DB's Rustic Iron BBQ

BYOB! Great Texas bbq.
Takes credit cards and Apple pay.
If visiting Big Bend worth the stoo!

Incredible BBQ.
Perfect place to eat when visiting Big Bend National Park. We usually stay in this town as well when visiting the park.
None of us can get enough of this BBQ every time we go down here.
We recommend this to everyone for some very tasty BBQ and great protein for activities in the park.

Okay... We hiked to the Window in Big Bend National Park before coming here for lunch. That hike nearly killed me. I wasn't feeling all that good when we stopped here. I thought we were going to our rental houses first, and, to be honest, all I wanted to do was lay down for a few minutes. I was nauseous and not the least bit hungry.

I was told that this was to be lunch with a dinner later somewhere else. I ordered a brisket and sausage combo sandwich and a Big Red. I hadn't had a Big Red in a few decades, and something about it just sounded really good. It was. I'm going to start drinking them once in awhile. I only ate half of my sandwich. But, let me tell you- that brisket was really good. It was really well smoked. The sausage was also good. The grilled jalapenos were amazing.

I wish that I had been hungrier. I would have liked to have a BBQ plate with beans and potato salad. I am sure they would have been really good, as well.

I'm from Indiana, so what the hell do I know about BBQ. But, I know when something tastes good, and the environment is beyond cool. BBQ in the desert, damn right!

Don is the owner, and he has a reputation for serving up some of the best BBQ in Texas. I went with a pound of brisket, and it was beyond good. Not the dry crap, loaded with sauce, that you'll get at one of the crappy chain joints.

Be prepared to wait, as Don had a line, even on a weekday, at 2P. Don't fret, because the local artist, Alice will keep you entertained, while you wait.

Our group tasted the following: brisket, pulled pork, and sausage. All of Don's food, was excellent. I'll make this a must when I return to Terlingua.

I wanted to try this place on our way to Terlingua from Big Bend but it was supposed to be closed. So we were very surprised when we drove by on a Tuesday and saw the food truck was open. Usually they are not open until Wednesday but given the week's chili cook-off they opened a day early.

The owner/ cook was super friendly. This place oozed Texas atmosphere. The brisket was tender and moist. Excellent but I would have liked a bit more smoke flavor. The pork ribs had a tasty rub but some of the ribs were dry and chewy and some were tender. A mixed bag. The tater salad was great but the beans bland.

Definitely stop if you see the "open" light on.

Great authentic BBQ just outside the southern part of Big Bend Nat'l Park and right near the heart of Terlingua. We got there around 2 pm and I think I was the last person to get the pulled pork. It's a "when they run out, they're out" kind of place. At first, the prices seem high, but then you remember where you are. You get a good amount of food too so overall, no complaints about the value. I had pulled pork, baked beans, cole slaw, two slices of bread and a Coke for $32.

Definitely would stop here again next time we're in the area.

The atmosphere & service are great! The food, how's the food, you ask....it's THE.BEST.BBQ.IN.THE.WEST. Brisket is A-1, TOP NOTCH!!
All the sides are super tasty, too!!

The BBQ is delicious. I had pork ribs and my wife had the pulled pork sandwich. The pork ribs were excellent, the sauce was excellent, and the pulled pork was some of the best we have ever had. The sides were also very good, and there was so much potato salad , coleslaw, and ribs, I couldn't finish all of it (although I definitely finished the ribs). Also, try the bottled root beer. I don't recall the name, but it was delicious.

There is a covered outdoor seating area cooled by ceiling fans that is dog friendly. We sat there and ate with our two Great Pyrenees. The owner/pit master came out and talked to us while we ate, and was extremely nice.

Important note on location October 20, 2021: he is moving to a new building farther west. Google Maps has the new location which isn't open yet. Apple Maps, Yelp, and Garmin have the current food trailer location.

Thank you DB's Rustic Iron BBQ!! We were looking for some Texas barbecue on our one-day stay to see Big Bend. We initially planned to just eat our camping food but found this much-praised joint, which is definitely worth a stop!! The hours may be a bit funky so plan accordingly.

We arrived at about 5:30 and most of the meats were sold out. We ordered 1 pound of pork ribs, 1 pound of beef brisket, a side of coleslaw, and a side of baked beans ($36 total). It was the perfect amount of food for 3 people. The meats were perfectly seasoned (not too salty), cooked so tenderly (not charred or burnt), and not drenched in sauce. And we didn't get those nasty bbq meat burps hours after eating.

Don, the grill master, was super friendly and even came to chat with us when there were no patrons. He also stayed open later than 6 pm as additional patrons came up to the window. There isn't much around the Big Bend area--DB's Rustic Iron is changing that.

Highlight of my time spent in Texas! After arriving from hiking in Big Bend, I got my 1 meat plate with sides of tater salad and slaw and sat down at the picnic tables set up out front. DB's brisket was exactly like brisket should be- smoky, flavorful, and so juicy! I didn't even need a knife or sauce to enjoy (that's when you know). The tables were cleaned after each use and there were sanitizing wipes open for all to use. Really really great place- don't hesitate stopping here