Burnet County Bar-B-Q - Burnet, Texas

Address	616 Buchanan Dr (TX Hwy 29), Burnet, Texas 78611 (map)
Phone	512-756-6468
Date Visited	January 21, 2006
Reviewer	Tex

First of all it's pronounced "burn it, durn it." (I've been corrected a few times.) About 40 miles east of Llano (where Coopers BBQ is located) on Hwy 29 makes Burnet County Barbeque difficult to hit simply because the magnetic force of Coopers is huge and always manages to suck me in. Not today! I've read good things about this place and was excited to check it out.

Its much smaller than I imagined. Sitting right of the highway on the West side of downtown, it's pretty hard to miss. I always like rolling up to a Q joint and seeing the smoke billowing out....good sign they're smoking and not re-heating. The parking lot is a small half gravel/half asphalt (not my phalt) lot and easy to maneuver at 2:00. As I pull in, 3 guys in camouflage are suiting back up with toothpicks in-tow into their muddied up 4x4 pickup. Good sign. I stroll up to the entrance and swing open the door. The place is very small, kitchen, ordering counter, soda fountain, and cash register to your right, and tables to your left. I'm greeted promptly with a friendly "hello" and "What can I get for you? We have brisket, ribs, and sausage." I order the 3 meat plate, and proceed to gettin' ready to eat as they prepare the food. No beer here, nor do they have Big Red or sweet tea. So I go with the 4th option, ice tea, and move over to the left side of the building to pick out my eatin' spot. The dining area is very homey, a collage of different tables and chairs, seats about 15-20 people max. Windows overlook the scenic 600 block of Texas State Hwy 29. A very cozy little place. Pickles, onions, and bread are all served at a little salad bar type cart in the corner.

I was ready to eat. The lady brought out a huge plate of food (for $10 something I was amazed.....good value!) with the 3 meats stacked on top of each other. It was one of those plastic plates with dividers so the beans and slaw didn't interfere with the meat. And sauce on the side in a little Styrofoam container. Everything looked and smelled fantastic. The first thing I noticed was the delicious aroma of smoke (I saw the lady pull the brisket right out of the smoker and onto the cutting board). I knew I was in for a treat. I had heard really good things about the brisket. I requested the fatty end (although my heart says no, I say yes to the fatty part....sorry heart) it's always the most flavorful. I took one nibble of the brisket and knew I was tasting something special. Home Run!! Great smoky flavor, tender, juicy and flavorful. It doesn't get much better than this.

The ribs were outstanding as well. All of the above plus, they were ribs. Sausage was excellent as well. An Elgin sausage cooked to perfection. Everything was so good on its own, add a little sauce and you have a whole other delicious meal better than the first. The sauce was a thick tomatoey based sauce with a little vinegary tang to it. I really liked it. I think this is what the Southside Market in Elgin is going for. Slaw and beans were average.

Ribs	Brisket	Sausage	Sauce	Sides	Atmosphere	Overall Score
4.5	4.5	4.5	4.0	2.5	4.5	4.08

Bottom Line

Overall I was really pleased with Burnet County Barbeque. The extra smoky flavor in the meat was noted, and make this place a unique and worthwhile stop in my book. It always hard to be in this neck of the woods and not go to Coopers but this time it paid off. I will be back. Llano has some competition.