Riscky's BAR-B-Q — Restaurant in Fort Worth

It takes a lot for a place that I have enjoyed dining at in the past to go from a place that I gave a five star rating two years ago to a place that I feel rightly deserves a one star rating but today, they managed to do that. I was meeting family from out of town at the Stockyards and since I am a frequent visitor to the Stockyards and since I have eaten at Riscky's a number of times, I felt that was a safe place to choose for a first time experience. My family wanted to watch the cattle drive and they asked if we should watch the cattle drive first and then go eat. But I said that Riscky's has a patio that we could sit at and eat while watching the cattle drive. All seemed to be going to plan, until right before the cattle drive. We were seated on the patio and we were already taking pictures of the herd lined up, waiting for the cattle drive to begin. At, literally, the worst time, one of the wait staff came by and said that they were going to put down the wind screens around the patio. We mentioned that we were trying to watch the cattle drive and he promised us that he would wait until after the cattle drive. I wasn't a big fan of sitting next to this plastic barrier while we ate, but I figured that as long as they waited until after the cattle drive, it would be okay. But within a couple of minutes, he and another guy were back, putting down the screens. Again, we told them that we were there to watch the cattle drive, but this time they refused to leave them up, because someone had claimed that her children were getting cold. The irony is that there was about twenty children just outside sitting on the sidewalk, wearing T-shirts and they didn't seem cold at all. The staff assured us that we could still see with the screens down, but as soon as they went down, it was obvious that it would be impossible to take pictures. At best, we would see a blur that looked a little like a longhorn as they walked by. So, very short on time, rather than continuing to fight a losing battle, we went outside to be on the other side of the screens. Our intent was to go back in and eat. One of my family members decided that he had time to go back in and explain what we were doing. I wasn't party to that conversation, but I was able to see through the screen that they cleared the table. After the cattle drive, we went back inside. When we spoke to the hostess, her expression and her tone as she asked, "Are you the people who had a canceled order?", made it clear that she wasn't very happy with us. We stepped to the side and someone went to get one of the managers. As we stood there, it became very clear that may family members were not wanting to eat there, after the way we had been treated. We offered to pay for the drinks, which was the only thing that had been delivered to our table. For that matter, we would've paid for the canceled order, if they had asked us to, but the dining experience was ruined and we weren't going to be comfortable eating there. The manager (assistant manager?) told us that we didn't have to pay, so we just left. While that gesture is the appropriate thing to do in that situation, its a far cry from what should have happened. First, when someone complained about the temperature on the patio, instead of offering to ruin the dining experience for other guests, they should have offered to more the complaining group to an inside table. Second, even if they agreed to put the screens down, they should have told the complainer that they would wait until after the cattle drive. But what happened happened. While I don't know that I will never return there to eat, I think it is unlikely that I will anytime soon, even though I usually visit the stockyards once or twice a month. It is, however, very unlikely that I will ever again feel comfortable recommending that other people eat there. Maybe if I see signs go up that say, "Company policy is that screens will remain up during the cattle drive," but even then, I doubt it. And frankly, I'm kind of...

After hearing rave reviews I was eager to experience what all the fuss was about. Unfortunately, my visit turned out to be far from the delightful meal I was hoping for.

To start, let’s address the main draw: the location. While Risky’s is indeed situated in a prime spot, THE STOCKYARDS, the food left much to be desired. The brisket I ordered was a letdown; it was dry and lacked any robust flavor. I had high expectations for what is often considered a barbecue staple, but what I received felt more like an afterthought. The sides did not fare any better; the potato salad was unappetizing, and the baked potato was dry and served cold.

In terms of variety, I quite confidently chose the fried catfish, expecting a whole fish as described in many barbecue joints. Imagine my surprise when what arrived were nuggets, leaving me feeling misled. The menu should definitely clarify this to avoid disappointing customers looking for a proper dish. To add to the confusion, they later brought out a whole smoked catfish, which felt more like a desperate attempt to correct their mistake than a well-planned menu offering.

The all-you-can-eat ribs looked like they had spent an eternity forgotten in the back of a smoker—an unappetizing and sad offering that made me question how long they had been sitting around.

As if the food experience wasn’t disappointing enough, the service compounded the frustration. The bartender was incredibly rude when we were informed we would need to pay before leaving, rather than having it added to our dining ticket. Her snobby attitude created an uncomfortable atmosphere for what should have been a joyful family outing. I completely understand the need for payment procedures, but a little kindness and understanding go a long way—something sorely lacking during our visit.

In light of this experience, I’ve decided to stick with Cousins BBQ for my family gatherings. The food, service, and atmosphere have consistently proved to be a much more enjoyable experience. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and won't...

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — food was great, service a little lacking in attentiveness at the bar My husband brought me here for our first date so we always go back on Feb 15th, which is our “first date anniversary.”

The stockyards were CROWDED!! More so than a usual Saturday, but the Black rodeo was there, the Grapevine train was there, and it seemed a cattle auction was happening (plus nice weather AND Valentine’s Day weekend!). The wait for a table was 30 minutes at around 4:00, but we decided to sit at the bar and eat.

The service at the bar was spotty, but Chris was pulling a double so we gave grace. His barback was helpful and friendly but I didn’t get his name.

I got the all-you-can-eat beef ribs with one side for $19.99. I paid the up charge of around $2.00 to get onion strings as a side because yum! It also comes with Texas toast, onions, peppers, and a pickle.

The ribs looked like food from the Flintstones!!! See the pics, and the last pic is my LEFTOVERS the next day!!! Ribs were great, always love the bbq sauce, it’s a little sweet and sooo good. Onion strings were crispy and awesome dipped in Ranch.

Hubby got the chopped brisket sandwich and paid the up charge to have Texas fries as his side. Beer for him was cold and the Dr. Pepper I had was perfect!

We danced a little slow dance to the music for a minute right at the bar. The music was good 90s country !

Definitely visit Riscky’s - we love their bbq and they have a heated patio and a big restaurant. The food is consistently great and the portions are big. Wonderful choice for a first date and...