Best BBQ in Laredo

In 1997, Ernie Sr., a retired U.S. military veteran, opened Laredo's first authentic Texas barbecue restaurant. Built on hard work, family values, and a passion for authentic low-and-slow Texas barbecue, Ernie's Smokehouse quickly became a local favorite. Over the years, the family proudly expanded to two locations, serving generations of barbecue lovers throughout Laredo. In 2004, the family made the difficult decision to close the restaurant's doors, but the passion for barbecue never disappeared. Determined to preserve the family legacy, Ernie Jr., a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, continued serving customers through catering and special events. In 2016, he reopened Ernie's Smokehouse as a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Encinal, Texas, where the tradition continued until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the restaurant to close. Rather than letting the story end there, Ernie Jr. returned to Laredo with a new vision. Today, Ernie's Smokehouse Texas BBQ proudly operates from Golondrina Food Park in Laredo, Texas, where nearly three decades of authentic Texas barbecue tradition meet bold culinary creativity.