This was way better than ok. The beans were amazing. The Mac n cheese w peppers was delightful. The brisket was scrumptious. And the beer was just what was needed on this hot day. The wait staff was helpful, kind and patient. The environment was upbeat. We rushed to order as a bus of folks came in-bug not a problem. They faired well in the rush. A+ Brick Vault folks! read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Yummy beans. Really. Try them. - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

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If you ever pass through Marathon, and you like barbecue, you must stop here for some excellent bbq and brewskis. (I didn't get any beers this time, but they have some good options on tap!) Prices are reasonable for the quality. The brisket was above average--not the best I've ever had, but the pork spare ribs are the star! The spare ribs are so tender and perfectly seasoned. I would probably just get those if I'm ever back again. Self-seating is available indoors and outside on the patio. Make sure you ask for bread, pickles, pickled jalapeños/onions, as they are complimentary. They also have water cups by the sauces (spicy or regular). read more

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Stopped here for barbecue. Had the pulled pork, beans, and potato salad. Nice outdoor seating area. Barbecue wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst. Not a lot in town is open except for dinner. read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Pulled pork, beans, potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

It's okay BBQ. But just ok. Nothing worth going out of the way for... and the brewery beers were also just alright. I will say they have an excellent Kolsch! D but a growler of that, but sadly, not much else. read more

Having a BBQ in Marathon is a great option - especially after a day of hiking at Big Bend and you've come with a large appetite. The counter service is friendly and helpful as you make your selections. The indoor seating is rather small, however, they have a nice outdoor seating area if the weather is nice. We did our usual approach to BBQ joints by ordering and sharing a variety of meats with some sides. We tried the two types of sausage - original and jalapeño cheddar, Pulled pork, and Turkey breast. For our sides, we went with the Green chili Mac-n-cheese and the Elote in a cup (aka: Mexican street corn). All of the meat was flavorful and didn't require sauce. They offer two sauces, one more traditional and the other more of a mustard variety - both had good flavor. The Green chili Mac-n-cheese didn't have as much of a flavor as we had hoped. It was light on the chilis and that is why we wanted this side. The other was the Mexican Street Corn. I'm a huge fan of Tajin seasoning and this was the first time in my life where I said there was too much of the seasoning in this dish. It was overwhelming and you didn't get to enjoy the corn. You order the brewery items at the separate bar. They offer a typical variety of beers so people can find a favorite. I enjoyed the Honey Blonde and my husband downed the Ranch Hand Red. Both were great options to wash down the BBQ. read more

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Outstanding! My husband & I both enjoyed our Vaquero sandwiches. Even bought more jalapeño cheese sausage to take home.

I live in Austin, where we have great BBQ. I give the BBQ here about a 4 of 5. Good to find good place to eat in such a beautiful desolate location. I did not understand why I had to buy the food separately from the beer/booze? I would have preferred juicer brisket (no choice was not offered), the jalapeño & cheese sausage/ the eloté were good. The green chili mac was not as cheesy as you would expect. The peach Cobbler was not moist even with ice cream. Definitely make a stop on your way to the Big Bend. read more

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A perfect place to stop after hiking at Big Bend before the long drive home. Very nice guys cutting the BBQ, serving sides, and running the register. Great open and clean place, bathroom's small and wonky, but so much charm that it's easy to overlook. The turkey was good, both sides (mac & elote) were also okay. Next time I'll try the brisket and beans. read more

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Crazy hard hours, but the food is pretty darn good as are the folks working there. Got there about 15 minutes before opening and decided to stand in line once people started showing up. I was maybe #3 out of a couple dozen, but by the time we were finished eating - no line! So the pro-tip is to just come a 1/2 hour after opening. There's not a lot of lunch options around, so that likely makes it more popular. In a busy season (we were in mid-February), no big deal. Make adjustments if you have arrived in a heavy holiday season. I had the Vaquero sandwich. I didn't want to eat a ton, just sample. It was a great tasting sandwich. It had brisket and a jalapeno sausage. The brisket was good, solidly the reason Texas Monthly gave them an Honerable Mention (high praise) but I liked the Jalapeno-Cheddar sausage that was also in it even better. Came with chips. I also ordered a side of charro beans that were fantastic. They have two BBQ sauces. I sampled both, but liked the darker one. Sorry, didn't come named! The inside had a few tables that were scattered around the two garage bays. However, we sat outside because it was such a nice winter day. I highly recommend outside if you don't get scorched. read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Go with the Vaquero sandwich for a taste of brisket & jalapeno-cheddar sausage. Loved the beans. Loaded Mashed Potatoes were ok. - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

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Brick Vault Brewery & Barbecue Marathon Texas Quail Pale Ale & Pecan Porter Chile Mac & Cheese Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage Every bit & drop was outstanding read more

Marathon is a gem of a town comprised of little gems, and this is yet another one on that list. Adorable inside and out. The food is outstanding and the portions are generous. I love love loooved that Mac & cheese! Had to take some of my sandwich home but that just means I can enjoy it another round. I grabbed a beer on the way out (their pale ale) and it was very good! Service was great. Stop by next time you're in town! read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Green chile Mac & cheese, fully loaded pulled pork sammich - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

Outdoor seating with live music and a full bar with on-tap beers makes for a perfect afternoon setting. The BBQ is quite tasty - we split the pulled pork and turkey. The turkey was surprisingly flavorful and the pulled pork was decent as well. We split sides of coleslaw and corn elote in a bowl. Definitely skip the elote, but the slaw was also decent. I can't say this is close to the best BBQ in TX, but it is definitely a top pick in Marathon and a pleasant space to spend time, enjoy music, and enjoy a post/pre-Big Bend dinner. read more

Must stop, if you're in Marathon Texas. Best Brisket in this area, especially after a long day of hiking at Big Bend. The edges are perfectly done and the meat is so tender. You have to get it and also loved the jalapeno cheddar sausage. As a bonus, grab some of the two bbq sauces to try, free potato bread, pickled onions, jalapeños! The service is quick, prices are fair and staff is very hospitable. read more

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Great food and fast service during a really busy Sunday. We arrived just as two very large groups came into town. These hardworking people took good care of all of us very quickly and efficiently read more

Excellent bbq, great lager. You can watch them cut you meat and fast service. Order you beer at the bar after you order your food.

Brisket 7.5/10 cooked to perfection, it just fell apart, not too much smoke. A bit too much fat on top Jalapeño sausage 8/10 tons of flavor, great balance of heat and tons of cheese Ribs 8/10 peppery, fell off the bone, not too much smoke Mac&cheese 5/10 - a little watery, not a ton of flavor Cole slaw 8/10 - tart and fresh and bright flavors. Might need a pinch of salt to balance it out read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Brisket, jalapeño sausage, Cole slaw and mac&cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

Solid barbecue at a good price. We got the 2 meat 2 side plate and split it. Eloye was good, less mayo-ey and with plenty of lime and cotija. Borracho beans were good with chunks of green chile. Counter service was quick, cool merch with hats and shirts. Bar had collections of beers on tap. We had the banquet and the hazy. Very low key place but worth eating at in marathon. read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

We had all side dishes. Beans, jalapeño Mac and cheese, loaded mashed potatoes, slaw, and street corn. We also had peach cobbler and banana pudding. It was like having a buffet. A taste of everything. We lived the food. We sat outside on the patio in the sun. But, they have nice indoor seating. We got our food quickly. Price was very reasonable. read more

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We arrived after 7:30, and the brisket was sold out. I settled for the pork spare ribs with mac-n-cheese & slaw. The ribs were good- fall off the bone. The mac-n-cheese was watery to me. I liked the slaw though, and should've gotten two orders of it. I needed more veggies in my life. The service was lackluster from the younger workers, but the gentleman was more friendly. read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Pork Spare Ribs w/ mac-n-cheese & slaw - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

Very nice, very chill atmosphere. The Cantelope Radler is amazing! Great food, great prices. Highly recommend. read more

I had the CPO sandwich with slaw and pulled pork. It was good but I was surprised how much it cost given the portion size. Friendly service. But I wish they would stop using single-use plastic cups to serve non-alcoholic drinks. Seems completely out of place in a quaint spot like Marathon , TX which is also a gateway to the Big Bend National Park. read more

If I could give half stars, I'd give 4.5. While this isn't the absolute best brisket I've ever had (my go to) it is some of the best sausage. The brisket is solid and has a nice smokey flavor. We ordered the jalepeño and cheese to go and on a rainy day on our Big Bend vacation, we ate the sausage for breakfast, lunch and then what was left for dinner. We meant to freeze it and take it home to share, oops. We loved getting the two sauces! The veggie pickles were also *kisses hand like an Italian* excellent. Between the four of us we tried all the beers. Very mature tasting beers--not like newbie beer. I particularly enjoyed the cherry sour. To boot, it is just a fun place. This is the kind of place for a good vacation find. Games, energy, sit all day, order more food... If you're looking for the best of all the world's, start and maybe end here. read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Cherry sour - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

Popped in during a Marathon pub crawl, and we were not disappointed. The microbrew was outstanding, the service was excellent (thanks Giselle!), and the barbecue was better than average. It absolutely hit the spot partnered with the beer. The place has a good, laidback vibe, and is the perfect place to take a load off in a small town. Great concept guys, and good job. read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Solid "cue" and tasty brew - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

Add this one place into Big Bend National park trip itinerary. The meats were well smoked with a nice pepper bite, the BBQ sauce while not needed to enjoy their smoked treats was a great compliment to them. The beers were fantastic as well, if I could've brought a junior their Amber home I would have. Will be planning to arrive to Big Bend after this place is open on the way in so I can have it twice on my next excursion to and from the park. read more

We were skeptical of the 5 star ratings but what can I say? From the service (I called to place an order and the girl on the phone was so polite, kept saying "yes, ma'am" it sure made me feel good, lol) to the pick up (they packed my food right at when I said I'd pick it up) to the taste of the meats (we had ribs that fell off the bones; brisket that melt in your mouth; pulled pork that was ultra flavorful; and sausage that was super juicy) and the sides (loved the coleslaw, it doesn't have that usual unwelcome sweetness; the green beans were a bit undercooked but they were adorned with chopped up tomatoes and onions, not your typical boring green beans!) If not for Covid I'd eat inside, such a cute dining place and you can smell the BBQ from a block away! read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

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What a fantastic little BBQ joint!! Here you forget you're in the middle of nowhere! The food is good, the atmosphere is simply charming and the staff are polite and super friendly. And let's talk about the great quality of the napkins shall we?! I mean have you ever gone to a BBQ joint and you use about a million thin and cheap napkins? Brick Vault has your back with large, thick and absorbing napkins! Thank you!! But if you're ever in the area stop by and grab yourself some jalapeño cheddar sausage, some brisket and a beer and enjoy your delicious meal!! read more

We live in Alpine and have always enjoyed eating at The Brick Vault since it opened, however, we had lunch there today and my husband was appalled at the amount of meat he received. He has always received three ribs when he ordered his one meat dish and this time he was given two. Being a rib, most of it is bone and not a lot of meat. He used his credit card and the cheapest tip was 18%. The servers put the meal on the tray, we carried it to the table, got the sauce to put on the meat, filled our own water glasses, picked up our own silverware, and cleared off the tray (you eat off of paper) in the trash can and stacked our tray when done with the clean up. Around $19 total for lunch. I have always steered visitors who have asked me for lunch and dinner suggestions to the Brick but I won't be doing that again. And, we won't be going back for lunch again either. read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Two ribs total around $19 - look huge in this photo but they weren't. - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

Omg this place is awesome Great brisket And slaw And green chili Mac and cheese Fantastic read more

we ordered brisket and got spare ribs. the glazed carrots were horrible. never had bad glazed carrots before. They were out of the pinto beans. ambience and bear was good but rest was not. read more

Good solid bbq in West Texas. I prefer my brisket sauced, but had good flavor. The original sauce is what I expected in Texas, but what they call the "tangy" sauce is more like a Carolina vinegar sauce. Green chili Mac and cheese was great if too runny and the skillet green beans were fantastic. Don't miss out on the pickles. read more

We had a short stay in West Texas and were excited to try some bbq on our way to Big Bend national park. We were happy to find Brick Vault! The service is quick and friendly and they also have a bar with some of their beers on tap. We ordered the brisket and jalapeño cheddar sausage with a side of coleslaw and potato salad as well as pickled onions and house made cucumbers. The sauce was tasty and both meats and sides were enjoyable as well. Decent prices and good beer to accompany your bbq also don't hurt. I wouldn't hesitate coming back! read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Two meat plate with brisket, jalapeño cheddar sausage, coleslaw and potato salad. - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

Food was absolutely amazing! Loved the homemade bread also. Great food, great atmosphere and great beer- can't beat it.

Today we opted for BBQ and we were damn happy! Fantastic bbq. Fantastic sides. Homemade pickles and pickled onions. read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Vaquero sandwich with green chili Mac&Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

I had a turkey sandwich and coleslaw. Hubs had a brisket plate with German potato salad and borracho beans. The sandwich was great. The brisket was great. The coleslaw was too bland for me. The "warm" potato salad was not, and the potatoes were hard. The beans were firm and not hot, although had good flavor. Pickles, onions and peppers were supposed to come with the plate. The did not, and were not offered. By the time I saw that they were supposed to be there, there was a line at the counter and we didn't want to go back. What place doesn't give EVERYBODY pickles, onions and bread with their BBQ? Sandwich-$13, plate-16. Details matter. They should also offer some kind of child's menu. I heard someone ask what they could order that would be good for a 5 year old. He was told "what we have is on the menu". Really? They couldn't do better than that? read more

This experience was a highlight of our West Texas trip! We were driving a long distance and running a bit behind time. So we called and ordered to-go. When we arrived, they let us sit there while they were cleaning up. My husband is obsessed with brisket and said this was the best one he'd had. And as a vegetarian, I can confirm that their sides are delicious too! I had the coleslaw and the potato salad. The portions are quite large - I couldn't finish them by myself! Oh, if you like foods with a kick to it, their spiced pickles are incredible! I ate them for days and can't get enough. The people working here are really nice and friendly. They made the whole experience memorable for us! read more

We made a pit stop during our trip to West Texas. I had dine a quick search of the best rated restaurants in Marathon, TX and this was on the list. Wow, it did not disappoint. We dined in on a Sunday. Note the hours in this day if the week 12-3pm... "or until the bbq runs out".. we arrived about ten minutes to noon and there was already three families ahead of us. My recommendations would have to be the brisket sandwich and the corn side. Absolutely divine. For dessert banana pudding. I would make the drive just for the brisket. It's worth it. read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Brisket sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

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Good beer in a town of 500 or so. Pecan porter is very good. Brisket is plastic fork tender, sausage was nicely smoked. Green beans are good, cole slaw had quite a different spin on it, excellent. Yep read more

Brick Vault Brewery and Barbeque - Sausage an brisket plates. - Barbeque Near Me - Marathon, Texas

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What a treat the Brick Vault was after a long hike through Big Bend. I ordered the 3 meat plate and 2 sides. Brisket, jalapeño sausage, pulled pork, green Chile Mac n cheese, and elotes. Everything was delicious. I look forward to stopping by again on my next adventure at Big Bend. read more

Awesome find in Marathon! Stopped in on our drive through. This place has plenty of character. Staff is good and quick. The food was good. I had brisket and Green chili Mac-n-cheese and I highly recommend it! I'm typically not a fan of borracho beans but these were good also. Wife had the pulled pork and Cole slaw which were both good. She also had the potato salad but in her opinion it had way too much mayonnaise but it was ok. Overall I recommend this place if your in the neighborhood. read more

Awesome place and some of the best customer service I've ever experienced anyplace, anywhere. 10 stars! Not sure I've ever been to restaurant with so many smiling, helpful, and friendly employees. Just a cool vibe here in this small West Tx town. Place was clean and well kept. Nice, shaded outdoor sitting areas in front and in back. They were surprisingly open this Friday afternoon at 3 PM so I happily obliged myself to a little "snack." I tried a quarter pound of their spicy sausage and a quarter pound of their beef brisket. And to add to the caloric binge, I wrapped my order up with their Mac and cheese. The meats were both the bomb. The sausage was uber juicy and flavorful with just the right amount of kick to it. I've never had sausage with such large noticeable (cheddar?) cheese chunks in it- BOOM! I didn't think it could get better but it did with the brisket. Simply the most juicy and tender brisket I've ever had. The mac & cheese was good (but not great), and the BBQ sauce was tasty too. This place is a solid 4.5 stars, so I've got to give them 5 stars given the vibe and service. Check this place out and support this joint! I liked this place so much, that I squeezed in lunch the following day post half-marathon. Ordered the chopped brisket sandwich with potato man was outstanding. I much more preferred their sweeter BBQ sauce with the sandwich. Their pork ribs are fall-off-the-bone juicy, and have a unique peppery, smoky taste to them. The brisket still reigns supreme IMHO... For dessert, I tried the local made peach cobbler served warm ala mode with vanilla cinnamon ice cream = Bomb... my pancreas will be on overdrive for the next week trying to offset all the sugar goodness. Looking forward to next year... They do have a pretty nifty electronic shuffle board around the right back side free to play. Loser pays??? read more

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