# Restaraunt Suggestions Near I-20 in Texas **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 22, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558 "2011-03-22T03:01:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/1 "2011-03-22T03:01:21Z")
My best friend recently died, and his funeral is in just a couple days. I don’t have enough money to afford the flight, car rental, and other miscellaneous costs – honestly, I don’t have enough for this, either, but he’s being cremated so this is my last chance to see him – so I will be driving from Chattanooga to Las Cruces to make the service. I will be really short on time, and will be driving almost non-stop, but I will have to stop at some point for food, and would like something more than fast food. [This](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=chattanooga,+tn&daddr=32.7142613,-96.3060912+to:las+cruces,+nm&hl=en&geocode=Ff7AFgIdEEfq-imF54OKQGBgiDGqKIeJHyZxJA%3BFRUu8wEdVXxC-ikfm72Pa05JhjFOe1VJEBsZaA%3BFcQp7QEdeuqi-SlpmAZFxxrehjG9Mj_xHdBtYw&mra=ls&sll=34.64468,-91.221545&sspn=9.446753,23.269043&ie=UTF8&ll=35.029996,-93.339844&spn=18.7725,46.538086&z=5&via=1)is my route. Does anyone have any suggestions for a restaurant that is quick and easy to reach from the interstate? ---
**Author:** ![hermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b487fb/32.png) [@hermann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermann)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/2 "2011-03-22T22:28:26Z")
Sorry to hear about your best friend. In Abilene, TX, try Harold’s Pit Bar-B-Q. 1305 Walnut Street, open Mon-Sat 11am-2:30pm. Short hours, but great BBQ. Google it. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/3 "2011-03-22T22:32:04Z")
[Chuy’s](http://www.yelp.com/biz/chuys-restaurant-van-horn) in Van Horn, TX. John Madden used to always stop his bus there whenever he took that route back in the day… ---
**Author:** ![BlakeTyner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@BlakeTyner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlakeTyner)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/4 "2011-03-23T01:07:30Z")
A few miles west of Longview, TX (about 45 minutes after you cross the state line from LA) there’s a Bodacious Barbeque just off the interstate on the right. It’s a local chain, and not as good as the mom n’ pop places (which don’t really meet the ‘near the interstate’ parameter) but it’s pretty damn good. Also between Longview and Tyler are a couple of travel centers called “Texas Best,” which have gas, a Sonic, and the aforementioned “Texas Best BBQ.” It’s decent, especially if you’re living on a ‘road diet.’ The restrooms at Texas Best are outstanding, too–I’m always on the lookout for good restrooms on the road. ETA: lol, here’s a video of the Texas Best. It apparently meets this trucker’s approval. [First Class Truck Stop: Texas Best Smokehouse - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfRR6OcTZvI) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/5 "2011-03-23T02:36:58Z")
Mercado Juarez in Grand Prairie, TX is pretty good. Grand Prairie is just West of Dallas. It’s at I-20 and Matlock on the North side of the freeway. [http://www.mercadojuarez.com/home1.nxg](http://www.mercadojuarez.com/home1.nxg) ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/6 "2011-03-23T04:06:56Z")
Mercado Juarez is in Arlington, not Grand Prairie. Matlock is exit 450. ---
**Author:** ![Sami41](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@Sami41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sami41)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/7 "2011-03-23T04:38:53Z")
Sorry for the sad reason for a road trip:( Not off the Interstate, but since your destination is Las Cruces, I’d suggest El Sombrero if you have time (and like hot food). Corner of Amador and Espina, any local can give you directions. ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/8 "2011-03-23T04:52:49Z")
Sorry about your friend. But since you asked, Bodacious BBQ in Longview is good, but I also would recommend a short detour to The Country Tavern in Kilgore. It is the best BBQ I have ever had unless you want to take longer detours into the Hill Country. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/9 "2011-03-23T09:09:03Z")
[Halfway between Fort Worth and Abilene](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=thurber,+tx&aq=&sll=28.22697,-63.808594&sspn=38.553507,78.662109&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thurber,+Erath,+Texas&ll=32.506613,-98.418102&spn=0.009138,0.019205&z=16) is the [Smokestack Restaurant](http://www.smokestack.net/) in the tiny town of Thurber. Literally a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-is” little town. There actually is a tall, lone old smokestack visible from the road and the restaurant is close by. It’s a popular stop (it’s even marked on the google map link at the beginning of my post) and they have good country-style cooking. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/10 "2011-03-23T13:37:07Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > Mercado Juarez is in Arlington, not Grand Prairie. Matlock is exit 450. Close enough for someone driving cross-country. Where’s the border, anyway? 360? I worked over there at 360 @ Arkansas for about 3 years, and I’m not sure where Grand Prairie ends and Arlington begins. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/11 "2011-03-23T15:04:33Z")
I have not tried it, but [Off the Bone BBQ](http://www.offthebonebbq.com/) won Best Barbecue in Dallas by the readers of D Magazine this year. Strange, as it’s practically in Fort Worth. It is [fantastically easy to get to off of I-20](http://www.offthebonebbq.com/location.html): (From Google Maps) 1. Take exit 442A on the left for U.S. 287 Business/Mansfield Highway 0.2 mi 2. Merge onto US-287 BUS N 0.3 mi. Voila. Reverse your path to get back on I-20. Hours are Tues-Sat, 11-8, off Sun-Mon. I am sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaraunt-suggestions-near-i-20-in-texas/575558/12 "2011-03-28T03:37:15Z")
Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions and condolences. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to try any of them as I left pretty early the next morning, and didn’t even stop in Texas to eat, anyway. > [@Sami41](#): > > Sorry for the sad reason for a road trip:( > > Not off the Interstate, but since your destination is Las Cruces, I’d suggest El Sombrero if you have time (and like hot food). Corner of Amador and Espina, any local can give you directions. I ate at Andale in Mesilla after arriving in Las Cruces. It was pretty good. Are you familiar with it?