Mamma and Pappa B’s Bar-BQ

Excellent service and food. Every Time I go in they always have something new for me to try. The chopped beef and potato salad are incredible the meat is tender and smoky with a sauce that is savory and thin. The potato salad has a unique sweet flavor and always tastes fresh! The owners are cute as a button and make you feel like your in their home. The cakes are delicious moist and delicate. It is the perfect size too.

Nice people, but terrible food. If you are a barbecue fan, do NOT go to this place. Meat was rubbery, potato salad was a super smooth yellow sweet puddle, beans were okay. I ate my beans and when they weren’t looking, slipped the rest into the trash can. I don’t understand the rave reviews, which were why we tried this place. I felt I had to post to give the other side of the story — this should not be called barbecue.

amazing BBQ!!!
I was in Waco for business and my stop at this barbecue joint was the best part of my trip! Convenient location right off 35. And the absolute friendliest guy ever! Don’t leave without having A conversation with the old man who runs the joint! And take a sliced beef sandwich for the road!

Mamma and Pappa B’s is just a few blocks off of I-​35, so it’s a great stop when passing through Waco. Watch for the TINY building that only houses 4 tables, because if you blink you really will miss it.
Going for almost 33 years, this truly is a divey, mom and pop bbq joint. Walked in and was greeted by Papa. Told him it was our first time… as we were looking over the menu on the wall Papa just started piling food into a container and said «Let me get you a sample of everything o’er here.» Ok! No arguments from us.
I kept looking out the front door towards our car as our «only child» was in it (my pound puppy and the weather was cool… come on people!) and Papa most of noticed. I told him I was making sure my dog was OK and he ordered my husband «Go out there and park that car right in front of the door… it don’t matter… that’s just fine.» Ahhh…
Got our fixin’s…ribs, brisket, 2 kinds of Elgin sausage, potato salad, and pinto beans. Everything was good… just a little bit different approach to bbq than you might expect from a traditional Texas smokehouse. The meats are smoked right out a back, as can be attested by the large smoke ring on the meats (especially the sausage) and the fact that Papa showed us the smoker (big one). So, here’s the difference… it seems that after the meats come off the smoke they are sliced into serving sizes and all placed into a bath of sauce. So, this is a «wet» type of bbq. Brisket was good, my husband and I actually both enjoyed the sausage a lot (which is usually not a preference for either of us), and the ribs were fall off the bone tender. The scratch made potato salad and pinto beans were A-​OK. There’s S&P right on the table if you prefer a little more seasoning.
As we ate (we were the only patrons there at the time) we all watched TV and spoke out answers to Family Feud. When we had just about cleared out plates, Papa walked over and said «ya’ll get enough?»…as he reached his hand down to take the container to put more food in it. Oh my gosh! «No sir, we’re fine. Thank you.»
After we cleaned our table off and stood at the counter to pay $ 11 for the Q and 2 sodas (wow!), Papa told us to each take a piece of Mamma’s cake. «Ok, thanks!» Strawberry for me, chocolate vanilla swirl for my hubby. Now I am not much on sweets at all, but I took one bite of that strawberry cake and it was like a part of my past slapped me in the face. A feeling of nostalgia came over me that I can’t really put into words. I’ll just say that when I was a kid my mom made me a strawberry birthday cake each year… and I don’t think I’ve had a piece since the last one. It was all I could do to fight back a tear from dripping down my cheek. Papa must have picked up on my unreasonable emotional response (silly girl!)…he told me to «come on and take another one.» I kindly declined.
This may not be «your» type of BBQ, but it is how it’s been done by Mamma and Pappa for over 30 years, so it’s good enough for me. And when you go (and you will) it won’t be like going to a restaurant at all. It’ll be like visiting your grandparent’s house, them having food ready for you, and trying to feed you way too much… all the while with that little sparkle in their eye that expresses how much they enjoy your company. It truly is like going home. And, sometimes, home is a really good place to be. We’ll be back to see you real soon.
Xo

Was pleased to recently discover that my initial impression was still the same
«standard operating procedure» at this little place ! I was passing through Waco again and decided to see if this place was still around because I had enjoyed it when I first stopped here a couple of years ago.
Once again I was treated very kindly and politely, with the sincere appreciation that you can only feel from a family run business. Once again, I had a very decent meal at a very reasonable price. Consistency is a very nice trait for a place to have and this little establishment get’s a «checkmark» on that !

I LOVE this place! The best bbq around, along with the friendliest staff. Not to mention, locally owned.

After making the mistake of heading to Louie Mueller without calling ahead to see if they were sold out, which they were, I had to quickly find a backup. Staying in Waco and being short on time, I had to look at what BBQ joints stayed open long enough for my arrival. I knew the obstacles, freshness of meat or again being sold out, and had come to conclusion I’d settle for Rudy’s if need be.
This old corner store wasn’t far from where I was staying and it had decent reviews. I pulled in about 7 pm and was greeted by three elderly black men inside of this small café that appeared to have ceased being decorated in the 1980’s. Here’s hoping their concentration on meat was the reason for the lack of decorating. Judging a book by it’s cover, I was excited. Based on @BBQsnob, Daniel Vaughn’s picture, I assumed that the meat would be served with no sauce. This was not the case.
I ordered the standard, which they wrapped in foil and I sat down at one of the checkered cloth covered tables after grabbing a Big Red. I opened the foil to find all meat had been covered in sauce. Uh oh. I started with the sausage with had a deep red hue to the casing and meat. Claimed it was from Elgin… I’ve had sausage from two different places in Elgin but it was years ago and will need to revisit. The sauce and sausage meshed well. Next I worked on the ribs. They came off the bone very easily. It was hard to gauge the smokiness but there was very very little salt or pepper on these… definitely no rub. What you had was a just a good pork flavor. The brisket had a small red ring and some bark. It came apart easy, fat rendered well, was very moist but could this had been because the sauce helped? Dunno but from what I could taste, with as much sauce taken off as possible, it had good flavor but more smoke would’ve be helpful.
The sauce was vinegar based with sweetness to it and I swear… a hint of Big Red. I’ve grown to love Big Red again after a disasterous spell in high school mixing it with vodka so I did enjoy this Memphis style presentation. All meat soaked. Normally I’d frown upon it but because of it’s uniqueness, I will return. I’ll definitely ask for the sauce on the side next time because I would like to measure the meat’s smokiness. The texture was there… but the smoke? MIA.
When I asked about the sauce… the reply I received with a smile «oh, we just mix a bit of everything in there.» I replied «fair enough» and left. Can’t wait to return and give this place a higher rating!

I stopped by after reading Unilocal reviews during one of my road trips to Dallas. It’s a convenient stop if you are traveling on I-​35 as it is just a few blocks west of I-​35. When I pulled up I noticed the building was small and the parking was limited. I parked my truck and stepped out and smelled smoking wood. I stepped in Mamma and Pappa B’s and it smelled great inside. When you walk through the door you are stepping back in time to 1980 something. They haven’t updated the décor in a looooong time not that it matters much to me. Be warned also that seating is limited to three tables. I noticed that a lot of their business traffic is for take out orders.
I stepped up the counter and ordered the three meat plate (brisket, sausage, and ribs). As best I can tell they appear to place the cooked meat in sauce pans filled with warm BBQ sauce and let it soak for a bit. It seems to me meat stays more moist this way. Be advised the sauce is a bit on the sweet side as are the BBQ beans. The brisket is sliced super thin and not particularly moist but this is somewhat disguised by the bath it takes in the BBQ sauce. I was moderately disappointed in the brisket. The ribs were much better. They were moist and tender. The pleasant surprise for me was the sausage. The submersion into the BBQ sauce had the most impact on the sausage. The meat inside the casing really soaked up the sauce and made the sausage especially delicious. I think for my next visit I’ll simply order a BBQ sausage sandwich. For sides I had potato salad and BBQ beans. The potato salad was very good. The BBQ beans were very good as well. It’s worth noting that while the main entrée serving was very generous the sides were tiny in my opinion.
The pricing was very reasonable at under $ 10 for a three meat plate combo that included the two sides and a choice of chips, cake, or soda. If you’re passing through Waco and looking for place to eat you might try this little dive but keep in mind it’s best if you have a small party.

This is one of the best hole in the wall places ever! Family friendly and the people that work there are VERY friendly. I haven’t found a place better yet I’m from Austin and tried BBQ there in all between Elgin MAMA&PAPA stand tall!

This place has been churning-​out BBQ for over 3 decades, so they must be doing something right. It’s located off the beaten path in a neighborhood, so you may have a bit of trouble finding it – it looks like a house. Once inside, a small counter separates customers and the small dining area from the business end of a small BBQ operation.
As far as the BBQ goes, they have the basics, like brisket (sliced or chopped), sausage, hot links, and ribs. Sides are simple BBQ beans and potato salad. This is very solid BBQ — not the absolute best I’ve had, but pretty high on my list. The sauce is quite good, almost sweet.
Give it a shot the next time you’re in or passing through Waco and have room for some good food.

Hot damn! Did you know these guys have been cooking up BBQ for 31 years now? Thank God I found them because I needed some uplifting cuisine after a rough day, found them in a quite part of town and drove up to their shack.
Small place, a few picnic tables, and a small 13 inch TV showing Sanford & Sons. Three guys there all glued to the set, yet they still greet me and ask «how can I help you, sir?». I appreciate the sentiments, but based on the great smell here I think it’s I should be calling you «Sir».
Real good prices here, 3 meat place for around $ 10 comes with two sides. I got ribs, brisket, and sausage. But the first thing that blew me away wasn’t the BBQ, it was the potato salad! I took a swipe of the small, mustard style scoop and it tasted — — sweet! That was totally unexpected — — a sweet tasting mustard style potato salad. I immediately looked up and said «whoa, that’s something different — — it’s sweet, what did you put in this?!?». Papa looks over at me and smurks — — yet doesn’t say a word. «Oh, you’re not going to give me the recipe, aren’t ya?». Nope, it’s a family tradition for over 31 years.
All the meat was very good, I especially loved the ribs — good smokey flavor, the brisket wasn’t as juicy but it was very flavorful and tasty. The sausage — — tasted really good. They say it’s just Elgin Sausage, but it tasted really darn good — — they must do something to it, can’t explain it, quite exceptional.
And the sauce — — a hot, tangy, and smokey sauce, a bit darker in color yet you could literally drink it with a straw. The service here was superb, they’re very respectful and professional and courteous. They appreciated the fact that I found them on Unilocal and came from Austin to check them out.
Mamma and Pappa’s is probably my best Waco foodie experience to date, having tried Mexican, Thai, American, and Korean. Their BBQ, great service, and awesome potato salad deserves my 5-​star rating!

My husband and I moved here to Waco from the San Francisco Bay Area about a year and a half ago. I know the Bay Area isn’t exactly known for being a BBQ mecca, however there was a place in Berkeley (another location in Oakland) called «Everett and Jones» BBQ. It was a hole in the wall, only bar seating inside and picnic tables outside, but it was some of the best BBQ I have had in my life. They had pork spare ribs, sweet sauce (with variations of hotter versions available) and had the best potato salad ever considering I don’t like potato salad much because of the onion.
WELL, yesterday we headed over to Mamma and Pappa B’s Bar-​BQ in Waco, having tried almost all of the other BBQ joints around town. I was really pleased to find out that they are so similar to my old haunt in Berkeley, CA. They have juicy pork ribs, sliced beef, hot links; all the staple meats. They also have really good sauce. sweet but a hint of vinegar base and not spicy. It is a thinner sauce but really coats the meat and adds flavor without overwhelming the taste of the smoked meat. The best part though… they have really good sides! They have potato salad which is almost identical to the kind I loved (and craved) in California! They also have a chili pinto bean that has a surprising sweet note to the background of them and yet they are really tasty. –they are nothing like I have had before. Our meat was hot and cut fresh, the potato salad was ice cold, and the beans were served right out of the pot on the stove.
The staff at this little place was a nice as could be and helped us to select the right amounts of food to take home for our family (the 4 of us). When all was said and done and we paid the bill for ½ pound of ribs, ½ pound of sliced beef, a hot link, a large side of beans, a large side of potato salad. it was only $ 24! The only other places we can eat that cheap is Mc Donalds or Little Cesears and who would want to??? This was good, filling, fresh, home cooked food and it was very inexpensive.
You can dine in although the dining area is small (maybe 3 or 4 tables) or because it so centrally located you can easily pick it up and take it to go.
The guys at the counter told me that if I liked the BBQ to come back and you can BET WE WILL!!! Thanks guys! –Great food!!!

Mamma and Pappa B’s is worth a stop if you are in Waco or just driving through. If you ask Baylor students they might say Viteks is the place to go in Waco but this place is better in my humble opinion. Most people (students and locals) haven’t even heard of Mamma and Pappa B’s — which is why I’m the first one writing the review. This place and Tony DeMaria’s are my favorite in the area.
Location:
Just a couple blocks off the freeway. It is small and can be easily missed — it looks like an old house or convenience store.
Dining area:
Mamma and Pappa B’s has a limited dine-​in area. Just a few tables and usually its pretty damn warm inside.
Menu:
Their menu is simple. The BBQ is very good. The sauces is thin but tasty. They have really good potato salad, they give you lots of bread and their home baked desserts are really good too (fluctuates, but either cobblers or pies usually). They are also reasonably priced. So while its not the best I have ever had, its good place to go overall.
Service:
A friendly, family owned place.
Overall:
4 stars. Pretty good!