Texas Monthly has named Truth BBQ the No. 9 barbecue joint in Texas for 2025. In a state where barbecue is both a tradition and a point of pride, earning a place in the Top 10 means a lot to us.
It’s also not our first time here. Truth has now appeared in the statewide Top 10 on three consecutive Texas Monthly lists, beginning with our original Brenham location in 2017. As Texas barbecue continues to grow and evolve, we’re proud to remain in the conversation alongside some of the most respected pits in the state.
Here’s why the Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ list carries so much weight, what our No. 9 ranking means and what the reviewers found when they visited our Houston location.
Why the Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ List Matters
Published once every four years, the Texas Monthly Top 50 is one of the most closely watched and respected rankings in Texas barbecue.
Texas Monthly has been ranking the state’s best barbecue joints since 1997. Over the years, its Top 50 list has become a guide for everyone from longtime barbecue obsessives to first-time visitors planning a food-focused trip across Texas.
The list isn’t based on reputation alone. For the 2025 edition, Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn and the magazine’s team anonymously visited 319 barbecue restaurants across the state. The strongest contenders received multiple visits before the final rankings were decided.
That process matters in a state as large and competitive as Texas. A restaurant isn’t being compared only with other barbecue spots in its city. It’s being considered alongside established institutions, small-town smokehouses and newer restaurants pushing Texas barbecue in unexpected directions.
Simply making the Top 50 is a major distinction. Reaching the ranked Top 10 means standing out within an already exceptional group. For us, it’s recognition of the work that happens every day: tending the fires, trimming and seasoning each cut, preparing sides and desserts from scratch and making sure every tray meets the same standard.
Truth BBQ Earned the No. 9 Spot in Texas
Truth ranked No. 9 statewide in 2025 and was the only Houston restaurant to earn a place in Texas Monthly’s Top 10.
Our history with the Texas Monthly Top 50 began in 2017, less than two years after Leonard Botello IV opened the original Truth BBQ in a small roadside building in Brenham. That location debuted at No. 10, introducing Truth to barbecue fans across the state.
In 2021, Truth climbed to No. 3. Four years later, our Houston location earned the No. 9 position on the 2025 list. That makes three consecutive Top 10 finishes across nearly a decade of growth and change.
The latest recognition feels especially meaningful because of how much Texas barbecue has evolved during that time. Pitmasters across the state continue to refine the classics while introducing regional influences, inventive specials and more ambitious sides. The field gets stronger with every edition of the list.
Seven Houston-area restaurants earned spots in the 2025 Top 50, but Truth was the only Houston barbecue joint ranked in the Top 10. We’re proud to represent the city and to help show why Houston has become one of the country’s most exciting barbecue destinations.
What began with Leonard smoking a few briskets a day in Brenham has grown into something much bigger. Still, the goal hasn’t changed: make barbecue we’re proud to serve and give people a meal worth coming back for.
What the Texas Monthly Team Said to Order
Texas Monthly recognized the brisket and ribs at the heart of our menu, along with the distinctive specials and housemade sides that complete the Truth experience.
Brisket and ribs are natural starting points for any first visit to Truth BBQ. They reflect the fundamentals we’ve worked to refine from the beginning: quality meat, steady fires, balanced seasoning and the patience to let smoke and time do their work.
But part of what makes the Texas Monthly Top 50 so interesting is that the reviewers look beyond the standards. Barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn’s pro tip for Truth was our Smoked and Fried Tea-Brined Pork Chop, available Friday through Sunday. The chop is brined in sweet tea, smoked, fried in a cornmeal crust and finished with pepper relish. It’s rooted in barbecue technique but delivers something you won’t find on every tray in Texas.
The reviewers also highlighted our roasted glazed Brussels sprouts and kale Caesar, two options that show barbecue sides don’t have to be an afterthought. Add housemade sausage, tater tot casserole or a slice of cake, and the result is a meal that goes well beyond brisket alone.
What Makes Truth BBQ in the Heights Stand Out
Our Heights location brings together carefully smoked meats, housemade sides and desserts, and a lively dining experience designed to make every part of the meal count.
The work starts in our wood-burning offset smokers. Briskets, ribs, turkey, sausage and specialty cuts all require their own timing and attention. Maintaining that consistency day after day is one of the hardest parts of barbecue, especially when you’re cooking at the scale we do in Houston.
At the same time, we’ve never wanted the experience to stop at the cutting block. Our kitchen prepares sides with the same attention we give the meats, from familiar favorites like mac and cheese and tater tot casserole to Brussels sprouts and kale Caesar. Our cakes are made in-house and have become a reason of their own to save room at the end of the meal.
The Heights restaurant gave us space to expand on what Leonard started in Brenham while keeping the same standards at the center. It feels unmistakably like a Texas barbecue joint, but it also reflects Houston: energetic, welcoming and open to a little creativity.
That balance is important to us. We respect the traditions that made Texas barbecue what it is, but we don’t believe tradition means standing still. Whether we’re serving brisket, a smoked-and-fried pork chop or a scratch-made slice of cake, the goal is to make every part of the tray worth ordering.
What a Third Top 10 Finish Means to Us
Appearing in Texas Monthly’s Top 10 for the third consecutive list reflects nearly a decade of hard work, but it doesn’t change what we have to prove each day.
Texas Monthly’s 2025 Top 10 includes restaurants from Seguin, Austin, Fort Worth, Port Neches, San Juan, Aledo, Port Lavaca and Wolfforth. Being ranked alongside pits from across the state puts Truth in the company of teams doing some of the most thoughtful and exciting work in barbecue today.
It also gives us a different kind of recognition than our Michelin Bib Gourmand. Michelin places Truth within an international dining guide, while Texas Monthly evaluates us within the culture, history and intensely competitive landscape of Texas barbecue. Both honors mean a great deal, but this one feels especially close to home.
We’re proud to have remained in the Top 10 as the Texas barbecue scene has continued to evolve. But awards don’t tend the fires or prepare the next day’s briskets. Our team does that work, one service at a time.
The standard remains the same whether a guest has followed Truth since the early Brenham days or is walking into our Heights location for the first time: serve them a tray that lives up to the name on the door.
Taste Truth BBQ for Yourself
We’re proud to be ranked among the best BBQ spots in Texas, but the best way to understand what makes Truth special is to experience it for yourself. Stop by our Houston or Brenham location for brisket, ribs, housemade sides and a slice of cake, or place an order for local pickup or delivery to enjoy at home.
Not in Texas? You can still bring Truth BBQ to your table. We ship select smoked meats, sausages, sauces and other favorites nationwide, so you can try our barbecue wherever you live. Whether you join us in the dining room or open a box at home, we’d love for you to taste what earned Truth a place in Texas Monthly’s Top 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Truth BBQ rank on the 2025 Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ list?
Truth BBQ’s Houston location ranked No. 9 on Texas Monthly’s 2025 list of the best barbecue joints in Texas. It was the only Houston restaurant to place in the ranked Top 10.
Has Truth BBQ appeared on the Texas Monthly Top 50 before?
Yes. Truth BBQ debuted at No. 10 in 2017, climbed to No. 3 in 2021 and earned the No. 9 position in 2025. That gives Truth three consecutive Top 10 finishes.
What should I order at Truth BBQ?
Brisket and ribs are essential first-time orders. Texas Monthly also recommended the Smoked and Fried Tea-Brined Pork Chop, available Friday through Sunday, while popular additions include housemade sausage, tater tot casserole, Brussels sprouts and scratch-made cake.
Where is Truth BBQ located?
Truth BBQ has locations in Houston’s Heights neighborhood and Brenham, Texas. The Houston restaurant is located at 110 South Heights Boulevard.
Can I order Truth BBQ if I don’t live in Texas?
Yes. Truth BBQ ships select smoked meats, sausages, sauces and other favorites nationwide, allowing customers outside Texas to enjoy its barbecue at home.