The Best BBQ in Texas: 16 Must-Try Spots Across the Lone Star State

If you want to understand Texas BBQ, then we have to start at the beginning–and that means Southside Market & Barbeque in Elgin. While both the method and name for barbeque, derived from the Indigenous word barbecue, existed long before state lines were drawn, we can attribute modern Texas BBQ to the region of Central Texas.

The star of Central Texas is the meat, usually only seasoned with salt and pepper so that the high-quality beef shines through–and yes, that means traditionally, no BBQ sauce. Just outside of Austin is the small town of Elgin, home of the oldest still-operating BBQ joint in Texas. Opened in 1886, Southside Market & Barbeque stays true to its Central Texas-style brisket, with a simple dry rub cooked over post oak wood until it gets the signature dark outer bark on the meat.

However, we cannot accurately describe the origins of Texas BBQ without acknowledging the culinary contributions of Black Americans. In the early centuries of the United States, labor-intensive cooking, like barbequing, was often delegated to enslaved peoples.

According to Grady Atwater, historian and administrator for the John Brown Museum, even BBQ terms show its embedded history, “‘Pit Master’ refers to an elderly slave who was an expert cook and led the effort to prepare the BBQ for the slaveholders.” Plantation barbeques, held for special occasions and holidays, were often used as evidence of a slave owner’s “generosity.”

In 1862, the Patillo family fled the recently emancipated and war-torn Louisiana for Beaumont, Texas, where there were more opportunities for a growing Black family. Patillo’s Bar-B-Q in Beaumont, founded in 1912 by their son Jack Patillo, is now the oldest (fourth-generation) family-owned BBQ restaurant in Texas.

One of the best-selling menu items is their coveted hot links, which are a type of beef or pork sausages. Blending Louisiana Creole and Cajun spices, juicy hot links–or “links” for short–are technically tied shorter than standard sausages and use a higher fat-to-meat ratio.

Speaking of the South, you truly see (and taste) the melody of flavors when you travel to the east side of Texas. The signature of this style is the tenderness of the meat, so much so that it should literally “fall off the bone.” Almost always cooked over sweet hickory wood, the meat may be accompanied by a tangy BBQ sauce. Since the meat is so tender, it is common to see pulled pork and beef brisket sandwiches on the menu.

Look no further than Holy Smoke BBQ for some of the best on the east side, which has been serving the greater Huntsville, Texas, area for over fifty years. Reinvigorated by current owners Tameka Edison, daughter of former pitmaster, and her husband Clinton Edison, Holy Smoke BBQ is a humble community staple and founded an annual scholarship fund for culinary arts students for those hungry to match Holy Smoke BBQ’s iconic flavor.

The meat pairs perfectly with Southern side dishes such as baked beans and potato salad. When you have brisket that melts in your mouth, of course, it’s going to stay on the tip of everyone’s tongue.

There is no Texas without Mexico, and that includes Texas BBQ. When the Spanish arrived on the shores of North America and saw the Indigenous Nations making barbecue, they translated the word into “barbacoa.” Shorthand, barbacoa can mean a range of specific cuts depending on the region in Mexico, but when it comes to southern Texas BBQ, you can expect barbacoa to feature tender cuts from a cow’s head, such as cheek and tongue, served with accompanying tortillas, avocado, and pico de gallo.   

Many pitmasters at the most renowned BBQ establishments across Texas have Mexican ancestry, even if they aren’t always the face of the business, and 2M Smokehouse in San Antonio is textbook for embodying the essence of South Texas-style BBQ. Their juicy barbacoa alone, sold on the first Sunday of the month, warrants a dedicated visit. Every bite is a reminder of Texas’ Mexican American heritage, with chicharron mac and cheese, serrano and Oaxaca cheese pork sausage, and Mexican street corn.

Now, the west side of Texas deviates a bit from the rest of the state when it comes to BBQ, and that is because of its cowboy roots. Without the time or stability to build BBQ pits, cowboys in the West stuck to cooking their meat over open flame, more closely resembling Indigenous cooking practices in the Americas. Usually barbecued over mesquite wood, the rustic West Texas-style brisket has a faster cooking time while still retaining the meat’s natural juices.

If you’re in West Texas for Big Bend National Park or staying near quirky cities like Marfa, your first food stop should be to Rock N Raul’s Smokehouse, or RNR for short. Located in Fort Davis, Texas, RNR is a revival of the city’s legendary BBQ joint, then called “Raul’s,” which was cited as the best BBQ in Texas in 1999. Now, the third generation’s take on the family recipe continues the legacy at RNR. Their saucy brisket is paired with regional staples such as ranchero beans and funeral potatoes for the full cowboy experience.

Let’s take a quick breather from beef; don’t worry there’s much more coming up to dive into another BBQ protein staple. Chicken. BBQ chicken is a lighter alternative to brisket, but it still takes a certain level of finesse to achieve the smoked flavor that is crucial to Texas BBQ chicken.

We all have our favorite cuts of chicken for day-to-day eating, but when you’re in Bellaire, Texas, the correct answer is a smoked chicken wing–specifically from Blood Bros BBQ. The greater Houston area is already a cultural melting pot, and Blood Bros throws a few extra spices into the mix for their menu, with wing sauces such as sweet chili, huli huli, and honey harissa to take their smoked chicken to the next level.

When the world thinks of BBQ, the first image that comes to mind is a thick, glistening beef rib. In Texas, that means Killen’s BBQ. Beef ribs are quintessential to the art of BBQ. Though often considered an entry dish into the cuisine, beef ribs can be the hardest to elevate. Sure, you’ll find them on almost every menu since beef ribs are simple enough, but the true show of skill is when beef ribs are the shining star.

That’s where Killen’s BBQ comes in. While the restaurant has expanded to multiple locations in the state, its original home hails from Pearland, Texas. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but if you want a life-altering experience, then you have to pick up their big juicy beef rib that will forever set a new bar in your BBQ flavor profile.

I want my baby back, baby back, baby back, baby back, baby back…I would go on, but you get the idea. Also, copyright infringement.

Baby back ribs are taken from the back of the pig, and since pigs are smaller than cows, the endearing term “baby back” was coined. The popularity of baby back ribs swept the nation from sea to shining sea due to their smaller size and leaner fat content, making them faster and easier to cook. Baby back ribs also do not have cartilage, which can turn off many people new to the BBQ world.

Though Texas BBQ is largely beef-run, baby back ribs have managed to nestle their way onto menus across the state. The best spot to get them is Cackle & Oink BBQ in Sherman, Texas. Baby back ribs are their specialty, gathering crowds from across the country to get their hands on a slab. Round out the meal with their signature jalapeno cornbread and sweet corn for a bit that hits every flavor group.

In contrast, spare ribs are larger with more marbling that comes from the belly region, leading to a meatier and fatter cut. True to Texas BBQ, most of the spare ribs you’ll find in the Lone Star State will have the signature dry rub of salt and smoky pepper, but there is one BBQ joint that brings a little extra spice to their spare ribs.

Distant Relatives, located in Austin, Texas, uses a dry rub blend that is equal parts Texas meets West Africa, another cuisine known for its barbecue techniques. Serving out of a food truck, Distant Relatives also acts as a connection between traditional BBQ and the more on-the-go food culture of modern times. Just a heads up, though, their signature spare rib WILL stop time altogether.

Okay, last rib for this list (probably), but as the cultural makeup of Texas is growing, so is the delicious diversity of Texas BBQ. The popularity of Korean BBQ has hit the taste palates of every demographic in America, so naturally, Texas had to pop out with its own spin. 

Eaker BBQ in Fredericksburg, Texas, mixes the tradition of Central Texas and Korean flavors to bring something new to the table. Local Texas content creator Jessica Serna, founder of My Curly Adventures, always has her finger on the pulse of everything new happening in her home state as notes Eaker BBQ as one of her all-time favorites.

The gochujang pork ribs turn Texas BBQ on its head, adding sweetness, spice, and umami to the recipe. Another addition that keeps visitors coming back for more is “the fresh homemade kimchi,” Jessica reminisces. “It just adds such a unique flavor profile to the rich, thick barbecue – it lightens and brightens it!”

There are many unsung heroes in the world of BBQ, and that is also true for the amazing women pitmasters who fly under the mainstream radar. Women have long been part of the restaurant business, helping both in cooking and operations of family-owned ventures even if their names aren’t on the business. However, today’s generation of women pitmasters are challenging the male-dominated industry of Texas BBQ.

One such establishment is Barbs B Q, a woman-owned and led BBQ joint in Lockhart, Texas. Located in the capital of Texas BBQ, Barbs B Q goes head-to-head in the most densely populated arena of Texas BBQ and does more than hold its own—it dominates. Pitmaster Chuck Charnichart creatively reimages what Texas BBQ should be and is one of the best places to get a perfect Texas lamb chop alongside the brisket and sausage staples.

Charnichart and her young team know what it’s like to be brushed aside due to factors that have nothing to do with talent and continue to push the taste boundaries of expectation. “That’s what I care about the most, making them see how valuable they are and how much more they can do,” prides Charnichart, and the line out the door backs it up.

It’s incredible what a fresh perspective can have on a menu.

Though Lockhart may be considered the capital of Texas BBQ, the city of Austin is definitely paving the way for the next big powerhouses in BBQ. Pork belly is one of the “newer” additions to the scene, its flavorful fat locking in both flavor and moisture. 

InterStellar BBQ is one such spot in Austin incorporating pork belly into its menu and embracing innovation for Texas BBQ. Their tender pork belly is finished with a homemade peach glaze that has caught the attention of more than a few ‘cue aficionados.

Pastrami is usually thought of as a deli meat, but it is technically made from brisket, so of course, it found its own cozy home in Texas BBQ. Originating from Romania and a staple in both Romanian and Jewish cuisines, pastrami is made from brining a brisket in salt and spices and then cold smoked to develop the flavor.

Mum Foods Smokehouse & Delicatessen in Austin is where BBQ brisket meets pastrami in the Lone Star State. From farmers’ markets to storefronts, Mum’s pastrami features a fattier trim that attracts diners all the way from the North.

When it comes to brisket, each BBQ joint has its preferred lean-to-fat ratio. If the ratio skews too lean, the brisket risks drying out, whereas too much fat can be unpleasant to eat. Still, few spots are brave enough to take on the challenge of lean brisket, where the margin of error is the only thing small in Texas.

Few but not zero, so if you’re looking for a leaner brisket option, you can rest easy knowing La Barbecue in Austin, Texas, is a lean, mean brisket machine. Passionate about letting diners enjoy Texas BBQ as they see fit, their brisket is seasoned to eat dry or paired with their signature sweet sauce.

At the end of the day, the true foundation of Texas BBQ is the quality of the meat. But if the local beef is already free-range, grass-fed, and otherwise pinnacles of perfect physical and mental excellence, can the meat get any better?

The answer is yes: wagyu beef.

And also, yes, Texas BBQ has it figured out down to the T. Hailed for its beautiful marbling, you can find wagyu brisket at Kafi BBQ in the city of Irving, where they have perfected their buttery soft wagyu brisket. Since Kafi BBQ’s menu is the gift that keeps on giving, you should also pick up an order of its delicious glazed burnt ends, another Texas BBQ staple, but this recipe kicks it up a notch with pomegranate flavors, a nod to the pitmaster’s rich Iraqi heritage. 

Last but certainly not least, round out your Texas BBQ food expedition with a lesser-known menu item – the Texas Twinkie. Using a large jalapeño pepper, the inside is stuffed with rich cream cheese and BBQ brisket. Then, the entire thing is wrapped in bacon, smoked, and then glazed in BBQ sauce. Comparing it to a jalapeño popper just doesn’t do it justice.

Ismail Mpiana, the voice behind the Texas food blog account My Culinary Adventures, names HutchinsBBQ in Frisco as one of the best. Not only are their meats consistently cooked to perfection, but they are known specifically for their Texas Twinkies.