David A.

What I liked : the food was good , the decorations were cute country with nice wood pieces . What needed big improvement: The line to order took way long for just 3 orders and 5 people about 10 minutes . The wait for a Burger and Frito pie was at close to 35 min and the place wasnt busy at least on the inside. The kitchen staff kept coming out to talk with friends . At one point I had to ask if they lost my order . I wanted to like this place more .

John V.

Smokin' Buns in West, Texas: A Pit Stop of Disappointment I've always thought critics loved throwing one-star reviews around, reveling in the gloom of it all. Turns out, I'm not much of a critic, just someone who loves great food and counts on reviews to help make sure my fellow diners and I enjoy our meals. Which is why writing this particular review pains me, but I hope it's taken as feedback for improvement. Nestled just off the highway near the Czech pastry shops, Smokin' Buns stands out like a bright red barn among the Texas horizon--a BBQ spot with a drive-thru and a homey vibe. Tired from the road, we opted to stretch our legs and dine inside. And that's where the surprises began: it's far bigger inside than it looks from the outside, a sprawling, rustic wood interior accents, complete with old-school tchotchkes, Texas news on the TV, and a good ol' Texan greeting. So far, so good. We ordered a meat plate and a burger, though some of the essential BBQ items were out of stock (midweek blues, I suppose). As we waited, the only other patron--a patient elderly lady--was still lingering, waiting for her to-go order, and the dining room's chill had us shivering a bit. Finally, her food arrived. Moments later, ours did too. Let's get down to it: if you've ever had fast-food BBQ like Dickey's or Spring Creek, Smokin' Buns is a few steps down from even that. The brisket was dry and old, tasting more like jerky than the tender, juicy slices one expects. The sausage? Picture thick-cut Eckrich straight from the microwave. The "queso" was nothing but a basic Rotel mix. Then came the sides. The mac and cheese? Pure cafeteria flashback--watery and flavorless. The bread was just two pieces of plain Mrs. Baird's, no butter, no toasting, no love. The BBQ sauce tasted suspiciously store-bought (my bet's on Kraft). The most vibrant part of the plate was the side toppings: fresh red onions and pickles. Then there was the burger--a bit of redemption, but with toppings so cold they felt slapped on as an afterthought. The onion rings were the best part, and the truffle fries missed the mark entirely, more like limp fries than anything worthy of "truffle." Before leaving, I thought we'd give dessert a chance and bought an apple mini pie. That was the final straw--the crust was raw, and the glazed apple slices tasted canned, disappointing to the core. To sum it up, this felt like food bought at the store and served at a potluck, trying to pass off as homemade. And, like any potluck with fake home-cooking, everyone caught on quick. As we paid, the cashier suggested the milkshake, "It's the best I've ever had," she said, homemade and all. Lesson learned for next time: just ask the cashier what to order. With its Texas hospitality, charming interior, and even a clean restroom, Smokin' Buns has its appeal. But we came for the food, and even the flies barely gave it a glance. If this place reinvented itself as a burger, milkshake, and onion ring joint, they might just be onto something. As for the rest? Maybe a bit of soul and seasoning are in order.

Jaime H.

Talk about hospitality at its finest! I travel a lot and I review a lot of places, if I could give this place 10 stars I would, if you don't stop here you're missing out! The service from literally everyone working including the cook was phenomenal! Food was excellent and the portions were huge! The environment was very inviting with old school movies playing in black and white, I will be stopping here again next time I'm passing through!

Alan S.

Good burger, good price, great service. I was driving to Fort Worth and getting hungry. I checked Yelp and saw this place. However I was already running very late so I kipped my dinner that night. Today as I was heading back to Houston I decided I wanted to try to find this place. I didn't remember where it was on Yelp just about an hour outside of Fort Worth. I tried looking as I was driving and couldn't find anything. I stopped to get gas about 10-15 miles up the road and figured I'd give it one last chance to try to find somewhere to get a late lunch. Low and behold, this place popped up. As I pulled into the parking area it was a little confusing and I ended up driving off the curb. Thud... I hope my car is okay. Perhaps it could be marked a little better. I came inside decided to try the double cheeseburger. $17 as a combo seems fair enough. I noticed they had housemate pickles and Dr pepper grilled onions so why not throw those on the burger. The girl working the register was very friendly and patient as I tried to make decisions such as which cheese, which toppings, and what bun. I went with the jalapeno cheddar bun, and pepper jack cheese. None of it was particularly spicy. I opted for the onion rings which came with a Chipotle mayo that complemented them nicely. I was all ready to give a 4, as it's very solid but not out of this world. Then from out of the kitchen comes a young man to offer to refill my sweet tea. Between that and the great attitude at the front, this was a level of surface I just did not expect but surely should be rewarded.

Susan S.

Passing through, loved the name so we stopped for lunch. It does have a drive-thru but we opted to dine in. The decor is cute and employee were very polite but the food was expensive and a B- at best. 2 of 3 kids finished their corndogs but these fry loving kids only at 3-4 fries each. The onion rings are Definitely frozen and zero flavor. The burgers were ok but not memorable. It has potential w/ the fun name, decor and nice staff but the food wasn't anything special.

Courtney C.

this is a cute local hole in the wall- they have burgers and bbq- i can't say how the bbq is because we only had burgers- the burger was good though- they make their own pickles so that's a nice touch. the prices aren't too bad. its actually a fairly large inside seating area- great customer service. good flavors!

Brandon L.

Great place for a burger! I pulled up and it seemed as if they were closed because there was like 2 cars in the parking lot. Decent size place on the inside. They had college football games going on when we walked in, which was nice. The staff made some very nice recommendations for us and was very helpful. I will say, they aren't very fast for getting your food to you, but it is worth it. I went specifically for the burger, but they have loaded baked potatoes and loaded frito pies. And when I say loaded, I mean loaded. They had like sausage, brisket, chili, and a whole bunch more of topping on these bad boys. They looked extremely good, which is what I'll probably get next time. The burgers have fresh meat that was made into patties. They definitely aren't frozen, which is probably one reason it takes a little longer on the food to make. Around, it's just a great burger. The sides are all very good to. Can't go wrong with any of them. Can't wait to drop in again here.

Megan G.

Where to start?? We came across this restaurant by accident. We were putting gas, headed back to get on the freeway and we saw that it was open.. but only had one car. So, we decided to check it out! The buns, although cheddar jalapeño, have this sweet soft taste to them. The bacon, is a super thick cut with just the right amount of fat and meat and saltiness. Typing this out I can still taste it. The fries had a nice bite to them, with packed in flavor. The ranch was delicious and the veggies on the burger were crisp and cold- I honestly love that! The service, was amazing! The cashier was so sweet, so accommodating- especially knowing this was our first time. So helpful! She continued to come check on us, which was a plus. You do order and pay upfront and the food is brought out to you. It was a small wait- but so worth it. The location, is small and super comfortable! It feels like home and it's very welcoming! We're from Corpus Christi, but I promise we will be back! Soo soo good. Side note- they also have milkshakes and bbq as well as additional side items to choose from.

Thomas L.

The friendliest man you'll come across, great guy, if someone were to represent Texas it'd be him for sure. The burgers were excellent, surprised I've never been here before! If your stopping over here for Slovaceks gas station, stop and get a burger here They have a small selective menu but that's what makes these little places easy going. * Dine-in & drive through very convenient if you don't have the time.

Headed south on I-35. Read the reviews and decided to stop for a burger. We were not disappointed and will be back! Bacon Cheese Burgers were fantastic! The onion rings were very good as well!! Even the tea was good! Definitely give it a try! Got a kick out of the sign in the VERY CLEAN bathroom!