(FORTUNE Magazine) – Beef or pork? Slathered with sauce or dry-rubbed with spices? No matter how your ribs are prepared, gnawing the meat off the bone remains one of the most pleasantly primal eating experiences around.

--Ronald B. Lieber

ATLANTA Food Decor Service Cost Harold's Barbecue 22 9 17 $11 171 McDonough Blvd. S.E. 404-627-9268

CHICAGO Carson's Ribs 20 13 17 $22 Several locations

DALLAS Sonny Bryan's 22 11 15 $11 Several locations

HOUSTON Goode Co. Barbecue 23 18 18 $10 8911 Katy Frwy. 713-464-1901 5109 Kirby Dr. 713-522-2530

KANSAS CITY Jack Fiorella's Smoke Stack of Martin City 25 18 19 $14 13441 Holmes Rd. 816-942-9141

NEW YORK CITY Virgil's Real BBQ 19 14 16 $26 152 W. 44th St. 212-921-9494

0-9 poor to fair 10-19 good to very good 20-25 very good to excellent 26-30 extraordinary to perfection Cost reflects the estimated price of a dinner with one drink and tip.