Bodacious Bar-B-Q (Arlington, TX)

Today I was traveling between Fort Worth and Dallas around lunchtime. My stomach was already rumbling, so I decided to pop into Bodacious Bar-B-Q to try and quell my mounting hunger.

This place is decorated like a western antique store: wagon wheels, old tools, and the like. The tables and chairs are fairly haphazard, with several different varieties of each scattered about. I think they just decided to go with whatever they had available. Apparently they also sell farm fresh brown eggs here. My grandparents would love it...

I decided on a 2 Meat Combination Plate with brisket and pork ribs. The sides are self-serve, so I helped myself to pinto beans and potato salad.

The beans had a pretty good flavor. There was just a slight hint of spiciness, although I would have preferred much more. They were cooked well, but there wasn't anything in particular that stood out about them. I liked the big chunks of potato in their potato salad. There was a lot of visible black pepper as well as other assorted spices. I also enjoyed the mayo base over the typical mustard potato salad that most places serve. There was a nice sweetness to it too.

As for the brisket, it was pretty uninspired. I got a few slices with some good char, and there was a very pronounced smoke ring. Red smoke hue aside, there was almost no smoky taste. The brisket was also fairly dry and tough. It crumbled apart with every poke and prod of my fork, so it was likely overcooked. In retrospect, I should have specifically asked for fatty brisket, but I'm not sure that would have helped things much.

The ribs looked pretty inviting sitting on my plate. They had a good crispy crust, while the meat below was very juicy. The meat came off the bone easily, but one bite at a time like it should. I found a good degree of seasoning here, with a sugary aftertaste from their marinade. There was also a decent amount of smoke. My only complaint about the ribs is a pretty major one: apparently they didn't see fit to remove the membrane from the bone side. This is a serious barbecue blunder.

I'm really torn on whether or not to recommend Bodacious Bar-B-Q. On the one hand, the ribs were really excellent and, faux pas aside, the membrane didn't seem to detract from the overall taste. On the other hand, the brisket was sub-par at best. All I can say is, take my review for what it is and make your own decision.

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Bodacious Bar-B-Q
1206 E. Division St.
Arlington, TX 76011
(817) 860-4248
http://realtexasbarbeque.com/