Texas97, thanks for all your travels and reviews. The route from my home town to Austin passes through Luling and Lockhart, and I used to wonder why my dad was always searching for the next great BBQ place. Of course, now I understand. If you want someone to tag along on your trip to Sam's, let me know. I've been wanting to give it a try myself.
milkman, are you from victoria or something? refugio? anyway, i might have to send you a pm sometime. next time you pass through lockhart, i highly recommend kreuz. Texas97
Ganado. Good guesses though. I've been to Smitty's recently and City Market in Luling way back when...I need to make some more trips home just so I can try Kreuz.
For me, I'll take either one of the Mueller's BBQ. Having said that, Iron Work's BBQ in Austin, which is highly criticized, is way under-rated. It is actually very good. Southside Market in Elgin has a BBQ called "burnt ends" which are fatty but absolutely fantastic flavor.
i went to ruby's today (not rudy's) off 29th for the 1st time ever. color me unimpressed. i had the pork ribs & the brisket. bert's is 10x better and rudy's is 100x better. no doubt, ruby's is hippy-ish but i want good meat and good cue when i go to a bbq place and ruby's was neither. i am still saying that the best bbq in austin is 1) john muellers and 2) rudy's. if you consider salt lick in austin, that runs 3rd. rudy's despite being a chain takes very good care of their meat. i had their prime rib a couple of weeks ago and even that was impressive. Texas97
The #1 reason to eat at Mueller's is the quality of the brisket. They start with a brisket that is far superior to all the others in TX that I have tasted, and that includes just about all of them.
As has been said several times on this thread, the best BBQ in the state is at Cooper's. Get a chop -- you'll think you've died and gone to heaven. This is the centerpiece of "my last meal" before execution. Also, last time I was there I picked up a bottle of their dry rub and I use it all the time on my pork chops or steaks. You can order it -- or their BBQ -- online. The Link Also, some of the best ribs I've ever had were at the Country Tavern in Kilgore.
The wife and I drove down to Lockhart this afternoon for 'cue at Kreuz. First time back to Kreuz since the family split. We walk into this huge cavernous dining hall at 4:30 pm, looking forward to a pound of the brisket, told "Sorry, we're all out of brisket." For some reason, the behind the counter twosome on the right side counter thought this was hilariously funny. This big place, out of brisket at 4:30 in the pm? Sorry, this ain't the Kreuz of old. We'll take our bidness to Black's and Chisholm Trail on future visits to this fine old town.
that's pretty normal for a real cue place, they make the brisket overnight, so it's ready for lunch. if you ever got brisket for dinner, it'd be all dried out.
For the barbque fanatics like myself who are on a lifelong personal quest to sample the best barbque places in Texas, if you are ever driving thru or near Glen Rose (Tx), stop at Hammond's Barbque and try their brisket. It is the best bbq brisket that I have ever had, and I have been sampling Texas barbque places for 50+ years. Glen Rose is a tiny town located between Stephenville and Dallas.
Stopped at Cooper's in Junction on the way to the Rose Bowl. They had amazing brisket and pork ribs. I didn't get to try the other meats. The sauces were a little different, but honestly, the brisket and ribs didn't need any. I want to drive out there just to eat again.
Mueller's brisket is solid but their sauce is not good. Kinda ruins it for me. Salt Lick and Rudy's excel in the sauce category. Also a big fan of Berts. Growing up in Temple, I was partial to Mikeska BBQ and Cyclone growing up.
I went to Kruez's Market yesterday for the second time. WE ordered 1 pund of brisket, pound of ribs, couple of links, pound of prime rib, and 1 pork chop. I have had all of the things before except the prim rib and the chop. I was unimpressed with both. I can make a far superior prime rib on my pit at home. The chop was a bit dry and lacked any flavor. The brisket was the best I have ever had. I had it there before, but yesterday must have been a day when they were on. IT was incredible as were the ribs and links. My anylysis is in the end stick with the traditional BBQ items. Brisket, sausage, and pork ribs. All were as good or better than any I have ever had. The German potatoes are stout as well.
When driving through Elgin, do yourself a favor and try Crosstown BBQ. Located one block off the main drag (on S. Ave. C) Better than either Meyer's or Southside and much, much cheaper. Statewide, gotta give it up for Luling's City Market.
As the only cue in Corpus is at either Miller's or Jim Millers, I make it a point to go to Lockhart (Kreuz, smittys) whenever I'm in Austin. Also like to stop at Rudy's outside San Antonio on my way to Austin, especially at night. Nice seating and great outdoorsy feel. btw, orngbld is killing me with all those bbq pix. I might have to make that trip to Lockhart tonite....
Gotta add to my thoughts, although this isn't a Centex place. Had an oral argument in an appeal in Tyler a few weeks ago. Finished by 11:00 or so, and all I had left to do was head home. Well, I couldn't be that close and not TRY it -- so I headed the opposite direction for a few miles, and went towards Kilgore. I hit the Country Tavern, and got the ribs, along with some sausage, brisket, and turkey (just a taste of each of those). The sausage was average. The brisket was good. The turkey, even though I'm not really a turkey guy, was very good. But the ribs. While I have not had the ribs from the Church of the Holy Smoke (I DO make ribs from their technique at home, and they are outstanding), I have to say that the Country Tavern's ribs are the best in the state. I got an extra 2 lbs to take home to the family for dinner. My wife is not a huge carnivore, but she really likes pork ribs. She took a couple of bites of a rib, put it down, and with a very serious expresion on her face, told me that these were the best ribs that she'd ever tasted. They are fantastic. They are worth the drive. If you are ever in Longview, Kilgore, or Tyler, and you do NOT swing by the Country Tavern, you should kick yourself. Also, I've now tried Opie's out in Spicewood -- a COMPLETE knockoff of Cooper's, which isn't a bad thing. I really couldn't tell much of a difference, except they never have goat. It's worth a stop, and it's a shorter drive than Llano or Mason.
I don't see how anybody can mention Rudy's on a thread talking about serious Texas BBQ. I have tried their turkey, pork loin, brisket, and chicken. There is a reason Rudy's is relatively inexpensive. The meat they use is CRAP. Here is the formula for making BBQ at Rudy's: 1. Take a tough, crappy piece of brisket or pork loin. 2. Inject above crappy meat with tenderizing chemicals. 3. Inject above crappy meat with "liquid mesquite". 4. Roast the meat in a big stainless steel oven. 5. Finish the meat for a few minutes in a mesquite pit. What you get is a unrealistically tender piece of meat that tastes of liquid smoke and chemicals. Good for making a cheap turd, but that's about it. I can see how somebody from the northeast would be confused into thinking this is good BBQ. However, any self respecting Texan should know the difference between REAL pit BBQ and this cheap knock-off. Seriously, how can somebody compare Louis Meuller's, Cooper's, Kreutz's, Black's, etc with this abomination? It really saddens me. For goodness sake, we are living in the BARBECUE CAPITOL OF THE WORLD. Leave Rudy's for the Californian transplants.
I went to Smitty's today for the first time, and it was awesome. The ribs were to me not as good as Kreuz's, but the brisket was every bit as good as any you could find anywhere in the country. The sausage was something bordering on a religious experience, and I have not had any that was better anywhere. I have now been to Kruez's, Chisholm Trail, and Smitty's. I would rank them on the whole in this order 1) SMitty's on the basis on thier brisket is as good as Kruez's, their ribs almost as good, and the sausage as the best anywhere 2. Kruez's brisket is delicious, ribs incredible, and sausage is good, but not as good. 3. CT - the bbq is just simply not as good either of the others. I have not been to Black's, but my dad says it is a waste of time compared to Krue'z and Smitty's.
hey, i was at smitty's on the 19th for lunch also. you missed out by not getting a pork chop at smitty's, i always get a pork chop there instead of ribs, i've never liked their ribs.
Everybody!!! Go down HWY 71 east and make a turn-around right before the hwy 21 bridge. 7 miles before Bastrop. It is a place called FITTIES. BEast tacos and BBQ. for Tacos, try the MARty. It consist of brisquit, beans, potatoes,bacon, and cheese. HE is also a huge Texas fan and during the football season, people come down (3-4) and talk football the sunday after the game. Great stuff guys. Been there about 5 years now. BTW, he is my Father-in-law
