Emily H.
Yelp
For the longest time, this place, famous for their tex mex barbecue mash up, has been on our radar. So we finally gave in to curiosity and paid them a visit to celebrate a birthday.
My first thought was to go to the original Arlington location, but thanks to Yelpers providing lot of photos and reviews, we decided that it might not be ideal for a large group since we would probably have to sit outside. That's how we ended up choosing the Dallas location, which has plenty of indoor, air conditioned seating.
We had a lot of mouths to feed and wanted to try as many things as possible, so we ordered the El Jefe and the El Patron plus Texas twinkies. Together the meals came with sausage (jalapeno & cheddar and poblano jack), pulled pork, brisket, ribs, turkey, burnt ends, and birria tacos. For our sides we chose mexican corn, mexican rice, mac & cheese, tater tot casserole, potato salad and charro beans.
Just about everything was exceptional, although for me the brisket really stood out. I can't remember when or even if I have ever had a better brisket. The smoky flavor and tenderness of the meat made it absolutely perfect. My favorite side was the tater tot casserole. It was about as scrumptious as a potato dish can possibly get. The tacos deserve an honorable mention because they were outstanding as well. Of course that's not surprising since they're filled with that delicious brisket.
As great as the meal was, I wouldn't consider it to be 5 stars for several reasons. First of all, the sausages, which I almost always like the most, turned out to be my least favorite. The casings were so thick that it was difficult to cut through and to chew. The only barbecue sauce available was a bit too sweet, and I'm usually a fan of sweet sauces. Finally, the sides were kind of small, not only in relation to the amount of meat that's included, but also for the price.
As other Yelpers have pointed out, the parking lot surrounding the place will cost you, and that rate per hour is higher on the weekend than on weekdays. I wanted to mention this because I had read in another review that parking was free on Sundays but that is definitely NOT the case.