Texas > Lockhart: Black's Barbecue


 

Chris Allingham

Administrator
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Black's Barbecue
215 N. Main St
Lockhart, TX 78644
www.blacksbbq.com

Black's Barbecue was the second stop on my Lockhart barbecue crawl, sandwiched between Smitty's and Kreuz. It's located in a not very impressive looking building. You enter through a narrow hallway and emerge in the ordering area where the first thing you see are a cold table with salads, banana pudding, and cold beer bottles, and a steam table with hot side dishes like beans, rice, veggies, etc. You can order a plate or order meat by the pound. It's a very small, efficient ordering area, everything all in one place.

I like the barbecue at Black's a lot. I tried brisket, sparerib, and sausage. All were delicious. I also liked the house barbecue sauce. Sweet tea to wash it all down.

Not a terribly large dining area, but big enough. I can imagine it getting quite crowded at times.

Good barbecue, for sure. Not sure if Black's was better than Smitty's, both were good. Definitely better than Kreuz, at least on the day I went.

Stop by if you ever have a chance.

Facebook photo album of Black's Barbecue

Regards,
Chris
 
I just got back from a trip to Texas and took the family to Black's, Smitty's and Kreuz. Mid Monday morning and didn't have to wait anywhere.

I have to say Black's was my favourite of the three joints. The food was great and the staff were extremely hospitable - I got to go tour the pit area.
Smitty's and Kreuz brisket was very subtle in flavour. The jalapeno cheddar sausage at Kreuz beat Black's for flavour/texture though.
 
Love me some Black's Barbecue! Of all the places down there, I really liked Black's a lot, but what I enjoyed of theirs better than almost anywhere else I've had this is their beef short ribs....YOWSAAAAAAA! Cooked perfectly, seasoned well, and very, very enjoyable. I was incredibly disappointed with Smitty's, but I'm sure I probably just caught 'em on an off day (I've only been there once, the others, more). Kreuz was the better of the two, in my opinion.

Chris, not sure if you did, or are, per chance, but have you tried City Market in Luling? Their 'cue is outstanding, and it's only 25-30 minutes I think from Lockhart. Other than Aaron's, their brisket was one of my favorites in the area.
 
I, too, did the three biggies in Lockhart just this past week. I liked Kreutz's the best for overall flavour (plus they have real MexiCoke in bottles), but the combination of quality food and superb atmosphere gives Blacks the edge. I had to ding the counterman at Blacks, though, for slicing my brisket point *with* the grain, making it somewhat chewy. Still very good quality overall. I hate to say it, but I really didn't like Smitties all that much in terms of the dining room atmosphere, the dry brisket or the "meh" sausage, although their pit area was heavenly.
 
I went back home to TX and had the opportunity to get to Black's. Best in Lockhart IMHO.







Downtown on the square:

 
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If you like your barbecue with deep smoke flavor, Black's is the place. We typically order by the slice/rib, rather than by weight or as a combo platter. "I'll have a slice of fatty brisket, a slice of lean, two pork ribs and a beef rib." The beef rib is legendary -- think of the tenderness and juiciness of a braised short rib, laced with smoky goodness and covered in a deeply smoked bark. The only criticism is that the bark is sometimes too salty in places (careless rubbing). The brisket is top shelf. The pork ribs are great, but short of outstanding. My least favorite is the sausage, which has a fine taste, but a strange consistency. On balance, Black's is Lockhart's finest (IMHO).
 

 

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