Tex-Mex flavors highlight this new-ish San Antonio joint
When most people think of San Antonio, they “Remember the Alamo.” The famous mission-turned-fortress in the center of the city serves as a historical marker of the Texas Revolution, in which ethnically Mexican Tejanos and Anglo-rooted Texians banded together to seek territorial independence from the Mexican government. It is no surprise, then, that San Antonio arguably serves as the epicenter of Tex-Mex cuisine, where the epicurean traditions of the northern Mexico provinces has blended over time with Americanized availability of ingredients.
So as I headed to San Antonio for the 2025 Final Four, I craved two things: Tex-Mex and Texas BBQ. With limited time for meals, I decided to indulge in both simultaneously by stopping in at Reese Bros Barbecue, a highly regarded but new-ish spot featuring the Tex-Mex flavors of San Antonio and the Hill Country smoking techniques that have caused Central Texas BBQ to explode in national popularity over the past decade and change.
Arriving in town around noon on Sunday following my Gators’ victory Saturday night over Auburn to clinch a spot in the national championship game, I headed straight to Reese Bros from the airport, bags in tow. Reese Bros opens at 11am, so by the time I arrived around 12:30pm, a long line had already formed. From the entrance, you can see straight down Hoefgen Avenue to the south end of the Alamodome, home to UTSA football and the Final Four.
Walking in, you’re immediately confronted by that long food line, which is situated along the front side of the property. To your right are caged stacks of post oak, with barrel smokers affectionately named Lynyrd and Skynyrd to your left.
The weather was gorgeous — sunny but cool, with very little humidity. Just a couple of days earlier, temps were in the low 90s. Given the minimal shade over the food line, I imagine the wait can be brutal during the late-spring and summer months.
But on this day, the combination of comfortable weather and lots of basketball fans (particularly Florida, Duke, and Auburn loyalists) made for easy conversation and a line that seemed to move more quickly than it actually did. The psychological wait was further trimmed when friends alerted us to a separate bar & drink line, allowing our group to send a couple of runners to grab cold brews for us to enjoy while we crept forward.
Both the food line and bar line were single-service stations with only one cashier, so the setup was not the most efficient operation I’ve seen.
The bar featured a decent mix of domestic and craft beer options, including two Matthew McConaughey-themed beers: Alright Alright Alright, a pilsner from San Antonio’s Roadmap Brewing; and McConauHAZE, a delightful hazy IPA from Twisted X Brewing (a Friend Of The Program) in Dripping Springs, just west of Austin. Reese Bros also offers a limited selection of soft drinks, wine, and cocktails, plus a separate drink station for water and sweet tea.
All told, it took about 30 minutes to arrive at the front of the food line to order. Since there’s only one menu board and specials are hand-written by the ordering window, our group made a relatively last-minute decision as we got close to the front.
There are no plate meals or combo plates available, just meats available in half-pound increments and sides served in either small or large sizes.
However, for individual diners, they do offer a rotating mix of sandwiches/tortas and tacos served on their house-made flour tortillas.
Since I was with a couple of friends, we ultimately opted to split a tray of brisket (lean was the preference of mis compadres, but I sampled some moist brisket from another friend-group visiting at the same time), pork ribs, and queso fundido sausage.
We added sides of poblano mac n’ cheese and corn salad, plus an order of fresh flour tortillas. Although I usually opt for sweet tea with my barbecue, I went with another McConauHAZE on this occasion. When in Texas, amirite alright alright?
The food arrived very quickly after ordering. By the time we got settled into seats under one of the covered patio areas in the rear, a runner was already calling out our ticket name.
In both the lean and moist brisket, the smokiness radiated with each bite and the fat was expertly rendered. It came with a nice, even bark, but the bark could’ve used a little more oomph, whether from additional black pepper (my preference) or some other kick of seasoning. The ribs were tender to the point of being slightly overcooked and beginning to fall off the bone, but they weren’t so overdone as to greatly affect the texture and make the meat mushy. They appeared to be well-rested, topped with a light glaze that kept them moist and allowed the rub (which packed more punch than the brisket bark) to shine without the ribs being sopping wet. The queso fundido sausage was also excellent, featuring just the right ratio of meat to fat, a snappy casing, and flavorful but mild chile flavor (Serranos, according to other reviews I’ve seen), with creamy queso bits scattered throughout.
The poblano mac n’ cheese was definitely unique — the only green mac n’ cheese I’ve ever eaten. The color is obtained from a mix of chiles pureed into the creamy sauce that forms the dish’s base. It has a nice kick of heat, but not as much as you might expect from a combo of poblanos, Serranos, and jalapeños. The sauce itself was a bit thinner than I prefer for macaroni — more of reduced cream sauce than a melted cheese sauce or Mornay — but it was still a standout side dish. The corn salad was basically off-the-cob street corn served cold. Although it takes a brief mental adjustment after tasting what looks like a warm bite, I found it to be light and refreshing while still having the spice-warmth of Tex-Mex seasoning paired with queso fresco and diced veggies.
The flour tortillas were served hot inside foil, coming out pillowy and neither too thick nor too thin. The tortillas served as a tasty base for a build-your-own BBQ taco, continuing to lean into the meal’s San Antonio flair. The platter also came with BBQ sauce and salsa on the side. Both were bold and layered with flavor, and we found ourselves using the tortillas and white bread to sop up the remainder of each.
Overall, there are a few things Reese Bros could improve upon to be among the uber-elite in the ever-more-crowded Texas BBQ scene, but the meats we sampled were all winners and the sides were a delicious, uniquely San Antonio take on the typical BBQ accoutrements. It’s a place I’d eagerly visit again.
CFB Travel Guy 