Dickey’s BBQ Pit

Are you craving authentic hickory-smoked Texas style barbecue? Do you want a super cool picture perfect souvenir? Then maybe what you’re looking for is Dickey’s Barbeque Pit. This popular barbecue joint was founded in 1941 in Dallas, Texas by World War II veteran Travis Dickey (hence the name). After the success of his first restaurant, his sons Roland and T.D. Dickey took over and business boomed. Now you can find over 500 restaurants covering 44 of the United States.

My family was craving some good barbecue and headed to Dickey’s in my hometown of Orange County, California. Due to the current pandemic, indoor dining is prohibited however, outdoor dining, takeout, and delivery is available.

Our order was placed in advance (you can call or mobile order and choose a specific time and date for your order), and headed to Dickey’s. I loved the big yellow tent right outside because it stood out among the other businesses around it.

Upon entering I was impressed with how clean the inside of the restaurant was. Not only that, but there were tables inside for the pickup orders with letters telling customers where to stand according to the first initial of their name. I had never seen this form of organization in any place that I have picked up food from. From your designated pickup table, you tell the cashier your name and order. Our order was already ready and we headed home with our food. The process was fast and efficient.

Very Clean!
Designated Pickup Tables
So excited to chow down on some good BBQ!

Once I got home I immediately opened up the boxes and my family and I began to eat. The smell of the BBQ alone was mouthwatering. We had the “Picnic Pack” which comes with one pound of meat (we got the brisket), two medium sides (we ordered the baked potato casserole for both), four rolls, and your choice of barbecue sauce (we chose the sweet sauce).

The Picnic Pack

The brisket was very tasty and easy to pull apart. The majority of my family members (as well as I), ate the brisket as it is with the sweet sauce, however, my sister placed brisket in between one of the rolls to make a mini brisket sandwich! My dad and brother were HUGE fans of the baked potato casserole and devoured both cups! The sweet sauce was sweet, but not overly sweet which made it the perfect barbecue sauce.

We really enjoyed our food and we were very pleased at how clean and organized the restaurant was when we picked up our food. I highly recommend the Picnic Pack for 2-4 people and I definitely recommend the brisket and sweet sauce. I’ve included the link down below for the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit website to find a location near you. Enjoy your tasty BBQ and I’ll see you next time!

https://www.dickeys.com/

Masks are required inside!

El Segundo Sol (Tacos & Margaritas) -Las Vegas

The origin of this review begins when my family was on vacation in Las Vegas, Nevada. We were looking for a restaurant that served good quality Mexican food. Not only were we looking for something different, we were on search for cheese enchiladas. Why you may ask? My sister Madison has a rare metabolic disorder that doesn’t allow her to have meat, so we wanted to find her some GOOD alternative food. Although the rest of my family are meat eaters, my sister doesn’t have the luxury of having a wide assortment of foods like the rest of us. We researched for quite some time and were having a difficult time because every Mexican style restaurant we called did not offer cheese enchiladas. When I called El Segundo Sol, the manager answered and told me that they could make the cheese enchiladas! From there we made a reservation through Open Table (the reservation system they use), and set forth to lunch.

El Segundo Sol is located on the corner of the Fashion Show Mall on the Las Vegas Strip across from the Wynn Hotel and Casino. When we arrived we were informed that there had been a technical error on their reservation site and that all reservations had been filled. The manager came over to us and told us not to worry and that since we had made a reservation that he would find some way to get us inside. Within a matter of minutes the manager came back outside and told us that he had made a special table for us and to follow him inside. He led us to a room that he had set up for of our family. We found out that the room was not normally used except for very busy times or special occasions, but he wanted to make sure we were taken care of. It was the nicest act of kindness any manager had ever done for us. We immediately ordered the bottomless chips and salsa which were brought out almost instantaneously.

Bottomless Chips and Salsa

THESE CHIPS WERE FRESH! One bite into a chip and you could taste how fresh and real they tasted. No one in my family had ever tasted a chip that was that good. Although I am not a fan of guacamole, my father and 25 year old sister are, so they ordered a side of guacamole. Both of them stated that it was the BEST guacamole they had EVER tasted. They said it was both fresh and delicious. We were already impressed with our appetizers. Our waiter took our orders and brought out our drinks. I ordered their “Sol Margarita” which consisted of El Jimador Reposado, Bauchant Orange Liqueur, and Lime Juice. VERY GOOD. If you’re looking for a delicious margarita on the Las Vegas strip, then El Segundo Sol should be your go-to place.

Our food came out of the kitchen in a pretty good time span and the dishes were visually stunning. My sister really enjoyed her cheese enchiladas. Unfortunately I was unable to get a photo of her food but I was able to snag a photo of my youngest brother Kellan and his “Achiote Mahi Mahi Fajitas” which he said were “delicious!” This was a very healthy and delicious option for this aspiring dancer. (Sorry for the lighting, the floor to ceiling window was directly behind him).

As for me, I ordered the Carne Asada Tacos which came with: grilled marinated steaks; served with cilantro rice, black beans, pico de gallo, and sour cream. I opted out for the beans and instead had a double serving of rice. The carne asada meat was juicy and flavorful while the rice was bursting with cilantro goodness (the rice was my sister’s favorite pick of the day).

Carne Asada Tacos

My final thoughts on this restaurant are WOW. Not only was the food amazing, they catered to my sister’s dietary needs, and both the server and manager made our dining experience special. Who knew that this gem of a restaurant would turn out to be one of our favorite spots on the Las Vegas strip? If you’re curious to learn more about El Segundo Sol or take a glance at their menu, you can click on the link below. Until the next delicious review, Adios!