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Texas Monthly 2017 Top 50 BBQ Joints

444,411 Views | 2661 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by agfan2013
CDub06
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AG
BSD said:

Before we walked in, I talked to Russell Roegel from Roegels BBQ here in Houston. I've known him for a long time so it was good to catch up. He's doing a smoked Cuban sandwich at his restaurant on Tuesday. I may have to go check it out (I love a good Cuban).


I talked to Aaron very briefly about his personal backyard smoker project. He said it's moving along, that they are almost done with the production building in south Austin and he should have the first prototype done next week. He said there are 53,000 people on the list. Surely not all will but but if they did...wow. I did the math based on a $2k smoker (I figure they will go for $2000-$2500).

53,000 x $2000 = $106,000,000
Even if just 10% bought: $10.6mm...not a bad side business.



Oh man. I didn't know about the Cuban. I'm a sucker for Cuban sandwiches. I'm gonna have to find my way down there.

Brilliant move for Aaron. He himself is a brand and he's flexing that muscle. Good for him.

Thanks for the notes all, sounds awesome. Looking forward to notes from today. Passed up a pair of VIP tickets. Shame to the game, I know.
Wicked Good Ag
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Loved it again this year. Is the VIP worth it compared to just the regular ticket ??
Met some people from New York and Boston originally from West Virginia in town for the football game and they marveled at the food

Best thing was the Texas Twinkie. Combo of jalapeo stuff with cream cheese and brisket.
Loved the sides from Tejas once again. Truth line was as big as Snows and Franklins.
CDub06
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AG
For me, VIP is the only way to go. You can usually hit all the stops you want to before all the commoners even get in. It's just so much better than waiting in line all afternoon.
CDub06
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AG
Headed up to Dallas for lunch today. Y'all got any new recommendations for me? Dylan's Barbecue Saloon or Post Oak Smokehouse worth this stop? Otherwise I'm just gonna hit Slow Bone
The Pilot
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Not good for today bc web says they are closed but have you tried One90 off Northwest Highway? Had it at a catered event and the brisket was good.
CDub06
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I've seen ONE90 on internet searches but haven't heard any secondhand experiences. I ended up at Louie Kings btw. We'll see how this goes.
ILikeTacos
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CDub06 said:

I've seen ONE90 on internet searches but haven't heard any secondhand experiences. I ended up at Louie Kings btw. We'll see how this goes.
Let us know!
schmendeler
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AG
Mmmm, Saturday morning brisket.

schmendeler
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They were on their game this morning.

RK
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AG
That looks. Nice...
schmendeler
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It really was. Possibly the best I've had anywhere.
Farmer1906
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AG
Had Tejas today. Very very solid Que. that carrot souffl is damn good. Burnt ends are crazy peppery. I prefer mine more sticky with a little sweetness from some sauce.
big-ag
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AG
Is Fargo's worth checking out? Coming into town for the game and scoping out lunch options. Would there be much wait on game day?
Bulldog73
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The last few times I've been there, it's been good not great. Their ribs are great, brisket is hit or miss. Even on off days, it's comparable to Rudy's. On good days, it's really delicious.
RAM700BA
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A few pics from my recent Franklin trip.

Still the best brisket I've had. I will say Terry Black's is damn near just as good, but TB's brisket is too rich. It's like they inject it with butter or something. I feel sick if I eat more than a half pound. I could eat a pound of Franklin brisket for every meal if I could.

Ribs and pulled pork were really good. Kerlin is still my #1 for those though.

Turkey was outstanding. Love how they dunk it in the juices and let it drip all over the rest of your plate before serving. Sausage wasn't worth it. Wish I would have just ordered more brisket instead.




CDub06
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AG
Kind of left y'all hanging. Sorry about that. A couple of new spots for me in Dallas.


  • Louie King brisket cooked too hot. A bit ashy, tough to eat. No flavor. Very disappointing.
  • The Shaved pork was nice. It had good smoke and a light sweetness. Best meat on the plate.
  • Pork ribs were chewy. But they were smokey and had a nice bite - I really liked the spiciness of the rub. Really good flavor, just tough to eat.
  • The slaw and pickles even outshined the brisket. They had Carolina mustard sauce, Alabama sauce, then a Texas sauce. Kind of a southern mashup of a place as evident by the shaved pork.
Overall it's probably a B- or C+. That brisket really drags it down. I won't be back.


  • I went to Ferris Wheelers for dinner. It was better.
  • The thick slices of brisket were moist with well rendered fat. The meat held good smoke with just a touch of sweetness that was not offputting to me. B+ brisket.
  • Ribs were a tad dry and didn't really have much flavor. They weren't bad, just unremarkable. B-
  • Pulled pork was average. Pork itself had a good flavor, but it was certainly boosted by the sauce on top.
Overall, it's a B for me. Did the job at dinner time, but I've had better barbecue.

Bulldog73
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I'm pretty sure I'll get to hit Truth this weekend. What are the top things that I can't miss there?
carpediem13
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Brisket was outstanding every time I've gone. It rounds out my top 4 briskets with Corkscrew, Snow's, and Franklin.

The jalapeno cheese sausage was good as well. My wife loves their cakes, so consider ordering a slice if you have a sweet tooth.
CowtownAg06
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AG
Brisket for sure

I'm a rib guy and their's are good.

Side wise: Corn Pudding and Tater Tot Casserole.
agfan2013
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AG
Everything you possibly can.

Brisket is their number 1, but its not like anything else is subpar there. Sides and desserts are great too. Corn casserole and mac n cheese with bacon are my favorites.
NColoradoAG
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Long shot Im sure, but is Truth usually open the Friday after Thanksgiving?
txag2008
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Had Corkscrew for the first time today. Cool little spot with great service. Each item stood on its own & was great.

schmendeler
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AG
Did you go for lunch or this evening?
txag2008
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Lunch. Got there at 12:30ish and had a 5-10min line.
schmendeler
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Nice. Glad you enjoyed it. Next time get some ribs, too!
Your Mom And Them
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New BBQ joint opened in New Caney called Rusty Buckle BBQ. It was legit! You could tell they were a brand new establishment and still figuring things out. However, the BBQ and sides were outstanding. The beef ribs were some of the best BBQ I've ever had. Brisket was on point with a good bark and flavor. To me, the brisket tasted exactly what I think a brisket should taste like. What I liked about this place was that you could taste the meat without all of the smoke. The meat at some joints all tastes the same because they over-smoke it....not this place. The brisket, ribs, pulled pork all had different flavors, as they should.

If you're ever over in East Montgomery County, I would highly suggest visiting this place.
schmendeler
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AG
Went over to Feges for lunch today. Got a two meat plate; brisket and pork belly. Both excellent. Brussels sprouts were excellent. Mac and cheese need more seasoning. A co-worker opted for chili as a side and it looked damn good, too.

Diggity
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AG
Love their greens
schmendeler
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I'm not a greens guy, but their sides game is pretty phenomenal.
Diggity
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Try the kale salad next time.
schmendeler
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will do!
BurnetAggie99
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Top 50 Payne's BBQ Shak local BBQ place in Burnet that puts out just good consist BBQ. Brisket is legit here, the other meats are very good and solid. Sausage is a all beef so it's a little different and doesn't have any pork fat.

CyAg
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Wife and I are headed to San Antonio Sunday for a week.

Any recent experiences with The Granary or 2M?

Any other places in the area that caught anyone's attention?
Koldus131
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CyAg said:

Wife and I are headed to San Antonio Sunday for a week.

Any recent experiences with The Granary or 2M?

Any other places in the area that caught anyone's attention?


Went to 2M about a month ago and it was possibly the best BBQ meal I've had all year. They will challenge for #1 on the Texas Monthly list in 2021 along with Truth and the usual suspects. 2M also just made the Eater 38 essential restaurants in America a week or two ago.
CyAg
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Thanks for the heads up!
 
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