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Texas Monthly 2017 Top 50 BBQ Joints

443,866 Views | 2661 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by agfan2013
schmendeler
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thelosthondo said:

schmendeler said:

If only there was another way.
Me thinks schmendeler knows something that is not being said.


No, just joking that you can learn by cooking also. That money will buy a lot of briskets.
ILikeTacos
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agcrock2005 said:

Went to Hutchin's in McKinney today and was very disappointed. Hadsbeen awesome the other few times I've been but today I went around 1PM and got the brisket/ribs plate. It was $16 and I got 3 spare ribs and 1 slice of moist brisket, two sides and a drive for another $2.25 or so...all in for slightly above-average BBQ it was $19 for me.

Ribs were cooked perfectly but had a plastic/rubbery flavor to them like something may have been dropped in the fire. I was a pretty gross flavor. Brisket had great flavor but was overcooked. Mac & Cheese was pretty good as weere the beans that had brisket in them. Didn't try the "free" (is it really free when you're charging $20 per person...) desserts because I already felt like a fat ass eating the other stuff.
Man that sucks, when I am that disappointed tho, banana pudding and peach cobbler always make me feel better....
TXAG 05
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wadd96 said:

Try Lucky's Lounge if Buck's BBQ is there on those nights... Jim does a great job!


Glad to hear they are good. Going to hit them for lunch, probably tomorrow.
wadd96
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Fridays they have smoked meatloaf!
All the God's, all the Heavens, all the Hells are within you.
TXAG 05
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wadd96 said:

Fridays they have smoked meatloaf!


May not do Friday this week, a buddy and I will be hitting Tejas Saturday morning and possibly Reveille since we will already be out in the sticks for Tejas.
wadd96
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Just put it in your memory bank... it's the Friday special!
All the God's, all the Heavens, all the Hells are within you.
gigemJTH12
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taking some coworkers to lunch tomorrow...

Pinkertons or Pit Room? or elsewhere close?

looking for an overall recommendation but an emphasis on brisket
OregonAggie
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gigemJTH12 said:

taking some coworkers to lunch tomorrow...

Pinkertons or Pit Room? or elsewhere close?

looking for an overall recommendation but an emphasis on brisket


I haven't been to Pinkertons but I've been to Pit Room numerous times. I'm a fan of Pit Room and have eaten there 1-2x per month for the last few months. They have been consistent in my visits.
Aggie09Derek
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gigemJTH12 said:

taking some coworkers to lunch tomorrow...

Pinkertons or Pit Room? or elsewhere close?

looking for an overall recommendation but an emphasis on brisket
Taking coworkers....Pit Room


Taking clients where trying to spend $$...Pinkertons
Bryan98
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I've only been to each once but I enjoyed Pit Room and thought Pinkerton's was wildly overrated. Maybe it was a bad day for them.
schmendeler
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Went to pit room once. Brisket was good but the ribs had the same rub so tasted basically the same. The grilled okra was good.

I would go to Feges. It's the best I've had ITL.
gigemJTH12
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schmendeler said:


I would go to Feges. It's the best I've had ITL.
my friend went the other day and said it was terrible. He sent me a pic and I could tell just from the pic.

but people I trust have also said what you said.

they must be inconsistent
TXAG 05
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I would go to Pit Room. Very good and pretty consistent.

Been to Pinkertons twice and it's good, but I agree that it's overrated.

Only been to Feges once, and it was really good, but it's kind of a pain to get to. Wish they had a stand alone store.
CDub06
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Pit room for sure. Feges is great but it's a sterile food court and is tougher to get to.
JJWAGGIE
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I wouldn't ever go back to Pit Room (my experience was well below par) soooo looks like I'll also take a pass on Pinkertons considering all of the recommendations for PR over Pink.
TXAG 05
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JJWAGGIE said:

I wouldn't ever go back to Pit Room (my experience was well below par) soooo looks like I'll also take a pass on Pinkertons considering all of the recommendations for PR over Pink.


About a year ago, we went to Pit Room and it was really bad, like every single thing we got was bad, so I stayed away for a while. Other than that one time, it was always been great. I would give it another shot.
jonj101
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Funny how the experience varies so much at these places. I had Feges for the first time recently and aside from the flavor of the pulled pork, kale salad and the corn elote, nothing else stood out to me.

I've been to Pit Room multiple times and I've always enjoyed it, I've also been to Pinkerton's once and it wasn't that good to me.
Bryan98
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I haven't been to Feges yet but I have had his brisket at a pop-up event and it was absolutely excellent that time. Of course, consistency is hard when you have to do it every day.
BMX Bandit
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JJWAGGIE said:

I wouldn't ever go back to Pit Room (my experience was well below par) soooo looks like I'll also take a pass on Pinkertons considering all of the recommendations for PR over Pink.


Definitely don't try it for yourself
JJWAGGIE
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If I'm in the area, i might... have heard good things about their jambalaya. It just won't be high on the list. Consistency is a key factor to me... just like any restaurant. A great bbq joint should not have off days.
MathNewman06
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jonj101 said:

Funny how the experience varies so much at these places. I had Feges for the first time recently and aside from the flavor of the pulled pork, kale salad and the corn elote, nothing else stood out to me.

I've been to Pit Room multiple times and I've always enjoyed it, I've also been to Pinkerton's once and it wasn't that good to me.


It's almost like different people might have different tastes, or something. Go figure.
CDub06
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I think it's more consistency than personal preference on these places.
MathNewman06
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I can understand that's what the discussion is about, but it seems like the subjectivity of individual opinions is being downplayed by some.
I've had only positive experiences at all the Houston places that are being mentioned, but I'm sure there were people there the same lunch that I was who didn't care for it.
CDub06
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MathNewman06 said:

I'm sure there were people there the same lunch that I was who didn't care for it.

Those aren't people. They're swine.
jonj101
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CDub06 said:

I think it's more consistency than personal preference on these places.
Thats what I was trying to get at but didn't phrase it correctly.

Killens, Pit Room, Cork Screw have shown me some consistency. The others are TBD for me.
Farmer1906
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I've only been to Pinkertons once but the ribs were fantastic.
agfan2013
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For anybody that listens to podcasts, y'all listen to the new tales from the pits episode, they are speculating that there are major changes coming to Franklin BBQ. Not just clickbait. Some highlights:

- two major losses to his staff in the last few months. Braun Hughes his pitmaster, and now Benji Jacob his general manager.

- they dig through stuff and found out there will be a book in March of next year titled "Franklin's steaks" that he is involved in. Supposedly just like his bbq book, will be an in-depth overview on all things cooking steaks and how to go about it.

-several new LLCs have been formed that they are part of.

While they don't know if he's totally leaving the bbq scene, opening his own steakhouse, or whatever, they do think a major change is coming. These guys aren't the type to jump the gun and report wild stuff, they might end up being totally wrong, but from what I heard I don't think that will be the case.

Y'all listen and draw your own conclusions.
OregonAggie
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That's some pretty interesting stuff right there. Thanks for posting
agcrock2005
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Good info. I've long wondered why he hasn't been monetizing his name/brand more...sounds like he might be going after the big cash finally.

PS: I know he's most likely been doing very well financially, but when you're as famous as him he could have been doing lots of other things and really killing it.
RAM700BA
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It's kind of sad. I thought it would always be there. Now I feel like it's too late to give it one last visit because so many people have left, the quality might not be what I remembered. Might be best to just keep the memories of the amazing bbq I do have. Rather than risk tainting that memory with one last visit.
Quinn
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agfan2013 said:

For anybody that listens to podcasts, y'all listen to the new tales from the pits episode, they are speculating that there are major changes coming to Franklin BBQ. Not just clickbait. Some highlights:

- two major losses to his staff in the last few months. Braun Hughes his pitmaster, and now Benji Jacob his general manager.

- they dig through stuff and found out there will be a book in March of next year titled "Franklin's steaks" that he is involved in. Supposedly just like his bbq book, will be an in-depth overview on all things cooking steaks and how to go about it.

-several new LLCs have been formed that they are part of.

While they don't know if he's totally leaving the bbq scene, opening his own steakhouse, or whatever, they do think a major change is coming. These guys aren't the type to jump the gun and report wild stuff, they might end up being totally wrong, but from what I heard I don't think that will be the case.

Y'all listen and draw your own conclusions.
Listened to most of the podcast - pretty crazy to hear. Seemed like a pretty well researched and reported story.

A few other things to add:

- Pitmaster had been there 5+ years and the GM was his HS buddy. Sounds like they got a heads up that their jobs were going away and got out.

- They presented 3 theories on what will happen to Franklin Barbecue: he sells the building and a restaurant group runs it with the same name; he sells the building and a restaurant group runs it with a different name; or he sells the building and a developer builds retail/condos in that location. I cannot see #2, but 1 & 3 make sense.

- one of the new LLCs seemed to be about BBQ sauce. Maybe selling off the sauce line that he sells at HEB or spinning it off to keep for himself?
Cowboy Curtis
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franklinbbqpits.com has been in the works for some time, Loro (restaurant) is another project of his. Maybe he's got too many irons in the fire...
TXAG 05
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Just finished listening to it. I can see how he could be tired of it and do something else for variety or a new challenge. Will be interesting to see what happens in the next 6 months to a year.
The Pilot
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Quinn
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All the evidence the seems to be pointing to something going on (especially two long time employees leaving), so it will be interesting to see what else Franklin has to say.
 
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