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Washpark

By Washpark
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Posted by Patricio Swayze,

I disagree that Reese Bros is not worth ordering. I think it is every bit as good as 2M, which I love. Overall, these are my 10 favorite spots, in no particular order (not that anyone asked or cares): Truth Brisket & Rice Leroy & Lewis Burnt Bean Tejas Reese Bros Valentina’s Butter’s 2M Lavaca (although my pops said last time he went he was disappointed, need to confirm)

Top 10 list.

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tx 3 putt

tx 3 putt 77535

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On 8/21/2022 at 11:34 AM, Jersey Man10 said:

Is Rudy’s considered good BBQ? I went a couple weeks ago and it was meh to me. Thinking of going to Coopers in Llano instead.

 

ill say it, rudy's moist brisket is pretty damn edible. the bark is usually spot on. 

 

and those cups ....

rudy-s-country-store.jpg

Edited by tx 3 putt
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Met my folks and brother and sister-in-law at Lost Pines this past weekend. Seeing that Snow's was just under an hour from Lost Pines, I put together an excursion to go Saturday morning. (I also had s

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How long do you hover over your keyboard contemplating whether your drivel has captured the right amounts of smarmy and cocksucker before you hit reply?

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Just got back to Dallas from Lexington. What a trip. We pulled up around 8:30/9 Fri night and were first on the scene. We went to the bar around the corner until they closed at midnight and came back

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tx 3 putt

tx 3 putt 77535

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19 minutes ago, Nueces River Rat said:

If Bill from Sinton is still around, he'd be happy to know Butter's BBQ in beautiful and scenic Downtown Mathis is moving to Sinton.

 

https://www.kristv.com/news/local-news/butters-bbq-set-to-open-new-location-in-sinton

 

sinton is booming. there's a good italian spot over there. ill be sure to try it soon. shame it's not off 77 

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Nueces River Rat

Nueces River Rat 5539

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11 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

sinton is booming. there's a good italian spot over there. ill be sure to try it soon. shame it's not off 77 

Yep..  The Steel Plant is making it good times up that way.    They are making steel for Tesla, BMW, among others and also high end appliance makers.    It's a good strategic move for Butter's for sure.  That Italian place is pretty good too.   Mel Gibson had dinner not too long ago.    Big deal for a hole in the wall place in a small town .

Sinton and Aransas Pass also has a home cooking type buffet called Butter Churn.   Good stuff, but it makes your stomach turn if you eat too much!  

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luke duke

luke duke 6414

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August 23, 2022

La Barbecue manager and owner indicted on fraud charges

The owner of an East Austin restaurant and her manager have been indicted and summoned to appear in Travis County District Court for their alleged role in a $350,000 workers’ compensation fraud scheme.
Allison Clem, manager of la Barbecue, and her wife, LeAnn Mueller, who owns the food truck and restaurant are both ordered to appear in court September 28.
Back in 2016, an employee of the restaurant suffered severe injuries while operating a piece of kitchen equipment, and Clem and Mueller found out about the injury that day. Four days later, Clem contacted Paychex Insurance to get workers’ compensation coverage, something the restaurant had been without since November 2014.
According to a Fraud Unit investigation by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC), Clem did not disclose her employee’s injuries to the agent but asked that the new policy be backdated to July 1, 2016, three weeks before the employee was hurt. Mueller then submitted a signed application for coverage claiming the business had no prior losses and the policy was approved by Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America.
When Travelers received the claim for the employee’s injury, they approved the claim and paid the injured employee more than $350,000 in medical and indemnity benefits. The insurance company is also responsible for lifetime care of the injured employee.
If found guilty in Travis County, Clem and Mueller, could be ordered to pay restitution plus double the amount Travelers has already paid in benefits to the injured worker.


https://www.tdi.texas.gov/news/2022/dwc08232022.html
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tx 3 putt

tx 3 putt 77535

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40 minutes ago, Nueces River Rat said:

Yep..  The Steel Plant is making it good times up that way.    They are making steel for Tesla, BMW, among others and also high end appliance makers.    It's a good strategic move for Butter's for sure.  That Italian place is pretty good too.   Mel Gibson had dinner not too long ago.    Big deal for a hole in the wall place in a small town .

Sinton and Aransas Pass also has a home cooking type buffet called Butter Churn.   Good stuff, but it makes your stomach turn if you eat too much!  


I’ll be down next week, my cousin wants to hit twin peaks 

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C-Man

C-Man 27285

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1 hour ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

ill say it, rudy's moist brisket is pretty damn edible. the bark is usually spot on. 

 

and those cups ....

rudy-s-country-store.jpg

The moist brisket and turkey are damn good, as are the pinto beans IMO. Some people love the creamed corn but that's not really my jam.

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deadshank

deadshank 24653

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1 hour ago, tx 3 putt said:


I’ll be down next week, my cousin wants to hit twin peaks 

I can only imagine the Vic Mackey specials at a Sinton area Twin Peaks. 

The girls' chests will look like 2 fried eggs laying on a sack of drywall mud.

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Texzilla58

Texzilla58 4744

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100% agree. I'll never begrudge anybody who gets into something to be more successful monetarily speaking.
Speaking of Goldee's, I only have met Lane and they seem to be young enough and perhaps naive enough to be in it only for the experience of making great 'cue. Maybe I'm wrong but I could see them content with what they've built with some minor tweaks. I would be surprised if they take the Heim track.
And you're not lying about upstarts taking their place. Heim left their first location and a better place sprang up in Panther City. There are studs down at Double and Triple A that are phenomenal pitmasters to take over when the (current) big guns sell out or bow out.
The only irreplaceable Texas pitmaster IMO struts her stuff on Saturdays in Lexington.

I’ll never have an issue with folks reaching for the brass ring when opportunity calls. Or owners of iconic joints selling out when their real estate escalates. Or bands that sign the big contract. It’s not selling out. A business or artist owes their fans nothing except what the immediate transaction dictates. I expect my brisket today to be great; have no expectations about it a year from now.

I get nervous with any successful single store operation when they decide to add a second store. Or five. Or a hundred. I’ve been around a lot of high growth situations from restaurants to electronics stores and start ups. The problems expand geometrically. Dilution of talent, of focus, of management, of profits.

With barbecue the pressures are the worst in the business. So I worry when a trailer adds a fryer or a fifth protein. Or the trailer goes to bricks. Adding a second service to your point is the first jinga block. I grew up in Memphis and you learned quick which ones were lunch joints vs supper because they only cooked in one shift. When they decide on the second one it’s crossing the Rubicon. You’re committed. Can you work that much harder?

I hope Travis gets his mojo back at Heim, not that he’s off the rails. They are a great couple. Pecan Lodge has fallen mightily since leaving the farmers market. , and they’re saddled with pits to feed an army. Jambos is a hilarious lesson in a soap opera of failure. Ive moved mostly back to my pre-craft guys due to costs. David’s in Arlington and Railhead in Ft Worth. The food is still top drawer.
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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 46225

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1 hour ago, Texzilla58 said:


I’ll never have an issue with folks reaching for the brass ring when opportunity calls. Or owners of iconic joints selling out when their real estate escalates. Or bands that sign the big contract. It’s not selling out. A business or artist owes their fans nothing except what the immediate transaction dictates. I expect my brisket today to be great; have no expectations about it a year from now.

Yeah, it's an old story.  Successful mom 'n pop expands, eats dust.  I sometimes wonder what the actual takehome pay is for the owner when they try to get big.  To my knowledge, Aaron Franklin is still a one-stop shop, right?  Seems prudent.  Don't let great be the enemy of good.  (Hey to Voltaire, I probably have the quote wrong, but I'm sure I can smoke a better brisket.)

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ScottS

ScottS 1075

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6 hours ago, Nueces River Rat said:

Yep..  The Steel Plant is making it good times up that way.    They are making steel for Tesla, BMW, among others and also high end appliance makers.    It's a good strategic move for Butter's for sure.  That Italian place is pretty good too.   Mel Gibson had dinner not too long ago.    Big deal for a hole in the wall place in a small town .

Sinton and Aransas Pass also has a home cooking type buffet called Butter Churn.   Good stuff, but it makes your stomach turn if you eat too much!  

The crowd at the Butter Churn will also make you think twice about another trip to the buffet.  Not exactly the picture of youth or health.  That being said, good food for a buffet.  I was at the Aransas Pass location last Friday for a work lunch and did not eat again until sometime late Saturday morning.  I kind of miss the original location in Aransas Pass that used to be a funeral home.

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South Austin

South Austin 52629

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9 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

To my knowledge, Aaron Franklin is still a one-stop shop, right? 

Sort of. He’s expanded his portfolio somewhat, with Loro now having two locations in Houston and two in Dallas. So he’s already going beyond his single BBQ joint in East Austin. But that was with Tyson Cole, a big name who’s already done well with new ventures. And he looks to keep all that separate from Franklin BBQ, which has been a single shop since it started well over a decade ago.

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Nueces River Rat

Nueces River Rat 5539

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9 hours ago, ScottS said:

The crowd at the Butter Churn will also make you think twice about another trip to the buffet.  Not exactly the picture of youth or health.  That being said, good food for a buffet.  I was at the Aransas Pass location last Friday for a work lunch and did not eat again until sometime late Saturday morning.  I kind of miss the original location in Aransas Pass that used to be a funeral home.

 But the crowd looks  like hardcore Crossfitters at Butter Churn compared to a Golden Corral.   I haven’t been to Golden Corral in years and that was after one of my boys baseball tourneys as it was the fastest way to feed a hungry kid .   But I’ve seen pics and videos to confirm.   And that was just of the fights.   

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hornian

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13 hours ago, DallasSooner said:

I'm sure it was discussed on here with the expansion talk but saw 2M opening a second location.  A 3 million dollar project would scare me to death. 

 

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/article/san-antonio-2m-smokehouse-barbecue-17379133.php

You gotta spend money to make money… I mean smoke brisket. 

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Jerry Callo

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14 hours ago, DallasSooner said:

I'm sure it was discussed on here with the expansion talk but saw 2M opening a second location.  A 3 million dollar project would scare me to death. 

 

https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/article/san-antonio-2m-smokehouse-barbecue-17379133.php

I hope it works out for them.  All too often it doesn't.

Tom Micklethwait renovated a building and opened a second location in Smithville in February 2019.  Spent a bunch of money and made a really nice place.  In February 2020 it closed.

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DallasSooner

DallasSooner 279

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3 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

I hope it works out for them.  All too often it doesn't.

Tom Micklethwait renovated a building and opened a second location in Smithville in February 2019.  Spent a bunch of money and made a really nice place.  In February 2020 it closed.

Was that Smithville not handling it or completely pandemic related you think?  Mickelwaithe is one of my go to spots when I'm in Austin.  Not every town is going to support craft bbq.  

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deadshank

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1 minute ago, BearSchlong said:

Csb/ Rudy Aue (the son) and his sister were my next door neighbors in Leon Springs. His ancestors had originally bought 6,000 acres between there and what is now UTSA for $5/acre in the 1850s.

He had a crush on my then MIL and kept my freezer stocked with venison.

They overpaid 

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Mittens

Mittens 8312

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23 minutes ago, DallasSooner said:

Was that Smithville not handling it or completely pandemic related you think?  Mickelwaithe is one of my go to spots when I'm in Austin.  Not every town is going to support craft bbq.  

Covid shutdown started March 2020, so that had nothing to do with the closing.

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Jerry Callo

Jerry Callo 8734

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2 hours ago, DallasSooner said:

Was that Smithville not handling it or completely pandemic related you think?  Mickelwaithe is one of my go to spots when I'm in Austin.  Not every town is going to support craft bbq.  

Shut down prior to pandemic.  Too slow during the weekdays was Micklethwait's stated reason.  

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Bill Brasky

Bill Brasky 1464

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On 7/8/2022 at 4:12 PM, Jerry Callo said:

 

 

 

spacer.png

 

Stopped by the Pustka Family Barbecue trailer in Hutto for lunch today.  They made the TM Top New 25 in 2019.  Today was their last day in Hutto - going to be opening a brick and mortar in Temple on the east side.  Not the best barbecue, but its really pretty good.  

Got a quarter pound moist brisket, regular sausage link, and half a chicken.  The brisket was undercooked and unimpressive.  Their handmade Czech sausage was great - some of my favorite.  Course grind and wonderful snap on the casing.  Chicken was spot on as well.  Here's a picture from their facebook post today - I got mine to-go, so no actual pictures.

 

 

good call on this place.  it is pretty damn good, especially for the price and portion you receive.  2 meat plate with sides and drink for ~$21.   miller's in belton would cost you close to $30 to get the same amount of food  

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tx 3 putt

tx 3 putt 77535

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8 hours ago, Bill Brasky said:

good call on this place.  it is pretty damn good, especially for the price and portion you receive.  2 meat plate with sides and drink for ~$21.   miller's in belton would cost you close to $30 to get the same amount of food  

$21 is a good price 

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dcbc

dcbc 14525

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I went to Rudy's today.  First time a long while I've been there and didn't get chopped beef (either sandwich or spud).  I made the mistake of ordering moist brisket, which at any decent place is money well spent.  About half my order was gross, unrendered fat. The sausage was also pretty subpar, cheap hotlink variety stuff.  Pro tip: get the lean brisket at Rudy's or stick with chopped beef type order.

Edited by dcbc
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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 46225

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1 minute ago, dcbc said:

I went to Rudy's today.  First time a long while I've been there and didn't get chopped beef (either sandwich or spud).  I made the mistake of ordering moist brisket, which at any decent place is money well spent.  About half my order was gross, unrendered fat. The sausage was also pretty subpar, cheap hotlink variety stuff.  Pro tip: get the lean brisket at Rudy's or stick with chopped beef type order.

I've had decent moist recently from the Lamar (Austin) location.  Wife always gets the spicy chop.  She added in a half link (hey-o) the other night and wasn't impressed.

I can attest that their pork ribs are unimpressive.  Beans aren't great, either.  But, that spicy chop, if you want to jam BBQ sammiches down a few hungry maws without breaking the bank, it works for us.

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dcbc

dcbc 14525

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6 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I've had decent moist recently from the Lamar (Austin) location.  Wife always gets the spicy chop.  She added in a half link (hey-o) the other night and wasn't impressed.

I can attest that their pork ribs are unimpressive.  Beans aren't great, either.  But, that spicy chop, if you want to jam BBQ sammiches down a few hungry maws without breaking the bank, it works for us.

That saves me the question about the ribs.  I wondered a bit when I went in, but figured they'd be uninspired.  At least I loaded up on pickles in the ziplock.

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NoName

NoName 16408

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14 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

I've had decent moist recently from the Lamar (Austin) location.  Wife always gets the spicy chop.  She added in a half link (hey-o) the other night and wasn't impressed.

I can attest that their pork ribs are unimpressive.  Beans aren't great, either.  But, that spicy chop, if you want to jam BBQ sammiches down a few hungry maws without breaking the bank, it works for us.

The Mel Man is almost always a good choice 

https://www.texasmonthly.com/bbq/mel-man-sandwich/amp/

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Jerry Callo

Jerry Callo 8734

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The Austin area Rudy's (and Mighty Fine) changed ownership at the beginning of 2021.  Quality has dropped markedly since.  Used to eat at Rudy's every few weeks with some friends.  Obviously not top level craft barbecue, but it was consistently good.  Haven't gone back in a few months because it has become consistently bad.  Mighty Fine has dropped off some as well - most notably they changed buns.  

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HRSchenker

HRSchenker 2274

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Better late than never with posting this. Got to check out Interstellar BBQ before they went on summer vacation. A pitmaster in my area told me that the TM top 50 list has moved beyond meat quality because every BBQ joint in Texas is pushing out great brisket, ribs, sausage, etc. The new thing is being the total package. Great meat, great sides, unique eats, good vibes, etc. That totally rings true with Interstellar. Their meat is really good (they cut me some burnt ends and it was magical) but the sides are crazy. Scalloped potatoes with this thick cheese crust, creamy mac and cheese, great meats, and wash it all down with some watermelon fresca. I really enjoyed it.

By the way, shout out to my wife who thought it would be a good idea to sit at the table closest to the line with the entire restaurant up for grabs in the air conditioning. So damn annoying but whatever.

interstellar1.png

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Stunns38

Stunns38 3559

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The usual decline of any barbecue joint starts with the decision to open a second location, and then another, and become a chain. Rudy’s has been able to maintain a reasonable level of quality; the world is littered with the Places selling shitcue.

I think the next one up in the batters box is Hurtado, who is taking on a very challenging location that was the post of an equally talented pitmaster with a smokin hot wife. His first store in downtown Arlington is in the heart of a revitalizing area and he is the big dog in the area that is somewhat lacking in dining. The new place is on the wrong side of Magnolia and Heim is the king in a more crowded area of eating places.

And the parking at that new FTW location is awful.


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