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    Watson's BBQ

    4.8 (331 reviews)
    ModerateBarbeque

    Watson's BBQ Photos

    WATSON'S BBQ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Watson's BBQ

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    Brisket with sides
    Tawnee H.

    This place was friendly and the food was delicious. It wasn't the best bbq I've had, but it was still very good, huge portions, and a good price for everything we got! My plate came with one meat, two sides, a cookie, a Shasta soda, and a slice of bread. I ate half of it there, boxed it up, and enjoyed the rest as leftovers later. The leftovers were just as tasty!

    Side Salad
    Anna H.

    Friendly service and in a cute hardware shop. Got 4 dinners togo while passing through. They were packed well & Portions are big, and we even had a complimentary fresh baked cookie with each meal. The bbq sauce was very tasty, smokey and sweet (similar to Texas / KC style sauce). The sausage was my favorite of all the meats, with cheese inside of it and it comes from a texas farm. The brisket was moist, both chopped and sliced, and the mac n cheese was very yummy and gooey with white cheddar. Even the side salad was fresh and a good size portion!

    GIANT  Wednesday baked potato special.   Call in  early to make sure you get one. Pick up by 3 PM.
    John K.

    MUST SEE Well, if you're traveling through Tucumcari and have a hankering for some barbecue. Watson's barbecue is the place to go. Veteran owned (44 yrs) family run business with great hospitality and service. You cannot beat the old New Mexico charm of this place. They have a large gift shop with Western wear trinkets, supplies and hardware. Reduced hours are from 9 AM to 3 PM and family is getting ready to retire soon. So now is your chance to see a piece of New Mexico history before it's gone.

    Three meat plate (pork ribs, pulled pork, brisket) with a side of potato salad and beans, unsweetened iced tea
    Elizabeth T.

    I came here because of the Yelp reviews. It was my first time going to Tucumcari, and I was really shocked to find such a nice, lively place in an otherwise pretty desolate town. I'm from the South and miss having good barbecue on the West Coast (honestly most barbecue I've had in California looks better than it tastes), so this was a great surprise. The restaurant itself is a small extension of the general store in the front - we went to the restroom and noticed how spotless they were. The owners are a kind elderly couple, and they really seem to love taking care of their customers and making delicious food. We weren't super hungry at the moment but needed a rest stop, so we got a three meat plate and shared it. I knew it was going to be good the moment it came out on a styrofoam plate; the best barbecue always comes on a styroform plate or tray and might have some tinfoil to separate the bread. They were kind enough to provide some extra bread and sauce for us, and we were told that they had unlimited refills in the cooler. As a Southerner, of course I had to have my ice tea with my barbecue! They were out of mac and cheese that day which would have been my top choice, but the potato salad and beans were still excellent! In my opinion, the ribs were the star of the show. Fall-off-the-bone tender, nicely smoked and pink, soft cartilage - they were some of the best ribs I have ever had. The pulled pork was juicy, and the brisket was delicious as well! The sauce they provide is well-balanced and add good flavor without overpowering the already-perfect meat. Anyways, stop by Watson's! It's well worth it, and you'll be rolling out the store wishing you'd gotten a rack of ribs to-go (speaking from experience)!

    Chopped brisket
    Alex M.

    Always a must when we are back visiting, Watson's is solid all around and is worth stopping in if you are driving through Route 66. Their small dining area is attached to the Ranch Supply store, which is full of great souvenirs and other local items. This place is really one of a kind! We ordered chopped brisket, smoked turkey and smoked sausage along with sides of potato salad and beans. They also include a large container of BBQ sauce - a good mix of sweet and vinegar, just right! All the meats and sides were perfect and like others have said, the staff is very friendly and welcoming.

    Ribs, sausage, carnitas tacos, and deliciousness
    Paul C.

    It's hard to write a review for a place you absolutely love and adore. My gf and I came here on a whim from the yelp reviews and were not let down at all. The generosity of the owners is beyond what you experience in a coastal city, they genuinely enjoy seeing a smile on their customers faces. Everything is amazing, and the green chili cobbler is out of this world. If we ever make it back we will definitely be stopping here!

    Ribs, sausage and brisket (at the bottom), very good.
    Gerry L.

    Stopped here, Tucumcari, driving through New Mexico, and it was a great decision. Great BBQ and Hospitality in a very small town. The gentleman/pitmaster who cooked the food said they are famous for their brisket, ribs and sausage, so that's what we ordered. We ordered the 3 meat meal with sides, Mac n cheese, baked beans and potato salad. Let me say, the meat tasted like they just butchered the steer and hog, very fresh. Everything was great. The sides were homemade and everything was very good. The pitmaster and a lady, who I assumed was his wife, were very kind and friendly.

    Unassuming looking building.
    Casey L.

    Historic, quaint, cafe atmosphere. Red checkered table cloths are the real deal. Super friendly service but the BEST thing about this wonderful little place is the incredible food. The ribs and brisket are seriously among the best I've ever had! All the sides were yummy

    Route 66 sodas, black cherry
    Christine M.

    Definitely a must stop on your way through Tucumcari! It's a little off the main road, but worth the stop. The owners were both the nicest people. Had the brisket po boy daily special with slaw, pickles and onions. It came with chips, cookie and a drink! Sandwich was delicious as was the slaw. Also had to sample the green Chile apple cobbler. That cobbler is amazing, just a slight hint of the green Chile. It has a cute little gift shop attached too! Definitely worth the stop!

    Patio

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    4 years ago

    The customer service is amazing. Try the chopped brisket and Mac n cheese. Those were my faves.

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    5 years ago

    We stop by this nice little local place on our cross country move. Super nice people great good!

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Amazing BBQ at a good price. The coleslaw was a bit bland, but the potato salad more than made up for it.

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    3 years ago

    We have stopped here several times on our trip to and from Tucson to Wisconsin! Always great ! Never disappoints! No

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    5 years ago

    Clearly not into COVID proton which was troubling at the time. A little slice of Americana

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    3 years ago

    Great coffee with real milk ! Great atmosphere and lovely people . This is definitely a place to spot at.

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    Page 3 of 9

    Ask the Community - Watson's BBQ

    Is the bbq sauce gluten free?

    This is a really really small hometown place. I honestly doubt it.

    Is there enough room for a semi truck to park and turnaround?

    There is truck parking on Lake Street just before you get to our business on the right side where a vacant business is located. You can also park on the north side of our building on the street or across the street in the parking lot of another… Read more

    View All 3 Questions

    Stone Ranch Steakhouse

    Stone Ranch Steakhouse

    3.2
    (49 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    So Friday afternoon July 2nd my stepdaughter and I end up with two flat tires on a trailer we are…read morepulling,.. and one of them is the spare we had changed 22 miles before. We end up having to stay in Tucumcari, NM overnight. While looking for somewhere near the motel to eat dinner, I came across a couple of absolutely terrible yelp reviews from what sounded like very rude and unhappy customers. I laughed so hard at the owner's replies, I had to read them out loud to my stepdaughter. We decided anyone that supported her staff that way deserved our business. Good food, good service, and a short walk from a decent pet friendly motel.

    While traveling, I looked this place up on Yelp and we decided to give it a try. We were greeted…read moreand seated quickly. The waitress was very pleasant and helpful. We ordered their Hatch Chile Queso dip - very tasty but a small portion for the amount of chips and price. The bar was closed and they didn't have any beers on tap. The beers we had were pretty good and the waitress did bring us cold glasses. He ordered the meatloaf with green beans and mashed potatoes with the brown sauce. The meatloaf was a little soggy, but lots of flavor and better than some dry and crumbly ones we have had at other restaurants. The potatoes had no seasoning but luckily the gravy made up for it. The greens beans came with mushrooms and onions and were pretty tasty. I ordered the Roadkill (similar to a Salisbury steak)., with the green beans and fried okra. Again the gravy was really good. The okra was your typical frozen from a bag and weren't very crispy at all. The place is fairly large and has plenty of seating. It was pretty quiet while we were there.

    Photos
    Bar area
    Bar area
    Herb chicken with mashed and gravy and Steamed broccoli
    Herb chicken with mashed and gravy and Steamed broccoli
    Stone Ranch Steakhouse

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    Watson's BBQ - bbq - Updated June 2026

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