The Alamo Texas BBQ &
Tequila Bar, Brookline, NH -VisitingNewEngland partnership-
New England Dining Out
The Alamo Texas BBQ & Tequila Bar in Brookline, N.H. Serves Mouthwatering,
Authentic Texas-Style Barbecue Cuisine
The Alamo
BBQ and Tequila Bar.
Article, photo by Eric Hurwitz --
created for VisitingNewEngland.com on 7/7/2022 @newenglandinfo
Driving the rural back roads of southern
New Hampshire reveals something quite remarkable in sparsely-populated
Brookline.
It's not another Granite State mountain, lake, hiking trail, family
tourist
attraction or gift shop.
Instead, this must-visit destination is a slice of Texas in the form of
a roadside BBQ restaurant
and tequila bar -- to be specific, The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar. No
need to arrive in Amarillo by Morning (George Strait song reference)
when this southern New Hampshire eatery has you salivating for Texas
cooking for lunch, dinner and even breakfast on Sunday, closer to home!
Right
away, it's apparent that The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar is the "real thing." Upon
arriving at The Alamo parking lot, a smoky aroma greets customers to instantly
activate the mouthwatering section of the taste buds. An American
flag, wagon wheel, red barn door, a Texas lone star, food smoker, a fake
giant bull on top of the building and a vast outdoor tent seating
area with picnic tables set the tone for a long, rambling Texas-style
building thankfully ending up misplaced in a small traditional New
England town.
Smoker outside The Alamo (there are two smokers indoors, as well).
\
"It's like you could take this building and it would fit well in
Texas," said Pam Mariano, who owns The Alamo with husband, Al Mariano.
Inside, the raucous, robust roadhouse theme continues with enough
personality to seemingly fill the state of Texas, or, in this
case, New Hampshire. The vibe is upbeat and fun with a handsome, rustic
bar serving as a eye-catching centerpiece.
Bar at the Alamo.
"I have a feeling that Toby Keith was writing about The Alamo with his song 'I Love This Bar'," said Al, alluding to The Alamo's classic bar vibe.
That bar area and the dining
rooms provide the perfect settings to enjoy big portions of
smoked foods and traditional Texas BBQ cuisine like brisket, pulled pork and chicken, burnt
ends and baby back ribs, as well as tasty sidekicks like fried green
tomatoes (try them in a BLT), corn on the cob, and collard greens at reasonable prices
within an inviting, family-friendly setting.
Baby back ribs. Photo credit:
The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
Al and The Alamo's culinary director
once traveled to Texas to study the art and science of BBQ food
creation, as well as venturing south of the border to become "certified
in
tequila." Turns out The Alamo earned a reputation as being one of the top sellers of
Don Julio Blanco tequila in New Hampshire, first being recognized for
that accomplishment in 2020.
House Margarita with tequila, triple sec, house made sour mix
(watermelon, peach, raspberry, strawberry or mango). Photo credit:
The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
What's more, The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar transcends the straightforward
barbecue and tequila model by offering a Sunday brunch (10 a.m.-2 p.m.),
daily live music (5-8 p.m.), catering, Wednesday trivia nights, Thursday
open mic night, happy hour (Wed.-Fri., 2-5 p.m.) and salad and
vegetarian options.
Dining room at The Alamo.
Wooden floors and tables and post and beam design, that aforementioned
spirited bar,
rustic dining rooms (one with shuffleboard!), sauces and condiments on
the table, southwestern-style hanging lights, barbecue-theme shades, a
saddle, the obligatory "Remember the Alamo" sign, and
folksy, plaintive sayings on the wall
saturate every inch of the restaurant to get you in a Texas state of mind in no time at all.
Saddle in the dining room.
On this particular visit, the Texas-based Sugarland's hit single "Stuck
Like Glue" plays
through
the just-loud-enough speakers. The song resonates with this writer who
instantly, and in the best sense, feels stuck like glue to this lively,
accommodating
place that begs one to stay for a while and take in the spirited
environs and the marvelous southern smoked foods and south-of-the-border drinks.
A fun and relevant sign on the wall.
"That place is awesome and they treat you like your part of the family,
" said customer Belinda Jordan. "They also have really good food!"
Speaking of Really Good Food...
Mini
Fried Chicken & Waffles: Deep fried chicken and waffles topped with
maple butter and sriracha maple syrup. Photo credit: The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
The Alamo might have a northern United States geographical setting but, as
mentioned, succeeds in achieving outstanding Texas-type cuisine.
"People coming here who have
lived in Texas have told us that although we do not specialize in one
type of BBQ, what we have done here is phenomenal," said "Chef Leo" who
heads The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar kitchen. "That's the ultimate compliment."
Pam added, "That's my favorite thing. when people say all these nice things. Like, someone told us
we
hit it out of the park with our collard greens."
Collard greens. Photo credit: The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
Let's take a mini-tour of some of the best dishes served at the Alamo...
Although several
different offerings could stand on their own as
signature dishes, we start off with the Davey Crockett -- clearly,
one of the most delicious comfort food
dishes on the planet. This mouthwatering blend of brisket, short rib
and ground chuck burger on Texas toast is topped with pulled pork, pork
belly and cheese sauce. It is essentially culinary heaven created
between two pieces of bread.
The Davey Crockett.
The smoked brisket -- a specialty of the house -- cooks several hours
for the most tender version imaginable of this meat. Advice: Do not
leave the premises before trying this amazing Texas-meets-Brookline-New
Hampshire dish. If you do, however, leave the Alamo without trying the
smoked
brisket, make sure to return as soon as possible!
Smoked brisket. Photo credit: The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
The Loaded Nachos -- another Alamo favorite -- are topped with prime rib, cheddar
cheese, onions, peppers,
corn, black beans and jalapeños...
Loaded nachos. Photo credit: The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
The Prime Rib Tacos -- a novel and most delicious variation of typical
tacos -- consist of soft shell tacos, filled with prime rib, lettuce,
and cheese.
Prime rib tacos. Photo credit: The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
While
many restaurants do a great job with wings, The Alamo amps up the taste
better than most with flavors that seem to jump right off the
dish. Wing choices include smoked, dry rub or
buffalo.
Chicken wings. Photo credit: The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
The Brisket Chili comes with a a slice of brisket and a choice of traditional or candied jalapeño cornbread. Far from your
basic cup or bowl of chili, no doubt!
Brisket Chili. Photo credit: The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
The homemade mac n' cheese is topped with pulled pork and BBQ Sauce and
served with a piece of cornbread...
Mac n' Cheese with pulled pork and BBQ sauce. Photo credit:
Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
The BBQ combo
plates are offered with either one, two or three choices of meats and
served
with two sides and a choice of house-made traditional or candied
jalapeño cornbread. The meat choices: baby back ribs (dry or BBQ
slathered), brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, pulled chicken,
half-roasted chicken.
Combo plate. Photo credit: The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
And, of course, there are the many tequila, cocktail and beer-on-tap
offerings. Pictured below: the Don Julio Fresh Squeezed Margarita.
Don Julio Fresh Squeezed Margarita. Photo credit: The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web
site.
For those who do not seek barbecue foods, the Alamo does not disappoint
with many other menu options. Cases-in-point: the colossal,
Maine lobster roll...
Maine lobster roll. Photo credit: The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
And the veggie
blackened burger, topped with avocado, salsa and onion.
Veggie burger. Photo credit: The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar web site.
If you have room for dessert, The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar will not disappoint.
Photos coming soon, but here is a sampling of the sweeter side of Alamo
BBQ...
For the complete The Alamo Texass BBQ menu, click
here.
Behind-the-Scenes at The Alamo
Pam and Al Mariano, owners of The Alamo.
The only constant connection The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar owners Al and Pam Mariano have to the south is growing up
in
Billerica, Mass., which is south of the Alamo's Brookline, N.H.
location. While they have no Texas in their blood, Al and Pam
possess determination, belief in a higher ground and a strong will to
succeed embedded
in their collective DNA.
"God is our CEO, " said Pam. "We look to him, we pray and have plenty of
perseverance and faith."
Al and Pam married in 1986 after several years of dating. During their blessed time as a couple,
Al and Pam worked several different jobs, which eventually led to a desire to enter the restaurant business. They first opened two restaurants, Bailey's Bar
& Grille (2008) in
Townsend, Mass. and Mariano's Ristorante (2014) in Pepperell, Mass. -- and then, The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar in 2018.
Mariano's
offers
authentic Italian-inspired cuisine, artisan pizzas, a carefully
selected wine list and specialty cocktails within a casual yet intimate
setting. Bailey's is
inspired by the lead character, George Bailey, in the movie classic, "It's a Wonderful
Life," and features decorative elements of that film in their comfortable,
welcoming restaurant featuring traditional and contemporary American cuisine.
This excerpt from Bailey's web site shares an interesting background regarding the name of the restaurant...
This is the true story! Al had been
running his family's business for ten or so years and Linda, one of
Al's four sisters, always called him George Bailey, referring to the
lead character from the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life." In the movie,
George would always sacrifice his own dreams and ambitions to help his
family and friends. Al's sister always felt that in some way Al was
doing the same thing. Thus, the name Bailey's Bar & Grille was born.
Regarding Al and Pam's dedication to serving great food and drink
and connecting with customers, we reference a quote from Clarence the
Angel in "It's a
Wonderful Life"...
"Each man’s life touches so many other lives."
Al and Pam, have three
children who are all involved with restaurant operations. Jillian is general manager at The Alamo and can frequently be seen working the bar. Alie focuses on marketing and Domenic serves as the beverage director at all three restaurants.
They have a knack for hiring the right people. For example, a staff of
six remained faithful to their employer and helped get The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar
through the worst business times during Covid.
Then there's "Chef Leo." Working at The Alamo is not just a job, it is
a lifestyle for him. Chef Leo first honed his culinary skills in the food industry for several years before earning a job at the Alamo.
Chef Leo and Pam Mariano.
"It's great," said Chef Leo, of working at the Alamo. "You hang out
with fire and meats. You start the day barbecuing. It's a lot of fun
and you get to know the customers and keep everyone happy by turning
out the best food possible. We pretty much keep the base stuff the same
but have tweaked things here and there."
Conclusion: The Alamo Is A Restaurant For All Walks Of Life
Family-friendly dining. Photo credit:The Alamo Texas BBQ Instagram page.
If images of Bad Bart, Josey Wales and Rooster Cogburn come up when
picturing The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar restaurant experience, think twice. All walks
of life frequent the place in unison and camaraderie including
families.
"We take pride in serving the community by treating customers as if they were in our own home," said Pam.
Customer Jenn Collins certainly feels right at home when dining at the Alamo.
"I’m so happy we stumbled upon The Alamo Texas BBQ & Tequila
Bar in our travels, said Jenn. "It has become one of our go to
places. Everything we have had there is phenomenal, but I always crave
their chicken and waffles and, of course, their margaritas. The Alamo
not only has fantastic food but their service has always been
impeccable. As a mom of two under three years old, going out for dinner
is intimidating as we have very little time before someone inevitably
acts up. We all know toddlers are pretty energetic, so we love sitting
on the patio since it’s spacious enough to walk around without being in
the way and they often have live music which keeps our little guy
entertained. Our last experience was our first time dining inside with
two kids and despite being short staffed (from what I overheard!) our
server Kaydee never seemed rushed, was prompt, and helped get our two
year old to eat his dinner! We don’t go out often but when we do The
Alamo is always our go to!"
An eye-catching sight at the top of The Alamo building.
Customer Jim Ceurveis said of The Alamo, "The Alamo is an authentic
Texas BBQ that is a family-oriented and community drive establishment.
Friendly, knowledgeable staff with a lot of good energy. Everything
from
your appetizer to your dessert is authentic. From live outdoor/indoor music to
corn hole tournaments, there is never a dull moment."
"It's fun, it's upbeat and the food is yummy," said Pam. of The Alamo.
"Yes, we had a vision with The Alamo but we couldn't have done
this without our amazing staff. We've got the right people working for us. It has
worked out very well. People love this place!"
The Alamo Texas BBQ and Tequila Bar is located at 99 Route 13 in Brookline, NH. Tel. 603-721-5500.
Web site: https://www.alamobarbecue.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheAlamoBarbecue/
Instagram page: @alamobarbecue
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