Visited a new BBQ joint in Austin and the brisket was... fine?

I was at this place called Hill Country Smoke last weekend, and they had a line out the door for their 'award-winning' brisket. I paid $28 for a plate, and honestly, the meat was just okay, not even close to the best I've had in town. What's the deal with a place getting so much hype for just average barbecue?

3 comments

3 Comments

sanchez.pat17d ago

Exactly, the best spots have more smoke stains than awards.

veraj5317d ago

I had the same thing happen at that place last month (the line was almost an hour long). The secret is that the best brisket in Austin is usually at the spots with no line and a beat-up picnic table out front. My rule now is if a place has more awards on the wall than smoke stains, the meat is gonna be just fine. I'd take a solid $18 plate from a food truck over a fancy $28 "award-winning" one any day.

the_hayden17d ago

That's the worst feeling, paying a premium for hype. Been burned by a few of those "award-winning" lines myself. The meat just ends up tasting like regret and a lighter wallet.