Uncovering Montana's Best BBQ: Notorious P.I.G. Review, Menu, and Experience!

A good stretch of my early life was spent in Texas, where barbecue isn’t just food, it’s a language. You grow up thinking everyone speaks it. That smoky brisket, slow-cooked ribs, and sauce debates are part of the national vocabulary. It never occurred to me that some states might not get it. Montana, for all its rugged charm, didn’t seem to.

I lived here for two years before I realized I hadn’t seen a single BBQ joint. Not one. I had to trace it back to a trip I took years earlier to Missoula, before I ever imagined living here, before or after a Ray LaMontagne concert, I flew in to attend. That’s when I found it, The Notorious P.I.G.

It smelled right. That was the first thing. Smoke, spice, meat. The kind of aroma that makes you stop talking. The downtown location is simple—no frills, no fuss. The second spot, across from Larchmont Golf Course, is in an old Jiffy Lube. It’s out of the way. It’s worth the detour.

Owner Burke Holmes learned the craft at Bogart’s and Pappy’s Smokehouse in St. Louis, scrubbing dishes until they let him in on the secrets. What he built in Missoula isn’t just good, it’s exceptional. The menu reads like a love letter to American barbecue: Memphis-style ribs, Kansas City burnt ends, Texas brisket, and New York pastrami. But what makes it personal for me is the balance. I don’t eat pork, and most BBQ joints lean heavily into it. Notorious P.I.G. doesn’t. There’s turkey, brisket, tri-tip, sirloin, and chicken. Real options. Real care.

And the sauces—Sweet Cady’s House, Spicy Midas Touch, Caroline’s Vinegar—each one tuned to a different mood. They don’t overwhelm. They complement.

It’s not just the best barbecue I’ve had in Montana. It rivals the best I’ve had anywhere. Franklin Barbecue in Austin is included. The food is smoked daily, and when they sell out, they close. That’s how you know it’s real.

If you’re in Missoula, go. Bring friends. Order the brisket. Try the sauces. Sit in the old Jiffy Lube and let the smoke do its work. And know that sometimes, the best things aren’t where you expect them. They’re tucked into the mountains, waiting.