Barbs BQ: The New Chica on the Square is Shaking Things Up in Lockhart
- Scott @ BrisketBus
- Sep 24
- 4 min read
The only thing missing at Barbs BQ is a left handed brisket carver so you can have a better view of the beautiful slices of brisket.
Address:
102 E Market St.
Lockhart, TX 78644
Hours:
Sunday - 11am - sold out
Monday - Closed
Tuesday - Closed
Wednesday - Closed
Thursday - Closed
Friday - 11am - sold out
Saturday - 11am - sold out
Year Opened: 2023
Accolades: Bon Appétit: Best New Restaurants of 2024
#28 on Southern Living Top 50 BBQ Restaurants 2025
Lockhart is the official Capitol of Texas Barbecue as sanctioned by the Texas State Legislature, and operating a BBQ Joint within the city limits is serious business. With a crowded field already open for business including Texas Monthly Top 50 List names such as Kreuz's Market, Terry Black's BBQ, Smitty's Market, Black's Original, and hometown favorites like Chisholm Trail BBQ, Barbs BQ knocks the competition off the chopping block.
After finishing my lunch at Barbs BQ and I could not remember the last time I truly experienced barbecue like this. Barbs BQ is the most satisfying overall meal I've had in years. The fact that the sides and desserts are inspired by different team members to invoke childhood nostalgia is a beautiful concept, transforming the traditional barbecue side expectations into a display of unique takes on memories of mom's cooking. The Green Spaghett is the well known star, but the sleeper is the pork stew. Even the potato salad is off the charts and I'm gererally more a slaw guy than tater salad.
In the restaurant on the day of my visit, I was fortunate enough to witness a woman brought to tears by the upside down pineapple cobbler. Talking to strangers is common when dining at BBQ joints, and Marion had sat a seat or two down at the long tables. When the desserts on the menu came up, she let it slip it had recently been her birthday. Growing up in rural VA, her mom had always made her pineapple upside down cake for her birthday and it was a memory she cherished. After her mom had passed, Marion's daughter would make it, but she wasn't able to this year. As she put the bite in her mouth, her eyes started welling up. It was like watching the universe wink at her, as Marion teared up reliving one of her most precious childhood memories. Thanks for sharing that moment with us, Marion and if you want to try it at home, the recipe for the Upside-Down Pineapple Cobbler can be found here.
The tray at Barbs was a compilation of meats that showcased Chef Chuck Charnichart versatility hitting the classical notes of traditional Texas barbecue, but bringing a different sensibility to her offerings, especially the ribs. The tray to the left was assembled before my eyes and it was magical. Starting at the top left corner and spiraling to the center: Green Spaghett, Adobo chicken, charro beans, upside-down pineapple cobbler (packed to go), homemade pickles, pork stew, potato salad, Molotov ribs, sausage, lean and fatty brisket (under the ribs), turkey, and finally the lamb chops.
Barbs BQ has perhaps the best lean smoked brisket I've ever had, and to those who don't know, lean brisket is more difficult to get a moist enjoyable mouth feel than a fatty slice of brisket. I can't tell you the number of time's I've had lean brisket drier than mom's Thanksgiving turkey. This was something way, way outside the norm. As for the fatty slice, I hope someday I find someone to look at me the way I looked at Barbs BQ's brisket. For those who don't do the red meats, the turkey is among the best I've ever had as well.
The Molotov Ribs are surprisingly not named for a Soviet politician, but the serrano drizzle that covers them, just before the sprinkling of fresh lime zest up and down their glistening strands of protein and fat. Do not miss these. The flavor explosion is reminiscent of a traditional molotov cocktail, hard to contain and very much dangerous (to your waistline). The sausage was outstanding with some of the actual pepper big enough to feel in each bite, and the chicken was the special that day (I don't think it's on the daily menu, yet) and it did not disappoint.
The fact of the matter is that to truly experience Barbs BQ, you need to bring enough people to try all the bites, otherwise you'll be back over and over until you get to sample the whole menu. Consider yourself warned.
Hot take from the Brisketbus: The food was beyond amazing, and the experience in its totality begs one final question: How in the smokiest halls of hell is Barbs BQ not in the Texas Monthly 2025 Top 10?
Only Daniel Vaughn knows the answer to that question.
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