Tony’s The Pit Bar-B-Q
1700 Myrtle Ave.
El Paso, TX

(915) 546-9140

Tony’s Bar-B-Q

Although I have lived in some of the country’s barbecue meccas such as Oklahoma City and Austin, I have only recently been on a quest to purposely seek out the best barbecue, catalog it, and really enjoy what they have compared to large parts of the country which are lacking in such amenities.

Just like in Oklahoma and Austin, though, I took it for granted that El Paso also had great barbecue. Today I no longer assume that good barbecue will be everywhere, but I do appreciate the fact that Tony’s Bar-B-Q is still going strong. Open since 1958, it has primarily served the downtown lunch crowd by specializing in sandwiches and barbecue plates that are just the right size for this time of day. Located just off of Interstate 10, though, it also makes a good stop for those who are just passing through.

I think that the brisket sandwich is really the thing to order, and I was reminded recently that it is really difficult to get brisket this good outside of Austin. There are several aspects of Tony’s that for me fall short of what I expect in a good barbecue restaurant, but the brisket is seriously some of the best you will find anywhere.

The Barbecue

Brisket on the chopping block

When you approach the counter you get to look at the choices before you order, and a menu board also lets you know about any specials. On my last visit they had a special for ribs and a brisket sandwich, along with a side order and drink. This seriously makes a better meal for two persons than one, which was an excellent choice for my dining partner and I.

Brisket sandwich

I think the Brisket Sandwich is not only the best item here, but along with a side dish is really the perfect size for lunch. I have to confess that we ordered an extra sandwich so that each of us would have our own, but sharing a half sandwich along with some ribs is not bad either.

The brisket was tender and had an excellent flavor–they cover all the points of having good meat and cooking it the right way. Brisket is sub-par in so many barbecue restaurants (even otherwise good ones) that I think it is important to take advantage of the ones that are as good as Tony’s.

Ribs

To me the Ribs were somewhat disappointing compared to the ones in Oklahoma, as much so as the brisket in Oklahoma is disappointing compared to Tony’s. The ribs are still excellent and is cooked to the right texture with a good sauce, but for some reason I found the flavor a little lacking.

The sauce at Tony’s is less sweet than in Oklahoma and less robust, but I still found it to be good. I believe the barbecue is cooked according to the methods used in Austin, and I know that in Austin the sauce is really de-emphasized with the belief that the meat can stand on its own without adding sauce to it. I think the meat at Tony’s is better with the sauce (on the ribs they already add it and on the brisket you add your own). It is good to know, then, that the sauce has a good flavor.

Side Dishes
The Chili Beans were excellent with a good flavor that was not over the top in spiciness as I found it to be at Great American.

The Potato Salad was a little lacking in flavor but was good.

I think great barbecue restaurants should offer a large selection of excellent side dishes, but at Tony’s the sides are limited. I wish they had more sides and desserts such as pudding, cobbler, etc., but I think what they have will satisfy most people.

Sweet tea comes from a large jar while the regular tea is refilled at the soda machine. I got the latter and was expecting some sort of commercially produced tea, but I actually really liked what they had.

Additional Comments
Tony’s is located on a one-way street in an industrial neighborhood, and is not a place people would likely pass by unless they were specifically looking for it. It has very good access to the Interstate, though, and is worth seeking out for a good and inexpensive lunch.

Everything here is good, but for me the brisket is one of those special meals that allow me to feel that my blog can really provide a public service by publicizing it.

I have read many comments on sites such as Yelp saying that the employees here are quite helpful, and I also feel that this is another reason you will want to come.

RATING: 23

Cuisine: Barbecue
Cost: $$
Hours: Lunch only; Closed Sun. (open to 5:00 p.m. weekdays)
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: No

Most Recent Visit: Jun. 21, 2018
Number of Visits: 10+
Best Items: Brisket, Chili Beans

Special Ratings

	Brisket
	Ribs
	Chili Beans
	Potato Salad
	Sauce

Rosco’s Burger Inn
3829 Tompkins Rd.
El Paso, TX

(915) 564-9028

Rosco’s

The business card from Rosco’s Burger Inn a few years ago stated that it had been “serving El Paso for over 50 years,” and just about everyone who has lived in the Sun City knows about the burgers here. What makes Rosco’s different is the fact that it hasn’t changed since I first started going there (I remember the original owner who I assumed was Roscoe but it appears to have gone through at least a couple of management changes since then).

The grill

Rosco’s small business card was large enough to list the entire menu: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, caldillo, chili bowl, meat burritos, fries, and onion rings. Most or all of these are cooked on a large grill behind the counter, and patrons associate the sound and smell of the burgers cooking with the Rosco’s experience as much as the good taste of the food. I enjoyed the good flavor of the caldillo on several visits, but the burgers are by far the most popular item.

Burgers are grilled the old fashioned way

The Burgers

Cheeseburger

The major decision at Rosco’s seems to be whether you are having a burger with or without cheese. I have mostly ordered the Cheeseburger, with the grilled meat, heated bun, and fresh toppings reminding me of the typical burgers that would have been served close to a half century ago (not that I remember that far back, of course). The quality of Rosco’s burgers is something that has been lost at so many other places, especially the franchise hamburger restaurants. The meat has real flavor and everything else is fresh. Probably the buns are the one feature that could use some updating from fifty years ago, but they are good.

Burgers come with a choice of a single or double patty, and patrons can choose their own toppings. I recommend getting everything that comes with it (the cheese costs extra but I think it is a good enhancement).

Hamburger

Ordering the regular Hamburger, though, offers a somewhat different enjoyment experience. The flavor of the meat is more pronounced than when it is topped with cheese, and I eat so few hamburgers I really want to enjoy the flavor of the good ones (as this one is). It is safe to say, though, that both the hamburger and cheeseburger are good choices.

Hamburger and fries

I was disappointed with the Fries on my last visit because the oil seemed to have too much of an aftertaste. I am on the fence about whether to order them again, but there are not many options for side dishes here.

Caldillo

Caldillo

Caldillo is one of the three Mexican style dishes here, and is the one I have ordered the most. This used to be one of my favorite caldillos in the city, but my most recent experience was of one with chile that was so spicy I could hardly eat it. I do not enjoy extremely spicy chile as much as in the past, but I can still eat it. I think the problem with the caldillo is that it is mostly liquid (it is a soup), and I usually use starches to cool down my mouth after eating hot chile. Rosco’s gives you a flour tortilla, and the caldillo contains some potato, but for me this was not enough to make it so that I enjoyed eating something this spicy. Thus the caldillo is a “maybe” for ordering in the future, even though I have really enjoyed it in the past.

Additional Comments
I have heard comments from others that they like the food but dislike the dining room, and I cannot disagree. The few tables do not accommodate all the patrons at lunch time, and the counter would be considered uncomfortable by many. As an El Paso institution, though, people do not go to Rosco’s for the atmosphere. Actually I could argue that many people do like the atmosphere that is so familiar, everyone is treated as if they are a guest at a home cooked dinner, and you can see and smell the food cooking on the grill.

I do not know of any place in town that has burgers that I consider more enjoyable.

RATING: 23

Cuisine: Hamburgers
Cost: $$
Hours: Closed Sun. & Mon. (lunch only except Fri. & Sat.)
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: No

Most Recent Visit: Jun. 5, 2018
Number of Visits: 10+
Best Items: Hamburger, Cheeseburger

Special Ratings

	Cheeseburger
	Hamburger
	Caldillo
	French Fries