I disagree on the Butcher Shop. Burgers are mediocre if you ask me. Never saw what people liked about the place.
That being said, the BBQ at Bodacious on Moberly is a wold better than Stanley's and is borderline world class Texas BBQ. It's the best BBQ I've this side of Snow's in Lexington. Other than Snow's, you have to be within 40 miles of Austin to get BBQ this good. And don't assume that the other members of the Bodacious chain are close. They're not. The one on Moberly is run entirely separately and is the only one with serious BBQ.
Longview has a very, very good Thai restaurant -- Lil Thai House. Two sisters cook and their significant others wait tables. Service can be uneven, and when it gets busy, they just lock the door and close. Very idiosyncratic in that way, but the food is anywhere from very good to incredible. Good, but not in the same category is Chaingmai Thai. More conventional service, and longer hours, though.
Copeland's is OK. They've recently narrowed their menu. Fewer upscale dishes. Not as good as it used to be. Another option is The Catch. It's a small chain with fried catfish, boiled seafood, etc. Quite good. We generally prefer it to Copeland's. Lower key and while the menu is less extensive, the food is better.
http://www.thecatchusa.com/
Finally, not in Longview, but nearby. The Country Tavern has some of the best pork ribs on the planet. And that is a statement I do not make lightly. It's address is Kilgore, but it's on Highway 31 half way between Tyler and Longview. But well worth the drive. Don't even think of getting anything other than the ribs. World class example of the same.
What does Longview have?
