Beloved Fort Worth Barbecue Haven Opens a Second Restaurant on the River
A First Taste Look at the New Heim — and its Barbecue Burger Delights
BY Megan Ziots // 06.27.19A Heim Barbecue spread of meats, potato salad, and banana pudding. (Photo by Jason Kindig)
Pitmaster Travis Heim has always loved to cook and smoke, utilizing his family’s recipes. When he met his wife, Emma, they bonded over a mutual passion for barbecue and wanted to share it with their fellow Texans.
In 2015, The Heim’s started his Fort Worth barbecue business as a food truck. After a year of selling out daily, the husband and wife team opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant on Magnolia Avenue in Fort Worth. That immediately became popular as well.
Now, Heim Barbecue has opened its second location in Fort Worth’s River District.
The newest Heim recently opened at 5333 White Settlement Road. Much bigger than the original Magnolia location, Heim on the River brings tons of indoor and outdoor seating. There are two full-service bars, a covered patio and an outdoor beer garden.
When I stopped by I knew that I wanted to try the very popular Heimburger. It has two beef patties from 44 Farms blended with smoked brisket, American cheese, BBE jam and house sauce. I got a side of green chile mac & cheese and fries and it was delightful.
I thought I was stuffed until the waitress asked if we wanted to try the homemade banana pudding. “Uh, yes. Of course,” was probably my response, denying my fullness. And I will go on record to say that this was the best banana pudding with Nilla wafer crumbles that I have ever had.
The Heims have also concocted a dish called bacon burnt ends. It’s 1/4 pound of pork belly bites that are smokey and delicious. They even made sure to get it nationally recognized as a holiday. June 29 (this Saturday) is now National Bacon Burnt End Day.
The burger menu also includes The Big Cat with the green chile mac & cheese and The BBQ Snob with loads of meat and a jalapeno cheddar bun. Other blended burgers (with beef and brisket) include the Funky Burger with blue cheese, BBE jam and house sauce, and the Hell Burger with pepper jack, grilled onions, jalapenos, BBE jam and house sauce.
And besides the classic meats like pulled pork, turkey, short rib and sausage, there are pulled pork tacos, brisket tacos, chicken wings and a corn dog. Sides include collard greens, twice baked potato salad, coleslaw and pinto beans.
Cocktails range from River Rum Punch with rum, Appleton Estate, Diplomatico Mantuano, Goslings, orange juice and lemon juice to frozen lemonade and the Heim Bloody Mary.
There are also signature shots like the Breakfast Shot with Kilbeggan Irish whiskey and butterscotch, and the Purple Haze shot with Titos vodka, cranberry, lime and Splash Bang Purple Haze Energy. And local draft beers come from Wild Acre and Martin House, and there are white and red wines.
If you go to either of the Heim Barbecue locations on Saturday for National Burnt End Day, you’ll receive free burnt ends.