A Cousins BBQ restaurant on Crowley Road ended operations Saturday night, marking the latest closure for a local eatery grappling with escalating operational costs. By approximately 7:30 p.m., staff reported that the establishment had sold out of its smoked chicken and pork ribs.
The Fort Worth-based chain opened this specific site in 2003 within the Stone Gate Plaza shopping center, located near Farm Road 1187. The business has operated for 43 years overall. While this particular branch is closing, two other Cousins locations continue to serve customers: one at 6262 McCart Ave. in Fort Worth and another at 5125 Bryant Irvin Road in Cityview.
The Crowley Road site was once part of a broader barbecue tradition in the area that included establishments like Angelo's and the Railhead. During its peak years, Cousins BBQ supplied meat to President George H.W. Bush in Washington and provided training for cooks at Disneyland under founder Boots Payne.
The restaurant appeared on Texas Monthly magazine’s list of the top 50 barbecue joints in Texas on two occasions.
Competition intensified in 2015 when Hill Country-style craft barbecue entered the Fort Worth market, challenging older commercial operations. Cousins responded by remodeling its facilities and upgrading its menu. However, the business later faced significant financial pressure from soaring prices for beef and labor. The chain currently lists brisket at $34 per pound, a rate lower than some highly ranked competitors.
