Robert Ferguson
2 months ago
A recent uber trip brought me to Tyler from Forney. Once I dropped my passenger it was time to get some lunch. Looking up the food scene in multiple apps, they all put Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ at or near the top of the list. My overall rating is a 4.65 and I can see why.
Upon my initial visit, the restaurant looks unassuming from the outside but definitely has that small town meets big city charm on the inside. If you dine in, there are two dining areas upstairs. One inside, and the other is a covered patio. There also appears to be a rooftop deck.on to the main reason I’m here….the tasty vittles! I ordered the equivalent of a sampler platter that my server recommended. Not on the menu per say, but she entertained this foodie’s curiosity. I went with the ribs, pulled pork and brisket. For my sides I chose the cole slaw and potato salad. Included were 3 slices of bread and a small tray of pickle slices, jalapeños and sliced onions. Each meat portion was 1/2 lb in serving size. Plenty of food for this fatty! Total cost for the platter plus a medium coke was $36.25. Priced reasonably by Texas BBQ standards.
My review of the food is overall a very pleasant experience. The ribs were meaty and plentiful. They seem to be prepared competition style. Not fall off the bone tender, but still tender enough. The rub had a forward presence of garlic followed by a sweetness that I am guessing is brown sugar. They were enjoyable on their own, naked, but the bbq sauce provided at the table added a little sweet, tangy heat. My preference these are good enough without the sauce. Overall rib score 4.9 out of 5.
The brisket: slightly different than what I am used to. The smoke ring was on point, tenderness was spot on, it’s everything you expect for melt in your mouth brisket as far as the cook is concerned, but the rub…that kind of threw me off. Not bad, just different. You can taste the usual suspects in the seasoning such as the salt and pepper, but the brisket was giving off notes of nutmeg and possibly a little cinnamon. I enjoyed it, just didn’t expect it, as it is a little different than traditional brisket. The burnt ends that came on my portion of brisket actually elevated the flavor to the next level. Overall score on the brisket was 4.6 out of 5. Burnt ends if that’s all that I would have been given, I would have scored those 5 out of 5, they were that delicious.
The pulled pork: It was juicy, flavorful and spot on for what pulled pork should be. The flavor profile had hints of garlic and a sweetness that wasn’t as forward present as the ribs, but still very enjoyable. This is where the sauce on the table became the star of the show. Just a little bit of this sauce, not even a teaspoonful, elevated this pulled pork to some of the best I’ve eaten anywhere. Overall pulled pork score 4.85 out of 5.
The cole slaw: This was my least enjoyable item on my tray. Not because it was bad, because it was truly a unique flavor that I have ever tasted in a cole slaw. It was tangy, almost like an Italian dressing flavor, mixed with a little mayonnaise, but what threw me off was the presence of cilantro. Unfortunately I am one of those whose tastebuds think cilantro tastes like soap mixed with metal. If it weren’t for the cilantro, I would have truly enjoyed this. Overall score fore the cole slaw 3.5 out of 5.
The potato salad: this was probably the most straightforward, what you expect at a bbq joint potato salad as it gets, and that is not a bad thing at all. It was flavorful and very enjoyable. Overall score 5 out of 5.
Service was exceptional. My server at the front counter was very helpful. Once upstairs in the dining area, the servers working the floor were very attentive and brought that southern hospitality that truly makes this place feel like everyone is part of the family. There was an elderly gentleman that came in, and by all accounts he must be a regular, because every server working the floor made it a point to stop and greet him, some even hugged him. This is what customer service should look like. Customer service 5/5.
