Rollin Smoke BBQ - Las Vegas, NV

Rollin Smoke BBQ
3185 S. Highland Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89109

http://rollinsmokebarbeque.com/

Rollin Smoke BBQ is nestled in an industrial area of Las Vegas. More in an area where the locals would go.  It's definitely not in a tourist area.  That's usually a good sign of things to come.

This was the 3 combo meal of ribs, brisket and burnt ends.  I have to tell you that while there ribs and brisket were good, it's the burnt ends that really stood out.  Smokey, flavorful, saucy and tasty.

The greens are highly recommended.  Not overcooked at all.

There a different sauces there, we just went with the one that was on the table, the House Arkansauce and it was quite good.

So if you are ever in Las Vegas and get tired of the strip, don't hesitate to go to Rollin Smoke. 

Smoke Shack BBQ - San Antonio, TX

Smoke Shack BBQ
3714 Broadway
San Antonio, TX 78209

http://www.smokeshacksa.com/

The Smoke Shack is one of my favorite barbecue restaurants in San Antonio.  They smoke up a batch of very traditional meats and serve it up the way you like it...by the pound.

I have yet to find anything here that I wouldn't recommend.

Just look at that moist brisket. The glistening sausage and those smokey ribs.  This was a little slice of heaven.  The creamed corn is great and those pinto beans are straight out of Texas history.

It just doesn't get much better than the Smoke Shack.

Pride and Joy BBQ - Miami, FL

Pride and Joy BBQ
2800 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33127



This restaurant is more of a bar that serves food and carries that atmosphere.  At lunch is was more about being a neighborhood bar than a traditional barbecue restaurant.

That being said, the food was better than your average bar food.

We started with deviled eggs topped with pulled pork.  These beauties were quite good.  Nice southern taste and good pork addition.

 We then moved onto another item from the appetizer menu.  A beautiful bowl of burnt ends.  These were quite good and the Texas toast was great for getting every drop.

I then broke tradition and went with a beef sandwich.  The meat was pre-sauced (a no no in my book) and chunked.  However I don't regret the choice as it was meaty, moist and a great sandwich.

The sliced brisket had a large smoke ring.  It made me wonder if there was chemical involved in creating that smoke (you don't smell smoke when you walk up to the restaurant making me suspect). While not great, it was perfectly fine.  The mac and cheese was quite good.

So if you are ever in Miami and want a drink and some cue....take a look at Pride and Joy.  Definitely work the appetizer menu and go from there.

Jackson St. BBQ - Houston, TX

Jackson St. BBQ
209 Jackson St, Houston, TX 77002

http://jacksonstbbqhouston.com/

Landing in Houston is right on the edge of central Texas BBQ country. There are lots of old favorites in this town for most Texans. Jackson St. is a relatively new comer to the list.

Jackson St. serves up barbecue with a cafeteria line and lots of tasty options on the menu.  The Trinity (St. Louis style ribs, top choice brisket and German style sausage complete with one side) is a Texas tradition.

They also have these biscuits that are as big as a softball. 

The brisket was moist and smokey tender. The ribs were spot on for a Texas rib. Good smoke ring and easy to pull.  The sausage had a good grit to it.  Not too generic.

The collard greens were well done with a bit of pork.  The beans were a traditional Texas pinto and the biscuit...well the biscuit was large and heavy.  A little to dense for my taste.

Overall this was a solid Texas BBQ lunch.  If in downtown Houston, stop by and enjoy.

Durham BBQ - Elkton, MD

Durham BBQ

175 Fletchwood Rd
Elkton, MD 21921

A recent visit to Durham BBQ in Elkton, MD, right across the state line from Newark, Delaware provides consistent fare to the area.

You can tell by the picture that the ribs are smoked without a lot of spice.  True blue smoke.  While it's more cooked than smoked, these area still good ribs.  The sausage is good and tasty as well.

The beans are a very traditional barbecue bean and not as tasty as a pinto but the vegetable sides (broccoli salad and cucumber salad) are straight out of any southern family holiday dinner.

Enjoy.

Salt Lick BBQ - Driftwood, TX

Salt Lick BBQ

18300 FM 1826
Driftwood, TX 78619

Salt Lick BBQ

I've been here many times and it's special every time.  I've yet to find a reason to do anything but the all you can eat option.  I mean...why would you limit yourself like that?

The all you can eat (or as I call it, the "Bring it"), offers you brisket, ribs, sausage, German potato salad, cole slaw, beans, bread, pickles and onions.

The complete meal is quite filling and well balanced and a good offering of the typical south Texas barbecue experience.

 

But when you get to just the meat, it's quite amazing and unequaled by most attempts. 

It is well smoked, well cooked, well dressed and well served.  Also...don't miss the deserts.  The cobblers are amazing.

Enjoy!

Rudy's BBQ - Selma, TX

Rudy's BBQ
15560 I-35 North
Selma, TX 78154

Rudy's BBQ

While in San Antonio recently, I took it upon myself to try a different Rudy's locations.  The one in Selma. 

While Rudy's is very good about being consistent with all of it's locations, timing is everything.  I've always found it to be difficult to serve high quality barbecue all throughout the day.  This may be one reason why the traditional time is lunch.

I had my usual selection here of ribs, brisket and sausage with a side of beans.

While it was definitely Rudy's...and good...I've had better. I'll bet it had more to do with the fact that it was after 8pm and they were closing soon.   So I don't really fault them for that.

So stop by there anytime, but if you want the true blue Rudy's experience, get a plate load of cue at lunch.  You'll be glad you did. 

Dickey's BBQ - DFW Terminal E

Dickey's BBQ
DFW - Terminal E

Dickey's BBQ

If you are read any of my previous posts, you have heard me ramble on about airport barbecue.  In general, it's just about the lowest form of categorical barbecue that there is.  The staff isn't there for cue, the clientele isn't there for cue. It's just not a nourishing environment.  What it is is a way to get food fast and move on.  That's about it.

Dickey's Airport BBQ is no exception.  I found myself with a cancelled flight and needing to get some food fast. The closest thing was a wrapped sandwich or rolling the dice on some cue.  I chose the later.

 
My experience shows me that ribs are about the simplest thing to prepare and thus the least likely to screw up.  So I got a rib sandwich with mashed potatoes.

The ribs were slathered in sauce to attempt to mask the lack of flavor in the meat.  The barbecue equivalent of hitting your toe with a hammer to get you to forget about your headache.  I would say that it worked but then I would have to talk about the sauce (which was not very good).  The toasted bun was not fresh bread to begin with so it was fairly difficult to eat.

All in all this was about what was expected....just not what I had hopped for.

Sonny Bryan's - Dallas, TX

Sonny Bryan's
2202 Inwood Rd.
Dallas, TX 75235
214-357-7120

sonnybryans.com

Sonny Bryan started serving up BBQ on Inwood Rd in 1958.  The layers of flavor in that smoker cannot be duplicated or reproduced anywhere.  This is some of the best barbecue around. To complete the experience, you have to sit and eat lunch in one of the school desks that are in the original dining area.  They have a newer room next door which is nice but not the same.

You walk in and stand in the counter area and someone will take your order with a pad of paper, get your name and hand you your iced tea cup.  So fill up, enjoy the smokey aroma and watch them work.  During lunch time the pace is fast, loud and the food is flying so get ready for a ride.

This shows the two plate coming off the line.  A 3 meat combo with ribs, sausage and brisket, onion rings and beans (the bread is to die for and made there fresh). The other plate is a pulled pork sandwich with ribs and onion rings (the onion rings are not to be missed).

 The shown 3 meat combo is hard to beat.  The sausage is smokey and fresh, the brisket is absolutely spot on for Texas beef and the ribs have a smokey goodness that will last all day.

The onion rings and beans are very very good.

This plate shows the ribs, pulled pork and onion rings.  This pulled pork is pure, clean and tender.  At Sonny Bryan's the sauce is kept in long necks on a warming tray and available to pour goodness all over the meat.  Adding his sauce to the pulled pork sandwich just took this to a whole 'nother level.  Very very good lunch.

If you go to one of the other 6 locations, don't be surprised that it is not the same.  It's hard to reproduce what that smoker does and the country bbq atmosphere is not to be dismissed.  I'm convinced it helps the barbecue taste better.

There are 7 restaurant that do not include airport locations.  They can be good but they are not the same.

If you get a chance, do yourself a favor and stop by the original Sonny Bryan's. You'll be glad you did.

Mac's BBQ - Dallas, TX

Mac's BBQ
3933 Main St
Dallas, TX 75226
(214) 823-0731

My friend Billy (Mac's son) continues to put out some of the best bbq there is.  I ordered a sliced beef sandwich, beans, fries and a couple of ribs.

The ribs that Billy smokes are just about as close to perfection that I've found.  Nice crust, great smoke, layers of flavor and always fresh.

His double fried fries are also some of the best.

Notice that I couldn't even wait to eat 1/2 of the sliced beef sandwich before I took the picture.  It's moist, smokey and wonderful.  His sauce adds a great layer to the mouthful of flavor.

 This images shows the 1/2 eaten sliced beef sandwich, ranch beans and sauce.  I highly recommend all of the items on Billy's menu.

This isn't my first review of Mac's and it likely won't be my last.  If you ever have a chance stop by.  The food is juicey, the conversation true to the country heritage of this little shop.  It's like stepping back in time to go have lunch here and don't wait...Billy closes at 2:30pm so get there early.

This is a true blue, Texas, country barbecue, lunch spot and I can't recommend it highly enough. 

Hawg and Sauce - Mt. Vernon, Indiana

Hawg and Sauce
6580 Leonard Rd N
Mt Vernon, IN 47620
(812) 838-5339

hawgnsauce.com

Hawg and Sauce has a very comfortable and homey atmosphere.  Very country diner. 
However the kitchen and food prep is all done in the back.  Let this be a warning sign.  If you can't watch them slice the meat then you don't know what they are slicing it from. That is the case here.

Shown is the 2 meat tray.  I went with ribs and pulled pork.  My friend went with ribs and brisket.

The ribs had a slathering of sauce that was cooked onto the ribs.  Again, I'm not against this out of hand but if the sauce is not that good, then it doesn't help.  I often wonder what is being hidden.  These ribs were nothing special.  The pulled pork was actually quite good.  Good flavor and tenderness.

The beans were typical baked beans and it came with some onion (good choice), pickle and wheat bread (really?). We also got the pork rinds.  These were fresh and hot but had an edgy flavor and mostly sat uneaten.

I tried my friend's brisket and it was sliced very thin (likely by machine) and was dry and without flavor.

They claim to be the best barbecue in Mt. Vernon. That may be true but it certainly isn't the best that I've had...by a long shot.

Hot Rod BBQ - Wharton, NJ

Hot Rod BBQ
175 N Main St
Wharton, NJ 07885

hotrodsbbq.com

Hot Rod BBQ

Hot Rod BBQ puts a lot of emphasis on this being "real pit" barbecue and using a "real wood smoker".  It's certainly the right place to start but a lot more goes into making good barbecue (much less great barbecue) than using sticks of wood.

The atmosphere is fun and inviting with a bar, scheduled events and late night hours but as many barbecue experts will tell you, that's not what makes barbecue great.

I must admit that the menu was impressively red-neckish.  Lots of comfort food options including chicken fried steak (I may have to come back and try that).

We started with Bacon Wrapped Burnt Ends, Deviled Eggs and Hush Puppies.

 The bacon wrapped burnt ends were actually quite good.  The burnt ends are often where the flavor lies and this was surprisingly well received.


 The deviled eggs are where things started to slip.  The yolk mixture was bitter and just not quite right. 



But the hush puppies got us back on track. Fresh, delicious and topped with maple butter.  They were spoon drops of heaven.

For the entry, we choose the 3 meat tray and got ribs, brisket and pulled pork with baked beans and cole slaw.  

Here's where the wheels started to fall off the wagon.  The ribs were smoked but had a sticky layer of sauce that had been cooked on.  While I don't reject that style out of hand, it just didn't enhance it.  The flavor of the ribs were fine but they obviously feel the sauce is needed to enhance the flavor meaning that they are hiding a lack of smokey goodness that should be there naturally.

The brisket was dry and flavorless.  It was more like a oven cooked Jewish brisket than barbecue.  They may have trouble getting the right cut being in the NE but it failed...badly.

The pulled pork....more shredded that pulled, just didn't work.  I actually have no idea how one can get something with so much sauce on it to taste so dry.  It was closer to canned barbecue that I've had from Virginia/West Virginia.  So that tells you a lot right there.

I have to admit that the cornbread was really...really good.  Moist, fresh and hot.

So if you find yourself in the middle of northern NJ looking for BBQ and stop in the Hot Rod, I recommend going tapas style with the apps.  Skip the entree meats unless you want a canned experience.

Bludso's Bar & Cue - Los Angeles, CA

Bludso's Bar & Cue
609 N La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036

http://www.barandque.com/

Bludso's has come to the big city of Los Angeles.  This facility opened up in 2014 but they got their start in Compton.  They smoke their meat using only full hardwood or charcoal. No chips are used and they smoke their meat for 14 hr.  It definitely makes a difference in the taste. 

You are ordering my the pound here so that level of authenticity is good.

We tried the ribs, sausage, pulled pork and brisket.  I have to say that this is some of the best meat that I've found in the LA area.  The ribs were very Texas authentic, the brisket was good, moist and had the right amount of smoke.  The pulled pork could have had a little more flavor but the sausage was straight up.

My order will be...

Ribs
Brisket
Sausage
Pulled Pork

 For sides there was cole slaw, baked beams, potato salad and greens. There were also 2 different sauces.  The greens were not overdone, the beans had good flavor, the potato salad leaned toward it's German heritage and the cole slaw was more vinigar based than mayo based.

However the hit of the night was the pickles.  These were home made bread and butter pickles that were fantastic.

They have a strong beer list and an LA worthy cocktail menu.

Overall I would return here in a heartbeat. 

Smoqued BBQ - Orange, CA

Smoqued BBQ
128 N Glassell St.
Orange, CA 92866

smoquedbbq.com

When you think of Southern California and being behind the Orange Curtain, one doesn't think of barbecue.  However, I've got to tell you that there is a place that has some really interesting things going on (aside from the spelling of the name) and that is Smoqued.

  The first thing that got my attention was the menu.  They have some really interesting items. Like this...

HANGOVER BURGER brisket burger topped with roasted red peppers, arugula, cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, a fried egg, spicy aioli and served on texas toast.

I went for the Pork Belly Sandwich with a side of Chili Mac which is their Texas Brisket Chili layered over with Mac and Cheese. 

The pork belly sandwich is sliced smoked pork belly, dijon aioli, fresh arugula and bourbon pickled peppers on toasted bun.

This was smoked well, tasty and delicious. I choose to eat the greens as a salad and the sandwich without all of the extra stuff.

That is one thing about California barbecue, is there will be a lot more ingredients on the food and more complex tastes going on.  Now I don't mind it if it's done well and this is a pretty good run.

Here is the whole plate as served (to go) but with the Chili Mac.  I wasn't quite so enamored with the Brisket Chili.  I find that brisket should be brisket and chili should be chili.  This melding of the two worlds didn't work as well as I hoped.  

Now for the sauces...

They have 3 different sauces there.

SMOQUED HOUSE SAUCE -traditional American BBQ sauce with smoqued seasonings and a hint of sweetness.

CALIFORNIA GOLD SAUCE - deep rich mustard flavor with a slight vinegar finish at the end.

HABANERO RASPBERRY - sweet and smoky with a spicy finish that will give you a small kick of heat.

The gold was my least favorite but the Habanero Raz actually had it's moments and the house sauce was pretty good too.

So if you are ever in the neighborhood of Orange, CA, don't be afraid to stop in to Smoqued BBQ.  You just might be surprised.

Hill Country BBQ Market - New York City

Hill Country BBQ Market
30 W 26th St.
New York, NY
212.255.4544

http://hillcountry.com/nyc/

Pete Wells of the New York Times says  
"The moist brisket, along with beef and pork ribs that carry a similarly peppery, crunchy top layer, show Hill Country’s rotisserie barbecue pits at their finest. The restaurant is a state-of-the-art Manhattan homage to the preindustrial craft of Texas barbecue."

While I'm always cautiously curious to claims of Texas style BBQ outside of Texas, they do hold true to the Texas approach to barbecue.  Dry rub, low and slow and served by the pound on butcher paper.

If you live in the NYC area and wanted to try Texas barbecue without getting on a plane, this would be a good place to start and find out if it's worth getting on a plane to get the real stuff.  Yes that means that I don't consider this top tier.  However, it is the right approach and they do a darn good job.  However it is pricey.  That at least stays true to what is expected of NYC dining.

I tried some brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork and ribs. Along with that their collard greens and beans. They serve you white bread by the slice (very authentic) and a glass of iced tea from the bar.

You request your portions by the pound (or by the rib count in my case) and the sides had different sizes.

The brisket was indeed moist, tender and flavorful.  The pulled pork was just as good. In a more Texas tradition the pulled pork is not pre-sauced.  A good choice for this pork.  The burnt ends were nice and flavorful if a bit salty but not too crusty.  The ribs had a very good smoke and were tasty if a bit tough.

My list would be...
Burnt Ends
Pulled Pork
Brisket
Ribs

Again, all of the meat was flavorful and tasty.  The beans had a good low/slow texture and the greens were just as good.  The sauce was good but a little strong with the flavors.

It's very typical for Texans to make individual sandwiches from a slice of white bread, some meat and sauce.  I found that the burnt ends had a briny bite to them so I made a little bit sized sandwich out of it.  This took away some of the salty edge but it also tamed the flavor a bit. It allows the sauce and meat to blend into a more subtler combination.  Now it did take away of little of the spices. However, you may find that you get more than you lose by doing this.

I found that I preferred their meats between some bread with a small amount of sauce. Any more sauce and it would have over powered the meat.

I think you'll find a good offering of Texas style barbecue here at Hill Country however it won't be cheap.  That paper full of meat that you see, with 2 medium sides and an iced tea was over $60.  Now this is enough meat for 2 at least...but still.  It's a bit steep knowing that this back home would be a lot cheaper.

Although, it's cheaper than a plane ticket to God's country.

Enjoy.

Mac's BBQ - Dallas, Texas

Mac's BBQ
3933 Main St
Dallas, TX 75226
(214) 823-0731

It's hard to say enough about Mac's barbecue.  Mac's has been serving up barbecue lunchs in East Dallas since the 50s.  Billy is the current pitmaster. His Daddy started the restaurant and Billy has been doing it old fashioned ever sense he took over after his Dad passed away.

From the moment you walk in, you know this is country barbecue.  Simple dining area, easy going atmosphere and the aroma of some of the best meat around. Billy does all the smoking, cooking and serving.

  
His brisket is tender, sausage is smoked to perfection as well as nice and firm, the ribs have this amazing smoke that is hard to beat.
 
It's hard to find a better plate of ribs out there.

 Now this is ONLY a lunch spot.  True to Texas barbecue tradition.  He's open during the week from 11a-2p so get it while he's open.

One of my favorite lunchs there is a sausage sandwich with beans and fries.

It's a plate full of heavenly delights and I highly recommend it.  The sauce is favorful with a nice bit to it.  Not to much though. It really compliments the meat rather than over shadow it.

I would put the meat in order...

Ribs
Sausage
Brisket

It's such a judgement call and if you ask me tomorrow, I'll probably flip the brisket and sausage.  They are both very good. I've even had the turkey there and it's clean, pure and smoked to perfection.  
The beans are definitely a ranch style bean.  Very good though. 

You can't go wrong with Mac's. In fact, if you get there at the right time, you just might find yourself with Billy sitting nearby talking to the customers about anything from the weather to politics.

Enjoy. 

Hard Eight BBQ - The Colony, Texas

Hard Eight BBQ
5300 TX-121
The Colony, TX 75056

http://www.hardeightbbq.com/

Hard Eight BBQ is a new voice in the world of Texas barbecue.  Family owned and individually served directly from the pitmasters themselves.  I can't speak to the other 3 locations but the one in the Colony has a labyrinthine set of stacks that deliver the smoke from the fire pit to the smokers.

 
The firepit is outside the building, however the smokers are inside the entrance area and serpentine lines allow the experience to start from the moment you walk in.  There is a bar out front so that you can grab a cold one on the way to the pitmaster.  

Based on the smokers alone, there is plenty of capacity for smoking 'cue at this location. They can really turn it out.  And from what I can see, they need to be able to in order to feed those hungry Texans standing in line for some lip smackin' good eats.

The pitmasters serve each person directly.  In addition to brisket, sausage, pork and ribs, they have rib eye, prime rib, sirloin, turkey, 2" think pork chops, shrimp poppers, chicken kabobs, sirloin kabobs, ham and more.  It's a very extensive menu.  

I stuck with the standards.  

Ribs, brisket, jalapeno sausage and bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers.  Ok...so maybe I ran the rim on the standards but I just had to try the poppers.

There are several things to like about this place.  Scale.  They know how to serve it up big and right.
Sauce is kept in a warming pot and there is spicy and regular.  They were quite different from each other.  I like the regular the best.  Pinto Beans. The beans are exactly what Texas pinto beans are supposed to be.  Juicy, think and not baked or molassesy.  They are also free and serve yourself right by the sauce and drinks.  Nice touch.

In order of preference...

Ribs - the ribs were smokey and tender.  Not much spice though.
Brisket - this is a lean brisket but very tender and tasty.
Sausage - the sausage has a good firmness to it and excellent flavor.
Poppers - the meat inside the poppers was a little dry but other than that, they were good.

On sides, I've spoken about the beans but haven't yet mentioned the jalapeno cream corn.  Well worth it.  I thought it was great.

They even have multiple options for bread.  White, wheat, a ciabatta toasted bun that was fabulous.

In summation, I highly recommend Hard Eight.  It's not top 3 but it's some of the best prepared city barbecue that you will find in the heart of Texas.