Southside Market in Elgin has a towering reputation as one of the best barbeque restaurants in the Southwest; it's even featured on the menu at Virgil's BBQ in New York. That reputation must have originated long ago, because I've gone there off and on for more than a decade and it's never been terribly good. I heard recently that they had gone through a shakeup in their cooking staff, so I thought I'd go by and give it another try and write a review with a relatively open mind.
As a dining facility, you can't fault Southside Market. It's a big building with a traditional rustic atmosphere and the pits are out back so the air-conditioning doesn't have to fight the heat. Inside there's a double serving line to handle big crowds, a nice big dining area, and lots of special features like an ice cream counter and a full-service butcher shop. They also have a sound system and play classic country, which adds to the atmosphere. All in all, just the right environment for great barbeque. Unfortunately the quality of the food doesn't live up to the presentation or the reputation.
For this visit I took the kids with me to get a youthful perspective and I ordered a little bit of everything for us to try. They only wanted potato chips and bread for sides and were mainly focused on the extensive selection of ice cream for after the meal.
Elgin is known for its sausage, and Southside Market has signs on the outside of the building and several places inside the building declaring it the "Home of Elgin Hot Sausage." Well, Elgin sausage, as a whole, isn't all that great whether you get it in a store and cook it yourself or get it hot at Southside or Meyers, which are the two main purveyors. Like most Elgin sausage, what Southside offers is coarse, ground meat, extremely greasy, and contrary to their claims, it's not spicy at all. It's boring, unappetizing sausage. Compared to the extraordinarily good hot sausage available in nearby Taylor and Lockhart, it's not even worth considering and its reputation is certainly undeserved.
Article comments
1 - chantal stone
Dave...
I lived in Texas for 2 yrs, and tried BBQ from restaurants all over Central and SE TX...still the best BBQ I've ever had came from my own kitchen.
You can't beat Blue Bell ice cream though. We've been in Ohio for 10 years now, and my husband still swears Blue Bell is the best he's ever had.
2 - Rodney Welch
You mean there's a town in Texas named Elgin, and it's famous for barbecue? Amazing. The only Elgin I know is the tiny South Carolina town I live in, and the barbecue at Hammy's is one of its very, very few claims to regional fame.
3 - Dave Nalle
I've actually heard of Hammy's. It's one of the ones recommended at Virgil's in New York. Some day I may have to cruise through that area and try it out.
And Chantal, you BBQ in your (gasp) kitchen? Can't properly smoke anything in an oven. But I do agree that it's possible to find BBQ as good as the best places or better at BBQ cookoffs or homemade. I make unbeatable BBQed lamb shank and pork butt.
Dave
4 - chantal stone
lol... as soon as I posted that, I knew it would read weird....you know what I mean!
my kitchen, my backyard grill...the point is, it's MY cooking!
;)
5 - chantal stone
Here in Columbus, OH every year we have a Jazz and Rib Fest. BBQ competitors from all over the country come to show off what they have....
I still have to say....I make the best ribs I've ever had.
6 - Dave Nalle
I've had a LOT of bad ribs, so I'm willing to believe it.
Dave
7 - Matthew T. Sussman
I'm doing summer business in the deep South. Hope I can find some good BBQ while I'm down there.
8 - Rodney Welch
"The worst I ever had was wonderful." -- The late Lewis Grizzard on barbecue
9 - Jewels
OH folks have No Idea About Tejas BBQ. None. It is The Goods. Bar BQ None....
10 - Herman Hatzblat
Wow dave, great review. Not sure though if you could find many people that agree with you. We read a couple reviews and headed out to Elgin this weekend to try what we have heard of for so long. When we arrived and saw a line that impressively extended out the door we knew something was not right. Thankfully it was your review! The food was wonderful. I think the sausage was the best I have ever had and the brisket wasn't far behind. I have never seen a place so packed. Guess they haven't heard about Southside being overrated! Maybe you shouldn't be writing bbq reviews if you don't know the difference between beef and pork.(yes, the sausage is all beef)
11 - Jackie
Excuse me go on any holiday or weekend and you will find that Southside meat market in Elgin will have a line waiting outside to be served. Their food is great and for your taste I am sorry but your cooking must something that only the cook would enjoy because people all over central Texas come to Elgin. Oh and they have this huge BBQ bash in New York with BBQ place all over the US and every year they sell out... Now your review is good for you but not the rest of central Texas
12 - Dave Nalle
Yes, Southside does have lines out the door. It's the best BBQ in Elgin and it has a loyal following. And as I pointed out in the review it's much better than it was a few years ago. That said, it doesn't stand up in comparison to other BBQ in the region. There's so much really outstanding BBQ within a few miles of Elgin that settling for Southside because it has long lines is doing yourself a disservice.
Go try Taylor Cafe or Mueller's in Taylor. Or go a little farther and try Kreuz's or Smitty's in Lockhart. Or if you want to go to Austin try Ben's Long Branch BBQ. A longer trip into the Hill Country would get you to Cooper's in Llano. Believe me, you'll realize how mediocre Southside in once you've tried any of these.
But I'll agree that if your experience is from eating the godawful BBQ in Dallas or Houston or if you think the Saltlick or the County Line are real BBQ, then Southside looks great. But seriously, it's far from the best the Central Texas area has to offer.
Dave
13 - dcmeyer
I work at Meyers Sausage company in Elgin.I have the same last name but am not related in any way.I do not know how this company's BBQ rates against other BBQ places but they were voted best in Elgin several years straight recently.And they are the best employer I ever worked as far as fairness and keeping promises;which is a whole lot more than most other companies out there can truthfully claim.
14 - Dave Nalle
DC, I plan on reviewing Meyers this summer, along with Coopers in Llano and a couple of others. Hope their food is as good as their employee relations.
Dave
15 - Jerome Kruemcke
See the comment I sent to Southside after buying sausage Sunday Sept 11....
For over 30 years I have stuck with you. You took the pork out of your sausage, then dumbed down the hot flavor for yankees, raised the prices, cut quality. Finally I have had enough. I will not be stopping by Southside any more. I was there Sunday. Requested juicy sausage. Was given some sausage with the skin so tough that it could not be chewed. Also you raised your price drastically to $5.69 a pound. I realize you have the right to charge whatever you want. I have the right to no longer buy any of your product nor will I recommend it to anyone else. Hope your Yankee customers will take up the slack. You are running all your old time customers off.
16 - Dave Nalle
Jerome, check out my other reviews. If you drive a bit farther down 290 or go into downtown Elgin you'll find better food at Meyers or Crosstown BBQ.
However, I still maintain that southside has the best butcher shop in the area.
Dave
17 - Elmer Fuentez
it suck cause i live here....and elgin is a piece of shit with their B-B-Q too....
18 - rick
im a truck driver and eat all over the great U.S.A. Southside market has the best BBQ i have ever eaten.Elgin sausage is the worlds best !!!
19 - harryward
Hammy's, an Elgin, SC landmark, closed for good on July 4, 2008. What a shame!!!!
20 - Joe
I've been to Southside a number of times, primarily based on the raves. I gotta tell ya, I was never too impressed with the sauce or the greasy BBQ. Rudys is great BBQ with awesome peppery beans and a terrific atmosphere.