Update: Click here to vote in the next round.
Everyone who criticized me for making Wings 'N More a 9-seed will be happy to know that they handled 8-seed Kolache Rolf's easily in the East. This was the only upset in the region bringing the record to 22-2 in favor of higher seeds. I am feeling pretty good about my bracketology right now, but let's see what shakes out in the North before we begin the Round-of-32 tomorrow. View or Download the updated full bracket below.
Updated Bracket PDF
Click here to visit our StoryStream to view previous rounds and comments.
East Region Results
North Region Background
The thinkpiece GBH author gigthem08 wrote on Munch Madness called the North "mildly interesting" but it's so much more. Many have picked Fargo's to win the whole thing. There is plenty of new blood in Bryan-College Station which is represented in the North. Do your allegiances lie with the reliable chains or the charming locals? Let's see what Greg D. is saying on Yelp. In a bizarre twist, he likes some of these places.
1 Fargo's Pit BBQ (720 N Texas Ave): Meet meat candy. Have been eating Fargo's for nearly five years now since they started in the little shack 5 blocks up the street. Today picked up a pound of brisket and pound of the pork/beef sausage. The smell in here was just wicked and deep, I believe it's a blend of mesquite and oak wood smoke. Used my credit card.
16 Jesse's Taqueria (3310-A E 29th St): The beef steak was cooked perfectly and was succulent in an absolutely amazing flour tortilla, obviously made there as there's nothing else like it in this part of Texas. I'm gonna call it the second best tortilla I have ever tasted in Bryan / College Station. (The best was Peter Maddens Cornbread tortilla at his food truck). The tortilla was food science perfection with a wonderful flavor that I could taste for a long time after.
8 Blue Baker (201 Dominik Dr): The bacon had a nice smokey flavor, premium quality and perhaps unique to the area. The onion bagel seemed fresher than at the University Drive location and it had the proper amount of dehydrated onions baked on as opposed to the extremely huge way over powerful amount as of recent. But there just wasn't enough meat to justify the price at $5.
9 Caffe Capri (222 N Main St): +2 stars for outstanding service by Buck. He was one of the better servers we have ever encountered in any restaurant in Bryan and most certainly salvaged this rating to bring it back up to 2 stars.
5 Shipwreck Grill (206 E Villa Maria): Awesome Oysters! A true Real Best of the Brazos.
12 Raspas El Payasito (1005 S Coulter Ave): The atmosphere of this eatery is different and unique to Brazos Valley as it it was set up to have the feel of eating at someones home like people do in Mexico. In Mexico "Restaurants" as we know in the US are extremely rare and when you stop to eat it will be at a place where the family that lives there operates the kitchen.
4 Fish Daddy's (1611 University Dr E): No one serving seafood in Texas without taking advantage of, having the decency and respect to use Gulf shrimp, should be taken seriously.
13 Proudest Monkey (108 S Main St): We were pretty full after having just eaten lunch at The Village but thought a snack might be in order? Plus I have to taste every taco in Brazos to retain my claim as having tried them all; I'll call these New American Aggieland Tacos and they were some of the finest, exciting, unique, fresh, fun, smile inspiring and innovative that this part of Texas has seen. It's right up on par with Chef Tai. Not sure how they did that but it's true.
6 Cotton Patch (940 N Earl Rudder Fwy): What is a cotton patch? Cotton to me is a pleasant soft white fully thing, you know, like hugging a big fluffy dog. Or your favorite real cotton T-Shirt. But a whole patch? OMG! That almost invokes feels of running around in the sun, rolling around in the cotton, in a whole patch of the stuff! Or does it invoke memories of Peter Cotton Tail in the carrot patch? Whatever, so, is there a "cotton patch" here? No. There is an asphalt drive-way and parking lot next to Hiway 6. Is there even a cafe? No. There is a chain that should actually be called "The latest incarnation of warmed up Sysco chain food". See, that would be honest in marketing.
11 Atami Steak & Sushi (800 University Dr E Ste 200): My wife is Japanese. And when we went to Japan and came back, suddenly there was a new sign up saying that Atami Sushi and Steak was coming soon! It was almost like they read our minds. We have not tried the grill, yet we will state that this is in fact the best sushi (American style) in College Station. Way better than Haiku (see my review of there) as Haiku uses too much vinegar in their rice and does not change their fry oil often enough. We have not experienced any problems with the sushi quality here.
3 Mickey's Sliders (700 University Dr E): We knocked out a dozen of the "Willie Nelson" variety and I heard nothing but "These are awesome", "Where did these come from?", "Oh wow, what is this?" and similar praise. If you have never tasted the Willie Nelson at Mickey's you are way behind.
14 BJ's (1520 Harvey Rd): For chain Sysco food and atmosphere I still suggest Chuck E. Cheese in the same mall parking lot. But for that beer, sure I will Concede that it deserves 4 stars so I will upgrade my overall 2 star rating for typical Sysco chain to 3.
7 Chuy's (1512 Harvey Rd): My only beef as that they have raped the name "Mexican Food". This is not Mexican food as their sign clearly says. And the website say's "We wrote the book on Tex-Mex", so they admit their signs are false on their own page, lol!
10 Cheddar's (1701 University Dr E): Dude, this is just another national chain like Bennigans once was. Cheddars? What does that mean? Just another cutesy name of a place that hopefully won't exist 20 years from now. No different from TGI Fridays, Chiles, or the dozens of other spin off chains with the same theme. It's probably Sysco food and there are no chefs here.
2 Grub Burger Bar (980 University Dr E Ste 400): The Ghost burger is indeed a cupsicum addicts delight and instead of catering to pansies and pussies the pepper content will knock your dick in the dirt. Forget "Pepper Jack" (BORING!). Get a lot of napkins cause you'll sweat this one out. I swear I felt stoned after eating this thing, yet due to (and my great pleasure) the fact that I have a low tolerance for herbs of all types, that includes peppers, hey hey, what a wonderful thing.
15 Longhorn Tavern (201 E 24th St): Had the chicken fried steak that came with sweet potato and salad for $7.99. The CFS was not to perfection. Was good tasting and a good portion but the CFS could not be cut with a fork. Had to use a knife Service was good.
Greg D. got us in trouble in the last round by posting false information about a restaurant's Everclear practices. I want to be very clear in saying that we are unaffiliated with Greg D. and we are offended if you thought otherwise.