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EDINBURG — My girlfriend and I really wanted to eat some barbecue at Ace’s BBQ in McAllen, but my editor said that I couldn’t review a restaurant in McAllen since the other guy had just done that. So we drove to Edinburg and decided to review the Ace’s BBQ there.
Ace’s offers delicious barbecue and Tex-Mex fare at reasonable prices, and the fact that we can sit and have a nice conversation without being waterboarded with loud music is a nice amenity.
We chose a table near a rain soaked window and were immediately greeted by a waitress with a pair of menus and some fresh chips and salsa.
The tortilla chips were warm and perfectly fried. The salsa was also warm and savory with just the right amount of heat. By the way, why doesn’t everyone serve warm salsa? I’m not asking for much. Take that salsa out of the fridge and throw it in a pot for a few minutes! It’s not that difficult.
Sorry, I just really like warm salsa. And Ace’s does that well.
I was craving a brisket sandwich, and “The Ace” which comes with brisket, pulled pork, and sausage definitely piqued my interest. I planned to order that with an order of BBQ Nachos as an appetizer, but then my girlfriend she did not want any BBQ Nachos.
“Fine then. I’ll just order the nachos for myself and you won’t have any!” I thought about telling her.
“That’s fine, my sweet angel princess,” I actually said. “I’ll just order these for myself, and you can have some if you choose to, because you’re smart and perfect and beautiful. I’m the luckiest man in the world. Yay feminism.”
My girlfriend decided to order the sandwich combo with sliced, lean brisket and a side of Lay’s Classic potato chips.
As we waited for our order, we watched the employees remove a TV that was mounted on a wall and replace it with another — all the while attending to the other customers. It was really impressive.
I’d hoped to watch my Cowboys play, but without the TV I was temporarily spared the inevitable heartbreak. At least I wasn’t going to have to worry about my tears making the nachos soggy.
The food arrived fast, faster than the neighbor’s order that was made before ours. It felt like cutting in line, but all is fair in love and dining.
A soft, lightly toasted bun cradled the lean-cut brisket chopped up and served on my girlfriend’s plate. Raw onions, pickles and a bag of chips lay on a plate that could easily be mistaken for a typical barbeque sandwich. With a drizzle of a tangy sauce, my girlfriend’s face lit up after taking her first bite. I had to wrestle the sandwich out of her tight grasp, but I got to taste the moist, peppery beef with a smokey kick. She snatched it back and I rededicated my attention to my plate.
The BBQ Nachos come with a choice of either brisket or chicken. I chose the brisket. Nacho cheese oozed over some fried tortilla chips and under a thick layer of chopped brisket. While this menu item is intended to be an appetizer, I feasted on the large serving of moist and smokey brisket, the creamy cheese and the crunchy chips.
It was truly a winning experience, unlike Dallas Cowboys fandom. We will definitely be back.
Ace’s BBQ has locations at 601 S. 10th Ave. in Edinburg, 111 E. Nolana Ave. in McAllen, and 2536 E. Griffin Parkway in Mission. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.
