1. Georgia’s Eastside BBQ
192 Orchard St., nr. Houston St.; 212-253-6280
Alan Natkiel was born on a New Hampshire horse farm but went to college in Atlanta—hence the name (and culinary inspiration) of his snug Lower East Side spot.
2. Johnny Utah’s
25 W. 51st St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-265-8824
Rockefeller Center’s 6,000-square-foot subterranean Tex-Mex saloon has two former Blue Smoke cooks in the kitchen, smoked chorizo with pickled okra on the menu, and a mechanical bull out on the floor.
3. Southern Hospitality
1460 Second Ave., nr. 76th St.; 212-249-1001
Justin Timberlake might own a piece of this Memphis BBQ-inspired bar and restaurant, but its ultimate survival depends less on beefcake and more on St. Louis ribs and chicken-fried steak.