Best BBQ in texas

Wolfpack

Okay so will be in Houston this week and am planning a pilgramage to Franklins- where else should I hit? Thinking about heading to Lockhart and then up- Figure I'm good for 3 places- so fellas from Texas, what's your top 3-4

fusionhq

If you make it out to Kilgore, country tavern has some damn good ribs!

cazzy

Wolfpack said:

Okay so will be in Houston this week and am planning a pilgramage to Franklins- where else should I hit? Thinking about heading to Lockhart and then up-

Figure I'm good for 3 places- so fellas from Texas, what's your top 3-4

Go to La BBQ in Austin too. While it's not the best bbq anymore, the history in Lockhart is rich. Worth a stop.

In the Houston area (Pearland)...there is Killen's BBQ. It's got pretty great reviews thus far. Ronnie is using Creekstone Prime.

GQuiz

Lockhart has been less than its usual stellar self lately. Take I-10 west to the Buc-ee's exit. After picking up a bag of Beaver Nuggets, hit Luling City Market and then head up 183 to Austin.

Legume

+1 on City Market in Luling. Get a quart of their sauce to go, it'll probably come in a re-purposed peanut butter or mayo jar, but it's realllly good.

agfox

When I drove through Austin, I really enjoyed Louie Mueller's brisket.  http://www.louiemuellerbarbecue.com/

Mkadilla

http://www.goodecompany.com/

Are you in the mood to drive 2-3 hours to Austin, Lockhart, Luling etc?

Dyal_SC

I drove through Lockhart a couple years ago. I really enjoyed the experience of Smitty's. Their smoker is super cool. And Blacks is great too. Phenomenal brisket. Franklin in Austin has amazing brisket too.

wmcguire93

GQuiz said:

Lockhart has been less than its usual stellar self lately. Take I-10 west to the Buc-ee's exit. After picking up a bag of Beaver Nuggets, hit Luling City Market and then head up 183 to Austin.

+1 on City Market and +1 on Buc-ee's. 

Buc-ee's is a truck stop wet dream.  Think of it as a Love's on steroids.  They have some great beef jerky!  They also have the cleanest bathrooms of any pit stop you can find.

caliking

I liked Smitty's and Black's a few years ago. The food was decently good, but it was just fun to be driving around looking for bbq joints with ol skool pits in them. We had a good time. 

I live in Pearland, and drive by Killen's BBQ place every weekend. Have not tried it yet, because I don't have the patience to wait that long for food I enjoy cooking myself. I also have issues with his steakhouse but that's a different rant if you're planning on hitting Franklin's, I would probably skip Killen's, unless you really have time to kill.

Where do you live? There are many other great spots in Houston, depending on what you like to eat. I would be happy to help with recs, if you need any. 

Wolfpack

If i do franklins on a Wednesday what time do I need to be in line?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Wolfpack said:

If i do franklins on a Wednesday what time do I need to be in line?

what time do you want to eat?

9am=noon

10am=1pm

11am- go to Matts and eat Texmex.

Last time I went on a Sunday. We got there at 9 and ate at 2.

Wolfpack

Sounds good- will get there around 9am. Going to be nice and warm.

Wolfpack

So where for dinner?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Wolfpack said:

Sounds good- will get there around 9am. Going to be nice and warm.

Yep. It won't be bad before you get in though. You may eat closer to 11 if you get there at 9. Just didn't want to give you false hope. The line wait times are real. Every day. It will be 95 by noon though so I would get their early and wait in the am. Anyone waiting after noon will roast out there.

Eggpharmer

I went in April on a Thursday. Got in line about 915. Got food around 1. Take a small cooler, a six pack (or more) and a lawn chair. Enjoy the atmosphere - it's kinda like tailgating. Load up on brisket. Get a little of the sausage, pulled pork and ribs. Skip the turkey. I don't usually put sauce on my brisket, but a little of the coffee based sauce is awesome on there. Finish with bourbon banana pie if you still have room. Maybe I should go...I don't have to work until 3 that day...

Wolfpack

Come on down- may have to stop and get a chair

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Wolfpack said:

So where for dinner?

what do you want to eat? I would go to Uchiko.

Wolfpack

What's difference between uchi and uchiko?

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Wolfpack said:

What's difference between uchi and uchiko?

uchi is sushi. Uchiko has some sushi but has a killer menu as well. Tyson cole owns both (google him- he's won everything). Paul Qui was the chef at uchi and Uchiko... Until he won Top Chef. Now he owns Qui which is also insanely good. I've eaten at Marimoto in Austin and Uchi blows it away. Not even close. Uchiko is even better. With either...bring your checkbook.

Wolfpack

Well crap- got here a little before 9:30 little trouble getting out of town this morning. Ribs are nt looking good- missed by 10 people or so. Will see. Damn I thought NC had some heat- strong for 10am

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I hope you are talking beef ribs? Just eat brisket and sausage and get a beef rib if they have it. We don't do pork here. It's for tourists )

Seriously though, skip the pork ribs and pulled pork. it's good but you can et that anywhere. The brisket, beef ribs, and sausage are other worldly

bbqlearner

Thought the beef ribs at Killen's in pearland are great too if you didn't get one from Franklin's and coming to the Houston area

Wolfpack

Was referring to beef. If I'm in Rome...

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Wolfpack said:

Was referring to beef. If I'm in Rome...

good call. they only do a few every day. They don't make any on them and they take up too much pit space/time. They are awesome though. I would say I liked them even more than the brisket if I didn't think i would get my ass kicked by the bbq gods.

cazzy

Unless they changed it, Franklin Barbecue only serves Beef Ribs on Saturday so you missed them by a few days.  If you want a beef rib, go buy one at La Barbecue or Micklethwait Craft Meats.

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cazzy said:

Unless they changed it, Franklin Barbecue only serves Beef Ribs on Saturday so you missed them by a few days.  If you want a beef rib, go buy one at La Barbecue or Micklethwait Craft Meats.

I didn't know that but I've only been there on Saturdays. La BBQ has great beef ribs.

cazzy

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

cazzy said:

Unless they changed it, Franklin Barbecue only serves Beef Ribs on Saturday so you missed them by a few days.  If you want a beef rib, go buy one at La Barbecue or Micklethwait Craft Meats.

I didn't know that but I've only been there on Saturdays. La BBQ has great beef ribs.

While I agree with you about the pork ribs, La Barbecue (John) recently modified his pork rib recipe and they were the best prepared pork ribs I've ever paid for.

bbqlearner

Is there a wait for La Barbecue as well?

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bbqlearner said:

Is there a wait for La Barbecue as well?

yes but not nearly as much. 20-30 min is not uncommon at high lunch hour but sometimes just a few people are in line at a time. Last time I went I went on Saturday during SXSW music festival. I got there after 10 and was first in line. People that showed up at 11 were eating in 20 minutes. It's a little  more hit and miss than Franklins but when they are on, it's money. I eat there more than Franklins because I don't have to wait in line. I've had "best ever" and "meh" though so Franklin's is definitely the gold standard. 

But....wait for it..... LABBQ has free beer. tough to beat that.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

wolfpack is in a meat coma right about now. Did anyone warn him about the "meat sweats"? it is a known condition that comes from eating at FranklinBBQ. Also, tomorrow, you will smell like brisket when you shower. It's not pretty but it will happen.

I ate there with an older guy from LA in December. He said he took a steam the next morning and had to leave because he stunk the entire steam room up with brisket funk coming out of his pores.

Good luck