The Infatuation, an international restaurant reviews website, has taken its stance on the 20 best barbecue restaurants in Texas. The sure-to-be-debated list includes three San Antonio area spots, including 2M Smokehouse, Reese Bros Barbecue, and Seguin’s red-hot Burnt Bean Company.
Reviews on The Infatuation are broken down into sections that make sense at a glance and can be easily compared from restaurant to restaurant. Those include some combination of (it varies) a numerical rating from 1-10, a write-up that considers the restaurant's overall impact, and an itemized list of menu items considered, each with a short blurb of its own. There's also a section and sometimes additional tags to represent different lists the reviews platform has included the restaurant on.
The best barbecue list was compiled by three writers who live in Texas: senior staff writer Nicolai McCrary in Austin, and contributors Kevin Gray and Nick Rallo in Dallas. The unranked list compiles short blurbs excerpted from each barbecue joint's longer review for easier skimming.
The sides at Burnt Bean were a hit with The Infatuation's writers. Burnt Bean Co./ Facebook
For Burnt Bean, McCrary emphasizes the care the Texas Monthly top barbecue joint puts into both its Central Texas classics and innovative sides.
"Classics like brisket and ribs are textbook Central Texas, but it’s the extras—smoked chicken drumsticks with a peppery crust, or thick-cut turkey that eats like a steak—that make this spot destination-worthy," McCrary writes. "Add in some Big Red tres leches or a side of creamy mac and cheese topped with crushed up Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and you’ll see how Burnt Bean layers classic comforts with a little creativity."
At 2M Smokehouse, McCrary is indeed infatuated with pork, whether it's chicharrónes with mac and cheese or "some of the best pork belly in South/Central Texas." He also sings praises of the turkey, an often overlooked offering, and the freshly made flour tortillas. He is just as taken by Reese Bros' rotating specials like “costras with confit brisket, carnitas tostadas, and burgers topped with refried beans.”
The Best BBQ in Texas, according to The Infatuation:
- LeRoy and Lewis – Austin
- Goldee’s Barbecue – Fort Worth
- 2M Smokehouse – San Antonio
- Rosemeyer Bar-B-Que – Spring
- Parish Barbecue – Austin
- Cattleack Barbecue – Dallas
- Interstellar BBQ – Austin
- Franklin Barbecue – Austin
- Burnt Bean Company – Seguin
- Snow’s BBQ – Lexington
- Panther City BBQ – Fort Worth
- Rejino Barbecue – Olton
- KG BBQ – Austin
- Barbs-B-Que – Lockhart
- Hutchin’s — McKinney and Frisco
- Blood Bros BBQ – Houston
- Smoke N Ash – Arlington
- Evie Mae’s BBQ – Wolfforth (near Lubbock)
- Black’s BBQ – Lockhart
- Reese Bros – San Antonio
Bánh mì is the centerpiece of the menu.Photo by Katie James.