When we spoke to Doug Pickering about his namesake barbecue venture in Snyder Plaza, Douglas Bar and Grill, he addressed the elephant in the room right off the bat: the barbecue here is expensive. Douglas Bar and Grill is a beautiful space, and the barbecue is top-notch, from the phenomenal wagyu brisket and the perfectly cooked salmon to a barbecue burger that takes two hands to pick up. With much of Texas barbecue, one has to deal with limited hours, long lines or both. At Douglas, you can make reservations six days a week, have barbecue within minutes of sitting down and drink from a full bar to boot. For many, the extra cost for those perks strikes them as quite the value.

Top pick: If the cost scares you away, Douglas runs a happy hour with cocktails and barbecue bites for just $10. Brisket bullets are brisket and cream cheese stuffed jalapeño peppers, which give just the right amount of peppery heat to go with the savory brisket stuffing. ($$$)