Dripping slabs of pork loin and smoked brisket are the order of the day at Old Hickory Inn Bar-B-Que where customers are welcomed by employees on a first-name basis. The traditional, friendly atmosphere of Thomas Karnezis's restaurant is what has kept Old Hickory Inn in Missouri City booming for the past three decades.

Serving East Texas barbecue with a Greek twist, Thomas incorporated his culinary training from college to establish a local barbecue destination in Missouri City about 30 years ago.

Leaving a hint of Greek oregano sprinkled on pork, steak and the in-house dressings, Thomas tinkered with traditional barbecue recipes to bring a distinctive depth to the menu. About 10 years ago, the gyro was introduced to the restaurant's traditional barbecue menu as a nod to the Karnezis' Greek roots.

"[Thomas] definitely perfected barbecue when he got a hold of it," said Ted Karnezis, Thomas's son. "He is my dad, my business partner and my friend, so it really works out."

With three locations in Houston, and Ted running day-to-day operations, Old Hickory Inn continues to grow while maintaining its original menu.

"[Missouri City] is home. Plus, I know almost everybody around here," Ted said. "There is a good community feel. The businesses that have been here a while know we have to work together."

Ted joined his father in the kitchen after graduating from Texas Tech University in 2001. Although he had a chance to pursue corporate opportunities, Ted opted to join the family business.

In Texas, barbecue has evolved into a popular and competitive subculture with each region of the state sporting a different style. In East Texas, barbecue is predominately chopped—not sliced—pork or beef drizzled with sauce. Old Hickory Inn Bar-B-Que's menu features a diverse selection of cuts, including beef, ham, riblets, baby back ribs and poultry.

The restaurant's barbecue plates ($11.25–$12.50) feature a choice of freshly sliced meat and sides. More distinctive items include fried catfish ($9.25) and the massive stuffed baked potatoes ($5.25–$9.25).

"Out of all our menu items, our brisket is the most popular, but we probably sell the most baked potatoes," Ted said.

Old Hickory Inn's brisket is cooked for 14 hours and absorbs its flavor from hickory wood in what Ted calls a "slow and low" method. In early July, Ted's "slow and low" brisket sold more than 3,500 pounds of meat in one week. He also makes the barbecue sauce and ranch dressing in-house.

After pairing up with well-known local chef Frederic Perrier, Old Hickory Inn created a new concoction—its sweet jalapeo barbecue sauce.

Old Hickory Inn also offers a private party room for events, catering services and delivery. At the moment, Ted is focusing on renovating the restaurant's locations in Meyerland and Mission Bend after wrapping up a renovation project at the Missouri City location a few years ago. Once renovations are complete, the Karnezis family is looking to expand with additional locations and restaurant concepts, he said.

Thomas has retained a pivotal role in the family's other restaurant concept, Alexander the Great, which he opened nearly 10 years ago near the Houston Galleria.

Despite the fact that Thomas stays busy at Alexander the Great, Ted has framed a picture of his father inside Old Hickory Inn in honor of his father's culinary roots forged in front of the smoking pits.

3344 FM 1092 Missouri City 281-499-8904

www.oldhickoryinn.com

Sun.–Thu. 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m.