Like so many barbecue spots in Texas, this has you order at the front and sit down to eat your…read moreprize. Think wooden tables and endless white bread at the buffet area. The liquid gold barbecue sauce is most famous, but I found that I like the good old-fashioned sauce most. The sausage is unbelievably filling, and who doesn't like a wet fatty brisket slice!?

Sooooooo I gave them another chance lol. It's overpriced in my opinion. Everything lacks flavor…read moreexcept for that $16 beef rib lol, it was delicious!! Theeee worse bbq sauce I have ever tasted, it tastes like vinegar, sugar and ketchup with a LOT of water. We had to go to H‑E‑B for some sweet baby ray's. That chopped beef was mush. The potato was undercooked if we weren't so tired and hungry from working an 11 hour shift I would've taken it back and just kept the rib.

We love Chemn cafe!!! I really appreciate how much creativity they put into their menu. They have…read moredelicious syrups and espresso, compared to big chain coffee stores there is no question that Chemn is the winner! I personally cannot drink caffeine but my wife is a coffee fiend so we end up here a LOT. They have decaf espresso which I really appreciate because all the lattes are so delicious and I don't wanna be left out of drinking them! The sandwiches and pastry's that they offer are also very good and I haven't been disappointed in anything I've ordered. The service is great! Quick and friendly which is perfect for a coffee shop like this! I love the ambiance and all the chemistry related decor. The selection of entertainment in the form of book and board games is great. The vibe in here is very comfy cozy and comfortable to stay a while. I've been to a couple of the events they hold here as well and have had a great time. Overall I think Chemn is absolutely a gem in Elgin and I feel very lucky to have them!

It's local places like this that make or break a community. I can tell that Chemn is a place that…read morebuilds up the community and takes care of people. Also, some great coffee to boot. I had an iced carmel latte and stayed awhile to get some work done on my way home from a conference. The staff way friendly and I felt welcome to stay and work while they did their closing hour tasks.

This stuff is like crack! Lbs I came across this stand at the Hogeye Fest. I love the fact that…read moreyou're able to sample the homemade salsa before purchasing. Of the flavors offered I purchased the Medium (comes in medium, hot and extra hot) Cilantro Lime salsa and the Green Salsa. I don't really like cilantro like that but you can hardly taste it. You can taste more of the lime which i love. I literally put this stuff on everything. Eggs, chips, tacos. You name it, it's going on there. That probably explains why it's only a week in and I'm halfway done with my first jar. Please look them up on Facebook, they're usually at local farmers markets in Elgin, Austin or the surrounding area.

About 2 months ago I purchased the chunky hot salsa and I love it. This is wonderful stuff. A lot…read morebetter than any other salsa I have found in stores. I love this stuff and I had to stop eating it so that I don't run out.

From what I understand this market has been happening for a couple of years. As far as farmers…read moremarkets go, this is a relatively small assembly of vendors, but they do have a really nice variety of items. There are definitely some things you will find here that you will not find at your local supermarket. We purchased some farm fresh eggs that were laid the day before. We also picked up some fresh produce and there were also some interesting plants for sale. One vendor was there to sell their free range organic meats. If you find yourself coming to Elgin for some great barbecue on a Thursday, just come downtown by the tracks after 4 o'clock and you can catch these folks. The photographs below tell a better story.

Every Thursday! Food, treats, fresh veggies, crafts , soap, meat. There is a very talented…read moreartist there who makes bowls from locally sourced wood. Absolutely beautiful work.

Wonderful BBQ!! We had the plate, which includes three meats of your choice. I got the pork ribs,…read morebrisket, and cheddar-jalapeño sausage, and all three were packed with flavor and incredibly juicy. The pork ribs had an amazing smoky flavor and a great crust -- absolutely delicious! For my two sides, I chose the green beans with fresh garlic and the mac and cheese, which had the most wonderful crunchy topping. The BBQ sauces were delicious, and the sweet tea was true Texas tea -- definitely approved! I also loved the little details. Every table was stocked with paper towel rolls and their house-made BBQ vinegar hot sauce, which was such a nice touch. The staff was incredibly welcoming and friendly, too. Overall, Southside Market & BBQ is a fantastic place to stop, especially if you're traveling through the area. And a huge bonus -- THEY OPEN AT 9 AM! That's some Texas BBQ dedication right there. 10/10 -- great food, great service, and a true Texas BBQ experience!

We made a trip to eat at Southside Market to try the Beef sausage. I saw a story on TV about their…read morefamous "The Original Elgin Hot Guts". It is worth the stop. The sausage was very good and flavorful. I have tried plenty of sausages in my time and Southside is very good. If you are in the Austin area you need to stop by and see for yourself. The place has plenty of seating and even a drive thru. We ¾ pounds which is plenty for 2 people. For the sides we shared the green beans and potato salad. The sides are very good and a must try. They have a vinegar sauce on the table you can use on the meat. I liked it and gave the sausage a thang. The price is comparable to other BBQ joints. Plus you can buy the sausage in some groceries stores. I need to try and see if it taste the same.

The store has poor management! Very junky; the AC is broke, so, the store is closing is 1pm…read moreeveryday! Sad! Elgin is rural and low in resources. Thus, closing the store early instead of fixing the problems depicts poor management overall!

Love this location. Always ample parking, friendly staff, can't beat the deals. I will never stop…read moreshopping there.

Disappointing BBQ Experience…read more We stopped at Meyer's BBQ after a fun morning of picking blackberries down the road and were really looking forward to lunch. Unfortunately, this was our first visit, and will also be our last. My mom ordered the chicken, my sister had the chili, and I went all in with the brisket, ribs, creamed corn, coleslaw, and buttermilk pie. The brisket was, without question, the driest brisket I've ever had. It was so dry that I had to take a drink after nearly every bite just to get it down. The ribs weren't much better, equally dry and lacking seasoning. The creamed corn had a strange texture and flavor that neither of us enjoyed, and the coleslaw was just average. In the end, all of my meal, plus half of my mom's chicken, went home for the dogs. The one bright spot was the buttermilk pie. It was surprisingly good and had just the right amount of sweetness. To be fair, the staff was very friendly, and the restaurant and bathrooms were clean. They deserve five stars for hospitality and cleanliness. Unfortunately, the food itself was closer to one star, and when you're visiting a BBQ restaurant, the food matters most. What made this even more disappointing was that we passed by the day before and saw what looked like the entire Elgin police department parked there. We figured it must be fantastic. Sadly, that wasn't our experience. I wouldn't eat here again, and I wouldn't recommend it based on the food we received. Such a disappointment.

I've been hearing about Meyer's for many years now but haven't had the chance to go. Today was the…read moreday! Went to grab takeout with the family to eat at home nearby. I got the 2 meat combo plate with chicken and garlic pork sausage. I also got the creamed corn and potato salad on the side. Everything was good. The sausage and corn were great. In hindsight I wish I had ordered chicken breast - it's a just me thing, but brown chicken meat is tasting and smelling a lot like turkey to me lately which isn't great because of a bad turkey experience. (Again just me!!) I also would have ordered double creamed corn! It was delish! I also feel like I need raw onions and pickles forever with BBQ now. New obsession. All in all, great experience, and also - great price!

Spec's Elgin, and Askalon ARAK, A Little-Town Store with a Big-City Find…read more But Shhh, Keep It Between Us Stroll into the Spec's in Elgin, Texas and make a beeline for the spirits aisle. There amongst glinting modestly among the bourbons and tequilas sits Askalon Extra-Fine Arak (100-proof), an Israeli anise liqueur that drinks like liquid silk. Fennel-forward, softly licorice-laced, and astonishingly smooth for a spirit tipping the scales at a 100 proof, it blossoms into a milky cloud when you add a splash of icy water, which is perfect for winding down after dinner, on a hot Texas Summer evening. Better yet, this Israeli treasure costs just under $20.00, punching far above its price class. Around Central Texas, Arak can be harder to track down than a free table at Franklin Barbecue, yet Spec's in Elgin keeps it reliably stocked. The shop itself still feels like genuine small-town Texas, tidy shelves, wide aisles, and staff who greet you like neighbors rather than checkout robots. Need pairing advice? They'll walk you straight to the bottle and swap stories on the way. What other words, the Staff, Spec's best. One tiny favor I need from you, let's keep this discovery our little secret. If too many folks start snapping up Askalon, I'll be staring at an empty shelf the next time I need a bottle, and nobody wants to see a grown pastor cry over a missing digestivo. So yes, do try it... but maybe not all at once, alright? L'Chaim--and mum's the word! Opa

A pretty good outlet of Spec's in an out-of-the-way location. Has kind of a bare-bones feel to…read morethe place, and the parking lot could use a steam-cleaning! Service was reasonably friendly and helpful, and they had a decent selection of beer and liquor. Some wines in the whites area (Riesling, Chardonnay) could've been a little better represented. But they did have fair prices on Grand Marnier! Worth a stop on the way back from either of Elgin's two excellent BBQ places.