Cross the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis, take Route 3 for a few minutes, and you’ll pass a small, RV park with shade trees, a pool, and a parking lot full of campers. Most people driving by have no idea that some of the best BBQ near St. Louis is sitting right there on the property.
It’s not a food truck. It’s not a pop-up. It’s a full, slow-smoked barbecue restaurant that just happens to share a driveway with a campground — and locals who know about it tend to keep coming back.
If you’re searching for BBQ near St. Louis and you’re tired of the same handful of downtown names everyone already recommends, this is worth the five-minute drive across the river.
A BBQ Near St. Louis That Locals Already Know About
4.4 Rating
127 Reviews
#1 out of 7
Part of the reason it flies under the radar is location. It sits on the grounds of Cahokia RV Parque, a small-town, campground that’s been operating since 1991 — so unless you’re camping there or you’ve heard about it from someone who has, it’s easy to miss. But that’s exactly why it’s worth knowing about: it’s the kind of BBQ near St. Louis that doesn’t need a line out the door or a downtown address to be good. It’s earned its reputation the old-fashioned way, one plate at a time.
What Makes the BBQ Worth the Drive
Sawmill BBQ sticks to the fundamentals: low-and-slow smoked meats, real wood smoke, and the kind of unhurried cooking that can’t be rushed or faked. If you’ve had BBQ that tastes like it was thrown together to check a box on a menu, this is the opposite of that. It’s the kind of place where the smoke smell hits you before you’re even out of the car — a good sign for anyone chasing real BBQ near St. Louis instead of a watered-down version of it.
Why Location Actually Matters for BBQ Near St. Louis
A lot of BBQ spots in the metro area require you to commit to a neighborhood or fight downtown parking. Sawmill BBQ has a different advantage: it sits minutes from the Gateway Arch, Busch Stadium, the St. Louis Zoo, the City Museum, and a handful of well-known local breweries — all without the hassle of parking a car (or an RV) in the middle of the city.
That makes it a natural stop for a few different kinds of people:
- Tourists staying downtown who want to see "the other side of the river" without planning a whole day around it
- Cardinals fans looking for a real meal before or after a game instead of another stadium concession line
- Travelers already staying nearby who don't want to drive back into the city just to eat
- Anyone who's decided that a good BBQ near St. Louis is worth a short detour
For guests who are staying at the campground itself, there’s also a shuttle that runs into downtown and out to a few other local attractions — so even without a car, getting back into the city afterward isn’t a problem.
The Question Everyone Asks: What Is a Must-Eat in St. Louis?
If you type this into Google, you’ll get a pretty consistent answer: toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake, provel-topped pizza, and St. Louis-style BBQ (often built around pork steaks rather than just ribs or brisket). These dishes show up on nearly every “what to eat in St. Louis” list for a reason — they’re regional staples that you genuinely can’t get the same way anywhere else.
But here’s the thing most of those lists don’t mention: you don’t have to stay inside city limits to get a legitimate answer to “what’s a must-eat in St. Louis.” Some of the most authentic, slow-smoked BBQ in the metro area is sitting just across the river, away from the tourist markup and the wait times. If you’re building a food itinerary around the classics, a stop at Sawmill BBQ covers the barbecue category — and does it without the crowds.
Tips for Visiting
A few practical notes if you’re planning a stop:
- Pair it with a day trip. It works well before or after a visit to the Zoo, a Cardinals game, or an afternoon downtown — especially since it's only minutes from the Arch.
- Come hungry, not rushed. Slow-smoked BBQ is, well, slow — that's part of what makes it good.
- It's on-site at a working RV park. Don't let that throw you off; the restaurant and the campground are two different, separately run businesses that simply share a location.
- If you're not local, plan the return trip. Whether you're driving back downtown or heading further out on I-55/64/70, it's an easy stop that doesn't add much time to a St. Louis visit.
For anyone considering turning this into more than a day trip — say, exploring St. Louis over a weekend without paying downtown lodging prices — the campground next door offers full-hookup RV sites and a shuttle into the city, which is worth a look if you’re already road-tripping through the area.
FAQs
What is a must-eat in St. Louis?
The most commonly recommended dishes are toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake, provel-topped pizza, and St. Louis-style BBQ, often centered on pork steaks. If you’re looking for real BBQ near St. Louis without the downtown crowds, Sawmill BBQ is a strong answer to that question.
Is there good BBQ near the Gateway Arch?
Yes. Sawmill BBQ is located just minutes from the Gateway Arch, across the river in Cahokia, Illinois, and is currently rated the #1 restaurant in Cahokia on Tripadvisor.
Where can I find BBQ near St. Louis that's not downtown?
Sawmill BBQ, located on Route 3 in Cahokia, Illinois, is one of the closest options just outside the city — about five minutes from the Arch by car.
The Bottom Line
St. Louis has no shortage of BBQ near St. Louis to choose from downtown. But if you want something that’s earned a genuine following without the tourist premium, it’s worth crossing the river. Sawmill BBQ has quietly built one of the best reputations in the area — and once you’ve had it, it’s hard to argue it isn’t one of the best-kept secrets in BBQ near St. Louis.
Come hungry. Bring the appetite you’d bring to any St. Louis classic. This one just happens to be a few minutes across the river.