Old Bucs Barbecue — Restaurant in Manvel

My wife and I were at an estate sale in Manvel, and as we were leaving I decided to see if there was anything good to eat that was close. I opened up my Google maps and found out we were several hundred feet away from Old Bucs! We were worried because it was still before 10:30, but apparently they had just opened. The restaurant itself is pretty small, but the family running the place was very friendly. As we were trying to decide what to order, we knew we were going to have brisket, we were offered a sample of the brisket which was very nice. We usually get sausage too, but had read reviews about their pork ribs so got those too . Their meats are sold by the pound, so we got a pound of brisket but they let us just order a rib apiece. For sides we also ordered a personal sized pinto bean and potato salad (again, because of previous reviews). We were asked if we wanted all of the trimmings, and we said yes. Their selection of drinks is fairly limited, they offer bottled drinks and water, but I was happy that their Dr. Pepper is the all cane sugar/glass bottle version. All the food was delicious, and at a better price than a lot of other BBQ joints. We spent just over $20 each, including a tip. Their brisket was very tender and smokey, excellent overall. The ribs might have been better than the brisket. Very tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. I actually started my meal by eating one of their pickles, because they looked so good. I was pleasantly surprised that it was sweet/spicy and wished that I had known how good they were beforehand so I could have asked for the extras (although I am sure I probably could have just gone to the counter and asked for more). The potato salad was very creamy and well-seasoned, close to the best I have had with BBQ. The beans were better. Pinto beans are usually fairly boring, but these were not. They were spicy, but not too much, with a nice blend of spices and bacon. This place may not seem like a top notch BBQ joint when you drive up, and it might seem like it's in the wrong direction from Houston, but if you want some really good 'que, and at a good price, you might want to head south...

Second time trying out Old Bucs. First time came a little late so there was no brisket. Ordered ribs and sausage with side of mac and cheese along with the potato salad. Also got the banana pudding as a nice dessert. Came home and noticed the sausage was missing. Called them up and the owner was polite and apologized for the mishap. Now the second ordered the same thing with brisket this time and with the pinto beans. Man oh man was the food delicious! The ribs had meat that fell off the bones, the sausage had the right amount of pepper, and the moist brisket was tender with a nice smokey flavor. The sides were the best sidekicks to the wonderful meat. Mac and cheese had a creamy cheese sauce that was not over powering. The pinto beans were cooked just right with bits of tender bacon. Personally for myself I do not like mustard style potato salad, but Old Bucs manages to make a potato salad that packs a punch without having an overwhelming mustard taste. They do give you a side of onions and homemade pickles with jalapeños. The pickles definitely tasted homemade with a little kick from the brine they use. To finish this wonderful journey of wonderful delicious food was the banana pudding. That in itself makes everything well worth it. Definitely can taste that it is not the pre-packaged kind that you find in stores. Had good bits of banana and large cookies. Overall Old Bucs is on my top ten list of barbecue spots in Texas you must try. With an owner that you can tell takes pride in his foods and most importantly his customers this is a place you cannot...

Stopped here for some brisket and burnt ends. Easily some of the best barbecue in the area. I have been to some of the more well-known barbecue restaurant in the area (Killen’s for example) and I would say the brisket here is just as good if not better.

The moist brisket had the perfect bark and was soft and delicious. The burnt ends are one of my favorite dishes but are easily cooked too long at some restaurants, not here. The burnt ends at Old Bucs are still chewy on the inside with the right amount of extra char/bark.

We also had the beans, potato salad, and pickles. They were all actually good. I often find at barbecue restaurants the sides are often underwhelming but they are good here. The one thing I wish they had was a macaroni and cheese side.

The inside is simple but has everything you need to properly enjoy barbecue. The staff are very friendly and will give you a sample to try before ordering. The only thing that some people may not like is they only offer their meat by the pound, no sandwiches or dinner plates. That’s usually how we order anyway so it isn’t a...