Decided at lunch to check this place out...it has taken a couple of years to open and we were convinced that it would be fabulous inside. The dining room is broken into several smaller rooms. The pseudo cafeteria style is reminiscent of some of the BBQ places that I have been to in Abilene, Austin, and Dallas. Alongside the ordering line is a dining area. On this particular night there was a loud family of 8 sitting there. It was so loud that the person taking orders had trouble hearing orders. The room that we went into is at the farthest end of the restaurant. It was just okay as far as decorations...I thought the years of opening would have added some barn wood or reclaimed elements. I wouldn't say it was bad..it is homey. But, it took forever to open...I expected more. The lighting was horrible for dinner.
I will say this...the attentive staff made sure that it was very clean. Props to them. They were all pleasant and well groomed.
I don't know if the owner know that the location is cursed or not. For their sake I hope that the new Fry's and additional businesses nearby will turn the page for Red River BBQ.
As for food... I had the loaded baked potato with Brisket. Coming from Texas I can remember having a giant potato slathered with real butter, sour cream, cheese, chives, and mouth watering brisket. I have tried to find this same euphoria I experienced there in Arizona. Don't get excited...I am still looking...I didn't find it here either. What I did find is a slightly over baked potato with an adequate amount of dressings. The meat was warm (not hot) and dry. The cubed pieces that were carved uniformly didn't give me a warm fuzzy. I am not sure if they used a flat or whole brisket...A flat could explain some of the dryness (it is inherently drier than a tip) The brisket was not trimmed before or after smoking and there was a lot of fat. It was really missing the slightly charred taste of a good smoked brisket.
My husband had ribs. The ribs were meaty. They were barely warm to the touch. He called them cold...I called them warm. The silverware was plastic - which is awkward for ribs. Especially, if they appear under cooked and are definitely not fall off of the bone.
There were only two sauces and they were both on the table. The sauces seemed average and could have been right off of the grocery store shelf.
I suppose time can help. They have only been open for a couple of weeks so I won't con't them out yet. I may have to try the pizza next time.