Is this the best BBQ restaurant in SC in 2024? Southern Living says yes. Do you agree?

Don’t get your hackles up when you hear this news, but Southern Living says Henry’s Smokehouse in Greenville has the best barbecue in South Carolina.

Pretty heady company the 30-plus-year old restaurant is in, what with hundreds of barbecue places in one of the states that invented smoking pork for hours and slathering it with sauce — first vinegar and pepper along the coastal plains and then the more distinct South Carolina sauce, mustard.

The South Carolina Barbecue Association says there are two other types of sauce in the state, light and heavy tomato and Henry’s has them all and then some.

Southern Living acknowledges Henry’s outlier status, saying, “In a state filled with acclaimed barbecue joints, this year’s choice for South Carolina’s best is something of a sleeper, but it’s a very worthy pick.”

The magazine described Henry’s sandwiches as “splendid.”

Henry’s cooks pork butts for 12 hours over hickory coals and fine chops. Henry’s proclaims they have the “leanest butts in town.” Ribs are slow cooked for eight hours.

“The hand-cut fries are perhaps the best to be found in any Southern barbecue joint, and the meaty slabs of smoke-kissed ribs and a thick, rich version of South Carolina’s signature hash and rice round an impressive offering,” Southern Living said.

On its website, Henry’s says, “If you have ever had meat cooked long and hickory logs in the BBQ pit and experienced the fall-off-the-bone tenderness and the distinctive hickory flavor, you begin to understand why Henry’s Barbeque is becoming legendary.”

Hand pulled, of course.

Here’s what 10 Best says about Henry’s: “Henry’s is Greenville’s great equalizer, seating business and government types alongside guys in jeans and work boots. Such a response isn’t surprising when you sample the tender, succulent meat (and your choice of sauce) served with sides like baked beans, mac and cheese, fries, coleslaw, sweet potato casserole or hash and rice.”

Henry’s was also named one of the top four barbecue restaurants in South Carolina by ‘Food Network Magazine’ along with Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ in Charleston, Swig & Swine in Mount Pleasant and Roy’s Grille in Irmo.

One more thing. Henry’s will come to you. They offer catering on site with their food truck, aptly named Hog Hauler.