Michna's Barbecue

Michna’s BBQ came high on the list of BBQ joints recommended in Waco, and given it’s proximity to Floyd Casey Stadium, from a logistical standpoint it made for the perfect pre game meal. While Waco isn’t far enough South on I-35 to get into the renown barbecue triangle of Texas, Michna’s was purported to know their way around a smoker and I was eager to give it a shot.

The barbecue here is served on a buffet if you so choose, which normally raises a red flag for me. However, they also hand slice your order if you prefer, and naturally I bellied up to the counter to get some freshly sliced slabs of brisket, ribs and sausage. Upon request, the lady at counter also carved me off a prized end slice of the alluringly charred briskets and I gleefully scurried over to a table with my prize.

The sausage was a pretty standard affair, it was well spiced and reminiscent of a kielbasa type of seasoning and snap. Both the ribs and brisket though, were heartbreaking for a true barbecue lover. Both were incredibly well cooked, offering deep pinkish smoke rings, well developed crusts and had a robust smoky flavor that had penetrated deep into the meat. I could tell from experience that a deft hand had prepared the protein here, and there is substantial pride in the smoke room at Michna’s. Unfortunately, both meats had spent way too long in the warming box, and were past their prime. They were served at nearly room temperature, and had lost the tender juiciness of fresh barbecue.

In the end I was torn on Michna’s. The barbecue I was served was cold and disappointing. Perhaps it was a function of increased gameday traffic, or simply related to their buffet style of service. Ordinarily, I just wouldn’t return. However, I could tell that this was proficiently smoked fare, and as such I’m inclined to give it another shot. Michna’s has had scores of other highly positive reviews as well, so if you find yourself passing through Waco, it would certainly be worth a pit stop.