The Top 50 BBQ Joints In Texas

[DaHorns]

Texas Monthly came out with their BBQ review for "The Top 50 BBQ Joints In Texas". Here you go, enjoy!! Majority of this list in in alphabetical order of location.

Name - Location - Source Of Heat
Snow's BBQ - Lexington - Wood (Rated #1)
Kreuz Market - Lackhart - Wood
Harolds Pit Bar-B-Q - Abilene - Wood
Cripple Creek B-B-Q - Athens - Wood
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Austin - Gas/Electric
Mann's Smokehouse Bar-B-Q - Austin - Gas/Electric
Willy Ray's Bar-B-Q - Beaumont - Wood
Schoepf's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que - Belton - Wood
Bertram Smoke Haus - Bertram - Wood
Coleman's Barbecue - Clarksville - Wood
Thompson's BBQ - Crockett - Gas/Electric
Baker's Ribs - Dallas - Wood
Smitty's Market - Lockhart - Wood
City Market - Luling - Wood
TC's Ponderosa - Dickens - Gas/Electric
Austin's BBQ And Catering - Eagle Lake - Wood
Vincek's Smokehouse - East Bernard - Wood
Bubba's Bar-B-Q - Ennis - Wood
McMillan's Bar-B-Q - Fannin - Wood
Cousin's Barbecue - Ft. Worth - Wood
City Meat Market - Giddings - Wood
Smokey Joe's Bar-B-Que & Grill - Harlengin - Gas/Electric
McBee's Bar-B-Que - Hondo - Wood
Burns Bar-B-Que Cooking & Catering - Houston - Wood
Virgie's - Houston - Wood
Louie Mueller Barbeque - Taylor - Wood
New Zion Bar-B-Q - Huntsville - Wood
Stacy's - Jacksonville - Wood/Gas/Electric
Buzzies's Bar-B-Que - Kerrville - Wood
Country Tavern - Kilgore - Wood
Caroline's Quality & Quantity Bar-B-Que - Kountze - Wood
Big Daddy's Roadhouse BBQ - Lavon - Wood
Casstevens Cash & Carry - Lillian - Wood
Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que - Llano - Wood
Wild Blue B.B.Q. - Los Fresnos - Gas/Electric
Tom & Bingo's Hickory Pit Bar-B-Que - Lubbock - Wood
Luling Bar-B-Que - Luling - Wood
Whup's Boomerang Bar-B-Que - Marlin - Wood
Pappy's Bar BQ - Monahans - Wood
Van's Bar-B-Que - Oakville - Wood
Baby J's Bar-B-Que & Fish - Palestine - Wood
Scholl Bros. Bar-B-Que - Paris - Gas/Electric
hashknife On The Chisholm - Peadenville - Gas/Electric
Cowpokes Texas-Style Bar-B-Que - Pearsall - Wood
The Smokehouse - San Antonio - Wood
Longhorn Cattle Company & Steak Restaurant - San Benito - Gas Electric
OO Smokehouse - Sherman - Wood
Opie's Barbecue - Spicewood - Wood
Taylor Cafe - Taylor - Wood
Stanley's Famous Pit Bar-B-Que - Tyler - Wood


Honorable Mention:
Beans N Things - Amarillo
Hard Eight Pit Bar-B-Que - Brady
Baby Back Shak - Dallas
The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que - Driftwood
Willie B's Bar B.Q. - Edinburg
Novosad's B-B-Q & Sausage Market - Hallettsville
Longhorn Barbeque - Hebronville
Goode Company Texas Bar-B-Q - Houston
McBee's B-B-Q - Jourdanton
Carter's Bar-B-Que - Longview
The Pit Bar-B-Que Texas-Style - Magnolia
Cooper's Pit Bar-B-Que - Mason
Lone Star Bar-B-Q - McAllen
McBee's Bar-B-Q - Pleasanton
Joe Cotten's Barbecue - Robstown
Fuschak's Pit Bar-B-Que - San Marcos (YUCK)
Zimmerhanzel's BBQ - Smithville
Hard Eight Pit Bar-B-Que - Stephenville
Big Boys Barbeque - Sweetwater

Do you have any experience with any of these places? Tell us your impressions. I haven't heard of the one's in Austin, gonna have to find them and give them a go.

[bowhnter]

I have not been to any of these places, but it's a good list to have for any travelers.

[Gator]

Texas Monthly came out with their BBQ review for "The Top 50 BBQ Joints In Texas". Here you go, enjoy!! Majority of this list in in alphabetical order of location.

Name - Location - Source Of Heat
Snow's BBQ - Lexington - Wood (Rated #1)
Kreuz Market - Lackhart - Wood - I have to agree, one of the best.
Harolds Pit Bar-B-Q - Abilene - Wood
Cripple Creek B-B-Q - Athens - Wood Not even close to the top, but good.
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Austin - Gas/Electric
Mann's Smokehouse Bar-B-Q - Austin - Gas/Electric
Willy Ray's Bar-B-Q - Beaumont - Wood
Schoepf's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que - Belton - Wood
Bertram Smoke Haus - Bertram - Wood
Coleman's Barbecue - Clarksville - Wood
Thompson's BBQ - Crockett - Gas/Electric
Baker's Ribs - Dallas - Wood
Smitty's Market - Lockhart - Wood I have had great and so-so here.
City Market - Luling - Wood Top notch.
TC's Ponderosa - Dickens - Gas/Electric
Austin's BBQ And Catering - Eagle Lake - Wood
Vincek's Smokehouse - East Bernard - Wood
Bubba's Bar-B-Q - Ennis - Wood ?? Its just ok for me.
McMillan's Bar-B-Q - Fannin - Wood
Cousin's Barbecue - Ft. Worth - Wood
City Meat Market - Giddings - Wood
Smokey Joe's Bar-B-Que & Grill - Harlengin - Gas/Electric
McBee's Bar-B-Que - Hondo - Wood
Burns Bar-B-Que Cooking & Catering - Houston - Wood
Virgie's - Houston - Wood
Louie Mueller Barbeque - Taylor - Wood
New Zion Bar-B-Q - Huntsville - Wood
Stacy's - Jacksonville - Wood/Gas/Electric
Buzzies's Bar-B-Que - Kerrville - Wood
Country Tavern - Kilgore - Wood Excellent Reebs!
Caroline's Quality & Quantity Bar-B-Que - Kountze - Wood
Big Daddy's Roadhouse BBQ - Lavon - Wood
Casstevens Cash & Carry - Lillian - Wood
Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que - Llano - Wood #1 brisket for me.
Wild Blue B.B.Q. - Los Fresnos - Gas/Electric
Tom & Bingo's Hickory Pit Bar-B-Que - Lubbock - Wood
Luling Bar-B-Que - Luling - Wood
Whup's Boomerang Bar-B-Que - Marlin - Wood
Pappy's Bar BQ - Monahans - Wood
Van's Bar-B-Que - Oakville - Wood
Baby J's Bar-B-Que & Fish - Palestine - Wood
Scholl Bros. Bar-B-Que - Paris - Gas/Electric
hashknife On The Chisholm - Peadenville - Gas/Electric
Cowpokes Texas-Style Bar-B-Que - Pearsall - Wood
The Smokehouse - San Antonio - Wood
Longhorn Cattle Company & Steak Restaurant - San Benito - Gas Electric
OO Smokehouse - Sherman - Wood
Opie's Barbecue - Spicewood - Wood
Taylor Cafe - Taylor - Wood
Stanley's Famous Pit Bar-B-Que - Tyler - Wood Good stuff.


Honorable Mention:
Beans N Things - Amarillo
Hard Eight Pit Bar-B-Que - Brady
Baby Back Shak - Dallas
The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que - Driftwood Good stuff.
Willie B's Bar B.Q. - Edinburg
Novosad's B-B-Q & Sausage Market - Hallettsville
Longhorn Barbeque - Hebronville
Goode Company Texas Bar-B-Q - Houston
McBee's B-B-Q - Jourdanton
Carter's Bar-B-Que - Longview
The Pit Bar-B-Que Texas-Style - Magnolia
Cooper's Pit Bar-B-Que - Mason
Lone Star Bar-B-Q - McAllen
McBee's Bar-B-Q - Pleasanton
Joe Cotten's Barbecue - Robstown
Fuschak's Pit Bar-B-Que - San Marcos (YUCK)
Zimmerhanzel's BBQ - Smithville
Hard Eight Pit Bar-B-Que - Stephenville
Big Boys Barbeque - Sweetwater

Do you have any experience with any of these places? Tell us your impressions. I haven't heard of the one's in Austin, gonna have to find them and give them a go.

I would like to know how they did the rankings on this...

[nascarchuck]

Name - Location - Source Of Heat

Cousin's Barbecue - Ft. Worth - Wood

Honorable Mention:

Joe Cotten's Barbecue - Robstown

Only been to these two. Both are really good. I haven't been to Joe Cottens in 15 years or more because it 8 hours away, but I eat at Cousins every now and again. The Q and sides at Cousins consistently good (McCart and Bryant Irvin locations).

I wonder why the popular places in the DFW didn't make the list? These are supossed to be the best Q joints and they didn't make the list!

Hope to hit some of the others some day...

[DaHorns]

Name - Location - Source Of Heat

Kreuz Market - Lackhart - Wood
Schoepf's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que - Belton - Wood
Bertram Smoke Haus - Bertram - Wood
Smitty's Market - Lockhart - Wood
City Market - Luling - Wood
City Meat Market - Giddings - Wood
Louie Mueller Barbeque - Taylor - Wood
Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que - Llano - Wood

Honorable Mention:
The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que - Driftwood
Goode Company Texas Bar-B-Q - Houston
Fuschak's Pit Bar-B-Que - San Marcos (YUCK)

These are the ones I have experience with all were pretty good, with the exception of Fuschak's in San Marcos it was pretty nasty and I don't know how it got on this list. I think the list is pretty good overall, you can tell it's not a "corporate list" like you see in other publications.

[JamesB]

Guess I need to get out more... Don't think I've been to any of these.

James.

[chilibbq]

nascarchuck, wondered the same thing Angelo's and Railhead not on the list. Seems strange. used to eat at cousins a lot in the 80's. Normally Angelo's now, not much eating but alot of drinking at the bar, Sat. 2 or3 times a month.

[Stan41]

The ones I have been to in order of my preference are:
Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que - Llano - Wood
Bertram Smoke Haus - Bertram - Wood
The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que - Driftwood
Cooper's Pit Bar-B-Que - Mason

The only one I can really recommend highly is Cooper's at Llano. There is a vast difference between Coopers at Llano and Coopers at Mason.
The others are just so-so
Stan41

[nascarchuck]

nascarchuck, wondered the same thing Angelo's and Railhead not on the list. Seems strange. used to eat at cousins a lot in the 80's. Normally Angelo's now, not much eating but alot of drinking at the bar, Sat. 2 or3 times a month.

I have been to Angelos once when I was a teenager. I didn't care for it back then. Don't know if it's changed. Never been to railhead.

I was just wonderin why those two along with another one or two popular joints didnt make the list. Not saying they deserved the list, but wondered why...

[JamesB]

Angelos is OK if your jonesin for a BBQ fix... Now I ain't never been to the Railhead over in Ft Worth, but if it was anything like the one on 121... well, they had good fries...

James.

[xxfubarxx]

Not trying to get off subject but one I tried last weekend...Spring Creek BBQ was horrible. Smelt like wood on the outside even had hickory stacked outside it. Think they used the wood for smell. The brisket was almost white like it had been steamed or boiled. ANyway, haven't had the pleasure of any of those on the list. But was wondering what the name of the place is called on the way to New Braunfels from Houston that has big signs, billboard type, posted on the side of the freeway. It's a German name if I remember right. Wanted to say Mikeskas but thats off of 59.

[txbbqman]

There is a Mikeskas on I-10, its in Columbus.....

[DaHorns]

Yep, txbbqman is correct. There are a few Mikeska's across Texas, I have been to the one on I-10 and the one in Temple. Nothing to write home about, in my opinion.

[txbbqman]

in regards to this top 50 list........ I have never been too or heard of Snow's before.. has anyone been there before?........ here r a few of many thoughts on the list.....

...... I think they were trying to find places they had never been listed before...... so lots of places that deserve to be in there didn't make it cuz they had already listed before.......

.....Smitty's, Kruez, City Market are still pretty much the best places.....

....Goode Company BBq is NOT a top 50 place and not worthy of honorable mention either... their brisket is not even close, now they have great sausage, but not enough.....

......Salt Lick not making the top 50 was incorrect.... but it seems like everyone is down on the Salt lick, like it cool to dislike it, maybe cuz it is such a popular place..... yea its not the best but its still turns out some awesome Q and gotta love that sauce....

[BigFrank]

Vinchek's is a good place if you are traveling east toward Houston. 90A is a nicer road than I10 and not subject to traffic jams on holidays.

I suspect that they were looking at brisket only otherwise how could they leave out the New Zion church in Huntsville? Great beef ribs east texas style.