We've been here several times and have never been disappointed. The food is amazing. The service is friendly. We've tried everything on the menu, except the sausage, and it is all very good. The brisket is definitely my favorite. Do yourself a favor and give El Monte BBQ a chance. read more

THE BEST BBQ WE'VE EVER HAD! We were visiting from out of town. Found this little place on Yelp. What a hidden treasure. EVERYTHING was excellent- the beans and rice incredible, ALL the BBQ needs no BBQ sauce just do good just the way it is but they do have real good BBQ sauce if needed and potato salad was perfect! The owners were SO Friendly! Told us the history and showed pictures of how he learned to. BBQ from generations in his family. Can't say enough about this place - if you don't go you ARE MISSING OUT ON EXCELLENT FOOD! Diners, drive ins and dives needs to come here!!! read more

Super delicious bbq definitely will be back. The brisket was juicy and the turkey was just as great. The sides were yummy and the brisket sandwiches are huge. The best part of this place was the Pan de Campo I would go everyday if I could just for this delicious bread!!! read more

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So, where do I begin? This guy is the real deal. He's a skilled pit master who was born and raised in true Texas BBQ culture. The food is not based on a fad here. It's a family affair. And, you can't get more authentic than that. The brisket was tender and perfectly seasoned. Yes, I add sauce. I'm Mexican and food without a salsa is a punishment. I also pile on the jalapeños, too, which in my opinion is how BBQ is meant to be eaten. However, this meat doesn't need any help. It's awesome. The best smoked turkey I've had in a long time. Plus, their frijoles were more like "hijoles". They were soft and firm and not mush, which means they were freshly made. Again, perfectly cooked and seasoned. Then, finally, there is the pan de campo. This is how I know El Monte does true BBQ. Once you have it with their meal, you'll understand what all the other joints have been missing. If you're not familiar with south Texas camp bread, then you have to try it. It was rustic and simple and perfectly complimented the meal better than any slice of store-bought bread could have. It took me back to the days out in the ranch. This is one of my favorite meals I've had this year. But, it won't be my last. read more

El Monte BBQ - Take out. - Barbeque Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I have heard a lot of good things about this place and since im right around the corner i thought id give it a shot. I will start by saying there were some raves and also some let downs. Rave. Staff was awesome. Service was prompt. Rave. The pork ribs are literally fall of the bone juicy and tender. They were VERY good and highly recommend. Rave The cream corn was good. The spanish rice. Although a bit salty was also good. The bbq sauce was not a win for me but i typically dont put bbq sauce on my bbq. Let down. Now the brisket. Although extremely juicy it lacked flavor. It was really bland in my opinion. That i did have to put bbq sauce on but that didnt help because the bbq sauce was not good. All in all. If i went i would go for the ribs alone. For the price - as it is quite pricey - i would try one thing at a time. read more

El Monte BBQ - 1/2 lb ribs and 1/2 lb brisket. - Barbeque Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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We came to the grand opening of their patio tonight and let me just say you NEED to stop at this place! It's a small little hole in the wall joint but the food is exceptional! We got to try most of the menu and it was all so tasty. My favorite was the turkey breast. It's family run and everyone is very friendly. The back patio is a wonderful space to let your kiddos run around and play while you hang out. The hubs and I have decided this will be the place we bring out of town visitors who want to try good BBQ. We will return over and over again! read more

Look up "hole in the wall" in the dictionary and you'll find "El Monte BBQ." Look up "cliche" in the dictionary and you'll find, "Look up '[X]' in the dictionary and you'll find '[Y]'." Look up "meta-humor" in the dictionary and you'll see this joke about me resorting to a cliche. But I digress. At El Monte BBQ -- a nondescript, five-seat affair the size of a broom closet -- pitmaster Jaime Avila, Jr. has filled a void for pit-smoked barbecue in Leon Valley, Texas. Avila, a graduate of the Texas Culinary Academy with over a decade of restaurant experience, takes a straightforward, unpretentious approach to his craft: old-fashioned Texas barbecue smoked in a homemade pit that's been in his family since the early 1970s. Unlike his contemporaries, most of whom fire their pits with post-oak, Avila uses live oak and just a touch of mesquite. The former burns considerably hotter (approximately 275 degrees) than post-oak, giving El Monte's meats a dark, crusty bark that seals in the juices. The mesquite imbues the meats, particularly the fatty bits, with the traditional sweet, piney flavor associated with Texas barbecue. Over the course of two visits, I had an opportunity to sample (nay, scarf down) large portions of all five meats. A half-pound slab of marbled choice Black Angus brisket scored high marks with a salty, peppery bark and rivulets of fat and collagen, the sticky substance that yields exemplary moist brisket. Pulled pork fared just as well, with an even mix of crusty bits and moist, smokey floss. Despite being smoked at such a high temperature, the turkey breast was juicy throughout and needed little assistance from the house sauce (more of a thick, cumin-heavy paste) that I enjoyed by the spoonful (yes, I have issues). The six-inch Elgin-style sausage links are outsourced (likely from Restaurant Depot) but picked up plenty of snap and smoke from the grill. The star attraction at El Monte, however, are the meaty pork ribs, which Avila seasons with a thick Tex-Mex-inspired rub of chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. On both visits, the ribs toed the line between tender and overdone, with meat that pulled away from the bone with minimal effort. I later learned that Avila's ribs have won top prize at several renowned barbecue competitions. I can see why. The Tex-Mex influence extends to sides, including Mexican-style rice, charro beans redolent with the scents and flavors of bacon and Mexican chorizo, homemade flour tortillas, and an offering unique to San Antonio: pan de campo. The latter, a staple among vaqueros, is cooked traditionally in dutch ovens over open coals, but Avila figured out how to cook it to order it on a flattop. It's a warm, dense, buttery alternative to the cliched mass-produced white bread found at most barbecue joints. My experience at El Monte has been so positive that I am willing to overlook a few minor missteps, including a conspicuous absence of onions and pickles on my first visit and a cup of tepid Mexican rice on my second visit. The fact that such a labor-intensive operation (they cater large events, too!) can even function in such a small storefront is testament to Avila's skills in the kitchen and at the pit. Is El Monte the best barbecue in town? Maybe! At the very least, Avila's humble pit churns out meat on par with some of the city's heavy hitters (B Daddy's, Two Bros., Smoke Shack, the overrated 2M), the so-called local temples of 'cue. El Monte is a major coup (a 'cue coup?) in Leon Valley, a working-class enclave overflowing with fast food and lacking in personality. Pro tip: Avila sells out almost every day, so come early and come often. read more

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We think they have the best brisket in town, and we know they have the best creamed corn, full stop! Outstanding food, the smoked turkey rocks as well. Truly! And a nice outside patio with umbrellas. We love this place! read more

Tex-Mex at it's finest. BBQ meets tacos and the marriage couldn't be better! Come for the brisket, stay for the coconut cake and the service read more

Wow - wonderful food! We got the family pack - 3 meats and 3 sides. Brisket, ribs and turkey were all perfect. Unexpectedly fresh tortillas

Went today after church. Excellent bbq, and a hidden jewel in Leon VALLEY. San Antonio should know this joint. The brisket had a perfect bark and was tender first bite till last. The Pan de Campo is a must try. I can't explain it in words, you just gotta try it. Make the trip to this hidden jewel and excellent bbq in San Antonio. read more

Wow some of the best bbq I've had in SA . A small family establishment and they welcome you immediately. We had the family pack and the brisket and Turkey were so tender and moist The sides.....cream corn was a 10/10 and their potato salad was so good as well A must try read more

El Monte BBQ - 1.5. Family Pack Cream Corn Potato Salad Sliced Turkey Sliced Brisket Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Food 10/10 service 05/10 ambiance 5/10 Tasty food/ the cashier lady has very low energy. Not even a welcome , she did not offer any recommendations nor smile. She definitely needs customers service training/ the ambiance is small inside as well outside but who would want to sit outside in this heat read more

The food was pretty darn good, but the attitude of the staff sucked. Not a single smile and poor attitude. May not go back. On a scale of 1 to 5 they'd get a 3 the that's how bad the attitude was. read more

favorite place for some homemade BBQ. and the ribs can't help from falling off the bone !! cant go a week without getting a meal here read more

El Monte BBQ - Rib, sausage, rice & bean combo - Barbeque Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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It was so delish when I was craving bbq. The corn bread was also good, didn't get to take a picture cause I ate to quick that's how good it was. Their menu is different from what you see here on yelp. The food is great they also have tacos for breakfast. read more

The food is good, definitely didn't disappoint, my family and I have been here a couple of times and we'll definitely be back.

So... I grew up in the rancho, my family is from Benavides Texas, this bbq tastes just like home! Soooooo happy I found this lil gem. GO EAT HERE. You won't be disappointed. read more

El Monte BBQ - Brisket, pork ribs, Spanish rice, charro beans & pan de campo - Barbeque Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

First thing to note is that it is take out only, so be prepared for that. I am a barbecue connoisseur, and this place isn't that. First off the chopped brisket is just sitting, and will be a greasy flavorless mess when you eat it. My rib texture was decent, but was flavorless as well. They went the other way with the sides by overdoing the seasoning. The potato salad is pure vinegar and mustard, and the creamed corn is super sweet. Their tacos were not good with hard and stale tortillas. The biggest reason for the low rating is the price, 50 bucks for such weak food. I highly doubt I'll be back. read more

El Monte BBQ - Brisket Taco - Barbeque Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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We came back for a wonderful bbq lunch, super good great ribs and moist cut brisket Great owner he really has a great ambiance Good west side of San Antonio bbq read more

Pretty average bbq to put it nicely. Picked it up on a Thursday night. brisket was dry, sausage was hard. Best thing was probably the turkey. But overall it's on the same scale as bill millers bbq. Won't go back unless I'm not paying. read more

Another MUST STOP PLACE FOR LUNCH! I'm beginning to love these small, out of the way places. Chef Jaime has an amazing and delicious combination of service and quality in what he cooks. Brisket is of the hook, finger lickin good! The pan de campo...if you don't order it there must be something wrong with you. Made fresh and served piping hot, it just melts in your mouth. The only draw back, the location is very small so expect to rub elbows with the small crowd that's always present. read more

El Monte BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

El Monte BBQ was delicious!!! Generous and tasty sides to go with some of the best bbq I've had in a long time. I had the 3 meat plate $19. It comes with 1/3 lb. sausage, 1/3 lb. pork ribs and 1/3 lb brisket. 3 sides of your choice. I had the creamed corn, potato salad and rice and bean mixed. Your choice of bread or homemade tortillas. Better believe I picked the homemade tortillas. The meat was so flavorful and tender! That full pound of Smokey goodness was exactly what I had hoped this quaint restaurant was serving. The sausage was awesome! Had it taco style with their homemade bbq sauce which was the bomb by the way. The ribs were tender and delicious. Just the right meat to bone ratio. The brisket..... *pause for dramatic effect*...... OMG that brisket..... if you're looking for only the best brisket in town then you must visit El Monte BBQ. That crust full of that smokey flavor and the pink smoke ring was a feast for the eyes first and foremost. The meat was moist and tender as you would expect good Texas BBQ to be. Chatting with Jaime he smokes all of the meats himself on site. Makes all the delicious sides along with his bbq sauce. It's been open for about 6 months and boy I hope they do well so that I can keep enjoying some mighty fine tasting BBQ for years to come. Most definitely worth driving across town for! It's THAT good! read more

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I came here because I had heard great things. I want to say that the staff was nice and the cream corn was excellent so it was to my surprise that the food overall was simply ok. The ambience was intimate if not a little cluttered and dirty. Now I'm going to say something that will make most people gasp. If you go to QT and order a barbecue sandwich on Texas toast it's a hundred times better than what I had. I'm not saying get one of the sandwiches under the heat lamp but order one at the kiosk so it's fresh and you might just be surprised by the quality. read more

We are in San Antonio for a long weekend and wanted to support a local BBQ place doing takeout. It was hard to find a non chain option when searching online, and fortunately we found El Monte. My wife and I both went with the three taco combo (definitely recommend). -The tortillas are amazing. -The pico adds the right zing. -The avocado gives it something extra. -The beans and rice that came with it was solid too. My daughter had the sausage sandwich and liked it too. The amount of sausage on it was awesome and the TX toast for bread was great. Get the creamed corn side. The potato salad was ok. Next time we're in San Antonio, we will come here again. No pictures because I ate it all before I thought about a review. read more

We had been wanting to try this place for some time but we always seemed to try when it was closed or wrong times but today was the day! We finally tried it & it was worth the wait. The brisket sandwiches were amazing! The brisket tacos were delish. Cream corn was on point! & let's not get started on the Pan de Campo Highly recommend! read more

Great food with homemade recipes. Great family led bbq restaurant that is a must stop whenever I'm in San Antonio.

This place is a hole in the wall, BYOB dive...but offers one of the best briskets I've ever had. Ordered 3lb family feast with brisket and pork ribs. Came with 3 sides, bread, etc. Brisket was juicy, tender, smoky bark...amazing. I opted to forego sauce for all but one bite (just to try it...didn't need it). The "chef" said he uses Live Oak, as it is the most prevalent species in the area. Soooo good. The ribs were amazing too, but I found them to be a bit salty on some parts. The 3lb fam feast was more than enough for the 6 of us. I'm definitely going back next time I'm in San Antonio. I would've dined with them again a couple days later but they're only open Th-Su. read more

I have been eating here about once a week for the past 6-8 weeks and each time I eat here I am impressed and very satisfied. The sliced brisket sandwich is my go to order and it is one of the best I have ever eaten. It is full of flavor, the brisket is always tender and they pack a lot of meat inside two toasted slices of bread. The beans and the cream style corn are top notch as well. The staff is friendly and the curbside service has been great during this pandemic. Who knew there was such a great BBQ joint in Leon Valley, TX? Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. Keep up the good work! read more

Despite the fact that they were out of the pulled pork and also that you can't have ribs as part of your 2 meat order, overall the food was very good. The brisket was probably the best I've had in a very long time. The max n cheese was also excellent. Highly recommend the place for the food, but be aware they may not always have what's on the menu. read more

The smoked brisket and pulled pork tacos are over the top. The service is great and the portions are more than I could eat. The homemade tortillas made me by my own press, I don't want to ever buy store bought tortillas again. I highly recommend this place and will be going back! read more

I cannot believe we drove by this place for over a year and missed out on some of the best bbq in SA. Everything is good! The standouts, however, are absolutely the ribs, the creamed corn, and the pan de campo. The latter is amazing... imagine the thickest, most buttery tortilla you've ever seen, cooked on the grill to give it that slightly charred flavor, and then soaked in some more butter. Ermagawd it's next level. The place is a total hole-in-the-wall... it's best for takeout, unless you don't mind sharing a tiny table with strangers. The service is always really friendly, and I love that they cut the meat right there in front of you. It's not cheap but no good bbq ever is. It's still cheaper than most other high quality bbq in town... a really filling lunch for 2 will run about $20-25. read more

In the corner of a tiny, two-tenant mall beside a World Finance office, El Monte is among the hidden gems along Bandera Rd, outside 410. El Monte being easy to miss is why I discovered the 2-year-old restaurant only today after having lived in the area for 3 years. It was here that I satisfied my craving for country style ribs. I have rarely if ever known a barbecue restaurant to serve country style ribs and didn't know beforehand that this restaurant serves them. Maybe fate drew me here or it was mental telepathy by El Monte employees. Kidding aside, I discovered El Monte via a Google search for a barbecue restaurant in the area besides the one I usually visit and decided to give them a try. It was a great discovery. The ribs and the rice/borracho beans combo were fantastic. When I return I will maybe try their other fare to see how they are and because I'm not one to limit myself to one or two of a good restaurant's menu items. read more

The restaurant itself has limited seating, and it is open only on certain days of the week. Nevertheless, we have eaten there on a couple of occasions and enjoyed the food and the service. The ambience is rather modest. read more

the brisket was amazing and the portions are huge would definitely recommend to anyone coming through the area or around the area

I consider myself a BBQ snob. Before the eye rolls start...let me explain. I grew up eating Louie Mueller BBQ in my hometown of Taylor, Texas. I used to eat BBQ religiously every week. When I arrived to San Antonio in 2003, I did not realize how hard it would be to find BBQ of the same standard. I usually wait until I go back home to eat BBQ. Yes, I have tried Franklin's which is also amazing. FYI.. Franklin studied under the Mueller family. And yes, I have been to Lockhart and Elgins southside market. In recent years, I have found some decent places for San Antonio but not of the same standard. These places are not worth the drive across town and/or 30 minute plus wait and some places have a hard time being consistent. BBQ is expensive so its even more disappointing when it does not meet satisfaction. Finally in 2019, I found El Monte BBQ. Although, they season their brisket differently I put them up with the BBQ Mueller and Franklin Standard. I also love their sides of beans and rice. I grew up having potatoe salad, cream corn, rice, and beans at family cook outs. For those of us who grew up in hispanic families we can appreciate these side options. It is difficult to come by both rice and beans sides at BBQ joints and for them to be cooked and seasoned well. The place is family owned and the owner Jaime is usually working and very friendly. He will explain his method and have a conversation with you and not seemed bothered by it which is rare these days. The place is small but dont let that deceive you. I love how i can go in and order without the wait. El Monte may not get all the hype, attention, or offer plates but it is well worth it. It is the best kept secret of Leon Valley. I dread the day when everyone else takes notice and I have to wait in line. Also, the brisket tastes just as good the next day for leftovers. Disclaimer: I am not the owner nor are we related although we have the same name. My name is Jamie pronounced in English and I am female. Lol for those skeptics out there. read more

Some of the best barbacoa breakfast tacos I've had in San Antonio. The meat was delicious! If you want all meat barbacoa, you should definitely try these. They even give you a little barbacoa broth on the side in case you feel they might need a little more juice. Either way, with or without the broth, delicious. read more

El Monte BBQ - Barbacoa breakfast taco - Barbeque Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Food was 2/5, no mac n cheese on the menu, customer service needs some work. One night stand for me.

Really great food and service! My family and I found this little hole in the wall and we'll definitely be going back. We had brisket, sausage, potato salad, charro beans, rice and Pan de Campo and it was all amazing!! read more

Our office was treated to lunch courtesy of one our vendors. We chose El Monte BBQ......boy was it delicious. We got brisket, turkey, sausage, rice, beans, potato salad , cream corn and all the trimmings. We couldn't of made a better choice. All the meats were on point, delicious, moist and very tasty. Not to mention the Pan de Campo. The rice, beans, potato salad and cream corn were so fresh and flavorful, they were amazing. Thanks to the Chef Jaime and his staff for providing us with such a great lunch. Everyone at the office enjoyed it very much. The service was exceptional. Thanks First Choice Management Group, Inc. read more