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    LJ's BBQ

    4.7 (215 reviews)
    ModerateBarbeque
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

    LJ's BBQ Photos

    LJ'S BBQ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - LJ's BBQ

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    Brisket, Mac, Potato salad, beans

    The brisket and mac & cheese are SOO good!! We love coming here anytime we're in town!!

    Juncel A.

    Dropped in late afternoon after a Blue Bell visit and, despite being past prime hours, the team was warm and welcoming. Decent amount dining space, and a lot of country music décor on the walls. Brisket and pork steak were sold out, so we went with what was left--pork ribs and smoked turkey. The ribs had that deep, smoky bark with a bold salt-and-pepper crust, while the turkey was unexpectedly the standout: tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. Sides included silky braised cabbage (a sleeper hit) and Mexican street corn, which was decent but not a highlight. A solid BBQ stop in Brenham--worth seeking out! Will definitely be back for their brisket and pork steak.

    Inside
    Jason N.

    Wow! Finally found great BBQ! I had the ribs and my wife had the pulled pork. Absolutely amazing. We both had the Mac n cheese. YES! Coleslaw and potato salad definitely accompanied everything. Went on a Saturday morning. Got there about 10:30am. They open at 11am. Line was already forming. Once the doors open the line moves at a good pace. Most everyone has their order ready. The staff is amazing and the decor inside is my type of style. Highly recommended and can't wait to get up there again

    Tray of deliciousness
    Sean L.

    We pulled into Brenham with stomachs growling and fingers crossed that LJ's still had burnt ends. The sign didn't say SOLD OUT, so we jumped out of that truck like we were running from a vegan potluck. TL;DR: LJ's BBQ in Brenham delivered on brisket bark, burnt-end brilliance, and a cold elote curveball that worked. Mac and cheese got the daughter's stamp of approval, and I got my 31st Texas Monthly passport stamp. It was midday on a Saturday and the BBQ roadtrip was rolling hard. My daughter decided to join me for a father-daughter bonding session forged in smoke and meat. We pulled into LJ's around 1:45 PM, praying to the brisket gods, and were rewarded with the best news you can see on a Texas BBQ door: no sold out sign. I've been here before, and last time I left with tears in my eyes and a sausage-less soul. But not today. The line was gone, the staff was smiling, and the counter was still slinging burnt ends. We ordered a two-meat plate with burnt ends and moist brisket, plus sides of mac-n-cheese and elote. The burnt ends were barky, rich, sticky, and divine. If a cube of brisket and a candy bar had a lovechild, this would be it. The slice of moist brisket was textbook central Texas. Fat cap rendered just enough, deep pink smoke ring, bark that snapped back like a good comeback. Now listen, this BBQ dad has a strict no-fly zone when it comes to mac and cheese. I didn't even flinch in its direction. But my daughter? She dove in like it owed her money. One bite in and she gave it that look: eyes closed, slow nod, total reverence. She called it cheesy in all the right ways. I call it: not my business. Then came the elote. We both bit in and paused like someone had hit the mute button. Cold? Cold corn? We hadn't read the menu close enough. But then... we kept eating. It was creamy, cheesy, tangy, and hit different on a warm day. That cold elote snuck up on us and stuck the landing. The vibe in LJ's is old-school butcher paper, red-and-white checkered tables, and good tunes humming low. Before we left, we got the all-important stamp in the Top 50 passport and snapped a pic outside by the mural. I rocked my orange shirt like a man on a mission. And I am. Why did the burnt end break up with the sausage? Because it needed space to meat its true potential.

    Le menu
    Rubén L.

    There's a reason why LJ's is listed in Texas Monthly's best new comers; the food is outstanding and it's a throwback to classic Texas BBQ joints. LJ is right there behind the counter asking what you want and cuts your protein. The rest of the staff were friendly asking about sides and drinks and settling the tab. Sausage was good and crisp but not one ounce of grease dripped. The ribs were tender and juicy with a light taste of seasoning that complements the Smokey flavor. Brisket was super tasty, flavorful bark and very tender. The only thing I didn't like is that two of my slices were too think, like a quarter-inch. It's a small dining area but there is outdoor seating and the ambiance feels like a small town joint selling good Texas 'Que.

    Uses quality meat
    Alysha D.

    Went here on a recommendation from a local we had work meeting with. Definitely worth a stop! It's most nostalgic for me when I walk into a BBQ joint that has the red and white plaid table cloths. I love that the line moved quickly and the staff was attentive. We had the chopped beef & sausage Big Dog sandwich, the brisket Mac n cheese and a side of coleslaw. I liked that they cut the brisket off the slab and chopped it fresh in front of you and did not sauce it. Don't sleep on the marinated onions and homemade pickles!!! I added some chopped beef from my sandwich into the boat with those with a touch of sauce and could literally could eat that all day. The sauce was good and peppery, not too runny and not too sweet. The brisket is the star here for sure. Great flavor, moist and good bark. The sausage has good flavor but for my personal preference, was ground to smooth inside. Mac n cheese was cheesy and they use white cheese. Would return if I'm in the area to try some other meats and sides and get more brisket

    Two meat plate. Definitely get your moneys worth!!!
    Khalil C.

    Wow. What a great meal! The brisket was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The pork ribs were great. I would have liked a touch of sweetness to them, but it was not at all necessary. Just my opinion. The pork steak was smoked just right. The jalapeño cheese sausage was incredible. Don't miss the Mac and cheese. Maybe my favorite of any BBQ place I have been, ever. You can tell that everything is made with love. Great job. We will be seeing you again soon.

    Duncan D.

    Amazing BBQ! A bunch of "good ole boys" making great BBQ! If you are anywhere close it is worth the trip.

    Menu

    Both the Brisket and ribs had absolutely zero flavor. Zero smoke flavor. Zero salt. They really tasted steamed, more than anything. Meat was soft and juicy, but again zero flavor. Cabbage was good Beans were good Best part: pickled onions. I had to put them on everything just to get some flavor. Not really sure why this place is rated so high. Maybe because there is no strong bbq competition in brenham? Maybe an off day?

    Get the ribs, brisket, and mac 'n cheese.
    Pat J.

    Such an easy stop off 290. And there were only a few folks ahead of us. Just enough time to decide on an order. We went with the 3 meat plate (moist brisket, ribs, peppered turkey) with 2 sides (mac n cheese and pinto beans). Ribs and brisket were both excellent- smoky and moist. We'd get these again and again. Turkey was disappointing since there wasn't a smoky flavor and wasn't very moist. It was also peppery, which I need to start asking about when I order turkey. That's on me. The mac n cheese had what I'd call white queso component. This isn't your kids' Kraft mac and cheese. Very creamy, slightly spicy and kinda addictive. Yum!

    Nana puddin

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    3 years ago

    Everything is delicious. Literally every single thing. Personal fav is the mac and cheese w/pulled pork.

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    2 years ago

    I drive all the way over here from my home in Austin in order to eat bbq. That should tell you a lot. Everything on the menu is wonderful!

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    2 years ago

    Great food and friendly environment and quick service. If there's a long line is moves quickly and worth it

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    2 years ago

    Best BBQ I've ever had - and don't skip on the banana pudding! Ribs and brisket were incredible.

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    2 years ago

    The worst bbq. Over salted and used way too much black pepper without using any other spices! Yuck!

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Mediocre food and service. A lot of people like this place which means they haven't tried Truth BBQ, go there for a fantastic meal.

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    3 years ago

    Would definitely eat there again. Moist brisket piled high! Good sauce and quick service.

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    4 years ago

    So good! Best mac & cheese, the jalapeño cheese sausage is A1! Definitely worth the wait!

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    Page 3 of 6

    LJ's BBQ Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - LJ's BBQ

    Do they have beef ribs?

    Not on the menu and I have not seen them as special,

    Do you have gluten free options?

    As far as what? On sides we have collard greens, pinto beans, cole slaw and potato salad.

    Not open until 6 on 09/30/2017. Hours posted not correct?

    We are open til 6 or sold out. Yelp will not let us customize the hours. It is on the door though. Thanks for looking us up and hope to see you next time.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Truth BBQ

    Truth BBQ

    4.6(449 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    There's a reason these folks are on the TM best list! Ate here on a steamy Saturday, and we were…read morethankful for a short line, a covered waiting area and cold Lone Star beer for the wait. There is some seating available in the restaurant, but seating is mostly outside (largely covered, with fans going, thank goodness!). The service is fast and extremely friendly! We split a 3 meat (brisket, pulled pork, brisket boudin sausage) 2 sides (famous Brussels sprouts and pinto beans). The brisket and pork were dynamite! Brisket was a good mix of lean and moist, beautifully smoked. Pulled pork was soooo moist!!! Pintos were very flavorful classic Texas beans. Brussels were sweet and very lightly spicy. I love a good potato bread and they serve Martin's here. I could have eaten my weight in their house made pickles...they are the perfect foil to the richness of the meats. Both sauces were also fab --a classic bbq with a little extra vinegar than some, and a great mustard based sauce. We didn't have dessert, but the cakes look divine!! May have to come back just for those! Truth is a fantastic representation of classic Central Texas 'cue and we will certainly stop by next time we are in the area!

    The whole experience was amazing. We went this Sunday, came a little early but no lines and easy…read moreaccess to the ordering the whole time we were there so coming early is not necessary . Food is amazing, one of the top two I have had in BBQ. Love the brisket and turkey the best and all the sides are right up my alley. I definitely would stop by again. The food, sides, hospitality of the business and staff, the outdoor dining was nice and clean. We had two small dogs with us and were not afraid of them eating or picking up anything by accident. Food is 5 stars, checking out my pictures, it's definitely worth the drive for this BBQ.

    Photos
    Truth BBQ - Yes!

    Yes!

    Truth BBQ - Truth Texas Trinity

    Truth Texas Trinity

    Truth BBQ - Front Entrance and Dining Area

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    Front Entrance and Dining Area

    Nathan's BBQ - Employee hair on the meat

    Nathan's BBQ

    3.2(284 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    We have noticed this place several times on our travels back and forth between our home NW of…read moreAustin and our grandchildren in Houston. I always try to be supportive of small, locally owned businesses everywhere I go. Look at some of my other reviews, it will bear this out. For once, it wasn't a Sunday when we were passing by and we weren't in a hurry, so we thought we'd stop for lunch. It looks like everything you'd expect for a barbecue restaurant. Everything rustic and country. There was a menu painted on the wall with no prices anywhere. They have a nice selection of sides in meats. My wife ordered the 2 Meat Plate with Brisket and Sausage, Potato Salad and Pinto beans. I was thinking about Pork Butt; however, when I saw it , I decided to pass. Strike 1! I ordered the Brisket Plate with Black -Eyed Peas and Coleslaw. When the young woman handed it to me, It had Pintos on it rather than Black-Eyed Peas. When I cited the error she indignantly snapped, "That's what you ordered!" Strike 2! (who argues with civil paying customers?) I said, " I'm not trying to be any trouble. I just want what I ordered." at which point the older woman told her to give me a side of Black-Eyed Peas, which at this point seemed completely academic. We found a table, found our way to the drinks and also to the Barbecue Sauce and various condiments. I really wish I could say that this was the best Barbecue that I ever put in my mouth but unfortunately, I have to say just the opposite. Strike 3! This is singularly the worst barbecue experience that I have ever had anywhere in Texas or elsewhere in the country. The Brisket was gray, dry, and there wasn't a smoke ring in sight. It was no better than the Pork Butt had looked to me, in fact it was probably worse. My wife loves Sausage and she is not as discriminating about it as I am, but she said that was the worst Sausage she ever bought from a Barbecue Restaurant in her life, and she's the lifelong Texan in this couple, not me. I see mixed reviews out there besides my own and I'm wondering if perhaps the problem here is just inconsistency with the food because other than that and the little service blip, this wasn't a horrible meal but it was pretty far from a good one. Sorry Nathan's, I so wanted to like you.

    We came here for late lunch on a Saturday and it was pretty empty. It is attached to a gas station,…read morebut has their own entrance (you can also enter through the gas station as they connect on the inside as well) and a BBQ pit that you can look at through a window (it wasn't that exciting). They menu is right when you enter and then you grab a tray. I got some meat by the pound and really enjoyed the burnt ends! The sliced brisket I got on the other hand, was pretty dry. I loved that you get a drink included with your purchase. There was plenty of room to sit inside and you buss your own table at the end. The staff was friendly and there was ample parking in the back for this place and the gas station it is attached to.

    Photos
    Nathan's BBQ - Amazing bottle cap tabletops

    Amazing bottle cap tabletops

    Nathan's BBQ - Small size for $25

    Small size for $25

    Nathan's BBQ - Menu

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    Menu

    True Texas BBQ

    True Texas BBQ

    2.8(5 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    OK first time to try this H-E-B barbecue here in Brenham from what I understand they've had several…read moresetbacks and they were scheduled to open in October 2023 but due to a fire and other issues they opened approximately four days ago. My first impression was yes this is a good thing. To place an order, you must approach a tent covered kiosk and type in your order with your phone number and they will text you when your order is ready that's the simple part...... the hard part is actually getting the order that you placed . A customer in front of me ordered several sandwiches only to find out that some of her items were not placed in her bag, and they actually recalled her order, and they had to simply reassemble the order altogether; that was rather depressing, but I thought, simply by ordering three items they could not mess up my order.....Not so fast. I simply ordered a rack of ribs, 1 pound of sliced turkey and a single individual order of collard greens.. when I got home, I realized that they did not include the collard greens. Wow technically 1/3 of my order was missing altogether. As for the quality of the food that I actually received, the ribs were quite large and flavorful although I thought the smoky flavor was a bit much but the turkey was absolutely fabulous. I could cut it with a fork. . They do include sauce and other condiments, but they're spicy sauce was way too spicy for any of us to consume, and their sweet sauce must've been made with an overabundance of molasses because we threw those sauce packets away. So the spicy sauce must've been prepared in the house because you had to dip it into a container while you waited for the food to be prepared but the sweet sauce was in a pre-packaged container and yet there was no indication of any ingredients, even though it was obviously Prepared by an off site vendor(probably H-E-B out of San Antonio) . I suggest having a bottle of "Head" sweet barbecue sauce, handy to enhance the meal. Although they did offer pickles and onions with the order, there was barely enough to simply cover two slices of bread. I spent over $60 for this meal, and to get such a lame amount of condiments is unacceptable. They at least should have asked me how many portions of pre-bagged, onions, and pickles That I would like to have included with my order. I will give them another try because I have yet to sample their brisket and other highly anticipated items on their menu ..........

    It was in the H‑E‑B store. Sure food is good. But not my idea of a restaurant…read more Can't comment on service or ambiance. It was a grocery store!

    Photos
    True Texas BBQ
    True Texas BBQ
    True Texas BBQ

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    Pizzaiolo's - Front of menu

    Pizzaiolo's

    4.1(97 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $

    Speed of service is super slow. Server was very pleasant, just slow. Our water had a lemon in it,…read morethe lemon was moldy. We needed to ask for our order to go. The to go utensil pack is a knife and spoon only. We ordered salads and spaghetti and meatballs. I asked for Greek Dressing and received a white creamy dressing that was a cross between ranch and creamy Italian. I asked for chicken on my salad, there was one.

    This quaint little spot on the map is full of flavor. To be honest, it is a small family owned…read morespot. It had a buffet that kept coming. The food was super tasty and fresh. They had salad, soup, pizza, pizza rolls, garlic knots, and even nice glasses of wine available. The bufet is what my family ate. There were full menu options as well. The food was piping hot, and a vast variety of all kinds of pizza were available on the buffet. If there was not something you wanted, they would make it for you. The dessert on the buffet was cannoli. These tasy treats were great, slight gritty texture which I am not used to in this type of dessert. However, they were tasty and had a crispy shell! The ambiance of the place was a bit older. It was clean, though there were some stains because the place is not brand new. The wait staff and cook staff were absolutely amazing. Ashley was super nice! She offered to help us and kept our drinks filled. The bathrooms were clean, and when the TP was out in the men's room, my hubby notified them, and in seconds, there was restocking right away.

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    Pizzaiolo's - Pizza, pasta and soup bar

    Pizza, pasta and soup bar

    Pizzaiolo's - Greek Salad (Large), missing the chicken, with the utensils missing the fork, missing the Greek dressing I requested.

    Greek Salad (Large), missing the chicken, with the utensils missing the fork, missing the Greek dressing I requested.

    Pizzaiolo's - Next menu page

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    Next menu page

    LJ's BBQ - bbq - Updated May 2026

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