Bandee's BBQ

[Pete]

Bandee's BBQ and live music venue opens in Chisholm Creek

Bandee's BBQ will open Monday, August 2nd and bring barbecue and live music to a massive 2-level space in Chisholm Creek.

The proprietors are Provision Concepts which operates Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse, Hatch Early Mood Food, Sidecar Barley & Wine Bar, Birra Birra Craft Pizzeria, Bibi's Ice Cream, and Chicken Foot.

A large dining area, long bar with big-screen TVs, covered patio, and small performance area is on the main floor while upstairs features the main stage with an elaborate sound and lighting system, another large l-shaped bar, and plenty of seating indoors and on the large balcony.

A large outdoor smokehouse, with three one thousand gallon offset smokers as well as two rotisseries, provides a variety of meats all day long with inventive sides, full bar offerings, and dozens of beers on tap.

There is a large and separate ToGo area with its own entrance on the west side of the building.

Live bands will perform on the weekends and occasionally on other nights as well as the schedule continues to fill.

Bandee's opens every day at 11 a.m. and stays open late.

[SEMIweather]

Pete, do you know if they're going to focus on local bands, or will they try to get touring acts like Stubb's in Austin?

[Pete]

Pete, do you know if they're going to focus on local bands, or will they try to get touring acts like Stubb's in Austin?

I'm sure the acts will be mostly local.

[SEMIweather]

I'm sure the acts will be mostly local.

Makes sense, thanks!

[Jeepnokc]

We ate there last night for the soft opening. Few drinks at the bar first. Drinks were well made and a nice variety of choices. A lot of draft beers also. The bloody mary comes with a bacon slice and a rib.

Dinner was fantastic. We started with the texas twinkies, chicken fried brisket, wings and fried pickles. The twinkies are basically bacon wrapped stuffed jalapenos and were on point. The pickles were sliced spears but they were thin sliced so was more like a long pickle slice. These were excellent also. Wings were perfectly smoked but a little on the salty side which they are still adjusting. The chicken fried brisket was really good but not sure why I would order that as an appetizer and not just get brisket for dinner but it does make a great shareable.

For dinner, we order smoked turkey, pulled pork, burnt ends, pastrami smoked beef rib and brisket. (We were a group and we were sharing all). The smoked turkey was the favorite of the table. It was perfectly smoked and was juicy. Would consider ordering one for thanksgiving if they offered them. The smoked rib was huge and two people could easily share it. Brisket was just right. Didn't fall apart but wasn't tough. Nice bend to it when you held it up. The burnt ends was a little fatty but I also think the burnt ends at the wellston place are too fatty. For sides we had mac and cheese, okra, fried cabbage and the green beans. The mac and cheese needed a little salt and pepper, the fried cabbage and green beans were outstanding and the okra was standard fried okra and was prepared correctly. The portion size was more than enough for the table. The sides come in three sizes. single, shareable and quart size.

Upstairs has great vibe and will be a cool place for music. Will return again.

[catch22]

That room looks like an acoustical nightmare. I hope they have some sound dampening panels or something in that live music room to absorb some reverb. The carpet on stage and that dude's shirt are the only absorptive material in that room.

Ribs and menu look great!

[boilerup35]

They are very proud of their food as seen by the prices. $32/lb for burnt ends is crazy and $21 for a quart of Mac and cheese is insane. Looks like I'll be sticking with Clark Crew which is already a splurge as far as bbq goes.

$8 for a Sam Adams is a joke too. Add in the liquor tax and sales tax and you are paying close to $10 for a pint of mediocre beer where other major cities you'd pay $5-6 a pint taxes included.

[OkiePoke]

That sign stands out quite a bit. I drove by today and had a good laugh.

[Thomas Vu]

They are very proud of their food as seen by the prices. $32/lb for burnt ends is crazy and $21 for a quart of Mac and cheese is insane. Looks like I'll be sticking with Clark Crew which is already a splurge as far as bbq goes.

$8 for a Sam Adams is a joke too. Add in the liquor tax and sales tax and you are paying close to $10 for a pint of mediocre beer where other major cities you'd pay $5-6 a pint taxes included.

Wow, thank you for the heads up. I only noticed how large the menus were and that there were tacos in there.

[Jeepnokc]

They are very proud of their food as seen by the prices. $32/lb for burnt ends is crazy and $21 for a quart of Mac and cheese is insane. Looks like I'll be sticking with Clark Crew which is already a splurge as far as bbq goes.

$8 for a Sam Adams is a joke too. Add in the liquor tax and sales tax and you are paying close to $10 for a pint of mediocre beer where other major cities you'd pay $5-6 a pint taxes included.

I was curious about price comparison so went and looked. From their online menus from Bandees and Clark Crew (CC)
Brisket (Chopped or sliced)

cc- 1/2 LB $15/ one pound $26
Bandees 1/2 LB $14/ one pound $28

Lets look a the burnt ends that were quoted

cc- 1/2 LB $16/ one pound $27
Bandees 1/2 LB $16/ one pound $32

It appears the big difference is that CC gives a bigger break on ordering a pound of each meat. Both charge $5 for sausage links Bandees does 1/4 pound meat options (which are 1/2 price of the 1/2 pound) that CC doesn't but CC offers mixed meat trays

I think you can pick and choose different examples but overall.... I think the pricing appears to be pretty comparable

I do not see whether the drinks includes the liquor tax or not. I was drinking mixed drinks and thought the drinks were in line with other restaurants Eight to fourteen a drink except the bloody mary which comes with bacon and a rib

[Martin]

I think you can pick and choose different examples but overall.... I think the pricing appears to be pretty comparable

i assume you've also eaten at clark crew... while the prices are in the same range, do you think the quality of the barbecue is in the same range?

[boilerup35]

i assume you've also eaten at clark crew... while the prices are in the same range, do you think the quality of the barbecue is in the same range?

My thoughts exactly. Travis Clark had a great pedigree before CC opened and has delivered an excellent product the handful of times that I've visited. Bandee's is an unknown quantity and is charging more than what some would argue is the best bbq in the city. Bandee's better be amazing or they'll quickly need to lower prices to woo diners.

[mugofbeer]

My thoughts exactly. Travis Clark had a great pedigree before CC opened and has delivered an excellent product the handful of times that I've visited. Bandee's is an unknown quantity and is charging more than what some would argue is the best bbq in the city. Bandee's better be amazing or they'll quickly need to lower prices to woo diners.

WOW! That's expensive compared to Denver BBQ prices! I'll pass.

[citywokchinesefood]

WOW! That's expensive compared to Denver BBQ prices! I'll pass.

To be fair meat prices are absolutely insane right now beef and chicken are especially high.

[boilerup35]

To be fair meat prices are absolutely insane right now beef and chicken are especially high.

That is a cop out. Prime brisket is back to 3.99/lb at Costco after peaking around 5.19/lb and whole chickens have always been .99/lb. I assume a restaurant buying in bulk would get better pricing. Pork is still pretty high at $5/lb for ribs at Costco, but Bandee's pork prices aren't as egregious.

[barrettd]

That is a cop out. Prime brisket is back to 3.99/lb at Costco after peaking around 5.19/lb and whole chickens have always been .99/lb. I assume a restaurant buying in bulk would get better pricing. Pork is still pretty high at $5/lb for ribs at Costco, but Bandee's pork prices aren't as egregious.

I think Clark serves Snake River Farms beef (maybe all meat), and that's pretty expensive stuff anyway, not that he's paying as much as you and I would. Either way, I don't get why we're getting caught up on price. Good BBQ joints around here tend to be expensive and also tend to stay in business. If people don't think the food matches the prices, the place won't last. Sounds like the Edge folks are legit, for instance. I'd certainly like to try them out.

I might never get to Bandee's. I live a few blocks from the BBQ joint at Britton and May (the 2nd one in as many years) and have never been. Since I took up smoking meat a few years ago, I really don't eat much BBQ I don't cook myself. It is always good to know where the good BBQ is, though.

[jedicurt]

I really don't eat much BBQ I don't cook myself. It is always good to know where the good BBQ is, though.

the brisket in one smoker and 3 slabs of ribs in my other smoker that i have running right now makes me think i'm right there with you.

[barrettd]

the brisket in one smoker and 3 slabs of ribs in my other smoker that i have running right now makes me think i'm right there with you.

Hard to beat smoking meat in your own backyard, really. But I do want to try a few of these places. I have learned it's easier, if more expensive, to order sides from a BBQ joint to accompany my smoked meat, so I do need to get out a little more.

[SSEiYah]

After tax and 20% gratuity the $28/lb brisket comes out to $36.50/lb. That is 20-30% higher than most BBQ spots in OKC. Blacks BBQ in Austin for example is currently charging $22/lb for brisket.

Billy Sims - $19/lb | Leo's - $19/lb | Earls Rib Palace - $20/lb | Rudy's - $20-22/lb | Butcher BBQ - $22/lb | Clark Crew - $26/lb

I have a bit of a portion control issue myself when it comes to BBQ so maybe the prices will keep me from overeating.

[OKC4me]

Is this a sit down place with a server as opposed to ordering at the counter, and getting it yourself? If there is a server, you're gonna ad another 20% to already fairly pricey bbq.

[catcherinthewry]

I have learned it's easier, if more expensive, to order sides from a BBQ joint to accompany my smoked meat, so I do need to get out a little more.

Other than the okra I had at Edge Craft which I really liked, my go to sides for BBQ are potato salad and baked beans and I've never founding any that are close to as good as mine.

[barrettd]

Other than the okra I had at Edge Craft which I really liked, my go to sides for BBQ are potato salad and baked beans and I've never founding any that are close to as good as mine.

Clark's beans are pretty darn good. I will say I don't make okra, I always just buy it. Not worth the hassle of deep frying.

[chssooner]

The market will correct the pricing here. If people don't buy it, they will lower the prices. Or go out of business. Pretty simple.

[catcherinthewry]

Clark's beans are pretty darn good. I will say I don't make okra, I always just buy it. Not worth the hassle of deep frying.

I agree about okra. I love it, but not worth the hassle to make it especially from scratch. I thought Edge Craft's beans were better than Clark Crew, but both were pretty standard. My baked beans include smoke sausage, peppered bacon and red and green bell peppers and onions sautéed in the bacon grease. They make a pretty good meal on their own. Very labor intensive, though. What sets my potato salad apart are home canned pickles and their juice.

[WheelerD Guy]

The market will correct the pricing here. If people don't buy it, they will lower the prices. Or go out of business. Pretty simple.

It’s a balancing act for sure. The face rents at Chisholm Creek aren’t exactly an easy lift, especially for low-margin businesses like restaurants.