Jessie Rae's BBQ

For a very long time, Las Vegas was a desert (figuratively) with regard to good BBQ. In the past five years or so, there's been a renaissance in extremely accomplished pit masters hanging their shingles here. Among them, it's hard to hold one in higher regard than Mike Moore of Jessie Rae's.

Some people judge a BBQ spot on the ribs, others on the pulled pork. Both of those are truly amazing here. But there's one BBQ item that won't tolerate any shortcuts: brisket. And the brisket at Jessie Rae's makes the versions you may find at certain chain restaurants seem like newspaper soaked in BBQ sauce.

Jessie Rae's also boasts a menu of fun and unique sandwiches. There's the eponymous "Jessie Rae": pulled pork on cloud-fluffy "Utani Bread" (basically Hokkaido Milk Bread). The "McDowell's" is a boneless rib-wich. And the "Household of Three" combines pork, brisket AND a hot link. And then there's the gargantuan "Fortress" -- a Vegas Golden Knights tribute consisting of a rack of ribs circled like a standing rib roast, and filled with fries, mac 'n cheese, one of the meats and a hot link.

While this Henderson location was the second to open, it began the sole operating Jessie Rae's, at least temporarily, when the Valley View location was damaged in a fire in June, 2023. There's no word yet on when that one may re-open.