I smelled smoke in a restaurant once. Then the fire dept showed up and watched it burn down.....

You want good BBQ you need to head south

With all the traveling I do, I've been able to hit many of the places of guys (and gals) that have participated or judged Pitmasters. Additionally, I always seek out "award" winning smoke houses in various cities that are not nationally recognized, but locally are well known. For me, I like sampling others stuff and compare to my own. Many of the places you can smell from a mile away - even after the pit is done. Like your son, in many of the places I am very underwhelmed. Judging is so subjective to personal preferences that the so called best is often just blah. There are some good BBQ places in WI, but I would do a little research to match up your preferences before going.

Now that summer is here and fairs will be in full swing, look up to see if they are hosting any cook-offs. I've competed in a few and came away impressed on how many great cooks are out there. If you follow Moe Cason's travels, I wouldn't pass an opportunity for his ribs. He taught me a lot about rendering and spicing up pork and I learned a lot of the sweet of sweet and tangy from Bohgarts' in St. Louis. But that's where its easy to be over-under whelmed. I (and my family) love the subtle sweet of apricot with the medium kick of cajun but don't like a strong after taste of bitter smoke. I've had judges on the same panel complain too sweet and can't taste the sweet and the same for the kick - way too strong and another says its too blah.

Good luck on finding the right one