This was my very first visit to this restaurant. I'd heard mixed reviews but decided to give it a…read moreshot. As someone who loves BBQ and has tried many places like Lone Star, Ace's, Reyna's, and even HEB, I was curious to see how this one compared. Unfortunately, it ended up being a huge disappointment--especially when it came to the sides, which were the worst I've ever had. What We Ordered: I ordered the Chicken Fajita plate, which comes with two sides (though I'm not sure if I paid extra for the drink). I chose macaroni and potato salad as my sides and even added an extra side of mashed potatoes to try more options. My fiancé ordered ribs with the same sides. Our total came out to about $38, which is pricey for two people. Service and Presentation: The food arrived less than five minutes after we sat down--red flag number one. At a sit-down restaurant, I expect fresh, hot food, not something prepared long before and left sitting around. To make matters worse, we were literally the only people in the restaurant, yet the food was served cold. The portion sizes were underwhelming for the price. The chicken was hard, old, and cold to the touch, although the flavor was decent. The tortillas were hot but hard as a rock, and the pico de gallo was served in a tiny condiment container. I didn't even bother trying it. The Sides: The mashed potatoes were runny and flavorless, as if they were overmixed. However, the gravy was a saving grace with its pieces of green peppers and onions, giving it a homestyle touch. The potato salad was sweet and gritty, likely from a bulk wholesale tub like the kind sold at HEB, and it was far from appetizing. The macaroni and cheese was the biggest offense. It came cold in a Styrofoam cup (as did all the sides), and I couldn't get past the weird, sour taste. It wasn't a sharp cheddar richness--it was sour, like someone added lemon to it. Oddly, my fiancé's macaroni didn't have the same sourness, but it was still bland and unappetizing. It's safe to say my 10-year old brother couldn't have messed up a microwave kraft cup more than they did with their "in house" recipe. I will give credit where it's due. The tea, the variety of sauces, the ribs, and the overall cleanliness of the dining area were all decent. Final Thoughts: In my short 25 years, I've never had such an unpleasant experience with food. I'm greatly dissatisfied and can only hope this was an isolated incident. My advice? Please consider revising the recipes for the above mentioned sides, especially the macaroni and cheese. I'm usually the kind of person who gives restaurants a second chance because I enjoy trying new places and I'm not picky. Unfortunately, I won't be coming back here. It's just not it.

It is ok ; Needs a little better sevice…read moreFor bread the worker gave me the end of the loaf of bread and only 2 slices The pecan pies slices looked old One of them did not have pecans The tea was wonderful Restaurant was clean Moist brisket was excellent

Any person who decides to open a bbq place in Texas must be pretty bold…read more When we got out of the car, I could smell the smoke. It was promising but I've been fooled before. This was good barbecue. The bark on the brisket was consistent and peppery but not overwhelming. The rib meat didn't quite fall off the bone, but close to it. The turkey had a good Smokey flavor. I also got the charro beans and the jalapeño creamed corn. The corn was good but it was fabulous the next day! I don't think this is the best barbecue in Texas but it was pretty good barbecue and better than some of the supposedly famous places in other parts of the state. I also liked eating listening to praise and worship music! I'll almost certainly go back when I'm back in town.

To finish out the 2023 Texas Monthly New and Improved BBQ Joints list, I headed to the The Rio…read moreGrande Valley to explore the last three. Today I visited Vargas BBQ in Edinburg. I was the first customer to arrive and had the pleasure of talking to Nidia Vargas, the Boss Lady, and learning how the establishment developed over time and how they made it onto the Texas Monthly list. She was very personable and the dining area was comfortable. I ordered the Texas Trinity and was not disappointed. The brisket rub is Pitmaster Ram Vargas' special blend. It made a great addition to the perfectly smoked, tender brisket. The sausage reminded me of the Black's Lockhart sausage that I grew up with. It did not resemble store bought sausage either in flavor or texture. I would definitely order this meat again. The ribs had a savory sweet glaze. They were smoked well, meaty and tender. For the sides I had Nidia Vargas' signature creamy green spaghetti, charro beans, potato salad, and Mexican rice. The green spaghetti is pasta bathed in pureed jalapeños, poblanos, and cilantro. It started off with a mild heat which built up as I continued to eat it. It was a great complement to the delicious meats. The charro beans were probably some of the best beans I have had. The potato salad brought back pleasant memories of my mother-in-law's potato salad that, in my opinion, is second to none. The Mexican rice was well seasoned as well. Honestly, there wasn't a thing that I ordered that I would not try again. This joint gets an A+ in my books.

Come enjoy some delicious food, family friendly restaurant…read more Great staff. Dine in or take out.

Had never eaten hear before. So when a coworker was selling/fundraising BBQ plates I thought this…read morewould be great time to help and try their BBQ. If it's good we would should go dine there. Well ... the plate was sad looking and tasted AWFUL. The smell of chicken hit my face when I opened the plate. (You're not suppose to smell chicken unless it's spoiled). Oh and the "BBQ SAUCE" was red and looked/tasted like watered down ketchup. The chicken was so dry and hard/burnt we couldn't eat it. The rice was dry and nothing special to it. The only decent thing was the beans. Sadly those plates told us never dine at Smokey's.

We came here with our best friends because they had friends that ate there and enjoyed the food…read more It's an interesting concept: everything on the menu is all or in part - RibEye Steak in some form. Sounds good in principle. But the proof is in the pudding as they say, or the food and how good it is. They start the meal with an assortment of fresh house-made tortilla chips and salsas that range from a "pretty warm" pico de gallo to a "blazing hot" sauce made with habaneros. They also brought us so charro beans, "on the house" which when mixed with a little lime and the aforementioned salsa were maybe the best part of the meal. I don't think I've had any charros their equal. I'd come back just for them if nothing else. I had the Chicharron Ribeye on Molchahete which is a rib eye steak, cut in bite sized cubes, seared then placed atop some lettuce and fresh house-made guacamole, served with fresh, house made corn tortillas. (You had me at house-made corn tortillas!). The steak bites were a little overcooked for my tastes and, if I'm being honest, the steak was at best, a USDA Select Grade based on a lack of tenderness. I'd hope that for the price they'd use at least USDA Choice or higher grade. Anyway it wasn't very tender but the flavor was ok. In total there was enough steak for three or four nice sized tacos with really good guacamole, some onion, cilantro and lime to squeeze on top. The wife ordered RibEye Enchiladas which were, according to her, just ok. They were smothered in a heavy sauce and even heavier layer of melted cheese, detracting from the flavor of the ribeye. Neither of us were that impressed with our entrees. The sides were better than the mains. That's never a good thing. Our friends split an order of RibEye Panchos, which in most of the rest of the world are known as nachos - tortilla chips, chunks of ribeye steak, cheese, salsa, etc. They seemed to enjoy their meal and had leftovers to carry out. Our server, a sweet young gal was exceptional at her job, very informative about the restaurant and let us know that after five years in the same location, they would soon be moving, although the new location was at present, a secret. Our drinks were never empty and she offered us more charros, chips and salsa...whatever we wanted. My entree was $19.99 and the wife's was $18.99. Adding in my iced tea plus tax brought the total to a bit over $46 which isn't horrible, especially seeing we're talking ribeye steak, but, for this steak, it's quality and quantity, perhaps a little high. They do offer a Sunday Brunch, which we may try in the future. Perhaps they had a bad batch of tough steaks, I don't know. I'll certainly give them another visit before crossing them off my list in order to be fair. Here's to looking forward to that next visit.

Had an eventful night with my daughter. I had the molcajete and it was amazing. My daughter had…read morethe ribeye sinchronizada and she loved it. We were celebrating my daughter's birthday and the food was unbelievable. Did not disappoint. The waiter was superb. He was extremely attentive. Enjoyed the whole experience. Well worth it.

We came in on a weekday afternoon. My cousin had seen an ad on Facebook that they had some Mimosas…read morefor $2 and Kids Eat Free special advertised for the whole summer. She said she had called to verify beforehand. It happened to be one of the kid's birthday so we decided to check it out. When we arrived we were quickly greeted. Only one other table of people in the restaurant. We asked our waiter about the special and he said that it was not a current special. No further explanation, but maybe it was only available during brunch would be my guess? Asked about Happy Hour (because I saw it on their website) but he said no...my cousin said okay--any specials? He said oh, we have margaritas for $5. I decided to get one. They are available on ice and frozen (but comes out of the machine, not freshly blended). It was okay...def wouldn't have paid more than $5 for it though. Took us a little while to decide what to order since there is a variety of food available. I got the Patty Melt, my son got the Pepperjack Jalapeno burger, the kids got cheeseburgers, and my cousin got the Chicken Alfredo Pasta and mi tia got some Chicken Strips. They were out of Pepsi so had to choose something else. Presentation was okay. Burgers and pasta could use a little more seasoning. Fries were homemade, but needed to be parboiled before fried for a more thoroughly cooked end result and needed more seasoning as well. Our waiter was attentive and kind. He did well on refilling beverages and chips. It was nice to receive complimentary chips and salsa as they are hard to come by anymore. The salsas were good. Restrooms were clean and smelled fresh. The automatic gratuity was a little high. Overall experience was satisfactory.

I went to the McAllen location and loved it, so imagine my surprise when I discovered another…read morelocation closer to me in Edinburg!! This place has a bit of everything for everyone, the portions are filling and everything is well seasoned. Their steaks are tender, their salads are well served, and my favorite - their breakfast - is plentiful and tasty. Their server Pamela was friendly, kind and polite. I cannot speak enough good things about this place.

I came across this restaurant while attending Mexi-Con 2026 in McAllen and their representatives…read morewere extremely nice and helpful when it came to answering any questions I had. After a long day at the convention, I ordered online for delivery so I can't speak for the ambiance of the restaurant but can speak on the quality. The food arrived at a reasonable time and was made deliciously well My order was the 3 meat combo with Brisket and Lean Brisket, side of rice and mashed potatoes, flour tortillas and a cold coke. They did add plenty of mini sides like onions, pickled jalapenos/carrots, and the Texas Gold sauce. Both briskets were tender and paired beautifully with the rice and mashed potatoes. While I'm not a local and just here for travel, I will 10000% order from them if I'm given the chance :)

Don't waste your time here if you're looking for a good dine in restaurant. It's basically like…read morefast food bbq every thing was just poorly prepared and they couldn't even send our meals complete with sides or add ons requested.

5/5 -- Fantastic BBQ Mexican Feast at Pollos Asados El Tio Roy…read more Pollos Asados El Tio Roy delivered an incredible meal and an overall great experience. We ordered the four-meat combo ($34), which came loaded with sausage, BBQ chicken, four beef ribs, fajita, tortillas, beans, and rice. Every item was packed with flavor -- tender meats, perfectly seasoned sides, and generous portions. We were even given extra beans and rice, which was a nice touch. The service was fast and friendly, and despite the casual setup (plastic-covered tables and picnic-style seating), the place was clean and comfortable with soft music in the background. It's not trying to be fancy -- it's just serving amazing food at a great value. For two people, our total was $49 with tip, and we still had enough leftover meat for another dinner. You really can't beat that. If you're craving delicious BBQ with a Mexican twist, Pollos Asados El Tio Roy is absolutely worth the visit. Great flavors, great prices, and genuinely warm service. Highly recommend!

For smoked chicken, this is the best kept secret in the State of Texas. This place is a hole in…read morethe wall and easy to miss but it has some of the best food at the cheapest prices in all of Texas. If you are in the Donna area of the valley - don't pass it up!

Place is an older building. Good fried chicken and hamburgers. I've been here many times always…read moregood food.

Lol they should change the name to "the local grease trap" hahaha…read more Got the special the lady suggested. Came with this huge ass burger with a greasy ass bun. My god lol. Big ass piece of fried chicken as some greasy fries. This should be called the grease trap of Pharr Texas lol. The burger was decent. The put so much mayo on it lol. My god man. The bun was so greasy. The chicken was alright. The fried were decent. This is your very middle of the mall type of spot. Everything had good flavor. It my god this ace will give you a heart attack for sure. Also management: clean the place up! Jesus Christ. This plans is very dingy. Feels like this place needs a really deep deep cleaning. The staff is really nice. Just a very old place that needs a deep cleaning and some updating.