What You Get With The Terry Black's Experience At The Beloved BBQ Chain

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

What does it take to become an expert pitmaster? Well, one way to start would be by purchasing a barbecue book and keeping it by your smoker, such as Rodney Scott's World of BBQ. You'll also need to pick your first smoker. If you have the time and funds, though, we highly recommend taking a barbecue-based road trip to experience some of the finest food our nation has to offer. It's even better if you watch the experts do their thing, but how do you get an invite if you're not Guy Fieri or former WWE star wrestler-turned-food show host Braun Strowman? Easy: Make your way to Texas and book your spot for the Terry Black's BBQ Experience.

Terry Black's is a mini-chain with restaurants in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Lockhart, and Waco, Texas, plus one soon-to-be-opened out-of-state outpost in Nashville, Tennessee. It's only at the Austin and Dallas locations, however, that you can have the full, capital "E" Experience, which is an hour-long behind-the-scenes tour of the barbecue pits where you'll see true masters at work. You get to see everything that goes into producing world-class barbecue, and you might even pick up a few tips you can apply at home. The Experience costs $150 per person, but you won't walk away hungry since you'll also get to sample a number of house specialties at your own reserved table.

Terry Black's — and barbecue in general — is all about meat. (Yes, you can slow-smoke a cauliflower if you want, but it'll never measure up to a rack of ribs.) As a part of The Experience, you will get to taste just about every kind the restaurant offers: sliced brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, sausage, and smoked turkey. The restaurant's menu features jalapeño cheese sausage and chopped beef as well, but these are not included in The Experience. To balance out your meal, you'll also get a few starches and vegetables, since the meat comes with sides, including green beans, macaroni and cheese, and potato salad.

You'll need to find a little corner of your stomach for dessert, too, since you'll be able to choose from among three Southern classics: banana pudding, peach cobbler, or a personal-sized pecan pie. And yes, you do get a drink with your meal. If you're over 21, beer and wine are among the options, but if you prefer something nonalcoholic, you can also have soda or iced tea.

So is the full Terry Black's Experience worth the price? According to one Yelper who did the tour in Austin, the answer is an emphatic yes. In their words, "It's worth every penny and a must for anyone visiting Austin ... A great experience, would highly recommend to anyone!"