Rejino Barbeque
514 8th Street
Olton, Texas
806-200-0810
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ (7 Out of Ten Hearts)
As I was planning a Fall 2022 rock art trip to Petrified Forest National Park I looked for opportunities to add to this blog. Since my first day travels (to El Mapais, New Mexico) would take me through Lubbock, Texas, I focused on that area and found that two opportunities were available. The first place was Evie Mae’s Pit Barbeque in Wolfforth, Texas, which is southwest of Lubbock. The second available joint in the Lubbock area was Rejino Barbeque in Olton, Texas, northwest of Lubbock. Since Rejino’s looked like it would be less of a detour for me, it is the one I chose. Here is my report on Rejino Barbeque.
I left the lake very early on the morning of Saturday, October 15, 2022, headed for El Mapais, New Mexico. By ten thirty that morning I hit the east side of Lubbock. 55 miles and an hour later I found myself standing in line at Rejino Barbeque in Olton. My in-car GPS was unable to locate the address so I stopped to ask a fellow for help with directions. He told me where to go and said “Just follow the smoke, you can smell it almost anywhere in town!”.
The first thing that struck me about Rejino BBQ was that it was basically a food truck situated in a large, nicely appointed, open air lot, just off the main drag in Olton. When I arrived there were about ten people in line and several of the tables were already filled. I ordered the four meat sampler of brisket, ribs, turkey and sausage. My two sides were potato salad and brisket beans. And, how could I resist ordering banana pudding that was on special that day for $2.00. I topped it all off with a Big Red.
After I placed my order I selected a table where I sat and people watched until my food was delivered a short time later. I found the barbeque to be very good. The brisket was tender, moist, tasty and near perfect. The ribs were very good as well, and a very nice “close to falling off the bone” type texture. I enjoyed the turkey and the sausage was filled with cheese and jalapeno, making it very tasty and satisfying. The potato salad and beans were pedestrian, but did not take away from the main stars of the meal. The banana pudding was light, fluffy, and tasted great. I had plenty left over for my to-go box, which I ate later that evening in El Mapais.
I enjoyed my visit to Rejino Barbeque. The brisket was close to perfect and the other three meats were very good. The sides and banana pudding were pleasant additions to the meat. The atmosphere was cheerful, and exuded small town friendliness and charm. Two things prevented Rejino from getting a higher rating. First, there was no dedicated bathroom. To wash my hands I had to visit the shop next door– not a good situation for me. Second, I was there on a perfect weather day, but when it gets colder or hotter, outdoor dining might be a problem for me. As successful as this joint appears to be, it would not surprise me to eventually see an indoor dining provided. Would I go back to Rejino next time I find myself near Lubbock? You can bet on it!!
An Update….
On Sunday, November 6, 2022, Dorothy and I attended our very first Texas Monthly BBQ Fest picnic in Lockhart, Texas. We had a great time, and I made sure to stop by the stations of all the joints I had reviewed as part of our BBQ Project. It was good to chat with the folks from Rejino, and even better to once again eat some of their BBQ and Banana Pudding!
