This Top-Ranked Texas BBQ Spot Truly Defines 'Hole In The Wall'

Nestled into an unassuming building on Montgomery's main street in Texas, you'll find a unique dining experience that joins Chowhound's list of can't-miss hole-in-the-wall BBQ restaurants in the U.S. This family-owned restaurant's story began by hosting BBQ pop-ups around the city. Now, it's routinely recognized as a can't-miss spot for tourists and locals alike. If you planned to make a trip to Texas anytime soon, you'd best dedicate some of your itinerary to exploring this smoked meats gem, Bar-A-BBQ. 

The hole-in-the-wall dining experience isn't just about exclusive knowledge, it's also about the unpretentious operations, non-flashy presentation, and high-quality ingredients that may otherwise be lost in its humble appearances. Think quality food that outshines its surroundings, solidifying the fact that glitzy packaging doesn't always ensure the best eats. 

Bar-A-BBQ maintains its crown as a noteworthy hole in the wall due to the fact that its fine foods are accompanied by homey, quaint surroundings. This establishment's dedicated following can be attributed to Bar-A-BBQ's dining experience, which is imbued with a southern charm that makes you feel like family. Though, due to the proliferation of social media, this eatery has garnered quite a significant following on platforms like Instagram, since originally opening in 2019. With features in the Houston Chronicle's Top 100 Restaurants list (2024), and Texas Monthly's Top 50 (2025) — it's become one of the city's well-known BBQ joints. 

When walking into Bar-A-BBQ, the dining room's ambiance is akin to that of what you may see at your grandma's country home. Tables are lined with red and white checkered plastic table cloths, with wooden chairs pushed underneath. Meanwhile, a self-serve station fit with plastic cutlery and paper napkins rests against the back wall. Guests can choose from an assortment of canned sodas to go alongside their meal. Open Tuesday through Sunday, this spot starts serving about an hour before lunchtime until 4 p.m., unless they sell out, that is.

You can expect plastic trays with crinkled baking paper sitting underneath half chickens, racks of ribs, and meat sold by the pound. Meanwhile, classic sides like potato casserole, pinto beans, and dirty rice are served in miniature paper baskets. Guests may even opt for a Meat Sampler ($60), or the Texan Platter ($120) which should satisfy a group of three to four people. Either is inclusive of various meats on the menu, and the latter comes with some extra pints of sides. The menu also includes dessert options like banana pudding, cornbread pudding, as well as beef tallow chocolate chip cookies.

But if you aren't based in Montgomery, Texas, and won't be able to take advantage of the expansive Bar-A-BBQ menu anytime soon, you'll want to make sure you take note of the right way to prepare BBQ meats in advance of a party since you'll be taking on this task yourself. And when you gather up your materials at the grocery store ahead of your guests arriving, make sure you keep vegetarians in mind by including this meat substitute in your BBQ lineup: jackfruit.