Areas We Serve
Early sits right alongside Brownwood, which means The Sticks BBQ is practically a local option for residents here. We've been serving slow-smoked Texas BBQ from scratch since 2001 — dine-in, takeout, and catering for the whole area.
Early sits right next to Brownwood, which makes our dining room one of the closest sit-down BBQ options available to Early residents. Walk in any day Monday through Saturday, find a seat, and order at the counter. Regulars from Early are here most weeks — the drive is short, the food is worth it.
Call ahead before you leave Early and your order will be packed and waiting when you pull up. Takeout is available Monday through Saturday during regular hours. Everything travels well — meats, sides, bread, and sauce all included in the pack.
Pick your smoked meat — brisket, ribs, sausage, or pulled pork — with two scratch-made sides and bread. Everything comes off the in-house smoker and is sliced to order the same day it's smoked. No steam trays, no leftovers repackaged from the day before.
Beyond the BBQ plates, we build burgers and sandwiches fresh when you order. The chopped brisket sandwich is a standout. Every item uses the same quality meat as our plates — one kitchen standard across the whole menu, not a separate prep line for sandwiches.
Our sides are made in the kitchen, not ordered from a distributor. Real mac and cheese, slow-cooked pinto beans with smoked meat, and coleslaw prepped fresh daily. Smoked jalapeños and bacon-wrapped ABTs round out a proper Texas BBQ spread worth the short drive from Early.
Families from Early are regulars here. The kids menu gives younger guests straightforward options sized for smaller appetites so the whole table can eat well without anyone getting shortchanged. One room, one welcoming experience for everyone.
If there's room after a full plate, the dessert rotation is worth asking about. It changes with what the kitchen is making that week — made on-site, simple, and worth finishing on. Ask when you order.
We cater events in Early, TX and across the region. Backyard cookouts, graduation parties, church socials, company lunches — give us a headcount and a date and we'll give you an honest quote. Catering is handled by phone only; we don't take event requests online.
We're in Brownwood, right at the edge of Early. The drive takes just a few minutes — pull up directions below and come on over.
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Call ahead for takeout, come in for dine-in, or talk to us about catering your next event. We're open Monday through Saturday — a short drive from Early and worth every minute of it.
