Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas

I went to the Switch in Dripping Springs and the BBQ was top notch. Neither it or the Austin location made the Top 50. The original got an honorable mention. Pecan Lodge always put out good stuff and was a former no 2. It's now an honorable mention. I would still recommend it to anyone. I've been to Cattlelack's which was unbelievably good at least that day. I think it fully deserves a top 10. I think an "honorable mention" is almost as good as being on the list in terms of quality.
 
thedude9999 said:
Has Franklin gone downhill, or have the others gotten better than him?
Click to expand...


It's not that Franklin has slipped but there are lots of new places that are really innovative with their menu's and the new list praises that highly. So many new places are doing so much more than the Texas trinity for meats or just potato salad, beans and slaw. Lot's of the new places do the classics really well and then have a bunch of creative options on top of that.



I think overall the list was pretty good, no one is ever going to agree on anything so subjective. There are places i've been that didn't make the list that i think are better than places that did make it but that's just my opinion. It's a shame none of the lockhart places made the list, they are the reason there is a list to begin with.
 
I've never gotten to do the Texas BBQ Vacation, but I was lucky enough to be in Longview and have Bodacious on Mobberly when it was ranked #4 on the list in 2017. Unfortunately the pitmaster left and it isn't the same today. I was there again in July. I can only imagine how good the 'cue is in the other Top 10 joints.........
 
Franklin's BBQ posted the following on their Facebook Page today, very much a class act.

"Holy moly. @TexasMonthly put together a beautiful list of the Top 50 bbq joints in Texas. It was 8 years ago that we were named the No. 1 bbq joint in Texas. 4 years ago we were named number 2. And now we are named No. 7. Our pitmasters Jordan Jackson, Megan Nesland and Matthew Van Orden and the entire team are putting out some of the best food we have ever put out --so that leads us to believe that the bbq in this state has truly never been better. Congrats to all of the restaurants on this list. Creativity and tradition seem to be bonding beautifully in this new form of Texas Barbecue and we are honored to be a part of it. "
 
Had a little more time to check out the list thoroughly. A lot of new names on the list and curious how well they'll fare down the road.

On my next trip after revisiting Valentina's I want to do:

Truth

Micklethwait's

Stiles Switch

Snow's

Either Smitty's or Kreuz for hommage. Actually probably Louie Mueller
 
Last edited:
ssv3 said:
Either Smitty's or Kreuz for hommage. Actually probably Louie Mueller
Click to expand...

Kreuz is my favorite in that area.

I was happy to see that Dozier's (about 6 miles from me and Fulshear's BBQ joint since 1957) made the top 100. So did Brett's BBQ shop in Katy, which is ~30 min drive from me, but very close to where I used to live before.
 
NavarreQ said:
I’m gonna agree and disagree with this thought. I’ve ate average bbq at historically well known bbq locations and I’ve ate great bbq at modern new locations and vise versa. End of the day I’m gonna choose the best tasting food every time over history! Now will I drink more beers at an old school bbq environment vs the new modern environment to watch the latest college football game is a whole differnt story����
Click to expand...

Fair enough. I totally respect that viewpoint. However, I assume that you’re not from Texas. If that’s true, then you might not be able to possess the same sentiment about these long-standing TX joints that have weathered decades and served generations of Texans. That atmosphere very much can be part of the total TX bbq experience. It doesn’t mean that a new place with great food but less legacy can’t be great overall too. It just means that some of these older places that haven’t jumped on the ‘craft bbq’ bandwagon with all of its lathered tallow and such can still be great when you consider the totality of what they offer to all of the senses.
 
theanthonyv said:
It’s not a bad thing to have new entrants with more modern takes on smoking meat. But what the list fails to capture, IMO, is that, as much as the food itself, BBQ is about the familial atmosphere and the history / tradition of the TX towns and the people themselves. Sure, that will evolve over time, but BBQ greatness isn’t solely about how succulent the beef cheek is or how moist the brisket is. It’s equally about the heritage and communal nature of these places. When considering all variables that comprise a great TX BBQ experience, I simply can’t put a joint like Interstellar on the same plane as a place like Louie Mueller.
Click to expand...

This is why I ALWAYS stop at Muellers in Taylor, TX when heading from Austin/San Antonio back home. I LIKE the old school environment. And I still LOVE their brisquet.
 
sleebus.jones said:
Kreuz is my favorite in that area.

I was happy to see that Dozier's (about 6 miles from me and Fulshear's BBQ joint since 1957) made the top 100. So did Brett's BBQ shop in Katy, which is ~30 min drive from me, but very close to where I used to live before.
Click to expand...

Thanks Sleeb!

Im open to suggestions. Especially from you guys. Kreuz was closed on our way to Black's.
 
BuckN BBQ said:
I was at Hutchins BBQ about two weeks ago while in Frisco for a wedding and it the brisket and sausage was top notch. Apparently John Mueller has gone to work for them and may have upped the game there.
Click to expand...


I came here to post this. I haven’t had TX bbq in over 3 years and it’s been 7 since Franklin but Hutchins McKinney was in my backyard and I cannot imagine it getting better with John Mueller in the mix.
 
Czarbecue said:
I came here to post this. I haven’t had TX bbq in over 3 years and it’s been 7 since Franklin but Hutchins McKinney was in my backyard and I cannot imagine it getting better with John Mueller in the mix.
Click to expand...
John may be a lot of things but that old boy can cook!

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
 
jimstocks53 said:
This is why I ALWAYS stop at Muellers in Taylor, TX when heading from Austin/San Antonio back home. I LIKE the old school environment. And I still LOVE their brisquet.
Click to expand...
Have you tried the Taylor Cafe? Cool old place.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
 
I've not seen anyone mention The Burnt Bean which is listed #4. Ernest Servantes used to tear it up on the competition barbecue circuit, especially in Texas. I have not had the opportunity to try it yet, but reports from other competition cooks is that it is definitely legit and competition cooks do not give out compliments casually.
 
sleebus.jones said:
Kreuz is my favorite in that area.

I was happy to see that Dozier's (about 6 miles from me and Fulshear's BBQ joint since 1957) made the top 100. So did Brett's BBQ shop in Katy, which is ~30 min drive from me, but very close to where I used to live before.
Click to expand...


Dozier's is terrible.
 
Cat797 said:
I've never gotten to do the Texas BBQ Vacation, but I was lucky enough to be in Longview and have Bodacious on Mobberly when it was ranked #4 on the list in 2017. Unfortunately the pitmaster left and it isn't the same today. I was there again in July. I can only imagine how good the 'cue is in the other Top 10 joints.........
Click to expand...

He's at Franklin's now. :nerd:
 
Robert said:
I've not seen anyone mention The Burnt Bean which is listed #4. Ernest Servantes used to tear it up on the competition barbecue circuit, especially in Texas. I have not had the opportunity to try it yet, but reports from other competition cooks is that it is definitely legit and competition cooks do not give out compliments casually.
Click to expand...

Burnt Bean is AWESOME and would have been my #1. I filmed a video review two weeks ago if interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGR8U9LGGF4
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

frognot
Is Texas’s Barbecue Bubble Ready to Burst?
2
Replies
24
Views
2K
Mikhail
Mikhail
Raider18
Dayne's Craft Barbecue
Replies
1
Views
657
gcs
G
Gore
Top Ten BBQ Restaurants (my list)
2
Replies
31
Views
3K
PaPaQ
PaPaQ
LYU370
Move over Perry's a new Pork Chop is in town.
Replies
10
Views
1K
jermoQ
J
16Adams
What Is Texas Barbecue
2 3
Replies
57
Views
3K
bschoen
B
Back
Top