Hill Country Barbecue Market

The food was delicious. I enjoy the corn bread. Although I am fasting my salad was good and my other peers enjoyed the food and drinks.

Outstanding… a little slice of hime right in the middle of Brooklyn… the que is on point and the atmosphere is great… the service is a little disorientatiing if you have never been to a smoke house shop before but once you get a hang of it… it is all good

I love the idea of BBQ but it seems to hard to meet the expectations of the idea in my mind of BBQ. Hill Country did a pretty good job of that. The SO picked it up so I can’t comment on the atmosphere, though driving past a few times left me confused about the Hill Country Chicken vs. Hill Country BBQ market at the same address, and I was initially afraid they weren’t going to have BBQ after all.
Now I can’t really compare with Texas BBQ since I’ve never lived in Texas, and the one experience I had in Texas at a very well-​reviewed place was an unbearably unchewable brisket. I’ve had plenty of NY BBQ and a bit elsewhere though, so here are my takes on the food specifics.
First of all, let me say every single item had a really good, strong smoky flavor, which I often miss on my BBQ journeys. So much so I had to wonder if it was all natural smoke, but I have to assume that’s what Hill Country provides. It was potent, and wonderful.
Lean Brisket — I prefer moist, fatty brisket but the SO prefers the lean and more power (and health) to her. It was indeed kind of dry, but pulled apart easily at the bite, with a good crust and smokiness top notch. I need BBQ sauce with anything and their sauce was excellent, not too sweet, not too thick. Love to try the moist as well but I’d get this again too.
Smoked chicken — I believe the menu states this is the only meat cooked with sauce, and indeed it had a delicious BBQ glaze that made it pleasantly sticky — not liquidy. The meat in this case was quite moist. I’ve always been disappointed with smoked chicken in the past due to lack of smokiness and being too dry. This was perfect, except if I was the pitmaster I’d leave it with a bit more moist BBQ sauce.
Smoked turkey — A bit on the dry side again, but also pulled apart easily. For me, needs sauce. But again, the strong smoky flavor drew me in and I liked it more than expected.
Pork ribs — I think they say they aren’t baby back ribs, and indeed were pretty large. That makes them harder to eat for some with the extra cartilage and knobs, such as the SO, but again the smoky flavor was top notch, the texture was very easy to pull apart, but not so falling off the bone you wonder if you are eating meat. If it falls apart too much I think it’s not smoked properly. And yes, again, perfect strong smoke on these.
Order was: ½ lb lean brisket, ½ smoked chicken dark meat, ½ lb smoked turkey, and 1 lb pork ribs.
For me it’s all about the ribs, and the dry rub was great, but me myself I always like sauce, sue me.
Side of coleslaw was 6.5÷10, which I pretty good, I’m a picky foodie. Cucumber salad was very refreshing, 8.3÷10. Collard greens, though I’ve seen them described as nondescript — texture was nice, not too slimy, and not too much meat, which I like. The meat is everywhere else in case ya didn’t notice. I thought the sides were well priced not too excessive as I sometimes see.
I liked it better than almost any BBQ I had. But then again I got to eat it with someone who I love, and who picked it up and brought it to our home, though with the Groupon that I paid for, which made it, essentially free. And who doesn’t like that?

Simply the BEST BBQ IN NYC!!! Not only is the food amazing, but the entire dining experience. A MUST in downtown Brooklyn.
I’ll start by saying, I’m from the South. I was convinced that New Yorkers don’t know how to do BBQ. Every place I’ve tried left me disappointed– until I came here!
So the theme is Texas. Once inside, it’s unmistakable. From the smell of the smoked meats to the live music. It’s welcoming and comfortable. Great drink happy hour specials put the cherry on top of a great meal. I tried the Butcher Paper special of the day which was smoked turkey. Great portion size for such a great price. Great quality meat and you can taste the TLC in every bite. The turkey was moist and flavorful.
This place is super clean. The service is amazing (my glass never went empty) and there were plenty of people ready to help when I told them about my food allergy.
I’ll be honest, it took me a while to grasp how to order and get your food, but it’s how they do it in Texas. Once I did it once, I love the idea. You get to actually see your food options and portion sizes instead of being surprised. I love it.
So, hats off to the place that proved my NY BBQ bias incorrect. Well done, my friends. I will see you again very soon.

Tuesday– cue & 2– Tues nites @$ 16.95 for one meat, two sides, cornbread & a drink or dessert is the best Hill Country deal in town other than Sunday’s family nite meal in Manhattan. Now I live near the Chelsea outpost and am a longstanding fan of the ‘cue so why venture to this locale– this is a Deal! Any meat even the prime rib plus the sides. Disclaimer: this deal is only available in Brooklyn.
Ate:
Chicken
Mac & cheese
Collards
Banana pudding
Their bbq chicken is my favorite NY bbq rendition, the longhorn Mac (must have) & pedestrian collards. The banana pudding is good, the digs are big and the trains are right around the corner.

Meh — 2^nd attempt and I’ll pass on a 3^rd
Dry brisket
Wings were ok
Sausage was good!
The green been casserole was good. Very creamy!
The greens were ok, much better when I added hot sauce
Nothing was disgusting but more unremarkable than yum!
Next time Morgans… Morgans is so so good and they bring the food to me.

Salt Factory
I was heading out to see the US Open in Flushing and we stopped at this place for a quick bite to eat. It’s right near the Marriott. Decent beers on draft with a little bit of a hokey country music setup (not my thing). We had the Chopped brisket sandwich and the Beef Clod. I’ll have to say everything tasted pretty damn good; however the aftermath was rough.
Maybe we just can’t handle bbq like some people but the level of salt and smoke just did us in. Blown out stomachs and my body felt like it was retaining an ocean of water. It took hours to digest, yikes.
I can’t just judge the place on my violent reaction. The food was good, beer selection was above average, and the service was very attentive.
If you are a bbq fan, you’ll like this place.
Thanks

Lapin and I came here for his birthday. We made reservations are were seated relatively quickly. I never been to this location either has Lapin but it took some getting used too. Apparently, you order food on a line and then sit down with your plate. If you need more drinks or anything else, the waiters will bring them to you.
We got two pitmaster’s specials. When the food arrived it was like a whole heap of meat and sides. The sides we were got were okay, nothing super exciting. The cupcakes desserts were also average. The beers were good but the waitress kept forgetting which we ordered and we waited for awhile before someone actually bought his drink. The service is okay, nothing amazing. Lapin enjoyed his food but there wasn’t much I could eat. I would probably visit their fried chicken joint instead the next time.

The food is WAY TOO SALTY! If you have high blood pressure, stay away! I didn’t notice this the first time but I sure noticed it recently. The smell tantalizes me whenever I walk past the place but I’m not willing to die yet so no thanks, Hill Country. I’ll pass.

What a wonderful day it turned out to be! Why? I stumbled into Hill Country Barbecue Market after my failed attempt to eat at Panera (I don’t do long lines). Now I’ve seen Hill Country many times, always said it smelled great from the outside but never ventured in. Today Was The Day!!! I walk into a very laid back atmosphere with picnic tables in the front area. The Hostess asked if I wanted to be seated at one but it seemed waaaay to big for one person. So she led me to a table and as I made my way to my seat my mouth began to water. The aroma coming from the meat section was incredible! Now before I get to that please note; I did not ask how the place worked but I just happened to see another customer sit down near me with a tray of food. Then I notice there’s a card laid out before me and it gives me all the directions I need (reading is fundamental folks): I am supposed to go check out the meat selections and the sides. Once done, give my card to the men behind the counter and they will mark off what you received.
First up: Mike Joseph! Mike Joseph took care of me; He explained the process, what I needed to do and where I needed to go after selecting prime rib (unfortunately short rib was not available but ummm I’m going to make sure I go back for it).Mike was personable, courteous and hilarious!
Next up: Courtney!!! I hope there’s only one Courtney because he put me on to some of the best side dishes and desserts I’ve ever had in my life outside of what my Mom makes!!! The Hot GERMAN POTATO SALAD will give you life!!! It is everything!!! He must have known the effect it would have on me because of the look on his face when I asked to taste it! He patiently waited for my reaction and nodded in agreement when I could barely form the words «damn this is good»!!! So I had Prime Rib with hot German Potato Salad, Collard Greens and Mac n Cheese! Smh… just say hello to my inner fatty fat fatty! But wait!!! There’s more!!! Courtney says would you like dessert!!! God Help Me! I did. I wanted to try everything I saw there… banana pudding, apple crisp, cookies, carrot cake BUT the one thing that called my name… the one thing that whispered «you want me» was the Mason Blackout. God please help me… chocolate everything (cake, mousse, etc). I looked at it from a few angles as I walked back to my seat. It seemed rich! Like I might only be able to take a few spoonfuls, throw up a flag of surrender and say no more! I was wrong!!! But I’ll explain more in a few because… I need to talk about the food a bit more!!!
My mac and cheese was good and their Collards were excellent guys, none of the food was salty! I mean everything was seasoned just right! The prime rib was juicy and tender and the BBQ sauce they keep on the table was a nice condiment for the prime rib!!! Very very tasty INDEED!!!
My waitress Shay even mixed an Arnold Palmer for me and let me tell you she mixed the hell out of it! Another perfect balance! Now let me get into that Mason Blackout dessert. The one that knew me by name and that it was my weakness. Chocolate. Smh. Have you ever had chocolate upon chocolate upon chocolate but it was soooo rich you just couldn’t enjoy it!!! Well my friends, I tell you no lies when I say whoever made this… knows a thing or two about divine balance. This dessert wasn’t too anything… but too good!!! It wasn’t too rich or too sweet it was JUST RIGHT! I almost ate the whole cup until I caught myself. I needed to bring some home so I could experience it all again in the privacy of my own home. Some of the faces I made while eating this dessert may have been a bit much but I promise you I couldn’t help it.
Last up: Shay!!! I saved the best for last.
Oh Shay! YOU are the other reason why I’m definitely coming back. Once Shay found out that this was my first time at Hill Country she did what many servers should take note of: asked me how I was enjoying everything thus far and informed me of everything I should know about the restaurant!!! Where the cooks are from (Texas), Happy Hour time, Happy Hour Snacks and drinks! The live music nights, the activities for kids (that just happen to be free), the catering, the upstairs section for private parties and events! I mean everything. She totally engaged me!!! She explained that customers receive 10% off their next dining experience when they present the receipt from their previous dining experience so keep your receipts!!! How awesome is that!!! She gave me comp cards for drinks during my next visit and menus and other info! I have to tell you, I was ready to go back for dinner TONIGHT!!! I felt so relaxed, so well taken care of, so satisfied that I sat there for a while! Taking pics, taking it all in, giving Hill Country a shout via Twitter and preparing myself mentally for my next visit and hopefully with my Sista friends who are foodies like me!!!
I’m soooo IMPRESSED by the food, the level of customer service and my overall experience!

Came on a saturday night at 10pm. The place is HUGE and the space upstairs was being used for a private sweet 16 party so there was a total top 40 club vibe (i don’t mind) I’ve never been to Hill Country so I was surprised by the system of ordering food. You essentially get ‘meal tickets’ that gets stamped or marked by the meat and side stations. After settling down with drinks, you make your way to these ‘market stations’ and order what you want by pound or cup size (for sides). Then you bring the food back and dig in! To drink, i had the special «Smoked orange margarita» for $ 5! Not bad at all.
To eat:
My boyfriend and i pretty much got in to a fight over what to order but here’s the final rundown:
Meat:
½ pound pork ribs
¼ pound boneless prime rib
½ pound moist brisket
1 classic sausage
Sides:
Corn bread, corn pudding, chili, cucumber salad and Mac and Cheese.
We ordered a lot, to say the least but we ate almost everything except for 1 spare rib, a piece of brisket and half a sausage. Their ribs, rib roast, and brisket are SUPER. I’m not a big fan of sausage, so I can’t really judge it. Corn bread with maple butter is delicious and the corn pudding is a must get!
The total came out to be about $ 70ish? Don’t quite remember. Not bad for 2 people!

I actually did a search for a poignant quote on barbecue, but alas there are no poignant quotes on barbecue. It’s just down-​home comfort food, American life at its best, and a patch of freedom to enjoy it.
Thank God that Hill Country, a picture perfect country shack, is not more than that. If it were even a tad froufrou, it would not have saved my life on more than one late working night occasion, when I just needed a stiff drink and a happy hour mini snack – small size orders of the best smoked chicken wings, frito pies, and nachos that you could probably get in Brooklyn – at the bar.
Its wooden benches, long tables and smaller ones marked with small vases of yellow daisies are part of the casual environment that immediately makes you feel comfortable and like you belong here. Like everyone does.
The live country music that takes me back to my family’s southern roots, the pretty attentive bar staff, the amazing smoked chicken wings and the quick service keeps me coming back.

I love their lean brisket, their green bean casserole and their turkey, the food is really good & the bill rider cocktail is delicious.
We’re having a retirement party for a colleague of ours, the accommodations, the price and the price is marvelous.
Love this place.

The sides and cornbread are nothing special, but the half pound of prime rib that comes with the $ 16 Monday special is! Normally it costs $ 14 per half pound by itself, but on Mondays you get a bargain 2 sides, cornbread, and a drink for only $ 16.
Place is pretty hip, but not too noisy or claustrophobic. Service was friendly and quick. Drinks come in jam jars kind of place. Overall is come back — and definitely on Mondays for this awesome deal.

Huge 2 floor place boasting live music. But none on a Tues.
Brooklyn is already saturated with pretty decent BBQ joints but this is a good spot if you don’t want to deal with the lines of a Hometown or Feta Sau.
Service wasn’t great but place is still new.
The one thing that this place has that I’ve not seen at other local BBQ joints is great sausage. Definitely worth trying.

I am by no means an expert on the BBQ scene. I’ve had my fair share of pulled pork, ribs, BBQ chicken and whatnot. However, I haven’t had too much brisket so I was excited to try Hill Country with my co-​worker. (I can only attest to the take-​out experience.)
When I picked up my food I have to say, I enjoyed the atmosphere. It has a trendy feel with an industrial-​type décor. As for the food, I ordered the Butchers Pick with the ¹⁄₃ lb brisket, Bourbon Sweet Potatoes and the Cornbread on the side. And my co-​worker got the ¼ Chicken with Cheddar Mac & Cheese on the side, same lunch special for $ 14.50 each. (Which I thought was pretty expensive for a «lunch» special.)
The brisket was well seasoned but way too dried out for my liking. The barbecue sauce definitely redeemed that. And my mashed bourbon sweet potatoes were a nice additional smoky/​sweet side. I also enjoyed their cornbread muffins which had actual chunks of corn on the inside. All in all, it was a so-​so meal. I have yet to hit up the big BBQ Giants of NYC. Hill Country has definitely introduced me to the BBQ scene. I’ll return to test out those desserts. Until next time.

It’s not always a good idea to drive to this area on a Tuesday evening, but we committed to it, and was lucky enough to find parking after 30 minutes. We were also lucky in that that was a live band performance that evening. The girl group, reminiscent of Dixie Chix, performed country and pop songs with fluidity and grace. Very enjoyable entertainment.
We couldn’t really decide what types of meat to order so we got the Pitmaster which included everything! Comparatively speaking, the price of $ 28 was more than enough food for two people. The platter included brisket, sausage, rib, chicken, and two medium sized sides. This platter allows you to try everything so you don’t end up buying too much of something you don’t like.
The brisket was a little dry, so the sauce made up for it.
The rib was flavorful and juicy.
The chicken was tasty and juicy, very good.
The sausage had a kick to it that was very enjoyable.
M&C side was dry and flavorless, would not recommend.
Beans had meat pieces in it and was pretty decent, might be just a little too sweet.
Overall, this is a great spot for bbq, it’s not Texas style, but it’s definitely worth a visit, as long as you don’t try to drive to it.

A good to very good place.
Brisket is not rendered quite enough so despite a good crust from the rub and nice pink coloring permeating the meat, it is slightly dry.
The rib, a single one has no rub but is smoked properly.
Two kinds of sausage have a nice snap and are spicy. Flavorful and juicy, the highlight of the meal.
The overall experience is somewhat confusing as each person is given a ticket that must be turned over at the end of the meal for the bill to be tabulated. When you are seated, it is unclear if you are to wait for service or proceed directly to the ordering line. In the ordering line, the meat cutter marks the ticket after he wraps your food in wax paper.
The server Is there only to bring you drinks and tabulate your bill. To tip or not to tip?

I feel mixed about Hill Country BBQ. The food itself is great. The meat is excellent (go for the moist brisket over the lean!), as are the sides (Mac and cheese is fantastic) and their delicious BBQ sauce. However, certain things about the restaurant are not as great.
1. The way the restaurant is set up. Rather than simply ordering a plate of food, you have to go up to the counter, wait on line, and order by the lb. This is much more difficult than at other restaurants. It’s hard to know how much to get and is easy to get too much or too little. The whole experience is just flat out CONFUSING.
2. The prices. They are HIGH! For two people, meat and two sides came to $ 33 per person. That’s quite a bit more than at other nearby BBQ joints. Also, the side dishes all sound delicious but the smallest option is still quite large and costs $ 5.75 each. I wish they had a half size so you could get more types in smaller amounts! Was disappointing to only be able to try two!

Came here for lunch. It was just meh for me. I ordered the $ 19 lunch special which consisted of 1 pork rib, some brisket, ¼ chicken, 1 side and cornbread.
I found the ribs and brisket to lack any real flavor. The chicken was undercooked. The collard greens were decent but on the salty side. My friend got the mashed sweet potatoes and we both thought it was overly sweet. She ordered the chopped brisket sandwich and neither were fans.
The customer service was good and I wish that I liked the food better. I was surprised that they didn’t even offer to remove the cost of the chicken off the bill since it was undercooked (read: raw in some parts) and not edible.
We will not be back.
Mighty Quinn’s bbq at Hudson Eats was so much better.