A few weeks ago I finally got the chance to make a long-anticipated visit to Heim Barbecue in Fort Worth. Lemme tell ya – it was totally worth the drive from the east side of the DFW Metroplex to enjoy their food. Holy cow that place is amazing! The owners – Travis and Emma Heim – are a phenomenal team, and the group they have working the place are all exceptional. They opened their brick-and-mortar restaurant on Magnolia Ave. in Fort Worth back in 2016. They have just continued to grow, recently opening another branch not too far away on the west side of Ft Worth near the Trinity River. I’ve read about Heim for a few years now – and was anxious especially to try their bacon burnt ends. Yes – bacon burnt ends. And I can tell you, they match up to the hype and then some.

If I hadn’t already heard all about how good their ‘cue was, the line that was out the door at noontime in the middle of the week would have been a pretty good indicator. Knowing that it will likely be a very long time before I get a chance to go back, I had to load up with a three-meat plate. I went with some fatty brisket, their house-made jalapeño cheddar sausage, and of course I could not pass up the bacon burnt ends.

• Bacon burnt ends – On the sign behind the counter the sign for the bacon burnt ends reads “Wonderful, mystical”. And I would have to agree. These little nuggets of bacon heaven were incredibly flavorful. The combination of fattiness, meatiness, saltiness and a little sweetness were just amazing. I think the picture in the dictionary next to the word “unctuous” should be these bacon burnt ends. Honestly, it would be worth driving there from Houston just to enjoy these things. Wow! Just wow!!
• Brisket – They use only certified Angus beef at Heim. And the result demonstrates both the quality of meat and their smoking methods. The fatty brisket was outstanding. It had an excellent bark and perfectly-rendered fat, with a solid smoke ring and a great smoky flavor.
• Jalapeño cheddar sausage – Their house-made jalapeño cheddar sausage was excellent. It had a very nice grind. There was a great snap to the casing. And the flavor was delicious.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

As much as I loved Heim’s smoked meats, I was equally impressed with their sides. At their recommendation, I went with the green chile mac-n-cheese and the twice baked potato salad. I was not disappointed.

• Green chile mac-n-cheese – Holy cow that stuff was amazing!! It had a delicious cheesy/creamy sauce and a great green chile flavor without overpowering the dish. This side is absolutely fantastic!
• Twice baked potato salad – This is an amazingly delicious side as well! They have an incredible recipe here. The potato chunks are not too big or too small. The bacon, green onions, sour cream and who-knows-what-else were a great combination. They obviously use high-quality ingredients. The resulting flavor is just wonderful.

• 

• 

• 

Their house-made barbecue sauce was a very nice complement to the meats – not that the sauce was needed by any means. But it was excellent. Next time I go I will have to save room for their homemade banana pudding. From everything I have read, it is amazing as well.

The only thing that made me sad about this trip to Fort Worth was that I was so close to two other great barbecue joints but without enough time or stomach space to try them this time around. Both Panther City BBQ and Derek Allan’s Texas Barbecue are within about a mile of Heim BBQ. Next time. The barbecue game in Fort Worth is definitely strong. If you are in the Ft Worth area especially, but even if you anywhere in the DFW Metroplex, it is worth the drive to go enjoy the incredible Texas barbecue they are serving up at Heim. You won’t be sorry.