Meyer’s – Elgin Smokehouse Carlos Montoya:
So to some in the BBQ world, it may be considered blasphemy to have been to Elgin, TX a number of times but never have eaten at Meyer’s. Such is the case with me, as I’ve been to Southside Market a number of times but never crossed town to try my hand at Meyer’s. I finally did though, on a rainy Saturday after a family activity earlier in the day just a town over in Manor. Elgin is a sausage town first and foremost, so my focus on this day was on just that. The line was pretty long, somewhere around 45 minutes to an hour, but not surprising on a weekend. The inside was like most ‘cue joints, frozen in time with almost no signs of the current time save for a few flat screen televisions. Much of the entrance was lined with their products, ranging from rib rubs to sauces and the meat market that displayed all the various sausages made in house. A woman sat in a chair close to the line we were waiting in handing out sausage samples, and as much as I’d like to say that we were greeted with small town hospitality, today wasn’t that day as the woman made a snarky remark when my “shy around strangers” daughter failed to say thank you when handed a sample of the link.
Unbothered, I continued in line still seemingly unmoved but finally arriving to the front to place my order. I ordered a full link of regular sausage, a full pound of moist brisket, mac & cheese, beans, cole slaw, bread, pickles, onions and cheese along with some soft drinks completed my order. Just as in my previous experience, the customer service was lacking as the guy fulfilling my order expressed signs of impatience and annoyance. Granted, I’m sure a Saturday can get quite busy at a reputable place like Meyer’s but this was now strike 2 in the service/staff area and at this point, I just cared about the food. We found a spot to sit and the soft drink options really perked my attention as they carried a full line of Pepsi products in the fountain machine. The root beer selection was Mug, and I treated myself to both root beer and Pepsi throughout my late lunch/early dinner.
Now for a sausage town, I wasn’t really expecting a whole lot from their brisket, but wow was I wrong. The brisket here was easily far more superior from the brisket I’ve had in the past at the other side of this town, with such tenderness, smokiness and equal flavor from the rendered fat and crunch from the bark. The slice job was a hack job at best, but it more than made up for it in flavor. The sausage was just as I had expected, and if you’ve ever picked up their links at the grocery store, then you know exactly what you’re in for. I got the regular kind, but next time around, I’ll be sure to check out the garlic sausage. The sides were all pretty decent but I didn’t exactly go for the sauce, choosing instead to use the cheese and pickles to offset the meat overload.
All in all, I was impressed with this place seeing as how the brisket held up equally to the sausage that this town is known for. The soft drink selection was up to par, but the customer service was definitely lacking. For being a BBQ town, the accessibility and location was top notch, and the spacious eating area to accommodate a busy weekend was a big plus. Despite the customer service, the food here is enough to pull you back in, and I’m willing to forgive an off day as long as the food is consistently as good as it was this particular day. I left Meyer’s full and sluggish, heading to the car only to find that in typical Texas fashion, a once bright and sunny day had now turned into a rainstorm.
Score ranked from 1 (Poor) – 5 (Best) Location/Facility – 4
Service/Staff – 1
Food – 4
Drink – 4
