City Meat Market — Restaurant in Giddings

This place is quite unique and as I understand it fairly famous around here. I'm visiting from Colorado and decided to stop by. . This kind of place isn't usually my cup of tea if I'm being completely honest. I'm not much of a meat eater other than chicken and fish. Luckily they do infact serve chicken (by the half I might add) and no not half a pound... half of a WHOLE chicken haha... Crazy. . Anyway I had the chicken half and my father had the brisket. He seemed to really enjoy his food and I did enjoy the chicken as well although I must say thay the potato salad was honestly the best part of the meal for me, it was delicious although unusually small in portion especially compared to what they offer for the stars of the show (the meats). . This place won't be for everyone given the extremely rundown, rustic vibes and featuring ridiculous portions. Its almost as if you just walked into a dusty antique shop where someone happens to be slinging meats in the back while the townsfolk flock to get as much meat in there stomachs as possible. . I like this place even though it's really not my style at all solely because of how unique it is... It maybe dirty, greasy, and unsightly to most people (especially those who live in the city or upscale areas) but it seems like a real hit in the community that it resides in and the very friendly people who work here obviously love what they do and whole-heartedly appreciate those who stop by to enjoy the unusual setting and abnormally large portions for the love of meat. I'd say give it a shot if you're looking for something very old-school... if not only for the food but for the quite...

City Meat Market is one of those places we've driven by countless times. I think only one of us had even been there previously. We had seen reports over the years that they can be hit or miss, so our expectations weren't very high. It turns out that might be a good frame of mind in which to start the day. We chose brisket, pork sparerib, and a sausage link. The owner, Gerald Birkelbach, added a few pieces of smoked pork butt to our order, asking us to give him our thoughts.

The sparerib was peppery and salty, but in a pleasant way due to its difference from most spareribs we encounter. We decided it was likely due to being seasoned with table salt, given its more concentrated flavor than the kosher salt used by many BBQ joints. The sausage, predominantly beef blended with a little pork, was juicy and delicious. Brisket was smoky, but not in a particularly good way, and could have used some more time on the pit and a rest. The highlight here had to be the pork butt. Great pork flavor throughout and nicely seasoned. Gerald says he cuts his pork butts about an inch-and-a-half thick, adds his seasonings, and they get a smoke bath on his direct heat pits. This turned out to be a memorable experience, and I will definitely make the stop again if its early in the day, rather than just pass by on the way to Austin, wondering...

Simply really good smoked meats.

I have traveled past this location for over 10 years and while I knew about its high reputation I finally took the time to stop in. I ordered the brisket, ribs, and chicken. I cannot say which was my favorite, but I do have to say that the chicken was really spot on. As a cook myself I know its hard to smoke chicken without drying it out and they nailed it. The meat literally fell off the bone with every piece. pro tip if you want chicken it sells out fast so you may need to arrive early or call ahead to make sure it's available. They do use a little more black pepper than other places and it does provide a good balance with the smoke they give it. None of their meats are too salty. Overall, simple recipes that have been time honored and they work; so nothing...