Eight editions, seven champions, one runner-up who has finished second four years in a row. Rib King NYC™ started in 2016, came back in 2019 as a curated competition with NYC BBQ, moved to Snug Harbor on Staten Island for 2021 and 2022, and has lived at Industry City in Brooklyn since 2023. Every year below links to its recap.
2026 · recap
- Champion: Brothers Barbecue, Gavin, Jamie and Chris Farella (@brothersbarbecue)
- Runner-up: Smoke Sweats, Anthony Scerri (@smoke_sweats)
- Friends of Firefighters People’s Choice: Brothers Barbecue
- Where and when: Industry City, Brooklyn, Saturday, May 23, 2026
2025 · recap
- Champion: Empire BBQ, Vincent Mangual (@empire_bbq)
- Runner-up: Smoke Sweats, Anthony Scerri (@smoke_sweats)
- Friends of Firefighters People’s Choice: Brothers Barbecue
- Where and when: Industry City, Brooklyn, Saturday, May 24, 2025
2024 · recap
- Champion: Empire BBQ, Vincent Mangual (@empire_bbq)
- Runner-up: Smoke Sweats, Anthony Scerri (@smoke_sweats)
- Friends of Firefighters People’s Choice: Sands Jerk Hut, Darlene Lawrence
- Where and when: Industry City, Brooklyn, May 2024
2023 · recap
- Champion: Bear’s Smokehouse, Jose Perez (@bearssmokehouse)
- Runner-up: Smoke Sweats, Anthony Scerri (@smoke_sweats)
- Where and when: Industry City, Brooklyn, May 2023
2022 · recap
- Champion: SmoKing of Meats, Joe Musngi (@smokingofmeats)
- Runner-up: Bark Barbecue (@bark_barbecue) (third: Blue Smoke (@bluesmokenyc))
- Where and when: Snug Harbor, Staten Island, Saturday, May 28, 2022
2021 · recap
- Champion: Juicy Lucy BBQ, Richie Holmes (@juicylucybbq)
- Runner-up: Hindsight BBQ (@hindsightbbq)
- Where and when: Snug Harbor, Staten Island, at 5 Boro PicNYC, Saturday, May 29, 2021
2019 · recap
- Champion: Izzy’s Brooklyn Smokehouse, Izzy Eidelman (@izzysbbq)
- Runner-up: Kimchi Smoke, Robert Austin Cho (@kimchismoke)
- Friends of Firefighters People’s Choice: Gentle Giant Brewing Company
- Where and when: Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Thursday, May 30, 2019
2016
- Champion: Matt Fisher, then of Fletcher’s Brooklyn Barbecue
- Where and when: Brooklyn
Sources: NYC BBQ recaps 2019 to 2025, the organiser’s Instagram for 2026, and NYC BBQ’s 2019 preview for 2016. No 2020 edition was held.