Arnis Robbins
Arnis’ road to becoming a barbecue restauranteur was anything but direct. Having grown up on a peanut farm in eastern New Mexico, he developed the skills and work ethic that would eventually become the foundation of a successful West Texas barbecue business. After building a smoker for fun, Arnis began developing his cooking processes as a weekend hobby in Tucson, Arizona where he spent eight years in an extremely competitive landscaping industry.
In the fall of 2014, after starting a family, Arnis and his wife Mallory made the decision to relocate closer to family in Lubbock, TX and pursue barbecue full time. Though he was hopeful to find some level of success pursuing his new-found passion, he never expected things to take off the way they did. After a glowing review from Texas Monthly in the spring of 2015, Evie Mae’s Barbeque evolved from a one man operation in a small trailer on the side of the highway, to an expansive restaurant. In 2017 Evie Mae’s was named the 9th best Barbecue joint in Texas by Texas Monthly.
The road to barbecue success has been a challenging yet rewarding one. Arnis and Mallory, along with their crew, love cooking and serving oak-smoked meats to the people of West Texas. Meeting people who share the same passion for cooking, serving, and preserving the tradition of cooking with fire from all over the world is one of the greatest joys of this business.
