San Antonio might be best known for tacos and the Alamo, but its barbecue scene has much to offer. Whether you're seeking beef brisket cooked low and slow or Asian-inspired dishes with a Texas twist, I'm here to show you the best barbecue in San Antonio.
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San Antonio BBQ
2M Smokehouse
It was 10:30 a.m. on a cold February morning when Kel and I pulled into the parking lot at 2M Smokehouse in southeast San Antonio. We'd driven down from Austin to stay at one of the hotels on the River Walk and were hungry to try Alamo City's best-known barbecue.
Pitmaster Esaul Ramos Jr previously worked at la Barbecue in Austin before opening 2M Smokehouse in 2016. Five years later, it was included in Texas Monthly's list of the 50 Best BBQ joints in the state.
In 2022, he was a James Beard Award Semifinalist for Best Chef: Texas, and in 2024, 2M Smokehouse was included in the Michelin Guide for Texas, further testament to their consistency over the years.
We may have been the first to the restaurant that gray Saturday morning, but others soon lined up behind us. When they opened at 11 a.m., we ordered brisket and pork ribs by the pound, Mexican street corn, and their chicharron mac 'n cheese. The fatty brisket warmed us up with each juicy bite.
2M Smokehouse offers family meals on their standard menu and a beef cheek barbacoa special on the first Sunday of each month. 2731 S WW White Rd, San Antonio, instagram.com/2msmokehouse
Reese's BBQ
Reese Bros Barbecue is closer to downtown San Antonio, making it a more convenient option if you're short on time or relying on rideshares. At the entrance to this new kid on the block are two offset smokers, affectionately named "Lynyrd" and "Skynyrd" (after the rock band).
True to its name, Reese Bros Barbecue was opened in 2022 by two siblings, Nick and Elliott Reese. The brothers were born in San Antonio, but grew up in Austin, where they worked at la Barbecue. After graduating from the University of Texas, they continued their education at Brick Vault Brewery and BBQ in Marathon, West Texas.
Reese Bros Barbecue earned national acclaim when Bon Appétit named it one of the country's 50 best restaurants the same year it opened its brick-and-mortar location.
We stopped at Reese Bros Barbecue on our way out of San Antonio after spending a weekend at Hotel Emma in the Pearl. By 1 p.m., they were sold out of pork ribs and potato salad (of all things).
No matter, I was more interested in the $7 Otis tacos, made with chopped brisket, cilantro, onion, and a green salsa on flour tortillas made in-house. The meat was generously portioned, tender, and juicy, and the tortillas held up to the moisture without falling apart.
Their smoked queso fundido sausage was super cheesy and satisfying. Reese Bros Barbecue won over Mike Sutter, restaurant critic for the San Antonio Express-News, with sides like the creamy poblano mac 'n cheese, which we also enjoyed. 906 Hoefgen Ave, San Antonio, reesebrosbbq.com
Curry Boys BBQ
No barbecue restaurant in San Antonio has surprised me more than Curry Boys BBQ in the Tobin Hills neighborhood west of the Pearl Brewery. Chefs Andrew Ho, Andrew Samia, and Sean Wen developed a menu that marries Southeast Asian curries with Texas barbecue. All three have since been recognized as 2023 and 2024 James Beard Award Semifinalists for Best Chef: Texas.
The signature dish pairs oak-smoked brisket from South BBQ & Kitchen with a spicy green curry and jasmine rice. It's garnished with fried shallots and cilantro. As a Thai curry lover, I adored this combination from the first bite. For an extra 75 cents, get the crispy chili oil to kick it up a notch.
Other menu items at Curry Bros BBQ include a curry queso and chips, a pulled pork sandwich with Penang curry (my favorite Thai curry), and smoked chicken thigh with yellow curry. 536 E Courtland Pl, San Antonio, curryboysbbq.com
Pinkerton's Barbecue
Returning to classic Texas barbecue, we've got Pinkerton's in downtown San Antonio. It's the second restaurant location for Houston-born pitmaster Grant Pinkerton, whose first in H-Town has been recognized by Texas Monthly and the Michelin Guide.
After checking into the St Anthony during one of our weekend trips to San Antonio, Kel and I walked three blocks west on Travis Street to grab lunch. I love Pinkerton's setting at the north end of Legacy Park. The grassy space gives the barbecue joint some space to breathe, diners to eat outside, and children to play.
On our first visit, we went all-out, ordering a 1.5-pound beef rib, fatty brisket, jambalaya with smoked duck and sausage, tangy cole slaw, and Aunt Ruby's blueberry cobbler. I thought the beef rib was a step above the brisket, which was also solid.
Inside the restaurant, there's ample seating and plenty of mounted animal heads. We preferred sitting on the shaded deck to enjoy the breeze and 83-degree weather. 107 W Houston St, San Antonio, pinkertonsbarbecue.com
Smoke Shack BBQ
If you're looking for a convenient barbecue spot on your way to/from the Witte Museum or Botanical Gardens of San Antonio, check out Smoke Shack. The roof painted with the Texas flag is a sure sign you're in the right place.
Here you'll find an affordable selection of barbecue and Southern comfort food. I went straight for the brisket grilled cheese on Texas toast, which is made with American cheese and lots of beef ($13.50). Kel got two sliders (jalapeno cheese sausage and pulled pork) with two sides for $13.
Frito pie with brisket, mac and cheese with brisket, and a Tejas hot chicken sandwich are also available. Smoke Shack BBQ's long list of sides includes spicy creamed corn (my pick), fried okra, seasoned fries, and black eyed peas.
Next door is the Smoke Shack Delicatexan, a meat market (butcher shop) operated by the same owners. 3714 Broadway, San Antonio, smokeshacksa.com
The Barbecue Station
In 1992, a gas station was converted into The Barbecue Station, and the family-owned restaurant has been smoking and serving Texas 'cue to San Antonians ever since.
It's clear from the moment you walk into The Barbecue Station that the Peacock family intended to embrace the building's former use, rather than hide it. The entrance is plastered with oil and gas-related signs, and the smell of smoked meats smacks you in the face.
Behind the counter, staff will pull out and slice meats directly from the pits. Despite a Michelin recommendation, the prices are an excellent value. I got a brisket sandwich with hoagie bread, a side of Mimi's potato salad, and a cobbler for about $17.
The meat benefited from some BBQ sauce, but was otherwise tender and tasty. I liked the option for a hoagie roll as it fit the sliced brisket nicely. The warm peach cobbler was delicious. 1610 NE Interstate 410 Loop, San Antonio, barbecuestation.com
San Antonio may get short shrift when it comes to a discussion of the best Texas barbecue joints, but I hope this list demonstrates the city has places deserving of your attention.
