Hey, y’all! You know that we at Texas Monthly love barbecue. We recently published the list of the Top 25 New Barbecue Joints in Texas by our illustrious barbecue editor, Daniel Vaughn, and Daniel brings us the joy of smoked meats on a stunningly regular basis with news and reviews of joints from across the state. (And then there’s that grande dame of lists, the Top 50 Barbecue Joints in Texas.)
But we want to hear from you too! That’s why today we’re launching an epic Reader’s Choice BBQ Bracket to determine which joint, according to readers, is the best barbecue joint in Texas.
Here’s how it’ll work:
This first round is a qualifying round in which each reader can vote for three joints on each of the below lists. The first list is the top 25 new joints; the second is a selection from the top 50 list of 2017. (You’ll notice only 37 joints on that top 50 poll; that’s because we’ve automatically advanced our top ten joints from 2017’s list, and three joints from that list have since closed.) The top sixteen joints from each list will advance into the bracket with 32 teams total.
Please remember: This bracket is all about showing love. Every place on these lists is putting out incredible barbecue, and we’re here to shout our favorites to the rooftops, not to denigrate any competition. Please vote only for joints that you’ve personally experienced, and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
On June 3, we’ll let you know who advanced, as well as open the first round of bracket voting. Want to make sure you don’t miss any of the fun? Sign up for our BBQ newsletter here.
Voting for this round ends Wednesday, May 29 at 9am CT.
One more note: We know proselytizing about one’s favorite BBQ joint is reason enough to participate, but our friends at Rambler, who have signed on to support this important journalistic endeavor, will also supply a Rambler trucker hat and a six-pack of sparkling water to one participant each round!
