Best of Citysearch
Recommend this business?
At a Glance
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100% ambiance
“Best ambiance for a BBQ place; delicious food also”
100% dessert
“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?)”
61% drinks
“drink a lot, so I like EVERYBODY paying equally.”
80% food quality
“Great pork ribs, fun atmosphere, helpful staff”
66% menu variety
“The selection was GREAT/even the prices weren't too bad.”
83% overall
“man - i heard some good things about this place but first impressions left a definite bad taste in my mouth.”
100% return potential
“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.”
73% service
“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.”
50% value
“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 ”
100% wait time
“Prices are reasonable as long as you don't go crazy and order a bunch of sides.”
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Hill Country Barbecue
From The Owner of Hill Country Barbecue
About Hill Country Barbecue
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Southern BBQ
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Side Dishes
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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. …
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Hill Country NY
@HillCountryNY
RT @RonfromSC: Heading north for work just got a lot more tolerable upon discovery that @shinyribs is playing tomorrow night in Manhattan @…
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10 days ago
What Our Expert Scouts Say
March 09, 2013
Finger licking good fried chicken served up in a casual atmosphere. Long lines are worth the wait, especially when you're craving something deep fried and delicious.
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Heart
October 28, 2012
A tribute to the great barbecues of the Texas hill country in general, and Kreuz Market in particular, this spectacularly big opereration is actually better than many of its models (though not the best of them.) The sides are lame, and the brisket sometimes too fatty, but almost everything is redolent of post oak and perfectly seasoned. Look out especially for the fantastic cheese and jalapeno sausage imported directly from Kreuz's.
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Tips for Hill Country Barbecue
February 22, 2010
Great BBQ in a Fun & Festive Setting. One of the best BBQ restaurants in the City, Hill Country serves Texas style BBQ at reasonable prices. Like a cafeteria for grown-ups, customers line up with trays at the different stations to place their orders for delicious meats and sides. At the meat station, be sure to order the brisket moist. The selection of sides is also quite impressive, from the Longhorn Mac and Cheese to the Sweet Potato Bourbon Mash. Hill Country is great for groups, especially hungry groups, because the food is already cooked, prepared and waiting for you. Long lines at the counters are your enemy. I've been here late a few times and the best selections of meat do sell out so come earlier. If you're lucky, watch a live band in the lower level while you chow down on southern grub. Yeehaw!
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February 04, 2010
Decent BBQ, Not Great.
went here for the first time last night. Ordered the Two Step dinner special with my girlfriend which basically has every meat on the menu and comes with two sides, allowing us to try a lil bit of everything and eliminate the hassle of the whole meal ticket concept . its a really good deal for the price considering how much food they give you. The line to get our food was pretty short so we got all of our food in about 10 minutes or so which was nice. they wrap all the meat in butcher paper and put it on a cafeteria tray, this would be a problem later.
the food: the brisket and chicken were very good, both tasty and juicy. the ribs on the other hand fell short. the pork rib was kinda bland and the beef rib was so tough it was like trying to chew through a tire and also did not have that much meat on it. the sides were perhaps the best thing of the night, mac n cheese and collared greens were both really good.
the problem with the butcher paper on the tray is that when you cut into your food you tear through the paper and end up eating it off the tray and its a mess. i understand you are trying to be different and authentic hill country, but dont be too cool for plates, i mean c'mon, its the 2010s.
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.
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Heart
December 15, 2009
Best BBQ in the city. This is a great place to get a good bbq. The pulled pork here is the way to go. I would suggest this place over the dallas bbq and dukes any day.
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December 14, 2009
AMAZING bbq food and service!. I ate her with a large group of friends on Saturday. I'm not really a big fan of bbq food but after dinner at hill country I'm now an addict! Everything was delicious and the staff were very friendly. Will definitely be back.
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Heart
December 11, 2009
Barbecue at it's finest!. I'm not sure what restaurant the person below went to, but Hill Country is the best barbecue spot I've been to in the city. 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). I consider myself to be a barbecue connoiesseur (which is maybe why I have a gym membership) and this place honestly makes me wish I'd found it as soon as it opened instead of wasting my money on other food people call barbecue. Not only the food, but FREE live music?! Give me a beer, a rib, and free live music and I'll go just about anywhere. I hear they're opening up a fried chicken place around the corner, looks like I'm going to need to renew my gym membership :)
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October 18, 2009
Hate it. A totally rude and unhelpful employee ruined this place for me. BBQ if ok but I'll never spend money at Hill Country again.
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June 19, 2009
Emperor's new clothes.. From day one, the PR blitz for this place has been overwhelming. But for all the hype, this place is a cheap imitation of real BBQ. Overly fatty, poorly cooked meat at ridiculous prices. I don't know why this place consistently makes Citysearch's Top 5 lists (a real coup for the PR machine, I guess). There's been a BBQ renaissance in the five boroughs in recent years. There are at least a dozen cheaper and better BBQ joints. Go to those places. Avoid this one.
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Heart
April 25, 2009
Very good BBQ for ok (for NYC) proces.
Ate here and got the pit master combo which was well priced (for NYC) for the amount of meat.
The pork ribs were the highlight and well certainly be what I'll order in the future. Very meaty and while pink in the middle that's not unusual for BBQ. The Beef Ribs were ok but not very meaty and kinda overcooked (not as bad as blue smokes beef ribs are but still a bit overdone). The brisket was nice and fatty (as i had asked) but i'm not a big brisket fan without sauce. It also came with some chicken which was forgettable (and kinda puny.. not that i was complaining with the amount of food i got but i wouldn't have been thrilled if i had just gotten the chicken).
For sides I got the green been casserole and deviled eggs as the sides. 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).
However the layout of the place and the ordering process is a disaster. I went at a very uncrowded time of day and it was still a pain to get everything. I can only imagine what a nightmare it is when it gets busy. Also carrying everything back to the table was not easy. I'd think with the servers they could at least help with that. I've eaten at places in this style in Texas before and i have never seen one so badly organized.
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Heart
April 05, 2009
Disappointing BBQ.
Ordered my husband some BBQ from Hill Country after a NY based Texan said it was the best in the neigborhood.
My husband said the bbq ribs were medium rare - yuck, the beef ribs were very fatty.
I ate the chicken which was good. We typically try to order relatively healthy sides, the coleslaw and cucumber salad will good, the beans made with beacon, and the stringbeans with a cream source where extremely heavy/fattening. Wont be ordering from them again..
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Best of Citysearch
Won for:
BBQ
(2008)BBQ (2007)
Nominated for:
Family Friendly Restaurant
(2013)
BBQ (2010)
BBQ (2009)
Group Dining (2009)
Italian Beef (2009)
Meat 'n Three Restaurant (2009)
Family Friendly Restaurant (2008)
BBQ (2010)
BBQ (2009)
Group Dining (2009)
Italian Beef (2009)
Meat 'n Three Restaurant (2009)
Family Friendly Restaurant (2008)