“Owensboro's oldest pit, smoking mutton by the same family recipe since 1918.”
Order the chopped mutton sandwich with its deep, smoky punch, or a plate of off-the-pit mutton, pork, ribs, and chicken with burgoo on the side. Dine-in, carryout, and drive-thru are available; the kitchen runs seven days a week.
Know Before You Go
- Price
- Mid-range ($$)
- Don't miss
- Chopped Mutton Sandwich, Off-the-Pit Mutton Plate, and Burgoo
What to Order
Why It Stands Out
Founded in 1918 when Owensboro blacksmith Charles 'Pappy' Foreman started barbecuing mutton over a pit, it is the city's oldest barbecue restaurant and is now run by the sixth generation of the Foreman family. The slow hickory smoke and signature dip have not changed in more than a century.
Quick Facts
- Address
- 338 Washington Ave, Owensboro, KY 42301
- Phone
- (270) 926-9000
- Website
- www.oldhickorybarbq.com
- Price Range
- $$
Old Hickory Bar-B-Q — Frequently Asked Questions
What should I order at Old Hickory Bar-B-Q?
Regulars point to Chopped Mutton Sandwich, Off-the-Pit Mutton Plate, Burgoo, and Pork Ribs.
Is Old Hickory Bar-B-Q expensive?
Old Hickory Bar-B-Q is mid-range ($$).
What kind of barbecue does Old Hickory Bar-B-Q serve?
Old Hickory Bar-B-Q serves Western Kentucky barbecue — Western Kentucky barbecue is America's mutton country, centered on Owensboro, the self-proclaimed 'Barbecue Capital of the World' and home to the annual International Bar-B-Q Festival. Older sheep are slow-smoked over hickory coals in masonry pits until the dark, gamy meat turns tender, then chopped or sliced and mopped with a thin, tangy Worcestershire-and-vinegar black 'dip.' The other regional signature is burgoo, a thick, long-simmered stew of mutton and other meats with vegetables. Pork, chicken, and ribs round out the pits, but mutton and burgoo are what make this the most distinctive barbecue tradition in the country.