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| - Basis for my starred ratings (which skews heavily to the food or drink):
1 star: Never again.
2 stars: Poor food, poor experience, extraordinary measures in order for me to come back.
3 stars: Average, nothing really special, nothing particularly bad.
4 stars: Very good, would definitely return.
5 stars: A favorite, one of the best.
OK, yeah, so Rudy's is a chain. But it's a chain in the same way that Mastro's is a chain. The fact that they've expanded way past San Antonio doesn't make it any less delicious.
Texas style BBQ here, specifically Hill Country, smoking with oak. Butcher paper, meat to order by the pound, sliced white bread. This doesn't measure up to the best BBQ in the country, but it is very good BBQ. My three favorite meats are the moist brisket, the jalapeno sausage, and the ribs. Everything else tastes pretty average to me, and the sauce, I can take it or leave it. Actually, compared to some other BBQ joints, I think their sauce is pretty weak. The spicy isn't quite spicy enough, and the mild has this almost watery aftertaste that's a little off-putting. If they have the prime rib, it is also just OK. I don't think I'd pay the premium for it when there's other great meat on the menu.
Their sides are better than most BBQ joints. The creamed corn is pretty tasty, the beans are average. I'm still undecided on the green chile - it's hearty and filling but lacks green chile.
They also have banana pudding which, if you get one that's been sitting for a while, the Nilla wafers have soaked up some of the moisture of the pudding and the flavor, the outside is a little mushy but the inside still has some crunch so when you dig into it, you get texture with the creaminess of the pudding and banana. Granted, you can't tell by looking, but you could get lucky.
So if you don't want to wait in line for good Texas BBQ (like at Little Miss), this is the place to go. Finally, two words - pickle bar.
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