Description: This restaurant is part of a small but thriving chain of barbeque joints in the south, and it is not a bad place for a huge meal. They have some prime seats along the River Walk, but if you want just a bit more quiet sit in one of its inside dining areas decorated with old-fashioned signs and props. Our table was along the glass wall facing the River Walk, so that was good enough for us. There are also counter seats and intimate booths.
Start off things with a margarita, which is normal sized here and not a gigantic goldfish bowl. There is a good selection of beers brewed in Texas and Mexico, so this is where you can show your allegiance (I chose Negra Modelo of Mexico).
The servings are substantial, so my companion and I split one appetizer and one entree. The appetizer was a plate of sausage, sliced up and accompanied with a tangy barbeque sauce. The sausage was good but not great. We also ordered a full slab of pork ribs. The rib meat was tender and not too fatty, though the uninitiated may be alarmed by the pink color of the meat. The slow cooking process creates this color and the smoky flavor, which was good but again not great. The barbeque sauce was similar to that served with the sausage, and an extra cup of the sauce would have come in handy. Each platter comes with two sides. The vegetable of this day was corn "off the cob", which added a good balance to the robust ribs. The generous pile of fries was decent but tasted better with barbeque sauce on them. Other sides include baked beans, cole slaw, and garlic mashed potatoes. Other dining selections include beef ribs, chicken, steaks, salads and various combination platters. Sandwiches and burgers are served only during lunch. Huge appetites will want to go for the "Cadillac", an all-you-can-eat mixed feast that is only a few dollars more than a regular platter. If you can stomach it, go for it.
The young wait staff is reasonably friendly, and our waitress seemed receptive when we wanted to split an entree and did not want dessert. The dessert menu did look good, but all of the choices looked heavy. Again if you have the room, order a bread pudding, milk shake, or cheesecake.
The restaurant plays a quirky musical mix ranging from country to pop to Peggy Lee. If you wander into the restrooms, piped in "cowboy language" lessons should put a smile on your face.
Supposedly one needs to venture away from the center of San Antonio to find some really good barbeque. That may be true, but the County Line dishes out comfortable barbeque food and is conveniently located along the River Walk. There is also another location a few miles northwest of downtown. If you live in a rib-free zone, you can order some ribs to be shipped home.
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