Spirit of Texas Craft BBQ — Restaurant in Charter Oak

I live in the area and watched the Spirit of Texas BBQ in preparation for their opening. I was hoping for a good barbecue place close to me, something different than the usual just OK places. I saw some reviews on the Spirit of Texas craft BBQ and was a little skeptical since the reviews seemed to have been written by the same person (maybe AI). What I mean is the style, layout, and what they had to say was pretty much the same. Also, the reviews were written in the same time period. But nonetheless, I decided to try the place for myself. When I first walked in, I will say the setting was nice and clean, however much like a cafeteria. There were two people behind the counter, a young lady and a guy. The young lady was very friendly and welcoming. The guy, not so much. I ordered barbecue ribs, mac & cheese, baked beans, and banana pudding. They sell the meat by the pound, and the long and short of it is you’ll pay twice as much as most other places. A slab of ribs will cost you a little more than $60. Most other places will be about half that. Ribs at $28 a pound will get you about three maybe four ribs. The ribs had a smoky flavor but were a little dry and without sauce, not very flavorful—overall just OK. The mac & cheese and banana pudding were pretty good, however. The baked beans also lacked flavor and seemed to be rushed in cooking; I’ve had much better out of the can. Also, they need to work on presentation; the Mac and Cheese and Banana Pudding looks a little grungy. When you look at the competition, such as Lucille‘s, which has a much better atmosphere and Dickies, which has a similar sterile feeling as the Spirit of Texas, both overall are a much better value and have better flavor and quality, and neither are my favorite place to go. Also, there are many other local places that are overall much better than the Spirit of Texas. My first thought was this is a new place, so maybe as they progress, they will get better. But after further research, I found there are two other locations, one in Riverside and the other in San Bernardino. So, they should have their act together by now. No one else in my family liked the food either. I probably...

From the moment I took my first bite, I knew I was in for something special. The food at this barbecue spot was nothing short of spectacular. I ordered the ribs and brisket, and both were absolutely outstanding.

The ribs had a perfect balance—crispy on the outside with that satisfying flakiness, while the tender fat underneath practically melted on the tongue. As for the brisket? Unreal. It was so soft, it just melted in my mouth. You can tell the meat was smoked with care and precision—true craftsmanship in every bite.

Customer service was also top-notch. Everyone was friendly, attentive, and seemed genuinely invested in making sure guests had a great experience.

If I had one wish, it would be for them to add beef belly to the menu. Barbecue beef belly is a personal favorite of mine, and I think it would be an incredible addition to their already strong lineup.

The only real critique I have is about the interior decor and layout of the dining area. It’s a bit underdeveloped, but to be fair, this is a newer location. I imagine that, in time, they’ll settle in and enhance the ambiance to match the quality of their food and service.

Overall, this is a must-visit for barbecue lovers. Incredible meat, fantastic service, and the potential to become a true local favorite as they grow into...

First time here I love bbq! I love mom and pop places this is why I had to try. Tried burnt ends, brisket ,ribs and the sausage sides had the mac and cheese, Cole slaw, baked beans and had to have the corn bread!! First off staff is friendly and welcoming I didn't know what I wanted they made their suggestions super helpful the line forms up behind you quickly if you can't make up your mind fast enough. Finally made my choices a little on the pricey side I know bbq is for 2 came out to about 140 😳 with 2 regular drinks the burnt ends were so good tiny bit salty but they melted in my mouth flavor was good. The brisket was so tender and flavor was also good tiny bit dry otherwise delicious ribs were spot on fall off the bone tender so much flavor. The bbq sauce on the table was ok maybe a variety? Mac and cheese was ok coleslaw good a little watery good flavor beans were really good good chunks of meat inside. Corn bread I was a little let down it looked so spongy and amazing when it was being cut so promising great taste a little crumbly and dry nothing some butter can't fix. Overall this place is great the vibe is welcoming staff is friendly...