The Brooklyn Buzz staff made a visit to the Hill Country Barbecue Market restaurant this past Friday evening, in the heart of downtown Brooklyn, on Adams St. & Willoughby Ave. (1 block from Fulton St). Honoring the barbecue and live music capital of Texas, and inspired by the grand old meat-markets-turned-barbecue-joints of Central Texas, Hill Country Barbecue Market takes its cue from legendary Lockhart, Texas barbecue establishment Kreuz Market and its distinctive, dry-rub style. Before we get into the atmosphere, live music and staff, let’s talk about the short ribs of beef that we had, which was very tasty and the meat was so tender that it nearly fell off the bone.
Hill Country Barbecue is a bi-level restaurant, with a bar on each level. We were reminded of Katz deli in Manhattan, when they gave us the ticket to order our selection of meat. But make no mistake, this is a full blown restaurant with full bars and everything else that you would find in a restaurant. After going to the meat counter to select from the various options of prime meat I then understood the need for the order card. You can actually see the meats and make your selections at the counter. We chose the short ribs of beef (1 1/2 pounds), which was more than enough for 2 people. We then went to the sides counter and ordered the corn pudding, collard greens and sweet potato bourbon mash. Everything that
we ordered was excellent, including the banana pudding and season cobbler. When we left we thought about taking a taxi from Adams & Fulton St to Clinton Hill, but decided to walk because it was only right, after stuffing ourselves. We would suggest that you walk if you live in Clinton Hill, Ft. Greene, Cobble Hill or any other neighborhood that’s less than 3 miles away.
We sat on the upper level (Club Level) of the restaurant next to the bar, which seemed to be the “happening” section of the restaurant. It was a Friday evening and the crowd seemed to be filled with a mix of various professionals who were there to unwind after a week of work. The lower level seemed to be a little more family oriented, where you can feel free to sit down to a good barbecue meal with your kids. In either case the atmosphere was positive and the staff was great all around. The first person we met upon arriving at the restaurant was Dave, who explained how the restaurant worked in terms of ordering (meat is purchased by the pound). He suggested that we sit upstairs, which was a great choice for us. We sat next to the bar and about 30 feet from the stage, where the live band started to play at around 8:15 pm. When the band began, the lights in the dining area (Club Level) were dimmed, and the lights on the stage came alive, adding to the experience and atmosphere.
We also met the manager, Alex. Just a side note….the place got so busy by the time we left, we noticed that Alex was behind the sides counter helping to serve customers. We were unable to tell her about our positive experience at the restaurant. Hopefully she’s reading this write-up. Thanks Alex, for the great experience!
At the end of the evening Dave took us to meet the chef, Ash Fulk, and Stan Parham, the Director of Buzz for BrooklynBuzz.com got a chance to take a photo with Fulk before we left.
We will get back to Hill Country during the Spring when the outdoor area is open, which is on the corner of Adams and Fulton, and a great location for an afternoon lunch or an evening dinner. Next time we will try the chicken, which we hear is also a great choice. We also have to try their Hill Country Chicken, which is just around the corner, with the entrance on Adams Street. Hill Country Barbecue’s entrance is on the Fulton Street side.
Brooklyn Buzz staff rates this a Buzz-Worthy restaurant that should be experienced. When you want to experience Texas style barbecue check them out.
345 Adams Street – Brooklyn NY 11201 – (718) 885-4608
Checkout their menu at hillcountrybk.com
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