Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbecue: The Cloudcroft BBQ Worth Waiting For

There are plenty of places in Texas where people start lining up for barbecue long before the doors open. That's part of the culture.

But Cloudcroft, New Mexico, a mountain village with only about 700 year-round residents, is a different story. Seeing a line wrap around the block there is something entirely different.

Yet every Thursday through Sunday, people start gathering outside Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbecue well before the doors open at 11 a.m. On busy days, the line stretches down the sidewalk and around the corner of the building, filled with locals, tourists and plenty of Texans who have traveled up the mountain for a taste of James Jackson's Texas-style barbecue. They wait because the barbecue really is that good, and when it's gone, it's gone. Before you ever make it through the door, you can smell the smoke drifting through town. It's the kind of smell that makes you glance at your watch and hope you're a little closer to the front of the line than you thought.

When Blake says Mad Jack's serves the best brisket he's ever had, I take that pretty seriously. He's a Texan who has eaten his fair share of barbecue and has even competed in a few barbecue cookoffs himself. He knows good brisket, and he doesn't hand out "best I've ever had" lightly.

As for me, I'm not even a huge barbecue fan, but I love Mad Jack's. And while the food may be what gets people in line the first time, I think there's more to the story of why Mad Jack's has become such a special part of Cloudcroft.

The Man Behind Mad Jack's

James Jackson is as much a part of the Mad Jack's experience as the barbecue. A native of Lockhart, Texas, James has barbecue in his roots, but the story of how Mad Jack's came to be is anything but ordinary.

According to the story James shares on the Mad Jack's website, his father, Kirk Jackson, didn't trust banks. Instead, he tucked away cash in tackle boxes, jars and toolboxes, hiding it all inside the trunk of an old 1971 Mercury Montego. Before Kirk passed away in 2014, he told James not to get rid of the car. It turned out to be very good advice.

A year later, James used the money his father had hidden away to help open Mad Jack's in Cloudcroft, a tiny mountain village more than 8,600 feet above sea level. What began with an old car, a father's unusual savings plan and a two-story building along Cloudcroft's main road eventually became a destination in its own right. Today, people travel from all over to stand in line for James's Texas-style barbecue.

They're happy to wait because they know what's waiting on the other side of those doors.

The Line Is Part of the Experience

Cloudcroft locals know a little secret about Mad Jack's: there's a back entrance. If you know, you know. But Blake and I always waited out front with everyone else. Honestly, we never minded because the line was part of the experience.

You'd stand there talking to the people around you, wondering just how much brisket you could reasonably eat and watching the line grow behind you. If James was in town, there was a good chance he'd come outside and walk along the line, visiting with people, telling stories and making strangers feel like old friends. James has never met a stranger and always has a story to share.

We got to know that side of him outside Mad Jack's, too. Blake once sold one of James's houses on the mountain, and James would occasionally stop by while they were showing

the property. A quick visit was rarely just a quick visit because there were always stories to tell.

That's just James.

It's Not Just James

As big a personality as James is, he isn't the only reason Mad Jack's feels special. His staff is just as wonderful.

No matter how busy the restaurant became or how long the line stretched outside, we were always greeted with a smile. Watching the staff work was almost as impressive as the barbecue itself. They never seemed rushed, even though they had every reason to be.

The people behind the counter are a huge part of what makes the entire experience work. The crowds may be big and the pace may be fast, but the warmth and hospitality have always been there.

A Restaurant That Loves Its Community

There's another side of James that visitors standing in line for brisket may not immediately see. He cares deeply about the community around him.

James is known for treating service members like royalty, and he has repeatedly used Mad Jack's as a way to help others. Over the years, he's held fundraising events benefiting local Boy Scouts and community members in need, putting out the "Love Bucket" and donating the proceeds to support them.

One of my favorite examples of that community spirit is the relationship between Mad Jack's and Brother-in-Law BBQ, another barbecue restaurant located almost directly next door. In a town as small as Cloudcroft, you might expect two barbecue restaurants so close together to be fierce competitors. Instead, they support each other. They recommend each other to customers and step in to help whenever the other needs it.

We always made a point to support both. And while we're talking about Brother-in-Law BBQ, the brisket fries are heaven on earth. The line usually isn't quite as long, either. 

To me, that's Cloudcroft at its best. In a small mountain village, there's room to root for your own success while still wanting the people next door to succeed, too. Mad Jack's isn't simply a famous barbecue restaurant that happens to be located in Cloudcroft. It has become part of the community, and I think that's one of the reasons people feel so connected to it.

What's Next for Mad Jack?

The Mad Jack's story is entering a new chapter. James has been working toward opening Mad Jack's Hill Country Barbecue in Johnson City, Texas, bringing his barbecue back to his home state. He's also talked about the possibility of selling the Cloudcroft restaurant to the right person.

For those of us who love Mad Jack's in Cloudcroft, it's a little bittersweet to think about. Restaurants come and go, businesses change hands and people move on to their next adventures, but Mad Jack's has become one of those places that feels woven into the story of Cloudcroft.

I hope that, whatever comes next, the spirit of the place remains. I have to admit, though, that having another Mad Jack's that close to my hometown of Kerrville, Texas, is something I'm excited about.

If You Go

Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbecue sits right along Highway 82, the main road through Cloudcroft, and is currently open for lunch Thursday through Sunday, beginning at 11 a.m. and serving until the food sells out. And yes, it does sell out, so get there early.

You may stand in line longer than you expected, but that's okay. Talk to the people around you. Watch the crowd grow. If James is around, you may hear a story or two before you ever make it through the door. Enjoy it, because when you hear that dinner bell ring and you're finally sitting down with a tray of Texas-style barbecue in the middle of a tiny New Mexico mountain village, you'll understand why everyone else was willing to wait, too.

Blake will tell you to order the brisket. Coming from someone who has eaten a whole lot of Texas barbecue, competed in a few barbecue cookoffs and still says Mad Jack's serves the best brisket he's ever had, I'd probably listen to him.

Even this not-so-serious barbecue fan agrees, although I'll tell you to get that brisket piled on top of a loaded baked potato.

Once you've finished eating, don't be in too much of a hurry to leave. Walk across the street and do a little shopping at The Highland, then wander over to Burro Avenue, where you'll find some of Cloudcroft's delightful local shops, including Cloudcroft Souvenirs and The Elk Shed. It's an easy way to spend an afternoon in the village and, after a loaded baked potato piled high with brisket, a little walking probably isn't a bad idea either.

Maybe that's why no one seems to mind standing in line.

They're not just waiting for barbecue.

They're waiting for one of the experiences that makes Cloudcroft feel like Cloudcroft.