Zimmerhanzel`s Bar-B-Que in Smitdville

Best tasting BBQ in Central Texas, can't get enough.

Great choices and unbelievably low prices

Flavorful and tender brisket and sausage. Generous portions. Good prices.

What a great place to eat... The people are wonderful and the food is great... And let me tell you one thing for sure, you can't beat their prices...

Not sure how it made Texas Monthly's radar. We had brisket, sausage, and green beans. The brisket was OK; nothing special, and not even close to the top 10 Texas places I've eaten, let alone the top 50. The sausage was bland and had an odd texture. The green beans were average.Worst of all, both of us were sick for two days after eating there.It gets one star because I can't give it zero stars.

Love all y'alls BBQ and sides

Excellent Central Texas BBQ.

Food good as usual. Great place.

If there's a line, trust me it's worth the wait! $4 for a chopped sandwich and potato salad!! I don't think you can beat that. Food was delicious and staff was so nice.

Stopped here on the way back to LA from Austin. Couldnt get bbq in Austin due to the lines so super glad we stopped here.

The meats there is smoked so good it melt in your mouth.

Bestest Bar B Que in Bastrop County...and delicious sides and deserts

Doesn’t look like much but easily top 5 bbq in the state. Someone said they were in Texas Monthly. Very friendly staff and other customers were nice too! Feels like eating at thanksgiving with family everywhere throughout the house

There chopped beef sandwich is enormous and soooo tasty!!

Two railroad guys say to me "Next time your in Smithville try Zimmerhanzel's BBQ". I ask if it's the best in town. They're response "...it's the only one!" Sold I thought as I chuckled to myself. On my first trip I wizzed by the orange building, which I swore was a food truck. After, taking to long to buy cigars, I asked the cashier if it was any good. She replied "if you're going, you'd better hurry!" I saunder over and was third in line inside it looked like a VFW or Kwanas hall with old junior high school cafteria seating. I ordered a chopped brisket sandwich, a sausage sandwich and some highly recommended beans. The line was manned by several polite ladies, who looked like several generations of family-polite small town charm. Whole thing cost $8 and change. I wolfed down the sausage sandwich doing a cool 75 mph down HWY 71. The chopped brisket and beans made a quick dinner hours later.

Delicious! Loved the brisket and ribs! Save room for dessert!

Best kept secret for some real tasting BBQ! I enjoyed every bite and the vegetables all at a reasonable price. I would encourage you to go and try it for yourself and then write your review!

I visited because of the high reviews. Ordered ribs but they were out. Then I ordered the chicken which was terrible. Potatoe salad had way to much sugar, pinto beans were under season.

Zimmerhanzel's has a reputation for their sausage, and for selling out on Saturdays, so plan for an early stops. The brisket, spareribs, and sausage were all very good, with the standout for us being their all-beef sausage. It was still packed with enough fat to stay juicy, and a really good spice balance that paired well with the beef. One of the best all-beef sausages in the state, so good we picked up a few extra to take home.

BBQ is outstanding — 5 stars. Dining area and bathrooms are filthy—0 stars so round up to 3.

Great place!!! Wonderful food. This place has been around for years and always has a big lunch crowd. The barbeque is tender with good flavor

Simply the best people and BBQ.

This place is like coming home. It's like the smell of your favorite and happiest childhood memory. The bbq is delicious and everyone in my family has a favorite! My favorite has always been their chopped beef sandwhich that melts in your mouth with delicious flavors and hardiness and the potatoe salad. Ugh. No other bbq place makes potatoe salad or chopped beef like them. My mom loves the chicken which is full of smoked flavor, my Pawpaw loved the rib plate, my dad loves the brisket and sausage, my coworkers love the pork butt and macaroni salad and EVERYONE loves the sausage!! No other sausage like it anywhere!! So good!! And to make it even better, the people that own it and work there are so so sweet!! She welcomes me each time and always asks how I'm doing. There's a reason the line is always so long! The food is excellent and the small town feel is heartwarming and takes you back to a better time.

Best BBQ ever!! Tender brisket, yummy sausage, and just right sauce. Even the potato salad is delish!

Nothing like coming to Smithville for work and finding a gem for BBQ.

It was different from Luling and Lockhart bar b que.

Great Texas bbq

Typically a hole in the wall mom and pop place can hide a true treasure in disguise. Unfortunately, though probably a town favorite, this place has a very slow way to order and serve food. It's like the cafeteria from a Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie. I'd be amazed if it's ever passed a food health inspection without bribery. The bbq was watered down, the brisket was bland. The people were friendly, but it looked like child labor laws don't apply in this family business. I would recommend going elsewhere.

We have dined here several times over the last decade. Sometimes, the meat is pretty good and sometimes the staff must have been really busy before I arrived and the food suffered. So, hit or miss.

Best barbecue in Texas! My all time favorite. But, then again, I've been coming here for 30+ years. I love this place.

Don't let the age of the place fool you in to thinking this is not a great spot. It's fantastic! Where you find the locals, that's the place to be and Zimmerhanzel's was FULL! The short wait was well worth it. Fantastic brisket and smoked chicken. Nice staff and a great value. Check it out!!

Zimmerhanzel’s is a great family BarBQue place. I like their brisket, chopped beef sandwiches, all the sides, especially their beans and I love the ladies serving it up behind the line. I’ve been coming to Zimmerhanzel’s for over a decade now and am so grateful that I can count on quality BBQ in my home town. It keeps making the pages of Texas Monthly because it is a staple here in Smithville for a reason. I also love the fact that the folks left and were asked to come back because the community missed their cooking.

Old owners are back and the BBQ is too! My favorite are the ribs, sausage and chicken. The addition of green beans to the menu is a nice addition. By far the best BBQ within 50 miles. Prices are reasonable as well so very affordable for families.

Good counter service BBQ and really friendly service. A very welcoming place altogether. Plus, the tables and chairs look like they're from an old school, but they're comfortable and nostalgic.

Good food great price

Best BBQ in Texas. The gal cutting the meat was there as a teenager.

Excellent bbq and friendly staff and reasonable prices. It is worth the trip off the road! I love the family atmosphere and they really care about their food. I recommend the sausage and chopped beef.

The best BBQ ever!

Fresh. Brisket is on point. BBQ sauce = amazing

Always great food and you cant beat the prices. Love eating here would definitely recommend you try it!

The food was great! I had the BBQ Frito Pie and I forgot to take a pic of it because I just wanted to dice in. 😁

Sausage is good. Brisket had good texture but was bland. Potato salad was way too sweet. Sweet tea was good and the service was good. I went because it came highly recommended. I definitely will not drive out of my way for it.

Imo the best BBQ around, cafeteria style with a choice of vegetables and meats. Small place but big flavor! Everything cooked fresh daily, hands-down the best restaurant in town. If you are looking for a home style, home cooked meal this is the place to go

All I can say about this BBQ....us it is very very good.....service is good....prices are not as high as some other BBQ.....around this area....if you like BBQ....head over to Smithville and have a taste of the best....

good food and service

OMG the Bar-B-Que is so good and the staff treat you like family.

I have been coming here since 1987 when I was in college. Every time I pass through or even get close to these sausage I have to have them.

Wow, just wow!!! We came in today with a group of over 20, and we couldn't have asked for better food or service. We tried everything except the ribs and it was all DELICIOUS! We don't get around this area very often, but when we do we'll be back for sure!

When building a home in the area,my guys love when we bring them Zimmerhanzel’s BBQ for lunch at the job site. Some of the best in Texas🤠