Hot BBQ Joints in Hill Country

Except where stated, our reviews are based on typical Texas barbecued brisket, before the sauce touches it.

1. Kreuz Market, 208 Commerce St., Lockhart; telephone (512) 398-2361. No frills; plenty of RV parking in the large dirt lot behind the market. Order the brisket or beef shoulder roast.

2. Louie Mueller, 206 W. 2nd St., Taylor; tel. (512) 352-6206. Has been regarded for many years as one of the greatest. Order brisket and get Mueller’s intensely flavored sauce on the side.

3. Southside Market and Bar-B-Q, 1212 Highway 290, Elgin; tel. (512) 285-3407. The sausages, called Elgin hot guts and served with cellophane-wrapped saltines, are fantastic.

4. City Market, 633 Davis, Luling; tel. (830) 875-9019. Looks gentrified from the outside but inside has the genuine smoky aroma that distinguishes a good barbecue place.

5. Dozier’s Grocery and Market, 8222 FM 359, Fulshear; tel. (281) 346-1411. An out-of-the-way discovery with terrific pecan-smoked brisket and sausages and a hearty barbecue sauce.

6. Bob’s Smokehouse, 3306 Roland Ave., San Antonio; tel. (210) 333-9338. Covered with various slogans from Bob but no large sign to identify the building. On the particular Sunday we dropped by, everybody was getting barbecue to go with double sauce on the side.

7. Cooper’s, 604 W. Young, Llano; tel. (915) 247-5713. Brisket, sausages, chuck and club steak with mesquite and on weekends, adds ribs, cabrito (kid goat) and pork chops.

8. The Salt Lick, FM 1826, Driftwood; tel. (512) 858-4959. Serves brisket, chicken and sausage at long wooden tables.

9. Hinze’s Barbecue and Catering, Highway 36 south, Sealy; tel. (409) 885-7808. This is a spotlessly clean eat-in or take-out with good pecan-smoked barbecued brisket.

10. Black’s Barbecue, 215 N. Main, Lockhart; tel. (512) 398-2712. Serves excellent smoked pork loin and good sausages.