Rudy’s Barbecue is slow cooked, slow smoked, and quickly eaten. This is real Texas Barbecue. Their logo says The Worst Barb-B-Q in Texas, but that is just a marketing gimmick, they are among the best. In Dallas the big name in Barbecue is Sonny Bryant’s, and they do have pretty good sauce, but they have some of the blandest, dullest, driest barbecue I’ve ever eaten. Cover it with enough sauce and it is not that bad, but real Texas barbecue, like the kind you find at Rudy’s Barbecue, doesn’t have to be hidden under a thick layer of sauce to taste great. The whole point of Barbecue, for those of you that have never been to Texas, Kansas City, or Memphis, is to cook it slow with smoke so that the meat is flavored by the wood that is being consumed. Rudy’s Barbecue does this as good as anyone, anywhere.
KC Masterpiece is my favorite barbecue place, because it is a real restaurant, something most barbecue Joints don’t aspire to be. But it is nice to sit down at a clean booth and have a waiter bring you your slab of ribs and give you a hand towel to whip off the excess sauce. Expect none of that at Rudy’s Barbecue.
Most of the Rudy’s Barbecues I have been to are half aircraft hanger and half converted gas station. There are long wooden tables with checked picnic tablecloths. The walls have a few old signs that seem to be required whenever anyone opens a new restaurant, but they are so high on the distant walls as to go unnoticed. The main room is usually vast for the number of people that it seats. This is a good thing. Even though everyone shares these long tables, there is no feeling of being crowded. And Rudy’s Barbecue can be crowded.
The menu is the usual barbecue suspects, barbecued brisket, barbecued pork ribs, barbecued pork, barbecued chicken, barbecued smoked sausage and barbecued turkey. There is an item they call a stew that is basically the trimmings from all the cuts of meat they serve. It is a bit peppery, but it’s very good. They have some of the best Cream Corn I have ever had. The pinto beans and the cold slaw are also very good.
The beverages are keep in over sized coolers filled with ice and cold water, or you can order a fountain drink. Everything is available to go and the meat is just as good the second day as the first.
The service is fast and brisk, as usual in a barbecue joint. They expect you to know what you want when you get to the head of the line and may go to the next person if you hesitate while reading the menu. But the food appears quickly and is served with a couple of slices of white bread and a bottle of sauce. Barbecue always costs more than I think it should, but at Rudy’s Barbecue it is worth the expense.
Like all barbecue Rudy’s Barbecue is not a health food. If you are counting calories or watching your weight, you’ll be better off heading to Subways. But if you want some of the best barbecue west of Memphis and south of KC, this is the place to go.
Rudy’s Barbecue-3 stars.
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