11June2026 I have been married to a Lubbock Native for 27…read moreyears now, and for all of this time, I have been hearing about Spanky's, just across from Texas Tech University. She has been hyping up this joint forever and during this trip to her hometown, we ended up there on our first night we were in town. On the outside, it looks like the typical university food joint that could be at any university town across America. It was small with a few tables and booths and had stuff across the walls that yelled TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS so loud that it could be seen from the ISS. Apparently, the owner is a big fan and possibly an Alumna of TTU. We ordered the hand dipped mushrooms and onion rings to go along with our burgers. Little did I know what an experience the two appetizers would be. Lets just say that I have NEVER has such wonderful shrooms and rings ... ever. Thats saying something. The mushrooms are not the typical soft, mushy ones that many places serve out of the Sysco bags ... no, these were easily identifiable as button mushrooms even through the crispiness of the batter. Firm, sliceable and easily skewered by a fork to be dipped in ranch sauce. In short ... they were lip-smackin good. The onion rings, dipped in the same batter, cooked in the same oil and served at the same temperature were just as delectable. They were thick sliced sweet yellows that held their toothiness throughout the frying process. Just the bite into it was yummy, sweet and crispy ... all at the same time. These reminded me of the onion rings I used to get at Tookies down in Seabrook, Tx during the 70's and 80's. For my main, I chose the "Hotter than Hell Burger" with crinkle fries. I like hot and spicy and expected it to actually be hotter than it was. The sliced jalapeño and habanero spread were present and did the job of letting my taste buds know they were doing their job. It just wasn't the knockout I was expecting from a burger place serving university students that would eat really spicy stuff on a dare. Don't get me wrong, that burger was really good, just as my Wife said it would be. That statement is truth, not hype, but hotter than hell, naah. More like hotter than heck. My biggest disappointment was the limited selection of good beer. Light beer, cheap lagers and Mexican standards. Would it hurt to put in an IPA or a Stout? Overall, the staff were wonderful and answered any of the myriad of questions I had about their fare. It was an actual experience for me, especially after all of the hype my Wife told me over the decades. Usually, after a big span of time, places from our youth let us down. Spanky's is NOT a place like that. I will be sure to make it there on the next trip to Lubbock ... even if my Wife isn't with me. Ciao, Darrell

When visiting Texas Tech University you have to stop by Spanky's for a snack. They have great…read moreappetizers, burgers and more. The fried cheese, pickles and zucchini all have generous serving sizes. The burgers are tasty and their chicken sandwiches are also good. Great fries as well. The staff is nice and they swing by the tables to check on customers frequently. They have two floors and you can order in either level. They do have limited rest rooms in both floors as well.