This.
And I gotta tell you, as something of a BBQ fan (see username), I've been around and experienced Texas BBQ for decades now. Including back in the era when most readily available barbecue was decidedly mediocre (think little roadside joints good for chopped beef sandwiches, or urban places that were chains like Luther's, local joints like Bert's, or even small town outfits that were decidedly meh). There were a handful of "classic, great" joints. The Lockhart places, Louie Mueller's, Cotten's, Luling City Market, etc. And yes, Snow's (kicking myself for not going back when a client in Lexington told me I needed to come visit one Saturday for barbecue, back when it was still a local secret). It was a big deal to go to one, like a special road trip from town, or you stopped at one when you happened to be heading that way to go fishing or somesuch. We loved 'em, and going was a treat. Read "Legends of Texas Barbecue" to get a feel for what I'm talking about.
Then, the "craft barbecue" movement kicked off. It largely overlapped with the birth of internet food discussions and reviews. John Mueller opened his place on Manor Road. Got lots of buzz and attention. Then Aaron opened his trailer, and a focus on a real "perfectionist," refined approach to smoking traditional Texas barbecue kicked in. And this movement has produced some AMAZING food. I love it. I can get world-class, make you change religion barbecue at a dozen places in Austin alone now.
But fucking hell and goddammit. In a quest to out-barbecue-snob each other, everyone is disdainfully looking down on places that are, and remain, glorious cathedrals of deliciousness. Fuck that shit. I've had plenty of high-end, "new gourmet" brisket from many of the places on the TX Monthly list. And I have to tell you, give me a top-end bite of brisket from 20 of those places, side-by-side, and I would be hard-pressed to tell you the difference. They are ALL amazing. Sure, any place can have an off day, etc. But bottom line, we live in a world where you can get 10-out of-10 quality barbecue at dozens of places. And people are arguing whether it's really a 10, or is it a 9.98? What the fucking fuck? We're entering the "that supermodel has pointy knees, would not bang" territory of barbecue discussion.
It's fucking stupid. It's barbecue bro snob culture, and it's fucking stupid and annoying. And it's killing what we love. You know who DOESN'T engage in that bullshit? A guy who has literally made Texas barbecue his passion and career, Daniel Vaughn. He genuinely appreciates the embarrassment of riches we now have. And he's not denigrating any place by putting it in the 11-50 category. The bottom line is that, aside from a unique twist here and there (egyptian style seasonings, or brisket fried rice), every one of these places is making barbecue that would have been the best barbecue you've ever tasted 25 years ago.
I'm brisketexan, and I love good barbecue, and I appreciate the fine folks who make good barbecue, which can now be found all over the state. And I think that people who take this shit so seriously that they feel the need to "out craft-bbq-bro" people in their snobbery fucking suck, are missing the entire point, and are fucking up the barbecue experience for the rest of us. Lighten the fuck up, don't take it - and yourself - so fucking seriously. And if you ever say anything about Tootsie and Snows that isn't along the lines of "it and she are a Texas treasure, and we're all fortunate to have them around to experience," you should probably re-examine your life.