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Read for the best barbecue restaurants in San Antonio that can effortlessly satisfy even the biggest appetite for BBQ.
It’s an obvious truth that San Antonio locals are passionate about BBQ foods. According to Clever, the vibrant city has just claimed the crown of the best BBQ city in the country, beating out such formidable opponents as Memphis or Kansas City.
San Antonio is home to all things BBQ, from juicy brisket, chicken, ribs, lambs, housemade sausage, and anything in between. There’s something for everyone here!
12 Best BBQ Destinations In San Antonio, TX For Stellar Smoked Meats
San Antonio locals take BBQ seriously. Besides the traditional BBQ meat like pork, pitmasters here also relish handling tougher-to-cook cuts like brisket.
This Alamo city serves one of the best briskets and some other smoked meats in Texas. Without further ado, these are the best spots to visit for BBQ right now in San Antonio!
1. 2M Smokehouse
Founded by the San Antonio-native pitmaster Isaul Ramos, 2M Smokehouse is arguably one of the most popular BBQ destinations in San Antonio.
Food critics and diners love their juicy briskets, pork ribs, and unforgettable side dishes. That makes 2M Smokehouse among the top-rated restaurants in San Antonio (TX) for BBQ fix.
Their house-made sausages are also stellar. So, don’t forget to add pork link, studded with spicy Serranos peppers and Oaxaca cheese. Wrap up your meal with Grecia Ramos’s irresistible desserts, such as cheesecakes and tarts.
Stop by on the first Sunday of every month when you can indulge in their famous barbacoa (Mexican-style slow-cooked meats). Yet, be prepared as there’s always a long line coming for their barbacoa like you.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ, Smokehouse
Location: 2731 S WW White Rd, San Antonio, TX 78222
Website: https://2msmokehouse.com/
Phone: 210-885-9352
Order Online: or contact the restaurant by phone to order
Table Reservation: (for private parties)
2M Smokehouse stands out with Mexican flavors – a nod to the pitmaster’s heritage.
2. The Big Bib BBQ – Austin Highway
What started at a car wash on the neighborhood’s East side has become a big BBQ brand with multiple locations. The Austin Highway outpost is located in North Hills Shopping Center, allowing you to enjoy savory wood-smoked meats after your long shopping hauFinl.
The Big Bib is known as a good example of Texas-style BBQ. This barbeque joint showcases juicy, mouth-watering baby back ribs, prime brisket, and rib tips. There are several plates on offer that come with two delicious sides.
You can choose sweet potato casserole, pinto beans, green beans, potato salads, or baked potato casserole for your sides. The sweet potato casserole, with its crunchy sugar topping, can also double as a dessert.
Yet, don’t sleep on their savory catfish filet! The fish size is quite reasonable, despite the steep price. Plus, the catfish will be fried to order, so it’s always piping hot when arriving on your plate.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ
Location: 104 Lanark Dr, San Antonio, TX 78218
Website: https://www.thebigbib.com/
Phone: 210-654-8400
Order Online:
Table Reservation: (Not available)
3. Curry Boys BBQ
Curry Boys BBQ is a bit off the beaten track of Texas-style BBQ, but it’s still a substantial success. The owners combine the smoked meats and turmeric-heavy yellow curry to create their signature Curry Boys BBQ.
Some of the recommendations of this joint include Brisket Smoke Show, The Missing Link, and Good Luck Cluck.
The first one is an absolute stunner to me. It’s a warm bowl of oak smoked prime brisket with delicious green curry served over Jasmine rice. Yet, the other five bowls are also impressive.
Also, save room for dessert! Their flan solo, covered in cold brew and topped with whipped cream, is among the best flans I’ve ever had. Curry Boys BBQ opens from Wednesday to Sunday, from 11 A.M until sellout.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ, Southeast Asian
Location: 536 E Courtland Pl, San Antonio, TX 78212, Hoa Kỳ
Website: http://curryboysbbq.com/
Phone: 210-320-0555
Order Online:
Table Reservation (Not available)
4. South BBQ & Kitchen
Enjoy prime Angus brisket, chicken leg quarters, and pulled pork shoulder smoked to perfection in this laid-back restaurant. Yet, for a true BBQ feast, you may want to include some ribs and sausage on the table.
The restaurant also excels at making tacos. While there are only two versions, you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose. My favorite is the chopped brisket served on flour tortillas with jalapeno tomatillo salsa and guacamole.
Until now, South BBQ & Kitchen is still one of the best restaurants in San Antonio with a BYOB policy. So, you may want to bring your favorite drink and settle on their patio to enjoy some good barbecue meals.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ, Southern
Location: 2011 Mission Rd, San Antonio, TX 78214
Website: http://www.southbbqkitchen.com/
Phone: 210-437-0070
Order Online: or contact the restaurant by phone to order
Table Reservation (Not available)
5. Smoke Shack BBQ
You can find Smoke Shack BBQ across the Witte museum and Brackenridge Park on Broadway. Smoke Shack started with a promising food truck and now turned into a locals’ favorite BBQ spot.
Their proteins include pulled pork, brisket, sausage, turkey, ribs, and chicken. Brisket, hands down, is the spotlight of this restaurant. It is equally amazing when slipped into sandwiches, topped on the Frito Pie, or sitting atop the classic mac and cheese.
Besides, my favorite is the brisket grilled cheese, which is irresistibly ooey-gooey and comes with more meat than cheese. The dish is a bit elusive on the menu, though (you can find it at the bottom of the sandwich part).
Are you coming with your crew? Scan to the Shack Packs section, where you can get a mix of meats and sides to feed a group of up to 30 people. This way, everyone can enjoy a yummy bit of everything.
Since diners usually crowd the restaurant on weekends, online orders are unavailable between 6-8 P.M.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ, Southern, American
Location: 3714 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209
Website: http://www.smokeshacksa.com/
Phone: 210-957-1430
Order Online:
Table Reservation (Not available)
Here’s a brief look at the Smoke Shack BBQ + Southern Kitchen and their BBQ brisket grilled cheese.
6. Barbecue Station
Located in the former filling station, the Barbecue station is now fuelling its patrons with finger-licking smoked meats. The price here is unbeatable, especially when looking at the portion as well as the quality of the BBQ.
Barbecue Station has been a neighborhood’s favorite for decades, and their accumulated expertise shows in the food.
Their baby back ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, the prime brisket is juicy and tender, and their sides are also memorable. Their smoked chicken, which has crispy skin and tender meat, is also amazing. Yet, you’ll need to stop by early for it.
The restaurant makes its sides from scratch every day. The choices span pinto beans, potato salad, and coleslaw to creamed corn and jalapeno mac and cheese.
Their Filler Up Tartor is the best bang for the bucks. The dish is a big baked potato stuffed with three types of BBQ meats and other savory fillings.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ, Comfort Food
Location: 1610 NE Interstate 410 Loop, San Antonio, TX 78209
Website: http://www.barbecuestation.com/
Phone: 210-824-9191
Order Online:
Table Reservation: (private parties)
7. Old Smokehouse
Old Smokehouse has been in the BBQ business since 1982. For those years, the restaurant’s old brick pit has relentlessly churned out perfect brisket, pork rib, lamb rib, chicken, and more.
Plus, the restaurant is confident in their meat’s quality and assures that they smoke their meat 100% with mesquite wood. It is not only the hottest burning wood but also infuses a strong and earthy flavor to dark and red meat.
Old Smokehouse is among a few spots in San Antonio that have smoked lamb ribs. In addition, they also offer custom smoke on the menu. You can bring your meat, and the restaurant will smoke for you.
Old Smokehouse also opens for lunch, from 11 am to 2:30 pm, when you can get savory sandwiches studded with their perfectly smoked meats. Side options for lunch include cole slaw, potato salad, and beans.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ, Smokehouse
Location: 5145 Fredericksburg Rd, San Antonio, TX 78229
Website: http://oldsmokehouse.net/
Phone: 210-340-5039
Order Online:
Table Reservation: (Not available)
8. B & B Smokehouse
B & B Smokehouse is perhaps the oldest BBQ joint in town. The restaurant made its debut in 1984 as Hal’s Drive-In and Bar-B-Que. Since then, B & B smokehouse has faithfully served great BBQ with generations of owners.
The restaurant is open both for lunch and dinner. The wide-ranging menu offers diners many things from smoked meats, Po’s Boy, burgers, and tacos to sides and salad. Ranch Hand Plate, which comes with two types of chosen meats, and two sides, are the most popular.
In addition, there are seven sides to pair with your main dishes. Here are my top 3 favorites: potato salad – the top pick, pinto beans – the first runner-up – and green beans – the second runner.
Don’t forget to order yourself a cold brew. The restaurant offers a wide selection of brews on tap, both from local and national sources.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ, Smokehouse
Location: 2619 Pleasanton Rd, San Antonio, TX 78221
Website: http://bbsmokehouse.com/
Phone: 210-921-2745
Order Online; or contact the restaurant by phone to order
Table Reservation: (Not available)
9. Augie’s Barbeque
Within a short distance from Travis park, Augie’s Alamo City BBQ Steakhouse has an ample dining space in a hill country setting. This best restaurant chain with amazing BBQ dishes has been in service for 20 years. It only uses oak and mesquite woods for smoking its meats.
The owner has mastered the Texas BBQ to serve delicious classics like succulent pulled pork, brisket, chicken, and sausage. Better still, there’s more on the menu besides the BBQ. Their burgers, sandwiches, and Augie doggies are also incredible.
Augie’s has two locations in the city: Augie’s Alamo City BBQ Steakhouse and Augie’s Barbed Wire Smoke House. So, check out the closer spot.
Their bar has a long list of draft brews you can choose from. For “al fresco” (outdoor) dining lovers, either of the locations offers outdoor seating for you.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ, American, Southwestern
Website: http://augiesbbq.com/
Location (Augie’s Alamo City BBQ Steakhouse): 909 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78215
Phone (Augie’s Alamo City BBQ Steakhouse): 210-314-3596
Location (Augie’s Barbed Wire Smokehouse): 3709 N St Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX 78212
Phone (Augie’s Barbed Wire Smokehouse): 210-735-0088
Order Online: (Augie’s Alamo City BBQ Steakhouse).
Order Online: (Augie’s Barbed Wire Smokehouse).
Table Reservation: (Not available)
10. Pinkerton’s Barbecue
When you arrive at this farmhouse-style restaurant, you’ll see a long line of eager diners and instantly smell the smoke. Most diners come for their glazed pork ribs, snappy jalapeno-cheese sausage, and succulent brisket.
For the sides, red cabbage slaw or mustard potato salad would nicely complement your meats. Duck and sausage jambalaya is also worth a try. But don’t leave the party until you try their decadent bread pudding.
Pinkerton’s Barbecue also has a dedicated bar. They boast one of the neighborhood’s most impressive bourbons and whiskey collections. With good drinks and perfectly smoked meats, you don’t want to leave this place until your belly is heavily stuffed.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ
Location: 107 W Houston St, San Antonio, TX 78205
Website: https://pinkertonsbarbecue.com/
Phone: 210-983-0088
Order Online: (Not available).
Table Reservation: (Not available).
11. 225° Urban Smoke
Regarding smoking meats, 225 is a temperature at which magic happens. It yields juicy, tender, and effortlessly pull-apart meat. That’s why this chef-driven restaurant gets the number in its name.
Their brisket is smoked to perfection for 8-12 hours in a pecan and oak mixture. While oak mainly provides the heat, pecan gives the protein a kiss of sweet smokiness.
Led by chef Daniel Jimenez and Chef Samuel Ransom Jr., 225° Urban Smoke has more to offer than usual BBQ fare.
Besides pulled pork, spare ribs, brisket, and sausage, there are also several Cajun specials, from Southern-style catfish and blackened fish tacos to catfish Opelousas (blackened catfish topped with dirty rice).
The menu includes many starters, sides, and salads for a complete meal. Their signature sandwiches – 225° monster grilled cheese – are also a must-try.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ, Cajun/Creole
Location: 1015 Rittiman Rd #113, San Antonio, TX 78218
Website: http://www.225urbansmoketx.com/
Phone: 210-444-9956
Order Online:
Table Reservation: (Not available)
Let’s take a look at how juicy the brisket at 225° Urban Smoke is before visiting the restaurant.
12. Smoke BBQ+SKYBAR
Smoke BBQ+SKYBAR stands out in the Texas BBQ scene with its appealing dining space. It offers a unique experience with great Texas BBQ foods, live music, and sizzling margaritas. Bonus: the restaurant is also kid- and pet-friendly.
The menu of Smoke BBQ+SKYBAR is quite diverse. I highly recommend their Best Dam Brisket Tacos, tortillas topped with brisket, guacamole, salsa verde, and other fillings.
If you join your crew, the Skybar feast, with three types of proteins, charro beans, potato salads, and creamed corn, is an ideal choice. According to many diners, the price is reasonable, especially considering their fantastic space, rocking music, and quality BBQ.
Price Range: $$
Food Styles: BBQ
Location: 501 E Crockett St, San Antonio, TX 78202
Website: https://smokedowntown.com/
Phone: 210-253-9919
Order Online:
Table Reservation (Not available)
These Are The Best Spots For Your BBQ Fix!
Are you an out-of-towner who is an enthusiast of BBQ foods? Or self-professed diehard for Texas-style smoked meats? Either case, you’ll feel satisfied when diving into the world of San Antonio BBQ.
Feel free to tell other readers and me about your visit to any of these BBQ joints. What is the best part you love about it? Their briskets, ribs, pork, or their sides? And don’t hesitate to share any BBQ destination I failed to mention in this article. Thanks for reading!
