Walker's Southern Style BBQ (New Orleans, La)

To contact us Click HERE
I really wanted to like this place. I really really did. But I did not.

The ribs had a great taste, an ok texture (despite the fact that they left the membrane on), and yet they SMELLED awful.

They ran out out of the brisket so maybe I'm not being fair. However, I'm just going off what I was served.

Not much left to say. The women that ran it were really sweet and there wasn't an ounce of that presumptuous attitude that lurks many New Orleans establishments.








Walker's BBQ will be receiving a 2 out of 5 stars.


p.s. I'd like to say that maybe I'll try it again someday but I'd rather smoke my own BBQ than give second chances. I will also put a disclaimer up, Walkers is known for their couchon du lait po boys. I didn't get it because this is not a po boy blog.

Thelma's BBQ (Houston, Tx)

To contact us Click HERE
Really?

This place came under the recommendation of a BBQ Documentary I watched called "Barbecue: A Texas Love Story". I took this recommendation in good faith because it was a great documentary. I'm going to have to rethink my product review on that documentary now. Thelma's BBQ was also voted in Texas Monthly's Top 50 BBQ in Texas. I'm also going to have to rethink my feelings on Texas Monthly magazine. Thelma's BBQ is also a BBQ staple in Houston. Again, I will be questioning the character of Houston and their BBQ from this day forward.

Thelma's was horrible. The sauce was a diabetic nightmare which tasted like Sweet and Sour Sauce from a Chinese restaurant. They just dump the sauce right on it. Imagine a red soup and you have to fish bbq out of. That my friends was my experience at Thelma's BBQ. There was more sauce than meat (and there was plenty of meat mind you).I'm a no sauce/no bullshit kind of guy when it comes to bbq. I like to taste the meat, texture, and enjoy the moistness of a good rib/brisket. I read a sign that said "Sauce on Side - $2". Yea...F* That.

Atmosphere was horrible. Granted it's in the middle of the hood, but I don't like watching talk shows and listening to AC window units in the background while I try to enjoy my food.

My advice. Skip the BBQ at Thelmas and go down the block to Frenchies which is closer to U of H...it's like a home cooked menu from Popeye's.




Also, I stepped in horse shit on the way out. That's never helped anyone.

Thelma's will be receiving a 2 out of 5 stars.

12 Mile Limit - Shortall's BBQ (New Orleans, La)

To contact us Click HERE
This place is a bit confusing. No, it's not a haunted house. It's not a BBQ establishment. What it is is a really awesome bar located in Mid-City. They have really great cocktails, beer, cupcakes, and some BBQ...!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Once upon a night I decided to fight through my daily dose of crackheads to get over to Mid-MID-City and try some BBQ over there. I was told that the Pitmaster hails from Texas and smokes on a webber grill...I've never seen or heard of that, so I reserved the right to make a judgment on that information. It was nice to see fellow Texans pop into the joint such as Rex Gregory and Mike Girardo. But native Texan's within proximity of BBQ will not help out a score on this blog. Shortall's is the last name of the Pitmaster. That is how BBQ (or any product) should be. Putting your name on your product. A lot of people put out shitty products knowingly and hide behind the product under another name cowardly. Who want's to put their name on something shitty? Taking pride in one's work is a lost art in America. So I respect that. When I open my BBQ business it will bore the Westfall Logo. Shortall is a man without an ounce of Bullshit in his body...a True Texan.


Sides
Mac and Cheese - Honestly, I've made kraft in a microwave that tasted better.
Cole Slaw - Perfection (and I'm not a fan of coleslaw)
Potato Salad - Pretty Good (but not house, so you can't hold that against him)


and now the Brisket...
The brisket was a little dry with a microwaved texture and fell apart in little tiny pieces. But, the bartender told me he microwaved it.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches.
Look, Cattle is King. Pork is for the children in Carolina. But I've made exceptions to that rule. Some "people" (The "Yankee" Southerners in The Carolinas) put coleslaw on their pulled pork sandwiches. I've had that a few times and was unimpressed. Call me a Muggle but I've always thought that was pretty stupid. But, I decided to push my pride to the side and eat the pork sandwich with the coleslaw on it anyway. Low and behold, it was one of the better pulled pork sandwiches I've had in my day.

Look yall, I've had god awful BBQ in New Orleans and this doesn't deserve to be ranked among them. However, I don't think this ranks among the top tier in Central Texas. New Orleans is lucky to have a place like this.

12 Mile Limit/Shortall's BBQ will be receiving a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Leatha's (Hattiesburg, Ms)

To contact us Click HERE
o·ver·hype
tr.v. o·ver·hyped, o·ver·hyp·ing, o·ver·hypes Slang
To promote or publicize to excess: People grossly overhyped Leatha's BBQ.

I gave this place a second chance due to it's hype. Both times I have been let down. I don't get it, I just don't get it.

The food is fall off the bone greasy and flavorless with a sauce so sweet that the only thing you'll be getting early for Christmas is diabetes. Don't let the pictures of celebrities on the wall fool you.


If you're in Hattiesburg and want BBQ...make it to Tango's at The Shell Station...




I don't care who likes Leatha's BBQ, that place is no good. I'll stand by that till the day I die.








Leatha's BBQ will be receiving a 1.5 out of 5 stars.

Conger's Smoke Shack - San Antonio, Tx

To contact us Click HERE
My experiences with San Antonio's BBQ Trail has been short but all so sweet. The Pitmaster at The Smoke Shack said he smokes with Pecan and Oak, and throws an onion in the smoker. I couldn't tell if he was figuratively feeding me a rack of bullshit...(aka: NY style BBQ). It got me thinking that maybe onions in the smoker might work...or maybe he is just playing a cruel joke on me.





Lets Talk Ribs...

These Ribs tasted 95% damn near identical to my ribs. I can even taste the same little secrets that I use in my ribs. These aren't your fall off the bone but instead your perfect PEEL off the bone rib. These ribs are a little more moist than mine but that's because he doesn't peel off the membrane on the bottom before he smokes them. Personally, I don't like eating the silver skin but I don't expect him to peel the membrane off when you are turning over 100 racks a day. Below is a visual...Overall 5 out of 5
Smoke Shack Ribs




Let's talk Brisket. This gets a solid B+. Nothing fancy...at the same time, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
Smoke Shack Brisket

Lets discuss Pulled Pork. I give the Pulled Pork a solid B- . There was nothing spectacular about this as well. I'm not one to dip my BBQ in sauce like a Baptist eating french fries with ketchup at McDonalds, but their Dijon/Vinagar sauce was out of this world. That right there made the Pulled Pork worth every bite and if I was judging the taste of meat on the sauce it would get a solid A+. If they bottled it I'd drink a cup of that for breakfast.



I'm a big fan of food trucks and that is what you'll get with Smoke Shack. Between this place and The Big Bib, San Antonio is in good hands.



The Smoke Shack will be receiving a generous score of 4 out of 5 stars.

Mr. G's BBQ

To contact us Click HERE

CORPUS CHRISTI: Mr. G's BBQ
4701 Ih 37 
Corpus Christi, TX 78408
361-882-1880
Open Tues-Sat 11-9

Mr. G's is a newer place in town. On a Tuesday morning just after opening they already had a few full tables at a few minutes after eleven, but we were taking ours to go. Dressed in a shirt and tie, Jesse took our order in the front. He was waiter at the legendary Joe Cotten’s down the road in Robstown for forty years before it burnt to the ground in 2011. Jesse had planned to retire after the fire, but sitting at home he figured he would die sooner if he wasn’t working, so he gathered up some of the staff from Joe Cotten’s and they opened this joint. Carlos came along and brought the Joe Cotten's sausage recipe with him.


No word on where the pitmaster is now, but they’re using the same mesquite wood on an all-wood fired smoker. The brisket had taken up some of that smoke but was a good two hours or more shy of being done. Ribs were decent with a rub too heavy on the powdery ingredients. The meat was tender and well-cooked and the smoke level was pleasing. All of this paled in comparison to the excellent link of sausage. Juice shot out of the link as I took a big bite out of the tip. The casing was taut with a juicy filling that wasn’t too fatty. The meat mix was heavy on the pork (if not all pork) a great seasoning mix, heavy on the cracked black pepper. With sausage this good and the fact that they’re carrying on a bit of the Joe Cotten tradition makes this place worth a visit.

Rating **

Cattleman’s Steakhouse

To contact us Click HERE

FABENS: Cattleman's Steakhouse
3450 S Fabens Carlsbad Rd.
Fabens, TX 79838
915-544-3200
Open M-F 5-10, Sat 12:30-10, Sun 12:30-9
www.cattlemanssteakhouse.com

The sun was just setting as we made our way along the secluded road that leads away from the interstate and into the desert. I knew that Cattleman's Steakhouse was out this way from the online maps and the billboards, but my uncertainty still grew the longer we drove. Finally, we saw a cluster of buildings up ahead. Just driving up and around the grounds to get to the parking lot seemed like an adventure. Once inside this palace of meat, you quickly realize just how enormous it is. Just to get to the host’s stand it seems like you must pass a hundred or so folks waiting patiently for a table. Even with the crowds, the three of us were quickly seated in a table oddly placed within a three-quarter circle in a far corner of the dining room. Given the shape of the area and our elementary knowledge of acoustics, we weren’t sure if our conversations could be heard on the other end of the room, but we did know that we had our own light switch.

While Cattleman’s functions mainly as a steakhouse, there are a few well known options for mesquite smoked meats on the menu with beef ribs being the most popular. A large combo plate of beef ribs and sliced brisket was available as were BBQ beef cubes. Large beef back ribs needed more time on the smoker for any hope at getting tender, and thick bland slices of brisket were dry as a board. Not even a dip into the ketchup-like sauce could save them. I was beginning to think this adventure would be fruitless.


Then I took a bite from the tiny metal pail that held the house beans. These ranch beans were bathed in a thick, rich broth that was both smoky and spicy. I know they were just beans, but man were they good.


When I questioned the waiter about the beef cubes and how they differed from the sliced brisket, he said there was no difference other than where the beef was cut from the brisket. The beef cubes were cut from the edges of the fatty end. They weren't sauced or smoked to make burnt ends, but were just simple chunks of smoked beef brisket. They didn't taste at all like the sad and dry brisket slices. The smoky and crusty bits of lusciously fatty beef went down with ease even after a full day of eating, and in true West Texas style, simple roasted chiles came alongside to round out the meal.


On our visit I was hard pressed to find a table with barbecue on it other than ours. This is a steakhouse that I visited based on the reputation of their beef ribs, but it was the beans and the brisket ends that left an impression.

Rating **