Since opening in 2017, Jimmy Vega’s Smokehouse has skillfully blended Texas family traditions and recipes with an appreciation for Georgetown culture. Owner James Ramsey recounts his remarkable journey in bringing us one of Georgetown’s top BBQ destinations.
What inspired you to open Jimmy Vega’s Smokehouse?
I have been in the restaurant industry for 20-plus years and wanted to go back to my roots with my menu. I also wanted to create something my family could be a part of as well. We have always been a food-loving family that puts a lot of thought into everything we put in front of our guests. We are all Texas born and bred so while our traditional BBQ is important, we also draw inspiration from a variety of culinary influences, which comes out in many of our sides and specials.
We initially began with a food truck, but it wasn’t long before we found ourselves back inside a restaurant — my comfort zone. Our ultimate goal was to establish an inviting space that would feel like home to all our guests and nostalgia played a pivotal role in our vision. We want people to be immersed in elements of dining that used to be commonplace but have perhaps been forgotten over time.
Why did you choose Georgetown?
My family has lived in Georgetown since 1989 — it is truly our home. We wanted to share many of the traditions and recipes our family has passed down with others who live, work, and play here. Who better to understand our passion for the culture of Georgetown, which we love so much?
What do “people say” about Jimmy Vega’s?
People love the little touches we put into the restaurant. They love that our music comes from a turntable and many of the antiques in our décor were provided by family and friends. Most importantly, people just love the food we serve. They love the mix of traditional and non-traditional Texas sides, and, while we certainly have standout dishes, most everything we cook has fans who won’t let us take it off the menu. We also offer catering, not only for barbecue, but all types of cuisine.
What sets you apart from others?
We take pride in our hands-on approach and absolutely everything in the restaurant is made from scratch. We spent years perfecting our recipes, which allows us to serve great traditional dishes with a little bit of our own flair. We put a lot of extra time into what we do and try to treat every guest as family.
Talk about your unique process.
Our two main smokers, “Martha” and “Snoop Dogg”, were built in-place here at the restaurant. Some of their parts actually came from the house — we repurposed the window weights and chimney brick both to build them.
Why are you passionate about BBQ?
BBQ is based on time and technique and mastering it is a formidable task. Every step
in the process makes a difference in the result so there is no room for error.
That challenge is what makes it interesting to us and getting it right evokes a lot of nostalgia for the foods and flavors we enjoyed growing up.
408 W University Ave • Georgetown • www.jimmyvegas.biz • 512-240-4093