2018 - Ft. Worth

It's getting hot in Texas.  Think I need to cool down with some great barbecue.  Here's my video from a recent trip to Ft. Worth.

It was that time again when I needed to travel to the Dallas – Ft. Worth area to visit my 92 year old Dad.  I decided I would drive through Ft. Worth this time around.  It is actually ten miles closer to Austin than Dallas is.  Ft. Worth is also the home of Heim Barbecue, one of the Top 50 best joints as ranked by Texas Monthly in 2017.

I had the pleasure of eating at Heim in October 2016 (Texas Passions episode 7).  This was just a couple of months after they moved into their location at 1109 Magnolia Avenue, just south of downtown.  This area is seeing a renaissance as new restaurants and boutique shops open.  On that first trip, I got to meet and talk with Travis Heim.  I told him how much I enjoyed his barbecue and mentioned how good it might be once they figure out what they are doing.

The restaurant was packed with people when I got there, but there was no line.  Cody took my standard order of a half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  When my order was ready, I went to get pickles and onions, but they were out of onions.  I waved at the folks at the counter and Lauren quickly refilled the bin with sliced onions.  I got some iced tea and wedged my way in between some other patrons. 

The brisket was unbelievably good.  Buttery, great outer bark, smoky flavor, tender and juicy.  Absolutely delicious.  The pork ribs were equally impressive.  They had a rich, sweet flavor, the tender meat easily biting from the bone.  I got a squeeze of their sauce just to say I did, but was so taken by the meat that I can’t really say anything about the sauce.

After I ate, I had a chance to talk with Eric.  I told him the barbecue was even better than I remembered.  He said Heim will be opening a second location in October 2018 that will be three times the size of their current restaurant and will include a music venue.  I asked about quality control and he responded that the same team who made the current smokers are at work making them for the second joint. 

Emma and Travis Heim

The good folks at Heim Barbecue have certainly figured things out.  Their barbecue is outstanding and they easily rank among the elite of the Texas barbecue joints.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!