The problem would be solved if he weren't serving burnt ends, which is where I believe the fat bits are going to.

FFS, it's not an argument - any time any restaurant has any problem getting their menu items out in the quality (and quantity) they desire, it's a food problem. Same for service, doesn't matter what kind of food, what language the servers speak, whether they serve Coca-Cola or Pepsi, ad nauseum - if they're not delivering the service properly, it's a service problem. Either problem goes deeper than those details.

ffs, it's not an argument - any time any restaurant has any problem getting their menu items out in the quality (and quantity) they desire, it's a food problem. Same for service, doesn't matter what kind of food, what language the servers speak, whether they serve coca-cola or pepsi, ad nauseum - if they're not delivering the service properly, it's a service problem. Either problem goes deeper than those details.

( yawn )

Always gotta have the last word, even if it's something completely worthless?

The problem would be solved if he weren't serving burnt ends, which is where I believe the fat bits are going to.

I'm not pretentious enough to act like I know what his problems are ............... but as someone said above, if its dry, its most likely been in the warmer too long. Brisket is challenging because its two separate muscles. But its not just the point that should be moist, the flat can also be moist if cooked correctly. But the longer its in the warmer, the more it cooks.

The problem for all barbecue joints is measuring demand. That's why most who care about quality, only smoke a certain amount of meat, an amount they know will sell. It will take Clark some time to learn how much to smoke.

There are some who do lunch and dinner and do it well. And I'm sure there's others who serve lunch and dinner, but don't do it well.

Here we go, allow me to defer to an article in GQ mag about Texas barbecue .......... I know, I know ..............its GQ .... but its truth .............



A place open for lunch and dinner, then, will struggle to hold their meat to a high standard. Running a barbecue pit is not like running a normal restaurant. All of the food is essentially made to order; you can’t spend six hours cooking another rack of ribs just because demand has increased. By only making enough meat to serve that day, a pitmaster ensures that her meat is fresh, soft, and not dry. There’s a promise implied in lunch barbecue: a pitmaster’s hallowed promise that what you’re getting is the best they’ve got.

When Jack Perkins opened Slow Bone in Dallas in 2013, he promised the restaurant would be open for lunch and dinner, never run out of meat, and never serve yesterday’s meat. He broke that promise pretty quickly because it’s an impossible one to keep. To make that amount of meat isn’t just difficult; it’s wasteful. “We probably lost $20,000 in food,” Perkins told Texas Monthly BBQ (https://www.texasmonthly.com/bbq/so-you-want-to-open-a-bbq-joint/). “The day we opened we should have done five briskets and run out at 1:00.”

More barbecue joints should follow this lead. As barbecue expands it reaches out of the wide open spaces of the American South, it’s lost one of its most craveable statuses: exclusivity. When the food you create is excellent and exciting—as ultra-hyped restaurants like D.C.’s Rose’s Luxury, L.A.’s Sqirl, even Dominique Ansel Bakery and their still-loved cronuts—people will show up early and wait for it.

The true shining proclamation that a barbecue place is worth your time and your money isn’t a line out the door and around the corner, it’s a piece of butcher paper taped to the outside of the front door at 2:00 p.m. that maybe says “Sorry y’all” or “Come back tomorrow” but almost definitely says “sold out.”

https://www.gq.com/story/authentic-barbecue-lunch-food

It's honestly whatever. I'll be back if I want something other than brisket. I only bought it up because I find it odd on two fronts1. Previous comments mention that they run out of meat. Lines out the door, and demand shouldn't be an issue.2. It's being advertised as wagyu. There should be more marbling than what the pictures provide. I'll continue to be there for the burnt ends, and maybe the ribs. Look forward to trying other things.Maybe also worth noting, check out the timestamp on the photo. It's 12:30 PM on a sunday, and they open at 11.

It's honestly whatever. I'll be back if I want something other than brisket. I only bought it up because I find it odd on two fronts1. Previous comments mention that they run out of meat. Lines out the door, and demand shouldn't be an issue.2. It's being advertised as wagyu. There should be more marbling than what the pictures provide. I'll continue to be there for the burnt ends, and maybe the ribs. Look forward to trying other things.Maybe also worth noting, check out the timestamp on the photo. It's 12:30 PM on a sunday, and they open at 11.

I don't know either .................... all I've said , is he's trying to do lunch and dinner ...... and that's tough for any barbecue joint. Barbecue is not like normal restaurants. And Clark did not start on a small scale just doing lunch and then slowly grow to include dinner. He jumped in whole hog, no pun intended.

He might get it worked out, he might not. I think Maples does dinner and lunch well, I'm not sure.

It really does not matter to me. I'm happy with the barbecue I smoke in my backyard.

If brisket is that difficult to keep, they should just stagger their cooking and only offer it in a window.

X briskets good to serve between 11 & 1
X briskets good to serve between 6 & 8

Once they are sold out, you can order something else.

**I'm not a bbq'er, so I'm not sure how feasible that method would be.

Brisket can also lose moisture when its sliced. Should not slice it at the cutting table till it goes on customer plate. I don't know if Clark has a cutting table.

But I gotta think that would be way too amateur for Travis Clark. Surely, they're not pre-slicing the brisket.

I don't have any suggestions cuz this is over my pay grade.

I do agree with a lot of the thoughts here that brisket would be difficult to do all day long and keep the quality. The brisket I had when I went was terrific. May have been a tad on the dry side, and the texture was a little more firm than I'd have liked, but the flavor of the bark was outstanding. I think it was also the first week, so I think I hoped they'd only get better from there.

I would not hesitate to order brisket again at Clark Crew, but I can see how what's important to me in a slice of brisket may not meet others' expectations, and that's OK. Brisket aside, I think there are plenty of other really good things on the menu, having tried a few and heard from others.

This was never going to be a place I went all the time, so I'm good with my visit for a while. I certainly will try to take out-of-towners when I get the chance, but I'll also keep smoking and grilling meat in my backyard to satisfy my BBQ needs.

Went today with a friend. Got there about 11:40am to try and beat any rush. Already a 30 minute wait. We opted for the tall community tables near the bar.

Buildout is excellent. Really good looking place. Staff was equally impressive. Very friendly and knowledgable of the menu items.

Started with some cheese curds.

We both ordered the 3-meat plate. He did the ribs, bologna and brisket with creamed corn and fries. I did ribs, brisket and burnt ends with creamed corn and baked beans. Both also came with corn bread.

Topped it all off with peach crisp and vanilla ice cream for dessert.

First off, the portions were HUGE. Definitely enough to share with someone else (making the $24 price very affordable when split in two).

The "Really Good":
1.) The burnt ends: Just like meat candy. Very good.
2.) Corn Bread: Almost like eating dessert (and a lot better than the dessert we were served)

The "Just Okay":
1.) Brisket: The fatty isn't fatty enough for my liking, firm and kinda dry. Room temperature. Not 'bad' but nothing memorable. Most off-putting was how salty it tasted.
2.) Creamed Corn: Was a little too sweet and a little too liquidy.
3.) Cheese Curds: The taste was okay. What really disappointed me was that I'm used to the cheese curds form The Mule. The cheese center is often too hot to eat when it first hits the table. Not so here. The cheese wasn't even stretchy. It was cool to the touch and was just a breaded lump of disappointment.

The "Not So Good":
1.) Bologna: I can honestly say I've never had bologna at a BBQ joint that I didn't think was good until today. It was room temperature, salty, dry (zero moisture) and a bit tough.
2.) Ribs: I know a lot of people claim ribs are not supposed to fall off the bone. I don't care, because that's exactly how I like them. These were never gonna fall off the bone. You literally had to gnaw the meat off the bone. It was chewy - way too chewy for my liking. And, once again, room temperature at best.
3.) Peach Crisp: We literally knew when it hit the table we were not gonna like it. The top was a pile of what looked to be quick oats that were not fully cooked and the center was just a mush. Nothing indulgent about it at all. Almost like someone's mother found a 'healthy peach crisp recipe' on Pinterest and tried to pass it off as a real dessert.

All-in-all we were disappointed. We both ate less than half of our entree and only a single bite of the dessert. IMO there are much better BBQ joints in the city. This place is new, so I'll probably check it out again in a few months.

Went today with a friend. Got there about 11:40am to try and beat any rush. Already a 30 minute wait. We opted for the tall community tables near the bar.

Buildout is excellent. Really good looking place. Staff was equally impressive. Very friendly and knowledgable of the menu items.

Started with some cheese curds.

We both ordered the 3-meat plate. He did the ribs, bologna and brisket with creamed corn and fries. I did ribs, brisket and burnt ends with creamed corn and baked beans. Both also came with corn bread.

Topped it all off with peach crisp and vanilla ice cream for dessert.

First off, the portions were HUGE. Definitely enough to share with someone else (making the $24 price very affordable when split in two).

The "Really Good":
1.) The burnt ends: Just like meat candy. Very good.
2.) Corn Bread: Almost like eating dessert (and a lot better than the dessert we were served)

The "Just Okay":
1.) Brisket: The fatty isn't fatty enough for my liking, firm and kinda dry. Room temperature. Not 'bad' but nothing memorable. Most off-putting was how salty it tasted.
2.) Creamed Corn: Was a little too sweet and a little too liquidy.
3.) Cheese Curds: The taste was okay. What really disappointed me was that I'm used to the cheese curds form The Mule. The cheese center is often too hot to eat when it first hits the table. Not so here. The cheese wasn't even stretchy. It was cool to the touch and was just a breaded lump of disappointment.

The "Not So Good":
1.) Bologna: I can honestly say I've never had bologna at a BBQ joint that I didn't think was good until today. It was room temperature, salty, dry (zero moisture) and a bit tough.
2.) Ribs: I know a lot of people claim ribs are not supposed to fall off the bone. I don't care, because that's exactly how I like them. These were never gonna fall off the bone. You literally had to gnaw the meat off the bone. It was chewy - way too chewy for my liking. And, once again, room temperature at best.
3.) Peach Crisp: We literally knew when it hit the table we were not gonna like it. The top was a pile of what looked to be quick oats that were not fully cooked and the center was just a mush. Nothing indulgent about it at all. Almost like someone's mother found a 'healthy peach crisp recipe' on Pinterest and tried to pass it off as a real dessert.

All-in-all we were disappointed. We both ate less than half of our entree and only a single bite of the dessert. IMO there are much better BBQ joints in the city. This place is new, so I'll probably check it out again in a few months.

Ya I really like fatty brisket. I am just not a huge fan on eat cuts from the flat. That is all they have I guess? Very interesting.

Holy cow, lines out the door at 11:40AM??

Considering the size of the place, I think it's fair to say this is the biggest restaurant sensation in OKC in quite a while.

Holy cow, lines out the door at 11:40AM??

Considering the size of the place, I think it's fair to say this is the biggest restaurant sensation in OKC in quite a while.

Never said the line was out the door. Sorry if I gave that impression. There was never a line that went beyond a few small groups sitting inside in the wait area (I've seen longer lines at IHOP). It's just that all the tables/booths were taken, the tables don't turn very quickly, and it's safe to say the place had to have filled up in the 30 minutes prior to us getting there. Meaning, it would be a bit before people started leaving. There was plenty of open spots in the community table areas (easily enough room for a dozen or more people). Even when we left (well into the lunch hour) there wasn't more than a couple of people waiting to be seated. That said, it's still obviously very popular. But, it's Oklahoma, anything new is popular and this place has been hyped to death and is in a very visible location.

Two ladies sitting next to us had the open face Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. It looked really really good and was huge. They must have liked it because it would feed 2-3 people easily and they each pretty much cleaned their plate. I'll probably try that next.

What I really couldn't get over was how salty their meats were. Reminded me why we stopped eating burgers at the Garage in Edmond (the buffalo burgers we kept getting were almost too salty to eat).

As of now, I still prefer Bedlam, Maples, Deckle and Leo's (on a good day - which is sadly, not every day).

^ I'm surprised that you would include Maples in your prefered list. In your last review of Maples you claimed you would not be going back there as it served a niche market that you were not part of.

^ I'm surprised that you would include Maples in your prefered list. In your last review of Maples you claimed you would not be going back there as it served a niche market that you were not part of.

There are definitely things about Maples I didn't like. I also wouldn't suggest it on my own accord if say the wife and I were heading out for dinner. That said, we often have a fairly large lunch group and I don't balk at the idea of going to Maples. There are items on the menu I enjoy. Overall it's just not in my personal rotation. But, I've had some really really good meat there in the past. But, it's consistency IMO is on par with Leo's - it's a crap shoot (and a fairly pricey crap shoot at lunch). I was pretty open when I had a few visits in a row at Big Truck that were subpar. But, I still checked in every now and then. And while it's not my personal goto place for Mexican-is food, I bet we get it at the office at least twice a month and I usually enjoy it just fine.

It's funny how two people (me and Brian) can have similar meals and such widely varying reviews of the food. Obviously, I wish you had a better experience, if only to validate my own opinions about the restaurant. Hopefully, if you ever do go back, you'll have a better meal!

I agree about the look of the place, they did a great job with the restaurant. BBQ, I've also found, is extremely subjective, so I guess it's not a huge surprise to have varying opinions of the same food. I also like Bedlam, and have yet to try the others on your list. I need to get over to Maples just to see how it rates, for me.

As I've said before, I don't tend to seek out BBQ joints because I do so much at home I don't really need to. I appreciate your opinion about Clark, though. I'll be interested to see if it gets better, for you, over time.

It's funny how two people (me and Brian) can have similar meals and such widely varying reviews of the food. Obviously, I wish you had a better experience, if only to validate my own opinions about the restaurant. Hopefully, if you ever do go back, you'll have a better meal!

I agree about the look of the place, they did a great job with the restaurant. BBQ, I've also found, is extremely subjective, so I guess it's not a huge surprise to have varying opinions of the same food. I also like Bedlam, and have yet to try the others on your list. I need to get over to Maples just to see how it rates, for me.

As I've said before, I don't tend to seek out BBQ joints because I do so much at home I don't really need to. I appreciate your opinion about Clark, though. I'll be interested to see if it gets better, for you, over time.

BBQ joints are the one type of restaurant I can say that I don't tend to judge them (permanently) off single visits. While most other types of food are pretty consistent IMO: You either like a place's take on Mexican food, steaks, Italian, burgers and pizza - or - you don't. I find BBQ can vary slightly or greatly with each visit. I love Leo's when it's spot on. But I've also been there and the ribs were really bad. Actually, the last time I went to Bedlam we all commented that the ribs were sub par on that visit - but are usually very good. The only place I've had BBQ that was always excellent IMO was when we'd go to The Butcher Stand. But, admittedly, we don't go there as frequently (maybe 3-4x a year). Maples has been the most random for me. When it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's pretty bad. And, in my experience it's about a 50/50 chance of it being either or (not good odds IMO for the price). Rudy's is an oddity to me. I don't like the OKC or Norman locations. That said, I can't get enough of the one we go to in Austin - it's amazing every time. I'll definitely go back to Clark Crew. The wife wants to try it. I'll probably try a sandwich though and let her do the meats.

BBQ joints are the one type of restaurant I can say that I don't tend to judge them (permanently) off single visits. While most other types of food are pretty consistent IMO: You either like a place's take on Mexican food, steaks, Italian, burgers and pizza - or - you don't. I find BBQ can vary slightly or greatly with each visit. I love Leo's when it's spot on. But I've also been there and the ribs were really bad. Actually, the last time I went to Bedlam we all commented that the ribs were sub par on that visit - but are usually very good. The only place I've had BBQ that was always excellent IMO was when we'd go to The Butcher Stand. But, admittedly, we don't go there as frequently (maybe 3-4x a year). Maples has been the most random for me. When it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's pretty bad. And, in my experience it's about a 50/50 chance of it being either or (not good odds IMO for the price). Rudy's is an oddity to me. I don't like the OKC or Norman locations. That said, I can't get enough of the one we go to in Austin - it's amazing every time. I'll definitely go back to Clark Crew. The wife wants to try it. I'll probably try a sandwich though and let her do the meats.

It's funny you say that about Rudy's. My father-in-law moved back to Tulsa recently after 20 or so years in Austin. He was so excited when he saw we have a Rudy's in OKC. I think Rudy's, on its best day, is mediocres, so I was kind of surprised to hear him rave about it. I'd be curious to see what he thinks of the OKC location, but I plan on taking him to Clark since we always go to the same 3-4 places when they're in town.

... Rudy's is an oddity to me. I don't like the OKC or Norman locations. That said, I can't get enough of the one we go to in Austin - it's amazing every time. ...

Others have said the same thing about Rudy's, and I agree about the OKC location (haven't been to Norman's or Austin's), have also heard that it's the wood that the Austin Rudy's uses that makes it good, no idea if that's true or not, just what I heard.

Guess bbqsnob didn’t think Clark’s Crew was good on his first

https://mobile.twitter.com/BBQsnob/status/1210676563601219584

Others have said the same thing about Rudy's, and I agree about the OKC location (haven't been to Norman's or Austin's), have also heard that it's the wood that the Austin Rudy's uses that makes it good, no idea if that's true or not, just what I heard.

The Rudy's locations in the Austin/Round Rock area are great, every single time and do huge volumes. They are run by an outstanding franchisee group, K&N Management. The others, including OKC, Amarillo, etc...are average at best.

Guess bbqsnob didn’t think Clark’s Crew was good on his first

https://mobile.twitter.com/BBQsnob/status/1210676563601219584

First time looking at the content, and am not entirely familiar with the format. Having said that it was only the comments that didn't think it was good. Nobody liked the brisket, and that looked better than the brisket I got.

First time looking at the content, and am not entirely familiar with the format. Having said that it was only the comments that didn't think it was good. Nobody liked the brisket, and that looked better than the brisket I got.

If Vaughn didn't have anything good to say... He was just trying to be nice by not making any negative comments.

He didn't care for what he was served or he would have said so..... With that said... He's a Texas BBQ snob and Travis Clark isn't serving Texas style BBQ.

First time looking at the content, and am not entirely familiar with the format. Having said that it was only the comments that didn't think it was good. Nobody liked the brisket, and that looked better than the brisket I got.

I might be reading it wrong but I believe he responded to comment saying that if his first visit to a place is good he’ll then write about it. Tweeting it’s unfair to write a review early in the restaurant existence is basically saying it wasn’t positive, without saying it. Assuming it was really good then he would have tweeted out that. Just my thoughts on it.

If Vaughn didn't have anything good to say... He was just trying to be nice by not making any negative comments.

He didn't care for what he was served or he would have said so..... With that said... He's a Texas BBQ snob and Travis Clark isn't serving Texas style BBQ.

Exactly. Any brisket that does not come off a smoker located in the state of Texas is not good.

He was generous with Maples, however, but his caveat was Maples was " the best brisket I've had in OKC " . It was highly qualified.

Exactly. Any brisket that does not come off a smoker located in the state of Texas is not good.

He was generous with Maples, however, but his caveat was Maples was " the best brisket I've had in OKC " . It was highly qualified.

And Maple's is cooked, and served, like Texas style brisket.

And Maple's is cooked, and served, like Texas style brisket.

Which actually, is the way I smoke brisket in the backyard. I like that style. Salt and pepper and on my offset stick burner. But that's not the only way to smoke brisket.

I read an interview a couple years ago with Joe Davidson. The Joe of Oklahoma Joe's . They asked him about central Texas style brisket. He said it was good but that he thought brisket could be so much more.

I read an interview a couple years ago with Joe Davidson. The Joe of Oklahoma Joe's . They asked him about central Texas style brisket. He said it was good but that he thought brisket could be so much more.

If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life it would be brisket from Snow's BBQ in Lexington Texas.... Nothing more would be needed.

If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life it would be brisket from Snow's BBQ in Lexington Texas.... Nothing more would be needed.

You're in luck.... Brisket is Healthy for you, Says Researchers at Texas A&M (https://www.wideopencountry.com/texas-bbq/)

Sort've on topic, here's some Oklahoma barbecue history. An interview with Joe Davidson by Daniel Vaughn, Texas Monthly, May , 2014

https://www.texasmonthly.com/bbq/interview-joe-davidson-of-oklahoma-joes-bar-b-cue/

Sort've on topic, here's some Oklahoma barbecue history. An interview with Joe Davidson by Daniel Vaughn, Texas Monthly, May , 2014

https://www.texasmonthly.com/bbq/interview-joe-davidson-of-oklahoma-joes-bar-b-cue/

that was a good read thanks for the link



the best quote that tulsa folks wont care for

"JD: I’ll never do it in Tulsa, so I’m gonna have to go to a major market and beat him on that. But, hell yeah there’s competition."

The Real Competition Between Kansas City and Houston? Barbecue (https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/01/10/kansas-city-chiefs-houston-texans-nfl-playoffs-barbecue)

Clarks Crew separates their brisket ..............IG post of flats on the smoker . Interesting.


clarkcrewbbq
@waverider0406 we separate all of our briskets so we have burnt ends....they go fast


https://www.instagram.com/p/B7q7UEFBcG8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Clarks Crew separates their brisket ..............IG post of flats on the smoker . Interesting

Not that uncommon for a KCBS cook to do that.

Not that uncommon for a KCBS cook to do that.

Well, I was thinking using the point for burnt ends is more KC style.

Sort've gives central Texas brisket the middle finger :D

And to add, I guess the brisket is also injected ?

Well, I was thinking using the point for burnt ends is more KC style.

Sort've gives central Texas brisket the middle finger :D

And to add, I guess the brisket is also injected ?

Considering Clark is a KCBS cook. Yes that is what he is doing... On all counts.

This might also explain much of the complaints about " dry " brisket.

This might also explain much of the complaints about " dry " brisket.

I can't speculate about that... I've judged a lot of KCBS brisket and it's not typically dry.

Restaurant brisket tends to dry the longer it's held though... So that could explain it but I don't know if Clark Crew is staggering their cook or cooking it all at once and holding it all day.

Separating the point and flat can still have nice juicy brisket. I am still guessing they are cooking it all at one time and keeping it in warmers.

Separating the point and flat can still have nice juicy brisket. I am still guessing they are cooking it all at one time and keeping it in warmers.
I got in as they opened for business and it was still dry.

I think if you order the Burnt Ends with the Crü Sauce, you won’t ever be disappointed

Separating the point and flat can still have nice juicy brisket. I am still guessing they are cooking it all at one time and keeping it in warmers.

But depending upon the cooking temp, and because the flat does not have much intramuscular fat, the done window can be pretty narrow.

I got in as they opened for business and it was still dry.

Ouch.


But depending upon the cooking temp, and because the flat does not have much intramuscular fat, the done window can be pretty narrow.

Yes but most experienced BBQers can do it with no issues after knowing your equipment and meat. I know Clark knows his stuff. No one wins that many awards for making bad BBQ.

Ouch.



Yes but most experienced BBQers can do it with no issues after knowing your equipment and meat. I know Clark knows his stuff. No one wins that many awards for making bad BBQ.

True

I have been itching to get to Clark Crew BBQ since I first heard they were opening. Friday night (24 Jan), I finally got my chance, and I'm going to toss in my $0.02 of a "review" of my visit.

Now, let me preface this by saying up front I am no BBQ expert. I couldn't begin to contribute intelligently to any debate or discussion about BBQ Method X vs Style Y vs System Z, or This Region vs That Region, or Uncle Bob's Secret Method vs Cousin Jimmy's World Best method. Don't know any of 'em, don't dispute any of em. I just know what I like, including what comes out of my own smoker, and what I don't like. So I'm going to present what I had tonight in that vein, knowing that BBQ is just slightly this side of religion when it comes to whats right vs wrong. My take may not square with yours. That's cool.

So, with all the legal caveats aside, let me dive in.

We showed up at about ten to six on Friday evening, and the wonderful, unmistakable aroma of barbecue smoke wonderfulness permeated the room and welcomed you like a grandmother on Christmas Eve. My wife and I were promised a 40-45 minute wait, which I thought was great, given stories of waits up to two hours. So we put our name on the list, and we waited - and the timer on my wristwatch told me 45 minutes had passed when they called my name. And when they did, the lobby was absolutely packed, and I'm sure that two-hour wait was well in hand.

I ordered the two-meat tray ($20), and I opted for sliced brisket and ribs for my meats. I chose coleslaw and "competition" beans for my sides. My wife had a one-plate salad bar ($11) and a jalapeno sausage link ($5). We splurged at the end for some peach crumble ($6) with a scoop of vanilla ($1). I had a 50/50 sweet/unsweet tea ($3).

My platter was the following:

15760

Let's go over each element, and I'll start with sauce as a teaser. Each table has three bottles of sauce, labled "Original," "Competition," and "Spicy." "Competition" didn't do anything for me - just kind of a non-descript pepper+vinegar blend. Meh. On the other hand I'm not a "spicy" fan in general, but I was surprised to actually like it, and didn't find the "kick" too overwhelming. In the end, however, the "Competition" flavor was my favorite. Disclaimer: I'm not much of a BBQ sauce guy. I don't dismiss it, but I tend to lean toward good BBQ not really *needing* it. If you like it, great. I don't *dislike* it.

Okay, enough teaser. On with the good stuff.

1. The brisket: It was fantastic. It was moist, served perfectly warm with a great smoke ring. The meat was rich with hickory smoke flavor, and man, it didn't need a drop of sauce. It was fork tender. Of the four slices I had on my plate, I could only down two of them. (No, I'm not a world-class eater in terms of volume). But I loved every bite. I was amazed to discover the general taste was *very* similar to what I, as a total and completely ignorant amateur, produce out of my own backyard smoker. What surprised me even *more* was to discover how much the rub on that brisket tasted much like the rub I put on my own briskets - even my wife concurred that the similarity was unmistakable. It was delicious.

2. The ribs: Clinging to the bone, these baby backs were super. They offered almost no resistance as I plunged the ol' choppers into 'em, releasing their own smokey goodness with each bite. Again, they needed no sauce. They were exactly moist enough, exactly done enough, and *not* overcooked at all. I finished one rib and about half of another.

And now, the sides:

3. "Championship baked beans": Now, BBQ beans are another one of those subjective things where I'm right and everyone who disagrees is wrong (or something like that :) ). And I know that beans vary greatly from BBQ place to place, so I approach them cautiously no matter where I go. Different strokes for different folks. But let me tell ya, there's a reason they call them "Championship" beans - these were perfectly cooked in a rich sauce unashamedly tomato-influenced with just the right balance of richness and sweetness, but not so much sweetness to make them seem "ketchupy." They had a great flavor and I could easily consider sitting down to a bowl of these guys with a big slab of their cornbread. I finished about 3/4 of my serving and put the rest in a take-home cup.

4. Coleslaw - I admit I'm a bit of an oddball when it comes to coleslaw, and it was the only disappointing thing on my plate. I'm personally not a fan of the course-chopped, peppered slaw that I have been served at most BBQ places, and this very much fit into that mold. Not my favorite, and not my wife's either. I took a few bites - meh. It was okay, just not my taste. Your mileage may vary :). It was the only thing we didn't put in our go-home boxes.

5. Cornbread - As a side, cornbread can be a little tricky. Plain cornbread can be a little dry and harsh, but if you sweeten it too much, it starts to taste more like a dessert than a starch. But somehow the Clark Crew folks have hit the magic bell and found the, ahem, "sweet spot" with this muffin-tin size side that comes standard with the dinner plate and my wife's salad. It was sweet and moist enough to avoid just being plain "cornbread," but not so sweet that it crossed in the line to would-be dessert. It was warm, rich, and wonderfully tasty. As I said before, I could easily see myself sitting down to a bowl of their baked beans and that cornbread on a cold winter evening.

Now, I can't very well review my wife's salad. It was a salad, and I don't go to BBQ places to eat salad and more than I go to Long John Silvers for lasagna. She also opted for a jalapeno sausage link, and that's just not my personal favorite variety of meat - link sausage just isn't in my personal wheelhouse (or is that tastehouse)? To be fair, I sampled it, and it was OK. I'm just not the right person to ask about sausage in that form. Not my thing.

Having enjoyed our dinners so much, we were stuffed, but somehow we were persuaded to try a finishing dessert of peach crumble and ice cream. In all honesty, though, I think the Mrs. and I were either too stuffed to enjoy it, or just didn't think it was much of an all-star. It was as much "crumble" as it was "peachy," and while it tasted good, we both thought it needed a bit more in the sauce (peach, not BBQ) to be a real all-star. Don't get me wrong - it wasn't bad. I don't think anything with peaches is bad. But this was, overall, only OK. Would we get it again? I wouldn't rule it out, but I kinda doubt it. But it surely didn't do anything to diminish our meal.

As for price, our final pre-tax bill was $46. And that is inflated by the fact that I generally NEVER get drinks at a restaurant, but this was a special, first-time visit, so I exempted myself from that rule for a $3 glass of iced tea, and my 50/50 sweet/unsweet mix was pretty darned strong and actually NOT terribly sweet - it was fresh and pretty darned good for restaurant iced tea. And the other rule we "violated" was the dessert rule, and that set us back another $7 that we likely wouldn't repeat. So our "core meal" was $36, and for the overall quality of the experience, I think it was MORE than worth it. The value proposition is 110% there. No "this is too expensive for BBQ" comment from me at all. It was just too good.

Bottom line: My wife and I were totally impressed. This was a wonderful BBQ experience and I can't wait to go back and try some smoked chicken or turkey, or pork; but passing up on that brisket will be awfully hard anytime I go back. I think this is a fantastic addition to OKC's growing restaurant repertoire, and I hope they have every success. I'll contribute as often as my checkbook and waistline allows. I encourage anyone who likes BBQ to at least give Clark Crew a try, even if they find it not to be in line with their own personal preferences (which would, in this case, obviously be wrong :) :) )

I hope you enjoyed the overview, and I hope you give CCB a chance to see how it matches up to your own tastes. We loved it. Thanks for reading :)

^^^

SoonerDave,

Wow, what an awesome review. Thanks for taking the time!

Agreed, excellent review for an excellent establishment. This place is a true gem for OKC.

Is it just me, or is Clark Crew's brisket more brown on the inside than what is typical? I still think it's very good, just an observation. It almost has a caramel color to it.

It must be extremely difficult for them to keep up. The amount of diners and food they are serving daily is simply insane. They are actually doing a very good job as I have only observed a couple of issues after six visits.

I made it back last Saturday. We got there before 6:00 and had an hour and 15 minute wait. It was nice weather so we waited on the patio. It will be a great place to hang out when it gets warmer. I tried the chicken for the first time. It was a leg and a thigh which are not my favorite cuts. Plus they put sauce on it. I prefer to decide if a meat needs sauce or not. The brisket was moister this time and was pretty good. The service was good and the atmosphere is great.

Is it just me, or is Clark Crew's brisket more brown on the inside than what is typical? I still think it's very good, just an observation. It almost has a caramel color to it.

It must be extremely difficult for them to keep up. The amount of diners and food they are serving daily is simply insane. They are actually doing a very good job as I have only observed a couple of issues after six visits.

For the color of brisket I think it depends on the meat temperature when placed on the smoker. I know that the absurdly coveted smoke ring is caused by nothing more than placing the meat on cold. But I barely know what I'm talking about. I just know that all the best brisket I've had had this same coloring.

For the color of brisket I think it depends on the meat temperature when placed on the smoker. I know that the absurdly coveted smoke ring is caused by nothing more than placing the meat on cold. But I barely know what I'm talking about. I just know that all the best brisket I've had had this same coloring.

The smoke ring is a result of a chemical reaction between pigment in the meat and gases put off by the wood/charcoal used to fuel the cooker.

A smoke ring can also be created with other methods and is why KCBS judges are taught not to judge the smoke ring when they score for visual presentation.

The smoke ring is a result of a chemical reaction between pigment in the meat and gases put off by the wood/charcoal used to fuel the cooker.

A smoke ring can also be created with other methods and is why KCBS judges are taught not to judge the smoke ring when they score for visual presentation.

Please go in to depth on other methods to create a smoke ring.

We went for our first time Friday. About 4:00 since we both get off earlier than most. No wait at that time but we went to the bar which is our usual M.O. We got deviled eggs and split a three meat dinner with chopped brisket, chopped pork and ribs. Got beans and potato salad as sides and added a side of okra. I can be accused of being easily pleased but we LOVED it. All three meats were tender and tasty. All three sauces we liked. The beans were great. The okra was crunchy on the outside without being over-fried, but not squishy in the middle like under-fried okra is. The potato salad is just potato salad but it’s good. The cornbread would be worth going in for just for it. Our usual M.O. is to to sit at bars because we think you get more personal service at the bar top. They did not disappoint. We were very well taken care of. We’ll be back often.

Please go in to depth on other methods to create a smoke ring.

roger may have some other methods in mind, but i do know that a little curing salt (https://www.amazon.com/Curing-Prague-Anthonys-Verified-Gluten-Free/dp/B00XUXTOU6/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=curing+salt&qid=1580866164&sr=8-4) will do the trick

roger may have some other methods in mind, but i do know that a little curing salt (https://www.amazon.com/Curing-Prague-Anthonys-Verified-Gluten-Free/dp/B00XUXTOU6/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=curing+salt&qid=1580866164&sr=8-4) will do the trick

Yep curing salt and TenderQuick are used and that's why KCBS judges are taught not to judge a smoke ring.

Lol yep, I always use curing salt and it makes a great looking ring.

Just smoke a piece of meat the right way and you get the ring. I don't consider myself an expert by any means and I never have a difficult time getting a smoke ring.

One OU gameday this last season I was smoking some pork butts and I had to leave for the game before they were ready so my wife had to pull them from the smoker. She sent me two pictures to ask if they looked the way they were supposed to. She was also trying to cut them with a knife. lol. This was just pork shoulders, with dry rub on them, smoked on a Weber Smokey Mountain for about an hour and a half per pound until the internal temp was 200 degrees. I also barely used any wood chunks since my wife doesn't like heavy smoke flavor.

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Again, smoke ring isn't difficult to create and is actually not usually truly indicative of good smoked BBQ either. It's the same as perfect cross hatch grill marks on a steak. It's pretty, but doesn't need to be there for a steak to be seared properly and taste very good.

Just smoke a piece of meat the right way and you get the ring.

those pics are making me hungry! as for the smoke ring, there's a little more to it than that. your fuel source also determines whether or not you get a 'natural' smoke ring... if you're running an electric or propane cooker, then you're not going to get a ring from the cooking process.