• Allison Miles •
• Originally published September 30, 2009 at 7:09 p.m., updated October 1, 2009 at 1:09 p.m.

• Updated:What is the best barbecue in the area?

• • McMillan's Bar-B-Q 10% 19 votes
  • LuRaq's Restaurant & Beer Garden 5% 9 votes
  • Mumphord's Place Restaurant 60% 116 votes
  • Uncle Mutt's Barbeque Company 11% 21 votes
  • South Texas BBQ 2% 3 votes
  • Other: (Please specify) 13% 26 votes

  194 total votes.

• LOOKING FOR SOME BARBECUE? Local restaurants include:

  Aunt Jo's BBQ

  5303 US Highway 77 South

  361-578-5900

  Clint South Texas BBQ

  1002 N. Navarro St.

  361-572-8558

  The Corral

  3502 Houston Highway

  361-576-1277

  LuRaq's Restaurant & Beer Garden

  13861 US ...

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LOOKING FOR SOME BARBECUE? Local restaurants include:

Aunt Jo's BBQ

5303 US Highway 77 South

361-578-5900

Clint South Texas BBQ

1002 N. Navarro St.

361-572-8558

The Corral

3502 Houston Highway

361-576-1277

LuRaq's Restaurant & Beer Garden

13861 US Highway 77 North

361-573-2900

Mumphord's Place Restaurant

1202 E. Juan Linn St.

361-485-1112

Nutin to it BBQ and Catering

407 Dove

361-573-6484

Uncle Mutt's Barbeque Company

5404 N. Navarro St.

361-576-6888

Six months ago, Clint South Texas Barbecue brought mesquite-cooked meat and "Trashcan 'Taters." Then came LuRaq's Restaurant & Beer Garden in July, with barbecue, catfish and outdoor entertainment.

With Big Mo's BBQ joining the ranks of local barbecue restaurants, it's more than just the pits heating up. Competition is, too.

Big Mo's opens Thursday at 1301 Sam Houston Drive, boasting brisket, sausage and items such as the "Big Bad Mo" sandwich.

Owned by David and Teri Moten, the 1,500-square-foot building will seat 49 people and employs 25.

Moten's father-in-law, Louis McMillan, has worked with the owners and staff on running a business and on barbecue itself. McMillan owns McMillan's Bar-B-Q & Catering in Fannin, which Texas Monthly named one of Texas' top 50 barbecue restaurants.

After 40 years in the business, McMillan said the secret to barbecue is vapor, love, vapor and understanding what you're doing. He couldn't divulge what vapor meant for risk of giving out too much information.

Big Mo's was a few years in the making, Teri Moten said.

The original plan was to develop a steakhouse, but once she and her father began hammering out details, the two butted heads. Now, years later, she said she can take her father's advice and he can accept her ideas.

The response has been good, David Moten said. The restaurant turned away about 10 people a day who went to see if it was already open, he said, and they're already looking to expand.

Employing McMillan's methods means his food will continue on for a long time, he said.

"This is like the passing of a legacy," he said. "He is known the world over."

On Wednesday afternoon, Nelda Foster pulled in to check out Big Mo's. Although Thursday is the business' grand opening, it hosted a soft opening the day before.

Foster, who has eaten at McMillan's for 40 years, said she's been waiting for Big Mo's to open.

"It's the best barbecue in town," said Foster, who is retired from the city.

It took a while to make it to opening day, but the hard work isn't behind them, McMillan said. It has to keep standards high.

"Everybody is our competition," McMillan said. "If you serve food, you're competition. But we're better than the guy down the street."

LuRaq's isn't worried, owner Joey Ornelas said. The two are on different sides of town.

"We're a one-of-a-kind place," he said, describing the live music it offers every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. "And the food speaks for itself."

Barbecue isn't the only thing on the menu, Ornelas said. Fried shrimp, catfish and other items are also available, which further sets them apart.

Each restaurant has its own method of cooking, said Clint Maddox, who owns Clint South Texas BBQ. He stands behind his food - they only cook with mesquite wood - and said he isn't worried about the new eatery.

Clint's potatoes are enough to keep people coming back, Maddox said, but there's another aspect that makes it stand out: The business gives back to the community.

Whether at Market Days, local festivals or organization fundraisers, the restaurant is usually there, he said. And he buys about 90 percent of his products locally, he said.

"Others are here to get the dollar off the people and be on their merry way," he said. "But my community is important to me."

It's not just new guys bringing finger-licking ribs and sandwiches to the region. Long-timers such as Mumphord's Place and Uncle Mutt's have offered barbecue for years.

The Corral has been around since 1952, operating in the same location under the same ownership the entire time, owner Albert Totah said.

The restaurant's variety is probably what keeps people coming back, he said. In addition to barbecue, steaks, seafood and more are available at the Houston Highway eatery.

Totah said he hadn't heard of Big Mo's and didn't want to comment on the new restaurant. As part of the Midcoast Restaurant Association, however, he said he'd like to see Big Mo's join.

Competition is heating up elsewhere, too. The Motens' 4-year-old daughter, Ayanna, has ideas for a restaurant all her own.

It's called The Unicorn, Teri Moten said, and will serve chicken, lollipops and Popsicles.

But grown-ups? Keep out. Her place is just for kids.

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