An Honest Review of Some of Texas’ Finest: Terry Black’s BBQ

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This weekend was the weekend I have been looking forward to for months now. I am visiting my very best friend, Sammy, who is spending the summer with her family in Dallas, Texas! We have been researching and planning the best way to spend our limited time since our trip countdown began. She kept telling me about this incredible barbecue joint her family had tried. With my love of barbecue, I couldn’t decide whether I was more excited for Terry Black’s or to see my best friend (just kidding, Sammy! Kind of).
 
When we finally arrived, we were able to find metered parking across right across the street. I could hear the faint sound of one of my all-time favorite country songs, “I’ve Got Friends in Low Places”, by Garth Brooks, and I knew I liked this place already.
 
When I first walked in, I was bombarded by the delicious scent of smoked meats. The large arrows on the floor led me to the ordering line. While I was in line, I was able to take a really good look around the restaurant, and I was very pleased. The industrial yet homey aesthetic was very fitting. Customers waiting in line have a front row view to the next room which is occupied by several enormous smokers. The place was loud and filled with the chatter of hungry and happy customers, something I always look for when first entering a restaurant.
 
Ordering
I waited for about five minutes in line (we went around 4:00 to avoid the dinner rush) and then made it up to the counter where you order your sides and desserts. The side options included mac-n-cheese, pinto beans, green beans, Mexican rice, cream corn, baked potato salad, and cole slaw. Each five-ounce side costs $3.25. I opted to try one of my favorites, mac-n-cheese, and then was peer pressured into getting the cream corn. For dessert, they offer peach cobbler and banana pudding. I ended up getting the banana pudding to go since this is something I have always wanted to try, and I figured this would be the place to do it! Sammy chose the cream corn and cole slaw.
 
They gave us our sides on a tray, and we walked to the next line to order our meats. Customers are given the option to order any amount of whatever meats they wanted. They offer freshly smoked brisket, pork ribs, turkey, chopped beef, original sausage, jalapeno cheese sausage, and beef ribs. All meats are sold by the pound.
 
Normally, I order chicken when I go out for barbecue because I am not the biggest fan of red meat. However, since that was not an option, I had to go order outside of my comfort zone. I was given many recommendations and decided I would try a little bit of a few things. I ordered a slice of brisket, a jalapeno cheese sausage, and a few pork ribs. Sammy ended up ordering brisket and the jalapeno cheese sausage. They sliced the meats right in front of us and slapped them on our tray. Not the prettiest presentation, but hey, that’s not what I was there for.
 
Pricing
We then slid our trays down to the checkout counter where we ordered our drinks and were given the cutest Terry Black’s plastic reusable cups. My meal, which was rather heavy to hold, ended up costing me around $40 plus the few extra (well-deserved) bucks I threw in the tip jar. Sammy paid about $25 for her meal. Considering the large amount of food on my tray, I was not surprised or disappointed by the total.
 
The food
After we took our trays and got our drinks, we chose a vacant table and decided that would be our home for the next hour. There was a tray on every table that included three homemade barbecue sauces: sweet, spicy, and original. They were all amazing options.
 
The months-long hype and anticipation of Terry Black’s was absolutely necessary, which is likely why they ended up on Texas Monthly’s “Top 50 Barbecue Joints in Texas”. The food was incredible. The meat fell off of the bone (thanks to the post-oak, indirect heat pit smokers) as any good barbecue should, and the sides did not disappoint, especially the cream corn. The ribs were tender, well-seasoned and crispy on the top. The sausage was cheesy, flavorful, and very rich. The brisket was so tender that we could cut through it with just our forks. The cream corn tasted of fresh grilled corn mixed with a creamy, sweet sauce — something I could only dream of recreating in my own kitchen. The mac-n-cheese was a bit too cheesy for my taste, but I also understand I am probably the only person to ever say that about mac-n-cheese.
 
I waited to try the banana pudding until hours later when I was no longer in a food coma. The crunch of the Nilla Wafers along with the creaminess of the banana pudding was the perfect end to a perfect meal. Actually, the end of the meal would have been my lunch today that was made up entirely of leftovers.
 
The Service
Since Terry Black’s has customers order/pay for their food at the counter, I did not have too many interactions with the staff. However, the people who took our order at the counter were all friendly and helpful despite the quick speed of which they are forced to perform due to the constant flow of customers. When we were visibly finished, an incredibly sweet man who seemed to be in charge of wiping the tables offered to take our trays. This was unnecessary but it was a really nice and personable touch.
 
Terry Black’s BBQ Background
During the car ride home, I decided to learn a little more about the place that just served me the best barbecue of my life. Their site shares that Terry Black passed down generations of Texas barbecue knowledge to his twin sons, Michael and Mark Black, who now enjoy sharing their family’s passion of barbecue with the people of Austin and Dallas. Check out this cool video that explains more about the family business!
 
Overall Experience
If you couldn’t already tell, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Terry Black’s Barbecue. The place had an exciting, fun, and inviting vibe, it was pleasing to the eye, and most importantly, the food was some of the best. I would absolutely go again next time I visit Texas.