(Seguin) — What does it mean to be one of the pit masters for what is officially now one of the Top BBQ Joints in Texas? That’s the answer we all want to know following this week’s naming of the Seguin’s Burnt Bean Co. as the Number 4th ranked establishment in Texas Monthly’s annual Top 50 List of the best BBQ joints in the Lone Star State.
The downtown restaurant operated by Ernest Servantes and David Kirkland has put Seguin on the map with not only its savory and hot off the grill meats, but other culinary favorites that for the past year has had its lines wrapped around its building on South Austin Street.
So back to the question of how does it feel? Well for Servantes, he tells KWED it feels like Christmas.
“We kind of got a little heads up about a month ago that we were going to be on the list because they came in and took pictures of us. But other than that, we didn’t know where we were ranked on the list.”
They really don’t rank the 50. They only rank the Top 10. So, us being so new to I guess the game, we were just right there and then blessed that we could represent Seguin in being in the Top 50 no matter where we were positioned. We are just grateful. But, we just kept on grinding and we waited — sleepless nights — and it felt like Christmas Eve the night before. I’m not going to lie to you, I hadn’t felt like that since I was a little kid when it was Christmas Eve but they said it was going to be released at 8 in the morning and I guess, they released it earlier because my phone started blowing up,” said Servantes.
Servantes says not only is he grateful for being on the list but he is thankful for being ranked after only one full year at their current location.
“Being on this list was a big statement of how good the barbecue is as well as the heavy hitters that we were in front of like Snow’s and Franklin’s and all these Austin people. I think we were the only guys that were from a small town which is pretty much an honor because there was a lot of Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and then you have Seguin right in the heart of it at No. 4 so it was a very emotional day let’s put it that way,” said Servantes.
Servantes says what is even more thrilling for him and Kirkland is that they have been able to give back to a town who has shown them so much support.
“My whole era was Dave and I wanted to bring some really great barbecue to Seguin and at the end of the day, we just want to make Seguin proud — something to be proud of. They have the No. 4 BBQ (place) in the state of Texas or as we say in the world and we just want to make Seguin proud and we are here to stay and represent Seguin with class and just bear with us. The lines are long. But, I don’t know if they are going to get any smaller right now. But I hope we made Seguin proud,” said Servantes.
Editors of Texas Monthly describe this year’s list as challenging, as they taste tested their way through hundreds of establishments both longstanding and newcomers alike.
They also describe several winners, such as Burnt Bean Co., as part of a brave new era in Texas barbecue — with 29 of the 50 entries being new to the list.
The top Five include Leroy and Lewis Barbecue in Austin – at Number four, of course Burnt Bean here in Seguin – Number Three is Truth Barbecue in Houston – at Number Two is Interstellar BBQ in Austin, and Number One on this year’s list is Goldee’s Barbecue in Fort Worth.