I waited to respond to these posts because I've posted about Stanley's plenty before (I live in Tyler and eat there with some frequency). I also was taken aback by your take (and Greenspoint's) on the ribs versus the brisket since I abandoned the ribs a couple of years ago for their consistent mushiness and have found the brisket to be greatly improved over the last five years. So I hit it up for lunch today, I got there at about 11:45 a.m. and only had a few people in front of me (it's a bit rainy, which helped). I got half-a-pound of brisket off the point and 3 baby backs (they threw in the fourth for free). Side of potato salad because I like their potato salad.
Here's my 2024 take:
Holy shit, they fixed the ribs! The "best baby backs" description may be pretty apt. Tender, fantastic flavor, and just a bit crispy on the outside. I'm glad they changed whatever was causing that mush (I suspected long holding periods). Or maybe lunch is the time to order them. Either way, great show!
The brisket was very good---super tender with a nice bark. It was a little more salt-present today versus the 70/30 pepper forward briskets you get elsewhere or compared to what I remember its flavor being from previous visits. I don't mind that though, and it wasn't overly salty for my taste. Overall, it was very flavorful and melted in my mouth, moreso even than the brisket I had last week at Terry Blacks. So I'd push back on the "mediocre" sentiment on that one. I've had their lean brisket plenty of times as well, and it's quite good too. But if it's just me, I order from the point and am consistently happy with what I get.
As for the sausage: Since I moved away from their ribs, I've had it plenty. It's not bad, but it's nothing special. For a while, it was a German blend made for them by a local meat market. I seem to recall they switched suppliers at some point and may have switched again recently. But I could see it being received as mediocre. It's fine, but not special. They also have hot links because it's east Texas. I've had them when they've sold out of sausage before but don't bother with them otherwise.
P.S. Ah, the Clucker. I've had plenty of them and highly recommend them. Most of the time, I want brisket, ribs, and sausage though. But if it's someone's only visit, I recommend getting one and some to-go boxes.