Harmon's BBQ — Restaurant in Cibolo

This was my first visit to Harmons BBQ, and was one of about 100 places I have on a list of places to try. As soon as you enter, you see old an old fashioned looking place, with wood counters, and brick walls. The menu is a whiteboard on the front wall, with a variety of items, a wood ice chest houses an assortment of beers and beverages, and a small cooler with some dessert options.

I always look for things restaurants do differently, and here it was a sampler plate that included 1/4 lb portions of brisket, sausage, turkey, chicken,& pork, all for $23. However I do not think the sampler includes anything else. I also noticed an item called "junk beans" which I later got a description of and decided to try. They are a $0.75 upcharge on plates, $3.95 a serving, $6.95 a pint or $12 a quart. The beans contain hamburger, crumbled brisket, hot sauce, sausage, chicken, and BBQ sauce.

I ordered the 2 meat plate which was $19.95 and includes your choice of any 2 meats not including ribs which are available for an upcharge. I went with the brisket and sausage. The plate also comes with 2 sides, I chose the junk beans (out of curiosity) and the creamed corn because I love creamed corn. Also offered was a wide selection of Texas beers, one of which was an apricot Wheat beer from Aquabrew in San Macros. I figured, why not add one more new item to the meal?.

The food came out fairly quick, but I had just enough time to wander around and take a look at the back room which had plenty of seating for large groups. The food was served on brown butcher paper, with a pile of raw onion, pickles, and bread. A pretty common serving arrangement for Texas BBQ.

I tried the brisket first, and thats when I realized, I forgot to ask for marbled or moist brisket. Surprisingly the meat was still moist, not overly lean, with a small bit of fat running along the edge. The meat had a decent bark, with good smoked flavor, a crispy edge and good pepper coating.

The sausage while tasting familiar, was just a bit different, and I didn't think it really stood out, but it definitely wasn't bad. I just felt it was very similar to sausages I have had elsewhere. I later found out while reading an Express News article that the sausage is made by Opa's in Fredricksburg, specially for Harmons with a modified seasoning.

The creamed corn was good, very creamy, already salted, and not overly bland. I've had some amazing cream corn and some with nearly no flavor.. and this stuff was in the better half of the ones I've tried.

Last up was the "junk beans". The very first spoonfull had visible pieces of shredded brisket, and the BBQ sauce flavor was immediately apparent. These beans are super filling, and could easily be eaten on their own with some crackers or bread as a meal. The flavor and consistency reminded me of the "ATM Beans" I get at Ericks Tacos, which also contain asada meat, oaxaca cheese, cilantro and a slice of avocado. These type of beans make for great late night food, and also hit the spot when its cold weather outside.

Overall the food was good. While I wouldn't put this place in my all time top 5 best BBQ restaurants, I could see it maybe making it into the top 15. Its definitely a place I would recommend to people. I'd give this place a solid 7.5/10.

I almost forgot about the beer. While not unique to Harmons, it did pair nicely with the BBQ. It had a decently strong apricot flavor with a sweetish wheat finish that is a perfect option for summer BBQs, if your a fan of fruit...

Right in downtown Cibolo is a wonderful BBQ joint. I look at three things when I get BBQ, the meat, the sauce, and the sides. The Meat: the brisket is well smoked slowly over a low heat and you can get it moist or lean just by asking. They also have sausage which I like, pork, chicken, and ribs. For a real treat see if they have any dry ends (the part of the pork ribs they trim off). You can get them for a great price if they have any and they are chock full of flavor. It's almost overwhelming how much smoke flavor so caveat emptor but if you love the end of the brisket, you'll adore these. The Sauce: Harmon's makes a sauce that is slightly sweet but also has a nice pop. It is tangy, but not very tomatoey and the mix of sweet and spicy is just perfect. It's not thin, but I like my sauce just a bit thicker. Either way, it sticks to the meat just right. The Sides: so far all of the sides have been solid from the potato salad to the green beans, to the creamed corn, to the beans. The green beans are nicely made with tomatoes and peppered to give them lots of taste. The creamed corn is also peppery and I like it. The best is their "junk beans". These are their already good beans but they add some portions of chicken, brisket, and sausage as well as a nice dollop of sauce to them. Sinfe I regularly add sauce to my beans this is just perfect. Highly recommend that you give these a try. Oh, I would be remiss to not me Rion their specialities. One is their Frito Pie which is a bed of fritos covered with beans (you can ask for junk beans), brisket, melted cheese, onions and pickled jalapeños. Muy delicioso. On Thursdays they have BBQ Nachos which have brisket, cheese, onions, & jalapeños over chips. They also have about a dozen beers and...

Had not eaten here since 1992. Decided to stop in tonight. Harmon's us an "institution" in the Cibolo are for decades. Got there about 6:00 p.m. on a Saturday night. Not very crowded. An older building with an old interior. Plenty of seating in the front area of the restaurant and then more in the back. Back area large wide Open spaces with several TVs around the room and a stage for music acts. Tonight I chose my normal brisket and sausage with beans and potato salad. Now looking up at the menu I was kind of startled by the prices. I know that times are tough in the states right now especially for restaurants. But a two meat plate with two sides for 1995 is a bit on the high side. Probably about $3 to $5 higher than most places that I've eaten here in South texas. The food was delivered in a fairly quick manner. There was a good portion of both meats. Potato salad was nothing to brag about beans were good after I add a little barbecue sauce to them. The meal overall was good I certainly enjoy their cooking. But the price in my opinion, was too high $20 for two meats and two sides. Would I recommend you dining at this location? I would yes but just be prepared for maybe a little bit higher price than what you would pay somewhere else. Maybe try a family style with lots of choices of meats and maybe it can save you...