I only ever get the tacos or the jalapeno cheese sausage, but both have always been good.
Texas Monthly 2021 Top 50 BBQ Joints
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Last: 22 hrs ago by Koldus131
In my opinion, Pit Room kind of fell off after about 2018. Lots of people left I believe.
MaroonBaboon said:
Roegel's is legit...Blood Brothers is miles ahead of Pit Room. Arby's brisket sammich is ahead of Pit Room as far as I'm concerned.
Maybe you've hit them on an off day. Every time I've been there it's been fantastic.
Blood Brothers on the other hand, I've given them a few tries and it's just been average at best each time.
Guess and Helberg in Waco are two places I visit regularly. I knew DV liked them. Glad to see them get their recognition. IMO Helberg is better. And Phillip and Yvette are such nice people.
I used to love Pit Room. I haven't been since 2019, but the last few visits I had couldn't match those first visits. They kinda fell off and seemed to struggle with consistency.
Koldus131 said:
In my opinion, Pit Room kind of fell off after about 2018. Lots of people left I believe.
That was around the time that the owner decided to buy a pizza place and a fried chicken place that both subsequently went out of business.
Here's a Top 50 (plus honorable mentions) map:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1gyk29UKH2TsUIsyAh-Y8iAOJGGyB_Rrr&ll=29.885853562298337%2C-96.40174440866&z=9
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1gyk29UKH2TsUIsyAh-Y8iAOJGGyB_Rrr&ll=29.885853562298337%2C-96.40174440866&z=9
Very nice. One technicality…the Lockhart that got OM was Plano, not Bishop Arts. Which has to be causing some fun conversations between their pitmasters. 
From truth bbq in Houston 2 weeks ago - outstanding
About to really show my ignorance here, why is truth considered Houston as opposed to Brenham?
Because the big Truth store is in Houston. Probably the same reason they counted Pinkertons as San Antonio when the original store is in Houston
I'd be curious heads up Truth Houston vs. Brenham
lazuras_dc said:
I'd be curious heads up Truth Houston vs. Brenham
Depends who is cooking where each day. Wherever Leonard cooks is usually almost always better. I prefer Brenham though just because it's a smaller batch and easier to quality control. Houston is more innovative though because they have the space to do more stuff.
I kind of thought it was not great when I visited back in February. Never went backOl Jock 99 said:
I didn't notice Pecan Lodge didn't make Top 50. They must have ticked off Daniel!
I go to both regularly and this is spot on.
I also think it's interesting that Lockhart only gets an honorable mention. I haven't been to any of the main 3 in years, but ironic given the history.
Is Blue Moon still open on weekends?
I think the "history" is what kept them in anything at all for the last 15 years. My in-laws used to live there and they knew I was a bbq snob so they'd take me to all of them and they were trash. Sausage at Kruez was decent and nothing else was good anywhere. Atmosphere at Smitty's was awesome. Mr. Taco was the way to go when in that hell hole.CowtownAg06 said:
I also think it's interesting that Lockhart only gets an honorable mention. I haven't been to any of the main 3 in years, but ironic given the history.
It's been a few years since I've been, but I was also surprised to see Stiles Switch not make it this year.
I compare the new bbq list to the book The Great Gastby.
There's west egg and east egg. East egg (old bbq) people can smoke meat with nothing fancy and have been doing it for years. Don't need a FB smoke group or to post pics on FB.
West egg (new bbq) has to go to classes, post on FB, have a group. Has to brag to his friends that he got this smoker from such and such and tell you the history behind who owned it before him.
West egg BBq people drive me nuts
There's west egg and east egg. East egg (old bbq) people can smoke meat with nothing fancy and have been doing it for years. Don't need a FB smoke group or to post pics on FB.
West egg (new bbq) has to go to classes, post on FB, have a group. Has to brag to his friends that he got this smoker from such and such and tell you the history behind who owned it before him.
West egg BBq people drive me nuts
The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. Ecclesiastes 10:2
Koldus131 said:lazuras_dc said:
I'd be curious heads up Truth Houston vs. Brenham
Depends who is cooking where each day. Wherever Leonard cooks is usually almost always better. I prefer Brenham though just because it's a smaller batch and easier to quality control. Houston is more innovative though because they have the space to do more stuff.
I live a mile from the houston location so have been quite a few times. I honestly can't think of a time I've been and Leonard wasn't there
Re: West egg and east egg.
I just like good food. I guess you can gatekeep if you like.
I just like good food. I guess you can gatekeep if you like.
Martin Cash said:
I compare the new bbq list to the book The Great Gastby.
There's west egg and east egg. East egg (old bbq) people can smoke meat with nothing fancy and have been doing it for years. Don't need a FB smoke group or to post pics on FB.
West egg (new bbq) has to go to classes, post on FB, have a group. Has to brag to his friends that he got this smoker from such and such and tell you the history behind who owned it before him.
West egg BBq people drive me nuts
Or maybe the "new bbq" people just enjoy better tasting bbq????
Do you still use the same computer from the 1990s? Same cell phone you first got in the 2000s? Same car you drove in high school? Well, BBQ is the same way, it has evolved. Sure its the same cuts we've always had, cattle anatomy hasnt changed, but people have learned how to cook it better and create a better product through experimentation over the years.
Has it attracted a different crowd into the bbq scene? maybe, but more demand isnt exactly a bad thing when it leads to places continually pushing the boundaries and creating new ways to enjoy bbq.
Maybe "old bbq" people drive me nuts. Those guys that grumble in the corner that Kruez has been around for a hundred years or so and theres no way some pissant upstart 30 year old can be cooking better than the 60 year old guy who's been doing it for 40 years but hasnt changed his methods in that same 40 years. You go ahead and enjoy your subpar product while the rest of us will enjoy something far superior.
Martin Cash said:
I compare the new bbq list to the book The Great Gastby.
There's west egg and east egg. East egg (old bbq) people can smoke meat with nothing fancy and have been doing it for years. Don't need a FB smoke group or to post pics on FB.
West egg (new bbq) has to go to classes, post on FB, have a group. Has to brag to his friends that he got this smoker from such and such and tell you the history behind who owned it before him.
West egg BBq people drive me nuts
The irony of this take being inside a BBQ/Great Gatsby analogy is hilarious.
Something about an old man and a cloud gif.
Kris Manning, the new owner of Smokey Joe's who's not quite 30, spoke to a group I'm in last week (along with Jill Bergus of Lockhart's and Alice Laussede of Meat Fight). He said the only thing the old timers at Joe's complained about, aside from the higher price (which Kris is trying to manage), was the change in the beans. They like the better brisket too.
I need to get to Smokey Joe's asap. Will wait a few weeks for the top 50 hypbeast crowd to go away, but sounds like quite the story.
Shuffled my flight for this weekend to late Thursday so I could get in town for BBQ. I'm sure lines will be longer with this new list. Thinking of getting up and going to Brett's, LJs, or Tejas. Any opinions on which is better overall and which may be easier to get in and out of? Probably gonna pick up a bunch of BBQ and bring it back to the house in Welborn. I'm sure I'll eat half of it driving down the road. I've always wanted to go to Brett's since meeting him at Camp Brisket 2020. Could also just pop up the road to 1775 but feeling a little frisky to try a new place.
Tejas is very good. I've not tried Brett's but it's high on the list.
Tejas was taking online orders so I went that route. Just received a confirmation on the order. It was an hour later than I'd requested but pretty happy to be able to show up, grab BBQ, and head back up the Aggie express.
Ordered 1.5 lbs of brisket, half rack of ribs, 4 chile relleno sausages, 1/2 lb of burnt ends, 2 single carrot souffls, corn casserole, cauliflower au gratin, cole slaw, beans, chocolate bread pudding, and small portions of all the pickles/sauces available.
Couldn't find anyone to co pilot with me and wait in a line. Maybe we'll catch a night game for Auburn and can get a crew to Brett's.
Ordered 1.5 lbs of brisket, half rack of ribs, 4 chile relleno sausages, 1/2 lb of burnt ends, 2 single carrot souffls, corn casserole, cauliflower au gratin, cole slaw, beans, chocolate bread pudding, and small portions of all the pickles/sauces available.
Couldn't find anyone to co pilot with me and wait in a line. Maybe we'll catch a night game for Auburn and can get a crew to Brett's.
Pizzatolas on the honorable mention list? Is that just a hat tip to when there was no decent bbq in Houston. The one or two times I went there a 10+ years ago it didn't seem to belong anywhere near tjis list.
10+ years ago is a long ass time. Entirely possible they've seen the recent surge so stepped up their game.ChipFTAC01 said:
Pizzatolas on the honorable mention list? Is that just a hat tip to when there was no decent bbq in Houston. The one or two times I went there a 10+ years ago it didn't seem to belong anywhere near tjis list.
Disclaimer, I live 1/4 mile from there and haven't been in years. So no actual personal experience with the place improving....
htxag09 said:10+ years ago is a long ass time. Entirely possible they've seen the recent surge so stepped up their game.ChipFTAC01 said:
Pizzatolas on the honorable mention list? Is that just a hat tip to when there was no decent bbq in Houston. The one or two times I went there a 10+ years ago it didn't seem to belong anywhere near tjis list.
Disclaimer, I live 1/4 mile from there and haven't been in years. So no actual personal experience with the place improving....
No doubt. That's why I asked rather that just assuming it was terrible and bunk.
Edit: to NColoradoAG
Those Chile relleno sausages are amazing.
Pro-tip pick up some chocolate truffles for the wife (or whoever) to bring back. You'll be a hero.
Those Chile relleno sausages are amazing.
Pro-tip pick up some chocolate truffles for the wife (or whoever) to bring back. You'll be a hero.
ChipFTAC01 said:
Pizzatolas on the honorable mention list? Is that just a hat tip to when there was no decent bbq in Houston. The one or two times I went there a 10+ years ago it didn't seem to belong anywhere near tjis list.
They have new owners who have been trying to climb out of the mediocrity of being stubbornly "East Egg."
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