Going down to Main Street for food and drinks has been a thing for a while now, but it’s important to recognize that quality and creativity are driving everything.
It’s truly exciting to see the potential of Downtown Las Vegas being realized in this way at this time, when you can stroll around the southern end of Main, day or night—closer to the Strip than to Fremont Street—and visit an array of unique retail shops, bars and tap rooms, and sample different, delicious food from new restaurants. This is what Sunday Fun Day was hashtagged for.
My latest discovery is the Tex-Mex-style Braeswood BBQ, an unassuming year-old joint surrounded by Able Baker Brewing and Wiseguys Comedy Club. With the success of SoulBelly BBQ just a few blocks north, this place might have slipped under the radar a bit. But there’s room in your smoked meat-loving heart for at least two Downtown ’cue spots, and Braeswood is a completely different, thoroughly casual experience.
It’s also my first run-in with posole ramen ($16), a hybrid of soulful Mexican and Japanese soups topped off with a thick slice of rich beef brisket. The spicy pork broth with hints of hominy, fresh lime and cilantro makes for an unbelievable base for the chewy noodles and decadent brisket, and this mighty bowl could easily feed two. It’s an unexpected treasure, an accurate way to describe Braeswood itself.
You can eat traditionally here, by ordering smoked brisket, ribs, chicken or sausage by the pound and supplementing with side dishes like macaroni and cheese, potato salad, simmered greens or coleslaw. You can go Tex-Mex-style with rice and beans on the side and crispy chips and creamy queso ($10) as a starter. Or you can mix and match with combination plates ($22-$30), offering multiple choices of meats, sides or tacos.
But whether it’s your first time at Braeswood or you’re already back for more, you have to have at least one taco. House-made corn tortillas wrap huge chunks of that brilliant brisket that have been stewed in a tomato-chile sauce in the guisado taco ($7), topped with cilantro, onion and guacamole. Overstuffed and addictive, this is the best Downtown taco I’ve had in years, and that’s saying something.
Right behind it are the smoked chicken tacos ($5) with crispy bits of bird and pico de gallo with the genius addition of tomatillo. Braeswood also does brisket tacos with barbecue sauce ($7) and hearty pork chili verde tacos with beans ($6), all of which will fill you up fast.
Rounding out the menu are brisket guisado and melted cheese-topped fries ($16) and a few sandwich options, including a third-pound burger ($17) with all the stuff plus a pile of brisket. Grab a seat at the counter or on the sunny patio, order a couple icy beers and get down to business. This is serious eating.
BRAESWOOD BBQ 1504 S. Main St., 725-242-2097, braeswoodbbq.com. Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
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