Saturday, January 16, 2010: Kreuz Market (Lockhart, Texas)

We started our 3-stop Lockhart extravaganza with 24, and 13 were still standing when we rolled into Kreuz for lunch #3. Even though we arrived just after 3 pm, we waited in line for a good 30 minutes – which is not necessarily a terrible thing, considering it was, again, lunch #3.

As is the case at Smitty’s, the service at Kreuz is not the most personable. It’s by no means rude, but you’re not gonna leave feeling warm and fuzzy. Perhaps they feel their food is enough to keep people coming back and wait in long lines in the middle of the afternoon. As for the food, 2 things stick out. First, their pork ribs are great. Big, with a nice cracked-pepper taste. Second, their ham is second to none (Jenny disagrees below.). It’s the best I’ve had on any of our stops (2nd best is Mills County BBQ Company in Goldthwaite). Thick slices of their ham and crackers on a greasy piece of butcher paper is a simple, solid meal.

Let’s hear from some of the other merry few who hung in there ‘til the end.

Todd takes care of it in one sentence: “Horribly long lines due to 1 cash register inside” but “still my #1 place in Lockhart!”

Jason says the brisket had “good moisture/good flavor and was a nice cut; looked light in color thought it would be dry but it wasn’t.” The pork ribs have a “peppery flavor; good stuff.” As for the jalapeno-cheese sausage: “one of my favorites here! Love it!”

Russell writes, “I don’t know how fair it is to score Kreuz at 3pm in the afternoon, when the 13 remaining ‘sojourners-in-BBQ’ amongst us showed up to man up on this amazing Mecca of Texas BBQ atmosphere that is Kreuz Meat Market, with our bellies already quite full of great Q…but we’re gonna man up and score it anyway! It’s a meat market as well, so you don’t really get the personalized service/ hospitality of a Black’s or Louie Mueller or Opie’s. Brisket – not bad for a mid-afternoon brisket taste). Pork Ribs – a little rubbery, but great flavor--- what do you expect at this time of day?”

Jenny, wrapping up her first day of manning up, says, “Atmosphere: Look, I know it's a meat market and therefore, it's not supposed to be all that friendly, but they could've made some effort to get that line reduced. (I guess having a long line of customers is not technically considered a problem in a restaurant, but I didn't like standing in it. The last time I stood in a line that long, there was a roller coaster at the end of it!) Ham: Decent, but not the best I've ever had...as a ham lover, I think this could use a little work. Pork rib: It's been too long, so I don't remember enough, dangit! Gotta review faster next time!”

Jenny’s scores – Pork ribs: 8.75; Ham: 8; Atmosphere: 6; Overall experience: 9

Dave’s scores – Brisket: 7; Sausage: 7; Overall experience: 7.5

Drew’s scores – Pork ribs: 9.35; Ham: 9.9; Atmosphere: 9.4; Service: 6; Overall experience: 8.9

Amir’s scores – Brisket: 9; Sausage: 8; Overall experience: 9

Todd’s scores – Pork ribs: 9.9; Ham: 9.9; Unsweet tea: 6; Service: 7; Atmosphere: 9.4; Overall experience: 9.7

Jason’s scores – Brisket 9.2; Pork ribs: 9.1; Jalapeno-cheese sausage: 9.8; Overall experience: 9.3

Russell’s scores – Brisket 9.11; Pork ribs: 9.72; Service: 7.8; Atmosphere: 10; Overall experience: 9.45

Overall Man-Up Score: 8.979