Had an important business to attend to in East Houston and planned on spending the weekend in Austin. I have never had Black's so I made appoint to stop by here to try even if there's a long line. Finished what I needed to do in Houston and hurried my way to Lockhart, TX for some great bbq as they say. We arrived a little past 4pm and was worried that the dinner crowd had already started forming a line. We parked out front and to my surprise nobody is inline but a few people who are already eating inside. We beat the dinner rush!!!! Now, on to the food. We ordered a giant beef rib, a pound of fatty brisket, 2 sides each, and 2 drinks which came to $51. A still for a really awesome meal. The meats are tender, moist and beefy. I didn't even slather it bbq sauce. I enjoyed it, it's worthy of a long lone and wait if there was one. Luckily, we didn't have to endure that because it was scorching hot out that day. We merrily continued our journey to Austin and thinking about going back again for a great bbq. read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Beef rib and a pound of brisket. - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

Walked right in about 1p on a Thursday afternoon and waited maybe 5 minutes in the quick-moving line before ordering. Brisket was one of the best we've had anywhere! Sides that we tried were the black-eyed peas, green beans, mac & cheese and pinto beans. They were nothing to write home about, but then again, do you really come to a bbq joint for the sides? read more

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Best BBQ I've ever had! The staff was amazing and so good to our entire family! We can be a handful! read more

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Now that we've lived in Texas a while and tried many options, we were underwhelmed here. The meat wasn't very much - or we should say was quite overpriced. After paying $18, still had to go find something else. There was no sauce and while the seasoning was good, it definitely needed sauce too. It didn't come with sides either. This place is legendary and everyone has to visit at least once, but it's not the Top 5 options in Texas on our list. read more

Do not be intimidated by the line outside! They have plenty of sitting space inside and they even have a patio. We ordered lean brisket, turkey, sausage and ribs. The turkey was outstanding. The others were good, but not sensational. I think that for the bbq capital of Texas I was expecting way more. read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Lean brisket and Smoked Turkey Breast - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

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Just had lunch at Black's BBQ in Lockhart. The brisket, sides, and sausage were good. But we also ordered a slice beef sandwich, and we're a bit disappointed with the beef being dry, plus they used a dry burnt end in it. read more

Finally got to try this place!! It was delicious! We got everything to go because we had somewhere to be and just missed the lunch crowd! The line was forming as we were leaving. We got two pork ribs, turkey, beans, creamed corn and mac & cheese. Would definitely make a trip back to Lockhart for another great selection of bbq! read more

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The food was excellent. The sides are great, especially the green beans and potato salad. The staff are super friendly.

Historic and reputation is deserved Food: We ate at Smitty's a few days earlier and Kreutz recently too. Black's had some of the best meats ever, but as with any BBQ joint, not everything is spectacular. We summarize our meat experience as follows: Turkey- best turkey we've ever had, hands down. Moist, smokey, and simply perfect. Brisket- This great brisket and much better than Smitty's. I still prefer City Meat Market in Giddings for brisket, but Black's is very good. Smoke penetrated deep into the meat, rub provided phenomenal flavor and salt blast, and very moist throughout. Some of the fatty pieces seemed almost undercooked, and that was a bit of a turnoff for me. But the leaner pieces were perfect. Baby back pork ribs- Excellent flavor, great smokiness, very tender. Some of the best we've tried. Beef rib- fall off the bone tender, great brisket-like flavor profile but with more buttery fatness. Excellent. Sausage: we tried the jalapeño cheese link. Nice spice, good flavor profile, but too much cheese. Sides: Black's offers a nice variety of sides, but we only tried the potato salad. It was flavorful and fresh. Ice tea: we mixed sweet and unsweetened tea 50/50. Top-notch! Service: Most of the employees seemed rather unhappy and not very engaged. For example, the cashier never broke a smile and really avoided eye contact too. And the grumpy old woman who "greets" customers upon entry and explains how the ordering system works was rude and troll-like. Given the demeanor of the employees, be glad that this is self-service, order and carry your own food. The only person who was actually friendly was the meat cutter. Pricing: Credit cards accepted. Pricing is higher than most other BBQ joints. We spent $60 on a lunch for 2. Overall cleanliness: above average Bathroom cleanliness: above average read more

Great beef rib, good brisket, pork spareribs also good. Chicken had a good flavor but a little on the dryer side for my tastes. The sides were all very good as well as the cobblers and banana pudding. Most importantly the staff was very welcoming and helpful. read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Dining room mural - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

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By far the best brisket I've ever had. This is the place for brisket the beef rib was monstrous and delicious

Texas BBQ This is a terrific option for lunch in Lockhart. My husband and I shared an order of pork ribs and a large beef rib with 2 sides (we chose black-eyed peas and green beans). The sides were a little over-cooked but tasty and the meat was cooked and seasoned beautifully. We also loved Black's Habanero and Ghost Pepper sauce. It's not cheap but it's very very good! We loved the feel of the restaurant - it showcased their long history in Lockhart. read more

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excellent service plus awesome BBQ will definitely be back

Smoked meat... with a tangy Sauce. When you pull up the parking will suck. Yep even out here it seems no one really thinks about parking!! It is an old shack of a place that looks like the big bad wolf could come along and blow it down at any time. Open the door and bam! In your face! The line begins... Immediately... in this cafeteria style serving.. the sides are right there. Mac n Cheese, cream corn, pickles, mashed potatoes, etc. I am not a cafeteria style guy... but I went with it. (How long has that cream con been sitting here?!?) Note: load up on the mashed potatoes they are good! Also don't worry about saving room on you sides plate for meat... they give you a separate tray for the meat when you get it. Once past the sides and the deserts you get to the "slicer". Order what you want, he cuts it for you, and then serves it up. We had brisket, jalapeño and cheese sausage, turkey and ribs... then you pay (watch out it ain't cheap! Wow... what a bill!) and off you go. The inside eating area is down home barn chic... which is to say... it is nothing to write about. Wood picnic tables and big open areas... nothing fancy. I ate the jalapeño sausage and it was Good! Spicy, juicy and packed with flavor! Then I had the turkey... I am normally a dark meat guy... but this breast was just as juicy and full of flavor as any thigh I have ever eaten. Delectable! Finger lickin good! My wife and boys had the brisket (just falls apart at the touch of a fork) and the ribs... they all liked them a lot. (The ribs are a bit on the skinny side... not much there for the price!) The sauce is a tangy thin bbq that I have to say was ok but I seriously have had better. All in all this was a good stop. The meat is awesome... the sides are good, and the location is history personified. We would stop again for sure. read more

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The Positives: Hear me out, the sides here are just like grandmaw used to make! Ok, the Brisket and Chicken are top notch, even top 10 in Texas, but these sides.....Lord have mercy! Just like back home. The Negatives: Nothing. Keep it up! Overall: One of my favorite bbq joints around. I keep finding myself in Lockhart year after year. read more

Oh man... let's just say I'm all meat-ed out for the rest of the month. I've had The Original Black's BBQ bookmarked, likely from a Food Network TV show, but from locals' recommendation, I've decided to come to the San Marco's location. You know you've walked into the right place as soon as you realize the dining hall is fumed with the fumes from smoking meats. Grab a plate, and walk around the sides aisle and choose your favorite sides. Be careful not to make the same mistakes I did and go overboard with sides cause that is definitely not the main attraction. Noteworthy sides are the sauteed red cabbage with beef bits, and the green beans. My coworker and I, two ladies, went overboard on the sides AND the meats. We shared 1 beef ribs, 2 slices of brisket, 2 baby back rib bones, and 2 sausages. It was definitely way too much meat but in hindsight I am glad we got to try the variety that's offered here. Of all the meats, I would DEFINITELY recommend the beef rib as it was very juicy and tender. The meat literally slide right off the bone! The brisket was probably my second favorite, absolutely loved the dry rub! I would stay away from the pork baby back ribs as those were rather tough and not as mesmerizing. We definitely ordered too much food, and we had a full container to take home. I do feel guilty that we didn't finish all the meats as it is the best when it's fresh, but I'm glad we got to try a bit of everything! read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Definitely way too much food for 2 people! Items: Beef Brisket Pork Baby Back Ribs Sausage Ring Giant Beef Ribs Green Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

First stop in Texas as it was recommended by a friend. The food and service did not disappoint! We are so glad we went on a Thursday and it wasn't packed. Love that everything is on display and when you walk in your hit with such a yummy smell. All the sides are definitely worth trying. My favorite was the Mac and cheese and corn although all of them were so good. Don't even get me started on the meats. The brisket was melt in your mouth good and then ribs so tender. The jalapeño cheddar sausage was unforgettable. I would definitely come back and we got to take home the cups as cute souvenirs. Thank you Black's for starting our trip out good! read more

We were on a trip and this was a very much anticipated stop. The most basic description I can give you is this, After we ate we walked around Main Street and we're contemplating going back do you have another meal, it was that good! Brisket was absolutely amazing and melted in your mouth. The jalapeño cheddar sausage was to die for. The beans were incredible! read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Brisket, beans, Mac n cheese, jalapeño cheddar Sausage Ring - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

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The food was scrumptious! The pecan cobbler (which I picked first) was a perfect mix of creamy goodness and pecan crunch. The Turkey was well smoked and the brisket was the most tender piece of meat I've had in a long time. Highly recommend! read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Yummy jalapeño cornbread. - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

While staying in the Austin area we drove out to Lockhart to try the most original and oldest of TX BBQ joints, The Original Black's BBQ. It's not a long drive, mostly because the speed limit is 85MPH getting here (which is awesome!). The town is small and the street this restaurant is on resembles an old western town. The line was decent, didn't take long to get up to place our order (but a bus pulled up as we were leaving and I'm sure that line was long and slow!). You order sides first and then proteins. The staff was friendly and helpful. Their sides are very basic... whether mac & cheese, cole slaw or green beans, none of it looked "doctored up" nor interesting and the couple of items we did get from their assortment of sides were basic. Regarding proteins, we opted for brisket and port ribs. The port ribs were good. The brisket had a nice smoke, but was very dry and needed a lot of BBQ sauce to make it edible. Flavor was OK, but honestly, I make better brisket on my Big Green Egg. Overall, we can say we went. read more

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Lockhart Texas is home to not one but three of the worlds best BBQ Joints errr Restaurants. Smittys...Kreutz and Blacks. On this Formula One race weekend when we sampled them all....Blacks Barbecue wins by a lap. Outstanding juicy brisket with a perfect bark all the way around. Ribs (pork spare) are the best I have ever had. Just magic and no sauce required. Sides look amazing but I have never sacrificed valuable space that could otherwise be used for brisket and ribs read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Utah ANG Pilot Luke (former Oregon State Defensive End) cleaning up the protein - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

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Heard of it all my life but never been there until today.. Without a doubt the best BBQ I've ever eaten. Tender beyond description. Had moist brisket and a big beef rib and the rib was unbelievable. It weighed out at 1.75 pounds so at $22 a pound was certain the most expensive chunk of meat I've ever had. But aside from the price, it was tremendous. I did get charged for two items I didn't order totaling about $5.00 but my fault for not noticing til after I left. Still gotta give Black's a 5-star. read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Blacks BBQ in Lockhart - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

Damn, I hate these reviews. But here we go. The people were so nice! It's an awesome old place, you should know it's one of the oldest continuously run family Bbq's in Texas. It's def old school. Walk in the door to the line where all the sides are in view. Lovely elder there to ask you how she can fix you up. You get your "sweeties", and "dear's", which I'm a sucker for. Then the axe man asks what kind of carne he can lay on you. So, you know me, Slaw, then a loose cut sandwich, and I layered on a link of their og sausage. Rarified air! My sanny was cut off the final end of a brisket, and dude gave me the "burnt end" gratis! Took my seat, got after it. Ok, keeds... the slaw was old school. Fifty years ago old school. Wet, diced so fine that if I had no teeth, no worries. Sweet. It was all right, but... I couldn't wait to hit that brisket end... so tough it was damn near unchewable. I spit it into a napkin (more in a minute). There was flavor, but it was texturally unsound. Sausage was coarsely ground, which is no probs, but it was dry and obv to long in the warmer. The interior has come away from the casing to the degree I could have probably turned it up and dumped the filling out. Flavor was ok, but it was just not "fresh". Sandwich was not good. I get loose cut because I love the interplay of fat and lean, and the amazingly tender pull when you take a bite. Not here. It was a striated pull, that took too much work to bite.... Then, I took another bite and bit into something so hard that I thought I broke a tooth. Actually stick my fingers into my mouth to check after I immediately spit the mouthful into my napkin. Again. And... I was done. This cannot possibly be the standard for this place, and I am really conflicted in posting, but I wouldn't be honest if all I gave were A+ reviews. But I don't know if I can come back to re-review, because keeds, that tooth-buster is a deal-breaker. Much like I do when hitting a bony catfish, I'll look elsewhere. Laterdays read more

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Blacks is my favorite bbq place in lockhart. I love the history of this place. It is the oldest of them all in town. They have amazing beef ribs and I really like their sauce. They have a great variety of sides, better than any of the other bbq places in my opinion. The employees are always very nice and friendly. read more

The sleepy little town of Lockhart, Texas takes its barbecue seriously. Long considered the "Barbecue Capital of Texas," Lockhart is home to several reputable pits, the two most famous being Black's (est. 1932) and Kreuz Market (est. 1900). Both places have their fans and detractors, but numerous accolades (local, statewide, and even nationwide) suggest that their 'cue is comparable. I have yet to visit Kreuz (an oversight I hope to correct soon), but I had the pleasure of sampling a variety of items at Black's recently. Third-generation pitmaster Kent Black and his small, dedicated team of barbecue brethren put out some damn fine oak-smoked meats. Service at Black's is meat-market style. An eclectic mix of working-class locals, retirees, and barbecue enthusiasts from near and far queue up (bad pun intended) for sides (all self-serve) before visiting the meat chopping block. Exercise restraint because the sides (I counted twelve) will set you back $2.19 per five-ounce serving. I hate to begin a review on a bad note, but the sides at Black's are lackluster. The soupy coleslaw looks and tastes manufactured, with an overwhelmingly savory flavor indicative of chemical agents such as disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate. The potato salad looks eerily similar to the perfectly cubed, bland Hill Country Fare variety available at HEB. Perhaps outsourced, uninspired sides were acceptable twenty or thirty years ago, but this is the 21st century, an era where barbecue (the entire experience, not just the meat) is often considered haute cuisine. The smokey, glistening (yay for meat drippings) pinto beans, however, are among the best I've had anywhere. Load up your plate with beans and skip everything else. My misgivings with the sides faded into the ether the moment I began devouring the meats. When sizing up a barbecue joint, I consider first and foremost the trifecta: brisket, pork ribs, and sausage. The Black family touts their oak-smoked brisket ($17.99/pound), which is available in several iterations, including a simple sandwich on a store-bought hamburger bun. Skip the sandwich and delve straight into the moist, unadorned brisket. I'm not privy to where Kent Black sources his brisket, but I suspect it's from a local, reputable supplier. The beef lacks the intense flavor and intramuscular fat of a prime-graded cut, but it's still tender and marbled enough to retain the smoke from the seventy-year-old oak pit. Black's strikes the ideal balance between tender and firm pork spare ribs ($14.99/pound), with flesh that pulls away from the bone with minimal effort. Contrary to what many ill-informed reviewers might claim, the rib meat here does not "fall off the bone," nor should it. If that happens, then the rib is overcooked. A simple crust of salt and pepper adorns a half-inch ring of smoke so flavorful it needs no assistance from the vinegary house sauce. I'm a fan of the meaty, peppery spare ribs at B Daddy's in Helotes, but my award for "juiciest, best overall pork rib" goes to Black's. Few barbecue joints make their own sausage (a messy, labor-intensive operation best left to the pros), but Black's is an exception. The snappy, hand-tied links ($2.99 each) are available in three varieties: original, garlic, and jalapeno Cheddar. Beef sausage tends to be dry on its own, but Black's includes a bit of pork fat for added moisture. The exact recipe has remained a well-guarded family secret for nearly eight decades, but I've seen "Motel Hell(o)" enough times to know the special ingredient: the scrumptious remains of road-weary travelers. Is Black's the epitome of barbecue in a town known as the "Barbecue Capital of Texas"? That's a difficult question to answer. We all have our own notion of what comprises great 'cue; some folks prefer lean brisket over moist, others prefer a dry rub instead of sauce, and a vocal minority of contrarian 'cue snobs are impossible to please. One thing is certain, though: Black's Barbecue is worth the one-hour drive from San Antonio to Lockhart. read more

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We were staying in Austin and decided to drive down to Lockhart for the BBQ. We went to Black's and Kreuz. Both had distinct high points and I'm glad we went to two places to be able to do a comparison. It was a weekday afternoon, so the wait was only about 15 minutes. We waited in a narrow hallway and when you turn the corner, the sides were laid out buffet style (they serve you)and you order the meats separately. We tried the Mac and cheese, cole slaw and creamed corn. For meat, we ordered a quarter pound of the brisket, a jalapeño and cheddar sausage and a pork rib. I also ordered the banana pudding. Sides: Mac and cheese was good, but nothing special. Same with the cole slaw. My husband really enjoyed the creamed corn. Meats: The brisket here was ten times better than Kreuz. It was moist and melted in your mouth. We also had an end piece was some char and it was literally like a flavor bomb in your mouth. The jalapeño and cheddar sausage had a good crunch, but the jalapeño pieces were not cut small enough (in my opinion) and fell out of the sausage when you cut it. The sausage was better at Kreuz. We also enjoyed the pork rib. The banana pudding was excellent and a nice sweet touch to the end of a savory, salty meal. Overall, I thought the portions were a good size. The food and two sweet teas was around $40. We were easily able to find a seat and each table was stocked with BBQ sauce (very tasty) and plenty of napkins. Take out containers were also readily available for leftovers. Parking was adequate (street parking and parking lots). Overall, we enjoyed the food and I'm glad we stopped here. read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

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Texas barby que babyyyy. Delicious and old school so u know its getting five stars. Im from uP norf (chicago) and i was brought here by some lifelong texans. Texas bbq has quite the reputation and my expectations were met! Brisket was super tender, sausage was yummy, mac n cheese ooey gooey, pickles crunchy, sweet tea sugary!! Everything was juuuuust right. Bbqs all about meat and yall texans sure do know how to cut up a cow. I go bananas for places that have been around a while and this place is apparently the oldest bbq joint in texas!!! I see why they r still in business. O great banana pudding as well. 10/10 love it read more

Ate there yesterday, Saturday 06-19-2021 and it was delicious in its simplicity. We had brisket and jalapeño sausage. Both were excellent. No frills seasoning. Just salt, pepper and just enough smoke to fill into the brisket meat to create the perfect smoke ring while adding just the right smoky taste. The sausage was meaty without a lot of greasiness to it. The jalapeño did not over power--well blended. Can't go wrong here. read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Brisket and jalapeño sausage - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

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They never disappoint! The only concern I had was they were going to charge me for a certain kind of pickle but the other pickles were free. Other than that..... We were in town for a bbq food crawl and I purposely chose Blacks as the 2nd of 3 stops for effect. Everything was much better than the first stop over a Smitty's BBQ as the brisket, sausage and ribs were better. The pit master wasn't as friendly as normal but that didn't take away from the food. Every time we have out of state guests and they want to experience Texas BBQ we make the drive to Lockhart and expose them to the oldest family owned bbq joint in the state. read more

Amazingly simple yet epicurean delight! This is the real deal. Nothing fancy and no formality. The ambience is southern comfort and the simple pleasures of fantastic BBQ. You can have the truly authentic experience of paper plates, or should I say, paper bowls & trays, and plastic disposable utensils. You're not gonna miss that steak knife because the meat is fall off the bone, tender and perfectly cooked. The sides are no slouch either. I personally am a huge fan of the mac & cheese, but my kids raved about the cobbler desserts. The marbling of the meat and the smoky flavor is honestly obscene because it is so good. You'll definitely want to take home extra because you'll regret it as soon as you leave. My biggest complaint about the establishment is that they make me, and the entire family, realize how horrible I am when it comes to smoking and barbecuing. read more

Just tried Blacks BBQ in Lockhart TX and what a disappointment it was. The brisket had no bark, very thin smoke ring and no flavor. On top of that, it was very tough and I had the fatty cut which you would expect to be able to pull apart with a fork. In this case, I had a very hard time cutting it with the plastic fork available. In the positive side, the sausage with jalapeño and cheese was outstanding. Banana pudding was average. In and area where BBQ is king, this is one to skip. read more

Love the food service I will drive over 1 hr just to come eat here Well worth the drive read more

The BEST Texas bbq, hands down! Been going here for decades, and Blacks never fails to deliver on epic bbq!

I usually don't write reviews but it was our first time visiting and the service was not welcoming, ordering our sides was smooth but we felt rushed as were were ordering our BBQ, we did not get a chance to look at the menu before they were asking us what we wanted, I asked for two ribs not knowing how big they were then apologized and asked to please remove one and the guy cutting the meat made a sound of discontent. Overall we wished the service was good as the food considering how well known the place is. read more

Ambiance is great. Staff super friendly. Bbq delicious but what really makes this place stand out is...their sweet pickles. Best pickles I have ever ever had. I am literally writing this review in my bed at 11pm because I just randomly thought of their pickles. They are sooooo good. Would definitely buy a giant jar of these if I could. I don't think their other locations has it, just lockhart read more

Nice people. Enjoyed my chopped brisket sandwich. Delicious and a good deal. Enjoyed the classic bbq ambience of the building. Clean and efficient. read more

The best beef rib we have ever had. The turkey was beyond good and so moist. Husband loved the green beans. I got the creamed corn and it was yummy as well. Checked this off the bucket list and will definitely be back. Kudos to the amazing staff they were friendly and kind and helpful. Old school decor which fits perfectly with the original family owned vibe. read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Beef rib, brisket, turkey - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

When you walk in you smell amazing bbq best bbq ever I love the brisket sandwich My parents loved it to and if you want dessert get banana pudding read more

Black's Barbecue Lockhart - Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

After playing a couple hours of fun and spirited pickleball games in the morning and witnessing some OSB boards being put up for our house, my wife and I decided to head out to Lockhart, the proclaimed BBQ capital of Texas, for some Texas BBQ. Our friend and neighbor, who grew up in Lockhart, said we just have to go there. Asked which one she would recommend, she indicated you can't go wrong with the big three of Black's BBQ, Kreuz Market, or Smitty's Market. Driving into town, we first saw the sign for Black's and their claim as the oldest BBQ joint...so we hung a left off W. San Antonio St. to W. Main St. and there was Black's to the left. Walking in, the place looked dark but has that aura of an old time BBQ joint with decades of smoke permeating the entire building and everything inside. We checked out their big menu board with steps on how to order and proceeded to get our sides, potato salad and beans for me with a jalapeño corn bread while my wife loaded up on potato salad and cole slaw. My wife ordered 1/4 lb of lean brisket and I opted for 1/2 lb of moist (i.e. fattier and supposed to be more flavorful) brisket. We both had fountain drink with our BBQ plate. We sat down and proceeded to chow down, with high expectations for absolutely fabulous BBQ. Well, we felt our expectations were not fully met. While the brisket had that smoky flavor, I felt it lacked flavor from the rub...and we didn't really care for their sauce either. A bit disappointing but glad we sampled BBQ from the oldest BBQ joint in TX. I hate to say they are they resting on their laurels and reputation but I can't help but think that. At least we could check that off the list...and maybe try the other two BBQ joint the next time we find ourselves in Lockhart. Lunch for two came out to just under $36 with tip. We thought the sides, while good, were a bit pricy, but we didn't realize that until we had to pay for our plates. read more

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The food was overcooked and WAY over priced. They use to be good, but know they are just riding on thier past fame. Go to the other great food restaurants in the area. Service was so and lacking Ambiance was from the 1980s Please clean your walls and ceilings, they are dirty and greasy read more