TLDR: If you're in the area, this is one of Hill Country's best hidden gems. Do yourself a favor…read moreand give it a shot. I eat a lot of BBQ, and you can look through my reviews to see how many places I've reviewed. Ronnie's is up there towards the top. Some of the reviews here puzzle me. I didn't detect any notes of 'coffee' in the spice rub - it's pretty much a close approximation of the classic Texas 'smoke, salt, and pepper'. Service was fast and friendly, and we ate at the location so it was hot upon hitting the table. The crown jewel of Texas bbq is, of course, the brisket - had a mix of the lean and fatty brisket, and it had a marvelous smoke ring and flavor (see the picture below, you'll see what I mean). The fatty brisket in particular was fork tender and all sorts of delish. The regular sausage was zippy and popped in the mouth; and the pork loin (a rarity on Texas BBQ menus) was delicious, only less moist and scrumptious then the brisket. Sides were decent - the pinto beans are excellent, the coleslaw forgettable. However, average it out and I'd give it 4.5 stars, round it up and you're looking at a high score on the CTJ scale, as noted below. 5 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Jesus good. Would be OK passing away after finishing a plate here. 4 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Mary good. Would be OK having a nosh here with Mother Mary. 3 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Joseph good. Would be OK having a beer here with Jesus' Dad. 2 out of 5 stars: Come-to-the-Apostles good. Meh. Wouldn't have my last supper here. 1 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Nobody good. I wouldn't have my penultimate supper here, either.

You know you're at an authentic Texas barbecue joint when they serve you on metal trays and offer…read moreup their version(s) of barbecue sauce in squirt bottles. Ronnie's adds an unexpected twist: pizza! I didn't try the pizza, but the brisket is smoky, juicy and delicious. I enjoyed mine over a HUGE baked potato. I don't know where they get their cheddar cheese, but it was super melty and cheesy. So good! My table mates also got brisket. Tip: don't try to order healthy by getting chicken in a Texas barbecue place--get the beef. My dining partners also liked the ribs and the sausage. Macaroni-and-cheese side got rave reviews, the coleslaw was so-so. The sign out front says "Smoke and Pies." You're in the right place. Fast casual service was friendly and efficient. Tons of seating and natural light.

There is nothing I enjoy more than wandering into a small town and finding a fantastic restaurant!…read more Trust me, you now have another reason to drive to Johnson City. Yes, they have antique stores, a mortor cycle museum, the annual Rodeo, and LBJ's boyhood home. But they have some very interesting restaurants as well. Let me tell you about Proof of Cooper. My wife and I were on one of my adventures, picking up some items an hour from home. It's hot, late afternoon and we wanted a cocktail and good food. We walked into Proof of Cooper to look at the menu, we were greeted by lovely smells of cooking coming from the kitchen. This was the place for us. We ordered an Old Fashion and a Peach Fashioned. My Old Fashion was perfect! Great balance of whisky and sweetness. My wife really enjoyed her Peach fashioned. The menu has a lot of variety, Texas favorites for sure. It was hard to choose. We were told they did their BBQ out back, this restaurant does not look like your typical BBQ place. The bar is home town but the dining room is Hunting club rustic. To order, I had the smoked turkey club on Texas toast with green beans, my wife had the BBQ sample plate with Mac and cheese & pit master beans. Her meat choices were brisket, pulled pork and spare ribs. My sandwich was great! The bread was toasted just right, the turkey has a nice smoky flavor with ham and bacon. Loved the green beans. Then I stole some of the pit master beans off my wife's plate. Oh some dam good. And so was the Mac and cheese. Brisket and pulled pork were tender, flavorful and just right, on par with some of the best bbq places I have eaten at here in Texas. Spare ribs were too firm for my wife but I enjoyed them. The staff was wonderful. Very helpful, nice and fun to work with. This is a family owned restaurant and the staff that we met were all born and raised here. We look forward to coming back to Johnson City and visiting Proof of Cooper again. If just to try the delicious looking desserts we had no room for, see our photos.

Let me first say I wish this establishment well, and hope they have success in their endeavors…read more I was in centex to visit daughter, and suggested a bbq tour of the small towns west of Aus. We arrived at P&C mid afternoon on a Monday. We were touring this and other towns, so only ordered the pulled pork sandwich, side of mac n cheese and side of mashed potatoes w gravy between the two of us. And some extra bbq sauce on the side. The pulled pork sandw comes premade with what looks to be homemade pickles, smoked pulled pork, coleslaw, & bbq sauce. The presentation is fairly impressive. Unfortunately, the taste did not measure up. We had bites of the sandwich as a whole, and also tasted the individual ingred by themself to get a feel for what contributed to the overall. The pulled pork was hit/miss. Some of it was generously smoked & that smokiness came through. Other bites of it the smoked flavor was not prominent. Mac n Cheese - solid. By far the best thing we tried. Super cheesy, flavorful. Nice work! Coleslaw - substandard. I'd say the C range. Pickles on the sandwich - they were thicker and appeared homemade. They didn't seem like they had been left to sit long enough on the shelf for the pickling to soak in. In appearance they were still very close to cucumbers instead of pickled cucumbers. Flavor wise they didn't taste like cukes, but nor did they add a dill-ish or sweet pickle flavor of substance. (Can see the pickles in attached pic, can see the color and texture doesn't look significantly pickled.) Sauce - extremely little flavor. The consistency was not watery, but you had to close your eyes and concentrate to taste what little flavor there was - as though it was watered down immensely. Sauce gets a D. Mashed potatoes & gravy. They served the gravy on the side. The potatoes themselves were good - a little buttery and therefore enjoyable. The consistency of the gravy was mealy - was unexpected, and odd. Lacked the common flavor of a hearty gravy begun with a roux of flour and meat drippings. (Zoom in on attached photo, you can see the mealy and almost-grainy texture of the gravy.) Overall we weren't impressed. The mac n cheese being the best thing is not what you expect at a bbq place. Like I said, we wish the establishment well. But we wouldn't come back when in Johnson City. Final note, the hostess/server was genuinely warm and friendly. She was wearing multiple hats, running around, but was pleasant and engaging.

Had a great experience at this restaurant, they have a burger Tuesday day, and the beef ribs were…read moredelicious. Ladd was very friendly and kind, even though he was struggling at the register tallying up our order, he even offered to give us a tour of the back of the restaurant. The place is clean and the environment is perfect to spend a family meal.

We want to acknowledge Cami. She always gives us excellent service with a smile on her face…read more Thanks Cami!

Johnson City has a winner of a brewery with Pecan Street! I…read morewas not there for the beer, which I will be back to try, but wanted to check out their smash burger, and it did not disappoint! Swapped out the normal bun for a jalapeño cheddar option, went for sweet potato fries, and it was a winner. The fries came with catchup and a chipotle aioli that would be equally awesome on the burger. The stuff is delicious. Our waiter, Max, could not have been any friendlier or attentive. If the entire crew is as good as him, they are pretty lucky! Cool ambiance, nice crowd, festive, just a winner of a spot. The wife got fish and chips and we split the cast iron pecan pie. All were top notch.

Hands down the best Reuben I've ever had. I used to serve them in my restaurants years ago, and…read morepeople raved about them--but this one tops them all. Absolutely delicious. I love stopping here and trying something new every time. The flights are great, the atmosphere is relaxing and spotless, and I never leave without grabbing a bag of coffee beans--the coffee is just that good. This place never disappoints. I've been coming since 2017, and it's always been consistently excellent.

Just gotta get out of Blanco for dinner sometimes. Bryans on 290 was so delicious last night!…read moreRestaurant has a Speak Easy vibe that I absolutely love (although it can make it hard to read the menu when you get to a certain age ). I made reservations for 6:45 and was seated immediately. I had two glasses of Rosé and the duck breast (medium) with quail and au gratin potatoes. Everything was cooked perfectly; I would have licked that reduction off my plate, it was so good! Adequate portion size. My date had the salmon with mashed potatoes and green beans, and added the squash with pecan relish (more of a sauce). The salmon was cooked well and had a great crust. The squash was delicious. Will definitely be back (hope they have the creole red fish on special again because I've got to try it!).

We have been coming to Bryans for last 5-6 years. Our recent visit on a Saturday night was not…read moreindicative of most of our past experiences but is consistent with a slight decline in quality. I am so happy to have a fine dining restaurant in Johnson City but with that comes a higher expectation. We typically have a reservation but we walked in and were offered bar seating. Beautiful bar and very comfy chairs. We were happy when they added this a few years ago. Service was friendly enough but it lagged at different points during our experience. Here is a review of the food. Wedge Salad - nice iteration of this salad included bacon, onions, cherry tomatoes and blue cheese ranch dressing. Could have used more dressing but serving was big enough for 2. Lamb Osso Bucco - looked good on the plate, tender and tasty but I struggled to find enough meat on the shank. Green Beans - forgot to bring out with entree and were completely overwhelmed by dill Signature Mac & Cheese - nothing signature about it. Thin sauce, bland I have to be honest, I yearn for the days of their blue crab dip and exceptional tenderloin steak. I think Bryan's has lost a step but we'll come back and sit at a table try something else.

We hosted our rehearsal dinner in the private room at The Salt Lick with 75 guests, and it was…read moreabsolutely perfect. For folks from Tennessee, the setting had that perfect Texas vibe -- rustic, warm, and exactly the atmosphere we wanted for the night before our son's wedding. The staff helped us with setup from start to finish, including getting a mic set up for toasts, and everything ran smoothly all night. The food was fantastic -- we served ribs, brisket, and sausage, along with cole slaw, potato salad, and beans. Every dish was a hit with our guests, true to the Salt Lick's reputation for great Texas barbecue. A special shoutout to our servers, Frank and Kelsey -- they were phenomenal. Kelsey even took the time to help us figure out the best placement for our sound system, which made a huge difference for the evening. That kind of attentiveness and willingness to go above and beyond really made our night. If you're looking for a venue to host a large private event, I can't recommend The Salt Lick enough. Five stars all around!

A few weeks ago, it was my first time there and i was kindly greeted and sat by the host alex, it…read morewas great experience!

This is a gluten free review…read more Vinovium was a total surprise find! It's in town in Johnson City, a nice property with indoor and outdoor seating. We stopped in for lunch, and our server was great - when I told her I have gluten allergy, she said no problem and showed me all of the menu items they could make to accommodate. (Which was most of it.) We had sandwiches - I had the veggie monster. It was SO good! Everything on the menu comes with wine pairing suggestions too.

First time to visit at their new location in Johnson City. We enjoyed their sangria. The Mezza…read moreBoard was a feast for the senses; the Juliette feta dip was rich and flavorful and the hummus tasted freshly made. My wife loved the citrus marinated olives. Good service without the pretentiousness of a winery tasting room.

We started going to Opie's years ago in the old building with Opie holding court. It was delicious…read moreand reasonably priced. We go back maybe once a year or so. This past Saturday was a real letdown. Prices have really gone through the roof and that takes some of the fun out of a BBQ roadtrip. The lady taking orders and cutting meat had zero personality and rushed us through even though there weren't any customers behind us. The guy singing in the corner is s nice touch. We had chicken, ribs and sausage and none of it impressed us. The highlight of the meal was the blackberry cobbler and the always yummy butter beans. With gas prices so high, we will stay closer to Austin for our barbecue and get better prices and flavor.

How in the Sam Hill have we not visited Opie's before! I swear we have driven past Opie's a…read moregazillion times without noticing this 5-star BBQ joint. Operating since 1999, they have perfected the art of pit smoking and how to quickly move you from their entrance to stuffing yourself with some of the best BBQ I've ever had, period. As you enter, their smoke pit greets you, and here is where you order your meat. Everything is à la carte, and you order by the half or by the pound. Next, you order your sides, all of which looked awesome, but I was here to go into a meat coma and have the meat sweats. Once you have your bounty in hand, there is a long table with cauldrons of pinto beans, bread, pickles, onions, peppers, and BBQ sauce. Using Franklin's brisket as the G.O.A.T., Opie's is right there with Franklin's claim to fame. Their moist brisket is so tender and moist, and finished with their subtle but savory vinegar-based sauce. Their baby back ribs are fall-off-the-bone delizioso! They have a tad sweet and spicy finish to them. Neither required extra BBQ sauce. Our dining companions raved about their smoked chicken and brisket sandwich. Do not sleep on their pinto beans. I added some BBQ sauce and jalapenos to add a kick to them, perfecto. , Opie's slogan is "Life is good in Spicewood," and it certainly is when you are dining here. We can't wait to return to further explore their menu.

My husband and I went to LeRoy's Tex Mex BBQ for lunch while in the area. We parked, and walked to…read morethe restaurant. The parking lot isn't paved but we didn't have any issues. We walked around on the grounds and noticed that there is a separate patio and a bathroom with seating outside. The women's bathroom was clean. Now to the restaurant. We walked in the restaurant and it wasn't very big. You could see the menu on the wall, the ordering counter was close, the food pickup counter was next to the ordering counter, the seating was in the middle, and the bar at the other end. After walking in and checking out the menu we walked up to the ordering counter. The person that took our order was friendly and patient with me. I wanted the El Burger that was listed on the menu but I didn't notice that it's only available on Wednesdays. The person told me that so I checked the menu out again to see what burger I wanted. I decided on LeRoy's Smash Burger which comes with smashed brisket patties, pickles, bacon & onion jam. I ordered mine without cheese. It came with a choice of a side so my husband and I picked the potato salad to share. I also wanted to try the Smoked Pork Belly Menudo which substitutes the traditional tripe meat with smoked pork belly. This came with onions, cilantro, and chopped jalapenos that you could add if you wanted. My husband and I decided to share LeRoy's Nachos which has tortilla chips covered in beans, queso, avacado, pico, crema, salsa, BBQ sauce and jalapenos. These come with your choice of meat and we decided on brisket. My husband ordered one taco to try called Chancho La Panza which comes with pork belly, beans, cilantro, and queso fresco. The Food. LeRoy's Smash Burger was delicious. I liked the flavor of the meat and the jam. The potato salad had a mustard flavor to it which I didn't mind. The Nachos were tasty. The BBQ sauce in them gave them a hint of sweetness in the midst of all of the saltier ingredients. The Menudo was spicy. I wasn't expecting it to be so hot but it was tolerable. The smoked pork belly mixed in the soup was good. There was also a crunchy texture mixed in that added to the experience. I tried my husband's pork taco and it was delightful. There was so much flavor packed into a single taco. Overall the experience was positive. The restaurant was small but comfortable, the service was good and the food was fresh and delicious.

The food was AMAZING! You have to order at the counter, and they'll call you when your food is…read moreready. It's a small place inside, but there's plenty of outdoor seating. There's also plenty of parking, which is always a plus! My baby had the chicken quesadilla, and she LOVED it! It came with fruit and a juice, so I thought it was a great deal. My husband and I ordered Leroy's Smash Burger and the pulled pork sandwich. My favorite was definitely the Leroy's burger. SOOO GOOD! BTW I think their potato salad is fantastic! Really unique!

Beef rib was outstanding but priced at $54 a pound!! Brisket today was not great but ok, jalapeño…read moresausage was also good. The only reason 4 vs 5 was that it was $80 for lunch, 2 beef ribs, 1/2 lb brisket and half link of sausage

Amazing bbq and sides! Pick your meat and have it sliced by a pro. Indoor picnic table seating…read morewith self-serve beans that were delicious with a wonderful subtle jalapeño spice. We enjoyed everything we selected and would definitely return.