MISSION AVE BBQ

Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★★

District: Belleuve

Texas-style BBQ

Perfect For: Casual Dining; Lunch; Takeout

Standout Dishes: Bristket Taco; Ribs; Brisket; Turkey; Turkey Taco

When you pull up to Mission Ave BBQ, your first inclination is to think you’re in the wrong place. It looks like a home, not a restaurant, and the tiny parking lot only has 7 or 8 (usually filled) parking spots. If not for a relatively small sign out front, you’d have no idea you were in the presence of a fantastic BBQ spot.

And yet, despite its humble nature and relative infancy (it opened in March of 2023), Mission Ave BBQ is consistently either packed or sold out of meat. How does such a tiny spot have such a massive following?

Because one bite of this Texas-style BBQ is all you need to understand that owner Scott Fogle, trained Austin BBQ restaurants, really knows how to smoke meat. And any visitor to his Bellevue abode wants to tell their friends all about the experience.

After perfecting his craft at acclaimed Austin restaurants Stiles Switch and Valentinas, Fogle opened his own joint in Bellevue that specifically specializes in Central Texas cookery. That means a very simple rub (salt and pepper), meat smoked for long hours over low temperatures, and protein served by the pound.

The menu is simple and straightforward: brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and turkey can be ordered by the half pound, ribs by the rack and half rack, and sausages by the link. While you can also get the meats packed into sandwiches and tacos, it’s best to first experience these proteins on their own. They need no help to stand out.

While each meat has its own individual personality, there are a few through lines thanks to that simple rub. The first is a brilliant bark that adds texture and an extra hit of savory flavor: the outside bites are the best. The second is a pepper-forward flavor that might take your palate some time to adjust to. Even the BBQ sauce has pepper, so there’s decent heat in this ‘que. There’s nothing quite like it in Omaha.

Each meat also includes a rich, underlying smoky flavor. The smoke doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the meat itself, but there is no doubting this meat was prepared by someone who knows how to handle a smoker.

From there, the meats move in their separate directions. Here’s what to expect from each:

Ribs: Large and meaty, I’d bet a half rack of these meat clubs has close to a pound of meat (if not more). The peppery rub is most prevalent on these, as that sturdy bark is present in almost every bite. The meat clings to the bone nicely, requiring a gentle tug to loose it.
Brisket: Sliced thick, this brisket has a pronounced fatty cap that injects luscious, delicious flavor. A picturesque smoke ring ensures you’re about to have great brisket, which is confirmed by the intensely beefy, savory flavor. And it’s so tender, you can cut it with a plastic fork.

Sausages: The casing on these meat tubes has a great snap, and it locks in all the juiciness and intense flavors. There’s a mild smoky, spicy flavor in each, though the different links have their own personality. The Garlic is and salty and (surprise, surprise) garlic forward, but it’s delicious enough that not even vampires can resist it. The Green Hatch Chile Sausage has a mild spice.

Pulled Pork: Ridiculously tender, it pulls apart with gentle tugs from a fork. The meat has a great bark and a beautiful smoke ring, and it’s perfectly fatty and unctuous.
Turkey: If all turkey was this moist and flavorful, we wouldn’t enjoy it just on Thanksgiving every year; turkey would be an everyday meat.

As mentioned above, these meats are fantastic enjoyed on their own, but the tacos help take things to the next level. Mission Ave BBQ finishes its tortillas on the grill, giving them good texture and char, then absolutely stuffs them with meat and accompaniments. Two tacos is enough to tackle most appetites here.

The Brisket Taco is the star, shredding that fatty, succulent beef and pairing it with a fresh, creamy guacamole and a tangy red salsa. It might be the best taco I’ve had.

The Turkey Taco complements the juicy turkey with cilantro, pickled red onions, and a mild tomatillo BBQ sauce. The Pulled Pork Taco gets a hit of acid and crunch with the addition of Mission Ave BBQ’s zesty slaw.

Mission Ave BBQ’s side dishes are a welcome breath of fresh air from the common baked beans and coleslaw you’ll find at most BBQ joints, but they don’t quite match up with the level of the meat. The Pinto Beans are cooked to a nice tenderness and have small chunks of brisket mingled in, but they’re mild in flavor. The Mexican Street Corn has good sweetness and a touch of heat, while the Tomato Cucumber Salad has a bright vinaigrette and crispy veggies that help cut through such a meaty meal.

And yet, one each visit I found myself wishing I’d spared the stomach space used on the sides for more meat. This isn’t necessarily a knock on the sides, but a desire to cram as much of this delicious meat as possible into my gullet.

As previously mentioned, the restaurant is rather small, with only 6 or 7 tables and limited counter seating. This can cause it to get quite crowded, especially at peak meal times, but Mission Ave BBQ still manages to get meals delivered within 10-15 minutes of ordering. The efficiency is impressive.

The thing I’m struck with upon leaving Mission Ave BBQ is just how unique it is. Don’t get me wrong—there’s a lot of great barbecue in Omaha, and each spot has its own personal touch.

But none of them are quite like Mission Ave BBQ. From the peppery flavor to the crusty bark to the humble locale, this Bellevue destination stands alone.