The brisket is fantastic and so is the smoked pork, but the links are very dry. I've been going there since I was a child and my grandmother will take us there on a Saturday. We would have to get there before noon and everything was sold out. Big red soda was always in my wheelhouse lol if you want that old country meat market taste, you will not find any better. Just be aware of the links being a bit dry. read more

I'm 73. I remember standing outside the place with my father Dorris when I was 6 years old. A lifetime later it still has the best barbecue in the world. I favor the simply spiced no frills sausage that oozes juice when you cut into it and the moist brisket. I time my visits to Lee County TX and Giddings so that I don't miss the City Meat Market. You should do the same. read more

The sausage is really good. The service was great too. The market was clean and welcoming.

Have arrived late here a couple of times only to find sausage available. Was great both times nonetheless. Very fond of their one-of-a-kind and uniquely bottled vinegar-based hot sauce. Zing! Love walking through their smoke room. Legendary. read more

I bought 2 pounds of sausage and 1 pound of brisket to go. The brisket was to tough to chew and we ended up chopping it up for chopped beef. The sausage was good except every link had several pieces of bone fragments and gristle. Overall I was a little disappointed. read more

City Meat Market - Here is what I paid for two pounds of sausage and one pound of brisket. - Meat Shops Near Me - Giddings, Texas

This is the ultimate "hole in the wall" BBQ JOINT. Fantastic meat. Tried them all. They only have seating for about 15-20 people but many customers just take there butcher paper full of meat and take back to there vehicle. read more

See all

Hubby and I have been looking forward to trying out the "infamous" City Meat Market that's owned by the Pit Master, Toostie, from Snow BBQ. To say how underwhelmed we were, is an understatement. Brisket was soggy and no crust. Any flavor had been steamed away. More than likely came from yesterday. "Spicy" beans was just a TON of pepper put in the beans. Even my pepper loving husband was like "nah, that's too much". I did like the sauce and the pork ribs. I regret not getting more of those. Since the brisket was inedible. The dogs will be happy ‍. The atmosphere and ambience were good, folks were very friendly. And it was only $35 for all that food. I was expecting Gods to sing praises of the glory of the brisket in my mouth. Instead, I got the Wish soggy version. Also, did I even eat if I didn't get sauce or a piece of food on my clothes?? read more

City Meat Market - 4 pork ribs, 5 slices of brisket, sauce, and pepper with some beans. - Meat Shops Near Me - Giddings, Texas

See all

I have loved this place for over 40 years! In all that time they still have delicious food, excellent service and classic rustic ambiance

Spectacular beans and brisket! Worth the drive. I don't know why I waited so long. I drove past Giddings for YEARS before I tried it.

I came with mixed expectations and came away a fan. I tried to grab something on my way to Houston at 7:30am, but I found out that ribs wouldn't be ready until 10:30. So I tried again on my way back to Austin and hit them at 3:00. Neither good times but I wanted some of the famous BBQ. The staff were one and all fantastic. Very personable, nice and fully engaged. They have had an award winning restaurant for years and their people is one of the main reasons. I was on the road with limited time so I grabbed a sausage link and a piece of BBQ pork. I think it was a loin. They didn't have much left so I just worked with the meat cutter and went with what he recommended. The sausage was just about the best hand made sausage. Loose beef, very flavorful like a beef sausage should and a nice crisp skin. The pork had been around a while but was just as smooth, buttery texture and a tremendously good crust on it. I so wish I had it when it was out of the pit. I have no clue when that would be, I would expect it to be early but I certainly missed the time. Definitely give this classic spot a stop and try to get there at a more reasonable time. BTW - I sampled the sauce (the meat didn't need it) and it hit my taste bud meter. Everyone likes it different, but this was a top 5 in my book. read more

City Meat Market - GREAT pork BBQ and a very good sausage. - Meat Shops Near Me - Giddings, Texas

Ive been coming here since I was a kid. It is a hidden gem. I love the por ribs, beef ribs, and chicken. The sauce is delicious and the service is always friendly. read more

I look at the favorable reviews and wonder if this was the same city meat market I went to today. The brisket was super lean even though the meat cutter told me it was moist. Had no flavor and was super chewy. The pork rib was marginal at best and the sausages was super dry. Tasted like jimmy dean pan sausage. VERY DISAPPOINTED. WONT EVER COME BACK ps. I know I came in an hour before close. Don't give me the leftover crap from the day. Your bbq may be descent enough when the day begins but if you have any kind of pride in your product it should all be on point all day long. read more

City Meat Market - Dry brisket. Dry rib. Dry sausage. - Meat Shops Near Me - Giddings, Texas

Run forest run! Shocking interior Shocking exterior Two meats only available when we were there at 1:30pm Pork shoulder Brisket Pork was good Brisket super dry How is this place open in its current condition is embarrassing for the city inspectors.... Run forest run ‍ I would rate this place zero stars but yelp will not let me post! read more

This my favorite BBQ place to get sausage. The brisket is good to. They also sell raw sausage that you can smoke yourself. Another great Ole School BBQ joint. read more

City Meat Market - Sausage - Meat Shops Near Me - Giddings, Texas

Good food very nice people, but as a suggestion, if they were to just clean the place up make it look like a restaurant. It's no longer a meat market but a BBQ restaurant, so make it look nice! read more

After several failed attempts trying to eat at City Market and never getting there early enough to find any meats left on the pit, I finally inquired about other options. I'm VERY hesitant to post this because I don't want everyone else gobbling up all the goodies and leaving me with crumbs....or sausage...but I called in an order ahead of time and picked up later. Got everything I wanted.....sssshhhhhh! Just between the two of us, ok? Brisket: Anybody who knows anything about brisket knows you can get several different "cuts" - lean (less marble, drier), burnt ends (rare find), and "moist" (fatty, heavily marbled, greasy Godly excellence if cooked correctly). When I opened one of my many oil soaked brown gift packages, I was thrilled to find a pile of some of the most moist, perfectly smoked and flavored, buttery rendered beef fat you can eat (I know!) brisket ever. Q-gasm! Probably in top 5 briskets of all time for me. Don't you dare let sauce touch the stuff! Pork butt: Wasn't really expecting much, butt wanted to try (pun intended). Thick slices and chunks of surprisingly moist piggy goodness. Very nice smoke ring and great overall texture and flavor. 1/2 slab pork ribs: VERY heavy S&P dry rub. Nice sized ribs, good smoke. A tad dry (sauce is a good add here), still tender, but not fall off the bone tender. Thick, crunchy crust. The sweetness from the BBQ sauce helps balance the over-saltiness and makes the ribs A-OK. Potato salad: Good texture, not mushy. Super creamy, not "mustard type" but good. Great combo with ribs...bite rib, scoop pots...repeat. Spicy pinto beans: Nice scratch pintos cooked with bacon and dark red spicy "gravy" served slightly al dente. Yum....I did mention spicy right? BBQ sauces: Good Q doesn't need sauce; however, I always have to try to include in my review. CM's BBQ sauce is on the sweeter side, thick, with little tang and not overly peppered. Good sauce if you so require. They also have a vinegar based, watery consistency "hot sauce." Very interesting. Perhaps a nice alternative to sauce if you want a little extra moisture without adding sweetness, but this stuff will make your lips pucker. I would take a guess and imagine they might mop some of this liquid on Q during smoking process, but what do I know... White bread, pickles, onions: Check. And jalapenos. A couple A-OKs and definite "As good as it gets!!!" City deserves a solid 5 star rating. Some of the very best! And the staff couldn't be more friendly - even got a personal tour of the whole pit area and process. Cool. Next time, 4 lbs of brisket for me please and hold the sauce. I have no idea what my husband will order. ;) ***Participant in Texas Barbecue Week 2014 - http://tmbbq.com/events/texas-barbecue-week-2/*** read more

See all

Not sure why this place isn't 4.5 stars or higher, it is some of the best bbq I've ever had. The ONLY place I would compare it to so far is Louie Muellers in Taylor. Pros: Fantastic BBQ Excellent Beans Cons: Slow service due to large to-go orders (the crew is definitely hustling) Order line is extremely hot due to proximity to grill/smoker. Side note: the sausage is beef so meh. read more

Would be difficult to find better BBQ. Sure, you could pick on this or that, but the overall experience is authentic, and worth a drive. Loved the sausage, pork was awesome, brisket very good. I like the old meat market atmosphere- again- 100% authentic! read more

City Meat Market - Meat Shops Near Me - Giddings, Texas

A sterling example of a classic Texas bbq. There brisket leaves a bit to be desired but their ribs are decent and sausage is phenomenal. Perfectly seasoned and a wonderful snap. I always swing into here for a quick pick me up on the way to Austin. A sausage fold over and you're on your way. What's not to like. read more

OMG! My wife and I have planned a trip to Texas from Las Vegas, NV, for the eclipse for 9 months. For 9 months I have been looking forward to Texas BBQ. Toady we went to the City Meat Market. I cannot remember a time Iwas so disappointed. This place is horrendous. I truly can't imagine how they pass any sort of building or health inspection. The cleanliness is atrocious, to the point I was scared to touch anything. The plastic drawers where you get your own plastic utensils was just caked in age old nasty, greasy funk. Plastic table clothes were worn out (huge holes) 10 years ago. I believe I would have been safer to eat it off the sidewalk in the street. Place is atrocious! Service poor, no sort of menu or price guide. Server/cook(?) dropped the serving fork and picked it up and used it to serve food. I really had to shut off my senses and think only of the food and not the place to try and determine what I thought of the food. Sausage was extremely dried out, and both brisket and pork shoulder were "ok" at best. I truly wish I had not wasted the time or the money on this place; wish I would have went to one of the mobile BBQ. Shut the place down, gut it, get new management and start over! read more

We took a 30 minute detour coming home from Austin to visit City Meat Market. When we pulled up, we realized it was take out only due to Covid. Well... that's what you do when you've driven out your way to find a great BBQ joint; and it was great! We ordered a variety of meats: sliced brisket, sausage and ribs. No sides as we were not sure where or how we were going to eat. The owner and very sweet lady was carving. Super friendly. We got in the car and "googled" for the city park ... it was within a half mile! The park has covered picnic tables and lots of shade! There were three of us and once we dug in we all agreed that the ribs are off the chart fantastic...our favorite for sure! If you get a chance to drive through Giddings ... it's worth the stop! read more

See all

Have eaten here before over the years the BBQ was pretty good. However. Arrived a little before 1pm today, waited in line about 15 minutes only to be told all meat was sold out except sausage that would be ready in about 5 minutes, This is not the first I've stopped and they were out of product. There are better BBQ joints where I can spend my money and receive the food I want. read more

Simple but yummy stop on the way to Austin from Houston. Get there early because they run out fast. You can pre-order the day before if you can't make it early. Not the best but always a consistent good place. The best I have had is still the Corkscrew BBQ in Spring, TX. read more

See all

City Meat Market is a delicious BBQ joint in Giddings. It's right in the center of the town and in an old meat market. I got the pork shoulder and a pork rib which were both delicious. The potato salad was also really good. Gotta stop here if you are just driving through or take a trip from Austin (or wherever) for some good southern hospitality and great BBQ. Now all I need is a nap! read more

See all

I did not get to try their food because they were sold out of chicken and ribs. I gave only 2 stars based on the lack of cleanliness. It was rather dark and dingy. I'm not sure I would go back. read more

I had not eaten at the City meat market in 30 years, I had loved it back then. When I walked in the door yesterday it was exactly as I remembered it. The ambience is rustic meat market, smelling of an oak fire box that has smoked meats for a long, long time. That smell is great BBQ! We had potato salad, beans, sausage with our brisket and it was all delicious. read more

Watch out! Your eyes may get bigger than your stomach here. Bought the Pork Ribs, Beef Brisket and Sausage. Everything was outstanding! One of the best if not the best Bar-B-Que joints in Texas! read more

City Meat Market - Meat Shops Near Me - Giddings, Texas

Food is always fresh & served on butcher paper! Fast service. Old school atmosphere. Awesome overall!

Stopped in thinking this spot was on the 2017 texas monthly list and realized we were in the wrong city, but stayed to eat anyway and was pleasantly surprised. Ordered a pork rib, link of sausage, some brisket , beans and potato salad . All of it was fall off the bone tender with great flavor!!! What a happy error:) We will definitely stop in again! read more

City Meat Market - Meat Shops Near Me - Giddings, Texas

See all

Simply really good smoked meats. I have traveled past this location for over 10 years and while I knew about its high reputation I finally took the time to stop in. I ordered the brisket, ribs, and chicken. I cannot say which was my favorite, but I do have to say that the chicken was really spot on. As a cook myself I know its hard to smoke chicken without drying it out and they nailed it. The meat literally fell off the bone with every piece. *pro tip* if you want chicken it sells out fast so you may need to arrive early or call ahead to make sure it's available. They do use a little more black pepper than other places and it does provide a good balance with the smoke they give it. None of their meats are too salty. Overall, simple recipes that have been time honored and they work; so nothing needs to change. read more

We still here to eat any chance we get. Everything on the menu is delicious. I try carne quisada any chance I can at a new restaurant and it was awesome here! read more

It had been quite a few years since we stopped and ate here. For some reason, I remembered this BBQ joint having been better than our experience this time. The brisket was very tough to eat. It looked like it was cooked well, but maybe just this side of beef was selected wrong, just not very tasty overall. The staff was warm and welcoming. We probably won't stop here again. TMM app listed this place because it was in the area and a "BBQ". Should've driven a little bit father and stopped at one of the top 50 BBQ in Texas. read more

7/13/13 9:00am - Whose says you can't have brisket for breakfast? First stop on my BBQ crawl through central Texas. City Meat Market has made Texas Monthly top 50 for 2008 and 2013. Its all about the meat market heritage and mystique. Its like stepping back in time. I scored City Meat Market an 85 out of 100. This is Reserve Grand Champion Texas BBQ. Smoke: Post oak. One large steel box pit and one brick pit both with glowing orange fire 10 feet away from where you place your order. There is now doubt this is some serious wood fired BBQ. Brisket: Good. A 1/4in smoke ring underneath a thin bark and mild rub. Tested tough of tender but overall flavor was good. No sauce needed. Ribs: Excellent. A flavor explosion in your mouth. A thick salt and pepper rub over a delicious bark and near perfect tender rosy pink thin spare ribs. The smoke, bold rub and salty pork came together in a fabulous rib experience. These ribs alone are worth the stop. No sauce needed at all. Sausage: Very Good. Typical central Texas style loose packed beef sausage with good garlic flavor and mild aftertaste. Casing was wrinkled and crispy. Good smoke. No sauce needed. Sauce: Very Good. A tangy vinegar tomato based syrupy orange sauce. You cant go wrong with a sauce like this. It does its job well and enhanced the meat and my BBQ pleasure. PS: This place is special because of its historical link to our states great BBQ heritage. The name says it all. Its a meat market. This place still has a butcher shop in service though its seen its better days. German and Czech butchers migrated to our great state 160 years ago and set up these meat markets. Without refrigeration they smoked and sold the tough cuts that didn't sell. When you walk through the front door you get the feeling that not much has changed for the past 100 years. read more

See all

Located between Austin and Houston and in the center of Giddings; easy on/off if you're passing through. Solid BBQ that caters to a local crowd but I'm sure they'll be happy to fix you right up. Pits are inside and you can simply point to what looks good and they will slice of a hunk or two for you. Nothing fancy in the dining room...just a place to sit and scarf down your food and get back on the road. Classic meat market BBQ; you can buy your bacon and other butchered items in the room next door. BBQ is about 3-1/2 stars an 1/2 star for doing it their way all this time. Salt/Pepper, Post Oak, and Time. Smoked sirloin is my favorite. read more

I always passed by City Meat Market on my way to Houston. Since I heard they are in the Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ places, I had to see what it is all about. If you are into a modernized look when you go out to eat then this is not the place for you. When you step into this place, you stepped back in time. When you enter the front, there's a place to buy your meat. I guess that is where the "market" comes in but when you go all the way to the back to get the BBQ. I ordered moist brisket with the potato salad and beans. Lo and behold the woman behind the counter brought out this big hunk of brisket. It looked really good. When I sat down at a rickety table and chair, I tasted the brisket and it was a little bit dry. I was somewhat disappointed. The potato salad was good but the beans were spicy. I'm not going to write this place off yet. I want to give them another shot and see if I can get better BBQ from City Meat Market this time around. read more

See all

AWFUL! I had wanted to stop here for years on my travels between Houston and Austin, but it was either after hours or on a day when they were closed. Well today I was headed to Austin around the lunch hour so I stopped in to try the brisket. Man was I extremely disappointed! I should have run out of the place when I saw the cashier take this large piece of "boiled beef" out of a pan of liquid with juice running all over everything. She sat it on a carving table and begin to slice off these thick chunks from the "moist" end. The only moisture was from that pan of juice. The meat tasted like an unseasoned pot roast that shud have continued to boil a few more hours. It was chewy (didn't fall apart when I bit it like I am used to well-smoked pit BBQ doing), there was little to no marbling in the moist end, and any flavor that was supposed to be contained in that stuff was washed away somewhere between the pit (if it was even cooked on a pit) and that pan of unsavory au jus. I just wasted $9.58 on what was supposed to be a half pound of BBQ brisket. It wasn't even close to being called BBQ or brisket. And I'm still hungry! Guess I'll go to McDonald's. At least I expect to be disappointed there but at least I know what I'm paying for and getting. In the future, I will go to McDonald's or any restaurant before ever returning to this place. Fool me once.... read more

City Meat Market - My $9.58 worth of "moist BBQ brisket" - Meat Shops Near Me - Giddings, Texas

My expectations on service are not always very high. I walk in with the kids, the place look divey, that can be alright if the food proves worth it. So I walk in at 10 minutes before 1pm on a weekday from over 100 miles out of town, and once I get to the counter, I politely say "hello" with a pleasant smile and am greeted with a lightly scolding "All we have left is sausage." Okay. That's fair, it is after the likely lunch rush. I politely say "That's okay, I'll take a pound of sausage to go." She packs that, the bread and sauce and tells me the total. So I pull out my debit card to be greeted with an eye roll. "I'm going to have to take this to the front," she says, clearly annoyed. Okay, I could have walked out at this point but did not. I assumed she would walk to the front and take care of this but she says "You have to follow me." So I do and it gets done and I leave. What to make of this all? You don't want electronic transactions, don't accept cards. You run out of stuff, that's fine but you don't have to be rude about it. The sausage I had at home was okay, certainly not worth the hassle or the drive. This was my 10th stop on the Texas Monthly 2013 Top 50 Barbeque Joints in the World list and the only one that I would not recommend thus far. read more

This bbq joint in Giddings will never disappoint. Pay attention to the other reviews and get there early or you will miss out. I'm a repeat customer. But recently I tried their potato salad. Next time add it to your order. It was tasty. I wanted to try the beans but they were already sold out. The bbq sauce is also top notch! read more

I have been here before and it was good BBQ. But this time I order some brisket and I should have been paying more attention when they sliced up the meat. It was nothing but fat and a little of just stringy meat. No meat with that smoke ring that you get with good sliced brisket. I ate what I could but it tasted more like roast instead of brisket. I'm sure if they would have sliced the brisket in half or trimmed down past the fat I would have gotten a better cut of meat. So I got 3 slices of mostly fat brisket , one sausage link, one rib, very small Potato salad , slice of bread and a can sprite. For $19.00 at lunch time. I'm sorry but if you are going to charge me $19 then you need to make sure every slice should be the best you have to offer for your customer. I guess the lady thought she could just slice up any fat stringy meat and I could not tell the difference. So BUYER BEWARE. read more

Ten years ago you could get a good burger here. You still can! I was amazed on how good it tasted. Fresh onion, tomato and lettuce! I don't eat cheese with my burger ( religious reason) I thought relish would go great with the burger..they tried to sell me a whole jar and would not bend. The Macncheese was terrible. Runny and old. But the fried sides, okra and fries were good. Not great but edible. I don't review drinks but the tea was tasty. read more