His place appears to have closed down. Went by there on a Tuesday and the place was deserted. I…read morehate that, their bbq was amazing!

Food is delicious, but could be hotter when served.. But it's still god and dessert it amazingread more

A nice little family run restaurant that serves good portions of great tasting BBQ. The folks are…read morefriendly and make sure you are taken care of. This will definitely be on my list to stop at when I'm in McAllen. Thanks for providing such a good tasting and filling meal.

Ribs were nicely cooked but flavorless.... Very uncomfortable seating. ig the people are nice but…read morethey aren't gonna ask you if you need anything else. And it was $40 for 2 people and very mid food mid service

I've been eating Willie's since it was a small walk-up place on Bus.83 back in 1990's-early 2000's…read more Still my favorite bbq place with great ambience in their rustic dining area. The food has never been wrong and the sides are great- carrot salad and sweet potato mash are better than most deserts offered at a bakery. Love it

Loved it. It's been…read more12 years since I've been back to Willie's. I had the same thing tonight as I did back then - Stuffed Baked Potato with Brisket. You queue up in the ordering line as you walk in. There were about a dozen people ahead of us so it gave us time to study the menu. Maybe 10 minutes at most. When arrive at the cashier, you place your order and pay. You're given your receipt and the cashier adds a hand-written order number on it. We grabbed a 6-top table for our party and waited for our order number to be called out. Took 10 minutes at most. We helped ourselves to silverware and extra BBQ sauce while we waited for our food. Our potato was piping hot. The potato is opened up and fluffed a bit. They add butter to one side and sour cream to the other side. They add bacon bits or similar, then pile on whatever meat you may have ordered. It ends up being huge! My wife and I split one. They're open from 11 am to 6 pm. We arrived at 4:30 and they were out of a number of things (ribs and some sides). Get there earlier in the day if you want maximum selection. We enjoyed our meal and will come back again.

Coudnt wait had to take a bite, just the smell alone makes you want to pull over and start eating…read more This place has been a regular of mine for years and it deserves more recognition, the fresh biscuits to the brisket down to the egg and cheese , its always a 10/10 for me! Service is always great also great place overall

El Sancho Tex Mex BBQ: A Texas Monthly Top 100 Surprise Hiding Behind the Coffee Shop…read moreFinding true Texas barbecue glory in an unexpected place is one of life's greatest pleasures, and that's exactly what happened when I pulled up to this humble food truck. Tucked away in a lot behind a local coffee shop, this operation specializing in breakfast tacos and smoked meat by the pound is more than just a roadside stop--it's a bona fide culinary experience, holding a coveted spot on the Texas Monthly Top 100 BBQ Awards list. This isn't your typical street taco joint; it's a full-on, unique blend of Texas smoking tradition and vibrant Mexican flavor. The Smoked Meats: Quality Beyond Expectation The foundation of any great BBQ joint is its meat, and here, the quality is exceptional. * Brisket: Simply put, wow. I never expected a breakfast taco food truck to serve such a delicious slice of brisket. It boasted a phenomenal, peppery Texas bark that crackled with flavor, and the meat itself was perfectly rendered, staying consistently nice and moist throughout. It was a flawless execution of smoked beef. * Pork Belly: The pork belly was delightful--tender, rich, and packed with great flavor. It had a wonderful depth, though I noted it was just slightly on the dry side, preventing it from achieving perfection. Still, a delicious, high-quality offering. The Tacos: Full-Fledged Adult Fare The genius of this spot is how they integrate their exceptional smoked meats into what they call a "Texas Mexican Taco culinary experience." The tortillas are incredibly fresh, and the combinations are unique and satisfying. * The El Rey Taco: This is the ultimate breakfast champion. It layers that incredible, moist brisket with chilaquiles verdes, cheese, creamy avocado, fresh cilantro, and a perfectly fried egg. What a combination! It struck just the right balance of richness and expected spice. I particularly appreciated the decision to include a full slice of brisket rather than chopped or shredded meat--a clear sign of quality and respect for the smokehouse star. * Taco de Chicharron: This taco elevates the pork belly experience, combining it with avocado, bright pickled onions, cilantro, crispy pork rind, and a kick of jalapeños. The harmony of flavors was masterful. This is precisely what a great Mexican-Texas fusion taco should taste like. With large, thick pieces of pork belly filling the seven-inch tortilla, this is absolutely not a street taco; it's a full-fledged, adult taco experience built for maximum impact. The Verdict What a super surprise this place turned out to be. The dedication to quality, from the perfectly smoked brisket to the thoughtful, layered flavor combinations in the specialty tacos, is evident in every bite. The staff were also incredibly friendly, offering great food suggestions that proved spot-on. If you find yourself in the area, a visit to this unassuming food truck is definitely recommended for a unique and top-tier Texas BBQ and taco mashup.

Any person who decides to open a bbq place in Texas must be pretty bold…read more When we got out of the car, I could smell the smoke. It was promising but I've been fooled before. This was good barbecue. The bark on the brisket was consistent and peppery but not overwhelming. The rib meat didn't quite fall off the bone, but close to it. The turkey had a good Smokey flavor. I also got the charro beans and the jalapeño creamed corn. The corn was good but it was fabulous the next day! I don't think this is the best barbecue in Texas but it was pretty good barbecue and better than some of the supposedly famous places in other parts of the state. I also liked eating listening to praise and worship music! I'll almost certainly go back when I'm back in town.

To finish out the 2023 Texas Monthly New and Improved BBQ Joints list, I headed to the The Rio…read moreGrande Valley to explore the last three. Today I visited Vargas BBQ in Edinburg. I was the first customer to arrive and had the pleasure of talking to Nidia Vargas, the Boss Lady, and learning how the establishment developed over time and how they made it onto the Texas Monthly list. She was very personable and the dining area was comfortable. I ordered the Texas Trinity and was not disappointed. The brisket rub is Pitmaster Ram Vargas' special blend. It made a great addition to the perfectly smoked, tender brisket. The sausage reminded me of the Black's Lockhart sausage that I grew up with. It did not resemble store bought sausage either in flavor or texture. I would definitely order this meat again. The ribs had a savory sweet glaze. They were smoked well, meaty and tender. For the sides I had Nidia Vargas' signature creamy green spaghetti, charro beans, potato salad, and Mexican rice. The green spaghetti is pasta bathed in pureed jalapeños, poblanos, and cilantro. It started off with a mild heat which built up as I continued to eat it. It was a great complement to the delicious meats. The charro beans were probably some of the best beans I have had. The potato salad brought back pleasant memories of my mother-in-law's potato salad that, in my opinion, is second to none. The Mexican rice was well seasoned as well. Honestly, there wasn't a thing that I ordered that I would not try again. This joint gets an A+ in my books.

Wow!! Wonder meal and the service was fantastic!!! I had the…read morebreaded shrimp with coleslaw. My husband got the catfish. We both agreed that we will be back

Thought the food was delicious!!! Had a huge mixed platter of items, fish, shrimp, fries, hush…read morepuppies, beans. Food was hand prepared and served with tons of love . however, ambience and presentation has got to be improved. The floor design has to much space and tables and seating areas are hidden. Food looked like it was just plopped on a platter again, food was delicious though, will return for the food, and world class server we received

This was my very first visit to this restaurant. I'd heard mixed reviews but decided to give it a…read moreshot. As someone who loves BBQ and has tried many places like Lone Star, Ace's, Reyna's, and even HEB, I was curious to see how this one compared. Unfortunately, it ended up being a huge disappointment--especially when it came to the sides, which were the worst I've ever had. What We Ordered: I ordered the Chicken Fajita plate, which comes with two sides (though I'm not sure if I paid extra for the drink). I chose macaroni and potato salad as my sides and even added an extra side of mashed potatoes to try more options. My fiancé ordered ribs with the same sides. Our total came out to about $38, which is pricey for two people. Service and Presentation: The food arrived less than five minutes after we sat down--red flag number one. At a sit-down restaurant, I expect fresh, hot food, not something prepared long before and left sitting around. To make matters worse, we were literally the only people in the restaurant, yet the food was served cold. The portion sizes were underwhelming for the price. The chicken was hard, old, and cold to the touch, although the flavor was decent. The tortillas were hot but hard as a rock, and the pico de gallo was served in a tiny condiment container. I didn't even bother trying it. The Sides: The mashed potatoes were runny and flavorless, as if they were overmixed. However, the gravy was a saving grace with its pieces of green peppers and onions, giving it a homestyle touch. The potato salad was sweet and gritty, likely from a bulk wholesale tub like the kind sold at HEB, and it was far from appetizing. The macaroni and cheese was the biggest offense. It came cold in a Styrofoam cup (as did all the sides), and I couldn't get past the weird, sour taste. It wasn't a sharp cheddar richness--it was sour, like someone added lemon to it. Oddly, my fiancé's macaroni didn't have the same sourness, but it was still bland and unappetizing. It's safe to say my 10-year old brother couldn't have messed up a microwave kraft cup more than they did with their "in house" recipe. I will give credit where it's due. The tea, the variety of sauces, the ribs, and the overall cleanliness of the dining area were all decent. Final Thoughts: In my short 25 years, I've never had such an unpleasant experience with food. I'm greatly dissatisfied and can only hope this was an isolated incident. My advice? Please consider revising the recipes for the above mentioned sides, especially the macaroni and cheese. I'm usually the kind of person who gives restaurants a second chance because I enjoy trying new places and I'm not picky. Unfortunately, I won't be coming back here. It's just not it.

It is ok ; Needs a little better sevice…read moreFor bread the worker gave me the end of the loaf of bread and only 2 slices The pecan pies slices looked old One of them did not have pecans The tea was wonderful Restaurant was clean Moist brisket was excellent

Amazing first visit! Owner gave us samples of meat and welcomed us in, he took our orders himself…read moreand cooked up our food as well. He brought out our food and checked in during the visit. He also charged us and packed up our to go order after. The environment was great and quiet, a little windy that night so double check the weather since it is outside seating. There are restrooms available and trash bins to keep the area clean. He had a bunch of tables available and was very hospitable! Amazing from start to finish!

Been driving past this truck countless times and finally had a chance to try them out. I'm a big…read moremollejas fan...and was so excited yet nervous to order...I've been not impressed by many places so far with mollejas...but this is by far the best place for it! Most places I've tried it's either fried and or overly cooked and turns crispy. These are Plump and tender and smoky charred flavor. Definitely coming back!!! Only thing they forgot salsa, but that was ok since I make my own salsa for situations like this. Also orderd the bistec tacos. Honesty it was a bit dry and needed more seasoning but the grilled onions were packed with flavor so makes up for it.