Texas Cowboy BBQ – Restaurant Impossible Update (CLOSED)

Status: CLOSED (2023)

Texas Cowboy BBQ in Abilene, Texas was a marriage and business that couldn’t survive the loss of their pitmaster. Despite Restaurant Impossible’s intervention helping owners George and Taylor reconnect, the death of their BBQ chef and ongoing staffing struggles led to permanent closure in early 2023.

Marriage and Business Intertwined

George and Taylor opened Texas Cowboy BBQ in December 2018, combining their marriage with business partnership. In Texas, barbecue is a religion – and they were true believers.

But running a restaurant together was straining both the business and the relationship. By 2022, everything was on the rocks.

The Episode (Season 21, Episode 10)

Title: “Anguish in Abilene”
Air Date: July 1, 2022
Location: 1881 N Treadaway Blvd, Abilene, TX

Robert Irvine found more than a struggling restaurant – he found a marriage in crisis. Taylor wanted to be a bigger part of the operation, but George was closed off, angry, and unable to accept help from anyone, including his wife.

Robert had to get George to confront his painful past and accept Taylor’s partnership before either the business or the marriage could be saved.

Initial Revival

Restaurant Impossible’s intervention showed early promise:

• Revenue increased 30%
• Staff restructured
• Family-focused policies implemented
• George and Taylor’s relationship improved

The future looked brighter.

Tragedy Strikes

Then the unthinkable happened: their BBQ chef passed away. In a barbecue restaurant, the pitmaster is irreplaceable. Finding someone who could replicate that craft in Abilene proved impossible.

Staffing struggles compounded the loss. Texas Cowboy BBQ permanently closed in early 2023.

The Hard Truth

Sometimes Restaurant Impossible can’t protect restaurants from life’s tragedies. George and Taylor did everything right after the makeover, but losing their BBQ chef was a blow no amount of operational improvement could overcome.

Former Location

Address: 1881 N Treadaway Blvd, Abilene, TX
Opened: December 2018
Closed: Early 2023
Cuisine: Texas Barbecue

Texas Cowboy BBQ’s closure is a reminder that restaurants depend on people. When key team members are lost, sometimes the business can’t survive, no matter how solid everything else might be.

Last verified: January 2026