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The Story: A Calling Served on a Platter
Buddy Adams didn’t plan on becoming a barbecue pitmaster. For years, he was a man of machines and metal, running a diamond drill bit business deep in Texas oil country. Barbecue was just a passion—until his son walked in and asked for a restaurant. That one moment sparked a journey that would turn backyard smoke into community ministry.
"I built my mom one 20 years earlier," Buddy recalls. "She passed away just a month after we opened it. Then I went through a divorce, and the restaurant went with it. But my son remembered what we had said, 'Let’s do it again.'"
That second chance took root in Pinehurst in 2017. Buddy and his wife Rachel hustled and prayed, leaning hard into their faith. The smokehouse quickly outgrew its first space, moved to Magnolia, and eventually found its way to Montgomery, Texas.
But the Montgomery story reads like a modern parable. "I was looking for a location for over two years. Nothing was right. Finally, I prayed, 'Lord, take it from me if it’s not meant to be.'" Buddy paused. "Six months later, Rachel calls me up and says, 'There are two people in the restaurant that want to talk to you.'"
Those two strangers had just bought a building—and they wanted Buddy and Rachel to be their tenants. They had come to taste the food, loved it, loved that the couple loved Jesus and offered them the space. It was the exact spot Buddy had once looked at but couldn’t afford. "God didn’t just open the door," Rachel says. "He sent the people through it."
The Food: Pit-Smoked Purpose, Seasoned by Fire
At Meating Place BBQ, the meat isn’t just cooked. It preaches. It testifies. It tells the story of a man who built his own pit, asked God for the wisdom to do it right, and ended up with a barbecue style that can stand shoulder to shoulder with any of Texas Monthly’s top picks.
Buddy's rotisserie pit isn’t like the others. He engineered it himself, using Lazy Susan-style mechanics to rotate meat through alternating currents of hot and cool smoke. "You know how heat expands and cool contracts? That happens in real time. You get this perfect quarter-inch smoke ring," he explains.
Forget the 14-hour smokes of barbecue influencers. Buddy calls it "bull corn."
"You’re just burping smoke at that point," he laughs. "We let the pit do what it does best. Slow, balanced, clean smoke. Not overdone."
His briskets are cooked to 190 degrees, but each one is treated like a living thing. If it doesn’t pull right, it gets chopped. Presentation matters. The pull matters more.
The rub? It’s a Buddy classic. Five peppers (four black, one white), smoked paprika, garlic, onion powder, Lowry's seasoned salt, and the wildcard: celery seed. Ribs and chicken get a raspberry and pecan concentrate twist.
"You bite into our turkey and it doesn’t fight back. It’s plastic-fork tender," Rachel says. They lather it in mayo before smoking, sealing the juices inside with a self-basting shell. It sounds crazy. It works.
Even their sausage is coarsely ground, made with care. The barbecue sauce? All homemade. All original. All heart.
The How-Tos: Legacy, Pit Design, and the Gospel of Smoke
Buddy didn’t just stumble into barbecue. At 15, he learned from Pinehurst pitmaster Pat Patrick. Then came his father-in-law, Mike Lloyd, who fine-tuned his flavor profile and technique.
The custom pit? That came years later. "Built my first one in a week for a cook-off to help a man who had a bad car wreck. We ended up winning the whole thing." Buddy even got a patent on his pit design.
But the barbecue itself is what brought his heart to life. "Once I figure something out, I move on. But this? This is different. This is ministry."
And it shows. During the 2017 floods, Meating Place fired up the smokers and fed the community—free of charge. During the 2021 freeze? Same thing. First responders, stranded locals, entire families in need.
"We’re not just here to sell food. We’re here to serve," Buddy says. The county recognized it too. May 11 is officially Buddy Adams Day in Montgomery County.
The Experience: No Numbers. Just Names.
Walk into either location and you’ll feel it. You’re not a number. You’re a name. That’s intentional.
"We don’t use numbers or buzzers," Rachel says. "If someone’s in your home, you call them by name. That’s how we treat our guests."
The interiors are rustic, warm, and welcoming. The smell of oak smoke and banana pudding is in the air. Counter service with table-side hospitality. Friday and Saturday nights feature live music. Gospel artists swing by every other Sunday.
Their Montgomery location seats 130 inside, 120 outside. Magnolia is smaller but just as cozy. Both are next to high schools, nestled in the old parts of town, and both have private rooms for events— weddings, birthdays, and corporate gigs.
"I’ve taught elementary school. I’ve run a manufacturing company. Nothing’s harder than barbecue," Rachel laughs. "But nothing’s more rewarding either."
Desserts, Details, and That Banana Pudding
"We’re a restaurant that serves barbecue," Buddy says. *"Like the old Barbecue Inn. It’s not just brisket. It’s down-home cooking."
That means burgers, chicken-fried steak, salads, and yes—a full bakery. Their banana pudding, made from a former pastor's recipe, is a local legend. They also serve cobblers, cheesecakes, and more.
"My son's favorite is banana pudding," Dave told them during the interview. Rachel beamed. "Ours too."
Faith, Fire, and Fellowship
From praying over their pit to bowing their heads with guests mid-meal, Meating Place is soaked in faith. It’s more than a business. It’s a calling.
"This isn’t ours. It’s God’s. We’re just trying to be good stewards of it," Rachel says. Buddy agrees: "I love meeting people. That’s the gift."
So come for the ribs. Stay for the turkey. Smile at the smoke ring. Let your name be called. And know that in the heart of Texas, there’s a Meating Place waiting for you.
Locations:
Magnolia: 41902 FM 1774, Magnolia, TX 77355 |120 indoor seats, 40 outdoor, private room for 35-40.
Montgomery: 22016 Eva St, Montgomery, TX 77356 | 130 indoor, 120 outdoor, private event room for 75.
Live Music: Fridays, Saturdays, and alternating Sundays.
Catering: Yes—weddings, corporate events, and everything in between.
Signature Dessert: Banana pudding (pastor-approved).
Wood: 100% Post Oak.
Website: meatingplacebbq.com
BBQ Now Rating: Faith-Fired, Pit-Perfect, Must-Visit.
Pull up a chair. The brisket’s hot. The Gospel’s strong. And your name is already on the order slip.
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