Originally Posted by
FlyingDiver
The author does say "in urban areas", so I really can't fault him for not mentioning most of those.
Lockhart and Taylor are both close enough to Austin. I'd consider them to be possibly suburban and at least exurban.
Sonny Bryan's is a f-ing joke. If DFW suburbs meet the "urban" test then there is vastly better BBQ to be found in Coppell (Hard Eight) than at any Sonny Bryan's. Or for truly urban there is a FTW Stockyards outpost of Cooper's now open (mediocre the one time I was there; not up to par with the Llano original).
Although recently on some business trips to SAT I have been driving and routing via the new Toll 130 extension in order to arrive in those towns at lunch time.
Smitty's was twice very disappointing. Louie Mueller was excellent (both on the enormous beef rib and brisket).