Hill Country Barbecue Market — Restaurant in New York

I wrote this following review about three weeks ago regarding my poor experience on April 19th:

I just got back home from ordering take out. I got a half pound of “moist” brisket (which had all of the moistness of a block of wood) and a half pound of bbq spare ribs. I paid $45 for 4 ribs that maybe had 1/16th of an inch of meat on them, plus the dried out brisket. I used to be a frequent customer years ago, so it’s very disheartening to be served this substandard food. It wasn’t worth $20 - let alone the $45 that I paid. If you’re looking for a good bbq restaurant this isn’t it. PS I wanted to include a photo of my receipt for proof, but I wasn’t able to. Btw I was hit with a "server charge" of $8.40 even though my meal was take out!!!

I finally got a reply to my google review from someone I assume is the manager by the name of Steve ten days after I posted it. He told me to reach out via their email address and that he would try to "make things right". I tried three times to send and email to the address he provided over the course of two weeks - each time getting a notification of a delivery failure.

Finally, last Friday I called up the restaurant and asked to speak with Steve. A female employee told me that he was in a meeting and took my phone number, promising me that Steve would return my call. It's not Monday afternoon, 72 hours later and I am still waiting for the manager Steve to call me back.

As I mentioned in my original review, I used to be a frequent customer here. I remember the days when the food was delicious and of high quality, and you got what you paid for. I remember when their managers were friendly, responsible and you would chat with them occasionally when they would stop by your table.

Unfortunately, this seems to no longer be the case. If you are considering visiting this restaurant for the first time you stand a good chance of being underwhelmed. If you have not visited in some time and are considering eating here again, you'll most likely yearn for the "old days" when good food and good management went hand in hand.

Either way, if you leave a negative review and are told to contact HCBBQ and that Steve will try to "make things right", don't put too much stock into it. Otherwise you will be just as disappointed in the lack of a reply as you were...

Delicious BBQ in the Heart of Chelsea – Worth Every Penny!

We recently visited Hill Country BBQ while staying in Chelsea over the 4th of July weekend, and it was one of the highlights of our trip! Located just a short 5-minute walk from our hotel (Holiday Inn on 26th), this restaurant delivered an authentic and memorable BBQ experience in the heart of NYC.

The food was absolutely delicious. While prices are on the higher side, the quality and portion sizes make it well worth it. We were a family of four and ordered one platter plus a selection of additional meats—and we had more than enough to eat. The chicken and brisket were the standouts—tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The turkey and pork were also quite good. The only slight letdown were the spare ribs, which were a bit dried out, but still packed with flavor.

The sides are generous—honestly, each one could easily feed two people, or even three if you’re a light eater. So definitely keep that in mind when ordering. We had the collard greens and coleslaw and both were good, but the collard greens could have used a little more salt.

Also, you can order the meat by a quarter pound if a half a pound is too much for you.

The setup of the restaurant is unique and adds to the charm. It has a fun, casual, and inviting atmosphere, and the layout is clearly marked with red arrows on the floor to guide you to the ordering counter in the rear center of the building. The hostess was friendly and helpful, explaining the ordering process clearly, and we were even greeted by another server asking if we’d like anything from the bar.

One small but appreciated detail: the tap water from the soda fountain tastes great—no need to spend extra on bottled water or soda.

You’ll grab your metal trays lined with butcher paper which serve as extra plates, if needed, silverware, from the self-serve area to the left of the counter.

Overall, we were very pleased with our meal and experience. If you’re in New York and love good barbecue, Hill Country is a must-visit. We’ll definitely be back the next time we’re...

A shame that they can't seem to keep the kitchen together because the food is quite good and the addition of a country-focused concert space is welcome. Purchased ($20 off the bat) tickets to a show in the basement space (support small artists!). The downstairs venue is small and appears to be regularly oversold despite requiring will-call tickets. 8 communal tables are available for seating with a bar along the side of the venue. The main issue is staff, or lack thereof. The bartenders were awesome and did their best to look after me, but were obviously run down with only 2 bartenders available to a crowd of 150-200+ people at a bar that could easily hold 4 bartenders. It's worth mentioning that all kitchen orders must be placed through the bar, which adds another burden for barkeeps to tend to. Placed an order for food and was given a table flag to put down. 45 minutes(!) after ordering I asked a table-runner where our food was, she told me to wait and she would come back. 15 minutes later (an hour after ordering, with the show now well underway) we are still stuck at our table waiting for food. An hour and 15 minutes in I go to the bar-tender and let him know we still had received our food. Props to him he remembered our order exactly despite having an hour having passed. 15 minutes later our order appeared and was served to us, an hour and 30 minutes after ordering. No sorry, no comp, no free app, no "can I get you a beer". Just bad customer service; which I blame squarely on the business, not the people, as it was obvious everyone was working...