Readers' Choice: Best Barbecue

Whether you call it bbq, que, bubba cue or just plain barbecue, it's all finger-lickin' good. In this week's Readers' Choice contest, we are looking for the "best barbecue" in town.

To some it may just be food, but to others it's a way of life.

Barbecue is not only a verb in South Carolina; it's also a noun. (i.e. I'm barbequing this weekend. or Barbecue is my first love.)

The debate over how to eat your barbecue, begins and ends with the sauce. Sauce preferences alone divide the state into three very distinct areas.

So are you red or yellow?

In the Upstate, it's a tomato-based sauce. In the Midlands, it's a mustard-based sauce. In the Lowcountry, it's a vinegar and pepper-based sauce.

Barbecue cooks slowly, either over hot coals or in a smoker, so while you are waiting on it to get done, check out a list of our favorite local barbecue shacks:

• Sweetgrass Cafe and BBQ

Vote for your favorite place in the poll below, and don't forget to tell us why in the comments section.

To ensure more accurate results, we have instituted a new way to determine winners, by using a voting system that awards points not only for straight poll votes, but also extra points for comments, and reviews and ratings on Patch Places. Reviews and ratings can be done by clicking on your favorite restaurant above.

Voting in the poll below is open until 9 a.m. Friday. We will announce the winner at noon Friday.

DISCLAIMER: Because this poll is not scientific, it is not the sole consideration in choosing a winner. The winner will be determined by the Patch editor, based on poll results, and reviews and ratings on Patch Places. Please vote only once per survey, per Patch. SEE NEW ATTACHED RULES.