Hill Country Smokehouse — Restaurant in Bertram

Thank you so much for good food and a positive experience.

Short report for those wondering: Positive atmosphere, lean brisket is not dry and pairs very well with their delicious bbq sauce, cobbler was yummy, Cole slaw and potato salad were good, clean place, friendly staff.

Long version: Drove all the way from very south Austin with the dogs to enjoy some brisket. They have outdoor seating so we can sit and enjoy our meal with the pups. One of the staff came out and greeted the pups and gave them a treat 🥰 Thank you so much! I love that 🐾 When I went in to order she was so kind, the kind of person I could probably chat with about nothing for hours, not that she was chatty but that she connected with me and that’s amazing! She asked if I wanted ice cream with my cobbler and her face expression made my heart smile basically all it took was a face expression to say “girl, it is soooooo good with ice cream”” 😆 The cook asked me if I wanted it warmed up too, so much love into the cobbler 🥰 I ordered a lb of lean brisket so I can share with the pups. I have found some places lean brisket can be dry but they have mastered the balance, great job with the brisket! It fell apart nicely and pairs so well with the delicious bbq sauce. Now of course the cobbler was the first thing I ate, I should have got 2 because it was great but not really because then I would have been in food coma by the end of the meal. The Coleslaw and potato salad were your basic side, they were good. I ate em all up. When it comes to mac n cheese I have a high bar set and it’s very hard for me to love anyone’s mac n cheese, I was grateful tho that the noodles weren’t mushy. I’m so happy everything went well! The place was inviting, clean, friendly, and had positive vibes all around. I will for...

This place was really hyped up by my friend and I'm sad to say it was a disappointing experience. The restaurant itself is really charming with that local smokehouse decor we know and love in Texas. The staff is very friendly and the guy ringing us up was very patient with our indecisiveness. We really appreciated that. However, the brisket was extremely dry. The ribs were dry and a bit hard as well. Not falling off the bone like I would expect. The mac n'cheese was pretty lackluster. It tasted like it was from a box. Now I must say - the fried okra was awesome. Made fresh and tasted great. Green beans were fresh as well. Kudos there. I'm hoping we just came on a bad week and got unlucky. Thanks for the good service though. If I come again and it's as good as my friend said it usually is, I'll happily change my review. Also, there's a lot of styrofoam and plastic in use. Please use real cups and plates! It's better for the...

A gem of a find in Bertram. We ate there before a music performance at the Globe Theatre. Only downside is that they close at 7PM on Saturday nights and the shows at the Globe start at 8PM......They should really consider staying open at least 30 minutes longer if a show is scheduled and perhaps cooperate with the Globe Theatre for some publicity.

As for the food.....the side dishes we tried (Cole Slaw and Potato Salad) were both outstanding. Crunchy sweet Cole Slaw and a good mustard potato salad. The Jalapeno sausage was greasy in a good way and very tasty. Only slight disappointment was the brisket which was tender, but a little dry. The sauce was perfect though...so those flaws were hidden. Portions were very adequate. Nice clean tables inside and very nice picnic tables outside. The staff was very friendly and efficient. Lots of other options on the...