Absolutely the best chicken fried steak I've had in Texas. Service is excellent. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Has antique farm equipment and pictures of early Mathis,Tx.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Smolik's Smokehouse - In the city Mathis - Barbeque Near Me - Mathis, Texas

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Best meal in the area! We stopped for lunch while traveling from Corpus Christi to San Antonio. Would make the 30 minute drive from CC just to eat here again. Highly recommend the sweet tea, Mac and cheese, green beans, hush puppies, shrimp, and sweet potatoes. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Friendly staff, quick service, farm themed atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Order at the counter, food served to your table. 5 stars for sure!!!! read more

We got off the highway to snag some lunch at 2:00 on a Tuesday after walking out of a dive up the road. The drive from San Antonio to Harlingen, Texas, has very few restaurants along the four-hour drive, so we were almost ready to eat anything. Almost (see my review of Van's). Smolik's was open and there were a few cars in the lot, so we went on in. The first thing that struck me were the signs about line-jumping and the lanes of ropes to keep the customers in line as they snaked toward the order window. Apparently it's a very busy place. It was pretty empty at 2:30, so we walked right up and scrutinized the menu on the wall. I'm not really a fan of beef BBQ (Tennessee gal) so I just decided to get sides. I got a salad with blue cheese, Mac and cheese, and okra. The side of okra was enormous, at least 40 pieces of fried okra nuggets served on paper in a basket. I love okra. I'll even eat it boiled. But these chunks were so small and the breading so heavy that they were just chewy and not tender. I ate about six and called it quits. The mac and cheese was okay, but just noodles in cheese sauce that was bland and tasted jarred. The side salad was delicious, fresh greens and nice and crispy. That's faint praise I know; how hard is it to get a side salad right? My brothers both said their barbecue was okay, so at least we weren't hungry when we left.. read more

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You order at the counter and pay at counter. Food is delivered to your table. Steak was good and cooked as requested. Mashed potatoes were good too with brown gravy. Green beans delicious! Bread was nice and warm and sift. Great with honey butter! read more

Smolik's Smokehouse - T one steak, mashed potatoes, green beans and ice tea $30 - Barbeque Near Me - Mathis, Texas

Came to Smolik''s Smokehouse for an early Sunday dinner with family and will definitely return. We had the Sunday special: brisket, sausage with choice of 2 sides and a drink-which was not included with the special. Vanessa our server was exceptionally nice. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We had decided to enjoy our meal outdoors so that we may have a four legged friend with us and her and a staff member wiped down the table (by request) and brought out our meal and accompanied items.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was a beautiful day to enjoy the delicious food and company outdoors.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] As I said we will for sure return! Enjoy! :) read more

I love this place. I stop here every time I go to south Texas. Very convenient. Good prices and great brisket, pulled pork tacos and pork ribs. Great big building like a barn. Very Texas read more

We got here 10min before they closed so we weren't expecting the moon. They were out of Mac n Cheese and mashed potatoes which we were very excited to try. But we understood that it was ultimately our fault that they didn't have any left. The cheddar bacon smoked burger was delicious and the onion rings were phenomenal. Greasy but that was expected. The brisket and cheddar sausage were better than Blacks barbecue. Even the fries were tasty. The 3 meat poorboy was amazing as well. So much flavor even without the barbecue and hot sauce. I haven't tried Salt Lick so I cannot compare to their flavors. But overall we were really happy with our late night purchase. read more

Every time we pass Mathis we stop and it never disappoints! Always so very good! Today I had the hot chicken tacos! I can't wait to visit again! read more

Came in with family, party of 5 with a baby, after my nephews graduation ceremony in Beeville. Ordering took some time but because there was only 1 cashier. Stephanie was our waitress and did a great job!!! You sit after you order. You can not save/reserve tables. I ordered the 3 meat plate with 2 sides and bread. Also, a coffee, freshly brewed. The creamed corn was hard and seems undercooked. The mac and cheese was bland. The brisket is dry. The Turkey was nicely cooked with a smoky flavor and still moist. The green beans were extremely overcooked and very mushy, see pic. The banana pudding was delicious! The cinnamon roll was brought out cold and was very firm so I did not taste it. The pork ribs are the star! I probably wont be back around but if I am in the area again I may give it a second chance. Place is super clean as are their restroom. read more

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This used to be my favorite place to get a Chicken Fried Steak. Got one tonight and it had this nasty, full of chemicals, chicken gravy mix on it and it was gross. I'll never order anything with that horrible gravy there again. Ruined the entire experience. read more

Super quick and good. Great little bbq restaurant with lots of historic memorabilia. We had the family 5 bbq beef sandwiches, which was chopped brisket for a little over $50. We added a large order of onion rings. I recommend them as well. I thought about a picture, but they disappeared from our plates before I could get one. read more

Food is great and a must stop if you're in the area. My only complaint is that the servers are very nice and quick with your order but then they are not diligent in refilling your drinks or checking on you. read more

On way home from our Corpus Christi weekend vacation we stopped in Mathis, TX where I researched another stop on our Texas Monthly best BBQ places in the state. It was pretty much easy to find being right off of l-37 and pulled into the parking lot. Apparently there is another - older- location downtown Mathis. The first thing I noticed was they had a drive thru. First BBQ place I visited with one of these. This place had great signage outside and nice curbside appeal, and proceeded to enter through the front doors. After walking in it looked like you are in a museum of sorts with lots of history about this place and the town itself. There are old mementos and artifacts, and just looking at them took some time. Lots of artwork by the original owner to enjoy seeing. After spending some time looking at it all I almost forgot I was in a bbq place. After I was done I followed the sign leading any way to order. There was a huge menu on the wall with lots of other items besides meat like hamburgers, fish, shrimp and sandwiches. This menu was proudly displayed many times until I reached the cash register. I decided to get two single meat plates with two sides so we could taste test. One plate had brisket with beans and macaroni & cheese, and the other pork ribs with Spanish rice and potato salad. Not the first time seen Spanish rice but many south Texas places serve it. This is where the confusion begins separating Smolik's from the others. You are provided a number to hang at you table where food is delivered to you, but you have a server who comes by and gets your drink for you. There is a new place near my home which does the same thing but they have a bar for reason why someone gets your drink for you. This place has no bar but the southern hospitality from someone coming by to make sure you are happy is very nice. Just to remember when you paid earlier when ordering your food add a nice tip for they do an excellent job here. Now it's time to judge the food. First it looked delicious and nicely presentable. The brisket was cut thick and moist. It tasted so good and knife not required to break it apart. Next was the pork ribs. Same thing where the meat just fell off the bone. It was also very good having a nice sweet flavor. Definitely see why they made the list. The sides were also excellent and the Spanish rice was the best. The food came with a choice of bread and fit right in. Overall a excellent choice to eat here, and already told my friends about it. Next time traveling to coast I will try their downtown location to enjoy a different dining experience. read more

We stopped by around 3pm on our way to South Padre Island. The food was good. We got the two meat plates with ribs and sausage on one plate. Ribs and brisket on the other plate. If you like bacon the green beans were really good as well. read more

Smolik's Smokehouse - Two meat plate with potato salad, green beans, ribs, and brisket. - Barbeque Near Me - Mathis, Texas

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I want to first apologize for not coming here sooner! I only give 4 stars because I am picky. The brisket was perfect! Plenty of bark, marbling and flavor. No knife needed. Chicken was fall off the bone good. Juicy and great flavor. Ribs were falling off the bone too! Great flavor. Cabbage was delicious. Pickles were fresh and delicious too. One small complaint is the potato salad tasted good but the inconsistency in the cut of potatoes made it disappointing. I know that should not matter and it certainly shouldn't keep you from going but knife skills matter. Every person was very nice and the place was clean and inviting. read more

Smolik's Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Mathis, Texas

This is a great bbq joint. You order your food at the front and then go find a table. A waitress brings you your food and is available if you need anything in addition. I ordered the three meat plate (brisket, pork ribs and jalapeño sausage). Is this as good as Kreuz in Lockhart, no, but it's still very good. All the staff was very friendly and the restaurant is clean. read more

Very good BBQ. I was very impressed with the value of the meal and the taste of the food. I will definitely stop by when visiting the area.

Great food, 9 out of 10 - highly recommend. Kids liked it too and they are super picky. Nice country environment and staff was nice. Bathrooms are okay. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Amazing! Love the food, service, and atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Great Central Texas BBQ. We had brisket and sausage and loved it all! read more

We were driving home from Corpus Christi and had a hankering for barbecue when I saw Smolik's pop up on Google Maps! Boy, am I glad that we stopped! We placed an order for pickup and it said it would be ready in 20 minutes. We pumped gas and pulled into the parking lot and when 20 minutes was nearly up, I walked inside to pick up our order and it was actually ready despite the long lines! My husband and I both got the 2-meat plate - one with brisket (50/50) and ribs, baked potato and Mac and cheese and the other with brisket (50/50) and chopped beef with Cole slaw and braised cabbage. We were shocked to find that the barbecue was surprisingly delicious considering it was in such a tiny town on our way home! The chopped beef and homemade barbecue sauce was to die for! We ate it all and practically licked the styrofoam container! Also, when you walk in, it says it was a top 50 bbq place by Texas Monthly! How neat! We devoured our food so quickly that I didn't get any photos, though. Highly recommend if you are heading back to north Texas from Corpus Christi! read more

The ambiance was nice, pricing fair, friendly service, plenty of parking, bathrooms clean. Food was good. read more

Smolik's Smokehouse - Sign outside establishment - Barbeque Near Me - Mathis, Texas

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Yuck! Fatty brisket sandwich, cold French fries with bbq sauce that wasn't good at all.

Nah. And nah. Meaning don't even waste your time. They were out of everything I wanted. I was NOT impressed what so ever. The chicken was over cooked and dry and not dark as requested. The okra was literally cold. They didn't have coleslaw, didn't have onion rings. And I wasn't given a choice of bread like my wife had. I was just given a roll. The only good thing was the darn green beans. But I left here upset. Still hungry. And not at all satisfied!! This was our second or third time here and sadly I will never go back again. They would not be considered Texas top 50 places to eat anymore. The staff is weak the food is terrible and the service at the counter was horrific!!! Total shame! read more

Good food. Had the beef rib. They serve it with the big rib sticking out. I could have passed on that, but it did taste good.

We are sometimes hesitant to try places off the highway while we are traveling. But we were hungry. This place served the BEST brisket! It was smoked perfectly with a slight charred crust and a perfectly pink smoke ring. I ordered marbled meat vs the lean and just a little bbq sauce. It was just sooo good! My husband had bbq chicken and he said it was perfectly cooked, still juicy and not too smokey. Sausage was good and so were the beans and coleslaw. Our friends had the catfish and a burger which were also very delicious! Even the tea was good! The place was clean too. read more

Great brisket and great service! Went to Mathis TX to get our covid vaccine and stumbled in to this place. The brisket is just awesome both lean and marbled ! read more

Smolik's Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Mathis, Texas

I ordered a lean brisket sandwich. It was 50% marbled fat. I had to tear it off with my hands. The meat still had a lot of fat through out. I'd hate to see the marbled sliced brisket. They don't know what lean brisket is. The dumb teenager employee was horrible at her job. How about some damn napkins idiot! No pickles or onions. You shouldn't have to ask for napkins at a bbq restaurant drive through. Luckily I noticed and asked for napkins. Even Bill Millers knows what lean brisket is. The sandwich left me feeling sick to my stomach. I should've went to the convenient store across the street and got better food. read more

Order from the register and seat yourself and let the magic begin. The food here is so, so good! I had the pork ribs, creamed corn, fries and a milk. My wife had the brisket. Our kids had grilled cheese and mac-n-cheese. The BBQ sauce is quite tasty. We just love this place. They sell a wonderful selection of crosses for sale, and have a touching tribute table to fallen soldiers. Amen. We will definitely return! read more

I've eaten here twice and OMG!! Brisket, ribs, & chicken were tasty, tender and delicious! The cabbage & mixed veggies were good too. Cookies were soft & sweet like they should be. Can't wait to go back to taste the rest. read more

Smolik's Smokehouse - 3 meet plate (brisket, ribs & chicken), cabbage & mixed veggies & a roll. - Barbeque Near Me - Mathis, Texas

Ate there three times while camping at Lake Corpus Christi! If you're living the KETO lifestyle, this restaurant is a Godsend! The ribs, marbled brisket, and chicken were consistently fabulous, as was the professional and friendly service. My wife had the Pecan Praline, as well as the Lemon Meringue pie (on separate dates); both were outstanding! Price was much better compared to other BBQ joints we've visited. In our opinion, this is an extremely well-run restaurant. Employees seemed very happy (all the time) and serviced customers with a genuine skip in their step. It was refreshing to witness success in action. A model for other businesses to follow. Bravo! read more

Drove all the way from Houston to try out Smolik's. This was stop #3 for me on the Top Fifty BBQ Joints in Texas. I had a two meat plate consisting of brisket, sausage, Mac & Cheese, and coleslaw. My meal also came with a hot roll. The food was good, don't get me wrong but not drive 200+ miles good. I ate my entire plate and I really enjoyed it. I'd say my favorite part was the hot roll. I could eat a dozen of those. They should have someone handing out those things cause DAYUM. Also, the staff was friendly. Clean place too with a cute store. However, I tried to get my sticker for my BBQ passport and the cashier said they were all out. I told her I didn't drive 200 miles for nothing and that they needed to do something. Luckily the manager stepped in and said he would personally text me and mail me my sticker. I thought that was really awesome. read more

Smolik's Smokehouse - Two Meat Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Mathis, Texas

Delicious place! I love their BBQ Po'boy sandwich, however, it is a bit up in price for the size of the sandwich.

I have eaten here several times and it has been great every time. Brisket is super tender and flavorful, their homemade sausage is incredible and the chicken quarter is amazing. We have also bought some of their smoked meats such as the bacon (yum!) and peppered pork tenderloin which was terrific. My favorite sides is their beans and fresh veggies. THE BEST PART is they are now OPEN on SUNDAYS!! I travel and more often than not I come back home on Sunday and I can guarantee that I will be stopping here each time! read more

So delicious and great service!! The brisket and mac n cheese were dynamite! We will be back!

Second time visiting Smolik's. Won't bother for a third. It's not bad, it's just not good.

Love this place! I brought our Girl Scout troop here on the way to Port A, and they loved it so much they wanted to stop by on the way back, too! Unfortunately, but understandably, they are closed on Sundays. read more

Fun find on the way to Corpus Christi. A full serve restaurant with a meat market and bakery. This restaurant is a museum of sorts highlighting the history of the area. I had the pulled pork sandwich which was very tasty. The portion size could easily be shared especially if you got a side. I only had the sandwich and ended up very full. Hubs ordered the 2 meat plate with potato salad and fried okra. He licked the plate so I'm guessing it was also very tasty. This was a fun find and a nice break on our road trip. read more

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This is one of our favorite stops between San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Their selection is awesome and their quality can't be beat. We make it a regular stop now! I typically get their bbq potato that is super yummy. I have also tried their salad with smoked meat. My husband enjoys their sandwiches. One of his favorites is the poboy as it has 3 different types of meat. They are super accomodating if you need to make any tweaks for your personal likes. Prices are reasonable and they have a dine in option as well as a drive thru. They also have a store inside where you can get a variety of smoked meat, deserts and more! Definitely worth a stop! read more

Smolik's Smokehouse - Drive thru fun - Barbeque Near Me - Mathis, Texas

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Some of the brisket in Texas and very affordable. A MUST stop if heading to Lake Corpus Christi. This is a Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ joint. read more

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This place is delicious and worth the stop! We stopped here twice on the way down & back to Corpus. Delicious brisket, chicken, green beans, potato salad, mashed potatoes, brown gravy, rolls & honey butter! Phenomenal. The waitresses were great as well! read more

Smolik's Smokehouse - Brisket plate - Barbeque Near Me - Mathis, Texas