Daniel Vaughn is the author of The Prophets of Smoked Meat: A Journey Through Texas Barbecue, the coauthor of Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel of Carolina Barbecue, and the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly. He has traveled the world sampling smoked meats at over 1,800 barbecue joints, most of which are in Texas.
Downtown Austin is home to many new structures, many of them modern. In the midst of the building boom sits Lamberts, which is located in a historic two-story brick building with lofty ceilings and an open kitchen. On a Wednesday afternoon, there were no open tables during lunchtime,
This joint is all about meat. There is a large cooling case at the entrance where you can choose your own raw steak to be grilled per your specifications. Whether you want steak or bbq, everyone waits in the same line . . . unless you choose
Normally I stay away from chains, but this location made it into Texas Monthly’s Top 50, so I thought I’d give it a try. There are four stand-alone locations as well as two more in the DFW Airport, but a friend and I chose to try the original, which opened
There is ample competition just on the other side of the square from the famous City Market in Luling, but this joint holds its own. Ordering is done at the counter, and prices here are very reasonable. I ordered a two-meat plate with brisket and ribs. The sliced beef had
This joint came with high praise, so I drove about two hours to give it a try. Approaching the place, my hopes seemed fulfilled. The sheet metal and wood exterior along with the faded sign reeked potential. Talk about disappointment. The ribs here were nearly devoid of flavor and were