Hill Country

This is the best BBQ in New York.

I went with a group of 6 and that's definitely the way to do it. Since the meat comes by the pound, a big group can get a variety of meats and sides for a reasonable amount of money. I was expecting to dislike it because of the "chain" feeling I got when I walked in, but I was pleasantly surprised. The meat was tender and yummy, and the mac n cheese was EXCELLENT - a mix of mild and strong cheeses with a creamy, cheesy consistency. The green bean casserole was also a good choice, as was the slaw. I could have done without the sweet potato mash - it was bland. I'll go back.

let me preface this by saying that i am a born and raised texan living in new york. every time i go to a bbq restaurant i order the same thing. brisket. and every time i order brisket in new york i get a dry pathetic excuse for brisket - until i went to hill country. they've got 2 types of brisket on the menu - lean and moist. i think they added lean just to appease the yankees but the moist is the only way to eat brisket. it just melts in your mouth! i was so happy to have finally found great brisket. Hill Country also does an excellent job of providing an authentic texan atmosphere - the butcher paper, the communal tables, the 2 for 1 beer specials - everything. i really felt like i was back home. i've seen a lot of negative reviews about the atmosphere and i just wanted to write this review to point out that all of these things were done on purpose to replicate traditional texan bbq joints.

First off I never ever write a review but I just had to for this place. Ok, so I go with a group of 6 guys to Hell Country based on previous reviews about it being a great bbq place. We are all regular guys who are not critical of anything at all but what happened to us was a nightmare. First off, you show up and you feel like your in a TGI Fridays in times sq with the amount of tourists in the place. Then you get this ridiculous meal tkt and get a tray to go and get your meat. I felt like I was in a prison lunch line. They serve your food in a brown paper bag and that is what you eat out of. No plates and silverware left in a jar. Instead of napkins you get a classy roll of bounty sitting at your picnic table (yes a picnic table). Took at least 25 minutes to get the waitress to bring our first drinks and one guy didn't even get the beer he ordered. The food was mediocre at best and poor for the price. Nobody even finished their food because it was mediocre.

I went three times and have been disappointed every single time. The setup can be original and fun, but is annoying if you are sitting downstairs and have to carry your tray filled with food while people bump on you on their way to the bar. By the time you get to the table, the meat, that is served already just lukewarm, is cold. The food is mediocre at best, I know good barbecue and it should not be served cold and dry! In particular the second time I went I asked for ribs and the guy at the counter gave me a portion that I had seen sitting on the block for all the time we had been waiting in line... when I politely asked if I could have warmer ribs I got attitude and the guy refused to change my order, of course when we got to the table they were dry and not very tasty. At the cashier again the attitude was snappy and rude, unacceptable for any kind of restaurant, even the low key ones. Finally, last week I went with a group of 6 friends and tried to book a table, I was told in a rude way over the phone that reservations were accepted only for parties of 8 or more people, we showed up and sure enough the waiting time was over 1 hour... we sat at the bar and ordered beer that was so cold it practically had no taste, after 35 minutes the hostess came and told us that they were out of ribs and brisket... That's why you should take reservations! so that you know how many people are going to show up! finally the general poor attitude made me not want to go there anymore, and write this review, there are plenty of good barbecue spots in the city, no need to waste time on this one.

Chicken rubbery, ribs beyond salty and a gristly texture. This was the most unenjoyable BBQ I've had in a long time, and yes I know what BBQ is supposed to taste like. Mac and cheese was the only dish I liked. Ate w six other people and we were all baffled by positive reviews. This was really not good at all.

We've eaten here a couple times & really enjoyed our meals though the cafeteria set up is a novelty/pain depending on your perspective. I was raised in TX so the fact that this place not only has Texas bbq but also Blue Bell ice cream & Big Red soda is a real treat! First off, the set-up - it's cafeteria style which wouldn't be so bad if you could grab more than one component of your meal at each counters. But you have to go to a separate line for your: meat, sides, drink, desserts. (Actually there are waiters for beverages so you can wait to get that from a server). I guess it makes sense spacewise & so that the meat people only concentrate on meat but... It's fun once in a while (my family visiting from out-of-state had a good time w/ it) but it could be a pain too if you just wanna sit 'n take it easy. However, the effort is worth it for the food - it's so tasty! The ribs, brisket & chicken are delicious & perfectly cooked. The mac n cheese & beans are nice too, but the corn pudding was a disappointment, sounded better than it tasted. Note that they have these sampler plates that are a good value & help if you're overwhelmed w/ choices but note, the "1 person mea." could EASILY feed 2 people who can agree on the sides those in my party who ordered that for themselves were STUFFED (but satisfied) w/ plenty of leftovers! Also Texas about this place - the size. It's nice to find a place in NYC to eat where you don't have to be scrunched up to your table neighbors. Plus there's live music downstairs on certain nights. Now, don't forget to tip...they pool together their tips & there's a sign saying so when you pay at the cashier upstairs. But it's easy to overlook that. Overall, this place is a little pricey but worth it for the food, if you don't mind the lack of food waiters.