Danial and Crystal Evans, owners of Cameron Beer Market in Cameron, Texas are both originally from coastal areas of Texas. Danial had a 25-year IT career with T-Mobile and Crystal had a successful career as an aviation flight planner. In 2020, Danial was laid off from his position, their kids had graduated, so he and Crystal decided it was time for a slower pace of life.
They moved up to some land in Milam County and began to settle in. The Cameron Beer Market became one of their favorite spots to hang out, and in 2023 the owner approached them and asked if they would like to buy the place. It was more of a bar then, that served some Italian food, but their goal now is to turn it into “a homestyle, down to earth, family-friendly, happy atmosphere. When you walk in, [they] want to make sure you see someone with a happy, smiling face,” Danial explained.
Since buying the place, they’ve made changes to support that vision. They’ve made menu changes to increase quality, and efficiency and lessen wait times. They’ve made more space in the kitchen to help give them the working room for things like hand-battering onion rings, chicken, and more. The touch that gives it that down-to-earth atmosphere though, is the people. As we sat visiting, a customer walked in, looked over, nodded, and said hello in that old gentlemanly, Texas way. Crystal patted Danial’s leg and said, “I’ll be right back.” She popped up and trotted over to make that gentleman’s drink without batting an eye, knowing her customer like he was a lifelong friend.
This is a real, “how’s your momma n dem” kind of place, but with spunk. Danial’s a long long competitive pool player, so they knew they wanted to make this place fun, but also family-friendly. With pool tables, darts, music pulsing in the air, and big screens showing the games, this is a place for the community to gather. They offer kid-friendly events, live music or a DJ on the weekends, and arcade games. Danial served in the Marines, and now works for the fire department full time, so as another way to bring together their community and thank them, they offer a first responder/military discount.
Pizza is one of the menu items from the original restaurant that customers loved, so they kept it on the menu. They use a thin, handmade crust and have a large selection of toppings to choose from. Mine was a 12” thin, crispy crust, that held a generous layer of sauce and gooey cheese, and flavorful pepperoni, hamburger, feta, and red onions. All of the salty, savory flavors that I love on a pizza!
The basket of fresh, hand-battered onion rings and fried zucchini is what I’d been eyeballing since I first saw Cameron Beer Market on Facebook. Thick-cut onions tossed in a light batter that crisped up in the fryer, along with thin sliced zucchini done the same way; served with a bowl of homemade ranch. Believe me, they taste as good as they look!
The cheeseburger was a juicy ⅓ pound burger, on a soft bun. A melted slice of cheddar nestled on top of the meat, and then crisp lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles were drizzled with their secret house-crafted burger sauce. The sauce was creamy, slightly tangy, and a bit herby. This is a big burger that will fill you up, not to mention a big ‘ol side of crinkle-cut fries.
Good fried catfish will always have my heart, and if I’m passing through Cameron, I’m stopping here for a basket. Golden, flakey, and tender. Cooked and seasoned impeccably, and served with homemade hushpuppies and crinkle-cut fries.
Crystal warned me that only two sliders come on the chicken slider plate, but said they're larger than normal. She wasn't wrong! These were big ass chicken breasts on slider buns. One came tossed in the medium wing sauce, the other wasn’t sauced, only breaded. A delicate breading, not a thick, overly done mass of breading to make your way through to get to the meat. With a light schmear of mayo across the slider bun and a few pickle slices; it was chicken sandwich perfection. I thought I would like the buffalo one the best, but honestly, the original was my favorite. The breading and chicken had so much flavor that was revealed by not having the sauce. Pro tip: Order the sauce on the side so you can pour as you want it - best of both worlds. Also, dipping in that homemade ranch - superior.
The Philly cheesesteak was a robust sandwich filled with seasoned, grilled steak, onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms, and then covered with gooey provolone cheese. The bun was soft and toasted on the inside and held up well to the massive amount of filling. This sandwich was huge too, the portions are as big as the flavors here!
As I packed my gear to leave, I glanced behind me to see Crystal taking a little girl by the hands and dancing with her to the upbeat music.
From the outside, it looks like an old county tax office - because it was. From the inside, it’s full of life, love, good food, and good times. So next time you’re out takin’ the backroads, make sure you stop by Cameron Beer Market. Tell Crystal and Danial I said hi, and make sure you order a basket of onion rings. You’ll be glad you did!
We’re on a mission to help Texas mom-and-pop restaurants thrive, and we need your help! So if you enjoy our articles, reviews, photos, and videos, please consider sharing and help us get some butts in booths at Texas mom ‘n pop restaurants.
101 S Fannin Ave Cameron, TX
Comments