The Best Barbecue in Texas

You have a choice: Arrive before doors open at 11 or go eat somewhere else. In the tiny town of Spring just north of Houston, this barbecue sensation has drawn long lines ever since it opened in 2015. The kitchen is known to sell out fast, and it’s easy to see why: Will and Nichole Buckman smoke some of the finest brisket and beef ribs in the state.

Their use of red oak colors prime cuts from Creekstone Farms and Compart Family Farms in a distinct hue, and everything from beef to pork to turkey comes with a pure smoke flavor that lingers long after the meal’s end.

Inspector notes: "Loaded baked potatoes; tacos with green-chile ranch; and fruit cobblers tempt, but should be saved for the second visit. Regulars know to order days in advance to skip the line."

The mark of a good place is when a line starts forming before they've even opened, and at InterStellar BBQ, it's long before they've swung open the door. Everyone is here for a taste of pitmaster John Bates's barbecue, done low and slow over post oak.

Inspector notes: "Brisket with a simple salt, pepper, and garlic rub, is outstanding but it doesn't end there. Peach tea-glazed pork belly is meltingly tender; the beer-brined tipsy turkey is moist and delicious; and there are three sausages on offer, including kielbasa. You can't go wrong with any of the enticing side dishes like the Frito pie, though the smoked scalloped potatoes with a golden-brown crust and the poblano creamed corn are standouts."

Founded by the late LeAnn Mueller and now run by her wife, Ali Clem, la Barbecue's massive, custom-built pit in the backyard is the rarified workshop in which meaty miracles are realized. Inside, it's a simple space enlivened with bright colors and a disarming playlist with Tammy Wynette and Dolly Parton. During peak hours, you can expect a substantial wait, but your patience will be rewarded with a first taste of the brisket as you reach the counter.

Inspector notes: "You will marvel at the sublimely succulent, flavorful beef, but don't overlook the array of equally tempting offerings like house-made sausages, and pork or beef ribs. The team likes to keep things spicy, as in the chipotle cole slaw or fresh kimchi. Don't miss the mac and cheese."

What started as a food truck in 2017 can now be enjoyed in a spacious brick and mortar location in Garrison Park. The moniker refers to the duo of married couples who run this enticing operation where the spacious setting gives off midcentury vibes with its glazed brick exterior and peak-roofed dining area.

Inspector notes: "The excellent barbecue menu isn't built around brisket, although that beloved item is available as a daily special at the end of the week. In fact, several specials keep things interesting throughout the week, such as spice-crusted, melt-in-your mouth beef cheeks or the daily sausage which may be studded with Hatch green chiles and mozzarella cheese. The banana pudding tiramisu is a clever hybrid with coffee-soaked 'Nilla wafers."

Few smokehouses celebrate the city’s diverse cultural footprint quite like this one, where Texas barbecue traditions merge with Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean flavors. Where else will you find a fried bao soaked in honey, layered with pork belly and topped with hot mustard and water spinach? How many pitmasters glaze their ribs in gochujang?

Inspector notes: "Classic offerings of brisket and ribs satisfy, but the restaurant’s heart lives in the daily specials, which change with great frequency. Take a look around: A nearby table will always have a dish you wish you had ordered. How’s the brisket fried rice? What about that smoked char siu banh mi? Do you have room for the watermelon salad? These are questions for the next visit – and the visits after that."

Few things go together as perfectly as biscuits and barbecue, and that's the premise behind this truck from Christopher McGhee and William Spence, located on the Radio Coffee lot. It's popular but they have ordering down pat with a QR code and a call-ahead option that keeps things moving along.

Inspector notes: "Good thing too, as you won't want to wait for a bite of their melt-in-your-mouth brisket and flakey biscuit sandwich with a swoop of smoked strawberry jam thrown in for good measure. Or, try the pork belly with spiced apple pear preserves, a fried chicken biscuit, or even a simple egg sandwich biscuit—it's all good. To top it all off, beef sausage and wings, as well as sides like pimento cheese grits, round out their barbecue staples."

If the line wrapped around the building doesn't clue you in, you'll know you've arrived at Cattleack when the heady scent of wood smoke drifts along in the breeze. Pitmaster Todd David and his wife, Misty, highlight the classics, using oak and hickory wood for their barbecued meats, which change daily.

Inspector notes: "Brisket and pork ribs are must-orders, but their specials, like a pork steak or wagyu pastrami brisket, are a close second. The meat is flavorful enough on its own, but bottles of their bright and tangy sauce are on every table. Of course, no barbecue spot worth its salt shirks the sides, and here, greens and burnt end beans or street corn are two winners. When they ask if you want cornbread, the answer is always a resounding yes."

Meanwhile Brewing is home to a few food trucks, but Chef Damien Brockway's is the one to beat. It's barbecue, but certainly not your grandaddy's barbecue. Instead, there's more than a hint of new school in this cooking, with the chef's African diaspora inspiration coming through in the menu. There is a stern nose to tail and root to stem ethos here, where you'll find everything from pulled pork and brisket to chicken smoked using pecan wood and mixed hardwood.

Inspector notes: "Classic pork sausage flecked with red pepper flakes impresses with its dialed-in flavor, but it's the chicken with chile vinegar butter that is the true standout. A rotating list of sides may include burnt ends with black-eyed peas and smoky spice-rubbed peanuts."

This iconic barbecue oasis in the heart of Austin needs no introduction, even further evidenced by the lines snaking out the door. Inside is simple at best, with a corrugated metal ceiling and cement floors, but it's the board above the counter that has everyone's attention anyway.

Inspector notes: "Pork ribs, sausage, turkey, and pulled pork, along with a handful of sandwiches and classic sides (think cole slaw salad and pinto beans) are what's on offer, but you won't ever go wrong with the brisket. Sliced to order, it's wrapped in butcher paper and weighed before being placed on the famous blue tray. Tender and smoky with flavorful marbling and a dark char, it's worth the hours-long wait. Pair it with a cold local beer and it's the perfect duo."

Founded by the youthful and creative cohort of Jalen Heard, Lane Milne, and Jonny White, Goldee's is the name on the lips of every barbecue aficionado seeking out great brisket (among other items) in the Fort Worth area. Open just a few days a week from late morning until afternoon, one must go when the getting is this good; and it's absolutely worth the hours-long wait in the Texas sun.

Inspector notes: "The brisket here, premium Black Angus beef, is cooked low and slow using post oak sourced from nearby. The meat is meltingly tender with a rich, clean flavor and needs nothing else; however, stuck between slices of homemade bread with a dab of the sweet/tart mustard-y sauce is a delightful way to go. Turkey, ribs (beef and pork), and sausage round out the proteins, which can be sided by potato salad or zesty cabbage and kale slaw."

Is East Austin's Micklethwait Craft Meats good? Take one look at the crowd, with everyone from police officers and parents with kids to well-dressed locals, and it's a sure sign that this place is on point. Owner Tom Micklethwait is a master at central Texas-style barbecue, doling out luscious meat from ribs and brisket to sausage, pulled pork, lamb, and barbacoa. Juicy, smoky, spicy, and sweet, it's all good, no matter your selection.

Inspector notes: "While it would be a sacrilege to skip the meat, the sides, including Frito pie, jalapeno cheese grits, and a standout potato salad dressed with cider vinegar, are good enough on their own to warrant a visit. You'll be stuffed, but there's always room for banana pudding, isn't there?"

Barbecue competition is steep in these parts, but in just a few short years, pitmaster Grant Pinkerton, who lives above the restaurant, has made a name for himself. The number of deer heads mounted on the walls of this low-slung joint makes you wonder whether beef is really on the menu, but indeed it is. Keep an eye on the back wall where daily specials are written in small print.

Inspector notes: "Everyone starts with the hulking beef rib, which often sells out before midday, and thick, melting slabs of prime-grade brisket cooked over mesquite and oak. Like all good barbecue, neither piece wants for sauce. Not to be outdone are the brilliantly tender St. Louis-style ribs, which are glazed to order in a sweet sauce made with dehydrated vegetables."

Imagine: a single trailer in Spring parked on the side of the highway next door to a gas station with a sign out front. The setup is as classic as the trailer’s origins. Childhood friends Jordan Rosemeyer and Ben Maxwell started out cooking for fun on weekends, but before long found themselves running this humble operation. There’s no dining room in sight but there are picnic tables. Most importantly, there is great barbecue – and a lot of it.  Daily specials are another point of pride so keep a close eye on the restaurant’s social media.

Inspector notes: "Beautifully smoked brisket takes top billing, but tender pork ribs and snappy, jalapeno-cheese sausages are must-orders as well."

North of Houston in the city of Tomball, Scott Moore Jr. might be the only chocolatier to become a pitmaster. This wasn’t his plan when he launched a bean-to-bar operation in 2015, but now it is the main reason why customers from all over line up on the porch of this quirky house before doors open.

Inspector notes: "Flintstone-sized beef ribs with salt and pepper barks and melting threads of fat are a notable daily special (Friday only). Other highlights include snappy chile relleno sausages and lovely slices of USDA prime beef brisket, all of which emerge from barbecue pits parked under a shed next to a mountain of chopped wood. Sides are fairly standard, except for the excellent carrot soufflé, which straddles a fine, delicious line between sweet and savory."

Early risers can drop in for a quick breakfast taco. As a bonus, the wait to order is rarely long, and the amount of seating indoor and outdoor is bountiful. In a region where eating barbecue can require considerable advanced planning, such accommodations are a welcome change of pace.

Inspector notes: "Who had the brilliant idea to use brisket trimmings to make tortillas? The credit might possibly belong to this Montrose smokehouse, which delivers prime USDA brisket and beef rib excellence. With a side order of warm tortillas and a lashing of sweet sauce, the combination is spot-on. Speaking of sides, the refreshing marinated tomato salad or the surprisingly spicy charred beans pack a lot more flavor than expected."

Although the acclaimed original location in Brenham is little more than a roadside shack, this Houston Heights sequel from owner and pitmaster Leonard Botello IV is a gleaming model of modern efficiency. Fortunately, the cooking still has plenty of soul: the brisket is expectedly solid, while smoked pork ribs and house-made sausages are a cut above.

Inspector notes: "Surprisingly, sides like collards, beans and corn pudding—or even the more rarified tater tot casserole with crisp fried onions— might even be the highlight, offering the flavorful, rib-sticking quality of lovingly homemade dishes. If, somehow, you manage not to fill up on the tantalizing savory options, those with an implacable sweet tooth can tip the scales with hefty slices of house-made cake."

Led by pitmaster and co-owner, Esaul Ramos Jr., 2M Smokehouse is the real deal. There is usually a line to order at the counter and wait for your tray before sitting in their enclosed seating area or outside on the benches. Unlike some spots where you're relegated to one offering by the pound, it's all cut and weighed market style here, so have as much as you want of their terrific offerings. 

Inspector notes: "It's all good but make sure to try their juicy brisket or thickly sliced turkey breast with a citrus-pepper seasoning. Mexican influences, such as chicharrón macaroni, pickled nopales, and street corn, also make their way onto the menu, and all orders come with a side of house-made dill pickles."

This place has been going strong since the early 1990s, and the name is fitting, as you'll certainly want to fill up at this former gas station. Step inside to these simple surroundings and take a good look at the board detailing the mouthwatering meats and delicious sides on offer. Smoked in mesquite and oak wood and then cooked in a gas-fired rotisserie, it's all good and makes decision making a tough task.

Inspector notes: "All of the meat is cut to order; juicy turkey with a slight smoky flavor is a winner, but the brisket sandwich, with thick, marbled slices tucked between cottony white bread, is a favorite. Don't skip the sides, especially "Mami’s potato salad," a family recipe."

Brisket fried rice by the gas station? Only in Texas. Chef Hong Tran originally cooked brisket as a backyard hobby but now finds himself running this bustling restaurant with his family in the greater Houston area. Long lines move quickly through this well-oiled operation, which shares a parking lot with people filling up their tanks.

Inspector notes: "Practically everyone is here for the same thing, and Tran’s signature dish is a reflection of his Lone Star upbringing and Vietnamese roots: Jasmine fried rice tossed with fried egg and Chinese sausage packs proper wok flavor, and each order can come with two prime, melting slabs of brisket. No need to bother with the sides when you can fill up on the pork ribs, which are beautifully tender and delicately smoked."

Geoffrey Ellis and Travis Crawford are the brains behind this popular spot in Mueller that is equal parts Texas barbecue and delicatessen. Located in a shared space, it's a classic no-fuss spot with concrete floors and booths made from wooden slats, but you're here for the food, most likely the house-made pastrami sandwich.

Inspector notes: "Brined, then rubbed with black pepper and coriander before being smoked, they take their meat seriously. Piled high on house-made rye sourdough with mustard, it's (pastrami sandwich) their signature item for a good reason. Other sandwiches, meat by the pound, a variety of sides like collard greens, potato salad, and chips and pimento dip, plus classics like matzoh ball soup are all worth a try too."

Named in honor of Fort Worth's nickname, Panther City BBQ began as a food truck before landing this space with both indoor and outdoor seating. This is central Texas-style barbecue with meat slow-cooked on offset pits. Here, they dole out Texan classics while also leaning into Tex-Mex offerings like brisket burritos, brisket elote, and street tacos.

Inspector notes: "Arrive early to avoid long lines to savor the likes of expertly smoked, thickly sliced brisket with a pepper-heavy rub or tender, shredded pulled pork. As with any good barbecue spot, the sides are attention grabbing, and some of their hits include spicy smoked mac and cheese and potato salad with baked, smashed potato and red potatoes mixed with shredded cheese, green onion, and mayonnaise."

Husband and wife Patrick and Fasicka Hicks started like many other barbecue spots with a trailer smoker and weekend pop-ups, but that's where most of the similarities end. This casual Arlington spot with booth and table seating and a welcoming ambience bills its barbecue as Tex-Ethiopian. There are some typical Texan classics, but it's their barbecue seared with awaze, an Ethiopian-spice sauce, that truly stands out.

Inspector notes: "Sold by the half-pound, platters are the way to go if you want to sample more of the offerings like skillfully smoked brisket and tender pulled lamb. They have the classic sides like mac and cheese and potato salad, but try something different like their collard greens, fried okra, or Ethiopian lentil stews."

Scions of the legendary Black barbecue clan (whose original Lockhart location has spawned multiple outlets), left the fold to forge their own path, naming their business in honor of their father. Seating is first-come, first-served, but don't fret, as the sizeable building, decked out like a well-worn roadhouse, offers plenty of space, both indoors and out.

Inspector notes: "As is expected for central Texas barbeque, beef takes the pride of place: the slow-smoked prime sliced brisket and behemoth bone-in beef ribs are the main events here, but all of their meat offerings, like pork ribs and sausage, demonstrate the team's dedication to their craft. You'll also find respectable sides, like tangy potato salad or fresh green beans."