CorkScrew BBQ
Will and Nichole Buckman burn red oak under Creekstone prime in Spring, north of Houston, and MICHELIN gave it a star.
Why go
CorkScrew opened in 2011, out of a food trailer.2 Will and Nichole Buckman run the pit.1 The wood is red oak, and the beef is prime from Creekstone Farms and Compart Family Farms, which is where the color on the meat comes from.1 MICHELIN gave it a star, one of four American-style barbecue joints in the world to hold one, and all four are in Texas.2 Daniel Vaughn has put it in the Top 50 twice, in 2021 and again in 2025.3
Order this / avoid
- Order: the beef ribs. The MICHELIN inspectors called them
divine, so succulent and flavorsome with a lasting smoked tone.
1 - Order: the pulled pork, smoked bone-in and then mixed with a pepper-and-vinegar sauce.3
- Order: the pinto beans and a loaded baked potato on the side.1
- Avoid: rolling up at noon on a weekend. Arrive before the doors open at 11 or expect a wait, and the kitchen sells out.1
What locals & experts say
- Texas Monthly, Top 50 BBQ Joints 2025 (Daniel Vaughn):
The wait is worth it (if you're stuck there for a while, you can scribble or play tic-tac-toe on the kindly provided chalkboard along the dining room wall). Get a bit of everything, but add more of the pulled pork to your tray—it's sweet at the front of your tongue and just spicy enough at the back.
2 - MICHELIN Guide Texas (2025), One MICHELIN Star:
Will and Nichole Buckman smoke some of the finest brisket and beef ribs in the state.
1
Good to know
- Timing: Thursday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm. Closed Sunday through Wednesday.1
- Booking: the guide says the restaurant manages its own bookings, and that regulars order in advance to skip the line.1
- Getting there: Spring, the small town just north of Houston. This is a drive.1
Verdict
must-visit — MICHELIN gave this a star. There are four of those in American barbecue and all four sit in Texas. What earns it is the cooking: red oak against Creekstone and Compart prime, beef ribs MICHELIN's inspectors called divine and succulent with a lasting smoked tone, and a brisket the same inspectors put among the finest in the state. Vaughn tells you to load the tray with the pulled pork. Two Top 50 editions four years apart say the Buckmans hold their line. It is a drive north of Houston to a kitchen that sells out, so build the day around it.