Best BBQ between here and Killeen?

[Craenor]

Old friend in the Army is at Ft. Hood for a few weeks for training and I was hoping to treat him to some good BBQ this Saturday. However, due to logistics, I was hoping to keep it somewhere between Round Rock and Killeen.

Probably looking at Louie Mueller's in Taylor, but I figured I'd ask here, because you guys give great advice.

[Craenor]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Plans switched around and we wound up having to have BBQ in Austin at 7pm on a Saturday night...so we went to County Line. It was pretty good to me, but for non-Texas BBQ aficionados, it was awesome.

Next time, I'll make him stick around so we can do Franklin's.

[rudeboy]

OMG!

[gilintx]

The Cele store is supposed to be good, but they have weird hours, and you almost need to call ahead to make sure they'll be there. Taylor is probably your best bet in this case.

[scrumptiouschef]

There's some good press out there on Davis Grocery and Barbecue in Taylor if you want to go under the radar.

The Reverend James A Davis Jr is the pit boss and he's been at it for a good long time.

It's just south of the railroad tracks near the granary.

[shlomoaren]

Davis Grocery and BBQ is very good. Ribs are tender, sweet, and smoky. Lots of meat on them too (full spare rib cut). Brisket is moist, flavorful, with thick fat layer. Sausage was well seasoned. Pork steak is a nice change-up for those who haven't had and want to try something new.

Only complaint is the BBQ sauce is too sweet for my liking. So, if you judge on sauce or require it for your Q, you might be disappointed.

[Defman]

Davis Grocery is simply the best BBQ that you can buy in Taylor, period. Louie Mueller is crap, completely flavorless. Vencil (Taylor Cafe) has the nastiest sauce I've ever had, like spaghetti sauce that didn't turn out right. West End? Nah, pass on that.

[popvulture]

(vibe wise)

[popvulture]

I've still never been to Louie Mueller's... it's supposed to be great. The Cele Store is pretty awesome, too, and more than anything it's a great experience.

[heyzeus212]

I've heard Schoepf's (sp?) in Belton is good, but I've never been there so I can't vouch for that.

[m3lissa]

Its been years since I've been there, but Schoepf's is pretty good. I like how you go right into the pit room and pick out your meat. It's very personal.

I am not blown away by Louie Mueller's in Taylor. I'd go if I was in Taylor or a short drive away and hungry, but its not worth the trek in my opinion.

[pinotho]

Schoepf's is good, and it's not very far at all off I35. If your friend doesn't get to eat Texas style BBQ very often, I think he/she will be very, very pleased with what Schoepf's has to offer.

[stephanieh]

I went to Schoepf's last fall and was really disappointed. I asked if I could get moist brisket. The cutter said "you can have it any way you want it", then he cut off the bark and the fat and gave me the grey remains... the same cut everyone else in my party got. He actually threw the bark and fat in the trash... the horror!