The outside is very inviting, and the interior looks like a classic Texas BBQ joint--complete with John Wayne memorabilia and a honky-tonk vibe, even featuring live music. We were ready for some awesome BBQ. I ordered the 2-meat plate (brisket and ribs) with two sides for $18.99. When the tray arrived, I was surprised to see only three small slices of brisket and two ribs. The brisket was dry, with little flavor. The ribs were unlike any I've had before--tough, full of cartilage, and difficult to eat. The sides were the highlight: the fried okra was cooked to perfection, and the green beans were well-seasoned. Unfortunately, they didn't have cobbler. Our waitress explained, "We only have it when the owner's daughter-in-law makes it." Honestly, that should be a special, not something printed on the menu. We came in with high expectations but left disappointed--so much so that I didn't even bother taking pictures of the food. Next time, I'll just stop in Corsicana and eat at Bubba's. Sorry I deleted all pictures except the two of The Duke. I wasn't going to review but I changed my mind. Even though I have no pictures, trust me! read more

Alma Smokehouse BBQ - Needs no explanation - Barbeque Near Me - Ennis, Texas

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Ordered and paid for a full rack of pork spareribs and a pint of coleslaw Togo. Waited 10 minutes to be told that they ran out of the pork spareribs. So I ordered a pound of brisket and a pound of smoked sausage. They previous charge was reversed and I paid for the brisket and sausage and was given the coleslaw complimentary. After the hour long drive home from Alma to Winkler Creek Estates on Richland Chambers Reservoir, discovered that the smoked sausage was missing from the bag. Had the brisket and coleslaw, but not a single sausage. Called back to chat with Susan, said I'd get a call back. Still waiting... The slaw and brisket was great! Lacking sausage...not great. Overall a "no joy" situation. I don't think I will be back. read more

Wonderful brisket and ribs! Great service. We live nearby and keep coming back !You can tell the food is good by the number of trucks lined up and parked nearby. read more

Today I stop by and order a slab of ribs and when my order was ready I noticed that they didn't give me any bread just alot of onion and pickles to go , when I got in my truck and drove off my wife and I decided to start eating and she look at me after she ate the 1st ribs and she spit it out she said that it was so nasty and that she couldn't eat it so at that time I started eating and I look at my wife and told her that this is the closet thing to some shit and the ribs had no color on it and it was soak and wet with lots of grease and it look like and taste like it was cook in the oven and it cost me $43 and some change for the worst bbq that I have ever had in my life ,I will make sure that I tell my family and friends about this place and I took my wife to Sonic right now the street and while she was inside I threw it in the trash can ...THE WORST BBQ ! read more

looking for legit texas bbq & could not be happier then this delicious family cafe in a tiny blink & you.d miss it town. fabulous food, smiles & service. read more

Place was really clean and great atmosphere. Very friendly staff. Food was amazing. Owner was very nice !! read more

Alma Smokehouse BBQ - 3 meat - Barbeque Near Me - Ennis, Texas

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I'm a Trucker and I have passed this BBQ place a few times and decided to stop in to try their BBQ. I ordered the Sample plate. It was a huge portion of their meats. I was excited to sample it. IMHO...I thought that it was pretty bland and very smoky. I believe that it was Mesquite smoked. I have smoked meats while living in Texas and I usually used Post Oak or hickory. if you like strong mesquite flavor and burping smoke after your meals then you should be fine. My advice is more seasoning in the meats and less smoke or change hardwoods. read more

I had dinner and breakfast here and both were SOLID. I had the pulled pork sandwich which was Great. Pork cooked perfectly there bbq sauce is alright nothing to get to excited about but the meat is muuhaaa!! Took a pic of breakfast which was perfect and hot. Service was great too! read more

Loved their barbecue I got the brisket and ribs and a good price it came quickly (TWSS) Great atmosphere! read more

Alma Smokehouse BBQ - exterior - Barbeque Near Me - Ennis, Texas

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On a long drive home from Colorado, we pulled in to swap drivers at the adjacent truck stop. The odor of a smokey pit and fragrant Texas BBQ drew us in, as we were not planning to eat just yet. The ambiance inside the restaurant was surprisingly nice, and the service was quick despite a single waitress in a busy restaurant, even at 1:30pm. The ribs she suggested were very good with a nice bark, and I enjoyed the tangy BBQ sauce that was provided in a bottle on the table. It appeared to be home made. The fried okra was good, but the potato salad was a bit tangy for my taste. I prefer mustard to mayo, but this went farther than that. It tasted as though there may have been vinegar or pickle juice added. It was interesting and the texture was right, but it was a little too sour for my palate. My son and wife enjoyed their brisket-stuffed baked potatoes and my daughter liked her sausage and Mac n cheese. Five stars because four is understating, and I can't give a half star. Alma's is proof that BBQ at a truck stop in Texas is often better than the best you'll find elsewhere. read more

The brisket has a very smokey flavor. Reeeaally smokey. It was good though. The burger was incredible! Staff is friendly and really personal. It gets busy and we did get forgot about though. We would come back every time we are close by and want bbq. read more

Very good and soft brisket, tasty spicy sausage, chopped beef, and tender ribs. Didn't get a chance to eat chicken & taking it home. Place is always full and line moves fast. Felt like an aunt taking good care of us. Plenty of parking and tvs. Casual atmosphere so come as you are. Making this our stop for next time we pass through. read more

Alma Smokehouse BBQ - Sampler platter - Barbeque Near Me - Ennis, Texas

Texas BBQ is a dime a dozen - so you expect it to be good. Alma is my go-to for brisket that I'm not making myself. In addition to the solid BBQ - you can also get some great catfish and burgers! Don't pass up the salads for those out there looking for something a bit lighter. The service is great when it's great and it's good when it should be poor - if there is a rush you'll find yourself in line - without the outrageous wait times other places have. Little place as well - lots of to go but plenty of places to sit. read more

Stopped in for lunch. It's my understanding this business is located in a spot that was not a restaurant previously. So as far as atmosphere, really it has that "roadhouse" charm. Had the special- a brisket sandwich, fries and a drink. I picked chopped brisket over sliced as I prefer a bit more fat for the flavor, and I don't know if they can cut fat brisket if I asked. It comes with pickles, onions, and sauce if I recall correctly, and it was a good sandwich. The fries seemed to be of the frozen variety, but were good. Iced tea was on the money. I would come back. read more

Awesome mesquite smoked barbecue!! The service was quite exceptional as they quickly recommended what plate to choose when I was indecisive. Will order again when I pass by! read more

came all the way from houston to get my child a baked potato and when i arrived home i found a piece of hair all under the cheese. very disgusting read more

Alma Smokehouse BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ennis, Texas

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So would I stop by again? Yes. Great find on the way back to Houston. The onion rings are on point! You walk in, order and take a seat. The salad comes in a little tray and your meals are huge as expected. Chicken Fried steak and ribeye were well-seasoned! Come hungry! Lots of menu items and you can see the bbq being smoked outside. So why not 5 stars? Well I ordered the Onion rings separately and they put it on another plate as a side item for my dad's burger. The restrooms are also not clean. I also didn't really want my salad after seeing it in a paper tray yet in their defense this is a stop along the highway! read more

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So I stopped in on this sleepy little BBQ spot and was amazed! I've had brisket all over Texas and have a pretty good list of favorites. When you order a chopped sandwich you really are tossing a coin as to what your going to get. Not here. Order to your taste, onions, pickles and even jalapeños. Then the beef was delicious, plentiful, moist and no questionable pieces mixed in to maximize yield! By far the best on the I45 slab!!! Let me not stop there... the potato salad... wow! Just like my Mom's. Mustard based with eggs and quality potatoes and even a nice dash of paprika!!! This place is a gem! read more

Good service. Fantastic food. I recommend sharing the sampler platter with one or two other people. Ambiance includes table tops with printed ads for local businesses. Easy freeway access. Huge gravel parking lot next door for semis or RVs. read more

This place is always consistent. Great food, great service and quick! Love their brisket, the sausage, the smoked chicken & their burgers! Definitely worth the stop if you're in the area. read more

Alma Smokehouse BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ennis, Texas

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Just moved to Ennis and was looking for some good BBQ. Service was fantastic. They were very helpful and friendly. We got the sampler platter so we could try a little of everything. Our favorites were the brisket, pulled pork and ribs. The meat was so flavorful and tender. We also tried the potato salad and mac and cheese. Both were great. This will be our new go to place. Yum! read more

This place is a joke. Worst bbq I've ever had. Portion size is small and their brisket needs improvement. I definitely won't be coming back. read more

Alma Smokehouse BBQ - One meat plate. Yes, $13.99 for this. - Barbeque Near Me - Ennis, Texas

To go is their best offer. Dine in is not a good experience. We had 2 brisket plates and most of it was dry or left over. Service was medium not bad, not great. The ambiance was not conducive for a good appetite. Sad for sure. read more

I had the brisket sandwich and banana pudding. The brisket was so soft and flavorful. I enjoyed every bite. The barbecue sauce was great too! And the banana pudding is sooooo good!! I recommend adding more bananas, but that's just more my preference. I recommend this restaurant and would return. I don't have a picture because I ate it all. read more

Nice little family owned joint. Good meats! Great atmosphere for a bbq place. Friendly as all hell too.

Tried the 3 meat platter. Missed out on the chicken supply so went with brisket, hot links and ribs. Plain, fatty meats w/o flavor. Hot links were cut into slivers of pepperoni. BBQ sauce is to ketchup-y for me. Cole slaw is very sweet. Mac n Cheese was enjoyable. Should have had just a bowl of it instead. A star for the size of beverage you receive with the platters (or they just add and charge for the largest size w/o asking) because you'll need every last ounce of liquid to wash down the bland and boring meats Update: Ended up sick over night read more

We went here for dinner with the family. We had small kids so it was perfect. We sat outside and the kids played on the playground. The service was good and quick. The food was good...I had briskit and fried okra. We enjoyed and will be back read more

First off, the lady that took the order was most helpful she was very cheerful and worked very hard, perhaps she needed some help but she still struggle through to get her job done. However barbecue when you see it outside on the pits apparently it's supposed to be smoked, I seen lots of smoke outside but once I got to me there was no pink smoke rain the food had no taste at all it was like it was boiled. The barbecue sauce was vinegary and took away from what little bit of the taste of food had. The potato salad, plain no taste I try to salt and pepper put some onions, whatever I could it did not help it, the beans were good!! I ordered the sausage, and to my surprise it was cut and little rings and apparently he did on the grill as they were fried? I've never had sausage served that way before?? I was not very happy over the food would not recommend it again, I will not be back read more

Use to be my go to as a trucker when Tim was working there, all of the staff is new & some of the older ladies have horrible customer service, very rude . The owners are very nice & the cooks are very kool also. Been going there 12 plus years faithfully until now . Make Alma's great again read more

****Very good bbq sandwiches Smoke sliced brisket and smoked chopped chicken**** #yummo read more

We stopped here on our way up on 45. We always like to try local little bbq places so we couldn't pass this one up. My boyfriend got the sampler plate and I got the Friday special (catfish!) that catfish was so delicious - perfectly cooked clean and flaky. The sampler is a ton of MEAT and so good. Sides don't come with the sampler so if you want them don't forget to order some. read more

Alma Smokehouse BBQ - Inside dining area - Barbeque Near Me - Ennis, Texas

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Very friendly staff and service! You get a lot of food for a great price. Easy access off the highway. read more

Alma Smokehouse BBQ - BBQ platter, Mac and cheese and baked beans. - Barbeque Near Me - Ennis, Texas

Very good food nice people has gas right next to it cheeseburgers and tacos are also very good recommend it just call if you are in a hurry takes about fifteen minutes for them to cook nice and clean place read more

We went here based on over 200 4 and 5 star Google reviews saying that the BBQ was first rate. The staff was very friendly, but the food at this place is way overrated. The ribeye special looked really like prime rib. The meat was thin, dry and over cooked when ordered "medium." They took it back and gave me another steak that was too rare and chewy. The loaded baked potato was good. The side salad was just lettuce and cheese in a disposable food tray. On the 3 meat plate, the chicken was dry and tasted like it was left over from the weekend (we were there on a Monday). Beef brisket was dry and crumbly. The ribs were good. There are definitely better options in the area. read more

Actually very good BBQ. Place is old and needs some attention. Staff very friendly. Not a date night place but good good food! read more

Alma Smokehouse BBQ - Just part of the ambiance. - Barbeque Near Me - Ennis, Texas

The food is HORRIBLE! I ordered a smoked chicken sandwich! Nothing about it was smoked! It was cold! The cashier gave me me another, but it was still cold! AWFUL! The staff was AMAZING, but the food is trash! My husband ordered the sausage...HORRIBLE! My husband ordered the baked potato! HORRIBLE! The brisket was tasteless! VERY TASTELESS! read more

The BBQ was superb. I stopped for gas next door and the smell of bbq made me hungry. I had a chopped beef sandwich and it was packed. It had a very good smokey flavor. The sweet potato fries were hot and had just the right amount of seasoning. The only drawback was the severe lack of parking. I had to stay parked at the gas pump next door. There were truckers double parking on the feeder street. read more

Great service and real value. Yummy sliced beef sandwich! Easy pull in off 45 and cool local western feel insode

The food here was AMAZING. It was set up cafeteria style and the man behind the food bar was very informative. You get a lot of food for the price you pay and it's delicious. However, the entire concept of the restaurant is insanely confusing. No one greeted us when we walked in and it took us a while to figure out that it was a self-serve set it up. Then when we paid, they give you your check to take to the table. They told us we would have a waitress who would get our drinks but we never had anyone talk to us or serve us. I just ended up getting the drinks myself. If they could have someone who explained what to do/how it works I would have given it a 5 star review. read more

Alma has terrific brisket and ribs relative to its prices. $8.50 got me plenty of chopped brisket in a bun, drink and side. I chose the onion rings which were cooked precisely how I liked them - crispy on the outside. The place is older but wel kept. This is great meal stop between Houston and Dallas. read more