No frills bbq gets a no frills review. Brisket was worth the drive. Sausage was ok. The jalapeno sausage seemed to have some other spice like fennel in it too, which was unexpected but good. You enter the building and are immediately in front of the pit and even some open fire. You order your meat from the guys and pay there. Then you can go into the dining room and order sides, or just eat your meat like we did. They aren't kidding when they say "no forks." They just give you knives, but the brisket barely needs a knive. read more

A Lockhart classic that's been around for ages as a true OG. While in town to visit Barb's B-Q, my buddy and I stepped out of line briefly for a quick trip to Smitty's. The firewood sits on the ground as you walk in as a part of their open-fire cooking style bringing smoke into the brick pits. These new school smokers don't do it like Smitty's. As we walked in at 10:30, there was no line. We asked for the simplest order. A single slice of brisket and a single slice of turkey. It was about $12 all in. As we sat down with one of the 4 pieces of butcher paper for 2 slices of meat, I noticed that there are no forks at Smitty's. Just knives. We got to work. The turkey was fantastic. Barbecue turkey is honestly an underrated concept and their turkey was juicy, soft, and would change any Thanksgiving meal to one for the history books. I was extremely disappointed in the slice of brisket though. It was extremely chewy like plastic. Decently seasoned but not tender at all. Probably a bit undercooked. It was worth visiting for the experience, especially to get a picture next to the fire pit, which one of the people on staff was nice enough to take for us. As we walked out, we noticed tons of their awards and recognitions. It's cool to give a classic originator of Texas barbecue a hat tip like we did. RIYL: The originators or fire on the floor read more

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Ordering is a bit confusing unless the line(s) have formed up- one from the street and one from the parking lot out back. People seem to want to enter in the middle where you check out. Nope! Start at the scale on either end, exit the middle. Good brisket, cut to order, lots of bark. We had some lean and some fat. Liked the sauce they provide. Remember- no forks, so wash up first! We had a half link of the "spicy" sausage. Did t seem spicy, and the casing was tough, near impossible to bite it off or cut it with the plastic knives. I just pushed the meat out and ate it on a cracker. Nice to see a real, old time atmosphere, with old time smokers. Nice folks too. read more

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Quintessential old-school Central Texas Barbecue. I have probably been here half-dozen times and it has always been the same. It's not in the major leagues of BBQ for me. Rating (5 being best): Ribs: 2.5 Brisket: 3 Prime Rib: 3.5 Shoulder: 3 Sausage: 2.5 A nostalgic place for sure and you can assume it resonates with those who have grown up in Texas and this bbq as the demographic are boomers. That's my observation from my visits compared to those who prefer craft bbq. read more

Smitty's Market - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

Not fancy but very good bbq! We had beef ribs, pork ribs, jalapeño sausage (which was more like boudin), and brisket. Everything was smoked to perfection! Also ordered green beans and cream corn which were good but not necessarily great. I loved the southern hospitality and friendliness of staff. Would def come back again :) read more

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Loved the atmosphere of the building and it really made me feel like i was in texas texas. The brisket was deliciously moist and flavorful, no complaints there. The sausage on the other hand was more disappointing. I don't think it was stuffed well so it was falling apart when i bit into it or cut it. The original sausage was better than the jalepeno one. The jalepeno sausage barely tasted like jalepeno. I liked the hot sauce tho! read more

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Many BBQ choices in Lockhart but decided to return to Smitty's Market where has that old Wild Wild West atmosphere. You can enter from the front or back and navigate on your own there the meat gets cut next to flaming hot fireplaces. You may get lucky with no wait or sweat it out in line. The meat choices are posted on the wall and they have a wide selection and some not found at other places. Their sausage is legendary and saw many just there to buy links of it. I ordered small portions but ended up with a heavy load and just can't say no. I order a link of sausage (jalapeño), turkey, brisket, pork ribs, and pork chops. It was obviously what's not eaten will be taken home to enjoy the next day. The guys working there are in the thick of the smoke and slicing meat like pros. Next it was time to go inside where must have been 30 degrees cooler to order sides and drinks. Got potato salad, corn, and sweet tea. The sides were very good with no complaints and enjoyed the sweet tea a lot. No forks or plates allowed here when you dig in like wild animals. Looked like outhouses outside but found an entry to the washrooms. They do have ice cream to wash down your sausage but too old for that where seems like for the young. And finally the meat review. Let's me just say it's among the best of the best in Texas. The sausage was delicious and has a kick to it. The pork chop was cut thick with the bone. The turkey had tremendous smokey flavor where was completely eaten first. The brisket and ribs were award winning. The happy staff were very friendly and lets you just wander around. read more

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Very authentic barbecue restaurant. The turkey was probably one of the best we have had at a barbecue. Everyone was very friendly. Long tables, community seating made it seem very hometown. They have a no fork thing going on, and I don't quite understand that.Good prices too. read more

The food was so dry and for the price you're paying, we/you the consumer deserve better. The burnt ends were true burnt ends because they were so dry. The sides felt like they had just come out of a can. It was a terrible experience, do not waste your money read more

Have to say, I wasn't that impressed with the food here at Smitty's. My meat had an excessive amount of fat, and the side options weren't the best. Service was good, just felt rushed I guess when ordering. The place seemed very loud as well, so it was hard to converse with my lunch date. Oh. And there's no forks. FYI. Will I be back? No. Plenty more options that are much better in town. read more

Stopped here for some sliced brisket Saturday. Everyone in town told me that Smitty's has the best! Upon walking in, I was greeted kindly by the staff and shown their ordering style and prices. I ordered enough brisket for 2 sandwich's and it came out to just over $10. A really great price. They have your traditional BBq restaurant bench seating. Overall, the brisket tasted very flavorful. It had a great smoke ring!!! I give it a 3.8 out of 5. Very solid rating. read more

Smitty's Market - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

In from KC and Texas BBQ showed who is King. Not even close when it comes to the flavor of their brisket, sausage and smoked Turkey. It was incredible. The rib was not good. Tough and seemed like a leftover. Overall great food, cool place. read more

Smitty's Market - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

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Food is mediocre at best. Brisket was nothing but fat. Potato salad was straight out of a bucket. Very skimpy on giving you bread. And seriously why can't they have forks? It's hard to eat cut up brisket & sausage with a spoon! Let's not forget the employee walking around with a big pkg of Club crackers! Won't be back..too many other better places. read more

Smitty's was amazing! I loved that you order your bbq from a giant room that's essentially a huge grill and the sides from the market. I haven't seen that before. I was impressed with the quality of the meats, how delicious the sides were, and the polite service. I enjoyed how it looked as well. It wasn't fancy. It was a large hall, reminded me of cafeteria-style seating where you sit after you purchase your food. I'm grateful for the experience. read more

This was stop 2 on a weekday BBQ crawl.... Brisket was a bit dry, turkey was great and the link was typical Central Texas style.. lots of nostalgia in this place for sure. read more

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What a shame. Worst brisket I've had in a very long time. Family picked up 3 pounds of MOIST brisket to go and I was shocked at how dry, rubbery and tasteless it was. You would think a group of 9 people sharing 3 pounds of brisket would have wiped it out in no time. We had almost half left over and none of us wanted to take it home with us, that's how bad it was. Last time stopping at Smittys. read more

Smitty's Market - A single slice of brisket with zero flavor and so dry, it was practically inedible. - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

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Amazing ribs and sausage. Great brisket as well. Brisket was very smokey which i like but not quite as fally aparty as i would prefer -- tho some folks like it with more chew. read more

First time checking Smitty's out. Setup and dining experience is nice. You have to order your meats first then go further in to order your sides. Ribs and sausage were good. Turkey was great. Brisket was good but wished for moister meat. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Only reason for a 4 star is because of the brisket. I liked it and would recommend it. Would I go back? Not sure. I think I would visit other BBQ in the area before I do. So far Lockhart has not had a 5 star for me yet. Hope it does for you. read more

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I drive out of my way for Smitty's; it's by far the best BBQ in the area (I said what I said)!! The brisket is sheer perfection - juicy & a good bark without overwhelming the flavor of the meat, and that SMOKE. Sausages are BANGIN' too! Even the turkey is nice. Great pit. Great guys. Decent price for the quality!! read more

Smitty's legacy runs deep in our family. My husband has been coming here since he was a child and his parents since they were children. There is much history in the soot filled bbq walls of Smitty's. You feel it, smell it, and taste it in the BBQ goodness that Smitty's produces. The BBQ pit masters cook up excellent, moist marbled brisket. But my personal favorite is the smoked turkey accompanied by sweet pickles. My husband and his family personally all LOVE the sausage. If you're not a sweet pickle fan, I suggest trying Smitty's with their BBQ. (Yummmmm). Everything is a La carte. Upon entering you order your protein. Then move into the "market" for the sides, drinks and desserts. There is plenty of family style seating available, first come first serve. If you go during lunch expect a line. read more

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Going into this experience hearing great things, it was surprising to discover that not only was the barbque greasy, overpriced, and fatty, but the sides were laughably small. The staff was condescendingly hospitable, yet no amount of "what can I get you"s are able to make up for poor sanitation and even poorer attitudes. There is a lot of great barbque in Lockhart, save yourself the trouble and skip this spot:) read more

Very old restaurant, but clean. The meat ordering area is very hot and smokey. They only have sides in portion orders. They also charge for pickles and onions. The brisket was too salty and the sausage was more like bonding. Turkey was pretty good. Sides of Mac and cheese, cream corn and potato salad were average. The owners are not very pleasant. Very straightforward and almost borderline rude. Unfortunately I wouldn't come back.​ read more

While visiting Lockhart. I had to visit the holy trinity of bbq spots in the area. Original Blacks, Kreuz, and Smitty's market. This was the 2nd spot on my list that I visited, but it was my favorite one. The staff was super friendly as we entered. Very welcoming as they let us come and film the bbq pit areas. It was cool to watch the process. It feels like it's been here forever which it has. The pit room is where you go to order your meats. I got the moist brisket, crumbly sausage, and pork rib. I really enjoyed the bark on the bbq here. It's a bit different to what I'm used to but I loved it. The crumbly sausage was so good. I don't normally get that texture at other bbq sausage spots. Then there's another room where everyone is seated to dine where they sell the sides and desserts. We got the chocolate pie which reminded me of my childhood. I really enjoyed Smitty's market. read more

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OG Texas BBQ. Salt, pepper, smoke....nothing fancy, but tons and tons of flavor. House made sausage was 10/10. We were suggested to eat them with saltines(first for me) and it was the perfect combo. The meats were tender and I feel like I could taste the historical smoke of the gigantic pits. It's truly an experience to eat here. read more

Smitty's Market - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

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I'm quite shocked at the low reviews of Smitty's. Albeit, I only stopped at 2 bbq joints on my trip to Lockhart, it was by far my favorite of the two. Reasons being- 1. Flavor and 2. Pricing. Their brisket was sooo good and their half chicken had so much more flavor than my second stop. Loved the old school decorations within. It made me feel like I had taken a step back in time. There's no question that this will be a must stop the next time I'm in town! read more

Smitty's Market - Store front - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

The service was good... efficient but not super friendly. They serve saltine crackers and don't use forks. The beans and turkey were excellent. The brisket was a little dry. It is definitely old school but in a good way. read more

Smitty's Market - Entrance - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

On a road trip driving through Texas. Had to stop at Smitty's market or best barbecue place in town guaranteed. Sliced brisket and sausage to die for, extra bread, pickles, onions, and barbecue sauce. All the staff is very friendly, and Mr. Garcia was reading everybody in and out. Great hospitality at home with family on a Sunday afternoon will definitely be back thanks. read more

I took photos but we ordered our bbq to go and the pictures we took later did not do the delicious bbq and sides much justice in our opinion. We ordered sausage, turkey and lean brisket along with pinto beans and cream corn. The service was friendly and helpful and wow, the ambience in this place....it oozed smoke (literally) and bbq history. The nostalgia was over the top. We thought all of our food was very good, especially the smoked turkey. The prices were the most reasonable that we have encountered at an authentic Central Texas bbq restaurant yet! My hubby is "the bean guy" and we order them everywhere we have bbq. He loved that the beans were a pinto but homemade ranch style. So very good. I would definitely return! It's worth a visit! read more

In the heart of Lockhart, TX was Smitty's Market. My boyfriend said he's been eating this food since he was little, so it has been around for a long time. He said not much has changed there, and it really brought a sense of happiness. The sample of food I got was all really good and was unique when it came to BBQ. The staff was friendly and offered refills on our drinks before we left. We ended up taking a box of sausage home. If you're in town, this place was a good one to try. read more

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Good hometown barbecue flavor in every bite. Picnic style service. Big Red and Texas Pete hot sauce read more

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Mediocre food. Bad service. Chaotic atmosphere. Bathrooms in disrepair. Wouldn't go back.

Service was amazing. Every single person was friendly and helpful. And some had us cracking up laughing. The meat was tender and juicy. We tried the brisket, prime rib and shoulder. Amazing. The shoulder may be the best bbq I've had in my life. The sides were pretty average - nothing stuck out. We did get plastic spoons and knives but not forks. Definitely not to be missed on a trip to Lockhart. read more

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We were treated very badly by the person who was taking orders. We should have walked out because our experience only got worse. The ribs and brisket weren't cooked thoroughly. I couldn't even pull a bite off of the fatty, cold bone. Brisket was tough and yucky with unrendered fat. Couldn't cut it with a knife. We showed the condition of our food to the floor manager who only offered to bring us more of what we already couldn't eat. I threw my $46 in the trash and left. read more

Enjoyed very much and not been there in about 15 to 20 years exactly as I remembered it the Eden area looks more modern. The food was very, very good. The service was amazing. read more

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Overall score 3.7 out of 5 The overall feeling of the meat is OK, but nothing blew my mind. Sausage Link was very flavorful. Turkey was OK. The ribs were dry and the brisket was pretty solid, but I've had better. Staff is very friendly Price was reasonable They could use forks lol Personally, Terry Black and Chisholm Trail is better in my opinion. read more

Smitty's Market - Barbeque Near Me - Lockhart, Texas

Tried the top 4 Lockhart BBQ spots today: Chisholm Trail BBQ, Black's BBQ Lockhart, Smitty's Market, and Kreuz Market, in that order. Smitty's unfortunately ranked as the worst of the 4. I wouldn't even put it on the list of ones to try in Lockhart. The hard thing is that atmosphere was great with the open fire and side rooms for seating. The main area where you order the sides was chaotic and the bathroom was not pleasant. Where you order the meats moves pretty quickly but for some reason, the sides/drink line was so slow and unorganized. I'm not sure why it bottlenecked. We ordered the fatty brisket (it was tough meat that was quite chewy/rubbery), potato salad (this was pretty good). We would have tried more and maybe found something we liked it had not been our 3rd stop. Smitty's won a bunch of awards in years past but don't see that happening again anytime soon. read more

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Loved the no forks thing. The smell of post oak as soon as you enter was amazing. Had the brisket, pork ribs, and regular sausage. Brisket was great. Had nice smoke and good bark. Not to fatty and the fat had rendered! Ribs were awesome and seasoned well. The only thing I had an issue with was the sausage. Once I started chewing it got really mealy. I don't know if too much binder or what but just wasn't pleasant for me. Sides were great! Outside of the sausage, which I would try again just to be sure, it was great and another Lockhart BBQ staple checked off the list. read more

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A couple of months ago I took my girlfriend to Smitty's for lunch and it was great. The Bbq, the sides, the service, and the Pitt area was great. The brisket was fabulous! If you are looking for a romantic restaurant then Smitty's is not the place. It's a charming old market. I recommend you get there when it opens because it does get busy. If you are looking for Texas bbq then Smitty's is a good place to go to. Oh.... There is plenty of street parking. Will be back! read more

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Stopped here and got ribs, brisket and sausage to go. Very disappointing and no flavor. Sausage like other postings was pitiful.

The ribs were a little tough, the sausage was just horrible, it tasted like it had been there for a long time. The brisket was good. There was worker standing in the dining area staring at us the whole time. It made us a little uncomfortable. Overall it was a little disappointing read more