Hickory Corral has been in Magnolia since January 2000 but has only operated under its current moniker since summer 2013. Before undergoing a name change, the restaurant operated as the third Houston-area location of Hickory Hollow owned by Tony Riedel.

In 2012, Riedel approached longtime employee Brett Raver—who was the general manager for the Magnolia location since it opened and a Hickory Hollow employee since 1980—about the possibility of assuming ownership of the Magnolia location.

"When [Riedel] approached me about taking over, for me, it was a no-brainer," Raver said. "I have been [at the Magnolia location] since it opened and I live in the area, so it made all the sense in the world."

Raver's history with Hickory Hollow dates back to when he was 14 and looking for work. Raver said he walked on a Saturday to the Fallbrook Drive location of Hickory Hollow, which was about a mile from his home, and asked for part-time work.

"I was given a job on the spot without having to fill out an application or anything," he said. "Once I asked for a job, I was told to go to the kitchen and wash dishes and proceeded to work a seven-hour shift. After the shift, I was asked if I liked it and was then given the job. I have been with Hickory Hollow ever since."

Raver worked his way through the ranks, eventually becoming a general manager. He moved to Pinehurst in 1993 and commuted to Houston to work until 2000, when Riedel opened the Magnolia location.

"I jumped at the opportunity to be the general manager for the [Magnolia] location since I had already lived in the area," Raver said. "I told them 'my drive to Houston stops today.'"

Once Raver took over ownership of the Magnolia restaurant, he changed the name to avoid being incorrectly labeled as a franchise and for the protection of both owners. Raver said he wanted to avoid expectations by customers trying to compare his restaurant to the two Hickory Hollow locations in Houston—which are still owned by Riedel—and vice versa.

The change in name is, however, the only significant change Raver has made to date. The restaurant continues to serve the same menu, which is filled with barbecue and comfort food dishes.

"We have been through a bit of a change but nothing drastic other than the name," Raver said. "As of right now, there have been no changes to the menu or anything like that. I do want to make some improvements and will do so by adding items to the menu in the future, but essentially it is the same barbecue restaurant."

One menu item Raver said he will add to the menu in the future is stuffed jalapenos. It was an idea he toyed with about 10 years ago but was not thrilled with the result.

"I have recently readdressed the idea of serving stuffed jalapenos and have given them out to some customers who really seemed to enjoy them," he said. "So it is definitely something we will be adding to the menu."

The menu at Hickory Corral is replete with barbecue meats such as brisket, chicken, pork spare ribs and sausage, and also has standard barbecue sides, such as beans, potato salad, cole slaw, mashed potatoes and fried okra. Customers can also find sandwiches, baked potatoes, salads and catfish on the menu.

"What we are really known for is our chicken fried steak and chicken fried chicken," Raver said.

The average price for a meal that includes food, drink and tax is about $13, he said.

Owner recommendations

• Chicken fried steak: Customers can choose from four different sizes of chicken fried steak, which come with the salad bar and either french fries, mashed potatoes or baked potato. ($8.99–$13.79)
• Chicken fried chicken: Similar to the chicken fried steak but made with a chicken breast and includes salad bar and mashed potatoes. ($9.49)
• Combination barbecue platters: Customers have the option of a two-meat, three-meat or four-meat platter, all of which are served with two side orders. Barbecue meat options include sliced beef, smoked sausage, pork spare ribs, grilled chicken, fried chicken breast, chopped beef, smoked chicken and chicken fried steak. ($10.24–$14.79)
• Baked potatoes: Potatoes are stuffed with margarine, sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions and can be topped with beef, sausage or chicken. ($4.99–$8.24)

Hickory Corral, 18535 FM 1488, Magnolia 281-356-7885, Hours: Mon.–Sat. 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–8:30 p.m.