There's nothing like good BBQ, and this was nothing like good BBQ. Certainly not worthy of the name "Texan" - nothing in the flavor of the food suggested the distinctive Texas-style of BBQ. My meal at this restaurant in Algonquin was truly disappointing. My wife's was too. I got the brisket, had a bit of a smoke ring. That's the only positive thing I can say. No bark, sliced way too thin, and tasted like roast beef. My wife's smoked turkey was entirely forgettable. Giving 2 stars instead of 1, because of nice staff and decor - plus they had Shiner Bock on ice! read more

Both of my buddies said, "Oh, we've eaten at the Texan BBQ, it's pretty good, not great." Wrong, it was great! Well, at least what I ordered was great. I had the Ribs and Shrimp special. Some other reviewers recommended the shrimp and they were right, get it. I had the breaded shrimp and my friend had the garlic shrimp, both great. I asked the other couples around the table and here's the consensus on what to order. The ratings are 1-5 with 5 being the best. Meat Shrimp - 5 Ribs - 4 (too much sauce but fall of the bone!) Brisket - 4 Pork - 4 Wings - 4 Ham - 3 Coleslaw - 5 Sides Potato Salad - 3 Beans - 2 When you're done with dinner, walk down the block to River Bottom Ice Cream Co. Great ice cream. read more

Texan BBQ - Ribs with Shrimp (great), Slaw is really good, pass on the potato salad. - Barbeque Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

See all

Since the beginning of COVID this has definitely been one of our Go To spots. Recently we made an order and picked it up, everything was great, until we got home and our food was mixed up. There was another person with the same name and I had his order. We called in and explained what had happened. It was an honest mistake and they were very responsive and wanted to make it right. They made our order right away, when we went to pick it up they gave us an extra piece of cake for the mix up (which is delicious btw). We were so happy. Thank you for doing that. Food was delicious as always. Highly recommend! read more

They are currently doing the covid curbside carry out for those that care. Waited a few minutes after calling in to let them know I was in their lot. Drive home was 10 min and immediately started eating: I ordered the meat lovers with curly fries and cane with beans and cole slaw.. First off, the sides were great. Fries were so hot and crispy, great flavor. Better than Arby's curly fries. Beans weren't too sweet and nice and smokey. Slaw wasn't overly sweet and crisp. The Meats: sausage, turkey, brisket, pulled pork, and pork ribs (baby back) Ribs- They were fall off the bone... slid right off as I was bringing them up to my mouth. This is NOT a good thing. Good smoked ribs should come off the bone when bitten into, but should have a little bite. Also, no smoke ring and the pork had a next day flavor to it. Would not order again. Pulled Pork- Decent. Didn't taste old like the ribs and was decently seasoned. Was not dry. Overall, mediocre but decent. Brisket- Had a nice smoke ring, dry compared to legit Texas (or even KC) brisket, way too lean. Anyone who complains about fatty brisket should order chicken or turkey, I'm assuming this place cuts it lean because they feel it's what the locals like. Seriously under seasoned. I freaking love brisket, but would not order again. Turkey- thinly sliced with hints of smoke. Not overly dry. It's pretty decent, and would be pretty good in a sandwich. Sausage- Best meat on the plate. A little salty but thank God it was because most of the other meats needed salt. I would order the sausage again. Maybe a sandwich with sausage and turkey? That would be pretty good. Overall, they get 3 stars for the service, sides, and sausage. If this is the best bbq in the area, I'm gonna have to book me a flight back to Dallas or Austin again. read more

Curbside pickup availability. I loved all the sides thought they were awesome. Ribs had a hard time staying on the bone which was great, the brisket was a bit dry for my Texas BBQ taste. The sauce was nice and Smokey with a sweet top end. Everything was good but not great. We had a bit of a drive home and I feel it did not travel too well so I willl be going back once this terrible 2020 is over. read more

When you get brisket, you expect it to be hand cut. What I got was shaved, no char or smoke ring and pretty dry. Not what you you expect for a dinner but a sandwich. Pretty disappointing. Will not be going here again. read more

OMG...so I realize that today is Mother's Day, but this is unbelievable!! We preordered dinners, arrived at the takeout area, paid for our meals and we are still waiting for our order. It has been 1 HOUR & 45 MINUTES!! Customers have walked in, ordered, eaten, and left and we are still waiting. When asked for management to get involved, they say it's not their fault! Can you believe this. They are now saying they are working on our order. Won't cancel order and refund back for the meals. What the heck!!! This is NOT how you take care of long time customers!! read more

I hadn't been here in 15 years; i must admit I am glad I tried it again and really don't know why I waited so long. Pleasantly I must also admit that the food was really good! We had the BBQ beef brisket and the BBQ pork dinner - both were really good. The dinning area is very rustic nothing fancy but fits the theme for sure. I'll be back..... read more

See all

Finally came here for the first time since moving to the area in December. So worth the wait! I got the BBQ Brisket sandwich and it was amazing, only tip is to ask for extra sauce. We ate indoors and the service was great. read more

One of my family's favorite places to go for a meal that when does right, take all day to make. My wife, as always had the brisket, and I had the pork, sliced instead of pulled. Oh my, what a treat! Tender, juicy, sauce that cut through the richness of the meat and added to the flavor without being sweet. Beans and slaw that are so, so good. They really are a diamond in the Fox Valley! read more

A total waste of $35. Food was horrible. Wife got a pulled pork sandwich and took 1 bite and started gagging it was so bad and had a spoiled taste to it. I order a burger and asked for it to be cooked well done. It came out raw and still cold in the center. Threw everything away and left. Will never be back here. read more

Yeah the place is the same as it was 20 years ago and needs a little sprucing up but it seems like its working for them so why fix it , I guess its like a BBQ place should be , I personally do not care to eat at the Texan BBQ, but I carry out once in a while I love the brisket, sausage and ribs from here , Sometimes I have that craving and it gets fixed here , I just have to say its a little pricey for what you get but its delicious read more

a few weeks ago my husband and I ordered bbq for our one non home cooked meal for the week. We chose the Texan because we had a good experience a few years ago but haven't gone since. We were really excited about our meal as we were anticipating it all week long (especially after binging the great American bbq showdown on Netflix) but unfortunately it was mediocre at best and not what we remember it being a few years ago We got the brisket and pulled pork. Both were dry and flavorless. More fat than meat on the brisket. The bbq sauce was nothing special. The roll that came with the meal was cheap and probably frozen and just warmed up. Good bbq comes with corn bread not a cheap roll. Coleslaw was blah. Just seemed as though the quality has dropped. I understand these are hard times for restaurants trying to survive during covid and maybe corners have been cut, I'm not sure but the food quality was not there this time. Due to hardships restaurants are facing in Illinois during the pandemic I try and support restaurants once a week since many are struggling but sadly for $18 a meal, the food did not live up to the price point for me to order again anytime soon. Their curbside service was excellent and they packaged it in a way that kept the food warm until we got home but sadly the warm food still didn't taste that great. Hoping next time is a better experience. read more

The Texan killed it this year for our Thanksgiving Turkey! Good amount of sides and an awesome flavored smoked turkey; easy to heat and very moist. read more

This place was great! Service was awesome! Food was all amazing! Interesting spot that I wish I tried earlier. For sure stop in and give them a try! We tried baby back pork ribs, beef ribs, chili, the cowboy sandwich, cornbread, and more. All was tasty and large portions! The pork ribs didn't appear smoked, but, were still very good! The cowboy sandwich and chili are amazing! I came on a weekday in the mid afternoon. It wasn't crowed at all. I hear it's a bit more crowded during dinner time and weekends. read more

See all

We ordered for Halloween by the pound. Food was ready curbside delivery. It was awesome for the group we had.

Being a local I try to give local businesses a chance. I gave Texan BBQ 2 shots and was underwhelmed both times. I get it, COVID and all, people are trying but horrible service is horrible service. Ordered 4 sandwiches and 4 sides on Saturday night-- OVER 90 MINUTES went by (delivery guy sat there at least 25 mins waiting) before I called to ask what was taking so long. Three people tried for over 10 mins to sort out what happened and still couldn't figure it out. No idea why they can't get it right. Had to encourage person on phone to find delivery guy and convince him not to leave (yes I tipped him generously). So if you have a taste for below average BBQ and have 2 hours to spare while you wait for your food, Texan is the place for you. Third time will not be a charm at Texan BBQ. Hopefully they will get their act together for customers someday and raise bar on their BBQ. read more

Holy cow, they made some awesome baby back ribs and had to go back. Gave it another try 2 weeks later and found it wasn't a fluke. Meat fell off the bone, absolutely delish! read more

Favorite family spot. Love the ribs and chicken sandwich. Best croutons. The service is fast. The family atmosphere along with the food brings us back all the way from California. read more

Went here for my husband's birthday, he's a Texan and has been on the hunt for good BBQ since we moved here, and we really enjoyed it! He said this was the best, most authentic BBQ he's had up north yet (high praise!). The sides are good, and they even brought out a funnel cake for my husband since they heard us talking about it being his birthday, so sweet! Will definitely be back. read more

Owner sister, as I was told, scammed me. I ordered $103 of food and when I put in my credit card the menu popped up to leave a tip... am simply picking up a to go order BTW... the woman then pushes the tip button (choices were 15-20-25% or Other. She grabbed the receipt immediately and I ask to see it. She refused to give ti to me and said it will be on the bag when order was done. When I got the bags I looked the the receipt... she added $28!!!! I confronted her and she denied it but I watched her stealing activities every move... DISGUSTING! read more

Delicious bbq (fall off the bone ribs) and sides, even has Green River soda! Good atmosphere.

First off.. find the BAD smell that is in your entranceway.. smells like mold.. turns your stomach before you see the food.. the food is fair .. ribs were dry and small .. for what you pay and get is not worth the money.. the sides were not enough small plastic cups filled Cole slaw and beans .. not recommend read more

Awesome food. The best ribs and shrimp. Diner around .. The ribs fall off the bone very tasty. read more

Expensive ribs, lame sauce, horrible roll, hardly what I'd call steak fries. These guys should put more effort into refining their product if they're gonna charge 18$ for half slab and deliver a C- meal. Could barely finish. Won't go back. read more

Not the best I've had, but some good BBQ for the buck. They have a ton of lunch specials for under 10 bucks. I've had the 1/4 slab lunch, and tex-mex tacos. Both were pretty good. The beans on the side were really freakin good. Can't wait to try some more. read more

Texan BBQ - Lots of potato choices. - Barbeque Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

I am originally from Texas, so I can be very particular with my BBQ. This place earned my pick for best BBQ in the Midwest when. I started coming here a couple of years ago. I pretty much always ordered the pulled pork or brisket, which made it my favorite in the area. Their sauces are fantastic,love the baked beans, and the potato salad is pretty good too. Well now let me tell you...after coming here for years I finally tried their ribs. And oh...my...god are they good. Their ribs are honest to god the best ribs I have ever had anywhere...and yes, I'm even including my home state of Texas in that! So bottom line is, when I go back to Texas every year I find myself judging the BBQ down south against The Texan. And usually the southern joints just don't quite do it as well as Texan does. read more

I am dumbfounded with all these positive reviews, they must be fake and getting reimbursed for posting them. That's my only logical conclusion. I've lived in the area for 11 years which is when I first tried this place. Then, I experienced cold, bland overpriced food, BBQ beef to be exact. Well 11 years later I tried again tonight with my kids (out of connivence) and nothing changed. Since I just ate there I'll elaborate. I ordered a BBQ beef with bacon, cheddar, grilled onions, tomato and a side of hush puppies. The beef was very, very dry and tasteless. The bacon was cold and hard without any flavor for the exception of a medicine taste. The cheese was this obviously bagged shredded cheddar which they hardly put any on and it wasn't even melted, just thrown, dry on and falling to sides. The bread was dry, old and just broke apart. I needed their lousy Open Pit textured sauce to give some taste. The hush puppies were crisp like and over cooked. You would think for being a BBQ place their meats would be right on. Their preorder service is a horrid setup with one slow register. If you want a second drink you have to walk up and wait in line and it was semi-busy at 7pm on a Friday night when it should be packed. My kids had kid meals, one being ribs which looked really fatty. The other had a hotdog which probably was okay but they're hard to screw up. Most definitely better off going to Texas Road House right down from there on 31. I'm all for supporting independent businesses but Texan BBQ is not worth it. Definitely will not be going back soon nor in another 11 years. read more

What a wonderful hidden gem in the Algonquin area hosting excellent BBQ with a cozy dining atmosphere. We have been here before and decided to return for a Saturday date night. The last time we dined here was some time ago however the consistency and food quality remains outstanding as with our first visit. Upon entering, you find yourself in what appears to be a converted two story house which now makes for a homely dining experience. You place your order at the counter and it is brought to you at your table. Just a note, they have three different types of BBQ sauce and you can order you meat dry to try them all! The menu also offers kids entree and other items if BBQ is not to your liking. Our baby backs where fell off the bone retaining the moisture and flavor of the meat. This was complimented by our sides of coleslaw and baked potatoes. The coleslaw was not too runny nor creamy and with just enough sweetness as to not overpower the other ingredients. Overall an exceptional choice for a restaurant that provides quality food at an reasonable price. read more

Had the meat platter and it was gross, you could tell that everything had just been sitting under a heat lamp for who knows how long. The Turkey was the exact consistency of shaved turkey you would pick up at a grocery store. Very disappointing, though I knew it would be when my food came out right after I ordered it. My suggesting, condense your menu and do a few things well instead of a lot of things horribly. Real BBQ should be slow cooked and served at the right time. You should take "Texan" from your name before someone from Texas comes around and gives you a piece of their mind. read more

I've dined at The Texan off and on for the better part of 20 years. The place and the food have never changed. As others have described, the exterior of the facility is a bit dumpy, but don't let that scare you. The moment you open your car door, you smell the meat smoking in the barn out back. I spend a great deal of time in Texas, so my opinion may be biased. Texans know BBQ. The BBQ at The Texan, while technically competent, would not make the grade at all when compared to real Texas BBQ. The meat tends to be dry which is then compensated for by thinly slicing the meat and slathering it in their house BBQ sauce. The product you end up with is reasonably tasty. In Texas, the meat is usually sliced thicker which gives you a meatier mouthful. The other issue I have with the Texan is portion size. At a Texas BBQ place, you usually get substantial portions that are usually overwhelming. At The Texan, not so much. In fact, I've noticed portion size decrease over the years so much so that I find myself ordering larger, more expensive entrees to compensate. The house BBQ sauce is a bit bland. Out in the foyer area, they offer three other BBQ sauces. The "Hot" variety is pretty tasty and tangy, with just the right amount of heat to keep it interesting. All in all, not a bad place and I will keep going back from time to time. I do wish they would up their game a little bit by improving their cooking process to render moister cuts of meat and also increase their average portion size. If they followed both of those suggestions, I would easily give them a grade of 4-stars. The 5th star I reserve for the real Texas BBQ joints. read more

Read all the negative reviews and believe everything they say, because that's my experience as well. Without a doubt, this is the worst barbecue I've ever had. Their brisket is--I'm not kidding--like shaved Italian beef (the driest one you've ever had) covered in barbecue sauce, and the rib tips... that's a $13.99 plate of disappointment. The sauce is good, though. And the people are very nice. It pains me to give this place one star, but, truth be told, I'll never go back. read more

This place has been here forever! It is in an old house in downtown Algonquin right by the river. BBQ is not my favorite but I love their cornbread and coleslaw! Their ribs are good too! It is definitely worth trying, especially if you love BBQ. It is one of my daughters favorite places to go. read more

Drove by this place many times and it looked worth a try from the outside. Maybe my taste buds aren't working so good but the food here was nothing to write home about. Perhaps I am just spoiled by Crystal Lake Rib House? The food took a long time for the sullen teenage wait staff to bring to the table. I had some "pulled pork" that was drowning in a bland sauce. Maybe I just hit the place on an off night or something. I'll probably wait a while and try it again someday. read more

This is a tough place to rate as there are a few things that bother my from this place, however those bothers are likely management challenges. The food is likely the best Texan BBQ style food you're gonna get anywhere in the country outside of Texas. I'm sure most Texans will suggest theirs is better, but I doubt it. I've eaten many of BBQ in Texas and this place is right up there. The atmosphere is fun and has a great Texan flare. you have a great smoke smell in the air along with a nice wood from the walls and floor. Their portion size has shrunk in the last 5 years. This bothers me and has stopped my from ordering lunch there or bringing guests. I dislike their ordering procedure. It's very bizzare. You stand in line like the pigs and cows they serve to place your order. You pay and go and sit. A waitress brings your meal at which time you're halve done your beverage. Since the meal is paid already, they miss out on additional beverage sales, but more than that, they miss out on the customer and embark in a large opportunity cost, the customer is under served and their margins are likely hurt. Anyone I've spoke to, and I live in Algonquin, dislikes this process. It is really bizzare to me that the management still opts for this poor level of service. I have never brought a client or guest to this establishment. Bottom line these guys have a very good product, despite smaller sizes for the same price. I just ask for more smoked sausage on my sandwich to make a real sandwich and it's smokin good! read more

We used this place to cater our gender reveal party on 7/11/2020. We chose them because, on their website and on the phone we were told the price was $9.99 per person. We were also told, twice, that we'd be emailed an invoice prior to the party. The day of the party came and we still hadn't received our invoice despite me reminding them via a phone call. When the food was delivered, we were surprised to learn we'd been charged $12.99 per person instead of the $9.99 that was on their website and we were told on the phone. This increased our tab by $120 over what we'd been expecting and were told. My pregnant wife, who set this all up, called them after the food was delivered to inquire about the discrepancy and was basically called a liar and that there was nothing that could be done. Pretty shady business practices going on... definitely would NOT recommend for catering due to the lies and poor customer service. read more

I just moved to the area and decided to try it for dinner! I'm glad I went, so yummy their ribs and they fall off the bone read more

Texan BBQ - Full slab ribs, yummy! - Barbeque Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

This is a strange little place with fairly average food. When you first walk in, you are in a little room looking up at the menu on the wall and then when ready, place your order at the cash register. They give you your ticket and give you a drink cup for the self serve fountain and then you walk into other rooms to find a seat. The seating areas are small and the configuration is rather odd. I guess they have done their best to make it have a "western" feel, but have not done a very good job with it. I did see a very small salad bar with 10-15 items on it and was glad I didn't order it after seeing it. I usually get beef brisket or pulled pork when I get BBQ to determine whether I like a place or not. In this case I got the beef brisket and thought it was just ok. It seemed a bit dry, and was smothered in their house BBQ sauce. I assume they smoke the brisket, however it didn't have much of a smokey taste at all. Reasonable prices, for just ok food in a strange environment. I don't know the Algonquin area all that well, but my guess is there is better BBQ elsewhere in the area. It is doubtful that I will return unless someone else makes the decision to go here. I am very surprised to see the reviews that gave this place 5 stars and one even saying it is the best BBQ in the Chicago area. I couldn't disagree more. read more

The ribs LITERALLY fall off the bone. I had a hard time picking them up without dropping the meat. They also were not wet or slimy. Loved the sausage and as a KETO eater it was nice to have the option to have all the meat without sauce. Salad bar option is nice as low carb sides aren't the easiest to find. It's basic but creamy garlic and southwest ranch are always great options. Also happy the kids menu had lots of options for our less adventurous kids. read more

After deciding to take a ride this afternoon (we live on the North Shore) we checked out restaurants online in the Algonquin area before leaving the house. Of course, I checked Yelp, and after reading the favorable reviews for this place, we thought we'd give it a shot. Those of you who mentioned the dumpy appearance of the outside of the place, you were right on. Not that appearances matter that much to me - I care much more about the food inside the crappy-looking places. ;-) Anyway, the girl at the counter was nice, but to say she was a bit "slow" would be an understatement. I don't think there was anything mentally wrong with her, just not the sharpest tool in the shed. The food came pretty quickly, (although the server had to return to the kitchen twice when we reminded her that she forgot to bring 2 items we ordered) and then it kind of went downhill from there. I got the 2 meat combo plate - brisket and sausage. I kid you not - the sausage was BURNT to a crisp. I'm talking charred black - unedible. The brisket was SO DRIED OUT, no amount of bbq sauce could help it recover. My husband had the brisket & pork shoulder plate - same deal. The sauce itself was good. Not too thick or too watery, and pretty tasty. Our meals came with a small cup of bbq baked beans (nothing to write home about), coleslaw (I liked it, my husband didn't), and choice of potato (I had curly fries, he had potato salad - both were average). Honestly, the best part of the meal was the mozzarella cheese sticks. The breading was very light and tasty, and the cheese inside was actually nice & hot. Marinara sauce that was served with the sticks was ice cold from being in the fridge, so I wasn't too happy about. Anyway, I was not only unimpressed with this place, I was downright disappointed. Needless to say, we won't be back. read more