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Posted

I had Sammy's downtown Dallas late last week for the first time in probably 10 years.

Wow. It's so bad.

Maybe I should have posted in the "how is this place still in business" thread. And that I would guess is a primo real estate location.

Posted
4 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

My brother in law picked up some brisket from Black's on Guadalupe for the OU game -- honestly, it was pretty tasty.  Wasn't that supposed to be the trash outlet?

 

4 hours ago, Party_Taco said:


Never had anything decent from that spot in 3 tries, but happy for you.

 

4 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

 

Huh.  I've hit it multiple times as a "we just want some barbecue where we don't have to wait in line, but still want better than Rudy's," and I truly haven't had a "miss."  Is it the BEST EVER?  No.  But has it been consistently good?  Yep.  In fact, so much so that I tell out-of-towners who don't have time to wait in line somewhere that's a decent place to go to get a sampling of legit Texas BBQ.

What have you had that was not good?

 

3 hours ago, Party_Taco said:

The Fritos weren’t too stale, but everything else was a miss. I’m a snob, but I’d rather have Rudy’s if you’re going for that tier.

 

Maybe they've improved?  I gave them a couple of shots within a few months of their opening, since I'm at Hopfields quite a bit anyway, and it was pretty much  Bill Miller quality.  At the time they were bringing everything in from Lockhart, commissary style, and it tasted like cafeteria BBQ.

If they've improved since then, good for them. 

Posted
On 9/24/2025 at 6:12 PM, HRSchenker said:

Buddy of mine went to Pecan Lodge against my recommendations and holy shit BBQ prices are out of control. They're charging $155 for the trough (their version of a sampler platter) that feeds 4-5 people. Used to be $75. Their desserts are $8 and the cookies are $4. Used to be $3.75 and the cookies $1. What the fuck!

On 9/25/2025 at 4:56 AM, DallasSooner said:

I agree........but..........someone is paying it or they couldn't charge that amount.  A lot of folks have definitely been priced out.  

isn’t BBQ a bubble that is predicted to burst?  there is a price point looming that will exceed most people’s limits and many places will close.  at least I feel like I’ve read that in this thread.

$35/lb for chopped beef is beyond the pale. 

Posted
16 hours ago, futureman said:

isn’t BBQ a bubble that is predicted to burst?  there is a price point looming that will exceed most people’s limits and many places will close.  at least I feel like I’ve read that in this thread.

I’m pretty sure that was the unanimous consensus when brisket first crossed $20/lb. 

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Posted
On 10/20/2025 at 10:15 PM, futureman said:

isn’t BBQ a bubble that is predicted to burst?  there is a price point looming that will exceed most people’s limits and many places will close.  at least I feel like I’ve read that in this thread.

$35/lb for chopped beef is beyond the pale. 

It blows my mind how expensive brisket is yet we haven't seen much consolidation in Texas BBQ. The industry has never been in a better position than it is now, seriously you can throw a rock in any direction and find a BBQ joint putting out stuff that would have made the Top 50 list 10 years ago. I'm at the point now where enough is enough. Will buying the $155 trough at Pecan Lodge cause me to miss my next mortgage payment? No. But I just can't justify paying $4 for a cookie, $8 for 4oz of pudding, and $40/lb for brisket. 

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Posted
3 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

$20 / 1/4 lb is the new $20 / lb !!!

Railhead in FW sells a pound of brisket for $20.  Though not recognized as "Craft" bbq, it doesn't carry the craft tariff either and has been my go to for sometime. While I have eaten at most of the DFW Texas Monthly top 50 'cue joints, Charlie Geren's joint consistently does it for moi.  

Posted

Hit up Churchrow on Anderson at lunch today. It’s in the old Black Gold location and is basically a new version of Valentina’s with Miguel manning the pits but not the money. Got there at 12:30. It was packed but I was second in line. You order 2 feet inside the door so there’s no room inside for a line so it’ll always look packed from the street. always wanted to try the La Reina smoked pork neck sandwich so I order it and a side of beans. 45 minutes later, I got my beans and free fajita taco as an apology for the wait. 1 minute later the La Reina came out but instead of a sandwich it was a taco. Maybe there’s a version of both on the menu and I didn’t specify which. Regardless, it and the fajita taco were both fucking stellar. The meat was perfect and the tortillas are the best in town. Hopefully, they figure out how to speed up the kitchen. That was the only stumbling block.

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Posted
On 10/22/2025 at 3:38 PM, Jerry Callo said:

My thoughts exactly.  I didn't know Chicago had a barbecue style.

One of my brother-in-laws is from the Chicagoland.   On his first trip to Houston, we went to Ninfa's one night.  He proceeded to tell us that one of his friend's mom was from Mexico and he could get better Mexican food at her house and our meal was was below average.   I told him that I didn't doubt that because restaurant food is usually inferior to a home coooked meal if the cook knows what they are doing.   Especially an abuela who knows her shit.  My wife thanked me later for being cool about his comment.  

A few nights later we took them to Pinkerton's on Airline.  We're all digging into the ribs and brisket when he proceeds to tell us that he can get better BBQ in Chicago.   

I lost my shit.  My wife side eyes me with a "Ok, yeah, you can tell this fucker off."  In a low volume told him no fucking way and that there were a half dozen places minimum in Houston alone that were far superior to anything he could get up there.   That within 2 hours of us, there were another 10-12 places that would shame Chicago and the entire Midwest with the exception of maybe some places in Kansas/Missouri.  If we expanded that out to the Austin/San Antonio and DFW areas, we could add on another 10-12 or more.   Never mind the number of backyard warriors who do amazing BBQ in their own right.  

Since then, he's stopped being such an insufferable "Chicago" prick.   But that night really pissed me off.  

 

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Posted

There was a "Chicago-style" bbq place in San Antonio. It was called Old Smokehouse on Fredericksburg road. Used to go there quite a bit since it was right next to my work and it was quick. Food wasn't bad. Would fill a need whenever I craved BBQ. Food was served cafeteria style.

Anyway one time I went there and the person in front of me was a dude in a A&M hat. When he got to the front he ordered his food then asked the meat cutter where the owner was from. The meat cutter replied "Chicago." Aggie dude blew a gasket. "WHAT?!!! YANKEE BBQ?!! HOW DO THEY KNOW ABOUT BBQ?!!!". He then slammed his food on his tray and walked to the center of the dining room area where he started yelling and ranting about Chicago BBQ as if everyone was getting poisoned since they weren't eating Texas BBQ. It was a pretty full restaurant and everyone just silently stared at him till he lost steam and left. Probably the weirdest lunch I've ever had.

 

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Posted
There was a "Chicago-style" bbq place in San Antonio. It was called Old Smokehouse on Fredericksburg road. Used to go there quite a bit since it was right next to my work and it was quick. Food wasn't bad. Would fill a need whenever I craved BBQ. Food was served cafeteria style.
Anyway one time I went there and the person in front of me was a dude in a A&M hat. When he got to the front he ordered his food then asked the meat cutter where the owner was from. The meat cutter replied "Chicago." Aggie dude blew a gasket. "WHAT?!!! YANKEE BBQ?!! HOW DO THEY KNOW ABOUT BBQ?!!!". He then slammed his food on his tray and walked to the center of the dining room area where he started yelling and ranting about Chicago BBQ as if everyone was getting poisoned since they weren't eating Texas BBQ. It was a pretty full restaurant and everyone just silently stared at him till he lost steam and left. Probably the weirdest lunch I've ever had.
 

I mean, though his approach leaves something to be desired, you can’t argue with the logic…
Posted
11 hours ago, Macanudo said:

One of my brother-in-laws is from the Chicagoland.   On his first trip to Houston, we went to Ninfa's one night.  He proceeded to tell us that one of his friend's mom was from Mexico and he could get better Mexican food at her house and our meal was was below average.   I told him that I didn't doubt that because restaurant food is usually inferior to a home coooked meal if the cook knows what they are doing.   Especially an abuela who knows her shit.  My wife thanked me later for being cool about his comment.  

A few nights later we took them to Pinkerton's on Airline.  We're all digging into the ribs and brisket when he proceeds to tell us that he can get better BBQ in Chicago.   

I lost my shit.  My wife side eyes me with a "Ok, yeah, you can tell this fucker off."  In a low volume told him no fucking way and that there were a half dozen places minimum in Houston alone that were far superior to anything he could get up there.   That within 2 hours of us, there were another 10-12 places that would shame Chicago and the entire Midwest with the exception of maybe some places in Kansas/Missouri.  If we expanded that out to the Austin/San Antonio and DFW areas, we could add on another 10-12 or more.   Never mind the number of backyard warriors who do amazing BBQ in their own right.  

Since then, he's stopped being such an insufferable "Chicago" prick.   But that night really pissed me off.  

 

Should’ve made him feel right at home and shot him. 

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Posted
On 10/22/2025 at 12:26 PM, HRSchenker said:

It blows my mind how expensive brisket is yet we haven't seen much consolidation in Texas BBQ. The industry has never been in a better position than it is now, seriously you can throw a rock in any direction and find a BBQ joint putting out stuff that would have made the Top 50 list 10 years ago. I'm at the point now where enough is enough. Will buying the $155 trough at Pecan Lodge cause me to miss my next mortgage payment? No. But I just can't justify paying $4 for a cookie, $8 for 4oz of pudding, and $40/lb for brisket. 

In 2026 you are going to see a LOT more of a focus on chicken quarters, pork steak and smoked hamburgers.

I say that... but every place I know of whose on the ball has already made that change.

Sadly in 2026 I think we are gonna see a ton of really good places close.

Posted
58 minutes ago, NoName said:

In 2026 you are going to see a LOT more of a focus on chicken quarters, pork steak and smoked hamburgers.

I say that... but every place I know of whose on the ball has already made that change.

Sadly in 2026 I think we are gonna see a ton of really good places close.

And they'll price all that ridiculously high. $25 half chickens.

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