Hill Country Barbecue

(718) 213-4835

30 W 26th St (Cross Streets Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
New York, NY 10010 40.74403 -73.989557

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Neighborhoods: Midtown South Central, Midtown

hillcountryny.com

Hours:

Sun-Thu 12pm-12am

Fri-Sat 12pm-2am

Price:

$$$

Last updated 11.30.11

Category:

Restaurants , Barbecue Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express , Visa , Discover , MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Family-Friendly Dining , Lunch Spot , Group Dining , Live Music

Cuisine:

Traditional American

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Hill Country Barbecue

The Owner

Hill Country Barbecue

Owner

Named "Best BBQ in New York" by NY Mag and Time Out NY, and "Top 10 BBQ in the U.S." by the WS Journal, Hill Country honors the barbecue and live music capital of Texas. Inspired by the grand old barbecue joints of Central Texas, Hill Country's brisket, sausage, ribs and other meats are smoked low and slow over Texas post oak. Classic Southern sides and sweets include Longhorn Cheddar Mac & Cheese and Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes. HC's Club & Bar presents live Austin-style country, blues and rock music and major sporting events on its big screens and features an extensive menu of longneck…

Provided by CityGrid

Read more from the owner

Featured Review

Justin Hartung

Contributor

The mile-wide smiles of the hosts and the merchandise counter are the first signs you've left the trendy Flatiron District. The two-story space is bedecked with more country kitsch than a Shania Twain album--chipped-paint checkerboard floors, oversized stars and signs threatening death to bill-skippers. The theme-park excesses go down easier with your first bite of juicy, oak-smoked 'cue, which comes wrapped in parchment paper. Beef and pork ribs soak up so much flavor, you won't care that the bottles of sauce on each table are disappointingly mild. But they pale in comparison to a decadently…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
Once you get your meal ticket, load up your tray at the meat, side, and dessert stations, and then find an open table. Note: If you lose your ticket, you'll be paying a hefty minimum charge.
The Extras:
Blue Bell, a beloved, hard-to-find Texas ice cream, is available for $4 a cup.
Live Music:
Bands play regularly on the downstairs stage--call ahead for the schedule.
Fun Fact:
The restaurant was based on barbecue mecca Kruez Market in Lockhart, Texas.
What to Drink:
Drinks can be ordered at the drink station, or you can order them from the waiter who comes to your table after you've sat down. Agave-enhanced margaritas ($10) are a tart kick in the pants, though cold Coronas ($6) don't quite make up for the lack of draught beer.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Really enjoy the food here though the whole food ticket set up can be fun or irritating depending on your mood.”
  2. “We asked about the parking meters out front when we came in, so possibly they decided we were from out of town (pretty hilarious really, since the four of us are native New Yorkers, while the faux sophistication of the headset-sporting staff in charge bes”
  3. “With so many competing NYC restaurants with great food and welcoming ambiance, this one can't last.”
  4. “We had a great time, and enjoyed the atmosphere, the staff, and the food.”
  5. “Best ambiance for a BBQ place; delicious food also”
  6. “Great pork ribs, fun atmosphere, helpful staff”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “don't have to tell y'all that of course the Blue Bell ice cream was amazing.”
  2. “Although I wish they didn't sell it in those little cups (as opposed to nice big scoops) and had more flavors (cookies 'n creme, anyone?)”
drinks
61.539998054504395% positive
  1. “am so happy that I finally found a reasonably priced bar in the City that has good music and isn't too snobby/clubby or too divey either.”
  2. “So basically, the meat sucked, the sides sucked, even the beer selection sucked and I'm quite sure the service would have sucked had there been any.”
  3. “Even though they don't have draft beer, you can get buckets of beer for cheap; and not those fake buckets of beer with the tiny little Corona bottles either, I mean actual full sized beers, six of them!”
  4. “drink a lot, so I like EVERYBODY paying equally.”
  5. “The price is not bad either-- and the drinks are good :)”
  6. “No draft beer seemed weird for that sort of place.”
  7. “The setup was cafeteria style where you stand in line in the "meat station" and the "sides station" to order your food, and you order only drinks from your server.”
  8. “Not only the meats were great, the sides and drinks also.”
  9. “Pal shows up, we sit down, place is like totally empty, literally 30 empty tables, we get our food, servers pleasant enough, sit to eat, food is OK, but not special, like a below average diner except it's priced outrageously for what it is, think it came ”
  10. “Plus, the drinks are some of the best prices around.”
  11. “I've been looking for a great country music bar ever since I moved to the City.”
  12. “Not only did our party have to deal with table issues, longest wait ever to have drinks served the wait staff and manager were terrible!”
  13. “There's a nice bar up front and a good crowd grabbing drinks, big screen downstairs for the game and a big dining area on the first floor.”
food quality
80.55999755859375% positive
  1. “But regardless of a revolting time at this disaster posing for a restaurant, you have a wonderful opportunity to buy some souvenir t-shirts and hot sauce when you pay the cashier!”
  2. “With the meat, you can order different quantities (e.g., two slices of brisket, a chicken wing and three ribs ?”
  3. “Like a cafeteria for grown-ups, customers line up with trays at the different stations to place their orders for delicious meats and sides.”
  4. “the food: the brisket and chicken were very good, both tasty and juicy.”
  5. “would suggest this place over the dallas bbq and dukes any day.”
  6. “the ribs, brisket & chicken are delicious, as are sides like mac ?”
  7. “I'm not really a big fan of bbq food but after dinner at hill country I'm now an addict!”
  8. “the Veggie Casserole, Corn Pudding, and the Bourbon sweet potato Mash is great.”
  9. “you can find this kind of food done far far better anywhere at about half the price and the people/service is worst i've had ever here in town.”
  10. “But this seating game left a bad taste in my mouth that overrides any good taste that the food could provide.”
  11. “The brisket was nice and fatty (as i had asked) but i'm not a big brisket fan without sauce.”
  12. “ate the chicken which was good.”
  13. “The BBQ is the best I've had in my 7 years in the city - and the staff have that "southern hospitality / c'mon in, have some food, enjoy yourself.”
  14. “While the food was delicious the experience left only a bad taste in our mouth.”
  15. “On the other hand, the food was good, the service unique (food on paper-- no I don't mean paper plates, I mean PAPER!)”
  16. “Remember that Aunt that you had to visit during the holidays who would always serve her "famous" roast beef?”
  17. “Really enjoy the food here though the whole food ticket set up can be fun or irritating depending on your mood.”
  18. “This is a great place to get a good bbq.”
  19. “We had a great time, and enjoyed the atmosphere, the staff, and the food.”
  20. “roast beef so dry that you wondered how many days it had been in the oven?”
  21. “Best ambiance for a BBQ place; delicious food also”
  22. “really liked the jalepeno sausage, it's got just enough kick to it, a nice change from the hot/spicy phobic taste buds of this part of the country.”
  23. “Save your time, money, and sanity and go somewhere worthy of your lifeforce or better yet since this place is virtually self service anyway buy a couple racks of ribs and heat up your George Foreman Grill because this places stinks the meat was fatty, the”
  24. “Great food.”
  25. “The food was excellent.”
  26. “The chicken is also very good.”
  27. “The meal ticket system is great, but the place is so much more.”
  28. “Overly fatty, poorly cooked meat at ridiculous prices.”
  29. “The brisket was very tasty.”
  30. “They use hickory imported from texas that gives the meat a beautiful dark red ring around it.”
  31. “The beans were great as was the cole slaw.”
  32. “Great pork ribs, fun atmosphere, helpful staff”
  33. “The "market chicken" was awful, but the pinto bean and mashed sweet potato sides were very good (though kind of small for $4.50 each).”
  34. “The beef ribs did not have enough meat on the bone while the moist brisket had a decent flavor but was quite fatty.”
  35. “I've had two unsatisfactory experiences here however since the establishment is new I do hope it will change in the future as the food is good and the restaurant has a uniqueness to it.”
  36. “Everything was delicious and the staff were very friendly.”
  37. “One should enjoy paying such a large amount for a completely enjoyable experience instead of feeling stuck in a situation and only hoping the staff isn't spitting in your food!”
  38. “So basically, the meat sucked, the sides sucked, even the beer selection sucked and I'm quite sure the service would have sucked had there been any.”
  39. “The mac and cheese and string beans sides tasted so wonderful that it's like home cooking on a July 4th.”
  40. “My first thought when I tasted the food was that whoever owns this place doesn't love BBQ.”
  41. “(Examples: Best pizza anywhere, Avoid on Friday nights, Great customer service)”
  42. “However, the beef brisket in Hill Country is the best.”
  43. “At the meat station, be sure to order the brisket moist.”
  44. “the ribs are not my favorite but who cares with all the other yummy stuff.”
  45. “all in all this place is mediocre at best, if you say its the best bbq in nyc or even "amazing", then hill country is probably the only bbq place youve ever been to in nyc and you should look into getting yourself a Zagats.”
  46. “I've been here late a few times and the best selections of meat do sell out so come earlier.”
  47. “Good sides, bad chicken”
  48. “Not only the meats were great, the sides and drinks also.”
  49. “Hill Country is great for groups, especially hungry groups, because the food is already cooked, prepared and waiting for you.”
  50. “As to the food, the moist brisket is very good, the dry brisket is not so good, the sides are fine.”
  51. “And I'm a big sides gal, so we got 4 different sides: the baked beans are really good, but the "famous" mac and cheese was not so good (Brother Jimmy's is WAY better).”
  52. “So the food was very good, but the wait was long to get to the dining room and then you had to get on another line to actually get your food.”
  53. “Pal shows up, we sit down, place is like totally empty, literally 30 empty tables, we get our food, servers pleasant enough, sit to eat, food is OK, but not special, like a below average diner except it's priced outrageously for what it is, think it came ”
  54. “With so many competing NYC restaurants with great food and welcoming ambiance, this one can't last.”
  55. “Hill Country serves delicious BBQ, with brisket, ribs, pork chops, and chicken.”
  56. “The food is acceptable, but nothing special.”
  57. “Love Texas I have been to Austin, Dallas, and Lubbock several times and I have eaten in fine restaurants and dives and let me tell you they were all amazing fantastic service and food.”
  58. “Be specific: Generalities like "lazy service" or "tasty pizza" leave people wanting more detail.”
  59. “am not a meat eater, but I enjoyed the side dishes!”
  60. “The casserole was very good, the eggs tasted like you'd expect them too (they were sold as chipoltie deviled eggs but i tasted no smokiness or spice to them).”
  61. “You can't order food and receive a bill; you have to carry around a "meal ticket" to be checked-off for each item ordered (.”
  62. “think their beef ribs are the best in the city, and the sausage is a surprisingly tasty adiction of mine.”
  63. “although they have some kinks to work out, the quality of the brisket and beef ribs (they had pork too) were amazing.”
  64. “The food is good, but I'll just have to live without it.”
  65. “The sides were absolutely to die for -- the mac and cheese maybe the best I have ever tasted and the corn casserole thing, the bourbon sweet potatoes.”
  66. “The setup was cafeteria style where you stand in line in the "meat station" and the "sides station" to order your food, and you order only drinks from your server.”
menu variety
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “So basically, the meat sucked, the sides sucked, even the beer selection sucked and I'm quite sure the service would have sucked had there been any.”
  2. “I've been here late a few times and the best selections of meat do sell out so come earlier.”
  3. “The selection was GREAT/even the prices weren't too bad.”
overall
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “man - i heard some good things about this place but first impressions left a definite bad taste in my mouth.”
  2. “Hill Country is our family's favorite restaurant in NYC.”
  3. “This is a great place to get a good bbq.”
  4. “The meal ticket system is great, but the place is so much more.”
  5. “all in all this place is mediocre at best, if you say its the best bbq in nyc or even "amazing", then hill country is probably the only bbq place youve ever been to in nyc and you should look into getting yourself a Zagats.”
  6. “am a native Texan and so is my girlfriend and we stumbled upon this mecca last night and have a new favorite restaurant!”
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. “Overall it was an interesting experience (eating off of a piece of paper on a tray that is, instead of a plate), but I would not go back there again.”
  2. “If the manager had just said, "Oh, that's okay, come on in," our party of four would have spent a boatload of money beyond the value of the certificate, the servers would have earned big tips, and we may have come back and recommended the place to our fri”
service
73.43999862670898% positive
  1. “So basically, the meat sucked, the sides sucked, even the beer selection sucked and I'm quite sure the service would have sucked had there been any.”
  2. “The brisket was really good and the sausage is from Kreuz Market in Lockhart (exciting for Texas people, not sure anyone else will care).”
  3. “(Examples: Best pizza anywhere, Avoid on Friday nights, Great customer service)”
  4. “The aroma of good ole fashion Texas cue hits you the second you enter the door, not too mention the staff that greets you with a smile and makes you feel like you're a regular (even if it's you're first time).”
  5. “really bad communication and service overall.”
  6. “We asked about the parking meters out front when we came in, so possibly they decided we were from out of town (pretty hilarious really, since the four of us are native New Yorkers, while the faux sophistication of the headset-sporting staff in charge bes”
  7. “If the manager had just said, "Oh, that's okay, come on in," our party of four would have spent a boatload of money beyond the value of the certificate, the servers would have earned big tips, and we may have come back and recommended the place to our fri”
  8. “We had a great time, and enjoyed the atmosphere, the staff, and the food.”
  9. “Great pork ribs, fun atmosphere, helpful staff”
  10. “Save your time, money, and sanity and go somewhere worthy of your lifeforce or better yet since this place is virtually self service anyway buy a couple racks of ribs and heat up your George Foreman Grill because this places stinks the meat was fatty, the”
  11. “Everything was delicious and the staff were very friendly.”
  12. “Pal shows up, we sit down, place is like totally empty, literally 30 empty tables, we get our food, servers pleasant enough, sit to eat, food is OK, but not special, like a below average diner except it's priced outrageously for what it is, think it came ”
  13. “The BBQ is the best I've had in my 7 years in the city - and the staff have that "southern hospitality / c'mon in, have some food, enjoy yourself.”
  14. “The line for each section can be annoying though, especially if there are rude people ahead of you who think it is ok for one of them to stand in line and each of their friends come up and join them.”
  15. “awful delivery service”
  16. “The service was extremely friendly and nice, too.”
  17. “Love Texas I have been to Austin, Dallas, and Lubbock several times and I have eaten in fine restaurants and dives and let me tell you they were all amazing fantastic service and food.”
  18. “Great staff.”
  19. “On the other hand, the food was good, the service unique (food on paper-- no I don't mean paper plates, I mean PAPER!)”
  20. “This place has awesome live music several nights a week with no cover and the whole staff is in jeans and cowboy boots.”
  21. “All in all, a very good experience, and even though we ordered enough for 4 people (we had a TON of leftovers), our check was very reasonable.”
  22. “One should enjoy paying such a large amount for a completely enjoyable experience instead of feeling stuck in a situation and only hoping the staff isn't spitting in your food!”
  23. “Staff was friendly, but not too attentive.”
  24. “Be specific: Generalities like "lazy service" or "tasty pizza" leave people wanting more detail.”
  25. “The staff was incredibly knowledgeable about ribs and brisket and very friendly.”
  26. “Not only did our party have to deal with table issues, longest wait ever to have drinks served the wait staff and manager were terrible!”
  27. “totally rude and unhelpful employee ruined this place for me.”
  28. “It's super kid friendly and the prices are reasonable.”
  29. “Tons of people, hi energy, great looking people, perfect for large groups.”
  30. “you can find this kind of food done far far better anywhere at about half the price and the people/service is worst i've had ever here in town.”
  31. “The setup was cafeteria style where you stand in line in the "meat station" and the "sides station" to order your food, and you order only drinks from your server.”
  32. “The entire service staff is friendly and helpful.”
value
50.0% positive
  1. “Food was mediocre at best and way overpriced.”
  2. “One of the best BBQ restaurants in the City, Hill Country serves Texas style BBQ at reasonable prices.”
  3. “It's super kid friendly and the prices are reasonable.”
  4. “This place is also about three times as expensive as it should be.”
  5. “Save your time, money, and sanity and go somewhere worthy of your lifeforce or better yet since this place is virtually self service anyway buy a couple racks of ribs and heat up your George Foreman Grill because this places stinks the meat was fatty, the”
  6. “Pal shows up, we sit down, place is like totally empty, literally 30 empty tables, we get our food, servers pleasant enough, sit to eat, food is OK, but not special, like a below average diner except it's priced outrageously for what it is, think it came ”
  7. “The space is huge and kitschy, but it works.”
  8. “Hill Country is just another overpriced, over hyped, pretentious Manhattan eatery.”
  9. “If the manager had just said, "Oh, that's okay, come on in," our party of four would have spent a boatload of money beyond the value of the certificate, the servers would have earned big tips, and we may have come back and recommended the place to our fri”
  10. “The selection was GREAT/even the prices weren't too bad.”
  11. “The price is not bad either-- and the drinks are good :)”
  12. “suspect that this is a very, very expensive operation, so we'll see if it lasts, but it's worth the visit.”
  13. “Plus, the drinks are some of the best prices around.”
  14. “you can find this kind of food done far far better anywhere at about half the price and the people/service is worst i've had ever here in town.”
  15. “Even though they don't have draft beer, you can get buckets of beer for cheap; and not those fake buckets of beer with the tiny little Corona bottles either, I mean actual full sized beers, six of them!”
  16. “Overly fatty, poorly cooked meat at ridiculous prices.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “So the food was very good, but the wait was long to get to the dining room and then you had to get on another line to actually get your food.”
  2. “Prices are reasonable as long as you don't go crazy and order a bunch of sides.”
2 Star Rating: Below Average

08/10/11

Mediocre at best

by foodydaniella at Citysearch

The pitmaster special left me wanting more BBQ, the food was not worth the calories. I love eating, but if it isn't good, it isn't worth it.

The mac n cheese was dry, the white bread reminds me of wonder bread, the chicken was ok, the ribs ok, the brisket lean and moist was ok.

The cutlery was disgusting and the meat cutter always cuts heavy, we ordered 1/4lb and got 1/2 lb on our brisket and the ribs were also heavy.

MEH! Will not go back. There has to be way better BBQ in NYC.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

01/18/11

Great food!

by the quickthinker at Citysearch

I love going to this place but I have noticed a few things after repeated visits.

Some hosts/hostesses always have the warmest smiles and the others always look miserable. Same goes for the bartenders. I won't sit and eat at the bar if certain bartenders are working (and I'm eating alone).

The brisket (moist) is amazing as well as the pork spare ribs. The mac n cheese is a little different than your standard but tasty nonetheless.

3 Star Rating: Average

12/31/10

Costs add up quickly depending on what you order

by TardyKat at Citysearch

Came here for lunch recently. The meat by the pound was expensive, I thought. The brisket was tender and moist. We also ordered the bbq beef sandwich special which comes with choice of sides and drink. It was more than enough for lunch. The green bean side was too mushy for my taste. I couldn't finish my lemonade so I took it to go. The lady behind the bar topped it up for me. Sweet!

2 Star Rating: Below Average

11/04/10

not so great

by SamanthaM at Citysearch

I had a first date here a few weeks ago and what a mistake. Messy and loud, loud music. The chicken was ok but not great, I care about what I put into my body and the sauce has a lot of sugar in it. My date had ribs which he said was ok but not the best he's had. I won't go back, there are better places.

3 Star Rating: Average

08/18/10

Nice Attempt at Authentic BBQ, but...

by paulo1 , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch

I am a BBQ fan and have always wanted to try this restaurant after reading all the good reviews. The opportunity finally arose earlier this week and just my luck - Monday is all you can eat for $25!

The atmosphere is western-ish, a lot of exposed, weathered wood and brick adorned with simple, framed black and white photographs with a scattering of chalk boards advertising menu items, etc. It was nice, definitely a change from the usual NYC restaurant atmosphere. Music - a bit on the loud side, be prepared to speak loudly to each other in order to hold a conversation.

The special advertised all you can eat for $25 pp but, upon closer reading of the menu, it turns out that the most popular sides such as Mac-n-Cheese, collard greens, Chili, and baked beans are $2 ea. extra. Everyone at the table has to order the special (to prevent the other guests from taking advantage of an unlimited procession of beef and pork products without paying for it. The food arrives on a big tray lined with red paper, very similar to the way BBQ is served in many Texas restaurants with the sides in small cups.

Digging into the selections that comes with the special (ribs,brisket, and chicken) I immediately noticed that they were dry. There was no moistness to the meats, only the chicken was on the juicy side. You could tell that the flavor was there, the smokiness of the ribs were apparent, but damn, why was it so dry? Did they pre-cook everything too early in the day and let it sit until it became that way? Subsequent orders of ribs and brisket did not see a change, they were still dry. I found myself reaching for the BBQ sauce over and over to help remedy the situation. Pity, as I stated you could tell the flavor was there, trying to make it's way out but either the overcooking or the pre-cooking/wait prevented that from happening.

Dessert - the bourbon pecan pie arrived in a tart-sized dish, a bit on the smallish side for the $6 charge, and the red velvet cupcake at $4.50 was slightly larger than a Hostess Cupcake, but as was with the food, it too was dry.

Our waitress was very attentive; she had a cheerful way about her which was nice. Our subsequent orders of BBQ came relatively quickly, in their own separate paper boats (that is what you eat on BTW, a larger version of the paper boat you get with some fast food fries such as Nathans).

Overall - an OK experience, but I will give this place another go since, as I had stated, the flavors were there. Perhaps Monday and All-You-Can-Eat night is not the way to go, will keep my fingers crossed for moist and juicy BBQ meal the next time around.

The Details on Hill Country Barbecue

Place Categories:

  • good food
  • best bbq
  • good hill country brisket
  • helpful entire service staff
  • reasonable prices
  • absolutely wonderful place
  • very cool airy space
  • nice customer service
  • favorite beef ribs
  • very good bbq experience
  • famous mac
  • bad taste
  • great hill country
  • very good chicken
  • really good mac n cheese
  • good start
  • great live music
  • big screen downstairs
  • nice crispy exterior skin
  • good only drinks
  • dry roast beef
  • delicious everything
  • really good baked beans
  • not so good dry brisket
  • awful delivery service

As Seen In…

Best of Citysearch

New York

Best of Citysearch

New York

Message from Hill Country Barbecue

  • Southern BBQ
  • Side Dishes
  • Special Events

Named "Best BBQ in New York" by NY Mag and Time Out NY, and "Top 10 BBQ in the U.S." by the WS Journal, Hill Country honors the barbecue and live music capital of Texas. Inspired by the grand old barbecue joints of Central Texas, Hill Country's brisket, sausage, ribs and other meats are smoked low and slow over Texas post oak. Classic Southern sides and sweets include Longhorn Cheddar Mac & Cheese and Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes. HC's Club & Bar presents live Austin-style country, blues and rock music and major sporting events on its big screens and features an extensive menu of longneck beers, tequila, bourbon, specialty cocktails, and well-priced drink specials. The entire 11,000 sf, bi-level space is available for large group events, and is a relaxed, affordable alternative to stuffy corporate event spaces. HC Catering & Events can bring our award-winning experience to your door.