Lonestar Empire

So good!!! I don’t think anything can beat a $ 9 freshly sliced brisket sandwich. I’ve only visited the smorgasborg location and love that I can select which type of meat I want (lean, moist or mix). This place is way better than Mighty Quinn’s which is dry with too much fat.
I think they could stuff a bit more meat in there. They weigh it, but I’ve noticed that they don’t stuff the sandwich like other places will do.
Huge plus that they have an amazing sauce and jalapeños with finely sliced onions. Such great flavor! This place is a smorgasborg staple in a place where most places today are mediocre.

Tried the brisket sandwich at Smorgasburg in South St Seaport. You can choose lean, moist or mixed. I opted for the moist one, but it was the driest brisket I ever had. The guy was basically serving slices from one slab at a time, so you really didnt have any choice in the matter. Mighty Quinn’s is infinitely better! Don’t waste your money here!

Smorgasburg Sunday review: Decent but unsubstantial and unremarkable brisket sandwich for $ 9. Nice guy but wouldn’t return or really recommend.

Lonestar’s got nothing on Mighty Quinn’s! Their brisket sandwich was a bit dry, I did a mix of both lean and moist and I wished I had gone moist all the way. The portions could be bigger but I guess it’s Smorgasburg so I’ll let it slide. I’d try other vendors if you want a good brisket.

Intellectually, I know that pretty much none of the brisket at New York’s best barbecue is smoke on site. And even where it is, the meat sits for hours after it is smoked, where it is slowly carved to order. I know this, yet still it feels incomplete when a brisket operation is being run out of a tiny kiosk.
But Lodestar Empire was only one of the two booths at the new Seaport version of Smorgasborg that I hadn’t tried elsewhere. New York’s food market scene is taking a decidedly monochromatic turn, one that is disappointing to me. I was willing to try brisket no matter where it was smoked.
The meat portion is solid. No options were offered about what part of the brisket I wanted, which probably led to a bit less fat/​a more lean portion than I really wanted. Lonestar actually lets you dress the sandwich and add BBQ sauce, which is a refreshing piece of trust in the customer, especially considering the militancy enforced at places like Brisketown.
It’s not the absolute best brisket in the City (this is the standard I’m judging on here. I think there’s very good brisket here, but no, it doesn’t measure up to a roadside shack in Midland or something), but it is a solid sandwich, served out of kiosk.

Having grown up in Houston with a family that loves to road trip, I’ve tried tons of barbecue joints (now including Franklin Barbecue too) and after visiting various barbecue establishments in New York in an attempt to hit that craving for home (including Mighty Quinn’s and Briskettown), I have to say Lonestar Empire is the closest it gets to actually being back in Texas. Their brisket sandwich could definitely stand up against its Texas counterpart. The brisket is incredible moist with a beautiful bark and the sauce is exactly the kind found in Texas joints. The complimentary pickles are a nice touch and good for a crisp contrast against the hearty brisket. If you’re looking for an authentic-​to-​Texas brisket sandwich, look no further. As a rule, I try to try something new every time I got to Smorgasburg to sample as many vendors as I can. Lonestar Empire is the first that had me breaking that rule. For any fellow Texans out there, this is the place to go for your barbecue cravings.

Tried then again at a summerstage concert and had the pulled pork tacos this time. They were very tasty and I loved the pickled slaw, but wish they weren’t served cold (though I understand why).

Very good brisket. Their setup at Smorgasburg seemed to be a real crowd pleaser.

Mighty Quinn’s, Briskettown, and Fette Sau all turn out some good brisket, but after having Lonestar’s this past weekend at Smorgasburg, I have a new favorite. Let me note that I’m a «lean» brisket fan, so if you prefer fatty, definitely try their «moist» variety and check out some of the other ‘Burg spots mentioned above, as they tend towards that end of the spectrum.
Anyway, despite the slightly steep $ 8 for a small sandwich, the flavor and texture of the beef combined with the perfectly soft bun and tangy sweet BBQ sauce made for a package tasty enough that I immediately went back and bought a second one. Try it, seriously.

Their brisket sandwich is tasty, tasty and more tasty. I wish the portions were bigger for the nine bucks, but it’s Smorgasburg and the vendors have to cover their booth and operate, so OK. I’m a fan.

W waited in line for the Brisket sandwich at Smorgasburg and I tried the pickles and they were just regular tasting pickles, but I thought their brisket was actually better than Mighty Quinn’s.
Perhaps because their bbq sauce flowed out easier when you have a squeeze tube, rather than a slow pouring spout to drench your meat with, so this could have been a deciding factor on who wins with the flavour profile.
It is run by Vietnamese people or just Vietnamese people working the booth — good flavour.

I get that their main thing is the brisket sandwiches, but the summer rolls I got were downright lousy — out of my two «portobello» rolls, one of them had NO portobellos in it at all (which meant that it was just lettuce and plain rice noodles), and the other had literally about 2 penny-​sized pieces of mushroom that I had to unroll the roll in order to look for. Sorry but you guys seriously cheaped out on that one.

After trying their brisket sandwich at Brooklyn Flea, we decided to order their 24-​person brisket + rolls + fixins for a party. It was a fantastic deal at $ 250, and the guests were amazed by the quality and flavor of the brisket, the pickles, the potato salad, and the bbq sauce. I’d definitely recommend this to others as an alternative to cooking on your own (for which hosting 20+ people can often cost more than $ 250).

Lonestar Empire was at Central Park SummerStage for Comedy Central’s event
Delicious brisket! $ 9 for the small sammy at the event.
Although unseasoned, they have some sauces for the tender brisket.
I would definitely try their other items.

The best sandwich i’ve ever eaten. And i’ve eaten a lot of sandwiches. These are the kings of beef brisket right here, ladies and gentlemen. ALL HAIL THE KINGS!!!

Alas. I don’t eat brisket or beef in general. so i’m putting this in for the husband who loves brisket, and he loved Lonestar Empire at the BK flea. Comparatively, he said it was better than Mile End with tastier, more succulent brisket a great bread and tasty pickles and extras.
And, he eats alot of meat so if you love brisket then check them out. you won’t be disappointed.

This is some seriously tasty brisket. Deliciously seasoned on the outside, succulent and juicy on the inside. Served on a warm potato roll and add-​it-​yourself pickles, jalapenos, onions, and Asian-​inspired barbecue sauce. The ingredients mesh perfectly into a sandwich made in heaven. The smallish sandwiches are a little pricey at $ 8 a pop, but most of the food at the Brooklyn flea is a little pricey anyway, and they do pile on the (high-​quality) meat. Can’t wait to go back and try the pulled pork, but the brisket is so good I might not be able to bring myself to NOT order it.
They can be found at the Brooklyn Flea on Saturdays, and apparently the waterfront in Williamsburg on Sundays. The people who run the place are really nice and friendly, so if you’re craving some barbecue in Brooklyn, head on down. Apparently they cater, too?