If you’ve driven just south of Ennis on I45, you’ve seen the BBQ restaurant of Alma Smokehouse as it has been established since 2009. What you can’t see from the road is that it was created by an empire of a family that features a team of entrepreneurs, all working together. During the pandemic Alma Smokehouse was thriving and even expanding to its second location in the heart of Ennis. At the second location (where we dined), you would never know that you were in a former car wash, yes a carwash. This is a true testament of how creative the builders are of the physical location (also part of the family) when transforming and giving it new life.
Walking in, well, even outside of the doors, you can smell the delicious mesquite wood burning creating that unique and powerful taste of the smoked meats. Indoors or out you can dine based on how you feel like enjoying a wonderful meal. We will say, if you have kids with you, the outdoor patio is set up to perfection from picnic tables to a playset to even board games for all to enjoy.
Now, here’s the tricky part, selecting what you want off the menu. From smoked meat entrees, traditional dishes to fried options along with their fully stocked bar, you will not be disappointed at the attention to detail of each item. The brisket, ribs and chicken that came from the pit captured the Mesquite flavor in the perfect balance, texture and final touches. Trust us, we had the chopped BBQ both on a potato (2 whole pounds we might add) and in a sandwich and both were divine.
For your traditional options, you can order tacos whose shell tortillas have been lightly deep-fried to the ultimate crisp to add that wonderful home-made crunch. Speaking of fried, the catfish and onion rings speak for themselves. We took a bite into each and couldn’t get enough of the flavor and flawless texture. We learned from one of the owners Jesse that the batter is key. He landed upon this perfect finishing that is created specifically for each of the items complimenting what it is dredged on.
We finished our meal with a lovely parfait of a banana pudding. Both light and sweet it capped off the exquisite meal without being too rich to enjoy. Just like each thing served at Alma Smokehouse, the balance of flavors is impeccable. And not only is this the perfect Lunch or Dinner Spot but they also offer a scrumptious Breakfast menu as well.
From service to food as well as atmosphere, a fantastic meal and time can certainly be enjoyed at Alma Smokehouse.
Alma Smokehouse
(469) 456-0870
200 S Kaufman St | Ennis, TX
almasmokehousebbq.com
