EVERMAN

Everman will be the place to be at 8 a.m. Aug. 12 as a Fort Worth barbecue legend marks 50 years.

Hickory Stick Bar-B-Q, an old-school Texas barbecue restaurant on a country back road 2 miles south of Interstate 20, will be celebrating a half-century all day until 8 p.m.

But go early. Hickory Stick opens at 8 a.m. every Tuesday through Saturday at 900 E. Enon Ave., east of Forest Hill Drive.

Get the $6 chopped brisket sandwich special. Or the $12.99 barbecue plate. Or the $1.25 smoked chicken legs, a great accessory to any meal. On Aug. 12, add a $3 beer or a $5 margarita.

Hickory Stick is just as good as the old-school legends like Angelo’s, David’s, the Railhead and 1946 legend Sammie’s. And at less than $10 for sandwiches and about $23-$24 per pound for brisket and pork ribs, it’ll cost nearly half the price of barbecue at the newer Hill Country-style restaurants.

Hickory Stick Bar-B-Q in Everman, Texas, has one of the old “chuckwagon cowboy” signs from the former Underwood’s barbecue restaurants, as seen May 4, 2019. Hickory Stick Bar-B-Q in Everman, Texas, has one of the old “chuckwagon cowboy” signs from the former Underwood’s barbecue restaurants, as seen May 4, 2019. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com

When the Jones family opened Hickory Stick in 1976, it was nothing special. Fort Worth’s streets were lined with restaurants serving brisket, ribs, sausage and cold beer in frosted goblets.

But now, it’s very special: Star-Telegram readers named Hickory Stick the “readers’ choice” for barbecue.

It’s a time-warp restaurant, with wood-paneled dining rooms, a soundtrack playing Hank Williams or Patsy Cline, and plentiful shotguns and taxidermy.

Brisket, ribs, sliced chicken breast with potato salad and peach cobbler, seen Aug. 8, 2026, at Hickory Stick Bar-B-Q in Everman, Texas. Brisket, ribs, sliced chicken breast with potato salad and peach cobbler, seen Aug. 8, 2026, at Hickory Stick Bar-B-Q in Everman, Texas. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com

It’s tender, not peppery. Hickory Stick is known for emphasizing soft, flavorful brisket, not a heavy smoke ring. That means the chopped brisket is sensational, particularly with Hickory Stick’s distinctive sauce.

But on a visit the other day, the pork ribs and — surprisingly — the boneless chicken breast arrived with a good, spicy rub.

Hickory Stick is also known for half chickens and chicken legs a la carte — the only restaurant I can think of with a drumstick special — and for a double-cut pork chop platter, only about $18 weekends.

The side dishes are traditional green beans, corn, potato salad, cole slaw, mac-and-cheese and ranch beans. They’re nothing fancy, and don’t need to be.

The large second dining room at Hickory Stick Bar-B-Q, open since 1976 in Everman, Texas. The large second dining room at Hickory Stick Bar-B-Q, open since 1976 in Everman, Texas. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com

Notably, Hickory Stick offers loaded baked potatoes and generous tossed salads or chef salads.

There’s house-recipe peach cobbler or buttermilk pie for dessert, or the rack near checkout offers Snickers, Payday and Butterfinger bars.

Hickory Stick is on the edge of Everman, 4 miles east of Interstate 35W. It’s only 3 miles west of state-ranked Goldee’s near Kennedale, and barbecue fans often stop at Hickory Stick for a turn-back-the-clock experience before or after the pilgrimage to Goldee’s.

It’s open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; 817-478-9997, hickorystickbbq.com.

A large patio with sliding doors at Hickory Stick Bar-B-Q, open since 1976 in Everman, Texas. A large patio with sliding doors at Hickory Stick Bar-B-Q, open since 1976 in Everman, Texas. Bud Kennedy bud@star-telegram.com Hickory Stick in Everman was voted Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Reader Choice winner for favorite barbecue. Photographed on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Hickory Stick in Everman was voted Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Reader Choice winner for favorite barbecue. Photographed on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com A photograph of Hickory Stick Barbecue before it opened in 1976 is framed on top of a second photo taken in 1979. Mark Jones, the current owner, was 14 when his father opened the restaurant. A photograph of Hickory Stick Barbecue before it opened in 1976 is framed on top of a second photo taken in 1979. Mark Jones, the current owner, was 14 when his father opened the restaurant. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com The combo plate featuring sausage and brisket at Hickory Stick Barbecue in Everman on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Hickory Stick Barbecue was voted best barbecue in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Readers’ Choice. The combo plate featuring sausage and brisket at Hickory Stick Barbecue in Everman on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Hickory Stick Barbecue was voted best barbecue in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Readers’ Choice. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com A 1976 opening photo of Mark Jones with his father Johnny Jones, who opened the Hickory Stick. A 1976 opening photo of Mark Jones with his father Johnny Jones, who opened the Hickory Stick. Paul Moseley Star-Telegram archives

This story was originally published August 10, 2026 at 4:20 AM.

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Bud Kennedy is celebrating his 40th year writing about restaurants in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has written the “Eats Beat” dining column in print since 1985 and online since 1992 — that’s more than 3,000 columns about Texas cafes, barbecue, burgers and where to eat.
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