UPDATE: I followed up before originally posting and asked the Fox Bros PR team if there would be any official word on the closing. Here it is…
Fox Brothers Restaurant Group (FBRG), the team behind Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q and Big Tex Decatur, is closing Big Tex on November 3. The Big Tex space will be retained by the group for an unforeseen period of time.
Growing demand on the Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q kitchen, stimulated in part by the designation of the restaurant as the official barbecue of the Atlanta Falcons, made the decision to close Big Tex necessary. “We are certainly going to miss serving our loyal friends in Decatur we have made over the 3 years and we hope to be back one day. We are thankful for the additional demand on our barbecue business but closing Big Tex is bittersweet. We will be focusing on the future of Fox Bros Bar-B-Q with expansion and the build out of our new catering/commissary facility on Ottley Drive. The new commissary will really be a game changer for us and help meet the needs of our restaurant in Candler Park and future Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q restaurants,” Jonathan Fox, Partner and Pitmaster of Fox Bros Bar-B-Q.
Big Tex Decatur, located at 308 W Ponce de Leon Ave in Decatur opened the doors in May of 2011 and has served Texas-inspired food and drinks since 2011.
Rebecca points out this note from Big Tex on Facebook from just minutes ago…
Thank You for 3 great years, but it’s time for us to say goodbye. We had a great time serving Decatur and look forward to seeing you soon!
Photo courtesy of Sandi
Boo. This was my sleeper favorite restaurant in Decatur. Great atmosphere and best burger in town IMO.
that sucks
Holding out hope that it’ll be reincarnated with Fox Bro’s – but keep some of the menu – its got much better lately. And Robin runs a great place!
This is a real loss for the area. They had good food and good drinks, I hope that someone else will decide to serve beer in a freezing schooner glass! Sad to see them go.
http://www.whatnowatlanta.com/2014/11/03/fox-bros-restaurant-group-to-shutter-big-tex-decatur-nov-3/
Oh man, where am I going to get my Country Fried Steak now?
Boo. Did this take effect immediately? I’m sad if I don’t have the chance to say goodbye. The staff and Robin and Dan were so friendly. I’ve never received so many free drinks as I did at Big Tex, just for drinking at the bar. The food was very good and they always had great specials.
I’m surprised too. While it wasn’t consistently packed, they usually filled up for games and on the weekends.
This is really really sad. I will miss the place a lot and the staff even more. Love Robin and all the folks who work there.
Okay, the ladies who lead the ghost tours can do a spin-off on haunted restaurant venues. I thought they broke the spell.
I’ll miss the Sunday bluegrass music.
I’m sort of surprised. It always seemed busy, and the two times I ate there, I loved the chicken fried steak. I wandered in there by accident during the Kentucky Derby last year and had a few (good strong) drinks, and I’m not sure I paid for them all 🙂
When I talk to Atlanta friends and colleagues not immediately familiar with Decatur, they have often heard of it, but have misconceptions of what the menu actually is. The menu to me was partially “Big Southern” as opposed to “Big Tex.” I liked it …
Maybe you should have eaten there more? Then they might not have closed? maybe even take a friend? That goes for everyone posting sadness for the closing.
What’s the threshold of frequency before someone can say they are sad that it closed?
We’re obligated to perform a rigorous personal inventory of past actions to establish whether or not we’re entitled to our emotions. Otherwise, people would just be feelin’ feelings all over the place.
Regardless, the stated reason for closing is to focus on the main business, Fox Bros. I guess we can choose to assume lack of business played an unacknowledged role in the closing, but I’ll take them at their word. I don’t think anyone doubts the place would be a huge success if it were another Fox Bros. location, so if lack of business were the true reason, wouldn’t they have simply converted and renamed?
It sounds like they closed because of their BBQ business expanding, not because of lack of customers.
This comment is absurd.
If you read their statement, it was not a lack of business.
And how often must one eat somewhere to like it? I live downtown and probably spend a huge fraction of my family’s dining dollars (at least once/week) in Decatur. There are a lot of restaurants.
I think there were a few menu changes that might have confused some folks. But it was also a nice spot for locals who might have wanted something a big different from the packed restaurants on the square. I always thought it was a great place to take in a game on Sundays.
Great place to watch football on Saturdays, too. Oh well.
Maybe they can call the next venture “FOX & Friends”.
Where is Robin now? He’s a fantastic host/manager and bon vivant. I hope he’ll stick around Decatur, bringing his good vibe wherever he goes!
Great. Now there’s no longer a single place in Decatur that will let you (heck, require you sometimes even to) drink out of a funnel. Roll Tide and RIP, Big Tex. I hope you’re serving up smoked wings and frito pies again soon as the first Fox Bros. outpost…
Too bad that another Decatur joint bites the dust. The list is long.
We were regulars for their Monday night trivia and football playoffs- we’ll really miss them a lot. +1000 on the hopes they will soon inhabit the space as Fox Brothers BBQ Decatur.
I will miss the Sunday fried chicken dinner. So good!
We watched a lot of Falcons games, all of the big World Cup matches there, and it was a great go-to Sunday brunch place for our family.
Best wishes on growing Fox Bros BBQ!
I wasn’t fond of Big Tex, but I hope they come back one day as BBQ. We need a good downtown BBQ place. Definitely not fond of the prices or poor service at the “other” BBQ joint “in town”. If I have to pay top $$, I’d rather have the Fox quality BBQ.
Get in your car and drive to real BBQ at Old Hickory House near Northlake Mall.
Man! That really sux. We are recent regulars and have really enjoyed the new menu, including the yellow queso, and other great food items. So disappointed. The BBQ is good, but they had a lot of other good food that you can’t find elsewhere in Decatur.
Big Tex Cantina will be sorely missed by those of us who appreciated the good food, strong drinks, great atmosphere and wonderful service staff headed by the always gracious Robin Vaughan. Plus, the place hosted many excellent live shows with nary a cover charge. The Sunday brunch was family friendly. The two patio areas offered fresh air and a nice alternative to what could be a noisy interior. And free street parking! Where else in downtown Decatur can one find this combination?