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Nelson's BBQ

5.0 (73 reviews)

Nelson's BBQ Photos

NELSON'S BBQ ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Dogs allowed
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Nelson's BBQ

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Reviews With Photos

Tyler D.

I'm visiting from out of town and wanted to find some proper barbecue. Was recommended by the neighboring food truck so I decided to give it a try. I had big expectations and they were so exceeded with such a great, authentic barbecue experience! Had the three meat box of moist brisket, barbecue rib, pulled pork, mac & cheese and beans. It was all so satisfying, what a fantastic meal I made a special point to return a second time before I left town. Nelson has such a cool personality and really offered up some sincere southern hospitality! Really enjoyed our conversation and I would like to wish him all the success in the future and hope y'all get a chance to try his amazing barbecue! Thanks so much Nelson, you rock...

Matt B.

After reading the great reviews of this place, I decided to try it out. Ordered the Nasty Nate, a sandwich made with brisket, mac & cheese, in between two slices of Texas toast, and it was delicious. The sandwich alone was awesome and extremely flavorful, but eating it with the sauce that comes on the side made it even better. Needless to say, Nelson's did not disappoint & lived up to the hype. I'll definitely be back to try other items.

Zoe S.

Barely made it out of the parking lot after sampling this bbq!! It is so good!! He was headed out to a catering job but still sold us a plate and I'm sure I will be back for more! Definitely try it, you will not be disappointed!

Montage to the saturday brisket dopeness we just expierenced , so good the first words will be a mmmmmmmm mmmmm and then mmmmmm .
Sergio M.

This was nothing close than a religious experience of everything holy and everything Bar b Q in texas should be , Nelsons a small unsuspecting truck off of bandera and 1604 and has managaed to come up with some excellent bbq you know the kind you wait around for 4 hours or the places you tackle grandma for to get the last piece ... This truck right here is that good and should be enjoyed while you can becauae i gaurantee you this bbq spot will be getting busy very soon Two thumbs and two big toes Up amazing bbq ! Take a bow Nelsons

2 meat plate with brisket and ribs with double mac.
Nhien S.

I'm from out of town and so glad I looked a little further and didn't settle for a chain BBQ spot! If you want fast, go down the street otherwise come to this truck and enjoy good conversation while Nate takes your order and puts everything together himself. The meats were delicious and really didn't need any extra sauce, but that being said, the sauce did make it taste even better. Thanks for one of the best BBQ we've ever tasted!

Nika J.

With all the great reviews I had to try for myself and i wasnt disappointed ...the food is delicious , seasoning was just right and the mac n cheese......heavenly.....I will definitely return to try other items..

Hands down THE BEST BBQ sandwich everrr.
Chastity Y.

3 words... The Nasty Nate. You'll thank me later. Definitely will be bringing my out of town friends here when they visit for some real Texas BBQ. Brisket is on point, baked beans and his mac'n'cheese are both real southern bbq, a little BBQ sauce on the side and you're good to go!

Nate's food truck
Lauren R.

My boyfriend and I were told Nelson's BBQ was featured in Texas Monthly so we decided to go check it out. We arrived 15 minutes early to avoid lines and we were the first to order. Nate was easy going and friendly and made it a pleasant experience. My boyfriend ordered the "Nasty Nate" and I ordered a brisket plate with a side of baked beans and mac and cheese. All we can say is this is some of the best BBQ we have had in San Antonio. The brisket was moist and the sides were packed with flavor. We will definitely be going back for more.

The Nasty Nate (sand which $8.99) with a side of mac & cheese and cornbread. Nate told us it's a lot of work. You can taste the love.
Teresa O.

Nate was very nice and informative. He hooks you with the flavors - brisket has a great char and spice. Offering two BBQ sauces: original and spicy. You don't NEED the sauce; the flavor complements the sandwich, and you will WANT the sauce. The Nasty Nate is a generous serving on toasted bread, served with brisket and mac & cheese. The mac is NOT from a box - topped with more cheese and seasoning, the side could stand on Its own. Mixed into the sandwich, you have a great meal. Add corn bread, and you will need a nap. Very tasty and worth the wait!

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9 years ago

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8 years ago

Outside of describing it is the best barbecue in San Antonio I don't know what else you can say about this place.

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9 years ago

Coming from a BBQ snob could be best in SA, comparable to good Austin BBQ. Brisket was awesome and the Ribs and Sausage were just as good.

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6 years ago

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Business owner information

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Nathaniel L. N.

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10 years ago

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7 years ago

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8 years ago

This food is amazing. The barbecue is off chain. The brisket is the best in the city! This is a must if you're in the mood for bbq!

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

Delicious ribs and brisket! Amazing BBQ and sides. The best I have ever had in Texas!!!!!!!!

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9 years ago

Great BBQ and super nice guy running the place. Probably the best I have had in San Antonio.

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9 years ago

Amazing, amazing, amazing .... this guy sells out pretty quick. The Mac - n - cheese, brisket are my personal favorites.

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9 years ago

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8 years ago

Probably one of the best bbq I have tried. Please don't miss on this place. You won't regret it

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9 years ago

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8 years ago

All I can say is wow. The brisket is so tender and the mac n cheese is so good. Well worth the wait for the food.

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Ask the Community - Nelson's BBQ

Is Nelson's open post break-in?

Not yet unfortunately. As we made repairs, we realized and found much more damage than we thought

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Pinkerton's Barbecue

Pinkerton's Barbecue

4.4
(1.3k reviews)
13.9 mi
$$

If I had to describe my experience at Pinkerton's Barbecue with four A's, it'd be this:…read more Authentic - Everything tasted like true Texas barbecue. The meat was smoky, tender, and packed with flavor without needing to hide behind sauce. Attentive - The staff was friendly, welcoming, and made us feel like they genuinely appreciated our business. Great service from start to finish. Addictive - Every bite made me want another. The food was so good that I was already thinking about my next visit before we even left. Amazing - From the quality of the food to the atmosphere and service, everything exceeded expectations. This was one of the best barbecue experiences I've had. Pinkerton's absolutely lived up to the hype. Fantastic food, outstanding service, and an all-around memorable experience. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in Texas. Highly recommend!

My family and I recently visited Pinkerton's Barbecue, and it was an outstanding experience from…read morestart to finish. The employees were incredibly friendly and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Great customer service like that really makes a difference. The food was absolutely delicious. The jalapeño cheddar sausage was a 10/10--full of flavor with a nice spicy kick that wasn't overwhelming. The regular sausage was also a 10/10 and just as impressive. The brisket was juicy, tender, and loaded with flavor in every bite. For sides, we tried the macaroni and cheese with bacon, and it was phenomenal. Rich, creamy, and easily one of the best sides I've had. The jalapeño rice was something I've never had before, and it was surprisingly unique and incredibly good. Overall, Pinkerton's Barbecue delivered amazing food and exceptional service. I'll definitely be coming back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for great barbecue.

Photos
Kitchen carving area
Kitchen carving area
IG: tonylameats | Sliced turkey, sliced brisket, pork rib, jalapeno sausage, mac n cheese, aunt may blueberry cobbler!
IG: tonylameats | Sliced turkey, sliced brisket, pork rib, jalapeno sausage, mac n cheese, aunt may blueberry cobbler!
Hot sides

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Hot sides
Four Brothers

Four Brothers

4.2
(232 reviews)
14.1 mi
$$$

Another great meal! Our server Brahim provided the perfect service: attentive, thoughtful, kind…read more Really enhanced our meal. For a starter we shared the cornbread with another couple and it was plenty for 4 people. If you are from out of town and looking for some Texas-shaped vittles or just want something substantial to stretch your meal I recommend it! Very tasty and filling. For my main I had the scallops with creamed corn risotto. It was a dainty portion but the flavors were nice. My husband had the short rib tagliatelle which he loved. It was very rich and filling. We had the buttermilk pie again for dessert and this time it tasted sweeter than I remembered. It was good but we couldn't finish it. Idk if it was my tastebuds or if it was different. Anyways still a great meal overall and we will be back!

We arrived in San Antonio after an 11+ hour road trip from New Orleans. By 7 pm hubs wanted dinner…read moreas soon as we checked into our hotel. Checked Yelp for dinner suggestions so Doc drove us to the paid lot next to where all the Cinderella lit up carriages drawn by horses were lined up. It seemed the boats going up and down the River portion of the Walk were busier. While we were walking I had my eyes open for a table with a view. We stopped at Four Brothers. The receptionist went over suggestions on the menu on her outdoor podium. Cornbread in the shape of Texas, shareable items like Dino ribs for $82, plus Pork Shank and ice tea completed our order. Everyone was very friendly. We had an exceptional view and we had more than enough food that we had to ask for take out boxes. My favorite was the Mac & cheese though I'm usually not a fan. This dish used cork screw shaped pasta and it was moist and not stuck together. I had to share a photo of it with Sweetie who is in Tokyo right now. Doc liked the pimento for the cornbread. As it was almost 9 pm we decided to pass on the boat ride but just walk on the other side with shops and more eateries. We're back on the road again tomorrow to Arizona.

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Four Brothers
Four Brothers
Four Brothers

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Boudro's, a Texas Bistro

Boudro's, a Texas Bistro

4.1
(3.7k reviews)
14.3 mi
$$

I always feel very badly when I don't do a review of such an excellent restaurant and frankly…read moreBoudro's is an example of an exceptional restaurant. Firstly, the ambience is incredible. We were right on the river walk, but walked through the entire restaurant on our way to be seated and every bit of it is as lovely as where we ended up sitting. The Riverwalk, however, is a people watching place and so there really isn't any place in this particular restaurant which is not gonna be pleasant. Secondly, the service is exceptional. This is a very busy place. However, the waiter was simply incredible. Very attentive, very informative quite humorous. He was frankly part of the river walk entertainment. Extremely accommodating and instructive as well. You can't hope for much more from a server in Restaurant than this activity. The food is really quite good. How are the drinks. Extremely dependable and the portions are generous and equally wonderful. There are many places to dine in San Antonio. However, this is an experience not to be missed and I mean that quite sincerely. Kudos for a very, very well run well situated and well managed enjoyable place to dine on the river walk in San Antonio.

This place was absolutely packed and had a great energetic vibe. The dining area is a little tight,…read morebut not so cramped that you're bumping into people. I'd definitely recommend making a reservation because it gets busy fast. The prices are on the higher side, and my husband felt his Old Fashioned was a bit watered down compared to similar drinks we've had at other restaurants. On the plus side, our server was friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome throughout the meal. We ordered the pork tenderloin, ribeye, and shrimp and grits with a creamy gravy sauce. Every single dish was delicious. I'm pretty picky when it comes to steak, but the ribeye really impressed me: it was cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The shrimp and grits were another standout. The creamy sauce was rich and incredibly tasty, with just a hint of spice that added flavor without being overwhelming. As someone who doesn't enjoy very spicy food, I thought it was just right. Overall, despite the crowded atmosphere and slightly disappointing cocktail, the food was excellent and definitely the highlight of our visit. We'd happily come back for another meal.

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Private dining space
Private dining space
Chicken enchiladas verdes
Chicken enchiladas verdes
Signature margarita

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Signature margarita
Q Kitchen | Bar

Q Kitchen | Bar

3.8
(149 reviews)
14.2 mi
$$

We stayed at the Hyatt for four nights and had breakfast here each day, so we got to try a ton!…read moreAlso, the atrium area of the hotel where Q kitchen is located is strikingly beautiful. Favorite item was the Alamo huevos rancheros. This was a rare treat to enjoy a dish with brisket, cheese, and salsa without some kind of heartburn afterwards. But this was lighter than expected and tasted amazing! Other dishes we tried: Egg white frittata: very good and a nice touch that it is served in a skillet! Texas waffle: was one of the best waffles either of us has had in a long time Blueberry pancakes: very good. I really enjoyed the stewed blueberry Chilaquiles: this we felt was the only miss. Didn't like that it was prepared with tortilla chips instead of fried tortillas Steak and eggs: ask for extra chimichurri sauce and maybe add some extra salt. Once you do that, this dish is fantastic Avocado toast: this definitely needs smoked salmon or other protein. Otherwise it isn't very substantial. I had it with smoked salmon and it really hit the spot. The service was polite and attentive. We're excited to return for our next visit

Nice restaurant in Hyatt Agency downtown overlooking the Riverwalk. Beware, parking is expensive in…read morethe lot next door and they do not validate parking. My Ancho Chile Short Rib and my friend's Pasta with Chicken were both tasty and the chocolate dessert was delightful.

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Dining Area
Dining Area
Huevos rancheros
Huevos rancheros
Beer & Wine

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Beer & Wine
Carriqui

Carriqui

4.4
(751 reviews)
13.6 mi
$$

I uploaded the pictures of these restaurant last year but somehow didn't write a review. Wow …read more. So where do I begin. I still remember how tasteful everything was. It was probably our most favorite place that we ate while in San Antonio. The ambiance was great, beautifully decorated restaurant with great service. The cocktails were delicious so we had a few. The food was flavorful and unique. We had a wonderful dinner with my family at Carriqui.

Great restaurant located near the Pearl and I love the fact that they have their own private…read moreparking lot. Y'know it's impossible to find street parking especially on the weekends normally. I had made reservations to meet some friends here for brunch/lunch 1145 am on a Sunday. This place is bigger than it looks! There's seating at the main building, plus a huge outdoor patio seating area, and an entire other building beautifully decorated. The hostess was welcoming and friendly and our server was excellent. We were seated in the other building near the windows. The menu wasn't huge, but just right with a few lunch and brunch items. After debating for a while of what to order, I decided on the Texas Gulf Shrimp plate. Agua Fresca of the day per our server was strawberry pineapple. Our server was able to water mine down slightly- since it was very sweet, but love knowing that it was freshly made. Complimentary chips and salsa always a plus, and we were able to order some spicy salsa to accompany at no charge. My shrimp plate was delicious! 2 skewers of nicely cooked and seasoned shrimp atop salsa with perfectly cooked cilantro rice and a fresh leaf salad. A half slices avocado accompanied my plate. Oh how I love avocados. I thoroughly enjoyed my plate. The chicken al carbon was also a good choice - half a chicken that was juicy, not dry. The avocado toast was beautiful and the pecan salsa was quite interesting. The female performers during our brunch in the room, made it very hard for all of us to have conversations. The volume echoed loudly in the room, so it was very hard to speak and understand each other. Although a great idea, maybe outdoor patio area might be more suitable. Beautiful space, great service, good food.

Photos
The interior atrium above the Carriqui Bar brings fills the space with natural sunlight.
The interior atrium above the Carriqui Bar brings fills the space with natural sunlight.
Carriqui's award winning margaritas are perfect for good times and great stories.
Carriqui's award winning margaritas are perfect for good times and great stories.
Guacamole - simple, fresh, and perfect for getting started.

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Guacamole - simple, fresh, and perfect for getting started.
Curry Boys BBQ

Curry Boys BBQ

4.6
(482 reviews)
13.0 mi
$$

Initially I wasn't sure what to think about mixing BBQ with curry, but I was quickly won over!…read more We are in Texas, so naturally I had to try the brisket. It is served over green curry, which also happens to be my favorite! The brisket is served on top of the curry bowl, so I first tried just the meat. It was fall apart tender, perfectly moist, and full of flavor! I would pick their brisket over most other BBQ joints in a heartbeat! Next up was the curry by itself. It was also delicious and filled with potatoes and carrots! I am used to green curry being pretty spicy, but this is definitely a milder green curry. When I mixed the brisket in it was the perfect combination! The smokey meat blended with the curry spices was a delight to the palette, and it was just the right amount of food for a big and hungry guy like me! I can't wait to go back to try some of the other dishes! Great food! Fair and reasonable price! Friendly service! Definitely worth checking out!

I'm always a little scared when trying Asian fusion foods, but this place understood the…read moreassignment! I got the brisket smoke show, and the tender brisket paired really well with the green curry. The rice was soft, and all the flavors just melted in your mouth. I do wish that the curry was a little thicker, as the curry felt closer to a broth than the Thai curries I've had before. The service was great and the workers were really helpful in helping me decide what to get. You get to sit wherever you want and you just leave your dishes at the table. Restaurant was decorated in such a homey way. Good bbq and good flavors!

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Decor
Decor
Thai Green Salad
Thai Green Salad
Decor

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Decor

Nelson's BBQ - bbq - Updated July 2026

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