First off, their meat is smoked perfectly. But that doesn’t really get them 5 stars. I’m usually more surprised when I get BBQ that ISN’T smoked right because it’s so damn easy. Bad BBQ is just lazy, hurried BBQ. Hickory’s pit guys leave it in there and don’t rush it.
What gets these guys 5 stars is their sauces. Every time I really have a gripe with a Northeastern BBQ joint it’s because they just can’t figure out how to do regional sauces. Hickory’s are spot on. Like Eastern Carolina mustard sauce? It’s spot-on. Like your sauce KC-style and sweet and tomatoey? Hickory’s is mouth-watering.
These guys took their time and actually got every aspect of their craft done right. I’ll go back here every time I’m anywhere near it.
P.S.- I could seriously make a meal of just the hush puppies and maple butter.
David S., Brooklyn NY – Submitted 10/1/2012 – Yelp
Peter K- Published November 23, 2008 – Zagat
We’ve eated here many times. The BBQ is always good and the prices are very reasonable.
Jill W., Stattsburgh, NY – Published December 21, 2010 – Zagat
SoChathamGirl, Albany, NY – Reviewed February 23, 2013 -TripAdvisor
Just visited for the third time in the last month and love it. Fresh food expertly prepared and served by a nice staff. Our favorites are the Turkey thighs, ribs and lamb rib special. Meat is always moist and expertly smoked – I admit that as a KCBS member I can be hard on a BBQ place but not this one. Great wings to start off – Jerk and Buffalo are our faves as well as the onion rings and a special salmon cake that they had just the once.
The mother of the owner makes some killer desserts especially the key lime pie and chocolate blackout cake. Can’t wait to try their catering services next summer for our company pig roast.
CJACKS48915, Woodstock, NY – December 17 2012 – TripAdvisor
Jenkins, Kingston NY – Submitted Nov 30, 2012
Julie P., Ulster Park – Published November 27, 2010 – Zagat
Catherine J., Brooklyn – Submitted 7/18/2012 – Yelp
Hickory catered our wedding last month and I can’t even count how many of our guests came up to us at the wedding, emailed us afterwards or made it a point to tell us in person that it was “the best wedding food they’ve ever had.” It really was! It was perfect for our outdoor wedding in the Hudson Valley and I can’t recommend working with them enough. My husband and I went to the restaurant about 1 month before our wedding to taste some of the food we’d have catered and we were blown away! The service at the restaurant itself is excellent and their smoked turkey is the best we’ve ever had. We actually ended up doing a vegetarian/fish wedding to accommodate a lot of Kosher guests and it was perfect. The food is extremely flavorful, perfectly cooked, and seasonal. Their desserts are wonderful too!
Deena B., Brooklyn NY – Submitted 7/23/2012 – yelp
The best barbecue I’ve ever had was in a little dive in Austin, TX that I never would’ve found if not for a hotel concierge. The only place that’s ever come close to that authentic full-bore Texas barbecue is Hickory Smokehouse.
If you’ve never had -real- Texas smoked barbecue, you might not be expecting what you get. The meat is served without sauce. It’s smoked, not grilled. Hickory provides an assortment of homemade sauces at the table, so you can add sauce if you like, as much as you like, and in whatever heat you like. The chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America, and the food is of commensurate caliber.
The ambiance is a mix of Adirondack lodge and southwest roadhouse; wood paneling and soft lighting. It’s somewhat upscale dining in a casual environment. You won’t be looked at too askance in casual clothing or moderately dressy. Don’t expect “elegant”, but it’s not really a dive, either. If you’re looking for nicer dining, sit in the dining room; there are booths in the bar, but it tends to be louder.
The only real criticism I have is that the place isn’t terribly well insulated. If you’re visiting in winter, well, the place is high on a hillside in the Catskills. It gets cold, and if you’re in a window booth, it gets drafty, so bring a sweater just in case.
Oh, and a hazard of the mountain location: Cell coverage can be spotty, especially for Sprint/Virgin Mobile customers, so if you’re expecting an important call, Hickory may not be your best choice. It’s not the restaurant’s fault; you’d think the cell companies would have better coverage on one of the main routes into ski country…
Robert L. Kingston NY – Submitted 12/13/2012 – Yelp
Rachel A., Astoria NY – Submitted 10/19/2012 – Yelp