LaVaca BBQ

  4.6 – 393 reviews   • Barbecue restaurant

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Regular Menu | LaVaca BBQ

Sandwiches Y Mas · Desserts · Sides. Meats. By the 1/2 lb. Brisket Big Red Ribs Turkey Breast Pork Belly. Cubano Pulled Pork Central Texas Sausage

LaVaca BBQ: Home

LaVaca BBQ, an award-winning BBQ restaurant. Renowned for authentic Central Texas-style barbecue, LaVaca BBQ offers a mouthwatering menu featuring brisket, …

Port Lavaca | LaVaca BBQ

Port Lavaca · Location Information 532 N Virginia St, Port Lavaca, Texas, 77979 (361)894-2333 · Hours ​Thursday: 11am – 2pm. Friday: 11am – 2pm · Port Lavaca 532 N …

Reviews

Titus Bagby
Wow!! Absolutely loved my experience at LaVaca BBQ! Right as we walked in the door, we were warmly greeted by the staff and before we even had a chance to order, they were handing us samples of their latest offerings on the menu.

There were 4 of us in our group, and we were all blown away by the flavors of the Brisket, the Serrano Cheese sausage, el Cochinito (marinated pork steak), and the pork belly. The Mac Belly and the Brisket Gumbo sides were amazing! We were also given a free scoop of Blue Bell ice cream at the end of the meal.

It’s a family run business and all the family members help make the food and are serving you at your table. Truly amazing! They definitely earned their place in the top 10 of Texas Monthly’s best BBQ joints.

If you find yourself in the Corpus Christi, or Rock Port area, definitely make the trip over to Port LaVaca to try LaVaca BBQ!
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Ronald Freitag
A Texas Monthly Top 50 Standout: Reviewing the #8 BBQ Joint

We recently visited a true gem of the Texas barbecue scene, a small-town joint rightfully holding the number eight spot on Texas Monthly’s prestigious Top 50 list.
From the moment we walked in, the experience was exceptional. The venue itself is charming, offering both inside and outside dining options, but it was the staff that truly set the stage—friendly, attentive, and constantly ensuring we lacked nothing. This commitment to quality clearly extends from the service right into the pit.

The Meats: Smoked to Perfection

The Brisket immediately validated the restaurant’s high ranking. It was wonderfully moist and executed a beautiful balance between rich beef flavor and a robust, smoky profile. It was, simply put, a masterclass in low-and-slow cooking.

The Big Red Ribs were a definite highlight, offering the perfect bite and pull that every rib enthusiast craves, yet still achieving that desirable “fall-off-the-bone” tenderness. What elevated them further was the Big Red glaze, adding a unique, sweet-and-spicy dimension over a classic, peppery bark.

Rounding out the trio was the Jalapeño Cheese Sausage. This was a superb, double-grind, in-house creation, featuring a great texture and a pronounced peppery kick that perfectly complemented the melted cheese without overpowering the meat.

Comforting and Creative Sides

The sides were crafted with the same care as the main event. The Gumbo had a deep, savory brown gravy rich with brisket flavor and a prominent onion note, though it could have benefited from a bit more rice and okra for texture. The Creamed Corn was incredibly tasty, served thick and creamy with just the right level of hidden heat, making it wonderfully addictive. The Potato Casserole offered a delightful mix of creamy texture and savory flavor, topped with a nice, crunchy onion layer and enhanced by a perfect balance of cheese and sour cream.

The Decadent Grand Finale

The dessert menu showed an impressive culinary ambition. The Pork Belly Cheesecake was absolutely decadent. It was a rich, smooth cheesecake topped with a savory-sweet pork belly crumble and finished with a maple bourbon drizzle. It was a jaw-dropping, memorable way to conclude the meal.

To top off the already stellar service, the complimentary Blue Bell Ice Cream was a wonderful, smile-inducing touch. Served with a cup of rainbow sprinkles to pour on top, it was the perfect casual and friendly end to a magnificent feast.

Final Verdict

This BBQ joint thoroughly deserves its Texas Monthly ranking as the #8 spot. The combination of high-quality, flavorful meats, thoughtfully executed sides, and exceptionally friendly, attentive service makes this a must-visit destination. The dedication to reputation and quality is evident in every bite, confirming this was a truly great experience.
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K Murray
There is a definite provable reason this is in the Top 10 Best BBQ list in Texas Monthly!! I was a little bit skeptical, being familiar with several places in Austin, etc… but WOW!! I was so excited about the marbled beef brisket that I forgot to take a picture of the plate before it was all gone!! And the Smoked Cheesecake? INSANITY!! Oh, so good!
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James Blaschke
Decided to try the #8 spot on Texas Monthly BBQ list.

We were second in line as there were only 4 people total waiting.

The Mrs and I shared a 3 meat plate that included brisket, sausage, and pork belly. We also opted to try one of each of their tamales (verde and Texas monthly).

The pork belly was down right perfection. So soft and bacony. The brisket, which we got fatty, was rendered very well and melted our mouth. The sausage was alright, just a little loose for my liking (I like firm). I am sermizing that since it had cheese, that added to the softness. Again, it was good.

Of the two tamales, my favorite was the verse while the Mrs opted more for the Texas Monthly. Both were a production in themselves to get garnished. Very delicious.

The staff were friendly and very helpful.

You should go try ya some!
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Julie Clouse
Quaint little town with bbq that rivals the best located in an old gas station! Arrived at 11:00, little bit of a line (for good reason)!
We ordered the three meat plate with ribs, marbled or lean brisket, central city sausage, jalapeño corn, and bbq beans as well as an extra 1/2 lb of brisket.
The brisket cut like butter and melted a your mouth similarly! The sausage was excellent! The ribs were in third place- not because they weren’t good-just too much competition! The sides were plentiful and tasty. Owners prepared and served individually with care to ensure the best presentation and quality in EVERY order!
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Becky Werlla
Really great place to eat! Nice variety of bbq’d meats (fantastic brisket), tender turkey, tasty chili, beans, creamy potato salad, plus not-too-spicy jalapeno corn. Meats sold by the pound or get a combo plate. They also have HUGE tamales ($8 each) that sell out quickly, although you may call ahead and order by the dozen ($80). Meal includes bread, cornbread and a small carton of Blue Bell ice cream. Great service, they checked on us a few times to see what else we needed. Single, clean, restroom located outside.
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Courtney Hale
The ribs, Serrano cheese sausage, and the gumbo were the absolute best! But everything was delicious and the staff were very friendly and welcoming!
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Lydia DeLaPaz
This was our second time for my husband and i.. The BQ, Brisket and God was an amazing combination and experience!! Definitely not our last!
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Wandering Adventurer
Brisket to die for. We arrived about 2pm. Interesting items on the menu we shall try next time (BBQ Gumbo, Jalapeño Cream Corn) they had just run out of. Everyone who served as was sooooo polite and friendly. Staff even checked on us as we were dining. It was like being served by family. Very nice experience. I don’t think I’ve ever had sweet green beans before. Looking forward to trying other sides. Kelli, the head chef and owner, was right up front slicing meat.
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WP H
This is a hard review to leave because I had such high hopes for his place. It was recently named to the top 10 Texas Monthly and it was not up to par. We walked through the door at 11:35 with only about 7 people in front of us. They were already out of Gumbo, all sausages, Mac and Cheese and Tamales. Not sure how this was possible as there weren’t many people sitting inside and it was only 35 minutes of service. Now to the food, the brisket wasn’t rendered and was tough. The ribs definitely have the big red flavor that wasn’t to my liking but that can just be personal preference, the cook though was tough and not tender enough. The pork belly was a lot of fat and dry. The best meat was the turkey. I have been to 7 of the current top 10 and many of the top 50. This place at least today was definitely not a top 10 and barely a top 50. Hopefully they figure it out because I know a lot of people will travel a long way to get their passport stamped just as I did.
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