I’ve said it once. I’ll say it again. I love Texas. I haven’t lived in the Great State for almost seven years, but I frequently visit + I know for a fact that my affinity for anything Texas is one of the first things Slick will reference when he tells people who I haven’t met about me. Big hair, big cars, big attitude – I’m a big, BIG fan! I mean, “God (even) blessed it w/ his own hands…” So, when Slick informed me that the Fox Bros. (Fox Bros. BBQ) were opening a Tex-Mex joint named Big Tex Cantina in Decatur, I was immediately game.

- big tex cantina – decatur
We planned to meet our fellow Fox Bros. BBQ-lovin’ friends, Scott + Elizabeth, to try out Big Tex last week, so I conducted some serious menu research throughout the days leading up to it. I needed to know what I was getting into, y’all. On the day of the dinner, Slick successfully talked me out of wearing my cowboy hat. (So I was excited – sue me!) Nevertheless, as soon as I stepped into the restaurant, I felt like I was home.
Check it:


(currently trying to find this for my condo)


I’m pretty sure that the chandelier was my favorite Texas-inspired decoration, but it’s hard to say for sure…

After oogling the walls for about 15 minutes, we sat down and perused the extensive menu.

Without a second thought, I ordered up a Mexican Martini, which I am sure was inspired from my beloved Trudy’s in Austin. It wasn’t nearly as good as Trudy’s world-famous MM, but it did the trick.

Elizabeth opted for the Texas Bloody Mary which arrived with an olive + a green bean. She enjoyed it, but we both agreed that a Bloody Mary is an awkward dinner drink.

My favorite item we ordered for dinner was a special we all saw on the chalkboard outside of the front door: the Bacon Taquitos. They were absolutely mouthwateringly good! No joke. AMAZING.

Slick, Elizabeth + I all ordered tacos for dinner. Each of our plates looked similar to Slick’s pictured below. From left to right:
The Tex Taco: Chopped brisket with a spicy mustard sour cream, BBQ sauce, griddled jalapenos, diced onion + shredded lettuce. (Very tasty + the house special.)
The Carinta Taco: Chopped pork, griddled jalapenos, diced onion + shredded lettuce. (It was so incredibly salty, Slick + I couldn’t eat it. I do not recommend.)
El Guapo Taco: A flour tortilla filled with refried beans, a crispy taco shell with house ground beef, lettuce, cheese + pico de gallo. (My favorite! It was like a fancy Cheesy Gordita Crunch from Taco Bell! And, I’m pretty sure it weighed about three pounds. Judge me.)

Scott ordered the enormous Big Tex Chicken Chimichanga: a huge tortilla filled with pulled chicken, pinto beans, pico de gallo + cheese rolled and fried, topped with their signature Texas queso + pico de gallo. Did I mention how enormous it was??!

It was a feast, to say the least. (Rhyming!)

scott + elizabeth
Are they a cute couple or what?!
I can’t say that any of us actually finished our massive meals, but we truly put in some serious effort. NO room for dessert, although the Red Velvet Cheesecake sounded tempting. After we settled up with our server, we walked around the restaurant again and discovered a substantial party room in the very back complete with TVs, pool tables + skeeball! This space is totally ideal for a birthday party or a fun night out with a group!

Big Tex Cantina was very enjoyable. It’s priced well, the restaurant doesn’t accept reservations but it’s large enough that you wouldn’t have to wait forever, + they’ve done really well with the Texas-themed decor (at least in my book!). The menu is extensive + I have faith that the restaurant will be successful. Having the Fox Bros. name behind it, at the very least, means something. If you are trying to satisfy a random Mexican food craving, I probably wouldn’t recommend making the trek to Decatur to test out Big Tex over heading to Taqueria del Sol. BUT, if you are into trying out new spots, you love the Great State as much as I do, or you are seriously hungover (get the Chimichanga - trust me.), Big Tex will do the trick.
YeeHAW, partner!
xx, L

Big Tex Cantina
308 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
404.377.3939
http://www.bigtexcantina.com/
