Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ is out

Goldee's is #1 Will not stand in that line for awhile! LOL

I wanted to try Goldee's for about a year now, but haven't committed to driving out there and standing in line yet. I suppose it will only get worse, but I need to try it.

Surprised that Heim and Pecan Lodge are not on the Top 50. Pecan Lodge especially- they're brisket is among the best I've ever had.

Will one of you post up at least the top ten?

The one missing that really surprises me is 407

https://www.texasmonthly.com/interactive/top-50-bbq-2021/

Truth! Wouldn’t be surprised if the mask-optional policy had something to do with that.

I’ve eaten there a bunch, and the food hasn’t missed the mark a single time.

BBQ is highly subjective topic. Ask 10 people who has the best BBQ, and you'll most likely get 10 different answers.

absolutely.

Several were closed.

Pecan lodge has best brisket. All around I will take Terry Blacks. Heim, in Dallas sucks in my opinion.

As stated above, BBQ is very subjective.

Seguin having a restaurant in anyone's Top Ten is a huge caught me off guard here.

Arnesto also just really recently opened that location, he has been doing a food truck for a long time. I follow him on Instagram and his Sunday specials look amazing.

I frequent Truth (#3) quite frequently. It is divine. Pinkerton's is also very good, never even heard of Goldee's though.

too many try to get too "cute" with their BBQ

if I want Korean ribs, I'll go to a Korean rib/wing joint

Lmao most of the "best" rated are in Austin, go figure.

Subjective it may be, but 407 definitely had the best BBQ and sides I’ve had. Over the years when I lived in Houston, I really liked the Luling City Mkt BBQ joint on Richmond at the 610 west loop. And I really liked the BBQ place on Sawdust Road at the Woodland, just west of I-45. The name escapes me.

Even my favorite places can be hit or miss and I agree it’s very subjective.

My favorite places:

Louie Mueller
Blacks
Smitty’s
Smoke Sessions
Hutchins

Going to try Snows, Goldee’s and Panther City soon.

Overall solid list. Interstellar in the Top 10 threw me off though. Not because it's bad as I've never had it, but not many folks talk about it.

DFW was well represented with 13 joints overall and 3 in the top 10.

I personally think Dayne's should have made top 10 and I think 407 should have made Top 50.

For those interested in this type of discussion I have a BBQ YouTube channel that is starting to really take off. Fun little side hustle that will hopefully leads to an earlier retirement. I would appreciate anyone interested in subscribing. I film cooks in my backyard and showcase BBQ Joints. Out of the 10 Top 10 I have video reviews of 7 of them. I created a playlist of joints I've filmed reviews on from the Top 50 as well.



Bowers Barbecue

Leaving 407 off the list is a travesty.

If you haven't tried it Dayne's is worth putting on your list. I put them and Goldee's at one and two!

Yep. He sent me a care package. Every disk just kept getting better. Most Texas joints never even try on pulled pork.

Lulling, City Market has great BBQ.

The Fort Worth BBQ scene is great these days. Lot's of excellent choices.

I went to Goldees 3-4 weeks ago. Wait was about 30 minutes. Small dining area adds to the wait. But now that they made #1 I probably wouldn't attempt to go again with what the line will be now.

While it is more than any other city, 7 of the top 50 isn't exactly "most" of the list. But for a city that takes barbecue as seriously as it does, that doesn't seem too overrepresented.

My agency has a office in Wolfforth, so i frequent #8 Evie Mays quite a bit. It is legit, never disappoints.

Stanleys in Tyler is decent as well, but IDK about top 50 worthy.

Those are the only two i have ever been to, have not even heard of most of them.

My BBQ blows any of these jokers out of the water. Let me know if you want some $40 a pound brisket to verify.

^^ It is crazy that quality brisket is close to $30 per pound these days. As a guy who smokes meat and appreciates good quality and understands the length of time to cook good barbecue, it's still hard to fathom that one of the toughest cuts of meat can cost as much as some steaks.

I sold truckloads of 119 briskets for $0.75 a lb.

but this was back when our money had some value to it

ill pass on the the cali Q

It isn’t a list without 407…

Agree. I tried it a couple of months ago and some of the best brisket I've had. Very friendly people as well.

The ribs are legit!

It’s become trendy, and every other dude is a brisket smoking expert. Supply and demand.

I find it interesting, scrolling down thru the list, not a single pellet oven to be found...

Sorry couldn't help it...

Panther city is pretty good stuff. The smoked mac and cheese is legit.

The few times I had gone there I always wondered how that place was still open.

Only thing you’ve ever said here that is correct. Congrats

I would hate to be on the bbq list between the b itchin and flawed polls

It’s depends on the audience. Some places cater to hipsters and some cater to olds.

I have serious concerns about this “review”. Bretts was on the list in Katy. I go by it every day. I think they closed when the pandemic started. Looked on my way home tonight ain’t NOBODY there. Must have been some leftover frozen brisket cuz there ain’t no smoke either.

I’ll admit, I have a pellet grill and it has its place, BUT, it absolutely cannot match a brisket or ribs off a stick burner.

I have a smokehouse for my sausage and I’ll do brisket or ribs in it, and it beats the chit out of the pellet grill.

Not gonna see smoke rolling when they are closed Monday and Tuesday.

True, If you cant Q then you pay and brag about how good it was…. Even if it sucked. Get a smoker and learn how to Q. Your friends will love you🍺

That would be something to see a bbq place open with only using them; seeing like 30 pellet smokers all lined up. Be one hell of an electric bill.

Intersteller is top notch, they deserve their spot. My surprise was that Leroy and Lewis wasn't higher on the list.

BBQ has changed, it takes more than just the basic trinity and 3 sides these days. With that said some of the old school places that paved the way being left off is a whole other story.

"BBQ has changed, it takes more than just the basic trinity and 3 sides these days. With that said some of the old school places that paved the way being left off is a whole other story."

Yep.

The thing I always didn't ever get at the old school places was their sides. For me they were usually pretty bland and nothing was wow I really want some. This newer places have finally figured it out, once you master the meat you need to focus on the sides. What will set us from the others, having a unique side dish that isn't offered at others. I also like how some of them have specials with offerings of preparing the meat in different ways.

This is it right here. Aaron Franklin laid the blue print with his Youtube videos and before long EVERYONE had great brisket and ribs. The ones who stand out today have a great menu from top to bottom. There is not a single item on Burnt Bean's menu that wasn't well thought out an executed perfectly. Evie Mae's in Lubbock is another example. I could not get a single slice of meat (no way that would actually happen though) and still have an incredible meal.

Kreuz's Market was never better when they sold meat, avocados, cheese, onions, maters and gave away either crackers or bread. You would wash it down with root beer, Big Red or sweet tea. No potato salad, no cole slaw, no beans, no sauce and certainly no forks. It was all about the meatfest put on butcher paper and carried to the table within your own two hands. Luling always had a good sauce, but few if any ever purchased sides. Why oh why in the whole wide world would anyone want to fill up with taters & beans when the meat was what it was about?

I agree completely. The sides at the old school institutions have always been unimaginative and pretty subpar. Bland potato salad, hard beans, runny cole slaw, with some Mrs. Baird's bread does nothing for me. The meat is the star of the show, but the sides shouldn't be a complete give up either.

the food has changed to cater to the non Texans and their "fruity" sweet tooth. The land of fruits and nuts and invaded like a swarm of locust. The food has changed

blacks and smoke sessions, no bueno. over cooked and over seasoned to me

Then there's the hickory stick, off the bone, cousins, Rufus bar and grill...all worthy.

Well i think Goldee's is in the building that Kenneth Middleton opened yrs. ago if so, they better have damned good bbq cause Kenneth had the best i ever ate. He also had the best Chilli you ever ate. We used to fish together. When he quit making BBQ. I quit eating BBQ, cause none i tried tasted close to his!!!!

My Traeger does a mighty fine job. The brisket never fails to slice like butter. Heat is heat and smoke is smoke. It’s probably way more economical to use wood smokers.

His brisket is really good. I just hardly ever get it unless I want brisket right now because I figured out how to make it better than his.

When I'm serious about eating BBQ, I just want meat & jalapenos.

I love some good sides, but wen I sit down to eat I want a plate full of meat....and some good mustard potato salad & a big glass of water.

No beans, coleslaw, bread.....just meat/jalapenos/onions/ mustard tater salad & water.

Had heard interstellar was good. Since it is #2 and just down the street, we'll have to give it a try. Usually, don't eat out for BBQ since I've been smoking.

you wont be disappointed, be sure to get the smoked scalloped potato's

Texas lite is more pervasive than I imagined.

Goldees was in the news this morning. Line was insane yesterday and they sold out in one hour.

Yep all those top places now will be busy like that for the next few months.

407 received honorable mention

At Zavala’s. Free lone star beer for us line waiters

Free burnt end samples while you wait and they are damn good

Some on that list have been closed.

Lets see I could wait in line for an hour drinking free beer and eating burnt ends, when I get to the door I am full and buzzed, no need to go inside now