Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que

We’ve been here a few times and always enjoy the food and location. It great to walk to from the stockyards and just enjoy the food and atmosphere.
We’ve found the staff to be friendly and helpful when ordering. It’s a cafeteria style restaurant, and perfect for large groups.

This is one of the most unusual restaurants you will visit. From the entry to the seating.
When you walking, you are greeted by a friendly chef that has so many meats at their disposal to give to you. You just tell them how much. All different types of BBQ and ribs. I got the brisket and a jalapeño cheddar sausage.
The brisket was better than average but not knock your socks off good.
The sausage was outstanding.
After the meat station you move on to the sides area — slaw, beans, mac and cheese, etc.
When you sit, its cafeteria style. We went early afternoon so we missed the lunch crowd. Would have been neat to see the place more hopping.
Baked beans were not my kind but they have a huge vat of it that you help yourself to. You can have as much as you want.
All in all, a pretty good spot.

I’m no expert on BBQ but I’ve eaten lots of it and Cooper’s served me what might have been the best sliced brisket I ever ate in my whole life. My only regret is that i didn’t have room to try the steak, pork chops, sausages, ham, etc. It’s a no-​nonsense «old time pit bar-​b-​que» that reeks of Texas. The highlight of my trip to Fort Worth

This was an odd experience. It’s in the Billy Bob’s parking lot, so they have a captive audience. We ate here about 8:30 PM before a Friday night concert. The line was out the door, but we had plenty of time. On the menu, there was no sliced brisket sandwich, only a chopped beef sandwich. As we got closer, a sign said the special of the day was a chopped beef sandwich with potato salad OR cole slaw (not both) for $ 9.99.
My chopped beef sandwich was not chopped — it was more like ground. It was mush. It was so gross I thought I was going to lose it. Whatever they used to grind up the chopped beef they used on the cole slaw too; it was ground into a fine pulp. The cole slaw didn’t taste bad; it was just weird. My wife loved her potato salad.
I don’t want to be too hard on this place; across the street from Billy Bobs, they, too, are a tourist trap. They definitely have a «bit» going… when I paid for our meal, I was handed two sheets of paper. I said, «What are these for?» She said, «Those are your placemats.» D’oh!

Attention Tourists & Texans!
This is not Texas BBQ. It’s an atmosphere gimmick, which does not represent Texas at all. Born and raised here trust me. This is not what Texas should be known for as BBQ.
I agree with Jason A from Ca. The only reasons they get one star, is because I can’t give 0.
The ribs (pork & beef) are unbelievably salty and stringy like nasty over cooked brisket would be. The brisket is completely tuff like leather and again the seasoning is salt and lots of it. The BBQ sauce is thin and does nothing but add an extremely lemony taste. Ugh nasty for BBQ.
So I go politely to manager to explain I have been here before and I thought It was good so I come back and this time it’s very salty so he says well I have it every morning and gives me a look as if I’m crazy. He progress to arguing with me in a passive aggressive manner. I leave very upset and un please as a patron of this establishment. Stay away far away. If anything risky’s BBQ is close by and a cheaper version of Texas BBQ but I highly recommend Hard 8’s BBQ.
This place is a joke, employees are rude and the so called manager that I spoke with doesn’t want repeat customers.

The only reason it gets 1 star is because I can’t give it a 0. Was in D/​FW area and was looking for some good Texas BBQ. Being from CA good BBQ is hard to find. A friend suggested this place as being the best around. Couldn’t have been further from the truth. I should have known better when I pulled up to an empty parking lot and went into an empty building. I guess everyone else knew what I was about to find out. For starters the people were extremely rude and were basically annoyed that we were there which could be understandable if they were busy but the place was a ghost town. Now, the food: straight up garbage. Can’t describe it better than that. It would have tasted better to just pour a salt shaker in my mouth. If you get the ribs all you get is salt, fat, and bones. Now the price: To get 6 terrible ribs, a baked potato, 2 sides of even worse cole slaw, and 2 drinks you pay $ 79 and some change. Couldn’t be more disappointed by being ripped off like that. When my girlfriend complained about the food the manager just said well that is the food you picked so I’m sorry that you didn’t like it. We just threw the food away and left. Not even worth feeding it to the dogs. Do yourself a favor and pick somewhere else. Anywhere will be better I promise you that.

This was the first barbecue place I went to the day I landed in Texas. Got a crashed course on the dos and don’ts when going to places like this in Texas. Lesson 1, never order more than you can eat. All the items were good after first few bites. Towards the end, thats when you are struggling to finish it all. Lesson 2, never wear a white shirt or t-​shirt when going to places like this. You will get splattered. Trust me. I learned it in a hard way. Lesson 3, enjoy every bite of it because I think it was good. That good that I stopped by for the second time before catching my flight back to New York 10 days after I went to couple of the other famous barbecue places in Texas.

This is your typical, down home, no frills Texas bbq. If you are expecting a waitress, ceramic plates, or a table with pull out chairs, this isn’t the place for you. If you are expecting delicious, tender cooked meats with your Texas side dishes, this is the place for you.
After wandering around The Stockyards for the better part of the afternoon, we wandered here with some non-​Texas guests. While they were slightly surprised by the line waiting to order at the grill and ordering meat by the lb, they agreed that this was some of the best bbq they have had. If you go, the beef brisket is a must. I opt for a dip, but you can eat it «dry» as well. The beef ribs had a very nice rub that provides all the seasoning you need.
As far as sides, you can get corn on the cob, potato salad, mac and cheese, corn bread, and/​or your typical bagged potato chips. I recommend the jalapeño and bacon mac and cheese or the potato salad. I probably could have eaten an extra helping of each. That being said, I left here stuffed. Bring an appetite and leave your fancy inhibitions at the door.

Meat was over seasoned and covered in fat. I spent 40 $ for three over seasoned beef ribs and two slices of sliced fat brisket… Didn’t taste any smoke probably because there was enough seasoning to season 1000 briskets… Waste of money if you know real bbq do not come here!

This was my 1^st time and I had a great experience at Cooper’s from beginning to end. Starting with the friendly staff, deliciously juicy brisket, and flavorful jalapeño sausage. I loved the casual atmosphere and was perfect for my family which includes 2 little ones that can’t sit for very long at a nice restaurant. I would definitely recommend to friends and family visiting the Stockyard Station. It’s also nice that there are free beans which were delicious BTW.

Really good. Surprisingly good. Not smoked so the flavor is a little different but tasted great. I ordered a beef rib and some moist brisket, which is what all BBQ is judged on in Texas. I would put them in the top tier. Not Franklin or Mueller or Pecan Lodge; but better than Salt Lick or Rudy’s or you other average joint. And a little cheaper.
And a note to people rating BBQ places:
if you are complaining that there is too much fat in your Brisket or Ribs… you shouldn’t be going to legit BBQ places. If you order «lean» brisket and complain that it’s dry, you aren’t qualified to have an opinion on BBQ. You don’t order lean brisket. Go to Dickey’s or move to California.
Will definitely go again.

I think I just got trapped with the tourists!!! Cool concept and atmosphere but my beef ribs were 80% fat and severely over salted. The chopped beef sandwich is pre chopped and boxed and that’s never a good thing. I grew up on Texas BBQ and this just not cut it for me. This place is very expensive as well.

I love me some Coopers BBQ, It’s a great spot to bring visitors. You walk in, pick your meat from a big ass BBQ, they wrap it up in paper, you continue to pick your fixins, check out and sit down and eat! Nothing fancy, no plates, there’s a huge jar of pickled jalapeños and full rolls or paper towels. It’s great!
I have been here several times, never had rude service.
They got some great cold draft beer, free yummy beans, and the flavors on the food are legit! I too made the rookie mistake of ordering way too much food here my first couple times, so here’s my suggestions:
1. If you go for the Rib Eye, be advised its huge and more than enough for two people to share.
2. The pork chop is great!
3. If its too packed inside, check out the outdoor patio
4. Always order a baked potato, it’s so damn good, they season the skin.
5. After dinner check out billy bobs across the street!

Friendly vibe. A little pricey. Free beans. Cobblers looked delish! Peach, berry, and pecan were available. Happy hour is from 3pm-​7pm

I’m reading some of the other reviews, and I’m thinking, Oh Cooper’s! You could’ve done that better. Sure, staff can sometimes be a bit barky. They move a lot of volume, they are busy, they need to move the line so maybe they are a bit abrupt. And yeah, I’ve ordered moist brisket before and gotten kind of too much fat, but since that happened I take a good look at it before I pay and I’ve asked them to swap out the fat for a slice with more meat and they have done it. Maybe you think you shouldn’t have to do that, okay, maybe you shouldn’t. Maybe you think everyone should kiss your ass every time you walk into a restaurant. Sure, if that’s what you like. But this isn’t fine dining. This is Texas BBQ. This is the real deal, where you walk up to the pit and look over whats in there, and tell the guy two of those, half of that, a pound of that right there, thanks. And no, there aren’t any plates. Is that really a crime? Here’s some advice — if Cooper’s isn’t up to your high standards for plates and silver ware and butt kissing, then for crying out loud don’t even think about going down to Lockhart. Just. Don’t.Do.It.
I love Cooper’s. I love this one at the Stockyards, and I love the original in Llano, and I love the one I drove through off the 10 (don’t remember exactly where that one was). Nobody does a better pork chop, but I will admit I like the place in Lockhart better for sausage. The brisket is to die for (both places). I like the abrupt way the guy says, any sides? Nope, I reply. He hands me my tray and I move along for the weighing and the paying. Lots of bread, pickles, beans, a slice of cheese — this is TEXAS BBQ and Cooper’s does it absolutely right.
If you need forks and knives and plates, I kindly suggest you bring them with you.

Oh Coopers! How I love thee! Since moving to Texas one year ago, we’ve visited many barbecue hot spots, and it’s Coopers that keeps me coming back. My husband and I have different tastes, but to me, Coopers has the most flavorful brisket around. Mighty handy location too, near the stockyards, but not quite close enough to walk on a hot day, unless you want a miserable family.
Walking in, it’s the typical buffet style chop and slop. Order a ton, and try it all. You’ll be surprised what winds up being your fave. Don’t get too crazy at the pit though, because the goodies ahead will make your mouth water just as much, and you’ll be sad you missed the opportunity to load up on more.
The facility is giant, and it’s great for large groups and events.
Only oddity to me is the checkout style (feels like a cafeteria), and the restaurant atmosphere is so open that you feel slightly like you’re eating in a barn. And although I think that’s what they were going for, it’s still kind of odd and makes me feel less cozy than I prefer, when sitting down for a meal. Regardless, it’s not enough to turn me away. Coopers, I love love love you. Best brisket I’ve had yet!

This is a no-​nonsense BBQ place. Get your meat as you come in the door, by the pound, and head into the main building for your sides and fixins. Turkey is great, ribs taste good but were a little dry. They offer to dip it in sauce but I prefer to add sauce later (if needed). The husband also got a pulled pork sandwich (today’s lunch special) and a short link of jalapeño sausage.
Sides are minimal: corn on the cob, potato salad, Mac n cheese, cole slaw. The pork sandwich came with slaw on top as well. Four choices of cobblers too. Blackberry, Apple, peach, and pecan cobblers. The littles chose apple.
Upon paying and finding seats, which are long communal benches, you can get free beans, onions, and sliced pickles. The beans are a little on the spicy side but very flavorful. There’s also a station for bread and bags/​containers/​etc. for your leftovers.
Overall, a bit pricier than most BBQ places for lunch. But worth it. Next time I’ll try the beef.

Good god, I paid for meat not fat. I ordered half a pound of brisket and got a slab of fat. It was so disgusting I threw most of it away. How could the guy cutting the meat not notice he was wrapping up lard and selling it to me. The whole place just had a cold feel to eat like if I was in a hospital cafeteria.
If this is what real bar b que is then you can keep it and your cafeteria treys.
Just gross.

Went here tonite for first time. Corporate party. Pretty basic place. Big open facility like inside of a metal barn.
We had a buffet set up for us with beef brisket, BBQ chicken, sausages, beans, potato salad, cold slaw, some pickles, onions, jalapeño’s, loaf of bread and peach cobbler. Nothing unusual here.
The brisket was good, even without the side BBQ sauce. The sausages were spicy also, and tasty without the sauce. The chicken was ok, but could have been seasoned much better. Same for the potato salad and cold slaw. I always feel a BBQ place sides need to be seasoned nicely, or they don’t stand up to the tangy BBQ sauce (just my opinion).
Not bad overall and the price is pretty good, even with a drink ($ 10-​$ 15 per person). They have a pretty good selection of bottle and draft beers. Good place to take the kids as its community seating!
Plenty of parking around the place. My three stars indicating its just average in my opinion relative to the many other BBQ restaurants in Fort Worth, and particularly down in the stockyards area.

Do you like salt? I mean do you really really like salt? If so, this place is for you but not really for me.
We have been wanting to give this place a try for a long time. This was a strange night where we had tried to go to two other places. One was closed due to a water main break and the other was too packed this is when Coopers popped in our heads and we happily made our way to the Stockyards.
This place has a strange setup but hey it seems to work. We finally got to the carver and I saw the prices. This place is pretty pricy $ 16 — $ 18 a pound. Two of us ate for $ 48 this was meat, one side that we both shared, and 2 soft drinks.
Sliced Brisket — Extremely salty but you could tell there was good flavor underneath.
Beef Rib — $ 18.00 for a HUGE bone and a little bit of meat. Extremely salty.
Sausage — I really liked the sausage but the other half did not. Personal preference on this one.
We should have stopped after our first few bites and gotten our money back but being good little boys we were quiet and ate what was in front of us.
Sorry but for the price and the food quality I cannot recommend this place to anyone and we probably will not be back.
Note: I know everyone thinks BBQ should be served on paper here lately but hey, I’m a grown man, give me a choice of a plate.