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53 minutes ago, speed817 said:

My #3 in DFW after Cattleack and Goldees.  Will be taking the west coast family there this weekend when they are in town.

Haven't tried Goldees yet, but I'd bet this is 100% accurate. It was on par with Panther the one time I tried Panther and better than everything else except Cattleack.

And, as many have mentioned, the model for Cattleack and Goldees is just way different than Terry Blacks which makes it hard to compare them. Sure they're both better BBQ, but long lines, limited days, limited quantities has to be taken into account when choosing where you want to go. Most days, I'll take the ease and convenience of 8.5 BBQ over the beating "experience" of 9.5 BBQ.

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5 minutes ago, DonkeyCigars said:

I disagree; went a few days ago before a Mavs game-- regretted it because it was average at best. Regretted not going up the street to Pecan Lodge where I've never had a subpar meal (the last one a month ago or so which was way better). I agree with @Stunns38 on this one.

Brisket PL>>TB

Sausage PL>>>>>>TB

Pork Ribs PL>TB

Sides - who cares, but I would say a push

Complete opposite experience for me. As is the case with apparently all the TM folks, given they dropped PL out of the top 50 and put TB in there. And pretty much everyone else I've heard weigh in on the topic.

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3 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

Complete opposite experience for me. As is the case with apparently all the TM folks, given they dropped PL out of the top 50 and put TB in there. And pretty much everyone else I've heard weigh in on the topic.

yea, I don't know man. Had a BBQ snob friend from out of town have the exact same experience as me (opposite of you) over TX/OU weekend as well.

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8 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I've never been to Pecan Lodge, but after seeing them featured on one of those national cooking channels, I had no desire to even make the effort.  It just screamed "we're gonna reinvent the wheel and you're gonna love it".

I've eaten PL since it was at the Farmer's Market and over all these years I've never experienced the decline that has become codified in BBQ critic narratives. Maybe I've just gotten lucky and gone on lucky days or maybe it's like fashion and will be fashionable again on a cycle in a few years when it's trendy, but Terry Black's brisket is noticeably sweeter (less smokey) and the sweet pepper bark of ribs is trying too hard and the sausage has no hint of crumble/course ground and the greasy snap of the casing. That's quintessential sausage to me (Lockhart-style) and it's non-negotiable for my standards that a BBQ spot excel at brisket and sausage as 1a and 1b.

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7 minutes ago, DonkeyCigars said:

yea, I don't know man. Had a BBQ snob friend from out of town have the exact same experience as me (opposite of you) over TX/OU weekend as well.

Well like I said earlier, different strokes I guess. PL used to be amazing, but I feel like they’ve steadily slipped the last few years. Maybe they’ve stepped their game back up with TB moving in down the street? Competition is usually good for the consumer in that regard. I haven’t been to PL in over a year, so could be different now.

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28 minutes ago, DonkeyCigars said:

I disagree; went a few days ago before a Mavs game-- regretted it because it was average at best. Regretted not going up the street to Pecan Lodge where I've never had a subpar meal (the last one a month ago or so which was way better). I agree with @Stunns38 on this one.

Brisket PL>>TB

Sausage PL>>>>>>TB

Pork Ribs PL>TB

Sides - who cares, but I would say a push

The one positive thing about TB's is it is always pretty sparsely populated and kinda dead, so lines seems short. 

I want to try Slow Bone and don't have the patience for Cattle Ack anymore. 

 

 

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Huh, different strokes I guess. What'd you order?

Brisket, turkey, sausage(they were out of ribs). Had the Mac n cheese and creamed corn. Boss had the same plus chopped beef. Brisket was disappointing, dry and tasteless. We got there on a Wednesday around noon. Maybe it was just a bad day. Everything else was decent but nothing the brag about.

Edit: I don’t think they offered ribs(beef and pork) as I was there at noon and they said they weren’t serving them. Not sure why.
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14 minutes ago, NoName said:

Assuming I am not willing to wait who knows how long for Interstellar Saturday (assuming a dumb long line, right?), any places worth going to in northwest-ish Austin

How is Styles Switch up in Cedar Park?

I've had good experiences with SS in CP.  I've been twice, and each time was about as good as the best I've ever had at the Lamar location (which is notoriously inconsistent in my experience).

 

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2 hours ago, ZB'Tejas said:

Need to check the TM list but any spots y'all would recommend between Austin and Marfa? Leaving in the morning so something around mid way.

TM Top 50 + HonMen, in Google Maps

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.9036068,-100.8617172,7.11z/data=!4m2!6m1!1s1C4dsgEhHyfuoGECtEsP744_QTwspB7vV?hl=en

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Complete opposite experience for me. As is the case with apparently all the TM folks, given they dropped PL out of the top 50 and put TB in there. And pretty much everyone else I've heard weigh in on the topic.

I feel Pecan Lodge dropped off substantially when it added all the additional dinner hours. It was still lunch-only when it opened in Deep Ellum IIRC. I don’t think Justin and Diane are ever there anymore. The consistency just isn’t there. I’m going with a couple bbq committee members on Monday after our meeting with the Fair Park operators — thinking of having our 2022 Cook-Off/Concert down there — and I’ll report back. It was TM Top 10 four years ago and not even Top 50 in 2021. That says a LOT.

The best in DFW that I’ve been to: Cattleack, Goldee’s, Panther City, Terry Black’s and Hutchins. I’m going to Hurtado next week. I feel Slow Bone is just behind this top group. Pecan Lodge is behind them all. I wanted to love Heim because the Mockingbird location is right near my house but it’s just not great. Burgers and sausage are terrific. The rest isn’t. I think Heim is more about making money at this point and I don’t have a problem with that.
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Fixed it for you

Unless it’s gotten worse in the last two years, this was not our experience at all. That was right in the peak of them being #1 and now they’re what #9? The Chef’s Table BBQ show came out since then and also Gordon Ramsey rolled thru there.

I’ll see if I can dig up some photos of where the line was when we got there.
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3 hours ago, ZB'Tejas said:

Need to check the TM list but any spots y'all would recommend between Austin and Marfa? Leaving in the morning so something around mid way.

I just asked yesterday for a spot around the Boerne area and greenspoint said Black Board BBQ in Sisterdale just north of Boerne.  If I map out Austin to Marfa, just hang a left off 290 at Luckenbach and hang a left on 1376 and it's only about 20 minutes down the road.  It's in the honorable mentions and looks legit.  I'm stopping there on my way to the lease in a few weeks.  I'll definitely report back and you should too if you go.

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39 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

It's been that way for years. Because of Texas Monthly.

It got worse last year when Tootsie was featured on Netflix's Chef's Table: BBQ.  If you haven't seen that episode, you should.  Tootsie is a badass and delightful at the same time.  If you haven't been to Snow's, you should go at least once and go while Tootsie is still manning the coals.

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11 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

It got worse last year when Tootsie was featured on Netflix's Chef's Table: BBQ.  If you haven't seen that episode, you should.  Tootsie is a badass and delightful at the same time.  If you haven't been to Snow's, you should go at least once and go while Tootsie is still manning the coals.

She's a total sweetheart. Can't wait to see her again on Saturday. That Netflix episode was tremendous. I highly recommend the one after as well, the one that features the British chef in Australia who cooks everything -- and I mean everything -- over an open flame in his ultra-high end restaurant.

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10 hours ago, ROFL BOX said:

I don't care WHAT the weather is like - blizzard, sleet, rain, lightning, 103f overnight temps... if you're not in line for Snow's by @ least 0700, chances are you're not getting anything.

A little chill thins the heard 

but yeah get there before 6

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17 hours ago, pearlandhorn said:

I just asked yesterday for a spot around the Boerne area and greenspoint said Black Board BBQ in Sisterdale just north of Boerne.  If I map out Austin to Marfa, just hang a left off 290 at Luckenbach and hang a left on 1376 and it's only about 20 minutes down the road.  It's in the honorable mentions and looks legit.  I'm stopping there on my way to the lease in a few weeks.  I'll definitely report back and you should too if you go.

Stopped by a winery by Boerne two weeks ago and they told me that place is an absolute must.

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On 11/2/2021 at 6:57 PM, pearlandhorn said:

Need some recommendations for a good place in or around Boerne. Traveling to Sonora/El Dorado to the deer lease in a few weeks.

Lums in Junction is decent.  Don't go to Coopers there.  It is inedible.

Honestly, just drive to the next town (Roosevelt) and grab a hamburger at Simon Brothers.  They make a really good burger, and it's a cool place.  It is a feed store/post office/cafe/general store and has been open for over 100 years.

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20 hours ago, C-Man said:


I feel Pecan Lodge dropped off substantially when it added all the additional dinner hours. It was still lunch-only when it opened in Deep Ellum IIRC. I don’t think Justin and Diane are ever there anymore. The consistency just isn’t there. I’m going with a couple bbq committee members on Monday after our meeting with the Fair Park operators — thinking of having our 2022 Cook-Off/Concert down there — and I’ll report back. It was TM Top 10 four years ago and not even Top 50 in 2021. That says a LOT.

The best in DFW that I’ve been to: Cattleack, Goldee’s, Panther City, Terry Black’s and Hutchins. I’m going to Hurtado next week. I feel Slow Bone is just behind this top group. Pecan Lodge is behind them all. I wanted to love Heim because the Mockingbird location is right near my house but it’s just not great. Burgers and sausage are terrific. The rest isn’t. I think Heim is more about making money at this point and I don’t have a problem with that.

Curious to hear your report back on PL.

I was touting Hutchins years ago before it was popular but havent been in almost 2 years at this point. Cattleack is amazing, but as I said, I just don't have the patience for that type of cluster anymore in my old age. Time is money.

What is up with Lockhart Smokehouse (Bishop Arts or E. Plano)? Do they still exist? The best Dallas BBQ I ever had was at Lockhart Smokehouse sometime around...2012 maybe 2013, at the Bishop Arts location. They are never ranked or discussed or anything.

For many years the Plano location was a solid business lunch spot that was fantastic and more than a few steps above Hard Eight/Ten50 which is where most of these wahoo consultants who went to like A&M and Baylor and out of state, thought was good bbq.

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31 minutes ago, DonkeyCigars said:

Curious to hear your report back on PL.

I was touting Hutchins years ago before it was popular but havent been in almost 2 years at this point. Cattleack is amazing, but as I said, I just don't have the patience for that type of cluster anymore in my old age. Time is money.

What is up with Lockhart Smokehouse (Bishop Arts or E. Plano)? Do they still exist? The best Dallas BBQ I ever had was at Lockhart Smokehouse sometime around...2012 maybe 2013, at the Bishop Arts location. They are never ranked or discussed or anything.

For many years the Plano location was a solid business lunch spot that was fantastic and more than a few steps above Hard Eight/Ten50 which is where most of these wahoo consultants who went to like A&M and Baylor and out of state, thought was good bbq.

If you thought Lockhart was the best you ever had, I honestly have to question the rest of your BBQ opinions. First, yes, it's still there. Allegedly, Mick Jagger went there a couple of days ago before the Stones' show at the Cotton Bowl. It's good, I guess, but nowhere near Cattleack or Terry Black's or Slow Bone or Hutchens. When it opened in Bishop Arts, there wasn't much high-quality value in the Metroplex. None of the FW places were open. Hutchens wasn't well-known. I don't think Justin had even started at the Farmer's Market yet. It was welcome at the time. But it's not at the level of the other places mentioned here.

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3 minutes ago, C-Man said:

If you thought Lockhart was the best you ever had, I honestly have to question the rest of your BBQ opinions. First, yes, it's still there. Allegedly, Mick Jagger went there a couple of days ago before the Stones' show at the Cotton Bowl. It's good, I guess, but nowhere near Cattleack or Terry Black's or Slow Bone or Hutchens. When it opened in Bishop Arts, there wasn't much high-quality value in the Metroplex. None of the FW places were open. Hutchens wasn't well-known. I don't think Justin had even started at the Farmer's Market yet. It was welcome at the time. But it's not at the level of the other places mentioned here.

Yea that makes sense and maybe I have some sort of bias due to what you said in the bold, because when I went around the time it opened, there was not very good bbq to be had and so maybe back then it just hit differently. Now we get to choose between "really good and great" (versus choosing between bad and mediocre) and so I'm just spoiled rotten.

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Curious to hear your report back on PL.
I was touting Hutchins years ago before it was popular but havent been in almost 2 years at this point. Cattleack is amazing, but as I said, I just don't have the patience for that type of cluster anymore in my old age. Time is money.
What is up with Lockhart Smokehouse (Bishop Arts or E. Plano)? Do they still exist? The best Dallas BBQ I ever had was at Lockhart Smokehouse sometime around...2012 maybe 2013, at the Bishop Arts location. They are never ranked or discussed or anything.
For many years the Plano location was a solid business lunch spot that was fantastic and more than a few steps above Hard Eight/Ten50 which is where most of these wahoo consultants who went to like A&M and Baylor and out of state, thought was good bbq.

Lockhart Bishop Arts is average to me but always crowded. Last time I went, there were a bunch of tourists there from China. I guess the location helps it more than anything.
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I was passing through Dallas today. So a friend and I hit up Terry Blacks. We arrived at 11:15 a.m. and walked right up to the counter. No line. I was not disappointed.

Fifteen minutes later, the line stretched nearly to the front door.

64cda3cdd0301b146b49c97277c0716d.jpg



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17 minutes ago, dcbc said:

I was passing through Dallas today. So a friend and I hit up Terry Blacks. We arrived at 11:15 a.m. and walked right up to the counter. No line. I was not disappointed.

Fifteen minutes later, the line stretched nearly to the front door.

64cda3cdd0301b146b49c97277c0716d.jpg


 

That brisket looks better than the brisket I had. What did you think of the ribs? Do you like that sweet pepper crust? Thoughts on the sausage?

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1 hour ago, DonkeyCigars said:

That brisket looks better than the brisket I had. What did you think of the ribs? Do you like that sweet pepper crust? Thoughts on the sausage?

The brisket was very tender with a great bark.  Flavor was great with a good balance of salt and pepper.  I really liked the ribs.  The pepper stood out in a good way and the sweetness wasn't overpowering.  The larger grind on the black pepper is tough to get right on ribs I think.  I usually don't love too much sweet to ribs, but the larger bits of pepper add both a crunch and serve to hit you with a bite that really puts the sweetness in check.  They were tender, but not mush.  And they had almost total smoke penetration, not a ring, but just pink throughout.  The sausage was very good.  I opted for the jalapeno cheese and they definitely don't skimp on the cheese.  Good snap to it.  I don't know if they make that in house.  If they did, it didn't have that barely holding together feel of a lot of places that do it in house.

They pushed the beef rib on us.  It looked fantastic.  But I just couldn't do it, at least not on my first trip.  Beef ribs are so rich that I'm down for the count and have a hard time remembering or enjoying the other meats. 

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2 minutes ago, dcbc said:

The brisket was very tender with a great bark.  Flavor was great with a good balance of salt and pepper.  I really liked the ribs.  The pepper stood out in a good way and the sweetness wasn't overpowering.  The larger grind on the black pepper is tough to get right on ribs I think.  I usually don't love too much sweet to ribs, but the larger bits of pepper add both a crunch and serve to hit you with a bite that really puts the sweetness in check.  They were tender, but not mush.  And they had almost total smoke penetration, not a ring, but just pink throughout.  The sausage was very good.  I opted for the jalapeno cheese and they definitely don't skimp on the cheese.  Good snap to it.  I don't know if they make that in house.  If they did, it didn't have that barely holding together feel of a lot of places that do it in house.

They pushed the beef rib on us.  It looked fantastic.  But I just couldn't do it, at least not on my first trip.  Beef ribs are so rich that I'm down for the count and have a hard time remembering or enjoying the other meats. 

Thanks for the thoughtful response.

As I said, the brisket in your photo looks miles better than the brisket I was served. I think we generally disagree on ribs because what you described sounds about what I had, but mine was too sweet and overpowering and the sausage was really pedestrian (I never get the jap/cheese on the first trip-- too easy to mask a mediocre sausage with good flavor and I'm trying to judge the sausage on it's own merit).

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15 hours ago, DonkeyCigars said:

Thanks for the thoughtful response.

As I said, the brisket in your photo looks miles better than the brisket I was served. I think we generally disagree on ribs because what you described sounds about what I had, but mine was too sweet and overpowering and the sausage was really pedestrian (I never get the jap/cheese on the first trip-- too easy to mask a mediocre sausage with good flavor and I'm trying to judge the sausage on it's own merit).

I'm no sausage connoisseur, which is to say, I'm pretty easy to please.  I'm sure if I compared it to what I've seen on Sunbird's Instagram feed, it wouldn't come close to holding up.  "Pedestrian" probably is accurate.  It was good, but I wasn't blown away.

On the ribs, I can see how you could end up with something that predominated sweet.  That wasn't my experience today, but it doesn't take too much sweet to put me off.  Thankfully, the two bones I got had a good pepper balance.  Adding a sweet flavor to ribs is like brewing a good beer.  The goal is a balance between the sweet and the bitter.  So many people screw that up, usually erring way too far toward bitter.  So it's kind of impressive when someone gets it right, even if these aren't the best ribs (flavor-wise) I've had.

I got two slices off the point with the end of the point cubed.  Those would be burnt ends chunks were outstanding.

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On 11/4/2021 at 5:20 PM, dcbc said:

I'm no sausage connoisseur, which is to say, I'm pretty easy to please.  I'm sure if I compared it to what I've seen on Sunbird's Instagram feed, it wouldn't come close to holding up.  "Pedestrian" probably is accurate.  It was good, but I wasn't blown away.

On the ribs, I can see how you could end up with something that predominated sweet.  That wasn't my experience today, but it doesn't take too much sweet to put me off.  Thankfully, the two bones I got had a good pepper balance.

I got two slices off the point with the end of the point cubed.  Those would be burnt ends chunks were outstanding.

Also, as long as I'm on the subject.  My buddy and I both got the mac and cheese.  It was pretty good but not mind blowing.  He got the cole slaw and cornbread as well.  I tried the cornbread and it was cakey and sweet, which is how my mom and grandmother made it (and I make it).  So I liked that.  I don't have any recollection of whether he liked the slaw.

The 20 oz Shiner on draught was good to wash it all down.

Edited by dcbc
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15 hours ago, dcbc said:

I was passing through Dallas today. So a friend and I hit up Terry Blacks. We arrived at 11:15 a.m. and walked right up to the counter. No line. I was not disappointed.

Fifteen minutes later, the line stretched nearly to the front door.

64cda3cdd0301b146b49c97277c0716d.jpg
 

 

15 hours ago, DonkeyCigars said:

That brisket looks better than the brisket I had. What did you think of the ribs? Do you like that sweet pepper crust? Thoughts on the sausage?

Looks exactly like what I had the other day. And like the one other time I tried TB's. Maybe you just caught a bad batch? It was all very solid.

13 hours ago, dcbc said:

The brisket was very tender with a great bark.  Flavor was great with a good balance of salt and pepper.  I really liked the ribs.  The pepper stood out in a good way and the sweetness wasn't overpowering.  The larger grind on the black pepper is tough to get right on ribs I think.  I usually don't love too much sweet to ribs, but the larger bits of pepper add both a crunch and serve to hit you with a bite that really puts the sweetness in check.  They were tender, but not mush.  And they had almost total smoke penetration, not a ring, but just pink throughout.  The sausage was very good.  I opted for the jalapeno cheese and they definitely don't skimp on the cheese.  Good snap to it.  I don't know if they make that in house.  If they did, it didn't have that barely holding together feel of a lot of places that do it in house.

They pushed the beef rib on us.  It looked fantastic.  But I just couldn't do it, at least not on my first trip.  Beef ribs are so rich that I'm down for the count and have a hard time remembering or enjoying the other meats. 

 

13 hours ago, DonkeyCigars said:

Thanks for the thoughtful response.

As I said, the brisket in your photo looks miles better than the brisket I was served. I think we generally disagree on ribs because what you described sounds about what I had, but mine was too sweet and overpowering and the sausage was really pedestrian (I never get the jap/cheese on the first trip-- too easy to mask a mediocre sausage with good flavor and I'm trying to judge the sausage on it's own merit).

Yeah, I agree on the ribs overall. They weren't the best ribs I've ever had, but not because they were cooked poorly. I think mine were prepared exactly as TB's intended. Which is to say, their ribs may not be for you, but that doesn't make them bad. Bad ribs to me are just poorly made. There's a big difference.

13 hours ago, dcbc said:

I'm no sausage connoisseur, which is to say, I'm pretty easy to please.  I'm sure if I compared it to what I've seen on Sunbird's Instagram feed, it wouldn't come close to holding up.  "Pedestrian" probably is accurate.  It was good, but I wasn't blown away.

On the ribs, I can see how you could end up with something that predominated sweet.  That wasn't my experience today, but it doesn't take too much sweet to put me off.  Thankfully, the two bones I got had a good pepper balance.

I got two slices off the point with the end of the point cubed.  Those would be burnt ends chunks were outstanding.

I thought their sausage was a couple notches above "pedestrian". Again, not elite tier, but in line with the next tier and better than most places.

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17 hours ago, dcbc said:

I was passing through Dallas today. So a friend and I hit up Terry Blacks. We arrived at 11:15 a.m. and walked right up to the counter. No line. I was not disappointed.

Fifteen minutes later, the line stretched nearly to the front door.

64cda3cdd0301b146b49c97277c0716d.jpg


 

Parsley on the mac and cheese - I'm out.

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8 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

Parsley on the mac and cheese - I'm out.

Bacon or chopped up beef ribs would have been preferable.  I will give an approving nod to the quantity of pickles though.

Edited by dcbc
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Ok you Metroplex punks, I will likely be in Dallas later this month and want to get some BBQ. We will be staying near downtown and I wanted to try Cattleack, but they have some dumb hours (am I reading this right that they aren’t open on Saturday??). So, it looks like Hurtado or Zavala. Which one should I hit up? What kind of line on a weekend am I looking at? My preferred plate is brisket and sausage.

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Ok you Metroplex punks, I will likely be in Dallas later this month and want to get some BBQ. We will be staying near downtown and I wanted to try Cattleack, but they have some dumb hours (am I reading this right that they aren’t open on Saturday??). So, it looks like Hurtado or Zavala. Which one should I hit up? What kind of line on a weekend am I looking at? My preferred plate is brisket and sausage.

They’re open one Saturday a month, I think. Or maybe it’s two. Can’t remember.
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