We ate here prior to going to our boat tour on Caddo lake. The restaurant is in the heart of Jefferson City. There is free street parking and on a Sunday it was not hard to find. The restaurant is very simple. There is nothing fancy about the ambience at all. It's just downhome country. You order at the register and then grab a table. We got there just before the after church Sunday rush so we were able to find a table easily. Shortly after we got our food, the line was out the door. The food came very quickly. They call your name and bring the food to the table. I had a two meat platter with turkey and brisket. The turkey was tender and just slightly smoky. The brisket was excellent. I forgot to ask for lean like I usually do but the brisket was not overly fatty. The meat was very smoky, very tender, and very flavorful. The portion was generous for $18. I would guess half a pound of each meat (?) The sauce on the table is a bit sweet and tangy. The BBQ beans were excellent. The potato salad was good but needed salt. We all enjoyed our meal. Even the kid, who is super picky, ate a bunch of brisket. It was a good choice and I definitely would eat here again if we came to Jefferson City. read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - Outside - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

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I was nearby and a local couple suggested I needed to try Riverport Barbecue before leaving the area. I always listen to the locals and I am glad I did! This place looks fun from the outside and a bit dicey on the inside, but the line told me I was in the right place. It was almost back to the door when I walked in, but it moved quickly. Seating is pretty limited, especially for a party of one or two as most tables have 5-6 places. Everybody was so friendly. I think I could've asked to sit down if I wanted to, but I went ahead and got my order to go. The menu seems pretty reasonable with baskets and platters between $10 and $18. A lot of reviews seem to talk about the Swamp Fries, so I had to get a small order of those. I also got the sliced Brisket sandwich with a side of onion rings. The brisket barbecue is served dry but has a good smoke right on it and good flavor by itself, but they give you plenty of barbecue sauce to add to it. That's exactly what I did along with some pickles to make my sandwich taste just right . The Swamp Fries are wonderful with fresh FF, smothered in chopped brisket, shredded cheese, and sliced jalapeños. There's no way I could've eaten a large so I'm glad even though it was just two dollars more I decided to opt for the smaller portion and still had leftovers to take home. Overall, really good food definitely worth a stop in. read more

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Last trip to Jefferson they were out of bbq by 2 so today we came early and it was WORTH the wait! The brisket was incredibly tender with a great crust. The atmosphere is very hole in the wall and I'm guessing a local hotspot. It's popular! We had the brisket tacos, swamp fries, potato salad and sliced brisket. The sliced and tacos were my favorite. It's a must stop but go early! read more

Really enjoyed the hand cut fries and handmade hamburger patties on their burgers. Service was good. Ambiance was good. Will definitely stop again if passing through Jefferson again. read more

Just gotta say, I think I may be putting bodacious down. This is well worth the drive. I didn't believe my cousin but the truth is in this B-BQue! read more

Bland bland bland! Service was fine but the bbq was terrible. The restaurant is historic but feels dirty.

The restaurant is situated downtown in historic downtown Jefferson Texas. The ribs were tender, moist, tasty and not stringy. The okra was cooked hot and served immediately. The pinto beans were simply prepared like most east texas restaurants would serve them. The service was quick and friendly. The Resturant is clean and modest. The restrooms were exceedingly tidy. This was a pleasant experience. read more

Their BBQ was the best I have ever had. The rub on the ribs was fantastic and they were moist! Not salty. The brisket was tender and juicy, I could cut it with a fork. The bark on the brisket was perfect. The coleslaw and beans were also delicious. read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - Ribs, brisket, slaw and beans - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! I know BBQ and this is right up there with the best. The staff were friendly and helpful. I only had 2 issues. 1. The building needs to be about 3X its current size. 2. They give you so much food, you're forced to over eat. Seriously, give Joseph's a try! read more

This was the second time to eat here. The first was a year or two ago and we thought the food was very good. This time, however, the food was different. I could not eat the ribs due to the extreme amount of pepper on them. The bbq sauce was very runny. Sorry! read more

We have tried bbq all over the nation and this place ranked in our top 2. The brisket, turkey and ribs were superb. Worth the drive and wait.,they give plenty of food. The slices were thick and the bbq sauce was just right with no bitterness or too much twang. Potato salad was great and not oversaturated with fillers. Sweet potatoes fries were crisp and fresh. It is easy to find within walking distance anywhere in downtown. The atmosphere is country themed and filled with nostalgia. Only drawback is the seating area. They have maxed out their space for the crowds but get it to go and find one of many places close by for a picnic. We will be back. read more

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Ribs were good beans are flavorful. The hot water cornbread could be a little more favorable.

FANTASTIC!!!! The atmosphere was great with cool decor just what you want when going for BBQ- Probably the best barbecue I've ever had they had a nice variety of offerings and the brisket was tender not too fatty and had amazing flavor! The smoked turkey which also delicious was still moist with the perfect smoked taste.. the swamp fries with brisket .. YUM!!! We ordered a Turkey sandwich, two meat plate with Turkey and sausage and okra!! Brisket sandwich with the bbq beans .. The jalapeño sausage was so good and the okra was cooked to perfection the homemade ranch with it just topped it off.. I can't wait to go back!! Mmm mmm finger lickin good! read more

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Boss lady and I came in for a quick lunch, and had a weird encounter with some staff members. It started when we ordered. We are normally asked if we want fatty or lean brisket. Since we were not asked, we asked for fatty. The cashier got snotty with us and said, "Well, I guess I'll have to tell them." THAT'S YOUR JOB! We weren't asking for the moon . Then, we got a peach cobbler, which was goopy and raw. Boss lady is a baker, she's made tons of cobblers. She went back to the counter to let them know, of course, another staff person got snotty and argued that it wasn't raw. WHATEVER, just refund our money and move on. The brisket and ribs were good. The fried okra was just ok. The potatoe salad has way too much mustard. BBQ sause is really good. Solely based on their bad attitude, we will never come back! read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - Inside - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

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This was pretty solid food overall, but not the best barbecue I've had. There is limited seating for larger groups, but the ambiance was decent and the service was friendly. We tried barbecue sandwiches, fried okra, and swamp fries. The chopped brisket sandwich was good--the brisket was a tad bit dry, but I still found it enjoyable as a whole. The okra had good flavor, but could have been crispier, instead, it was more bready. The swamp fries were good--covered in chopped brisket, jalapeños, cheese, and bacon. The cheese was unmelted, which detracted a little, and the fries were on the salty side, but again it was still tasty. I'd come back if I were in Jefferson again, as the wait was reasonable even around 12 on a Sunday, but I wouldn't drive out of my way. read more

Wonderful BBQ with a nice variety of ways to eat it. The brisket has a good flavor to it with a good balance of fat. The amount of meat you get for the price is a steal. The lady working the front was super sweet and friendly. I only wish the store was bigger to handle the demand during rush time. Overall a good experience. Definitely recommend the swamp fries! read more

Incredible we had brisket, sausage and turkey, all were cooked to perfection and the sides were delicious as well. Not a single complaint except I couldn't eat more! read more

We were a bit skeptic to try because barbecue varies greatly. We enjoyed our lunch. My husband ordered the loaded French fries with brisket, cheese, onions, jalapeños. He ordered large but should have ordered the small size because he could not finish half of it and not because it wasn't delicious. I enjoyed the sloppy Joe. We were both stuffed after lunch and didn't require any supper. read more

Ordered to go and it was great. Brisket tender and smoky and the sausage crispy and flavorful. Friendly folks and the sauce was nice as well. No sides tried read more

Loved the pork barbqueSo good,you can smell it before you get there and I know good pork barbque

We would drive 120 miles round trip from Texarkana because this, we thought, was the best BBQ in the area. Not so this time. In a word the meats were dry. Dry to the point of having to chase them down with a drink...or two. Three? And the potato salad was sour, sauerkraut sour. That may have been the taste they are after, but we think it pushed German potato salad over the Siegfried Line. The BBQ beans remain outstanding. One hundred-twenty miles round trip plus $30 for two meals. We don't know if we'll risk it again. We did not enjoy not loving this place. read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - Menu. - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

This little place is awesome. Great barbecue, interesting location, and great barbecue. I'm not always in this part of country but if I am I make it a priority for my schedule to line up with this place's hours. Make sure you're not arriving just before closing or the full menu may not be available. Brisket is top notch, ribs are wonderful, and sausage is delicious. This is the kind of joint that puts the flavor in the meat rather than sauces and add-ons. Sauce is a nice accessory and not the star of the show. It's just what barbecue should be. The potato salad is about as perfect as it gets for me and the coleslaw is fresh and crunchy, too. Eat here if you're in the area and it's open, then take some time to look around the city is located in. I guarantee you'll enjoy it. read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - 2 meat plate, brisket and sausage with coleslaw and potato salad. I recommend it all. - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

It's hard to make bad barbecue, but these folks make good barbecue plus they have some excellent sides and a remarkable dish called Swamp Fries, a mix of French fries, two cheeses, jalapeños, onion, bacon, scallions, and chopped barbecue. If you like fries, you're going to LOVE Swamp Fries. Plus, you have to try the hot water cornbread. I think they got the recipe from my old maid aunt who died 25 years ago. HOWEVER in these early stages of reopening the economy, what I saw today was scary. The place was packed, with no efforts to control the rate of entry. No floor markings to show spacing for waiting in line. Less than 20% of customers were maintaining social distance, and even fewer wore masks. I saw no servers with masks. And there were total strangers sharing tables. I don't know what the law says, but what I saw today is a recipe for Covid disaster. I would urge the owner of this restaurant to step up and take charge. So as not to end on a negative note, the food here is great! read more

I only gave a star because I had to. We traveled all the way to Jefferson to eat here. I have a service dog. A corgi. The owner instantly kicked us out. I told him it was illegal for him to turn us out. He said "that's not a service dog if it can lick the floor with its short legs". I told him he was breaking the law and he said he didn't care. He was very rude. We won't be coming back to Jefferson. read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

Okay so both my son and my wife are experts in true BBQ and this place has their vote as their absolute favorite place to get BBQ. We had the chopped brisket sandwich, sweet potato fries and a cheeseburger for our grandson. The meat was tender and piled high. The burger was juicy and full of smoked flavor too. The service is awesome and they take such good care of you. I wish it was closer to home but an hour drive each way is totally worth the food! We highly recommend anyone that loves great BBQ this is a MUST STOP. read more

I have NEVER had one thing that wasn't absolutely delicious! The food and service is always amazing. When in Jefferson this is the ONLY place we eat! read more

Drove in from DAllas. Brisket was ok. Turkey was very moist. Okra was the bomb. Sausage was good too. Service was great. Meat was over rated. I never pick sides over the meat but in the case the okra stood out. read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

Fun place to stop if you're on a East Texas BBQ road trip. If you're getting one of the plates and you like the flavor of hush puppies, give the hot water cornbread a try. These delicious little morsels are flat, light, fluffy and crispy at the same time. I liked the BBQ beans, full of tangy flavor, better than the regular pinto beans. I'm a pretty tough judge of BBQ, having been spoiled by my years in Texas. I wasn't wowed by the brisket, although it's very moist and tender with a nicely flavored bark. I found the inside of the brisket a bit bland. The pork ribs were cooked just right and benefited from a couple dashes of the BBQ sauce that's on each table. Fair prices and friendly service earned it the 4 stars. read more

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Very good meats. Turkey, sausage, ribs, and brisket were all very good. Baked beans and pinto beans were pretty good. Hot water cornbread was more like a hush puppy than typical hot water cornbread, but good nonetheless. Good east Texas alternative from bodacious, Stanley's, and country tavern. read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

I witnessed a blatant act of racism at this establishment today by a staff member. The lady working the register taking orders was, quite frankly, nasty towards a Hispanic family and a black woman but as friendly as could be to every white customer who came in the doors. She was so rude to them with everything she said, even when asking for their order - to make matters worse she glared at them through the duration of their meal. I felt so bad for this sweet family that I was sick to my stomach and couldn't finish even a quarter of my lunch. The woman with brown hair, glasses, and a terrible case of RBF who works the register should be ashamed of her vile behavior. Additionally, Joseph's Riverport Barbecue should be disappointed and disgusted by the actions of their employee. read more

Wow. disappointed to say the least. we expected to wait for a while, which was fine. But when the lady was filling up the ice machine and used her bare hands to shove the ice down into the machine after wiping her hands on her shorts, we basically lost our appetites. the brisket and sausage were ok. the baked beans were terrible. the hot water corn bread was not good. they should probably change the oil in the fryer, like, yesterday. not super friendly customer service. definitely not worth the cost or the experience. establishment looked very dirty. read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - smoked sausage, onion rings - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

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Best BBQ in east Texas definitely recommend for anyone who is looking for a good lunch while touring downtown Jefferson.

Riverport BBQ , was a great place to sit down and enjoy some good food today . We had the ribs, chopped beef sandwich and Swamp fries. Man, it was filling ! Everything tasted great , but I think they should melt the cheese on the swamp fries so it will all stay together. Again the taste is there , just difficult to share and eat the fries. I like the ability to help yourself to the condiments and the tea ! If you are looking for BBQ, look no further, you've found it ! Go get Full read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - Order up ! - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

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Stephen and crew always come through. Riverport has catered many an event for me and they always shine!!!

Excellent brisket, excellent sides, cool storefront, great service. If you're in the area this is a must!

Situated in thee cutest little town! Came here in December and enjoyed bone warming BBQ inside, where we basked in the rustic southern atmosphere and dined on authentic BBQ. This joint is rated as one of the top 50 Texas BBQ joints, so naturally I expected a rich, smoky, full bodied flavor paired with tender textures. Delivered! I'm not much of a meat fan (!) but I enjoyed my brisket taco immensely. She was topped high with fresh pico, shredded lettuce and salsa. The brisket was well seasoned with a generous touch of smoke essence...flakey tender and delicious. I added much of their tangy BBQ sauce as I liked it. My little man loved his aromatic hickory beans and his pulled pork taco. The price is right, also. They have a little walk up window if you opt not to dine in. I imagine that option would be perfect for a busy day or if you just want a quick snack on the go while you venture the adorable historical neighborhood and enjoy the antique shops that make up the population. That would be a cute date, fellas. ;) read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - Pork taco and pintos approved - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

I am not a huge bbq fan but I try to do my best and make it an option when traveling with my husband in small towns in Texas. So... here we are. We ordered the 2 meat plate both with brisket one had sausages and the other pork shoulder. So here is my take on it; The brisket has good flavor but for me the cut was super thick and just to hard for me. I have had brisket that is tender and pulls apart. It was almost to dry for my taste. The pork shoulder was fantastic full of flavor very tender and juicy. The sausages are really good. For side we had; Cole slaw was yummy and creamy. Potato salad was different but in a good way. My husband ordered bbq beans and said those are really good. They had cayun deep fried corn on the cobb and I really loved it. Their sweet tea is just perfect. Prices are fair specially after visiting Lockhart Texas the bbq capital where they are really proud of the bbq and it shows on their prices. The service was super friendly and overall a great experience. read more

Love this place. When my wife and go to Jefferson this is the only place we eat. Very friendly staff. Great service and food. My go to is the 2 meat plate with brisket, jalapeño cheese sausage, fried okra and BBQ beans. And I get the sliced bread, pickles, onions and jalapeños. Eating the brisket on the bread with pickles, onions, jalapeños and BBQ sauce it the only way to go. They open up at 11:00, but get there early. There's always a line out front with people waiting to get in. There is limited seated so be prepared to share a table. If you like great BBQ this is the spot. They offer a military discount which is always a bonus. read more

Joseph's Riverport Barbecue - 2 Meat Plate w/ brisket, jalapeño cheese sausage, fried okra, BBQ beans, onions, pickles, jalapeños and sliced white bread (not in picture). - Barbeque Near Me - Jefferson, Texas

It takes time to get the orders in, but the wait is well worth the payoff! Jefferson is like any other place until you get close enough to smell Riverport. In a town with several attractions, this will get your attention and pull you in to order some of the best food/combinations you've had. The people are nice and friendly as is most people around town. read more

We just finished a meal that was catered by Joseph's Riverport BBQ and it was outstanding! Honestly, some of the best BBQ I have ever had. Be sure to get the Swamp Fries! read more