The Wagon Wheel in Eagle Pass is a BBQ joint that serves up a chicken-fried steak so big, it hangs off the plate. Test the limits of your appetite and enjoy a mouthwatering meal you won’t soon forget.

 If you can’t finish your meal, the restaurant is happy to box up the leftovers for you in one of their signature “loser boxes.”

The restaurant has been around since 1994, but up until recently, it was somewhat of a hidden gem that, for the most part, only locals frequented. Thanks to a relatively new location and a revamped menu, The Wagon Wheel is experiencing a surge of popularity among not just Eagle Pass residents but tourists as well.

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Clever Journeys Rating: 8.8 out of 10

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Owner and self proclaimed, “Mom of the restaurant,” Selena Buentello Price, is known as Selly. She grew up in Eagle Pass and her dad Hugo hitched his horses to the Wagon Wheel back in the early days.

“Every weekend, we’d barbecue and he’d try something different, and he decided one day that we were going to go into the barbecue business,” said Selena.

The pair sample pecan-smoked brisket, pork, and beef ribs and their famous, gigantic country-fried steak.

Later, David joins Selena’s sons Francisco “Paco” Carmona and siblings Francisco “Paco” Carmona and Paola Buentello. They grew up in their family’s barbecue business in Eagle Pass, an hour south of Del Rio and directly across the border from Piedras Negras, Mexico. 

Paco grew up around this place and wanted to add something to the menu since the BBQ would always sell out, so he put another Texas food fixture on the menu, a chicken fried steak that happens to be Lone Star State sized.

“When my grandpa used to cook for me and one thing that always stood out was whenever he would make the chicken fried steak back straps or the chicken fried steak that he would cut out of the deer, and it just was amazing,” said Paco. “You know what I mean? I wanted to make something, keep the legacy alive, and kind of bring something that he would do.”

Selena knew that this impressive addition to the menu would make for a better dining experience for the Wagon Wheel customers. “We added that two-and-a-half pound chicken fried steak so we could accommodate more people and stay a little longer and give them more options,” said Selena.

Once plated on a pizza platter, Paco puts on the gravy. “If we put it on a regular plate, it might break or bend,” said Paco. “Some people say it’s not enough gravy. Some people say it’s too much gravy. I don’t think it’s ever enough gravy.”

Texans from all corners of the state appreciate the decidedly country-western vibe. The walls are covered in cow skulls, taxidermized animal heads, and cowboy-themed artwork, and a rustic, yet cozy feeling permeates the dining area.The Wagon Wheel is primarily known for its mouthwatering BBQ.

You’ll see brisket, sausage, ribs, chicken, and a whole host of scrumptious sides on the menu. Everything is prepared by expert chefs and pitmasters, and after one bite, you’ll be in carnivore heaven.

The restaurant’s BBQ may have put it on the map, but its chicken-fried steak is currently stealing the limelight.

Each chicken-fried steak weighs over a pound and is cut fresh daily at a local market.

The meat is oh-so-tender, lightly breaded, and seasoned to perfection before getting its signature crispy exterior in the deep fryer. The “icing on the cake” so to speak is the thick layer of cream gravy poured on top. Perfection!

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IN GOD WE TRUST

Loralyn ‘Dodie’ & Jack Dennis

Thanks for supporting independent true journalism with a small tip. Dodie & Jack

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