Hickory Hollow Restaurant and Catering

I came at lunch, I had no issues as the parking lot is large, service is fast and friendly. I got the brisket plate with beans and fries, it came out fast and hot. The brisket was very tender and had good flavor but was a little dry. The beans need some TLC, I dressed them up with some BBQ sauce and brisket pieces and they were better. The fries were perfect. Overall a good solid option for BBQ. Suggestions would be to spend some time dressing up the sides, add some scap brisket and a little sauce to the beans, maybe even put them in the smoker for a bit. Add a little mesquite wood to your smoker, Texas BBQ should at least have just a touch of mesquite. Just sayin.

Service is you order and pick your food up - so it got the 5 stars because everyone working the orders and cooks such were all really nice. It had been YEARS since my husband or myself had been there. Our youngest son had a house not too many miles away and had been there more recently than we had. Back in the day? There was 1 size chicken fried steak and it totally hung over the pizza pans they use as plates. They have different sizes. Hubby and son got the medium. I got fried chicken. Food is pretty much as delicious as it was 25 years ago. They seem to have kept their standards pretty high. It does have really great chicken fried steak! Mac n cheese is good too - made there. The decor is country. Wood everywhere with old signs and things like an old typewriter, cash register etc. It's an experience. Definitely a restaurant worth the traffic when you want good CFS or BBQ. They had a few slices of pie available - didn't check what kinds they were.

You have to come here for the chicken friend steak, but unless you want one the size of a dinner plate, order the small. The medium is huge! The atmosphere is the best country/western of any place I've been to and everyone is polite.

Service is lovely. Food portions are very large. Chicken fried steak was cooked perfectly! Turkey sandwich was a bit on the dry side. Mac and cheese was just ok and the bbq beans were definitely not my thing. Not a flavor I enjoyed. Was very comfortable and would totally go back for some bbq :).

The services was great, the restaurant was warm no ac, and food not seasoned at all 😷 I had to take my food to go to doctor on my baked potato. The pecan pie is not sweet. I also took that to go to eat that at home with some good ole blue bell ice cream. I will NOT be back 🤷🏾‍♀️

I visited this place during a work trip based on the shear number of reviews (over 4k at the time of this visit). I arrived between 6 and 630 on a Thursday. Right before the dinner crowd, apparently. You order at the counter from the menu on the wall. So, if you don't want to stand around, check out their website ahead of time. I ordered the medium chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, corn, and soft drink. My total was $20.95. First off, the steak was huge. I wish I would have opted for the small. I ate it all though, including the sides. I'm feeling it too. The steak breading was crispy, although it (and the meat inside) seemed to lack seasoning. This was not an issue if you made sure to eat every bite with some of the gravy. Which was deliciously seasoned. So, the combo was nice, albeit necessary. Sides were both good too. Nothing to write home about, but good. Overall, the chicken fried steak was good, but not my favorite. I would definitely bring friends and family here, mostly just to see the look on the face of the person that ordered the large. I'd recommend checking it out for yourself, of course.

I found the place to be very traditional, and the food was delicious. It's not impeccably clean, but it's okay. Very family-friendly.

"Medium" Chicken Fried Steak (enormous). One of Houstons' best for CFS. The gravy is made with drippings, thus the color. Highly recommended.

On two separate occasions, I ordered barbecue (brisket and sausage) and fixings from Hickory Hollow for a party in my home. My guests raved about the delicious smoke flavored brisket, tasty sausage, and outstanding potato salad, beans, and coleslaw. They were very generous with the condiments (pickles, onion, jalapenos, lemon for the tea.) Communication with Hickory Hollow was exceptional and the delivery each time was courteous and prompt. I highly recommend them if you're looking to cater a BBQ party. You will be glad you did.

Visited for lunch with a group of 7. Easy to seat as there always picnic table style seating and we were able to push two tables together. We had the chicken fried chicken and chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes. Good southern cooking right there!! Another had the brisket which they loved. I have feeling you can't order anything that wouldn't taste good.

Chicken fried steak fans-- come to Hickory Hollow!!! Had a craving and found they were recommended by Food Network. A local place with a truly Texas vintage vibe, the food did not disappoint. Order at the counter. Served on pizza plates! My small chicken fried steak could've easily fed two. Crispy batter and tender steak. Yummy gravy. Loved my sides of Mac and cheese and string beans. Only $13 for my meal. Lots of other dishes to choose from but I needed chicken fried steak!

I do not recommend this place. The chicken fried steak is very thin and mostly batter crust. I ordered a size that looked appropriate for me but once I got it to the table it was a huge disappointment. I went back and order a cheeseburger and two more sides just to have enough for lunch. The cheeseburger burger wasn't very good either. This was my 2nd and last meal at this place.

Love the food here. Huge portions, tender meats, flavorful bbq sauce, decent choice of sides and desserts. It's a walk-up ordering, take a number and wait to be called type service. There is a nice side-salad bar and tea bins. The ambiance is a western vibe with wooden furniture and country living artifacts on the walls.

We were nearby and looked for somewhere to eat. I had heard about this place and decided to try it. The chicken fried steak was very good, fresh salad - great place. The photo is of the small order and it was really big

The food was delicious! My friend had the "small" chicken fried chicken and I had the brisket potato. The decorations and sayings are funny and the ladies at the register were nice. I will come back for when I want some good ol' country cooking or really good bbq.

Delicious and reasonably priced barbecue with plenty of seating in a rustic & clean atmosphere. I absolutely love this place when I'm starving. Fast, fresh & friendly service!!

Great place! Great service! And always Great Food! Chicken Fried Steak-Best In Houston!

Great customer service came all the way from California just to try was recommended by a family member 10/10, we ordered a family dinner very delicious everyone was able to get a side of their choice which was cool also loved that the bbq sauce was on the side since some of us don't like our ribs to saucey. The lady who stopped by to pick up our plates was so sweet and welcoming. The cook Vito was super nice.

Food is authentic Texas cooking and has been a North Houston staple since the 1980s. Ambiance and service is comfortable and a nice place to meet friends and family for a meal. Try the chicken fried steak.

Best chicken fried steak in Houston. Friendly Texas service, ambience. These are the places I hate reviewing because I don't want it to be crowded when I go to eat.

On the hunt for the best chicken fried steak I was lead here... Ordered a combo with the brisket. The chicken fried steak was okay. It was tender and the breading was good, but the gravy didn't hit like I wanted it to. The brisket is a hard pass. It needed the sauce or gravy (almost pot roasty). The sweet tea on this visit was a hard pass. Not sweet enough and didn't have that true sweet tea vibe. Overall a cool little place, but a one and done for me.

I don't understand what the deal is with this place not voluntarily providing utensils , salt and pepper for a BAKED POTATO. usually I call ahead and pick up two sliced brisket potatoes to go and they never have the utensils in the bag I always have to go out of my way to ask for some because they don't have it anywhere available at hand. Cool I get that . Today I made a order with UBER EATSXHickoryHollow due to the fact I was at work on my lunch break. I ordered ahead of time and waited 30 minutes to NOT receive some damn utensils to eat with my food. I worked a 14 hour shift today and was looking forward to this yummy potato that is usually presented nicely. On top of the fact they forgot the utensils on purpose( like they always do ) the potato was the messiest I've ever seen Rating one star for unprofessionalism this place was stingy with their utensils YET AGAIN. I don't understand because this was UBER EATS and yall failed STILLL , please tell me how I was supposed to eat my potato without utensils other than that eat at the restaurant but don't order Uber eats if you have a job that doesn't provide utensils because you WILL be left with no utensils to eat a full course meal or something so simple like a baked potato. Thank Yall !

My favorite barbeque restaurant! I am still so upset that the Waugh Location has closed. Now I drive to Fallbrook all the way from River Oaks.

Food and service was horrible! It used to be good like 15 years ago. Food tasted gross, mashed potatoes and gravy tasted like instant, Mac n cheese was overcooked and just nasty. Old food might taste edible when you're hungry on a bad day. My young child was scolded (while I was dropping off food at the table) for getting lemonade and didn't realize I had only paid for water. Then, same lady behind the counter that gave the kid an earful, came and talked to me. As if 1 glass of lemonade was a financial burden. The kid didn't know and I don't think this should have been a huge deal to make us all uncomfortable and unwelcome. It could have been handled differently and in front of a parent. Will NEVER go back again nor recommend. Not only did they lose a customer, they lost the business of a large family and any future recommendations.

They make good BBQ, But those huge baked potatoes and Homemade Hamburgers are their hidden gems. Load those potatoes with brisket or smoked chicken and all the fixings. Those Hamburgers are huge but they are hands down my favorite for one.

Food always good. Service is self service mainly. Counter ordering and wait till your number is called. It's a med size place and seems to always fill up. The are a good business to visit.

Been coming here for years and today I was disappointed when served spoiled chicken fried chicken that had a sour smell and taste even while being battered. I took a couple of bites to know I wasn't going to continue to eat it. Sadly, no apologies given and remade my plate with no side. Very disappointed!!!!!! Lost my business.

Second visit to this location and the staff is always friendly and welcoming. Enjoyed the brisket baked potato and brisket sandwiches which was really good. Not a huge fan of the ribs but I'll definitely return for the brisket the prices are very reasonable compared to other barbecue locations.

I can't even start to say that I grew up eating here, the food is authentic bbq and the service is always friendly and helpful when recommending options. Everyone is always so nice and I love coming here with family and friends.

This place is a hidden gem. It's a small, home style place. The food is a solid 8/10, I enjoyed the homemade bbq sauce, and the self serve cutlery and pickle station. I also liked that the food wasn't greasy! The brisket was lean and the bbq chicken was cooked to perfection. The sausage was probably the best thing we ordered! The service was fast and friendly. You order and then take a number, when the food is ready they call you to go pick it up. It's a pretty self sufficient place. Bathrooms are clean and the decor is cute and vintage western memorabilia that's interesting to look at while you're eating!

This place has an old country feel. The customer service was ok. The brisket has a hint of smoke, and no flavor. The sausage was the same. My wife had the Mac and cheese, and she didn't like it. The potato salad was decent. The portions overall were good. The chicken tenders were huge, and had a crunch, and were seasoned well. The gravy for the tenders was excellent. I would go back because there are other items on the menu that I wanted to try.

It's a solid choice. The fried chicken is the star of the show. Other than that, it's pretty good.

Five stars for sure. Chicken fried steak is the best in Houston. Usually not a line and easy to get a table. Clean and quick and good.

I went there last week for dinner I had the ribs and my wife had the famous chicken fried steak. My ribs were good and flavorful, I prefer baby backs but they were enjoyable anyway and the green beans and fried okra were excellent, my wife enjoyed her chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes with corn.

Bf was craving chicken fried steak and found Hickory Hollow on the internet; the photos made their chicken fried steak look glorious! Definitely HUGE if not glorious =) Perfectly Texas sized. We made the venture up north, apparently they use to have a closer location that has since closed in the Heights, on a Saturday afternoon. Was actually surprised to see how many people were eating at like 4pm on a Saturday. We ordered the large chicken fried steak, cause go big or go home, and the full order of the rack of ribs. Both come with 2 sides. This place is like a BBQ joint, you order at the counter and they give you a buzzer - once your food is ready, you pick it up at the window and find your own seats. Well, the food is so large, they serve it on pizza trays!!! The chicken fried steak was ok - crispy but overly battered. Some say that's the best part, though the "steak" inside is super thin and some parts barely had any. So looks could definitely be deceiving because it looked large but there wasn't much substance inside to fill you up. Bf actually ended up eating most of the whole thing. The batter was seasoned well - but the gravy was definitely what made all the flavors. The hot tots were good - though I would've liked to see them a bit crispier and less mushy inside? Mashed potatoes were as expected and mac n cheese was just meh... The ribs were decently tender but had zero flavors and I actually hated the BBQ sauce - tasted like store bought out of the bottle steak sauce mixed with BBQ sauce or something. Food was just okay.. at least we tried it. Now onto the search for the best chicken fried steak in town..

When In Rome..what a trip back in time. The memorabilia and feel of this place is historic and dated in time at the least. The food was as expected. The money maker Chicken Fried Steak was ok. On par with other Texas style Country CFS. Merf!

Well it has been many years since we've been to Hickory Hollow. Not by choice but by moving from Texas after 25 years. For me Hickory Hollow has always had the best Chicken Fried Steak in the land, any land. Everything is always amazing along with the service. Large portions too. I was missing Texas and was thinking of all of the great foods that I missed too and y'all came to mind. Cheers to you, Scott

Foodwise... chicken fried steak has WAY more fried crust than actual beef. (I wish they'd figure out how Goodson's does it!) And the "side salad" bowl is pitifully small, although getting a second helping is allowed. Otherwise, we'll continue our occasional visit for their bbq items, fried zucchini and hot tots. Love those! p.s. We always end up bringing home leftovers, which boosts the value for us since dining out has become so expensive everywhere now.

Great place. Delicious food. The ribs were amazing, brisket was moist and smokiness wasperfrct

Great country fried chicken dish! I love how the places theme was super western and country. The service was minimal and fast. They call your order number at a serving window. Food was great and up to standard. Overall a great experience

10.31.20. We arrived around lunchtime on a Saturday and the parking lot was semi-full. We got inside, ordered for dine-in, and found a table. Employees wore masks and tables were set up for social distancing. We got their famous Large Rancher's plate and a 3-meat plate. The chicken fried steak was great, brisket was a bit dry, pork ribs were good, and sides were delicious. Hickory Hollow offers consistently southern cooking and we would recommend. It's our go-to place for fast, good homecooking food.

After many years of working in the area and not knowing about this place. It was found on a fluke just driving past and seeing the crowds. And yes it can be busy at times. It is a traditional BBQ place where you walk up to the counter, order, find a table and listen for your number to be called to get t your food. It is rustic looking, inside and out, but clean. The service staff is great and very quick, clearing and cleaning tables. Although it is BBQ they have other options like catfish and chicken fried steak (cfs). I tried the medium CFS the 1st time there and was pleasantly surprised, it's crunchy on the outside and the steak is tender. Oh and it's big enough to share. The sides are pretty good, but the cheddar jalapeño tots are really more of a mashed potato fritter. Not what I was expecting. And not something I would get again. I was really looking for a homemade tot. The cream gravy is not so cream like country gravy, but it is very good. The 2nd time I. The same week I got the two meat plate with CFS and moist brisket. Yes, CFS is a choice, it's smaller, but perfect sized. The brisket was probably one of the best I have had in Houston. Tender, moist and tasty, no need for bbq sauce. On the plate you get two choices of regular sides or one choice of a premium side. I chose the onion rings, they are house made and holy snickee good. The group I went with were all satisfied. This is a place I will be back to. I usually don't do too many bbq places because I do my own bbq, but this is really a place to stop by. Enjoy.

Everything was cooked to perfection! Will be back soon! The hot tots were amazing and the chicken fried steak is to die for!

Haven't been to this place for a long time. Today we revisited and man the Chicken Fried steak is the best yet. I didn't remember how good it was and with the fried okra and mac and cheese it is the best. Will bring the family back for some more. Keep up the good work.

I love they chicken fried steak and it's big forreal. They are friendly and food comes out how you want it done

Delicious delicious delicious!! Brisket was perfect texture, hot tots were good and fried okra was perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. There's also a big reason why this place is known for the country fried steak, because it was phenomenal!

Truly disappointed. I wouldn't even give this place 1 star, because the food was disgusting. I only did because I couldn't post the review without a star. Not only was the food disgusting but it smelled terrible coming in. The brisket was super dry and hard. Not tender at all!!! The Mac and cheese tasted like the store brand. Can't believe this place is running. I want my $40 back.

Very Erratic Food Been coming here for years. Sometimes, it can be very good; last night was borderline awful. The chicken fried steak was overcooked and dry and brittle; all moisture was cooked out. The baked potato was mushy. I think it had been reheated. The sausage was also dry and looked old. This should never have been served up. This was not a good night for the kitchen. This is my swan song for the restaurant. BBQ of this poor quality is not acceptable in Houston. Bbq of this poor quality is not acceptable anywhere.

I heard about the chicken fried steak on the travel and food network channel, and woah! They were not kidding how big they were. I though it tasted very good! In addition, we ordered the 2 meat platter (ribs & chopped brisket) but I thought the taste was alright. Also, the sides tasted sorta bland. Other than that, I thought the food was good.

Amazing place love the country home vibe excellent food and more excellent staff would recommend to anybody looking for some good bbq

Great food and service best chicken fried steak in town great service good salads and bbq ribs brisket

No AC on in the place (I am always freezing and even I was hot), disorganized, forgot our side and I had to go get it myself. Friendly service but just a little weird. Food was ok.

Not the place is used to be! And if you want to dine where it's NOT nice and cool then this is for you!! Food is decent and hot just like the inside temperature!! Service is self.

Walked in around 7:20pm tonight for dinner with my other half and I must say, it felt like walking into someone's home. It honestly felt like a trip to the old backyard for some great BBQ. We ordered a 4 meat platter consisting of the ribs, smoked sausage, the lean brisket, and the country fried steak. The two sides we chose was the hot tots and mashed potatoes. Really loved the flavor and smokiness of the meats. The sausage was a deep black pepper taste and was absolutely delicious. The lean brisket was good with a great smoke ring around the cut, the ribs were delicious, the country fried steak with the smoked gravy was outstanding. The hot tots was probably the best side dish I've had in any restaurant. Prices were affordable and you get a wide variety of meats. I can't wait to return back and try their other meats. Their bbq sauce is some of the best I've had in a very long time. Great compliment to their meats. The sweet tea is hands down the best ever. My girlfriend normally doesn't drink sweet tea but she was in absolute bliss.

In my opinion the barbecue's got to be really special in Texas to get more than three stars, if it's awful you can get less than three stars. I think their barbecue is pretty on point. The barbecue sauce tasted good, and the green beans were good as well. I'll probably be back to try some more of their food.

Delicious and fresh food and fast service. Great country vibe inside and very clean!!

We came to this place for the chicken fried steak after seeing on tbe website that they were on Food Network. Well Im not sure if they fell off or what but we were not pleased. The chicken fried steak was mostly batter with a little piece of steak inside. It was also flavorless. I also tried the ribs and they had no flavor or seasoning at all and they were tough. For sure they needed to go back on the pit for a while to get tender. The bbq chicken was dry and the burger was just simply bland. I would miss this place and try somewhere else.