Rudy’s BBQ….First Time Eating There, My Review and Thoughts

[WayneT]

I’ll notify Guy Fieri that you disagree and overturn his A+++ rating. Be prepared for a phone call.

[STEbbq]

Really? Guy loved it?

[Panhead John]

it’s a sarcastic joke. 😂

[captainlee]

I went to a Guy's restaurant in the Keys and it was terrible.

[ecowper]

I have two large jars of Rudy’s sauce, compliments of DaveD. Thank god the sauce passed the Panhead John test.

[ecowper]

barelfly …. Dave shipped me two bottles of the regular sauce. Can’t wait to try it out this weekend, I think

[Panhead John]

ecowper The sauce at the table was actually a little cold from sitting at the table. It was still pretty good, but would have been better warmed up.

[ecowper]

Panhead John hmmmmm, I don't really ever warm up bbq sauce to serve. I guess I'll try it both ways and see

[Michael_in_TX]

Definitely not the experience I've had at the place my buddies and I frequented darn near weekly when I was in Houston (south of town, Clear Lake area).

I know exactly the Rudy's your talking about.....I've driven by it essentially daily prior to 2020, but never ate there. Oddly enough, it doesn't seem to be there any more. It's not on their list, but the Google Map street view is from May of 2022, so it existed at least as late as that time. The Fry's store next to it closed and it is surrounded by I-45 construction now, so I wonder if it did close.

[DaveD]

Hmm, the location still seems active on the Rudy's locations page... and yep that's the one!

https://rudysbbq.com/location/detail...n-i45s-nasa-tx

Shows up on their map too. I suspect you have some default distance parameter from your zip code in play, and it's not showing up because it's further than whatever that is.

[Michael_in_TX]

Yep, that is what it was. How odd!

[BBQandLove]

Rudy’s has a great green Chile stew. I stop just for a quart of that. The BBQ ain’t great. Generally a few notches above Dickeys. But it’s fast. I say Dickeys is the best fast food I know of.

[RolfTaylor]

Local management and chef seem to be critical with these chains. I have been to a Mission Barbecue several times and was pretty impressed. This was near a remote work site. Then I discovered one near home. Not impressed. Figured a bad day so I tried on another day and another strike. Eventually I will go again and see if they get a third strike.

[Michael_in_TX]

I remember our Rudy's having two, possibly four, gas pumps out in front. I also seem to remember it having covered 18-wheeler parking. Over the years, that parking cover and the gas pumps disappeared.

Was this a common thing at other Rudy's?

[Panhead John]

I think so Micheal. The one I went to had gas pumps for a few years, there were none when I ate there yesterday.

[DaveD]

Hey! Bringing this thread back up because I happen to be in Texas for a one-day work trip, and was able to stop at my old Rudy's on I-45 to meet a buddy for dinner on my way to Galveston, where the work event is in the morning.

I had some moist brisket, pulled pork, a spare rib, and two baby backs (specified center cut for both rib types). It was... OK. My BBQ is much better. The brisket was kinda dried out, and the pulled pork, although tender, was the product of a braise with more sweetness than I'd like, rather than pulled from a smoked butt. The ribs were just what you'd expect from foil wrapping: fall off the bone, meaning overcooked and rather mushy.

My buddy and I (whom I haven't seen in almost four years) got immediately engrossed in conversation, so no photos. Thing is, I don't think this was much different from my recollection... just that I know a whole lot more now than I did then. C'est la vie...

[Panhead John]

Dang Dave, I wish you’d have let me know you were gonna be nearby, I could have directed you to a few awesome places in your vicinity.

[DaveD]

Thanks PJ, but this is a super quick trip, I'm here in Texas for less than 24 hours. Just had no time to do anything but meet a buddy for a quick meal, and I'll be headed straight back to the airport after I do the panel discussion I'm here for this morning. If I'd have been planning a longer stay I would def have reached out.

[mrichie1229]

This is why I never eat at barbecue restaurants. Most people rave about them, but I don't think I would be impressed. And $30 is a heck of a lot of money for a side of creamed corn!

[Santamarina]

The first time I ever had Texas barbecue was at that very Rudy’s location in Katy, probably a decade ago. This California boy had never had anything like it, and it fueled a quest for smoking a great brisket at home.

Haven’t been back, and I’m 99% certain my memory of their brisket is better than it would taste today. So the moral of the story is that while it may not be anywhere close to proper Texas barbecue, it’s definitely did it’s job in igniting a passion for barbecue that still burns today!

[DaveD]

Did that for me too!

[Oak Smoke]

I’ve eaten at Rudy’s in Amarillo, Tx once and enjoyed it. After the absolutely horrible bbq I had eaten at a Billy Sims in Elk City Okla the week before it was fabulous. I actually saw my order plated at the Billy Sims then watched as they slid it in a microwave. Without sauce it was too dry to swallow.

[RogueCookers]

Rudy's BBQ Sauce is pretty good. Like the black pepper forward taste. Their creamed corn is fantastic