Great Texas BBQ & friendly service--I stopped here to grab lunch in November it literally changed…read moremy life!

I've driven past this place a million times heading to San Antonio from Abilene. I decided to…read morefinally stop in and I'm glad I did. It was definitely great Texas BBQ. The service at the counter was what's expected in Texas, friendly and with a smile. The Boudin Sausage was delicate and delicious! The brisket was moist and flavorful. I will definitely add this place to my route when driving thru Menard.

Though I grew up in rural Virginia, the majority of my family lived in upstate South Carolina and…read moreTattnall County, Georgia. The women in my family were superb cooks. Many of them had a specialty: one reliably fried her chicken juicy, crunchy, and golden-brown; another made buttermilk biscuits that were always flaky, layered, and tender, with a subtle, tangy flavor and a rich, buttery taste; yet another baked exceptionally delicate, intensely-flavored coconut cakes; etc. I was taught and encouraged by these ladies - my Meemaw and my aunts - to manage a kitchen, and, to this day, their influence abides. My father was a restaurant man, but at home, he, my grandfather, and my uncles, all of whom would've called themselves "traditional", mostly limited their culinary efforts to food they could prepare outside. From an early age, these men taught me to work with grills and smokers, which is to say that as soon as I was strong enough, I was put to work, hauling wood before a cook and clearing ashes afterwards. And that was as close as I got to cooking with the men, until one special day, when, at 10 years old, my Uncle Buddy allowed me to baste the hog as it spun on the spit. It was another three years before I was permitted to poke the fire. Cooking, for the men, was guided by custom and tradition, a set of rituals that they'd learned from their elders. They didn't prevent my participation because they didn't trust my talent; they just hadn't finished teaching me yet. But eventually, I earned my place by the fire, and, having proved myself capable, I was entrusted with special tasks of increasing importance: grilling meats (a throwaway - kid's play - in the men's eyes); making basting sauce - the "mop" - or what some call barbecue sauce; and, in my late teens, assisting with the butchery. In the decades that followed, I traveled the United States, trying dozens of local BBQ variants. I won't criticize the barbecue of places that don't do it well, but I will say that if you're going to make the stuff and charge money for it, maybe go see how it's done in Memphis and eastern North Carolina, where my favorite types of "Q" come from. Don't just light a fire and open for business; learn something first. At home, I've owned several smokers, and I've made and eaten a lot of a LOT of BBQ. I use pecan (or a pecan/cherry mix) when I want the taste of the thing I'm smoking to stand out, or when there's not much meat to the bite. Ribs, fish, and special dishes like pizza and involtini get the light smoke. I use hickory or oak when I want an old-school BBQ flavor, or when the cut I'm cooking is large enough that it won't smoke all the way through. Those woods make excellent pork shoulder, prime rib, and leg of lamb. The one wood I won't smoke with is mesquite. Never again. The few times I used it, my food tasted the way country air smells in the summer, when road crews get to resurfacing the County road. But I know that the problem is me, because one day, a while back, I ate outstanding mesquite-smoked BBQ at Lum's in Junction, TX. That morning, I'd left Luling for Van Horn, and, since I'd missed the more famous spots in the Houston area, I was set on finding a decent plate of BBQ before I left the state. Yelp and TripAdvisor said Lum's was a good choice, which gave me hope that the place would have what I wanted. I walked in, happy to note that Lum's was not so much a "restaurant" as a "dining hall," the sort of place that serves a basic menu to lots of people, quickly and without complication. You grab a tray, shuffle down the line, choosing from a meat (or two or three) and a couple of sides, a drink and maybe a sweet treat to finish. Park yourself in a comfortable chair at a heavy wooden table, and get to eatin'. The menu board offered brisket, turkey, pork ribs, pulled pork, pork loin, and sausage. There was chicken, too, but that's not why I was there. The sides included something called "Spicy Spaghetti" which, had I been sticking around, I'd definitely have tried, but pasta wasn't on my short-list of Things To Eat In Texas' Hill Country. I picked brisket (because Texas), pulled pork and ribs, and sides of potato and cucumber salads. My plate came with white bread. And with my feast, I drank sweet tea, as God intended. What did I miss? The spaghetti, and sausage, and pinto beans and mac 'n cheese. Next time. The meats were expertly done: tender, moist, not greasy, and they'd been handled carefully by the pit master, so that the seasoning hadn't been knocked off as they were shifted from smoker to service line. Before I left, I paid my respects to one of the owners and asked what sort of wood he uses, as I couldn't quite identify the smoky flavor. I was surprised when he said, "Mesquite... we're surrounded by it!" There was no acrid, creosote-y bitterness; instead, the flavor was smooth, savory, and delicious. Lum's showed me that mesquite can work. But not at my house; I just don't have the touch.

There are plenty of better BBQ's than this in California, Nevada and elsewhere, not to mention TX-…read morebut I heard it's the best in town here. I had the brisket, it seemed kind of dry, not the melt-in-your-mouth quality I was hoping for. They ask for a tip checkout but I'm not sure why- they didn't deliver or pick up anything. That all being said, the food was pretty good- not fantastic- but worth a try and better than fast food in any case. The staff was upbeat and friendly and the building was stylish in a western way.

Stopped in while traveling along I-10 and was blown away. You can immediately tell that Reese is…read morepassionate about barbecue and takes a lot of pride in what he does. It's refreshing to meet someone who genuinely cares about the food and the experience. The tri-tip was absolutely outstanding--tender, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. The elote was some of the best I've ever had and is a must-try. Great food, great atmosphere, and even better people. If you're passing through, do yourself a favor and stop in. We'll definitely be back next time we're on I-10!

Nice little bbq diner in Sonora, TX. We stopped here to grab a quick bite on our way back home…read more Food is fun and delicious. Staff is friendly and attentive. We tried the pulled pork sandwich and nachos. Both very tasty and portions were on the larger side.

I dropped a deer off at Steve's as it was closer than the. Or Al place I use in another town. I am…read moreso glad I did, the sausage, is great! Ground meat is mixed and blended amazing but their jerkey is the best I've ever had! Good smoke flavor and seasoning, tender as all get up! 100% will be using them from now on! Only down fall is the guys ass crack hanging out when you walk in up front and there is so many people in there you don't know who is working!

Steve's is apparently THE 'Meat Market' in this sleepy burg just to the far northwest of anywhere…read more We found out about Steve's after asking around at the BBQ joint up the street because we needed some peppered beef jerky to keep us rolling on our 2 day road trip. I figured that this was a good a place as any to ask, because meat heads in these towns usually stick together. Located just a few blocks north in an unassuming building on the main strip going through town, I found it curious that a meat market this small could be a going concern. We parked and walked to the door. As we entered to the 'tinkle-tinkle' of a little bell, we found the meat counter to be impressively stocked and prices quite reasonable. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. To our surprise, the clock suddenly struck high noon! Twelve bells!! For the jerky, the guy at the BBQ joint said 'you gotta talk to Steve personally'. So we asked the young man at the counter for Steve, the helper said "SShhhh!!" and we were quietly shuffled right back out the front door. He whispered that 'Steve' works in the back and he STFD. And locked it. WTH?? Really??!! So knowing we are desperate for a dried meat fix, we went to try the back door. We knocked three times and the door opened - but cracked only slightly. A pale man in a ball cap held out his hand, but said nothing. I fumbled for $10, handed it to the man and he quickly gave me the 'product' in a brown paper sack. The door slammed shut...locked tight. As the hair stood up on the back of my neck, I dared not open the bag - we just looked at each other, ran to the car, got in and hauled azz. Once out of town, the bag was opened....dried, peppery, chewy/crunchy....yep....THIS was the real deal. Just remember to knock three times.

3 meat plate...the service was slowed due to the lack of management in the kitchen; brisket was…read moretender, but mediocre and bark was blah; the bbq sauce is a big pass, and if bbq needs sauce, it's not authentic Texas bbq; jalapeño sausage had decent flavor, tough skin; ribs had decent flavor, but dry and very little meat; slaw was good; Mac with canned chilies was good, but neither hot or cold temperature. Didn't eat it for safety concerns. The odor of roach feces was present inside the entrance and worse in the men's room!Waitress was good, thus the single star. Too bad this place seems so unconcerned and confused. The good people of Brady deserve a better effort from the pit boss, kitchen and front of the house. Mac's, you can do better. Too many health issues make this place a "no return".

I have no idea why this only has 3.5 stars. someone must have ordered something wrong... the food…read morewas amazing!! service was great as well. will definitely return when I'm in the area!!

Little off the road mom and pop restaurant get there early before they run out! Well, worth the…read morewait!

This was a surprisingly wonderful find. When you order a plate, it comes with 2 sides, a drink and…read morea dessert. I ordered the Brisket plate with Pinto Beans and Potato Salad. The brisket was moist and delicious, the Peach Cobbler was very good, as was the Pinto Beans and Potato Salad. The Lemonade was refreshing and delicious.

Great food and excellent, friendly service!!! Brisket tender…read moreand flavorful. Yummy potato salad and coleslaw. Jalapeno cheddar sausage was some of the best I've had!

Spending over $1,000 on a VIP table should come with a baseline level of comfort and service,…read moreneither of which were delivered. No heaters in cold weather is not an oversight, it's a complete failure in planning and a clear disregard for paying customers. What made it worse was the resistance we received over something as simple as an extra blanket, even when we were willing to get it ourselves from the car. That level of friction over basic comfort is unacceptable and frankly insulting at this price point. Experiences like this don't just disappoint, they drive customers away. People paying premium prices expect premium treatment, and when that expectation is missed this badly, it directly impacts repeat business, reputation, and ultimately revenue. If management doesn't start investing in customer comfort and proactive planning--especially for predictable issues like weather--this place will continue to lose high-paying clients. Right now, it feels like profit is prioritized over people, and that's a losing strategy.

The ABSOLUTELY VERY BEST BBQ !! Love their food! Great services, nice people, cute, clean place…read more We've eaten lotsa BBQ but this place is amazing!!

This is some really good food and the inside was pretty cool. The staff was really nice - the young…read moremen behind the counter had a chill attitude- patient with the customers that were staring at the menu a little longer than usual. I wanted some good BBQ and I got it!

I had Cooper's for the first time in Llano over 10 years ago. I tell people it may be my favorite…read morebbq I've ever eaten. This was our first stop at the one in Mason. We were driving back from Fredericksburg and I made my husband stop to pick some up to go. We got several types of meat and it was all phenomenal. Staff are incredibly helpful and friendly. I'll plan to stop here any time I can.

The original and historic Cooper's (purportedly a GW favorite) serving Southern charm and excellent…read moretater salad! Search carefully, this is one and only, worth the drive if you're on the hunt for classic quality BBQ. I'm not always a fan of brisket, but this one has a beautiful caramelized sear more reminiscent of meat candy than something out of a fire pit. It's hearty, smoky, and delicious. Peach cobbler was a bit crusty, but comforting nonetheless. Thanks to their lovely team for making us feel like family!

GR8!!!!!!!! is the keyword of this review lol…read more I AM NOW YOUR BIGGEST CHEERLEADER!!!! Recently I took my husband on a trip through Texas to eat some of the best rated food .... Well Cooper's ~ You are Now #1 in our BBQ BOOK !!!!! We went to Black's Original in Lockhart and neither of us felt like it held a candle to Cooper's (may have been a bad day) We made a special detour to go through Llano on the way back. Your sides are SO GR8!!! Service SO GR8!!! Added sides pickles onions beans etc an added bonus !!! Pecan Cobbler .... to die for /LOVE!!!! And all the sauces and spices and swag is GR8!!! KEEP UP THE GR8 WORK I WILL PROMOTE YOU GUYS ALWAYS!!!! Christoval Cooper's is also GR8!!!!

We paid almost $300 for 6 lbs of brisket, link of sausage, pint of potato salad and pint of beans…read more They automatically added a $40 top, which we changed when paying. The brisket was so disappointing we couldn't eat it. We asked for " moist brisket" which has fat marbling. What we got was like last week's leftovers. It's was tough, dry, stringy, and lots of charred pieces. It was gross. Never again. Threw the meat out to the dogs.