Proof & Cooper BBQ and American

amazing service, Brenna was excellent! we had a great time. Our drinks were on time, and made to perfection! enjoyed the food, the drinks and can't say how much of a good time we had! What an incredible town and what an incredible BBQ place this is! highly recommended! Will definitively come again!

Random stop on our way home from a weekend away. We sat outside & it was lovely. Love the little shops and decor outside! Food was good. Fried pickles were great. Chicken fried steak was good and a large serving. Everyone was pleased. We'll definitely stop again on our way home next time.

I had the Cubano sandwich. It was great, a very healthy serving as well. We also had the chicken fried chicken. The flavor was just a bit off when paired with the gravy which was a bit in the bland side. I totally appreciated the service and friendliness of everyone on staff. We'll more than likely go there again at some point, but we'll be more selective. Recommend.

had a nice lunch with the family and enjoyed just about everything! service was friendly and attentive. the atmosphere is simple but warm. our food seemed to take longer than expected for how quiet it was. the pickle chips were great. the bbq was a bit hit or miss though. the beans and potato salad were fine, same with the sausage. the pork ribs were tasty but the brisket was lacking flavor.

So good, we came twice. I love their pecan salad! That dressing was like a lemon ranch. I never had anything like that before. I ordered that with a side of turkey. That turkey was SO good. My husband liked the bbq a lot, but he said he’d hoped for a Smokey flavor. We are used to the Smokey flavor in bbq but it was missing that. Either way, the meat was very delicious and so tender. Dang shame we don’t have this place near home. But, I’ll try and replicate that salad!

This place was really good , nice looking inside ,our waitress took our order and came often to check on us after our food came .. my wife had chili and we were both impressed with it . I never order chili anywhere because it's usually just greasy hamburger meat soup ...this was not like that at all. You could have made a sandwich or tacos with it ...it was so meaty you could stand a spoon in it and it was not greasy but good lean meat . My chicken fried steak was tender and my green beans were perfect . I'd like to say something about dessert which sounded like it would be good but I didn't get any because the portions they gave me for dinner were enough to where I don't think I could have eaten a dessert ..probably have to skip the appetizer and that extra link of sausage..all in all a great Sunday dinner

Oh. My. God. I don’t even know where to start… would you just freaking look at this plate!? All this for $21. Where else can you get a plate of DELICIOUS & JUICY BBQ this size in the hill country? I will be making the 50 minute drive from Lakeway far more often for this. Maybe known well around town, this place is an absolute hidden gem to the rest of us living closer to Austin… this place gives every BBQ spot around the big city a run for its money. I think I’d eat this off the floor without hesitation 🤤😋

Stopped in for an early lunch. Tried the fried pickles for appetizer. Really fresh and hot. I ordered the chicken fried steak and was very pleased with the quality of the food. The cream gravy had just the right amount of black pepper. This meal came with collard greens and I'm not a fan of them but these were actually pretty tasty. I would definitely stop in if you're in the area. Worth taking the time for a meal here

Womp womp womp. We were excited to try this place after passing it a million times, but it definitely fell short. Lots of parking around the block, and cute little ally that the restaurant is in. Play area and everything further back. Lots of game inside, and unique ambiance. Upon arriving, we were greeted and seated quickly. The hostess didn't seem to know too much, but definitely has practiced what she has been told to say. She did put us on the quieter side with no guests yet since my daughter was sleepy when we came in, really appreciated it. Our waitress came along and just kind of seemed annoyed that we were there. We didn't take too long to decide what we wanted to eat and ordered. I ordered the 3 meat plate with potato salad and beans. The jalapeño sausage and potato salad were really good! We liked the brisket, and the pork ribs were okay. The bread seemed like it was just sitting out for a while. Beans were okay, trying to switch it out for another side that costs the same price of buying it as a side and they said they needed to charge for it....aggravating. The club sandwich was a good portion, but heavy amounts of mayo. The fried fish wasn't battered as expected and had an odd flavor. Coleslaw wasn't too great either. The kids Mac and cheese was good, and the fries came unsalted. Appreciate it, but my girl likes a little salt. No big, we added a little. Overall, don't think that I would come back honestly. May try the ice cream shop in the ally though!

We finally went to see all the Christmas lights in Johnson City after putting it off for years and wanted a place for dinner. We chose here because of the reviews. My chopped brisket sandwich was 5-star. The french fries aren't better anywhere. Service was excellent, atmosphere was kid and dog friendly and great. The drink menu was impressive, even more so at 50% off on Thursdays and those we tried were very good. The only disappointment was the apple pecan salad, 2-star, maybe. Lots of lettuce a few apple slices and some pecans in the bottom. The dressing, however, was really good. We were hoping for a salad similar to those served at (the now forever closed) Centerpoint Station near San Marcos. If we hadn't ordered the salad this would be a 5-star review. All of the deserts looked good, our server recommended the carrot cake which was also excellent. We will return! Soon. We're eager to try the BBQ platters.

We had the best lunch at Proof and Coopers! We were a party of 10 but they got our food out pretty quickly. I wish I would have left room for the dessert. I will be back!

Came into town and we were all hungry!! Couldn't go wrong with some fried pickles and their burger with onion rings on them! Sooooo good! Our waitress was amazing, she was very thoughtful, really nice, and made great conversations!

Great place to grab a burger or sandwich while in the Texas Hill Country. Service was outstanding and was able to be served very quickly. Very comfortable and casual for a lunch break.

Johnson City was a good midpoint between the folks I was meeting for lunch so, after some research, we chose Proof and Cooper as they had indoor seating (essential for Texas) BBQ, burgers and salads, and was easy to find. Got there early so I decided to have a beer. They have some good local/microbrews on draft. I got the "surprise tap " option and on this day it was Billy Jenkins Session Bock from Wild Acre in Fort Worth. Delicious dark beer. Also got a fried pickles for the table, which arrived just after everyone I was eating with arrived. I got the chopped brisket sandwich, which included an ample amount of delicious meat topped with Cole slaw. It had BBQ sauce on it, but it wasn't mixed/drenched so the taste of the brisket was still there. I'd order it again. There was also a pulled pork sandwich, a Cobb salad and a sliced brisket plate ordered and everything was tasty and there was zero issues. The restaurant is clean, modern looking and quiet. We had no problem carrying on a conversation. The waitress took good care of us. I'd recommend.

Big NOPE. Was so disappointed that there was not a good BBQ option in Johnson City! We thought this place looked gorgeous, and even had a playscape for children! Seemed like a nice spot to get a bite to eat with family after visiting the museum and we were VERY DISAPPOINTED. When you enter the establishment there is a sign for an antique shop, wood and metal work store and a sundae bar! The sundae bar was said to be renovated so it was not open, but we might go back to try that. The food: SAD. We started with the Texas Twinkies which is a JALEPENO stuffed with Brisket, cream cheese and wrapped in bacon. NO FLAVOR and looked nothing like the pictures. It looked and tasted like it was made last week and was warmed in a microwave. No flavor and the bacon was so floppy like it was boiled. To add to the disappointment the waitress forgot any plates or silverware and then got our drink order wrong and didn't bring my kids drinks I ordered, "mommy I'm thirsty!" I know honey. It was a very hot, Texas day! My husband ordered a Nashville hot chicken sandwich which came with coleslaw and fries. The waitress forgot the fries then came to the table and asked oh does that come with fries? Could have done without them as they tasted like they were straight from the freezer. My husband ordered their craft margarita- it came out in a beautiful Mexican style painted pot with straw. But tasted like straight water, total waste for $10. I asked the price of the frozen cocktails and the waitress didn't know and had to go find out. I said it's ok I'll stick to my water, which I'm glad I did because we were so unimpressed I didn't want to spend another dime there. Save your money and go to Dairy Queen.

Good menu choices. Great prices in today's economy. Awesome thirsty Thursday drink specials.

What a good find for lunch!! We were passing through this city while visiting, and decided to stop here for some food. We were thoroughly surprised and happy with the food options we ordered! We ordered the Nashville hot chicken (which we felt was the best, very crispy, and flavorful), garlic Parmesan wings (Get these!!! They were soo good and we loved the melted cheese. Cooked well!), and the pulled pork (which we felt was very smoky). Our waitress was very friendly and helpful with recommendations, and we loved the Texas vibe of the restaurant! We didn't have to wait long for our food either-we went on a Sunday afternoon. Overall, would definitely stop back in and enjoyed our food!

Cute restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. Food is good and reasonable price. The meat was soft and tender and not overly saturated with strong flavor. This is the place for those that want something good, subtle and not too crazy with the flavors. Cute ice cream shops and other shopping nearby.

I ordered the fried catfish lunch special. The catfish was inedible. Like a breading sponge soaked in old grease. The fish inside tasted like mud and smelled rancid. Servers are scarce and don't appear to be trained, or recruited for their personalities, to put it nicely. I lost my appetite and just left. Not coming back.

Paying common prices but eating on "Dairy Queen" paper containers. The bar drinks are weak, if they even have the right liquor at the time. The staff is young and not professional, often seen talking amongst themselves. Really not managed well.

This was our first time here & definitely would recommend! The brisket is the best & their barbecue is amazing. We would buy it by the bottle if possible! We also tried the coffee porter & really enjoyed it. The carrot cake was pretty yummy as well

Excellent food! Superb service! Great atmosphere! It's a trifecta of perfection. India and Jodie made our visit great! Go, if you haven't been here!

Very poor service. We had a group of four people, so we were not a big group. We were looking for a place to have supper. The host seated us in the bar area and gave us menus. We sat there for about 5 minutes an no one came to get our order. The folks behind the bar ignored us. We went back to the host and asked for a server and he said one would be right there. We waited for another 5 minutes and no one. We stopped a bar tender and asked for a server and she said someone would be right there. Still no one came to take our order after another 10 minues. So after waiting for over 20 minutes, we left. The host made some attempt at an apology. I woud avoid this place. There are many other places in Johnson City that want to feed you good food.

I had catfish, horrible, crust was over cooked hard as a rock and cold. The fish was warm but flavorless. The potatoes were paper thin, cold and bland. The coleslaw was decent. Tarter and cocktail sauces were awful. Totally forgettable never again meal. Service was a bit slow but not waitresses fault she was awesome. Deserts were ok. Fish n chips at HEB 10x better.

My steak was great and my kid's burger was super delicious. The place is nice although service a bit slow.

We were in the area for Father's Day and they had patio dining. We got some snacks. As we saw the menu we realized this was the same company that used to be on Hamilton Pool road. That location has since closed. This location has a larger menu. The waitress was friendly and nice. The food was a tad slow coming out but we were not in a hurry. We were visiting with family. The queso was good as were the chips. My husband had no complaints about his salad. We would defiantly eat here again.

I heard recently that Johnson City is on its way to becoming the new Fredericksburg. The restaurant scene has certainly been growing in this area, and Proof and Cooper's is a solid choice if you're out and about in Johnson City. We stumbled upon it after hiking at Pedernales state park. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Nothing fancy inside but lots of seating. We got the Monday special - buy a burger and get a beer - pretty good deal. The burgers were tasty and the fries were really well-made. I will say that service was a little lacking but I think they had more customers than they were anticipating on that day. All in all a good option in the growing Johnson city restaurant scene.

Spicy garlic sausage is amazing!!!! Tender brisket and delicious smoked turkey and pulled pork. Only thing missing is ribs.

I went with two friends and we shared 2 of the sampler plates, with each one coming with 3 meats, pit master beans, and potato salad. We swapped the beans on one of them for the Mac and cheese side. The max and cheese was so good that we ordered another side of it! For our meat, we got two portions of brisket, pulled pork, turkey, ham, and hot sausage. I'm not a huge pulled pork or ham person, so keep that in mind when I say those were my two least favorite- but my friends really liked it. I thought all the other meet was pretty good. My friends got (Christmas) seasonal drinks that they really liked and I was DD so I got sweet tea, which was good. I'm actually pretty picky about sweet tea lol but this met my standards. It was a lot of food and we did have leftovers but I still got a brownie, which was delicious. Would go again, for sure!

Service was slow and unorganized. I ordered a glass of whiskey and the glass was dirty (had food stuck to the inside). I ordered Nashville chicken tenders with ranch to go, and I didn't get the ranch. The Nashville seasoning wasn't spicy at all and didn't have much flavor. However, the chicken tenders themselves were cooked really well and were very tender. I usually have their burgers, and they are always pretty good. I like this place, they just really fall short sometimes.

The drinks were strong, the food was good & hot, and staff were friendly. Really liked the rustic atmosphere. Highly recommend the burgers.

Stopped here for lunch after hiking at Pedernales in the morning. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. We started with some chips and queso, which had good flavor (if a bit thin). I then took advantage of the Monday special (a free beer if you get a burger!) and ordered the BBQ burger. The bacon was high quality, the onion rings weren't greasy, only complaint would be that I'd like some more BBQ sauce on it (couldn't really taste it at all). Great lunch stop in town.

Everything was horrible, service, food and drinks. What a waste of time, money and effort. Safe yourself and skip this terrible place

A perfect little tavern-like restaurant right in the heart of the charming Johnson City with lots of seating, great prices, and friendly service. We each got a salad with chicken and deviled eggs. Everything was fresh and delicious. We came for lunch on a Saturday, but it'd be really fun to come for dinner on a weekend night if I'm around the area. They also have sandwiches and BBQ. Every table besides mine had a bowl of queso, so we'll have to get that next time!

If I could give 0 stars I would. We waited over 45 minutes for our food. Then it came out cold. Tomato basil soup was not good. Grilled cheese, the cheese was not even melted on the bread. Chicken fried steak was cold. Mac n cheese was cold. We told our waitress and she took the food back and it came back hot. When we told her about the items she acted like she could care less. Would not recommend.

What a surprise to discover this gem! We hadn't tried it before since my husband is a vegetarian, but we had our dog with us and needed a pet-friendly place. Turns out they are very people friendly too! Wonderful service from the greeter, our server Darian, and her colleagues. Casual, homey atmosphere and delicious food. My husband got the Impossible burger on a brioche bun with fries and declared it delicious. I had the chef salad: fresh crisp Romaine with avocado, tomatoes, croutons, cheese, and best of all, lots of their house-smoked turkey and ham. Plus house-made ranch dressing. I took half my salad to go so I could save room for dessert. So many tempting choices but we settled on the turtle brownie with ice cream to share. Decadent and plenty for two to share. Prices were very reasonable. We started indoors (fun atmosphere) but moved outdoors when our 16 pound dog decided to bark at an innocent Labrador. Everyone seemed perfectly cool with a barking dog (except me) so we moved outside, no issue at all, and it was lovely outdoors on a warm November day. Such a great experience!

It was good, just a little pricey. ($5 for fries ) Our waiter was so very sweet and the decor was beautiful.

Do not visit this Resturant. The service, food and drinks are way below standard. Save yourself the time frustration and money and do not go here.

I'm very disappointed. My family and stop there after leaving Pedernales Falls State Park. It's was late, and we were hungry it was the only place still open and serving food... So I thought. As I walked in, the host asked how she could help us. I said seating for 4, please. She then said, "So sorry, the kitchen is closed. I was confused because their were people who had just sat down and looking at their menu. Hummmm, so we left, I then called the place on my cell and asked if they were still serving, and the lady said yes, we are... realllyyy. Could it be because my skin is brown, hummmm it's sad that we are still going through this in 2024

Great place. Ordered a chopped brisket sandwich and the huge brisket nachos. Great looking place as well and food and service was excellent. Recommend you check it out.

I'm bummed to report that we had an overall not great experience at P&C tonight. We came in after an afternoon at the Science Mill, just before 5. A couple a things stood out immediately. First, it was really warm inside. The wall thermometer said it was 86 degrees inside. That's really not a comfortable dining experience for anyone. Second, the place was almost empty. When we were seated there were only 2 other diners in the entire restaurant. Normally in a small town on a busy road on a Friday evening a place like this would be hopping, but it was eerily quiet. I can only guess that other people might have had issues here too? A highlight was our server Aubrea. She was kind and pleasant. Several minutes after taking our order however, she came back with a menu and said that 3 of the 4 of us needed to select different entrees because: - There was no special today even though menu said catfish was the special on Fridays - They were out of chicken fried steak - And the ribeye was still frozen That was not a promising start when only the child in our party got the meal he wanted. The table shared an appetizer of fried pickles that were ok - not great but not terrible. Two of the party had salads. The Caesar salad was fine. The cucumber salad was not at all as expected and proved inedible. But the waitress was kind about it, and she took it off the bill when we said something. The chicken tenders were fried to almost burned and proved very difficult to eat. One of our party had gone with the brisket plate after the ribeye wasn't available. While the meat was fine, he was put off by the sauce. It tasted *extremely* tart and vinegar-based, like something you might find in North Carolina at a pig pickin, not in Texas. It was difficult to describe but not good. So he then asked for A1 or if they had another kind of steak sauce he could use instead. The reply was no, they had nothing else other than the BBQ sauce - odd when you serve steaks. And, his French fries tasted exactly like DQ, so it's just a personal preference as to if that's your thing. It wasn't his. When the chicken fried steak wasn't available I switched to the chicken fried chicken as my second choice. The gravy was good and the level of fry on the chicken was fine (unlike the tenders). The mashed potatoes were skin on, which is not my preference and I don't recall seeing that called out on the menu, but otherwise were fine. Mac & cheese was fine. Overall that was the best entree of the group followed by the Caesar salad. We'd be hard pressed to return. It was just too inconsistent. And unless the AC is fixed I can't see many people sweating through dinner for inconsistent food. Hope they get everything sorted out in the future. The previous restaurant in the space, East Main Grill, had been a highlight.

Great ambience and food! We really enjoyed our time here. Service was excellent and we came with a large group. Very accommodating.

My mom and I came here for lunch today based on some of her friends' recommendations. This place recently came under its current nomenclature/ownership, as it had previously been known as the East Main Grill. I had come here excited, thinking I would try the East Main Grill Portobello Mushroom Burger. We were met by a staff member who took us out on the back deck after we asked for outdoor seating. There is a LOT of seating out back and what looks like a great outdoor bar/dining area. Big and roomy. Our server, Misty, took great care of us and greeted us warmly. We ordered a couple of teas, fried mushrooms, a Beach Bird sandwich for mom (upon Misty's recommendation), and a BLT for me (which, according to the menu, came with your choice of chips). The food came out quickly - the mushrooms were hot and cooked to order. My mom's sandwich was well put together and, according to her - delicious. My BLT, though - that was it. No chips, no thing. Just a $10 BLT. My mom said - well, we should get some fries or something as a side. We asked Misty for some and they came out quick. Hot and tasty. The service from Misty was top-notch, the food was not bad but overpriced and not what was promised - all in all, our bill for two teas, two sandwiches, an appetizer and a side of fries was just over $37. Somehow my BLT was $2 more than my mom's expertly grilled chicken sandwich. Food - decent. Service - excellent. Price - not so nice. Also, mask and glove usage by the staff wasn't great. I know how "small town" JC can be - but with all the out-of-towners coming in and out - you would want a little more safety enforced. I would come back - but wouldn't run back. Still, not too bad.

My boyfriend and I were on our way back from a relaxing getaway in Fredericksburg, both starting to get hungry after some wine tasting. We decided on Proof and Cooper's thanks to all the great Yelp! reviews. Well, here's another one! I have to say, I was really impressed by how good the food was! The location and its patio are also nice and on such a gorgeous fall day, I was happy to sit outside. The tables were spaced apart enough to maintain proper social distancing and even as the restaurant got busier, we still felt safely away from other patrons. Back to the food, we ordered fried mushrooms, which were fresh and hot from the fried. Hand breaded and served with homemade, or what certainly looked and tasted like homemade buttermilk ranch dressing. My Nashville style breaded chicken sandwich was perfection! Ranch dressing, tangy pickles, crispy, spicy, juicy chicken, fresh romaine lettuce on a soft, mildly sweet bread. I will be back for more!! I also got a bite or two of my boyfriend's Cubano sandwich, which was also spectacular! It had fresh mustard seed dressing, ample slices of thick ham and a generous serving of slow roasted pulled pork on a toasted crispy/chewy roll. We both vowed to come back soon to try more. I'm not usually this hyped about sandwiches, but damn! These were knockouts, worthy of the trip!

Sorry, no photos! Great burgers! I wouldn't personally order anything else here. We had a variety of items but they were so so. The burger was flavorful and juicy! We had the Plane Jane and the Blue Cheese burgers. Service wasn't warm, not sure if we caught the hostess and server on a bad day, but both were really abrupt. Not a lot of southern charm or hospitality. I'd come back. Sorry! No photos!

Waited an hour after having been told the wait would be 15 minutes by a young teenager and a 10 yr old boy who were manning the hostess station. I came back three times to check and they couldn't have cared less. Even after we left we never got the call that was promised. Never going back

The restaurant area is quaint with cute shops around it. This place has so much potential but big changes need to happen here. I read the Yelp reviews and wasn't sure if I wanted to try this place with my family to celebrate my sister's birthday. The server was sweet but the service to get food was 1 1/2 hr. wait. We found out why after we ate. The food was good, not the best but I wouldn't complain about it. My husband asked the server why it took so long to get food. Apparently the cook leaves at noon to have lunch. The backup cook hurt his wrist & wouldn't come in and owner left to run errands. So, there was no cook to make the orders. The worst part is the server let us sit there for an hour and a half without letting us know what was going on. The owner needs to get his business together and tighten up his service. This is a great location with great atmosphere in the middle of Johnson City. I hope the owner reads this and figures things out!

Food was satisfying and pretty delicious. Service was good and friendly, all positive Atmosphere is rustic antique and very cozy ambiance...... Overall nice place, we have been a few times, you should check them out when in Johnson City, Texas !!!

When we were here on New Year's Day we had horrible service and I wrote an equally horrible review. The owner reached out, apologized, and sent us a gift card for a free dinner for two. Today we took advantage of it and we're very pleased. Food was excellent as was the service. When you get an owner who cares and makes up for a bad experience, it makes up for it. I highly recommend Proof & Cooper!

The service was good and everyone there was very friendly-it was just the food....brisket was so tough and (maybe) old? Mac and cheese was not good at all, no flavor. Beans weren't bad or good. Ribs were not it at all...they were rubbery and just not flavorful.

Service was fast and friendly - food amazing! We were in need of a Bloody Mary after staying at Carter Creek (highly recommend staying and eating there too). We arrived shortly after opening, and Karla took care of us. The restaurant had a condensed menu to be able to accommodate the Christmas crowds. Unfortunately, we were set on the Cuban sandwich that is on their regular menu - but wasn't on the condensed menu. Karla, sweet talked the kitchen into making the Cuban sandwich for us. OMG - we were so glad she did that - it was phenomenal. They use Texas brisket to make it, and equally delicious ham. Load that up with melted cheese and a solid roll (cooked on both sides). Amazing. I will go back just to get that. We also had their jalapeño poppers. Equally delicious, probably a little on the pricier side for three. The Bloody Mary was topped with a piece of sausage bacon, and three olives. Can't get better than that. Tip - split a Bloody Mary. They are huge!

Savannah is awesome!! Actually everyone is great. Stop in for a drink and fried pickles. Recommend the old fashioned and red nose Rita. Be sure to say hi to Bonnie (Bonny) too.

The atmosphere and vibe was completely lacking and awkward. So we ordered 3 appetizers instead of committing to full dinner. The bruschetta was drowning in balsamic vinegar and was inedible; the zucchini fries and buffalo wings were decent. Our waitress was sweet and friendly.

Loved Saturday night at P & C, especially Caitlin(or with a K?) She was fun, and kept my sister and me entertained with great service and her friendly personality! Johnson City is a great getaway, and a stop at Proof is a must; the cocktails are great and the pulled pork sandwich is fantastic...even better if 'Cody' is playing...Added bonus of the night was being able to watch both the NFR and college basketball in the bar!

Just passing though Johnson City and stopped in for lunch. Fantastic smoked club sandwich (definitely Texas sized) and our waitress Brook was so sweet and attentive. We sat outside since we had out pup and both Brook and the manager on duty came out to check on us, we never felt forgotten like some other places we've been.

2.5 stars 7:30 on Monday night 12/18 and there is no wait at the door. Waited and waited and waited 55 minutes for food. Food finally came and it was okay. Update - there was a wait list but when we were seated there was no longer a wait. I see now manager / owner making excuses. I didn't see any manager or owner in the restaurant while we were there. Nobody coming by to check on us while we waited an hour for food. Why to keep an eye on social media but you don't care as much to take care of the customers while they're there in person.

Got the smallest brisket sandwich I've ever seen for $14. Hard pass for future visits to Johnson City.