Branding Iron Restaurant & Catering

I tried brisket, ribs, hot link, smoked sausage, baked beans and potato salad. Brisket was dry I asked for sliced and it was so dry after he got it sliced it turned into chopped on its own. Ribs definitely needed more seasoning. Hot link was over cooked and dry. Only things I liked were the sausage and potato salad.

Right at the intersection of iconic and nostalgic sits the Branding Iron. Great food. Relaxed atmosphere. Affordable prices. Honorable mention for any BBQ joint that has smoked bologna. My favorite.

We were in town for Thanksgiving and it was my birthday. I'm a BBQ fanatic, so of course I needed BBQ for my birthday lunch. This place isn't going to win any awards for their decor, but that's part of the charm of these old BBQ joints. After all, the most important thing is the BBQ itself, and I was pleasantly surprised. Sadly, they were out of brisket, but the ribs were huge and very tasty, the turkey was more than decent, and the smoked sasuage was on point. I could go without the sides, but honestly, I don't go to a BBQ joint for sides. Give me the meats! The only reason I gave 4 stars for the food is because the side were just mid. I gave 3 stars for service and atmosphere just becuaee you basically serve yourself and it's an old place. The staff were really nice. I'd go back without hesitation.

I travel all over Texas I drive 5000 miles a month and I eat nothing but barbecue all over Texas in this place is by far the worst barbecue I’ve ever eaten the brisket incredible dry I asked for moist and they said they cut all the fat off all their brisket, which is weird to begin with I asked for hot links. They gave me something that taste like turkey bologna it was the worst sausage I’ve ever ate in my life. The only way I could stomach half of it down was drowned. It was sauce. Please don’t waste your money at this place. It’s terrible. They have no idea how to barbecue.

We trusted the reviews. That won't happen again. The only good thing about this place was our waitress that checked on us. The food was so bad we got up and left. The okra was way overcooked, the brisket was spooned out of a tin and tasted like sloppy Joe's, the beans were incredibly bland, the spicy links were so dry. If you like that stuff, great, but this was definitely not good for our big family.

I needed a quick lunch on a Monday in Wichita Falls. I wanted someplace where I could sit down and work on my computer while eating lunch and most places are closed. They were very accommodating and helped me find a good place to sit so I could work and eat. The food was fantastic.I would totally recommend the brisket.

I’m visiting my sister here in Wichita Falls & she raves about the Branding Iron. So we go there for lunch today (4/26/24). It was a big let down. She has the chopped beef and I had the ribs. She has fries and I had the pea salad and we both had the coleslaw The ribs were dry but flavorful, though I shouldn’t have to use barbecue sauce. The chopped beef was bland. The coleslaw was so watered down that it had no flavor whatsoever. The peas were just as watery and bland. The fries were okay, even if soggy. Overall, we were Both disappointed with the quality of the food. It didn’t live up to the hype.

I remember this being a reputable BBQ spot back in the day. We visited our family this past weekend and stopped in to eat here. We were not greeted, the guys serving the food never spoke a word. It was like school cafeteria lunch-lady service at best. Cold unwelcoming like they hated being there. The food had no flavor at all. I had brisket and 2 sides. The brisket was dryer than a popcorn fart, no seasoning. I took it home and my dogs wouldn't even eat it. The broccoli cheese was like canned mush, again no flavor, just bland watery cheese. The tea was good! Kinda hard to mess that up so thats the only reason I gave 1☆. Glad I ate whataburger before the family decided on this place. .....oh, the pea salad was okay. Edible, so I ate that.

Been a long while since I've eaten there but, when I did the pork loin was delicious and I would highly recommend giving them a try.

First thing I noticed as a Texas girl is I came to this place and never smelled the BBQ smoke, char, flavors or anything before having a seat at the table after getting the food. Now with that being said IYKYK! The place is really dark and has lots of older people and blue collar working folks inside that frequent this place. The inside is dark, one of the guys cutting the meat made a joke to me about how much I ordered (BIG EYED Stare) . I told him that he had nerve and he better watch his mouth when he's talking to me. All the sides are homestyle you serve yourself. If you are a homophobe, this could be a problem. Because it's like a buffet so everybody's gonna be touching the spoon. Getting into the lie is pretty quick and simple I paid about $25 for my lunch and got a combination plate. Usually if I go to a place that has barbecue, I will get the combination plate with different meats just to try a little bit of everything. This time I got turkey which was not bad just a tiny bit dry but I've had worse. It did have flavor. I also got the brisket which definitely needs you to submerge it and sauce, he does not have any flavor or seasoning and it's pretty soft, but you will have to season it. The potato salad is a little bit different than I'm used to, but it was OK. Napkins are already on the table in the big roll style, there is a big area in the back of the building that you can use for more people or bigger meetings. The waitress they cleaned our table was super funny and silly, and we got a couple compliments about looking like we were fun Because we always bring laughter everywhere we go. This is a good place to come to if you're hungry really quickly and you don't need anybody to cook anything special. This is a In-and-Out establishment bring about $25 and you will be good to go.

Delicious bbq with an old west feel and loads of memorabilia on the walls. A fantastic blast from the past!

I arrived around 1:30, ordered 2 meat brisket and sausage plate 2 sides Texas toast drink under $20, maybe time of day but was probably the worst brisket I've had, extremely dry, nothing special about the sausage, sides were good might be the best okra I've had, anyway it looked like they had already sliced up the brisket maybe to keep up with orders IDK. It was almost as dry as the guy that took my order

I have high standards for BBQ, and this place met them. Combine that with great customer service and an all-you-can-serve sides, and this place gets high marks. I was traveling through Wichita Falls on a business trip and did some research ahead of time to try to find the best BBQ in Wichita Falls. I think I found it. First, I'm a sucker for places that look like a shack. This building fits the bill. It's on the corner of an intersection where the roads don't meet at right angles. I'm glad that I used a map app to help me find it, or I might have missed the turn. Parking was tricky as the space between the driving lanes and parking spots is tight. However, I found a safe place to park. As I walked in around 5:00 pm on a Friday night, I noticed a few vehicles in the parking lot. By the time I left, it was filling up. This place has a following. That was confirmation of what I experienced in terms of service and food during my visit. Service here is a bit like Subway or Chipotle. First, you pick up a tray and silverware. Then you tell them what meat you want, and they slice it up in front of you. I ordered the rib dinner. I was delighted when the meat server turned around and pulled an untouched rack of ribs out of the oven (smoker?). He chopped them up efficiently, put them on my plate with some Texas toast, and handed it to me. Then I made my way down the serving line to the sides. You serve your own sides. I chose potato salad and coleslaw. That was something I haven't seen in a BBQ restaurant in a few years. I often find that coleslaw portions are not generous enough for my appetite, so it was nice to get the amount I wanted. The price for my meal was less than I expected based on my experience elsewhere, so I consider this meal a great value. Anyway, after I paid, I found myself a table and began enjoying some delicious BBQ. The coleslaw and potato salad were fairly standard recipes. The Branding Iron uses finely chopped cabbage for their coleslaw and not much else in it besides the dressing. I prefer the more colorful and coarsely chopped coleslaw at places like Swadley's, and Earl's in OKC, but it delivered a cool, slightly crunchy counterpoint to the savory ribs. Same thing for the potato salad. It's a standard mustard dressing, and they cook the potatoes a bit beyond fork tender so that you get this yummy gummy mixture that has bits that are more discrete and bits that are more like mustardy mashed potatoes. Then there was the start of the show -- the ribs! I prefer fall-off-the-bone ribs, and they nailed it. Over time, I am developing a greater appreciation for bark, and they nailed that, too. The seasoning rub they use is their own, and there's enough that you don't need any sauce. The smoke flavoring helps with that, too. On top of that, I got two large ribs and two small ones. There was enough to eat two during my meal and take the other two home. They were still delicious when I heated them up in my air fryer at home a few days later. The inside of the restaurant is a bit dark, but each table is well lit. My server took care of me and made sure that I had all my questions answered. Bottom line: If The Branding Iron were in OKC, then I would have a new favorite BBQ spot. For now, it will have to wait until the next time I'm passing through. I hope that Wichita Falls knows how great this place is. Judging from some of the other Yelp reviews, it seems that they do.

When I went the food was served buffet style. It was pretty much a self serve place with minimal service. Ambiance was spartan and worn

I've had better. I asked for moist brisket but was given dry. Broccoli cheese was not good at all. The sausage and barbecue sauce were great though. Wish Mac n cheese was an option here. Line was out the door for take away but the inside has plenty of room even if it's busy.

Stopped in on a roadtrip after seeing some good reviews and the whole family wished we hadn't. When ordering we were greeted by an unhelpful and unfriendly staff who acted annoyed by a simple question. When I asked for fatty brisket with a lot of bark I was provided with a very dry serving without any bark to be seen. Thank god they okay bbq sauce or this meal would have been inedible. Their "smoked sausage" is just store bought hot links. The self serve sides were interesting, but all just okay. Save yourself some time and money and go somewhere else if you are passing through town.

The food was terrible. The ribs were mooshy and salty , ham was saw dust dry, can't really mess up a pre-made smoked sausage. They must have run out of sugar when they made the sweet tea. The Toast and Fried Okra were the only things I could eat on my plate. I gave every thing a fair taste test. Was recommended by several people for years to come here and was very disappointed. To have to smother all the food in BBQ sauce isn't the answer either, it wasn't that good either. Really had high hopes for this place.

Excellent, and savory Texan cuisine. Phenomenal tender pork shoulder, the sausage and beef were good too. The sauce is made in-house and goes great with everything. Best fried okra I've had yet. The restaurant was clean and the staff were friendly. It was a warm relaxing lunch in a rustic all American restaurant!

Overall not a bad place for Wichita Falls as far as BBQ goes. The meat was all good but the group consensus was the meats all needed BBQ sauce or they tasted too dry. The portions were good and you self-serve sides which is nice. The sides were pretty cold when we got them but the best one was the beans. The staff was friendly and the place was pretty clean. Wouldn't be my first choice of restaurant but isn't bad if you're really wanting BBQ here.

Love the food at Branding Iron! I grew up going there for BBQ..I've always been told that the small hole in the wall places are the best places to eat & that holds true for me. The service is like self serve, because they give you your meats then you fill your plate with other good stuff! Thanks..

Branding Iron is served cafeteria style, you go through a cafeteria line, help yourself to the sides. The food is top notch delicious and reasonably priced. The place is clean and decorated in a western fashion. I haven't seen them selling their half chickens lately, and I'm afraid they're gone and they're my favorite but all their food is worth it. Good value, good product, good service.

This used to be my favorite barbecue place in the US, but it's changed owners twice since then. Last time I went, I took my wife there for her first time, and she was served a chopped brisket sandwich... and the meat was rancid we have not been back.

Cozy place with cheap bbq and scoop your own sides. Everything was pretty much just "ok" but for the price it wasn't bad. Meat needed the sauce, lacked in flavor. If you're looking for delicious bbq flavors you may want to look elsewhere.

Fantastic flavor. Great service personnel. Right near downtown area. Will come again.

I've eaten A LOT of BBQ in my time all over this country, and i know good TX BBQ w/IMO at the top Franklins, Salt Lick & Coopers. Branding Iron is an "eh" IMO. Nothing i'd go out of my way to or go back for. All my meats were dry needing bbq sauce to assist in my consumption. I got the turkey and brisket. I opt'd for the larger portion just bc i was hungry and nothing likes lots of bbq! The sides i got were beans and fried okra. The beans were ok. The okra was cold/chewy and just eh. Price wise not expensive for the amount of food you get. Just not as juicy and tender as i've had elsewhere.

Better than good, thanks for the other reviewers, on our drive to Dallas we stopped here. Not the most picturesque spot, the food more than makes up for it. Ribs were fall off the bone! Brisket lean & tender.

During my trip to Wichita Falls, my mom kept stressing to me to go to her "favorite spot" for BBQ. So my cousin took me to the Branding Iron, a cute little rustic looking bbq joint. We got there a little early to beat the lunch rush she said as we ordered our briskets and sausages. We sit down and BOOM, that place was packed!! No wonder though because the food was great! The sausages were delicious and the servings were big. It's definitely a great bbq joint and almost has the feel of bbqing with your family at your grandparents house, I dig it.

I stopped here on the way back to DFW and I was pleasantly surprised. I had the hot links along with beans and broccoli cheese casserole. Everything tasted great and it was self serve so you can give yourself a little extra on the portions. The price was very affordable too. Whenever Im back in town I'll plan on dropping by again.

Damn good barbecue, delicious sauce, crazy good fried okra, big portions and fresh ice tea. Worth the drive off the freeway!

Wonderful place that was recommend by a local. I've been there many times over the last few months while I am in the area. Be sure to stop by if you are near! So much better than those dried out chains......

I love this place!!!! It's good and not over priced I will go here anytime I want bbq

This is one of the top 3 BBQ joints in Wichita Falls. The meats ( ribs, brisket, ham sausage, roasted chicken turkey and smoked bologna) are consistently good and the sides are always on point. The service is quick (cafeteria style) and the interior is rustic ranch.

I tried the 3 meat plate. I chose ribs, brisket and pulled pork. It came with 2 sides. I got fried okra and macaroni salad. The sides were set up buffet style, so load up. The ribs fell off the bone and brisket and pulled pork was so tender and warm. BBQ sauce was spicy and good. It also came with 2 peices of toast to sop up bbq sauce. The tables have peanuts in a cup for you to shell and eat. Over all for the first BBQ joint I tried in Texas, it was good.

Best Brisket in Wichita Falls !! Great service !!

No cards! They have an ATM inside the door. If you want a blast from the past old country smokehouse feel, look no further. The portions and sides are great. I can eat their beans every meal. Grab the smoked bologna! Also, pro tip grab an extra cup if you are drinking soda--it's hard to get back in line for a refill.

I ate the brisket here. It was dry. I did not use sauce and that may have made the difference. I ate fries for the side. I believe that Willie's bbq is better but I only had the brisket without sauce. The atmosphere here is a little divey, dim, and buffet line ish. The place has a lot of decorations that are cowboy/texas related. The place is a fixture of Wichita Falls. I was put off by the buffet line layout of the place. They do serve beer here and have selection of side items. It is a cash only place but they do have an ATM inside. They have two doors. One for customers who eat there and the other for to go orders. They place was okay.

Lucky I had enough CASH "CASH ONLY PLACE"!!! driving through and really wanted BBQ and this place show up. It was still busy 2pm Sat afternoon with lots of people for take out and dine in. When you walking in there is one side for take out and another door for dine in. The decored is old school TX restaurant. Had the combo plate and the girls had sausage plate. The slice beef with the BBQ sauce it was perfect on the bread. Will definitely try to stop by again on our next road trip!

Had the brisket and sausage combo. Sausage was good. Brisket was ok. It seemed to be overcooked and just fell apart. Sides are serve yourself, so that was unique. Had the potato salad and cole slaw, both were ok. BBQ sauce was actually pretty good. All cash business, so be forewarned.

Stopped in from DFW to visit antique malls and found you guys. Amazing BBQ and delicious sides for a steal! Everyone working was super friendly which made the whole restaurant feel like eating at your Grandma's. 100% will come again!

This is literally the Best place I've ever found for barbecue anywhere. Besides Samurai of Tokyo this is my other favorite restaurant like period. My husband and I went here on one of our first dates back in high school and 25 years later are still coming here; definitely recommend!

Delicious!! We loved every bit of our meal. The line was out the door from the time we arrived but moved very fast. Best BBQ I have had.

I could sense it as soon as I walked in the doors - No windows, lots of wooden furniture, a couple of burly guys standing at the beginning of a cafeteria line waiting to take your order - this was the place I was looking for when I came to Wichita Falls looking for some Texas barbecue. And while the ambiance and hospitality matched my expectations, the brisket didn't pass muster: light smoke ring, not much bark, and pull-apart tender but dry. The pulled pork was better in terms of texture and fat content, though a little less flavorful. Good thing I like Texas barbecue sauce. Sides are served on a buffet line, and I like how there's a few oddball items, like that broccoli and cheese stuff, or the pea salad if you're in the mood for something that feels a little healthier but probably isn't. I'm conflicted because this place oozes so much ambiance that I'm still likely to prefer Branding Iron over some of Wichita Falls' other barbecue joints simply because it feels a little more authentic and sometimes that's more important than nitpicking details when you're an out-of-towner looking for an experience, but there's room for improvement.

Really good BBQ at a BBQ price. I Love their sauce, and they have a great quality and choice of meats.

Found this place on around me app and decided to pull in. We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of food. The staff was extremely helpful and service was great. My wife had the combo with sausage and brisket while I had the quarter chicken. Both were very good and the flavor was good. Anytime we both agree "I'd eat here again" the place must be pretty darn good. And did I mention the sides were almost eat all you want!

Ok Bbq, the sauce is really what made the taste. Brisket was like a dry, flaky, pot roast, no smoke flavor. Smoked 1/2 chicken was ok, lacking significant seasoning but once the bbq sauce was poured on it was much better. The potato salad was not tasty and had a weird gritty texture and the pickles had other food particles in the container so I didn't eat many of those. The baked beans were very good and the fried okra was flavorful. The price was decent considering how much food I received however they don't take cards so bring cash. Overall restaurant appearance was run down and not in good condition which would be worth it I'd the food was amazing but it wasn't. Not my first choice upon our return to Wichita falls.

Do not recommend! First, the decor inside the restaurant brought out some of the history of Wichita Falls and gave the feeling of olden days. This is a cafeteria style place, cash only, less than average customer service. If you are looking for Texas pit BBQ, stay away. The brisket was dry, little flavor with pieces of it having a consistency of bad beef jerky. You do not have the option for lean or fatty brisket. The ribs were ok, had more flavor than the brisket, but was a bit light on the meat. Must have been a a skinny hog. The pulled pork, little flavor and fatty. I guess it's hard to compare with places like Kruetz and Smitty's down in Lockhart Tx, or Hard 8 BBQ in Stephenville Tx. Perhaps we came on an off day...

First time coming and it was okay the meat is cooked perfect however there wasn't much flavor to it not a fan at all with there potato salad

Probably the best BBQ in Wichita Falls. This place is definitely home style cooking with the home style feel good. If there's any place in Wichita Falls if you want to try for BBQ this would be at, to get you some a Texas Best BBQ right here at The Branding irons! I promise you you won't regret it!

A nice location with nice people working there. I have never had tasteless watered down brisket till today. I think they skip the pit and put stuff directly in a steamer. It's tender but tasteless. It's never a good sign when a Texas BBQ restaurant gives you a heaping serving of BBQ sauce on the side.

Bring cash! I flew into town just in time for lunch. I asked a few locals where to eat and the Branding Iron was the common denominator. Grab a tray and move through the line, fixing your plate as you go. The lighting could be a little better on the food line, but don't fret, it's delicious! The meat (I had the sliced beef) was tender and the BBQ sauce was tangy with just a bit of sweetness - the best I've had. I tried the coleslaw and pasta salad for sides. The coleslaw passed, but was not exemplary. The creamy pasta salad was tasty. I would come back the next time I'm in town.

You know people have this impression of Texas as a place to get barbecue. I don't know why. Maybe I did too at one point when I first visited Dallas in 2008. I wanted Texas barbecue. I wanted steak. I wanted what I thought would be southern food. Ah the naive and the young. So when out of towners are in town, they demand barbecue from our lil Texan village. I steer them to the Branding Iron. It's definitely a local authentic type establishment where old folks drink out of mason jars. Metal trays. Order in a line. No frill and no fuss and cash only. I always get the ribs plate with another meat. Good solid meal that will make you lethargic for hours or feed you for another day if you get a to-go box.

Wichita Falls' staple BBQ joint. It's easy on the wallet and it's definitely above average food. It's not the best BBQ I've ever had, but I've never left unhappy. I've dined in and had their catering many times and it's always a 4star meal for Wichita Falls.

We had a lot of barbecue places to choose from while in Wichita Falls and it seemed that the iconic place to go would be Branding Iron, so that was our first barbecue stop, for lunch on our first day. Branding Iron has a good local feel. It is not trying to be fancy or trendy. It is not a place that has outgrown its roots and become a food warehouse. To start with, you order in line like a cafeteria. You tell them at the start, what meats you want and then serve yourself on the sides. I ordered Sliced Brisket (which turned out chopped, but oh well). On this day, this serving, it was a little on the dry side, but with good smoke and very good beefy flavor. Dressed it up with some hot sauce and a little of their barbecue sauce, it would make a decent sandwich. For that order on that day I rate the brisket 3-1/2 stars. I am not a barbecue sauce user, unless there are issues with the meat. Branding Iron's sauce is thick, tomatoey, tangy and only slightly sweet. I used a small amount to moisten the brisket. Ms T selected Pork loin which is really risky almost anywhere. It did have good smoke but was farther to the dry side. This is typical of the modern "other white meat" when it is the loin cut. I should have talked her out of this before she ordered. We also had some smoked sausage. I was hoping for some locally made delicacy but it was very commercial in texture, soft but with good smoke flavor, it could have been Hillshire Farms without the garlic. I liked it for what it was, but wished I had tried the hot links, which may have been more local. It was far from the German influenced links we had around Austin. I also had a small order of pork ribs. They were good and smoky, very tender with a nice rub having adequate salt and seasoning. These were very meaty spare ribs. On any return visit, I would get a brisket sandwich and/or ribs (maybe both!). Our meals were served with Texas toast. I can't pass up pintos. These were Tex Mex style with some cumin, but not over done. They were good. The slaw was very good. It was creamy, fresh and crisp and (for my taste) not overly sweet or over dressed. Potato salad was mashed style, also not sweet (again a good thing) with a little dill pickle. This is the way I like potato salad. The fried okra that Ms T chose needed to be fresh from the fryer. It really does not work in the buffet line. This is solid three star barbecue. Moist brisket would move it up to four and it may have just been the particular meat I received that day. I know this can vary from cut to cut and from day to day. Branding Iron is lunch only, cash only. It can be a busy place but the line moves fast. You get good portions and a good value. I would certainly go back if in the area.

The Branding Iron has it all! Great decor. Perfect atmosphere. And of course BBQ! You order from the line. There is no waitstaff. They give you the meats (sandwich or plate) and you get to serve out the sides! Drink choices include beer on tap or bottle and they'll even do a Red Draw (from what I can tell this is like a michelada). I got the combo plate with brisket, sausage, and turkey. The sauce is also self serve so I put that in a small cup. It's slightly tangy and a good compliment to all 3 meats. The brisket was a little dry (good thing I liked the sauce). Few ways to mess up sausage and they didn't (mess it up). The turkey was the highlight, juicy and smoky. I got potato salad and beans for sides which lived up to any BBQ I've ever been to. Can't wait to go back!

Best BBQ in the area with a true authentic Texas feel. If the halmark of good BBQ is a hole-in-the-wall building, cooks right up front serving you in the line, and a packing lot full of trucks and locals--this is the place. You walk in, head straight to the right, get your tray and then move down the line. Meat is first--all of it looking great and cut/served right there on the spot by helful folks wielding knives and mesh gloves. Then you move past chafing dishes full of beans and cold-plates with potato salad and all the other expected fixings. When you get to the cash register at the end of the line, you'll find drinks available to your taste. Plenty of seating, although this place gets BUSY during lunch time. Suggest arriving early if you are heading their during lunch, and be sure to check their schedule as they aren't open on some days of the week. Definitely good Texas BBQ anywhere in the state and the best you'll find in the Texoma area.

The best of the best if you want ribs and great BBQ. Anytime I am back home in Wichita Falls I have to stop by this great establishment. This place has excellent food at affordable prices. I have eaten at plenty of BBQ places in Texas and California and this is by far one of the best places for real BBQ. The setup is easy and food is served fresh. You walk through a cafeteria style line with your metal tray. You order your choice of meat(s) and pick your own sides from the cafeteria style line. My favorite thing to order is the rib combo (under $10) with brisket and hotlinks. They have other meats including sliced beef, sausage, bologna, pork shoulder, smoked turkey, smoked chicken, and chopped beef. Every meal is served with two pieces of white toast. You can get a variety of sides including macaroni salad, beans, fried okra, steak fries,potato salad, etc. I would recommend getting the perfectly fried and seasoned okra, beans, and/or macaroni salad. If you don't want to eat in you can always order by the pound or take it to go. For those people not from Texas remember you can either get your tea sweetened or unsweetened. This great locally ran restaurant will always be a favorite of mine. For the quality of food, affordable prices, and authentic decor this place is a 4-5 star easily.

Branding Iron has always been a great place to eat. The food is outstanding, no matter what you order. The building is an old building but don't let that bother you. Just think about the food your going to receive. The staff is very nice. My wife and I enjoy every meal when we go there.