Rays Real Pit BBQ Shack
4.4 (4,325)restaurant
4.4 (4,325)A Third Ward staple serving hickory-smoked Texas barbecue, fried catfish, and scratch-made Southern sides.
Description
Operating on Old Spanish Trail since 2011, the smokehouse is rooted in local lineage: Ray learned the craft from Third Ward legend Mr. River Falls and ran a mobile pit starting in 1985 before establishing the Shack.
The counter cuts beyond standard brisket and spare ribs with rib tip sandwiches, smoked turkey, shrimp po'boys, and the Big Herb Burger piled high with chopped meat and barbecue sauce. Scratch-made sides flesh out the trays with Cajun dirty rice, mustard-and-pickle potato salad, and baked potatoes loaded with brisket.
Good to know
Ribs sell out early