Coming to Waco for KU Game. Need to find best brisket in town.

Can't go wrong with Guess Family or HTK. HTK will throw out some out of the ordinary options that vary week to week.

Guess did not impress me. Hell Rudy's is better.

Helbergs
Honky tonk
Guess

BellCountyBear said:

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Guess did not impress me. Hell Rudy's is better.

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Wow, that's shocking to me, just curious what did you have? For me, Guess is elite state wide and by far best in Waco. And for those that didn't know, they also have a Sunday brunch that is as good as any in Houston or Dallas in my opinion.

Does Helbergs have beer?

bularry said:

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Does Helbergs have beer?

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I'm actually not sure. If they do, it's probably in an igloo cooler behind the counter ha. Helberg is a great place to get a meal, but it's not the kind of place you go hang out at for an extended period of time...Guess is a much better option for that (TVs, multiple beers on tap, etc.).

Crash Davis said:

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bularry said:

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Does Helbergs have beer?

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I'm actually not sure. If they do, it's probably in an igloo cooler behind the counter ha. Helberg is a great place to get a meal, but it's not the kind of place you go hang out at for an extended period of time...Guess is a much better option for that (TVs, multiple beers on tap, etc.).

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Agree Hellberg's BBQ is top shelf. I like Honky Tonk and will happily eat there, but Helberg and Guess are both a notch above IMO.

Hellberg used to have a trailer that was always parked outside Pinewood. Pinewood has a good beer selection with a number on tap, so you could get Hellberg and hang out in there if that trailer is still parked by Pinewood.

BellCountyBear said:

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Guess did not impress me. Hell Rudy's is better.

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holy hot take.

Guess is the best, also the most expensive.
HTK very good.
have not tried heldberg

I like Guess. However I have not ever eaten at Franklin's in Austin to compare the two. So I do not know if it is accurate to say the two are in the same ball park as some claim. However I have heard others say they dont like Guess that much.

I have never seen Guess to have any kind of line like Franklin's does. You can get in and get food fairly quickly the two times I have been there.

I've only been to Guess once since they opened an actual store, and that was a "brunch Sunday" so we may not have gotten their A game, but the brisket was almost too smokey and the point end I got was half goo and half kinda room temp and hard. Sausage was ok. Pulled pork pancake was weird. I remember being more impressed with their trailer stuff in the park a few years ago.

We live close to Helberg and go there a lot which may skew things, but I love their stuff. The guy cutting ribs pulled out a rack and made a few slices before putting it back in the foil and saying they didn't look good enough and busted out another rack instead of serving stuff that wasn't up to snuff... They were really good... Chicken with the "Waco white sauce" is great, pesto turkey is great, beef ribs are great, brisket is tender all the way through, pork belly burnt ends are great. I wish they would bring back the Gouda sausage, the other stuff is just ok...
Everything is sold by the pound and a la carte or like family packs, no plates.

There is a sign on the door saying they have applied for a liquor license, but they usually have a ice chest full of line star or bud light on Saturdays. I think they are hampered by their current location though. They would probably do a lot more business closer in to town.

HTK tries to get fancy with stuff and that's fine but I just kind of get lost with all their options. Everything is kinda good, noting is really GREAT...

BU99 said:

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BellCountyBear said:

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Guess did not impress me. Hell Rudy's is better.

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Wow, that's shocking to me, just curious what did you have? For me, Guess is elite state wide and by far best in Waco. And for those that didn't know, they also have a Sunday brunch that is as good as any in Houston or Dallas in my opinion.

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Their brunch is outstanding. The only thing I don't like at Guess is their cole slaw.....vinegar based.Their brisket is off the charts great. Rudy's is better? Then again, some think Texas Roadhouse is the bomb.

Guess is ABSOLUTELY elite. I would put them up with the heaviest of heavy hitters in the state. Especially brisket.

BellCountyBear said:

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Guess did not impress me. Hell Rudy's is better.

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are you one of those that thinks sirloin is the best cut of meat?

Jasper's BBQ
Hands down.
Totally old school and GOOD
I ate there as a student in 1974

You get great food and an experience.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/jaspers-bar-b-q-waco-2

Strike that.

COVID-19 is probably going to eliminate a good number of the choices.

Pecos 45 said:

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Jasper's BBQ
Hands down.
Totally old school and GOOD
I ate there as a student in 1974

You get great food and an experience.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/jaspers-bar-b-q-waco-2

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BBQ served on the finest butcher paper...with a little dog on the side!
Could not beat it.

Helberg is the best in Waco. There's no question in my mind. Guess edges them in sides and they've got really good barbecue, but Helberg's meat is a tier above. If Helberg goes top 5 in Texas Monthly in the next 3 years, I won't be surprised.

GoldenBear03 said:

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Helberg is the best in Waco. There's no question in my mind. Guess edges them in sides and they've got really good barbecue, but Helberg's meat is a tier above. If Helberg goes top 5 in Texas Monthly in the next 3 years, I won't be surprised.

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I think their meats are about the same (both amazing), but I give Helberg a slight nod because of their sides. Helberg's Smoked gouda mac & cheese is so good and my wife likes their potato salad a lot.

I like both fairly equally , but if I had to choose I'd likely roll with Helberg as well