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Hank’s Texas BBQ

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 9/10 and Yes. Sadly, Hank’s is no longer in business, but there is a chance it could come back at some point. That said, the place had great vibes and brisket and I would have recommended it to anyone who was craving some Texas-style BBQ

Date Visited: 5/12/2021

Address: 5410 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80220

Day of the Week: Wednesday

Time of Day: 11:15 AM. Open at 11:00 AM

Owner: Christopher Nicki

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 2019

Number of People in Line: 2 in front and then 6 more after me

Regional Style of BBQ: Texas

Total Cost: $39 with tip. 1/4lb lean brisket, 1/4lb fatty brisket, 1 spare rib, 1 sausage, 1/4lb pulled pork, 1 Shiner Bock

Type of Wood: Post Oak

Type of Smoker: Offset reverse flow

Type of Seasoning:

Best Dish: Brisket

Best Sauce: Hot/Smokey

Best Side: (Needs review)

Interior Description: One of my favorites in Colorado. It has a nice BBQ feel without feeling fake or gimmicky. There’s also a really nice outdoor patio area that sits adjacent to the outdoor smokers & firewood. Laid back 90’s and 2000s music filled the speakers while I was there, so any millennial should feel right at home when they come for a visit

Pro Tip: Beef ribs on Saturday’s, Prime Rib Sunday’s, Wing Wednesday, Burger Fridays

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Texas Style fatty and lean only for options, no burnt ends here. Juicy and trimmed well, it had great overall flavor, but needed more of a smoke and seasoning punch to take it to the top of the local ranks. That said, I could easily eat 1/2lb of the fatty and lean problem, and this was easily a top 4 or 5 brisket in Denver. Smoked for 9-12 hours between 225 and 260 degrees

Burnt Ends

Description: Not served here

Pork Spare Ribs 

0/10 Ranking: 8/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, onion powder

Description: Tender, but only at the minimum baseline for juiciness and moisture, as they could almost be considered dried out. Minimal seasoning on the ribs and not a ton of smoke flavor coming through either. 50/50 on whether I would order the ribs again. Said they smoke them for 4-6 hours

Pulled Pork

0/10 Ranking: 8/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, maybe cumin and others?

Description: Very juicy, maybe one of the juiciest in Colorado. Had a unique flavor with the seasoning, but not much for smoke coming through. A little overcooked, as the meat was on the verge of getting mushy. That said, really good with the smoky sauce and would order again with that

Sausage 

0/10 Ranking: 8 to 8.5/10

Description: Good blend of fat and meat with a nice internal texture and consistency. No sauce needed, and it can stand on its own. Not necessarily a distinctive flavor profile that comes out of it, but it does a great job of blending seasoning and meat for a balanced and tasty sausage

Sauces – Hot

0/10 Ranking: 8.5 to 9/10

Description: Smoky with a slight heat on the backend. Really good with the pulled pork

Sauces – Carolina

0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10

Description: Intense mustard and vinegar flavor coming through. Overpowering is the first word that comes to mind, so only need minimal for dipping

Interior & Menu Photos

Smokin’ Yards BBQ

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Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 8/10. Yes, worth a stop, but nothing over the top special about the place other than good burnt ends and pulled pork. Still need to try out their original location in Idaho Springs

Date Visited: 12/20/2020

Address: 900 W 1st Ave, Denver, CO 80223

Day of the Week: Thursday

Time of Day: 11:15 AM open at 11:00 AM

Owner: Father and sons team of Alan, Ian, Scott, and Andrew Yard

Website: https://www.smokinyards.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 2008 for original location in Idaho Springs, 2018 for this location

Number of People in Line: 0

Regional Style of BBQ: “High Elevation BBQ” with methods pulled from several regions

Total Cost: N/A

Type of Wood: White Oak and hickory for pulled pork

Type of Smoker: N/A

Type of Seasoning: Salt and pepper blend for brisket and then other blends for different meats

Best Dish: Burnt ends or pulled pork

Best Sauce: Tangy

Best Side: None ordered

Interior Description:

Pro Tip: Stick with the burnt ends and pulled pork, skip the ribs, and if sauce is needed, go with the tangy

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 7/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper only

Description: Bought at 11:15 AM, and it was already dry. Needs sauce to be good, with the tangy being better than the original sauce. Had a solid smoke ring, but the flavor didn’t pull through

Burnt Ends

0/10 Ranking: 8.5 to 9/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper only

Description: Maybe the top burnt ends in Colorado, but Owl Bear (R.I.P) had slightly better at the time. Good balance of meat and fat, with the salt and pepper rub being spot on. Very tasty, but it was ever so slightly dried out as the only knock on it. Very tasty smoke and pepper flavor running through it, and would order again, no question

St. Louis Style Pork Ribs 

0/10 Ranking: 7/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, and a few other spices that were lightly rubbed over the ribs

Description: Nothing special, as they were slightly chewy and did not melt off the bone by any means. Seasoning was okay, but not anything too intriguing

Baby Back Ribs  

0/10 Ranking: 7/10

Seasoning: Same as the St. Louis, it seemed, with salt, pepper, and a few other spices that were lightly rubbed over the ribs

Description: Barely a difference between this one and the St. Louis ribs. Both are pretty skippable

Pulled Pork

0/10 Ranking: 8 to 8.5/10

Seasoning: Unsure

Description: Some of the better pulled pork in Colorado, as it had some good smoke flavor running through it, and it was still juicy. Needs a bit more flavor overall, but still one of the better pulled porks out there

Interior & Menu Photos

Post Oak Barbecue

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Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 9/10 and Yes. Absolutely worth a stop, with almost every one of their meats being a top option for Colorado. May be the best spot in the state on any given day, as it will scratch the itch of anyone craving some Texas-style BBQ. Always one of my first recommendations for anyone asking where to go in Denver, as it’s never left me disappointed. That said, get there early, because this place always fills up fast

Date Visited: 3/5/2021 and 6/26/2021 for their anniversary party (with suckling pig)

Address: 4000 Tennyson St, Denver, CO 80212

Day of the Week: Friday for first visit and Saturday for second visit

Time of Day: 11:08 AM for first visit and 10:38 AM for second visit. They open at 11:00 AM

Owner: Nick Prince

Website: https://www.postoakdenver.com/

Number of Years in Business: June 26th, 2019

Number of People in Line: 7 people the first time and 5 people the second time

Regional Style of BBQ: Central Texas

Total Cost: $42 with tip. 1/4lb of brisket, 1/4lb burnt ends, 1/4lb pulled pork, 1 sausage, 1 spare rib, 1 Shiner Bock

Type of Wood: Post Oak and mesquite

Type of Smoker: Offset smoker and electric combination

Type of Seasoning: Salt, pepper, & garlic for brisket but additional blends for other meats

Best Dish: Brisket or burnt ends

Best Sauce: Texas

Best Side: Coleslaw

Interior Description: Modern upscale interior meets Texas BBQ joint with classic tin tiled ceilings, reclaimed wood walls, and refurbished wood floors, that has an elevated design with a high-end bar and whiskey wall directly across from the chopping boards. Fun and classic old-school BBQ vibes with a warm and pleasant staff who always seem to be having a good time

Pro Tip: Go on Fridays for the burnt ends and Saturdays for the beef ribs, as they are one of the few places in Colorado that does them

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, & garlic

Description: Smoked for 14 hours with Prime Angus cuts. They had a good 1/2 smoke ring around each piece and had a nice smoky and peppery flavor running through it. A very juicy and moist brisket, easily a top 3 in the state, and worth an order every visit

Burnt Ends

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, & garlic

Description: Only served on Fridays. The seasoning and smokiness make for a great flavor running through each piece. Juicy and mostly meaty, they add their own blend of Texas sauce and a few other ingredients to it before tossing them back in the smoker for another hour and a half to caramelize. Would order again

Pork Spare Ribs 

0/10 Ranking: 8.5 to 9/10

Seasoning: 8 different spices

Description: St. Louis cut heritage pork. Fall off the bone tender with good smoke and flavor running through the entire rib. This one sits behind Rollin’ Bones and Smok for best in Colorado, but it is a very close number 3

Pulled Pork

0/10 Ranking: 7/10

Description: While the pork was juicy, it had little smoke or seasoning coming through each bite. It was a good, but pretty middle-of-the-road pulled pork, and needed some sauce to improve it. Could be skipped for other meats or sides next time around

Jalapeno Cotija Sausage 

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Description: Made in-house with a balanced spice, meat, and fat blend to it. Had a good crunch to the casing with subtle smoke notes and a creamy texture running through each bite. The spice level with the jalapeno was right on point. Would order again

Sauces

Sides – Coleslaw

Sides – Mac & Cheese

Interior & Menu Photos

Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint

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Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 8 to 8.25/10 and Yes. Worth a visit if you’ve never been, as the BBQ was decent overall, although not spectacular, but the ambiance and the vibes make up for it. Ordered the redneck taco with pulled pork and the Big Brother Sampler on a local’s recommendation, and neither disappointed. Portions and sides were great for the price and will leave you full at the end of your meal. Worth stopping in if you’re nearby one, but lean more towards pork than beef options

Date Visited: 2/9/2023

Address: 3108 Belmont Blvd, Nashville, TN 37212

Day of the Week: Thursday

Time of Day: 11:15 AM opens at 11:00 AM

Owner: Pat Martin

Website: https://www.martinsbbqjoint.com/

Number of Years in Business: Since 2006, with multiple locations in multiple states

Number of People in Line: 3 in line, with 15 people already sitting down

Regional Style of BBQ: Tennessee

Total Cost: $51.91 plus tip

Type of Wood: Hickory

Type of Smoker: Coffin smoker, similar to Lockhart BBQ joints

Type of Seasoning: Salt, pepper, and several others

Best Dish: Ribs or redneck taco

Best Sauce: White sauce

Best Side: Mac & cheese

Interior Description: Old school BBQ style, with road signs, license plates, celebrity photos, and posters lining the walls. Light country music playing with a nice smoky smell hitting you as soon as you walk in

Pro Tip: Try the white sauce, as it’s not something you get everywhere, as well as order the redneck taco

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, and maybe others?

Description: Served fatty or lean, ended up ordering the fatty pieces. Light smoke and seasoning through the piece, but good flavor overall. Needs more bark and more smoke to come through, though. Good, but nothing special

Pork Spare Ribs 

0/10 Ranking: 8/10

Seasoning: Dry rub and wet rub options available

Description: Really good smoke flavor running through it, one of the smokiest I’ve ever had, but not overpowering. Fall off the bone tender, without being mushy and overcooked. Light seasoning for the wet rub, which needs more overall to take it to the next level. The dry rub had a little too much dusty seasoning on the top, and the rib was a little overcooked as well. While good, make sure you go with the wet option

Sauces – Jack’s Creek

0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10

Description: Classic west TN style, with a sweet vinegar & pepper sauce from their description on the bottle, which was accurate as described. Good heat blend and a very watery sauce, but good on the pulled pork and the brisket

Sauces – Alabama White

0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 8/10

Description: Creamy, with a cinnamon or nutmeg finish and just a smidge of pepper to it. Very unique flavor, but I think it would go best with a chicken dish

Interior & Menu Photos

LuLu’s BBQ

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 8/10 and Yes. Good spot for some BBQ while up in Louisville. The service and wait staff were extremely friendly, and the restaurant has a welcoming feel overall. The brisket was definitely the best meat ordered, with the ribs coming in second. Seeing as how there was about a foot of snow on the ground at the time I visited and around 25 degrees outside, would be interested in going back to see if warmer temperatures would lead to better BBQ flavoring and to check out the outdoor seating options. Overall, it’s worth a stop if you’re in the area and feeling like you want a taste of Texas. They are also planning a second location in Arvada for 2024, so will be trying the new location a little closer to home once it opens

Date Visited: 2/10/24

Address: 701 Main St, Louisville, CO 80027

Day of the Week: Saturday

Time of Day: 1:03 PM. Opens at 12:00

Owner: Kevin Herrington

Website: https://www.lulusbbq.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 2011

Number of People in Line: No line, but 30 people already sitting down when I got there

Regional Style of BBQ: Central Texas

Total Cost: $58.50 plus tip

Type of Wood: Post Oak

Type of Smoker: Off-set

Type of Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Best Dish: Brisket

Best Sauce: Original

Best Side: None ordered, but relish was 8.5/10

Interior Description: BBQ sheet metal sheds, road signs, and Texas stars cover the walls. Large outdoor seating options in the front and back as well. No music playing, so quiet vibe, with a faint smoke smell hanging in the air

Pro Tip: Go for the brisket and request burnt ends if possible

Brisket 

0/10 Ranking: 8.25 to 8.5/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Lean pieces for the half a pound, with 3/4 inch red ring on each piece. Good flavor overall, but needs more smoke and seasoning flavor to come through to take it to the next level. Moisture level is mostly on point, but just a little bit on the dry side. Would get again and was the best meat from today. A friend recommended that I order the burnt ends next time

Pork Spare Ribs  

0/10 Ranking: 8/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper with a little of the sweet and mild sauce added at the end

Description: Tender to the bite, with a heavy pepper flavoring coming through, but not much for smoke flavor. Cooked well, but flavor and smokiness are coming up a little short. Would try them again, though

Pulled Pork 

0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper, but minimal overall

Description: Juicy on its own, but the sauce makes it better. Not a ton of smoke flavor or seasoning, and somewhat bland for the overall taste. Sweet and mild sauce is a good addition, but no need to order this one again

Sausage 

0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10

Seasoning: Unknown

Description: Okay flavor with a little bit of spiciness to it, but nothing special. Casing had a good snap, but overall not blown away by the flavor or seasoning. Good fat-to-meat ratio, though. Not made in-house, as Old Style Sausage makes them down the street. Skip for the next time

Interior & Menu Photos

Louie Mueller Barbecue

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 9.25 to 9.5/10. Yes, absolutely worth the drive. Sitting on Main Street of Taylor, right from the start, it gives off a small-town Texas vibe. As soon as you step inside, you’re hit with the strong smell of smoke, and your eyes swallow in the impossibly blackened walls that have been naturally created after decades of barbecue having flowed through it. As you roll up to the counter to order, you can see Wayne in the back working diligently and moving around like a man 20 years his junior, still perfecting his art of barbecue and maintaining quality control all the way down to slicing the brisket. It was a true pleasure to see a 4th-generation pit master continuing on with his family’s traditions and legacy, and after sampling the beef rib, I have a feeling they would be proud of the way he is carrying the torch. Do yourself a favor and make your way over here to find one of the best beef ribs in Texas and one of the few Texas barbecue institutions still being served up by the owners

Date Visited: 1/29/2021

Address: 206 W 2nd St, Taylor, TX 76574

Day of the Week: Friday

Time of Day: 1:15PM. Open at 11:00 AM

Owner: Wayne Mueller (4th generation, still working the pits himself)

Website: https://www.louiemuellerbarbecue.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 1949 (72 years)

Number of People in Line: 6 people ahead of us

Regional Style of BBQ: Central Texas

Total Cost: $62 with tip for one large beef rib and two drinks

Type of Wood: Post Oak

Type of Smoker: Indirect-heat pit

Type of Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Best Dish: Beef Rib

Best Sauce: Original

Best Side: Didn’t order any, need review

Interior Description: Main area has what appear to be original wood floor boards that are slightly uneven, giving off the vibe that this place has been around as long as the town itself, with no major upgrades needed. In addition to the interior seating section, there is plenty of great outdoor seating on the patio as well

Pro Tip: Famous for their beef ribs for a reason

Beef Ribs 

0/10 Ranking: 9.25 to 9.5/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Melt in your mouth and fall off the bone tenderness. One rib was about 3lbs and was enough for 3 of us to eat. Had a solid seasoning and smoke flavor running throughout the rib, letting you know it’s there, without being too over the top. Adding a little bit of the original sauce makes for an interesting and tasty flavor combo, but I would say this rib is best eaten on its own, unadulterated by sauce

Sauces

0/10 Ranking: 8/10

Description: Soupy consistency with some onions in there as well. Had a strong tomato taste with a nice acidity to it, with good flavor overall. Not your typical barbecue sauce given how thin it is, but worth a try for its uniqueness

Interior & Menu Photos

Smitty’s Market

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 7.5/10 and a half-hearted yes. It’s worth a visit for the history, but not for the food. Similar to the rest of the Lockhart BBQ places I visited, the employees I encountered seemed upset to even be working, as I was met with eye rolls when I asked what was available for purchase that morning. Obviously, with me being from out of town, I had no idea that 90% of the smoked meats aren’t done until after 10:30 AM, as nothing was listed on their website to suggest otherwise. As such, I got there in the morning to get a jump start on my barbecue tour for the day, only to be greeted with slight discontent and annoyance by the staff for me arriving before the full offerings of meat were available. While walking past the pits and seeing the walls that are caked in black smoke from years of barbecuing is an absolute experience for any enthusiast, the food and the service left much to be desired, and I would say pop in for a photo and then get back to Austin for better options

Date Visited: 1/28/2021

Address: 208 S Commerce St, Lockhart, TX 78644

Day of the Week: Thursday

Time of Day: 8:45 AM, but only have sausage available until 10:30 AM. Opens at 7:00 AM

Owner: Nine Schmidt Sells (Daughter of Edgar “Smitty” Schmidt)

Website: http://smittysmarket.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 1948 (73 years)

Number of People in Line: 0

Regional Style of BBQ: Central Texas

Total Cost: $6.00 for a sausage, cash only

Type of Wood: Oak

Type of Smoker: Coffin. Indirect-heat brick pit

Type of Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Best Dish: Only had a sausage and was not impressed

Best Sauce: Need Review

Best Side: Need Review

Interior Description: Black caked walls from decades of smoking. They had large open seating sections inside right off of Main Street, which gives a throwback to the past feel to it. Authentic is probably the only word that gives it justice

Pro Tip: Bring cash to pay with as they don’t accept credit cards

Sausage 

0/10 Ranking: 6 to 6.5/10

Description: One of the greasiest sausages I have ever had. While the casing had a nice snap to it, as soon as I bit into it, a puddle of grease and loose meat began forming on my butcher paper. The flavor of the sausage was okay overall, but not enough to salvage a good review

Interior & Menu Photos

Rollin’ Bones BBQ

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 9/10 and Yes. If you see this food truck, do yourself a favor and walk over and order from them immediately. For a food truck slinging barbecue, you won’t find better in Colorado. They have the best ribs in the state, in my opinion, and they are one of the only places that make jerk chicken, which they marinate in a jerk sauce made by Tony-Mon at 1 & 1 Exotic Coffee & Spices. Not only do they make up some kickass food, the owner, Eric Holinger, is also a super nice and laid back guy who is always ready to talk barbecue and answer any questions you may have

Date Visited: 10/24/2020 & 2/18/2021

Address: 2775 Valmont Rd, Boulder, CO at the Rayback Collective. Also can be found at Cannonball Brewing depending on the weekend

Day of the Week: Saturday and Thursday

Time of Day: 3:30 PM and 12:00 PM. Typically open at 12:00 PM

Owner: Eric Holinger

Website: https://rollinbonesbbq.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 2016

Number of People in Line: 4 the first time and then 2 the second visit

Regional Style of BBQ: Mix of several styles

Total Cost: Reasonable prices

Type of Wood: Apple, cherry, mesquite, oak, and other fruitwoods

Type of Smoker: Offset custom-made smoker combo, with rotisserie wheel and a gas fired burn box attached (Eric is the 4th owner)

Type of Seasoning: Salt, pepper, paprika, and others

Best Dish: Spare ribs or jerk chicken

Best Sauce: Have not tried this yet, need further review

Best Side: Mac & cheese with the green chili sauce

Interior Description: Food truck, so wherever they roll up to

Pro Tip: House-made pickles and coleslaw are delicious, as well as having arguably the best ribs in the state. Order the jerk chicken every time it’s available

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 8 to 8.5/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, & a few other spices

Description: A good 1/4 inch of red ring on the brisket. What was most surprising was that even though I ordered at 3:30, the brisket was moist and still had a good bark to it. The fat and meat balance was on point and was a nice blend of the two in each bite. Tried the BBQ sauce with it, but doesn’t really add anything more to it. Good overall brisket, but Owl Bear, Smok, Post Oak, & Hank’s are all ahead of them

Burnt Ends

0/10 Ranking: 8 to 8.5/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, & a few other spices

Description: Nice blend of fat and meat with an enjoyable mild seasoning, but overall nothing too special to write home about. Eric said he separates the flat and the point, then chops it up, but doesn’t add anything extra to them, and doesn’t place them back in the smoker

Pork Spare Ribs 

0/10 Ranking: 9.5/10

Description: Fall off the bone tender and smoked to perfection. Great flavor running through them with almost a cinnamon flavor and warmth coming out in each bite. Zero sauce needed, and arguably the best ribs in Colorado

Pulled Pork

0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10

Description: Juicy with good overall taste, but nothing too unique as far as smoke or seasoning flavors coming through. That said, this is one of the juiciest pulled pork in the state, but needs more intense seasoning and smoke essence to put it as one of the best

Cheddar Chipotle Sausage 

0/10 Ranking: 8.5 to 9/10

Description: Smoky and delicious with a great meat-to-fat ratio. Had a unique taste running through it that I couldn’t quite place, but it was very enjoyable overall. A nice, taught casing with good snap, would recommend ordering again

Jerk Chicken

0/10 Ranking: 9.5/10

Seasoning: Gets his from Tony-Mon at 1 & 1 Exotic Coffees and Spices. He visits his family in Jamaica several times a year and brings back fresh ingredients to make his jerk sauce and marinade

Description: Literally the best jerk chicken I’ve had outside of Jamaica. While I am a sucker for jerk sauce, I almost always end up leaving disappointed when ordering it, as no restaurant or BBQ joint has quite come close to my memory of authentic jerk chicken flavors. As such, when I took my first bite, I was instantly transported back to Negril and the roadside shanty that produced the best chicken I’ve eaten in my life. While the memory may be stronger than the reality these days regarding the jerk taste, this was the closest I’ve ever gotten to reclaiming that euphoric taste experience that I had during my youth. Do yourself a favor and order this every time it is available, and be prepared to go back for seconds, which I inevitably always end up doing

Sides – Coleslaw

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Description: Uses no mayo for this and is instead a vinegar-based sauce. A very enjoyable, crunchy, and light option to accompany the meat, without the typical guilt that comes with your normal mayo-based slaw

Interior & Menu Photos

Smok Barbecue

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 9/10. Yes it is worth the visit. Great barbecue, reasonable prices, and good, cheap beer options make it so you can’t go wrong coming here. While it feels weird saying, due to Smok being located in The Source and the slightly bougie atmosphere of the area, this may be the best overall barbecue joint in all of Colorado, even if it is missing the classic BBQ vibe. No matter what style of barbecue is your favorite, you’ll be able to find a solid option when you venture into Smok with your group or just by yourself

1st Visit
2nd Visit

Date Visited: 3/1/2021 and 3/18/2021

Address: 3330 Brighton Blvd #202, Denver, CO 80216

Day of the Week: Monday and Thursday

Time of Day: 11:00 AM both times. Opens at 11:00AM

Owner: William “Bill” Espiricueta

Website: https://www.denversmok.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in August 2018

Number of People in Line: 0 both times, but people starting coming in within the first 5 minutes

Regional Style of BBQ: Owner is originally from Kansas City, but takes his inspiration from several bbq styles

Total Cost: $42 with tip. 1/4lb brisket, 1/4lb burnt ends, 1/4lb smoked turkey, 1/2lb pork spare ribs (2 of them), & mac & cheese. Also had 1 Shiner Bock and was given 1/4lb pulled pork for free as they originally forgot to bring it out to me

Type of Wood: White American Oak

Type of Smoker: Steel Box upright smoker with off-set smoke connector

Type of Seasoning: Salt, pepper, and a custom blend of seasonings for everything that isn’t the brisket or burnt ends

Best Dish: Brisket

Best Sauce: Original (It’s the only one they make)

Best Side: Mac & Cheese

Interior Description: Inside The Source, so it has an industrial concrete feel and vibe to it. With the upscale location and feel to Smok, it’s a welcome surprise to see the meat and beer prices not reflect the environment

Pro Tip: Don’t sleep on the turkey, but brisket is king here.

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Seasoning: Salt and pepper

Description: Smoky with good pepper flavoring running through it. I chose the lean option, and even still, it had a perfect fat ring enclosing almost the entire piece. With a great blend of meat and fat in each bite, this may be the top brisket in Colorado. Zero sauce needed for enjoyment, each piece had a solid smoke ring running through it

Burnt Ends

0/10 Ranking: 8.75 to 9/10

Seasoning: Salt and pepper

Description: Good smoke and pepper flavor coming through, but they were slightly overdone. That said, they were extremely tasty and might have the most complex and deep-flavored burnt ends in Colorado. Would order them again, no question. For my second visit ordering them, I would say they were just as good as the 1st round, but the pieces were too big overall, leading them to being a little under seasoned. While they are a top 5 burnt end in the state, they need some more consistency before they take the number 1 spot

Pork Spare Ribs 

0/10 Ranking: 8.75 to 9/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, and bbq rub

Description: Juicy with a good blend of fat and meat in each rib. While they were slightly overcooked and not fall-off-the-bone tender, they had great flavor and smokiness that carried through each bite. Would put them in the top 5 for ribs in the state

Pulled Pork

0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, and a bbq in-house blend

Description: Juicy with some bark, and a mild taste of smoke coming through each bite. Seems to be sprinkled with some seasoning post-smoke session, but could use some more to increase the taste. While the pulled pork can be enjoyed by itself, it’s best with a little bit of their BBQ sauce. It was also delicious when I reheated it for lunch the following day

Cheddar Sausage 

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Description: Good blend of meat and fat, with the most cheese running through it of any sausage I’ve had. Good backend smoke flavor as well, with a slight kick of heat. Almost had an andouille sausage type flavoring to it

Turkey

0/10 Ranking: 8.75 to 9/10

Seasoning: Salt, pepper, and in-house blend of spices

Description: Solid flavor and smoke come through the entire piece of turkey. The skin had an extra kick of flavor to it, and the meat was juicy, but just ever so slightly overdone. Would recommend though as a nice change up to the more traditional BBQ items, especially as most places don’t have turkey on their menu

Sauces – Original

0/10 Ranking: 8.75 to 9/10

Description: Sweet and tangy with some slight smokiness to it. Had a thicker viscosity than most sauces and one of the better ones I’ve had anywhere

Sides – Mac & Cheese

0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10

Description: White cheddar and black pepper style. Creamy texture with a spiral pasta that was cooked perfectly al dente, and had a good coating of pepper. Would order again

Sides – Creamed Corn

0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10

Description: Creamy sauce with crisp corn kernels, with a nice sprinkling of seasoning on top. Very enjoyable and flavorful dish, and would order again

Sides – Baked Beans

0/10 Ranking: 9/10

Description: Black and kidney bean combo with onions, peppers, and pulled pork in it. Smoky essence with a good creamy texture, would recommend

Interior & Menu Photos

Kreuz Market

/ Mitch Clark / Leave a comment

Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 7 to 7.25/10. A hesitant yes, but only for the history connection, as they began back in 1900, and for their unique coffin smokers. This was easily the largest barbecue restaurant I’ve ever been to in terms of square footage and seating options, as the place was absolutely massive with multiple seating areas inside. Similar to Black’s Barbecue down the street, they seem to have gotten complacent on their previous successes of the past for far too long and are no longer dishing out the best of the best in smoked meats. While the coffin smokers are a really cool sight to see, and the place smells fantastic with a pleasant smoke smell being emitted throughout the entire building, it fails to deliver much of anything other than a low price and traditional aesthetics. Beyond coming in to check out the pits for a quick picture, there really isn’t a need to come here, as the food falls far short of others in Texas

Date Visited: 1/28/2021

Address: 619 N Colorado St, Lockhart, TX 78644

Day of the Week: Thursday

Time of Day: 10:30 AM. Open at 10:30 AM

Owner: Keith Schmidt, 5th generation owner (Grandson of Edgar” Smitty” Schmidt and son of Rick Schmidt)

Website: https://www.kreuzmarket.com/

Number of Years in Business: Opened in 1900 (121 years)

Number of People in Line: 2 people in front of me and 4 came in behind me after about 10 minutes

Regional Style of BBQ: Central Texas

Total Cost: $22. Brisket, burnt ends, spare ribs, sausage, coleslaw, & Shiner Bock

Type of Wood: Post Oak

Type of Smoker: Coffin Smoker. Indirect-heat brick pit

Type of Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Best Dish: Burnt ends

Best Sauce: Didn’t have any, need further review

Best Side: Sauerkraut

Interior Description: Massive country store. Room for hundreds of people with two different eating areas. Really cool experience to see due to the sheer size, with vaulted ceilings and a great smoke smell running through the whole place

Pro Tip: Bring silverware as they only serve the food on butcher paper with no utensils offered. It might be a good place for a family with the large space and cheap food options

Brisket

0/10 Ranking: 7.5/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Served as fatty or shoulder clod. Both were good, but nothing special, as they have minimal seasoning and opt to lean more on the smoke flavoring as the main taste, similar to Black’s Barbecue

Burnt Ends

0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10

Seasoning: Salt & pepper

Description: Melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, with strong smoke and minimal seasoning flavors coming through each bite. They were very fatty burnt ends, and I found I could only eat maybe two of the pieces due to their richness and them being slightly too salty

Pork Spare Ribs 

0/10 Ranking: 6.5/10

Description: The rib was chewy and had minimal meat on the bone, with a not great flavor overall. Would not order this again

Sausage 

0/10 Ranking: 6.5/10

Description: Casing had a nice snap to it. This sausage was nowhere near as greasy as Smitty’s was. That said, I could handle one bite as this was the fattiest blended, and most over-seasoned sausages I’ve ever had. The internal meat blend also had a very loose hold to it, which led it to crumble apart rather easily compared to other sausages. Wouldn’t recommend this one

Sides – Sauerkraut

0/10 Ranking: 7/10

Description: This one reminded me of my Grandma Jill’s version of kraut, which had a 50/50 rate of actually being good. This one had an okay flavor, but I couldn’t fully decide on if I actually liked it or not

Interior & Menu Photos