Spring’s Corkscrew BBQ Is One Of The Top Ten Barbecue Joints In Texas

The last time Texas Monthly compiled their rankings of the best barbecue joints in Texas, no Houston establishment even cracked the top ten. This year, though, Spring’s Corkscrew BBQ — and five other spots — have staked Clutch City’s claim on Texas’ barbecue scene.

Today, Texas Monthly released the first update of their 50 Best Barbecue Joints In The World since 2013, and Corkscrew BBQ earned a coveted spot (#7) on the list’s top ten. Tejas Chocolate Factory, about 40 miles away from Houston in Tomball, also made its way onto the top ten, ranking at #6. Only open since the end of 2015, Corkscrew clearly made quite the impression on Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn and critic Patricia Sharpe.

Five other Houston-area barbecue establishments made the 50 Best list — Killen’s, Gatlin’s, Pinkerton’s, The Pit Room, and Roegels Barbecue Co. Virgie’s Bar-B-Que scored a spot on the 2013 list, but didn’t make the cut for this year’s rankings. Considering how explosively Houston’s barbecue scene has grown in recent years, it’s not surprising to see so many relatively new spots earning a little time in the sun.

Undoubtedly, these rankings are going to inspire plenty of debate amongst Texas barbecue enthusiasts. Did Texas Monthly get it right? Sound off in the comments, and check out the full list below:

Top 50

• Stillwater Barbeque, Abilene
• Tyler’s Barbeque, Amarillo
• Franklin Barbecue, Austin
• Freedmen’s, Austin
• La Barbecue, Austin
• Micklethwait Craft Meats, Austin
• Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew, Austin
• Terry Black’s Barbecue, Austin
• Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ, Austin
• Miller’s Smokehouse, Belton
• Truth Barbeque, Brenham
• Vera’s Backyard B-B-Que, Brownsville
• Fargo’s Pit BBQ, Bryan
• Payne’s Bar-B-Q Shak, Burnet
• BBQ on the Brazos, Cresson
• Cattleack Barbeque, Dallas
• Lockhart Smokehouse, Dallas
• Pecan Lodge, Dallas
• Top 5 BBQ, DeSoto
• 4-T’s Bar-B-Q, Forney
• Heim Barbecue, Fort Worth
• Baker Boys BBQ, Gonzales
• Rio Grande Grill BBQ & Tex Mex, Harlingen
• Blue Moon BBQ, Hearne
• Heavy’s Bar-B-Que, Hondo
• Gatlin’s BBQ, Houston
• Pinkerton’s Barbecue, Houston
• The Pit Room, Houston
• Roegels Barbecue Co., Houston
• Joseph’s Riverport Bar-B-Cue, Jefferson
• Snow’s BBQ, Lexington
• Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, Llano
• Kreuz Market, Lockhart
• Bodacious Bar-B-Q, Longview
• City Market, Luling
• Smolik’s Smokehouse, Mathis
• Hutchins BBQ, McKinney
• The Smoking Oak, Mercedes
• Killen’s Barbecue, Pearland
• Pody’s BBQ, Pecos
• 2M Smokehouse, San Antonio
• The Granary ’Cue & Brew, San Antonio
• Hays Co. Bar-B-Que, San Marcos
• CorkScrew BBQ, Spring
• Louie Mueller Barbecue, Taylor
• Tejas Chocolate Craftory, Tomball
• Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ, Tyler
• Harris Bar-B-Que, Waxahachie
• Flores Barbecue, Whitney

Evie Mae’s Pit Barbeque, Wolfforth