Rafter J BBQ and Cajun Eats — Restaurant in Iowa Park

"generous portions and reasonable prices"...i don't know what twilight zone episode we're in, but this is exactly the opposite of this place. I have 2 main gripes: Cost - I've never paid less than $30 here, even for the SIMPLEST, smallest couple of meals. A chicken salad=$11.00. 4 small slices of brisket = $6. In what world is that "reasonable prices".. for a town with 6000 population,... In the middle of nowhere Texas?

My second gripe is that EVERY time I've eaten here - because i tried to give it plenty of chances - the food is ALWAYS cold. Every. Time. I've NEVER had a warm meal here. I know there's a concept of "timing"when it comes to barbecue, but I've tried 3 times to come at very different times: lunch, dinner, late dinner... And still, cold food.

I highly disagree this is a "good ol' Texas bbq place. I think most people who drive through here are dishonestly-nice enough to NOT give it fewer than 5 stars, as is the case with a lot of reviewers. Unfortunately, for me, I've given enough chances and spent enough money here to draw an honest conclusion about how I feel about Rafter J . It's just not worth the cash. For me, if I want BBQ, I'll make the extra 15 mile trip and go to a better restaurant in Wichita Falls.

The food is VERY average. Nothing to write home about. The service is GREAT. Most waiters/tenders/staff are friendly and attentive. Are they "Texas hospitality friendly", with a "howdy y'all", and"welcome to Texas"?? Nope, not quite. The atmosphere is fine. Plenty to look at.

Overall, I don't think I'll be frequenting this place at all. I've probably eaten my...

From the moment we stepped into Rafter J BBQ and Cajun Eats, we knew we were in for something special. This Texas family-owned gem delivers an uncanny blend of authentic BBQ mastery and Texan soul, making every bite unforgettable.

We started with a heaping platter of smoked sausage, tender pulled pork, crispy fried pepper, and perfectly charred corn on the cob. The sausage was plump and juicy, bursting with smoky goodness, while the pulled pork was melt-in-your-mouth tender with that perfect hint of bark from the smoker. The fried peppers? Simply divine — golden, crunchy, and seasoned to perfection. Paired with the creamy ranch sauce, it was impossible to resist.

The corn was a standout, buttery and charred to perfection, adding that ideal touch of sweetness. And let’s not forget the vibrant Texas smoked flavored that danced through each dish. Every bite was a testament to their dedication to quality and tradition.

But the true showstopper was “The Triple” sandwich — a mountain of smoky, juicy pork piled high on a soft bun, perfectly smoked brisket, and a generous amount of chopped beef. Each bite was a revelation, capturing the essence of Texas BBQ.

Rafter J BBQ and Cajun Eats is more than just a restaurant; it’s an experience. The atmosphere is warm, the service is impeccable, and the food? Uncannily good. If you’re craving authentic, mouth-watering BBQ that leaves a lasting impression, look no further. Five stars simply aren’t enough.

This has my personal stamp of approval and what I refer to as the gold standard of Texas BBQ.

We’ll definitely be...

Was driving through and stopped at this place after reading many good reviews. However, my husband and I wished we had just kept on driving. It took 50 minutes for us to get our side salads and over an hour to get the rest of our food. When we got our food, my husband's fried corn-on-the-cob was completely cold and extremely over salted. My fried okra was slimy (which I've never had slimy fried okra before) and the fried crawfish was so fishy it made me gag. Needless to say, I left most my food on the table. The waitress did apologize several times, and told us that it was taking so long because they had a lot of new staff working in the back and with the three large parties it was eating them alive. However, there were four other parties who came in after us and all had their food before us. As we were getting served another party who had only been there a couple of minutes was served immediately after us. In my opinion, if the kitchen was struggling with getting orders out then the owner should have been back there helping out instead of bullshitting with all the patrons. Even after all that no one even offered to comp part of our meal which for what we got was expensive at $36 for two!

I give one stars because the young waitress was very nice and the brisket and pulled pork my husband had was good (but nothing...