Best BBQ in Texas

The #1 BBQ in Texas. Ernest Servantes runs an all-day operation from breakfast tacos to Korean beef back ribs. The brisket is a masterclass in smoke and salt.

New-wave Texas BBQ in South Austin. Beef cheeks, cauliflower burnt ends, and a smoked cheeseburger that outsells the brisket. Innovative without losing its Texas soul.

Former #1 (2021) and still a pilgrimage site. A group of twentysomethings producing perfect Choice-grade brisket down a country road from the county landfill. Lines start hours before open.

A Goldee's-trained pitmaster returned home to Southeast Texas and created something singular. The Persian-inspired smoked koobideh sausage wrapped in pita is unlike anything else in Texas BBQ.

The best brisket in the Rio Grande Valley, with a rotating menu of specials — beef-rib ramen, char siu duck, chicken-fried brisket — that changes every quarter. Worth the drive to the Valley.

Tucked in a strip mall but delivering otherworldly BBQ. Peach-tea-glazed pork belly burnt ends, beef short rib with chimichurri, and smoked lamb round out a seasonally changing menu.

West of Fort Worth, Dayne and Ashley Weaver serve a full menu from breakfast kolaches to black-bark brisket. The OG Burger made from brisket trim might be the most beloved item on the menu.

A Gulf Coast gem in a converted gas station, watched over by a turquoise cow statue. Tex-Mex BBQ with smoked tamales, pork belly tacos, and a barbecue gumbo built on a dark roux.

When Truth opens, the crowd literally cheers. Salt-and-pepper brisket, brisket boudin, spicy pepper jack sausage, and a three-layer triple chocolate cake that earns its own reputation.

A West Texas destination worth the drive. Smoky brisket, meaty St. Louis ribs, green chile-cheese sausage, and an extensive dessert menu crowned by a peanut butter pie with salted chocolate ganache.

Craft BBQ on the US-287 corridor north of Fort Worth. A great highway stop with serious smoke chops and the kind of brisket that makes you pull over without regret.

Another strong contender in the Montgomery area. Consider doing a double-header with Bar-A-BBQ — both are within a few miles and both earned spots on the list.

West Texas smoke done right with mesquite and post oak. Juicy brisket, meaty St. Louis ribs, and a New Mexico Christmas sausage loaded with green and red chiles and pepper jack cheese.

Austin's most creative BBQ sandwich truck. Sturdy house biscuits stacked with combinations like blueberry-Gouda sausage with smoked blueberry jam, or brisket with smoked strawberry jelly.

Egyptian-Texan pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh brings shawarma spices and smoked koobideh to Texas BBQ. One of the most culturally distinctive menus on the list.

Veteran-owned precision BBQ near Fort Hood. The military discipline shows in the consistency — brisket and ribs cooked with the same focus every single time.

Northwest of Houston in the Piney Woods, Bar-A-BBQ offers a great excuse for a weekend drive with solid post oak brisket and ribs in a relaxed country setting.

Halal Texas-style BBQ with a unique twist — finish your meal with their waterice dessert, which turns out to be the perfect cool-down after a tray of smoked meat in the Texas heat. Relocated from Pilot Point to Plano in late 2025.

A newer Houston-area contender that has quickly carved out a loyal following. Strong brisket and sausage in the northern suburbs, adding another reason to explore beyond the Loop.

A small-town Brenham gem on the Highway 290 corridor. Solid post oak smoke and the kind of unpretentious BBQ that defined Texas long before the craft movement.

An up-and-comer east of Dallas that's making serious waves in the craft BBQ scene. The brisket punches well above its small-town weight.

A queer-owned joint shaking up the BBQ Capital of Texas. Bar Holland's brisket holds its own against Lockhart's legends, and the welcoming atmosphere makes it a standout.

The most affordable brisket on the entire Top 50 at $25/lb, and it's excellent. Deep East Texas craft BBQ that proves you don't have to pay $40/lb for greatness.

A tiny Panhandle town with outsized smoke. Proof that great BBQ thrives everywhere in Texas — even a small agricultural community hours from the nearest city.

A Houston-area legend that has been delivering world-class brisket and sausage since 2012. Will Buckman's post oak smoke is some of the most consistent on the entire list.

Northeast Texas craft BBQ and an ideal stop on a drive between Dallas and Texarkana. The smoke here reflects the region's deep barbecue heritage.

Turkish-influenced BBQ on Austin's east side. Smoked lamb, house-made sausages with global spices, and a menu that pushes the boundaries of what Texas BBQ can be.

Central Texas craft BBQ between Austin and Waco. Exceptional house-made jalapeño cheese sausage alongside brisket and ribs smoked over post oak.

Vietnamese-Texan fusion BBQ where the smoked brisket fried rice has become a Houston obsession. A creative, culturally rich menu that reflects the city's diversity.

Tootsie Tomanetz, a grandmother in her 80s, has tended these pits since before dawn for decades. Open Saturdays only. The brisket is transcendent. Plan your entire weekend around it.

A Cedar Creek Lake-area joint worth a detour off the highway. Solid post oak smoke and the kind of small-town hospitality that makes the food taste even better.

A newer San Antonio joint near the Pearl District earning its place among the city's best. Classic Texas smoke with a menu that rewards repeat visits.

A South Texas gem between San Antonio and Corpus Christi on I-37. The kind of roadside BBQ discovery that makes the whole state feel like one long smoke-scented road trip.

The joint that launched a thousand pitmasters. Aaron Franklin's post oak brisket set the modern standard for Texas BBQ. Lines are legendary — bring a chair and a cooler.

LeAnn Mueller carries on the Mueller family BBQ legacy with massive beef ribs and brisket that sell out fast. A beloved East Austin institution with deep Texas roots.

A rising star in Southeast Texas, putting Beaumont on the craft BBQ map with brisket and sides that rival anything in the state's major cities.

A Dallas-area cult favorite open only a few days a week — which only makes the brisket taste better. Arrive early or go home empty-handed. Worth rearranging your schedule for.

Tex-Mex-influenced craft BBQ with some of the best smoked fajita meat in Texas. Chris Magallanes and Ernest Morales bring Fort Worth's cultural identity directly onto the tray.

Grant Pinkerton's Houston flagship delivers world-class brisket and housemade sausage. Texas Monthly notes the San Antonio location is equally outstanding.

East Texas craft BBQ done with care and precision. A welcome addition to the Longview food scene that proves this region has serious smoke to offer.

The best BBQ in the Permian Basin, full stop. A must-stop for any West Texas road trip — the brisket is exceptional and the drive through oil country adds to the atmosphere.

Deep in the Rio Grande Valley, Teddy's is part of a thriving new BBQ culture taking root far south of the Texas Triangle. Worth seeking out on any trip to the Valley.

Central Texas BBQ near Waco, ideally positioned as a smoke stop between Austin and Dallas. Solid post oak craft from a pitmaster who takes the work seriously.

A hidden East Texas gem where the beef ribs are reason enough to make the trip. Proof that great craft BBQ has taken root far beyond the major metros.

A Dallas anchor with an outstanding sides program — the mac and cheese alone draws repeat visits. Reliable brisket and sausage in an industrial-chic space near the Design District.

One of the few Austin BBQ joints open for dinner service. Classic Central Texas-style smoke with solid brisket, ribs, and sausage in a comfortable North Austin setting.

Open since 1949, this smoke-blackened cathedral is one of Texas BBQ's most sacred sites. Wayne Mueller upholds a family legacy that helped define what Central Texas BBQ means to the world.

One of Dallas's oldest Black-owned BBQ institutions, open since 1956. A true legacy joint serving classic Texas smoke with deep roots in the city's history.

San Antonio's most celebrated BBQ joint, weaving Tex-Mex identity into every tray. The smoked barbacoa tacos and Tex-Mex sides reflect the deep cultural fabric of the city.

A Fort Worth Stockyards legend since 1927, founded by Polish immigrants Joe and Mary Riscky and still family-run four generations later. All-you-can-eat beef ribs hand-rubbed with 'Riscky Dust,' live country music on weekends, and a patio view of the twice-daily Stockyards cattle drive.