Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Q — Restaurant in Grapevine

¡The Best BBQ in North Texas!

Let’s make this official: Arnulfo, or Trey as most know him, is one of the best pitmasters out there. I’ve been singing praises about Vaqueros Texas BBQ to all my family and friends for years. Sure, some still head to Terry Black’s, Dickey’s, or Pecan Lodge—good riddance. For me, Vaqueros BBQ is my top pick among the five BBQ joints I frequent across Texas. I’ll get around to reviewing the others someday.

What sets Vaqueros apart is how Trey masterfully blends traditional Texas BBQ with diverse cultural influences, especially Mexican cuisine. You won’t find BBQ like this in Kansas. Whether you’re craving a classic BBQ dish or something with a Tex-Mex twist, you won’t be disappointed. The flavors are bold yet comforting, and each bite leaves you wanting more, encouraging you to explore the ever-changing seasonal menu. From sandwiches and tamales to birria tacos and the standard meat plate, every meal has been a delight. Even my kids, who aren’t typically BBQ fans—one finds it too spicy, the other prefers chicken—jump at the chance to have Vaqueros. They drop their electronics, put on their Crocs, and race to the truck. They might need extra napkins for those spicy boogers, but they’re smiling ear to ear.

Trey has also made Vaqueros a family business and a legacy in the making. The staff is patient and friendly, the ordering process is efficient, and there’s even seating behind the food truck (pro tip for when the adjoining brewery patio is busy!). The sides and desserts are consistently fantastic. What more could you ask for?

The Flip Side: If I had to nitpick—and I always include a “flip side” in my reviews—it’s the flies. The brewery sprays for mosquitoes, so those aren’t a problem, but house flies can sometimes be an issue. A few table fans or hanging water bags could help mitigate that.

Last Pro Tip if You’ve Made it This Far: While BBQ prices can sometimes seem steep, especially if you’re new to it (BBQ tends to be pricier since protein makes up most of the meal), the Tex Mex plate at Vaqueros offers great value. It includes a little bit of everything, and for our family of four (with two younger kids), we can split the plate and just add a side and a serving of watermelon. This makes it a very budget-friendly option without sacrificing...

I wish they had a proper bar but you order drinks from a window or grab a beer while your in line for food. We ordered a platter (Texas something) with ribs, brisket and sausage but they ran out of sausage so we replaced it with ribs. The ribs and brisket were tender, they were pretty good actually. I'm not a fan of fatty brisket though. The BBQ was super tasty but they only had the one kind of sauce. I was looking for something spicy. We got beans and Mac for the sides which we will not get again because the beans tasted way too much like cumin and pepper. The Mac and cheese was gritty and had no taste, could probably use salt to make it edible if you can even find salt. You can't really tell from the picture but the bread on the other side was burnt and tasted exactly like burnt toast. 😩 We also ordered the fries Texas style. The brisket was dry, the fries cold, the cheddar cheese not melted, the queso was on the bottom and the veggies were pickled which I'm not a fan of. In fact it looked like all their veggies are pickled. The queso was at the bottom so we had to dig around but when we found it, it actually tasted weird. We barely put a dent into this because it didn't taste good at all. I felt like we just threw 17 bucks in the trash. Definitely not ordering it again, especially with all the pickled stuff in it. They don't have a station with utensils, condiments, etc in the other dining room. If it ever gets busy I could see a major traffic jam happening where they have it now by the drink machines. They don't offer plates or anything so if you're sharing you're either eating off paper towels or trying to navigate the tray between you and the other person(s). They don't offer wet naps but there's a hand washing sink by the restrooms. Whoever picked out the chairs and the tables didn't take into consideration the height of the seat in relation to the table. I felt like a kid eating at the table....so children or short people might be even more annoyed by this. Maybe not. The TVs ... One had the shopping network. The other had Sports Mix (8 boxes in 1) on but the TV is so small you can't even see what's going on with the of the whatever they were broadcasting.

They just opened so hopefully we see improvements...

Vaquero's is led by Chef Trey Sanchez, an incredible talent and even more amazing person. We have had the pleasure of getting to know him and his team through their delicious food and conversations. The soul of what I would call Mexican-inspired Texas BBQ shines through every dish they present. Everything served is made with humbleness, hard work, and a never-ending dedication to bringing out the innate greatness of the food itself.

Every item on the menu deserves to be tried, as there is greatness in each one. That being said, some of my personal favorites include:

Birria Tacos: Made with smoked brisket, these tacos, with an amazing consummé, have just the right amount of crunch on the outside, white cheesy goodness on the inside, and an overall deliciousness that just can't be beat. As a native Texan, I can say that Vaquero's Birria Tacos are my absolute favorite way to enjoy brisket. I know, I know...that's a lot of big talk, but I am willing to bet that if you try them, you won't disagree.

Smoked Turkey Breast: Impossibly juicy, Chef Sanchez's smoked turkey is a melt-in-your-mouth explosion of intense flavors and just the right amount of smokiness. If Chef Sanchez happens to have this on the menu that day, I never leave without some.

Apple Gorgonzola Coleslaw: Okay, I know this is "just a side," but this mix of cabbage, cranberries, pecans, and salty gorgonzola, along with a sweet berry sauce that has small, delightfully tart, green apple slices. I eat it as a stand-alone and add it as a topping to both the pulled pork and the pork belly.

If you aren't hankerin' for Vaquero's at this point, then I've done a dismally poor job of a review, and would strongly encourage you to take a trip and try it...