Good to know. Either way, they make a fantastic brisket.

Beef Cheek said:

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Things at the restaurant have been non-stop wild, but I'm back to gripe about beef prices and Marcel Reed

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. Just saw The Roadtripper episode. Steak Night piqued my interest.

agcrock2005 said:

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Sad news out of Arlington. Haven't been but have been wanting to try to get over there.

Quote:

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It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Patrick Hicks husband, father, co-owner, pitmaster, and the heart of Smoke'N Ash BBQ.

Patrick poured his heart into his family, his food, and the community we built together. His love, strength, and legacy will forever be a part of Smoke'N Ash.

During this difficult time, our incredible team will continue to keep Smoke'N Ash open and serve our community while our family takes time to grieve.

We are deeply grateful for every prayer, message, and expression of love and support.

Patrick Hicks
June 27, 1966 October 6, 2026

Forever in our hearts.

Fasicka, Lydia, Abby & the Smoke'N Ash BBQ team

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https://instagr.am/p/DeKuxKWvrHk

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I sincerely hope their best picture of him isn't one where their heads are chopped off.

agcrock2005 said:

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****ty response. Not really surprised though.

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Yeah, sorry I'm not going to lie about a ****ty picture that is their only family picture on their commercial Instagram account. They ****ed up, and you trying to shame me for telling the truth doesn't change their mistake.

FM 949 said:

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No, it just makes you a turd.

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Ah. Yes guys. We need to add some more rules to the thread for Backyard Gator. Along with researching their menu, YouTube videos, and social media profiles, you also have to judge their quality on how they honor an owner who has passed.

Terry Black's just closed on a full block in Old Town Scottsdale. I don't know when they might open but I'm looking forward to seeing how this works out. We've only got one really outstanding BBQ place so this seems good.

Quasi-BBQ related. Hot Luck was a dud for the first time in 5 years of going. Day 1 was solid. Day 2, pretty meh. I know it changed hands, so guess I'll just need to pour a lil' out for a fallen homie.

Edit: Did see this absolute beast of unit, that is my new dream setup; coal oven, fire table, and direct smoker. I think I saw a Cen-Tex Smokers logo on it.

jja79 said:

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Terry Black's just closed on a full block in Old Town Scottsdale. I don't know when they might open but I'm looking forward to seeing how this works out. We've only got one really outstanding BBQ place so this seems good.

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The one here in Houston is pretty average, but still probably better than what you can get in Arizona

Terry Blacks is just a tourist attraction at this point. You're there for the Instagram pic and the hat more than the food.

Brisket was very mid and I've heard the same from several other folks

Seems like they haven't figured out the Houston humidity

Is the Austin OG spot still solid? Haven't been in years but while certainly not the best of the best it was always solid especially considering you could show up for dinner and they weren't typically sold out of much of anything.

We have one really outstanding place, Little Miss in an industrial area by Sky Harbor. I'd put it up against the really good places back home but it's all we've got. I've talked to a few people today asking about Black's and said I'm worried about a BBQ place with more than one location.

The one in Waco is a shadow of the one in Austin.

First year under new management/ownership by People, Inc. Moved from Memorial Day to October. I guess a drop off was predictable.

Jock 07 said:

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Is the Austin OG spot still solid? Haven't been in years but while certainly not the best of the best it was always solid especially considering you could show up for dinner and they weren't typically sold out of much of anything.

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It was very good last year when we went.

Jock 07 said:

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Is the Austin OG spot still solid? Haven't been in years but while certainly not the best of the best it was always solid especially considering you could show up for dinner and they weren't typically sold out of much of anything.

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The OG spot is still very solid, but almost always a crazy line when I drive past. It is better to just drive to the Lockhart location (where they cook a lot of the food for Austin) or go north to Stiles Switch.

Beef Cheek said:

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Jock 07 said:

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Is the Austin OG spot still solid? Haven't been in years but while certainly not the best of the best it was always solid especially considering you could show up for dinner and they weren't typically sold out of much of anything.

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The OG spot is still very solid, but almost always a crazy line when I drive past. It is better to just drive to the Lockhart location (where they cook a lot of the food for Austin) or go north to Stiles Switch.

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Curiosity question. I've lived near Austin for 73 years and have no idea what the OG spot means.

OG = Original. The Barton Springs location for Terry Black's