In the heart of downtown, just across from the railroad tracks on Commerce, a new barbecue place (with a bit of a steakhouse thrown in) has set up shop in the dining rooms that once belonged to Ruth’s Chris. This is no informal barbecue joint but a true meat-eater’s retreat.
Intrinsic Smokehouse & Brewery has great brisket to go along with all that great beer, or vice-versa.
Try the smoked version of Windthorst Sausage at Zeke’s, and you’ll find a good reason to remember the small town.
The slices of meat are juicy, salty, and incredibly tender, while the smokiness lurks in the background.
Julian’s is a good barbecue joint with the potential to be great. And for Corpus Christi, it is as good as it comes.
When a joint executes the holy trinity as well as Baker Boys does, you’d be forgiven for overlooking its other meat options. But don’t make that mistake here. The smoked turkey, generous half chicken, roasted raspberry-chipotle-glazed pork loin, and chicken legs stuffed with jalapeño and onion should not be missed.
This new shopping center spot boasts a calm (no blasting TVs) but energetic atmosphere. Enjoy a complimentary bowl of miso soup while you peruse a large menu of sashimi, dumplings, grilled items, and rolls (we loved the Dragon). A nice selection of sakes makes pairing a cinch.
The brisket and ribs hold up just fine against other Waco barbecue joints, but diners looking for barbecue greatness should stick to Coach's barbecue on a bun options.
Pitmaster Randy Witt does an admirable job of getting the superb smoked chicken and giant spare ribs tender, without drying them out.
Cheerful colors add a tropical touch to this erstwhile corner store, where the service is as brisk as the spicy salsa that accompanies the warm tortilla chips. We stop by often, as much for the atmosphere as the Tex-Mex favorites like gooey cheese enchiladas and crispy tacos stuffed with spicy
Tejas Chocolate Craftory is proof that great Texas barbecue can happen anywhere, even in a chocolate factory.
18th & Vine Barbecue it is a restaurant where you can get good barbecue and take the picky in-laws who value reservations, a full bar, and a steak.
This is barbecue that makes you want to close your eyes so your mouth doesn’t get distracted.
The basic surroundings here belie an elevated menu that goes beyond the usual tacos and enchiladas. The chile relleno pleased us with its ground beef stuffing and mild roasted pepper. But the real star was a chicken breast topped with a sweet, tangy cilantro-and-tamarind sauce and garnished with nuggets of
If you’ve found yourself complaining that barbecue is getting too popular or too fancy, or that it’s somehow veering away from its roots, Winners BBQ is your antidote.
The brisket needs no adornment. It has great flavor and is imbued with melted fat to the point of decadence.
After almost a decade of hopping around East Austin in various food trucks (and sharing a space with a high-end convenience store), La Barbecue has found a permanent home. The new digs are covered in artwork that ranges from the sentimental, like the painting of LeAnn’s mother, Trish (she helped
A roomful of (mostly young) folks contentedly wielding chopsticks and slurping noodles is proof that this California chain has found its niche in Midtown. Piping-hot brussels sprouts tempura and cold Sapporo beers got us off to a good start, but we agreed that the No. 1 ramen bowl—tonkotsu black, with
The smoked and dried sausages are where the market shines. They are juicy, coarsely ground and well spiced.
The name of a storied Central Texas town—site of the infamous Chicken Ranch brothel celebrated in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas—is apparently a magnet for thirtysomethings on the prowl for novel Mexican food. The Montrose-area haunt, from the owners of the Raven, along with other partners, is in fact
Even if the 300 migrants first given land grants in Texas didn’t make it to Blanco, Old 300 BBQ is still a good lesson in Texas history. The Hill Country joint is dubbed in honor of those original settlers; their names adorn the walls and modified Texas battle flags are etched into
The poultry needs no adornment. Slices of turkey breast were juicy, flavorful, and tender. The chicken was even more impressive. We’re not sure how they’re making money on it since a half chicken came along as one of the options on our three-meat combo plate. This is where all that
One small tweak made a big difference for this spicy, balanced barbecue.
Husband-and-wife owners Russell and Misty Roegels have been operating at this location since 2001, but three years ago they said goodbye to their Baker’s Ribs franchise and went their own way. Their hallmark is pepper—lots of it. The bark on the brisket and beef rib is a thing of black
This barbecue joint does not exist. No, this is not the start of a philosophical argument over what is and isn’t real. What we mean to say is that we thought this category of barbecue joint—“the unknown”—was gone forever. The “unknown” is a place that we would characterize as a “hidden gem,” a restaurant that
Big cities in Texas all seem to have a beloved barbecue retreat outside of town. It’s a joint far enough away that you really need to leave the city to get there. For Dallas it is Clark’s Outpost in Tioga, San Antonio has the original Rudy’s BBQ in Leon Springs, Austin
An edited version of the menu is painted on the building, and the quotations around “homemade” sausage are accurate. The Garners have worked with a local meat market to make sausage to their specifications, and the result is worth the effort. It’s got a punch of seasonings that go beyond
