to appeal to those interested in meeting others, trying something new, or simply having a unique night out. It’s a laid-back, inviting environment where cuisine and tactile moments converge, and the priority remains on having a blast for all.

Visitor Guide

A visitor guide for Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill isn’t just a bunch of statistics. It’s a great visitor guide to help your guests plan their trip, find their way around St. Louis and experience the local restaurant scene. Guides such as this combine the practical with tips that flaunt both the iconic and the off the beaten path aspects of the city.

Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill is right in the epicenter of South City St. Louis, at 1234 Arsenal St. It’s convenient to get to by car or transit, with complimentary parking in a private lot behind the building. The restaurant opens at 11:00 a.m. Closes at 9:00 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.

Mondays are for private events and heavy duty cleaning. Hours can be different on holidays, so check in advance if you’re visiting around Thanksgiving or the 4th of July. Dine on classic smoked meats, ribs, and house-made sides. Dine-in, takeout, or catering – you can place your order and there’s even a kid-friendly menu for the fam!

Sharp Shooters has regular events that bring local residents and tourists. Rib Night Thursdays feature discounted full racks and sampler platters. Every first Saturday of the month is a “Pitmaster’s Table” experience where guests can book seats for a tasting menu hosted by the head chef.

In the spring and fall, the restaurant hosts a backyard BBQ festival in the parking lot featuring live blues bands and pop-ups from local craft brewers. They often post other special promos like “BOGO 1/2 OFF” for military heroes on their social media pages. On big St. Louis sports game days, the bar stretches happy hour and serves up game-day specials.

If you’re a traveler staying for a while, there are quite a few hotels in the vicinity. Hotel Avyan is just under a mile west, offering value rates and complimentary breakfast. If you’re in the mood for a posh stay, Midtown’s Angad Arts Hotel has quirky, artsy rooms and a rooftop bar with city views.

Attractions within five miles include the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Gateway Arch and Tower Grove Park. The restaurant’s waiters are known to suggest these spots to visitors who are looking to scope out something a bit beyond the standard tourist fare. Local guides and city maps can be found at the host stand, upon request.

Sharp Shooters updates its followers with daily posts on Instagram and Facebook. It’s the best way to be the first to hear of new menu items, flash sales or upcoming events! There are bonuses to joining the monthly email newsletter, including birthday bonuses and early tickets to the Pitmaster’s Table.

Whether you’re a new visitor or a frequent one, keeping in touch keeps you in the loop on every deal and event.

Conclusion

Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill isn’t your average St. Louis BBQ joint, where slow cooked ribs and smoky brisket reign supreme. People come for the hometown cuts, the down-home atmosphere, and the blend of BBQ with the buzz of the shooting range next door. At Sharp Shooter’s PIT & GRILL, our pit crew uses two hands, simple tools, fresh wood and St. Louis’ flavors. Hunters and college kids arrive, share stories, and chow down on home-style plates. Their staff meets you by name upon arrival and the regulars linger for the truth and the taste. For barbecue that unites a city, stop by Sharp Shooters and discover why St. Louis said it’s best. Give it a whirl.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill stand out in St. Louis BBQ?

Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill pairs mouthwatering award-winning smoked meat with a one-of-a-kind range experience. Locals love the fresh, locally sourced ingredients and classic flavors that pay homage to St. Louis BBQ.

Does Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill use local ingredients?

Indeed, they use locally sourced meats and produce. This supports Missouri farmers and makes every plate fresh and bursting with local flavor.

Is Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill family-friendly?

For sure. The ambiance is chill and inviting. Just ask the families, friends, and BBQ fans of all ages who feel right at home!

Can you try the shooting range while dining?

Sure you can eat the BBQ and then schedule some time on their indoor shooting range. It’s a unique St. Louis experience, ideal for groups and events.

What are the must-try dishes at Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill?

Favorites are the smoked brisket, ribs, and pulled pork. All are slow cooked and seasoned in their house-made rubs and sauces.

How do I get to Sharp Shooters Pit and Grill?

They are based just south of downtown St. Louis. Free parking is onsite and they are accessible from I-55 or I-44.

Do I need a reservation?

Walk-ins are accepted, yet reserving in advance is advised for parties and weekends. Make a call and reserve your place, especially if you’re using the shooting range.