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Which Lockhart joint to take furriners to?


Brisketexan

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Our exchange student's family is coming to Austin this weekend.  I suggested a solid Texas day on Sunday -- take them shooting out at Lone Star gun range (near Lockhart), then hit Lockhart for some BBQ, then we'll head on up to Greune to do some Sunday afternoon music, dancing, and beer-drinking at Greune hall (the womenfolk can go shopping if they want).

My query is....which Lockhart joint is best for this particular audience?  I like Smitty's....great old-school atmosphere, good taste....but the last couple of times I went, the brisket was tough, and the sausage was overly greasy.  I like Kreuz's, but it's a bit more "antiseptic" in the new building (yeah, it's still the new building to me, even though I was there the day it opened), and these are europeans....gotta ease them into things.  So, the no/limited sides thing might be an impediment.  That leaves Blacks.  I always thought the environment there was lacking (the cafeteria-line service just looks sad), but there's no denying that the barbecue is great, and the foreigner/female contingent appreciates sides.

Anyone have more recent experiences so as to make the choice easier? 

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Black's.

I'm going with my hs friend in June, I'm taking him to City Market in Luling.  Best place outside of E. 11th (and better in 1-2 aspects).  Better than any of the Lockhart ones imho.

Edited by phdhorn
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5 minutes ago, phdhorn said:

Black's.

I'm going with my hs friend in June, I'm taking him to City Market in Luling.  Best place outside of E. 11th (and better in 1-2 aspects).  Better than any of the Lockhart ones imho.


Man, I've has a LOT of folks reporting negatively on City Market in the last year.  I'd love to hear a more current update.

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Just now, phdhorn said:

Nah, they still good.  It's just that Austin's opened up a mini-shitload of places.  Anyway, Black's is to me the all-around best Lockhart joint.  Was there a few months ago last.

Yeah, last went there with my family and the folks.  We got some amused looks -- 3 generations popping off rounds at the gun range together.  Then bbq for lunch.  My mother felt so damned Texan she damn near lit a cigarette and started a fight with a state trooper.

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3 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

After shooting, get some road sodas and drive back to Austin for some actually decent BBQ. It's fucking 20 minutes. Their soft euroasses can make it.

 

Ummmm....Black's is a good bit more than "decent."  And dude, part of the point here is the experience.  Shooting guns, bbq in a small town, hit an old dance hall for some music and beer.  The Norwegians will flip their shit over that.

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Lockhart is liable to be a cluster this weekend as the Old Settlers Music Fest is going on.

I agree that Blacks is the best tasting bbq, but the experience is lacking.  Out-of-towners would be more impressed with Luling, Kreuz, or Smitty's as far as the pit experience goes visually.

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7 minutes ago, thrillhammer said:

Lockhart is liable to be a cluster this weekend as the Old Settlers Music Fest is going on.

I agree that Blacks is the best tasting bbq, but the experience is lacking.  Out-of-towners would be more impressed with Luling, Kreuz, or Smitty's as far as the pit experience goes visually.

Shit -- OSMF -- hadn't thought about that.  We'll have a hell of a line wherever we go, I suspect.  Although it looks like Blacks is one of the food vendors, so maybe anyone who wants Blacks will have already had it....

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5 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Shit -- OSMF -- hadn't thought about that.  We'll have a hell of a line wherever we go, I suspect.  Although it looks like Blacks is one of the food vendors, so maybe anyone who wants Blacks will have already had it....

I know CM has had a bit of a bad rap, but it kinda sound like with the fiasco of the music fest, and the need for atmosphere it is going to be your best bet.  In it's heyday, it was so so so very good.  oh....except the whole sunday thing. 

Edited by pepper brooks
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6 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Shit -- OSMF -- hadn't thought about that.  We'll have a hell of a line wherever we go, I suspect.  Although it looks like Blacks is one of the food vendors, so maybe anyone who wants Blacks will have already had it....

Yes, Black's took over for Salt Lick as a vendor.  That's an upgrade imho.

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9 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

If it’s people who know good bbq I think you go to black’s. However, for furriners, there is something kinda magical about putting your order in at Smitty’s with that giant pit and embers burning in the background.

I've been very disappointed with Smitty's over the past couple of years but the giant pit is awesome and if they have prime rib on the menu that day it is fucking glorious. 

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1 hour ago, CooterBrown said:

After shooting, get some road sodas and drive back to Austin for some actually decent BBQ. It's fucking 20 minutes. Their soft euroasses can make it.

 

He said he wants to give them a Texas experience. 

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22 minutes ago, Steel Shank said:

Eat at Black's then go by Smitty's and get an ice cream. 

Listen to this man, he's in pre-med or is it pre-law.

Go to Smitty's, look at the pretty fire... waltz over to Kreutz's, check out the place, then go to Black's to eat.

Kind of the "weenie sampler" of bbq tours!

Edited by phdhorn
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13 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I say Smitty's.  The ambience won't make up for the food in your eyes, but they won't know the difference.

BUT I WILL.

Dammit, I really wish Smitty's was better.  I truly do.  When things first started out, they were top notch.  But the QC seems to be shit, and has been for a while.  And yes, the open fire is just a perfect experience.  Never failed to get a wide-eyed look by a non-local seeing it for the first time.

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13 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

I say Smitty's.  The ambience won't make up for the food in your eyes, but they won't know the difference.

This is my take.  We’re all arguing about which place is better Q, but they’re all going to be awesome to a foreigner with no frame of reference, and the Texas environment or “ambiance,” so to speak, will be far more impressive at Smitty’s and City Market.  You may sacrifice some food-wise, in your eyes at least, but you’ll have dozens more chances to make up for it in the future.  

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14 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

BUT I WILL.

Dammit, I really wish Smitty's was better.  I truly do.  When things first started out, they were top notch.  But the QC seems to be shit, and has been for a while.  And yes, the open fire is just a perfect experience.  Never failed to get a wide-eyed look by a non-local seeing it for the first time.

Same here. I used to love going to that place. Hope it rebounds. It has 100 time more character than Kruez, which just looks like a cafeteria.

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44 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Same here. I used to love going to that place. Hope it rebounds. It has 100 time more character than Kruez, which just looks like a cafeteria.

Yeah, it's the same reason I don't take out of state 'Q-bies to Cooper's in LLano.  Better food than most places -- still nowhere near my favorite -- but the "experience" is not as good.

My choices for a day drive and food are Smitty's and yes, Salt Lick.  Anyone truly seeking great BBQ has no need to leave Austin.

Edited by jimmyjazz
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11 hours ago, AustinMT said:

Black’s, no debate.  And get beef ribs

It’s odd, but neither Smitty’s nor Kreuz are anywhere close to the old Kruez 

Agreed.  Smitty's is still the coolest location and probably were I would go (in Lockhart) with out-of-towners.  Out of the three, I prefer Kreuz barbecue over Smitty's or Blacks.

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Furriners?  JFC.  

Not sure if Rustic is the right word but Smitty’s would be my choice, never cared for the brisket but love their ribs and as mentioned earlier, the prime rib is outstanding also.  Although not a fan, Salt Lick would also be a solid choice just on ambience alone.  

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They didn't call you out that fajitas aren't chicken? (I'm team chicken fajitas FTR)

I didn’t even call them fajitas. I called em grilled chicken tacos. And I slapped it all together in about 25 mins after work (HEB premarinated meat FTW). They’d been traveling for 20 hours. I figured they weren’t yet up for a beer and cognac (they brought gifts)-fueled Brisketexan rant yet. I’ll let them acclimate first.

Today, I’ll be cleaning and prepping guns in the living room. That should ease them into things.
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On 4/12/2019 at 1:55 PM, Brisketexan said:

Ummmm....Black's is a good bit more than "decent."  And dude, part of the point here is the experience.  Shooting guns, bbq in a small town, hit an old dance hall for some music and beer.  The Norwegians will flip their shit over that.

As a 1/2 Norwegian, that sounds like an awesome day. 

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6 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Today, I’ll be cleaning and prepping guns in the living room. That should ease them into things.

Doesn't Norway have a required military stint for all males and females and issue a rifle(HK417?) to keep at home for all those that have served?

Edited by ShaggyBevo RIP
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Doesn't Norway have a required military stint for all males and females and issue a rifle(HK417?) to keep at home for all those that have served?

Doesn’t seem like it. Dad is my age, he DID inherit a rifle when his dad died - had been issued to his grandpa in 1935. He ended up turning it in, because he had no use for it. He was most fascinated when I had 6 guns out on the table, cleaning, oiling, checking the action, etc. He doesn’t have any experience with firearms, and he would have been subject to service, I would think.

We’re hitting up Pieous tonight, while the girls are at prom (just offloaded a houseful of Norwegian girls along with my daughter onto the prom scene. That was a trip).
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