Red Barrel Bar and Grill just celebrated its fourth anniversary in September but guests who haven’t been in a while will find a different place since owner Randy Viss brought in managers Rachel Simon and Randy Freeman in August 2021.
“We’ve made lots and lots of changes,” said Simon.
These include an expanded patio (which is enclosed during the winter and runs 65-70 degrees), an enlarged kitchen and a bigger staff of smiling faces.
“The atmosphere’s a lot of different,”said Freeman. “We get a lot of regulars come in and watch football and stuff like that.”
“People have to see you care,” Simon said, reporting they’ve put in a lot of effort with improvements and push customer service in every staff meeting.
“Randy’s thing is [everyone] have a smile on their face when we come to work,” Simon said. Both feel that a good attitude is important for servers and bartenders so people want to come in and hang around. A chief draw for many coming in the door is the expanded menu with several signature items including the Red Barrel bites (rolled hashbrowns with cheese, onions, peppers and bacon) and the Red Barrel Burger which is stuffed so high the vegetables can’t be stacked on it when it’s brought to the table.
Speaking of burgers, Simon and Freeman report that many of their customers cite the ½ pound cheeseburger as the best one they’ve had locally. Their steaks have also been commended as among the best, even from rodeo riders who travel nationally.
Other favorites include their quesadillas and the Red Barrel Ribeye sandwich.
They also occasionally have specials with the planned special for Friday, Nov. 10 being Chuckwagon Steaks from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. while supplies last.
Red Barrel is also praised for having the ‘coldest beer’ in the county as Freeman keeps the taps at the full bar cold enough to frost the glasses.
The latest feather in Red Barrel’s cap was being named the Best Karaoke Bar in Erath County by the voting public of the 2023 Best of Erath contest.
Simon and Freeman reported that the introduction of Maverick Green who leads the weekly karaoke nights brought the first time they saw people lined up out the door to get inside.
The sessions are scheduled from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. Fridays but can go as late as midnight when they have a lot of people signed up. They’ve recently been hosting competition brackets where they name karaoke winners quarterly as the favorites battle each other.
They also have found a lot of success with live music every Saturday from 8 p.m.11 p.m. and the Thursday schedule which includes bingo from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. and a true open mic night starting at 8:30 p.m.
Red Barrel’s restaurant hours are 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m.10 p.m. Saturday and noon-9 p.m. Sunday.
Bar hours are 4 p.m.-midnight Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Saturday and noon-10 p.m. Sunday. Red Barrel is located at 16824 US-377. For more information, visit redbarrelbandg.com.