Best Texas BBQ?

[Disastro]

I think I've found BBQ nirvana: Lockhart, Texas!

Went to Black's BBQ there last weekend and loved it! This is alledgedly Texas' oldest BBQ restaurant (est. 1932). Black's had great melt in your mouth brisket, all the sides you come to expect from such an establishment, small dining room with bottles of sauce on every table and great home made pies and cobbler.

Recommended for those passing through the area -- or looking for a nice weekend outing.

I also noticed a couple of other large BBQ palaces that I might try out on subsequent visits (Oh yeah...since I consider myself a BBQ connoseur (sp?) I'll be going back... )

[Heights2Bastrop]

Haven

[Disastro]

Haven't made it to Black's yet, but I thought Smitty's was pretty tasty. Their brisket was tasty and juicy, but they cut it with rather than across the grain. The sausage was superb as well.

Some of the worst BBQ I have ever had was at Kreuz there in Lockhart. I didn't like their attitude pertaining to BBQ sauce. They don't offer any because (and I whole heartedly agree) "good Q doesn't need sauce". Unfortunately, the Q at Kreuz needed all the help it could get.

The brisket was dry and not very flavorful. The ribs had a thick coating of pepper, but were passable. The sausage was dry and the skin very tough. Now, I can understand not always getting a good tasting serving. But when the food sux across the board, that speaks volumes for your quality. Sorry, Kreuz. You failed!

Crosstown BBQ in Elgin has my vote for the best all around BBQ in this area. However, I have yet to make it to Louie Muller's in Taylor, nor some of the other "Meccas" in the area.

I'll be sure to avoid Kreuz'...

I can't imagine Q without sauce. No matter how good the meat, I want da sauce! Too much pepper is not a good thing, I agree! Smitty's was next on my list...I saw that one when I was there in Lockhart.

I'll have to give Crosstown BBQ a try for sure!

[Mark F. Barnes]

Mt. Zion's Church in Huntsville, Tx - believe me it's worth the drive. Ask anybody in town they can point you to it.

Stubb's in Austin, TX- always a great place, great sauce

Haven't checked on it in a few years but there use to be a place on highway 60 just North of Lyons, Texas, just a hole in the wall called Mabert's, the sign read "Best damn Barbecue on Earth or any place else", believe me it was, had the best homemade Jalapeno Relish I ever tasted.

[sheeats]

You should check out Texas Monthly's recent article on the Top 50 barbeque joints in Texas. Two of the top 50 are in Houston; some other Houston establishments made honorable mention. But, as expected, the top places are in the country: Snow's BBQ in Lexington placed first. Runners up were in Lockhart (two joints here!), Luling and Taylor.

As for Houston barbeque, the Houston Chowhounds recently did a blind taste-off of five local places. Surprisingly, Pierson's BBQ -- a relatively-new restaurant off TC Jester -- took the top spot. Goode Co, which is always a favorite, didn't fare well at all. But I think that's because the taste test only included ribs and brisket, while Goode Co excels at turkey and wild game.

For my money, I really like Thelma's. The only problem is that they're pretty hateful and rude. I'm assuming it's because they know their BBQ is superior quality and they feel like they can cop whatever attitude they feel like copping. I suppose they're right to a certain extent, since I keep going back there even though they treat me and my friends (I'm not the only one!) like $hit.

[Heights2Bastrop]

I can't imagine Q without sauce. No matter how good the meat, I want da sauce!

Sauce is to great Q as catsup is to filet mignon.

You should check out Texas Monthly's recent article on the Top 50 barbeque joints in Texas.

You gotta remember, Texas Monthly is all about advertising, so I don

[Disastro]

Best I ever had in Houston was from J&J's (or JJ's) on Herkimer just off Shepherd, but they have been gone for quite a few years now.

DUDE!!! I remember that place from when I was kid...that place ROCKED!!!

Anyway, I am really digging all these great BBQ references from you peeps! I'll have to make a point of trying them all out...over time, of course...

I have to watch my boyish figure.

[lwood]

I think I've found BBQ nirvana: Lockhart, Texas!

Went to Black's BBQ there last weekend and loved it! This is alledgedly Texas' oldest BBQ restaurant (est. 1932). Black's had great melt in your mouth brisket, all the sides you come to expect from such an establishment, small dining room with bottles of sauce on every table and great home made pies and cobbler.

Recommended for those passing through the area -- or looking for a nice weekend outing.

I also noticed a couple of other large BBQ palaces that I might try out on subsequent visits (Oh yeah...since I consider myself a BBQ connoseur (sp?) I'll be going back... )

If you are on the north side of Houston, McKenzie's in Conroe is excellent. Half of the building is ba-b-que and half is hamburgers. Well worth the three minute drive off of I45.

[UNLV]

I think I've found BBQ nirvana: Lockhart, Texas!

Went to Black's BBQ there last weekend and loved it! This is alledgedly Texas' oldest BBQ restaurant (est. 1932). Black's had great melt in your mouth brisket, all the sides you come to expect from such an establishment, small dining room with bottles of sauce on every table and great home made pies and cobbler.

Recommended for those passing through the area -- or looking for a nice weekend outing.

I also noticed a couple of other large BBQ palaces that I might try out on subsequent visits (Oh yeah...since I consider myself a BBQ connoseur (sp?) I'll be going back... )

There is 2-3 BBQ restaurants in Beaumont much older. Tillmans and Patillo's as 2 examples.

[Talbot]

I like 529 bbq on F.M. 529 between eldridge and 290.

[Vertigo58]

Southside Market Barbecue in where else? drum roll please.......ELGIN, Texas! Yeahaaahhh! Let's all pile in an go!

We have been worshipping for generations!

History:

As the story is told, a man by the name of William J. Moon owned some property on a small farm-to-market road in Elgin back in 1882. The Moons slaughtered beef and pork and sold it house to house from the back of a wagon. This practice lasted until 1886 when the Moons set up a location in town on Central Street. The first Southside Market was born.

Records show that Lee Wilson took over the business in 1927. Wilson was in and out of business until the early 1940's. He sold Southside to Jerry Stach and Van Zimmerhanzel in 1944. The two men joined in various partnerships after purchasing the business, including a long-time partnership with Jerry's brother, Edwin. Eventually, Jerry bought out the other interests and ran the market for almost twenty-five years, selling it to Ernest and Rene Bracewell in 1968. Since that time, Southside Market has been managed by three generations of the Bracewell family, and it still sells the original Elgin Hot Sausage, which is made today just as it was in 1882.

http://www.southsidemarket.com/

[Heights2Bastrop]

I only went to Southside once. I thought their sausage was some of the best I ever had. Their brisket was OK, but, if I remember correctly, I thought it was probably normally better than what I had that day, but I don

[Vertigo58]

I only went to Southside once. I thought their sausage was some of the best I ever had. Their brisket was OK, but, if I remember correctly, I thought it was probably normally better than what I had that day, but I don't remember why.

Next time in Elgin I went to Crosstown and it was great

[swtsig]

Haven't made it to Black's yet, but I thought Smitty's was pretty tasty. Their brisket was tasty and juicy, but they cut it with rather than across the grain. The sausage was superb as well.

Some of the worst BBQ I have ever had was at Kreuz there in Lockhart. I didn't like their attitude pertaining to BBQ sauce. They don't offer any because (and I whole heartedly agree) "good Q doesn't need sauce". Unfortunately, the Q at Kreuz needed all the help it could get.

The brisket was dry and not very flavorful. The ribs had a thick coating of pepper, but were passable. The sausage was dry and the skin very tough. Now, I can understand not always getting a good tasting serving. But when the food sux across the board, that speaks volumes for your quality. Sorry, Kreuz. You failed!

Crosstown BBQ in Elgin has my vote for the best all around BBQ in this area. However, I have yet to make it to Louie Muller's in Taylor, nor some of the other "Meccas" in the area.

wait.... wha?

Kreuz's has long been considered one of the holiest of Texas BBQ meccas, consistently making the top 5 on Texas Monthly's list... it's up there with smitty's, city market in luling, and blacks. maybe it was a bad day or something, but i've never heard anyone walk out of there with such harsh criticism.

coopers in llano holds my top spot, but i've been told that their quality has taken a hit the past 2 years as it's become ever-more popular with the masses. but their brisket, ribs, sauasge, pinto beans, and potato salad are all some of the best i've ever had.

[brucesw]

The signs leading in to Lockhart proclaim Black's as the oldest bbq place in Texas owned by the same family; Kreuz is decades older.

Black's is best for brisket, sausage; it's City Market in Luling for ribs, sausage, brisket (NOT related to Luling City Market in Houston); Louis Mueller's in Taylor for sausage, also. Smitty's is owned by the sister of the owner of Kreuz and occupies the place Kreuz occupied for about a hundred years, but I've never been there since it's been Smitty's.

I've experienced the most inconsistency at Kreuz of all the places but never had anything as bad as described by Heights2Bastrop. They wouldn't have lasted as long as they have if that was their typical fare. I think it has to do with that huge facility and having to try to anticipate what kind of crowds they're going to have. Obviously they have a huge overhead they have to meet and the place isn't paid for. I don't recall those kinds of complaints in the old place.

There are different styles of bbq. The style in Central Texas is German/Czech butcher shop-smoked meats style, not slathered in sauce. If you've got to have sauce to call it bbq, you're wasting gas needlessly driving to Central Texas. I never touch it at any of the places except for a sip or 2 at Luling because it's so unique. Edgar Black resisted offering sauce for years and prepares his meats with nothing but salt, black pepper and post oak smoke and thinks that's the way they should be appreciated. But he'll take your money and let you drown it in sauce if you want (as I recall, they let you serve yourself the sauce). He'll also take your money for those mediocre sides, which he also resisted serving for years.

Central Texas style Q is all about the meat and rub and smoke, not the sauce or the sides.

[Heights2Bastrop]

Kreuz's has long been considered one of the holiest of Texas BBQ meccas, consistently making the top 5 on Texas Monthly's list... it's up there with smitty's, city market in luling, and blacks. maybe it was a bad day or something, but i've never heard anyone walk out of there with such harsh criticism.

I call

[brucesw]

Some sad news to report - Bobby Mueller of Louie Mueller in Taylor died unexpectedly over the weekend. His son plans to continue the business.

This link includes a link to the Austin American-Statesman story and a video interview with Mueller recently.

I thought Mueller's sausage was the best I've ever had anywhere but the ribs and brisket took second or third behind other's. Still, his stuff was better than anything I've ever had in Houston except possibly the ribs at Williams Smokehouse.

[WillowBend56]

I also vote for Cooper's in Llano as one of the best---at least 5 years ago.

[Rio Grande Valley]

Rudy's BBQ