Payin' respects to a ledgendary "BBQ Joint" on my way thru Central Texas.....

The Cen-Tex Smoker

egger ave said:

" I actually like Salt Lick in Round Rock better but their brisket sucks. "

Agreed, not worth the $$. Their ribs are OK.  Johnny-T's on RR 620 in Round Rock has better brisket.

I just like hanging out at Salt Lick and I love their sauce. I eat ribs, chicken and sausage there ( I think their sausage might be the best thing they have but I like the ribs too). I occasionally get brisket when we go family style but it's always just "meh". I load it with sauce and eat it on that awesome bread they serve. better than most but for those in the know, it's just OK.

North_Is_Up

I'm finished in Round Rock at 11. The menu at The Salt Lick looks fantastic. For $20 buck, I can get a sampling of everything.

I only have time for dinner on Wednesday and it has to be downtown Austin and lunch on Thursday in the Round Rock/Austin area (I'll have a rental car by this time). After that, it's the family of Aggies in College Station and wherever they want to go. Flying out of Austin too early on Mother's Day to stop anywhere. 

So, lunch at The Salt Lick and after lunch at Louis Meuller's in Taylor? I dunno. Will follow-up. Thank you. Too many great choices. What a nice position to be in. 

Chubby

Agreed...

Mueller's Brisket...hands down better'n Salt Lick!

Both are "Waaay Koool"...Only in Texas type Joints...each in their own way, and well worth the trip any time!!

Like Cen-Tex said...hitting Lulling and Lockhart would be the way to go...if you can!

Lots of great traditional Texas Q and BBQ history packed in those 2 little towns!

Enjoy!!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

So, lunch at The Salt Lick and after lunch at Louis Meuller's in Taylor? I dunno. Will follow-up. Thank you. Too many great choices. What a nice position to be in. 

Do this. meat coma! Just get a bunch of Louie's to go and they will kiss you on the mouth when you hit CS

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Chubby said:

Agreed...

Mueller's Brisket...hands down better'n Salt Lick!

Both are "Waaay Koool"...Only in Texas type Joints...each in their own way, and well worth the trip any time!!

Like Cen-Tex said...hitting Lulling and Lockhart would be the way to go...if you can!

Lots of great traditional Texas Q and BBQ history packed in those 2 little towns!

Enjoy!!

well said. Both cool and both very Texas. Salt Lick is a cooler place, Louie's has the better Q. Something awesome about having a Shiner Bock under the Live Oaks on a nice TX day at Salt Lick. You'll be hooked. 

caliking

This makes me want to throw it all away and hit the Central TX bbq trail. The last time I sort of did that, I enjoyed the ol skool charm of Black's and Smitty's too, but have not been to all or enough of the bbq legends to critique their fare. Hope to change that soon

egger ave

North_Is_Up said:

I'm finished in Round Rock at 11. The menu at The Salt Lick looks fantastic. For $20 buck, I can get a sampling of everything.

I only have time for dinner on Wednesday and it has to be downtown Austin and lunch on Thursday in the Round Rock/Austin area (I'll have a rental car by this time). After that, it's the family of Aggies in College Station and wherever they want to go. Flying out of Austin too early on Mother's Day to stop anywhere. 

So, lunch at The Salt Lick and after lunch at Louis Meuller's in Taylor? I dunno. Will follow-up. Thank you. Too many great choices. What a nice position to be in. 

Johnny T's is the best BBQ in Round Rock and north of Austin. Local's know about it, we try to keep it a secret and send the the tourists to Salt Lick.

1318 Round Rock Ave, Round Rock, TX 78681

Phone:(512) 255-7447

Hours:

 

Tuesday hours 11:00 am–8:30 pm  

GQuiz

Did the TM Top 5 in one day after the last Best BBQ in Texas issue. Snow's, Louie's, Kreuz, Smitty's and City Market... 265 miles, 6 hours, $140 in BBQ, and a stretched belt. Everything CenTex said is spot on. But if you get to Kreuz or Smitty's early enough, get a pork chop. Not on the board. But an excellent, excellent choice.

FearlessTheEggNoob

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:
Something awesome about having a Shiner Bock under the Live Oaks on a nice TX day at Salt Lick. You'll be hooked. 

I like that it is BYOB. Saw my first hummingbird up close feeding near our bench on the screened porch. That was really cool.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

FearlessTheEggNoob said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:
Something awesome about having a Shiner Bock under the Live Oaks on a nice TX day at Salt Lick. You'll be hooked. 

I like that it is BYOB. Saw my first hummingbird up close feeding near our bench on the screened porch. That was really cool.

The one in round rock is not BYOB but the original still is. I much prefer the original in Driftwood but they did a pretty good job recreating the mojo in Round Rock. The BYOB is awesome. We used to take blenders out there and grind up Margaritas. Great place. Wish the Q was better but they got it going on anyway. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

GQuiz said:

Did the TM Top 5 in one day after the last Best BBQ in Texas issue. Snow's, Louie's, Kreuz, Smitty's and City Market... 265 miles, 6 hours, $140 in BBQ, and a stretched belt. Everything CenTex said is spot on. But if you get to Kreuz or Smitty's early enough, get a pork chop. Not on the board. But an excellent, excellent choice.

dude- what a day. I can only do 2 at a time and I'm pushing it to do that. I would have slipped off into the ether after Snow's

FearlessTheEggNoob

Their peach cobbler a-la-mode is fricken awesome. Buy a bottle of their spicy BBQ sauce too.

North_Is_Up

OK. Trip to Austin and College Station is over. Due to family get-togethers, things didn't go as planned. Too many relatives in town. Upon landing in Austin, we did drive immediately to Lockhart to sample the food at Kreuz. I liked it, but it wasn't the best that I had. Had some brisket, clod and a sausage with cole slaw. It took longer in Round Rock the second day than expected and SWMBO wanted to go to San Marco shopping. Did try C & J's in College Station on Friday. Excellent BBQ. I think it was better than Kreuz. Pictures are of Kreuz. 

It's just nice in general to visit the promised land (TX). Also stopped at the Russian House in Austin for some excellent vodkas and borscht during happy hour. Not Que, but a nice diversion, especially if you're old and speak Russian. 

Thank you for the suggestions. We will go back someday. 

egger ave

come back anytime and check out Johnny T's in Round Rock. 

Village Idiot

Sorry you went to Kreuz's, North.  I've eaten there twice and didn't think it was too good.  I love Black's.  Maybe, next time, you can give them a try.

Mickey

IMO HEB has better brisket than the Salt Lick. I do like the sausage and fixins

Foghorn

What time of day were you there that Kreuz was empty? Every time I go there are lines out the door - even on weekdays.

I've often wondered "Who in their right mind builds a restaurant that seats over 200 (maybe 300?) in a town of 11,000?"  But when you go there and they are ringing multiple cash registers as fast as they can then it makes sense.

Plus, I've met Rick Schmidt and he doesn't seem crazy - and our mutual friends seem to think very highly of him so I've always been partial to Kreuz.

Of course, Driftwood looks to be about 5% as big as Lockhart and The Salt Lick seems to fill up hundreds of seats all the time as well. 

It really is like a pilgramage to go to some of these places.

North_Is_Up

We were at Kreuz at about 3:30p last Wednesday. I'll be back for the tour someday. I expect to be invited to a wedding next spring.

Oilpony

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

GQuiz said:

Did the TM Top 5 in one day after the last Best BBQ in Texas issue. Snow's, Louie's, Kreuz, Smitty's and City Market... 265 miles, 6 hours, $140 in BBQ, and a stretched belt. Everything CenTex said is spot on. But if you get to Kreuz or Smitty's early enough, get a pork chop. Not on the board. But an excellent, excellent choice.

dude- what a day. I can only do 2 at a time and I'm pushing it to do that. I would have slipped off into the ether after Snow's

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

GQuiz said:

Did the TM Top 5 in one day after the last Best BBQ in Texas issue. Snow's, Louie's, Kreuz, Smitty's and City Market... 265 miles, 6 hours, $140 in BBQ, and a stretched belt. Everything CenTex said is spot on. But if you get to Kreuz or Smitty's early enough, get a pork chop. Not on the board. But an excellent, excellent choice.

dude- what a day. I can only do 2 at a time and I'm pushing it to do that. I would have slipped off into the ether after Snow's

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

GQuiz said:

Did the TM Top 5 in one day after the last Best BBQ in Texas issue. Snow's, Louie's, Kreuz, Smitty's and City Market... 265 miles, 6 hours, $140 in BBQ, and a stretched belt. Everything CenTex said is spot on. But if you get to Kreuz or Smitty's early enough, get a pork chop. Not on the board. But an excellent, excellent choice.

dude- what a day. I can only do 2 at a time and I'm pushing it to do that. I would have slipped off into the ether after Snow's

That's the Hall Of Fame Tour

GQuiz said:

Did the TM Top 5 in one day after the last Best BBQ in Texas issue. Snow's, Louie's, Kreuz, Smitty's and City Market... 265 miles, 6 hours, $140 in BBQ, and a stretched belt. Everything CenTex said is spot on. But if you get to Kreuz or Smitty's early enough, get a pork chop. Not on the board. But an excellent, excellent choice.