Kentucky restaurant named the most ‘worth it’ BBQ stop in the state

Cheapism made a list of barbecue restaurants across the United States most worth the trip, and one Kentucky BBQ joint made the lineup: Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn in Owensboro.

The site determined which restaurants made the list based on “recurring praise” from Google Reviews, Tripadvisor reviews and barbecue enthusiasts. Quality, portions, overall experience and of course, affordability were the main focus when assessing each restaurant.

The ranking site said the Western Kentucky restaurant, which is just under three hours from Lexington, earned a spot on the list because of its buffet and distinctive barbecue traditions. Working together as a team and treating everyone like family, is what makes the restaurant unique, said Patrick Bosley, co-owner of Moonlite.

“It takes all of you,” Bosley said. “It takes everybody working together as a team, so it begins at the beginning and keeps going through the whole process.” 

Moonlite Bar-B-Q was a small roadside barbecue joint and gas station operating out of a metal, single-car garage when it opened in 1949. The Bosley family took over the restaurant in 1963 and turned it into the heritage barbecue restaurant that stands in Owensboro today, according to Moonlite Bar-B-Q. Bosley said he is a part of the third generation of Bosleys to work at and now run the restaurant.

After more than 60 years, there has been a change of pace for the Bosleys, but never a change of heart. The sense of tradition recognized by Cheapism started in what might seem to be the most minute of details.

Bosley noted that many customers appreciate the restaurant’s buffet, their methods of selecting and smoking the meat, and the traditions passed down through generations.

The most important tradition, Bosley said, is one not seen on a menu or as part of the buffet lineup, but passed down to him by his grandfather. It is the notion of treating every person with dignity and respect.

“He always said, ‘If someone else can do your job, then we wouldn’t need you.’ Whatever it is,” Bosley said, “you matter.”