Davila’s BBQ in Seguin is as classic a Texas barbecue joint as you’ll find. It’s run by son-and-father team Adrian and Edward Davila. Edward’s parents, Raul and Geronima, opened the place sixty years ago serving brisket, lamb ribs, and house-made beef links smoked over mesquite. Like so many other small-town restaurants, the menu has grown to provide wider options to the locals. Those include fried catfish and burgers. So when I saw the brisket burger on the menu, I assumed it was a regular burger topped with brisket. Adrian Davila set me straight.

The brisket burger ($8.99) should be called the brisket-on-brisket burger. It begins with a half-pound of ground brisket that’s hand-formed into a patty. The ground brisket gets a dose of barbecue seasoning and goes into the old smoker, which is designed like a lazy Susan. “We get it to about 60 or 70 percent, then pull it off,” Adrian said. When a customer orders the burger, the par-smoked patty goes into a skillet to get a good sear before hitting the bun. At this point, it’s more like a beef sausage without the casing than a regular burger patty, but they’re not done yet.

On top of that half-pound smoked patty go several slices of smoked brisket. “We put about another quarter-pound of brisket on top, as opposed to bacon,” Adrian said. He’s right that there’s a similarity. The brisket comes from the fatty end and is thinly sliced. That allows for a full layer of brisket that’s tender enough to offer little resistance to each bite. Much like bacon, it also adds plenty of smoke and salt. The patty’s edge brings a crisp texture. Unlike the perfect disk shape of a burger from a packing plant, the circumference of the patty undulates like a rocky coastline. Between the smoker and griddle, the edge gets a bit dry, while the interior is juicy, making for a nice texture variation.

This is not some austere burger experience. The Davilas add mustard, lettuce, and tomato to the top, while pickles, onions, and barbecue sauce go beneath the patty. It’s like combining everything you’d expect on a brisket sandwich with the toppings for a great burger onto a buttery, griddled bun. I may have come to Davila’s for the famous sausage, but I’ll return for the most affordable three-quarter pounds of brisket I’ve ever found at a barbecue joint.

Davila’s BBQ
418 W. Kingsbury
Seguin, TX 78155