Texas is a state that’s known for having a killer BBQ scene, and you can be sure it’s earned that reputation. There aren’t many better places in the world to get barbecue than in Dallas so if that’s where you are, then you’re in luck!
BBQ places are dotted all over the city and if you’re really desperate for your meaty fix, then you can go to any one of them. But still, wouldn’t it be good to know which are the best, so you can satisfy your cravings in the best possible way?
Well then, you’re doubly lucky, because that’s what we’re going to tell you in this article! Read on to find out where the best BBQ in Dallas can be found.
Trying this place is an absolute must if you’re in Dallas and love your barbecue. It’s run by a husband and wife team who named it after the ranch owned by the husband’s grandfather and the spirit of enjoying great barbecue with family is everywhere in the restaurant.
It’s got all the meats you’d expect from a self-respecting Texas BBQ restaurant: brisket, beef ribs, smoked turkey, pulled pork, and plenty more to boot (the handmade jalapeño sausages are oh so good).
You can also order a sandwich and if your mouth isn’t watering at the prospect of ordering The Pitmaster, piled high with brisket, pulled pork, sausage, and then topped with slaw, BBQ sauce, and freshly sliced jalapeños, then can you even call yourself a BBQ fan?
Even better, Pecan Lodge is also happy to cater for all kinds of events including weddings, family gatherings, backstage at music gigs, business meetings, and more, either onsite or offsite.
There’s plenty of delicious, juicy meat to be had at Slow Bone including the mandatory brisket, ribs, and so on. They also have great game when it comes to both smoked and fried chicken, which you can order in portions of three different sizes.
However, they take just as much pride in their side dishes as they do in their meat, and there’s a pretty impressive range to choose from, both hot and cold, including braised greens and brisket beans.
Not all the other sides rhyme, but they’re still great – the potato salad and mustard slaw are perfect accompaniments to the wonderful meat.
This is another place with a serious claim to the title of the best BBQ in Dallas. If you like your brisket leaner, fattier, with more bark or less bark, you can let them know and that’s exactly what you’ll get. They also do excellent pork chops and ribs too.
Order it with the smoked baked beans and a portion of blue cheese slaw and you’re good to go! Something they offer that a lot of other places don’t is a cut of meat called shoulder clod.
This is priced the same as their brisket, but is leaner and has a stronger, beefier flavor. It’s definitely worth a look and tastes amazing.
Cattleack Barbeque is the passion project of Todd Davis, who’d had a lifelong passion for barbecue before he thought of making a career out of it in 2010. He sold the disaster restoration business he’d owned for 30 years and has never looked back since.
The joy he feels in running the place is fully in evidence throughout, and you can even taste it in their meat. Their sausages, all made in house, are particularly great – there are three kinds, and the Spicy Texan is especially good.
They also have different featured items weekly, some check regularly to see what delicious new offerings are being served up this week.
This place’s tagline is “It’s as good as it looks” and that’s certainly no lie. There’s no shortage of wonderfully smoked meat here, from pecan smoked baby back ribs and beef sausages to pulled pork and smoked chicken.
One really cool thing they do is their own range of off the bone tacos. You can pick whichever meat you like to go in them – chicken, sausage, pulled pork, ribs, or brisket. Their baked potatoes, cooked to perfection and loaded with meat, are also delicious.
They are also happy to cater for events like weddings, so if you’ve always dreamed of eating tender barbecued meat to celebrate tying the knot, look no further!
Some of the places on this list have been around for a decade or two, but Sonny Bryan’s has them all beaten – it’s been going since 1910! In all that time, its owners have picked up more than a thing or two about cooking and serving delicious barbecue.
The delicious, succulent meats are all here. You can have your brisket chopped or sliced and the pulled pork is joined by pulled chicken, which is just as delicious. Don’t forget about the hickory-smoked wings either.
This is another place that’s happy to offer their services as caterers and they’re proud to say that they are willing to cater 24/7/365, for events big and small.
It might not have been around for as long as Sonny Bryan’s, but Mike Anderson’s has still been a Dallas institution for several decades. It’s a laid back place in old fashioned style and when you’ve decided what you want, you go up to the counter to serve yourself.
Their menu is huge, and one thing’s for certain: it’s going to be tricky for you to decide what you want most. The meat is wonderfully tender, of course, and then there are all the options for how to have it. It can come by itself, on a baked potato, in salads, and in sandwiches.
The po boy sandwich in particular is a delicious nod to the cuisine of New Orleans. You also shouldn’t miss out on their habanero beef jerky and triple decker chocolate cake.
This is one of the newer spots on this list, but don’t let that put you off because this place is more than good enough to go toe-to-toe with the old-timers and more established places.
The brown sugar-glazed ribs are a particular standout here, but don’t let that stop you from exploring the other offerings. In particular, there’s a sandwich called The Day Off that’s full of prime brisket, hot link, pulled pork, jalapeño bacon slaw, pickles, and hot BBQ sauce.
It’s absolutely irresistible and no matter how full you are after you finish it, you’ll still feel like you could do one more bite. If you’re with friends or family and are feeling up for a challenge, try the full platter – a platter of all the meats they serve, all together.
This place has locations in both Dallas and Austin and has to be experienced to be believed. The meat is absolutely incredible and comes with an equally incredible range of sides. If you’ve ever wanted to order 6lbs of meat with a gallon of mac and cheese, then you’ve come to the right place.
Of course, you don’t have to order that much if you don’t want to, but the food is so good that you might well end up wanting to! Another cool thing about this place is that they also sell merch, including their sauces and rubs, as well as clothes and accessories.
This includes their ghost pepper sauce which, while not for the faint of heart, is a really special way to add something extra to your meat, whether you’re eating it there or at home.
Come here if you want the most tender brisket with the crispiest crust that you’ve ever eaten in your life. That brisket is also great in their BBQ tacos, sandwiches, and burgers.
For a delicious side dish, try the borracho beans – they’re cooked up with bacon, onion, and garlic and then simmered in beer for big cowboy flavors. The Cajun potato salad is also a real delight.
You must have noticed that the restaurant has blues in its name, and that’s not for nothing – there are regular live blues bands playing blues classics to get the atmosphere right while you eat.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, a list of the ten best BBQ restaurants to be found in Dallas. There really are so many worthy places in this city that it feels almost sad to have to limit it to just these ten, but it’s hard to say that they haven’t earned it.
Whether you’re just looking for a quick lunch, a delicious dinner, or want a huge event catered, there’s a restaurant on here that will serve your needs exactly. Find it, and you might have found ‘your’ spot – the one that you keep coming back to and take your friends to.
Even if you don’t find that one right away, searching for it will be a lot of delicious fun. Good luck, and enjoy!
Hi, my name is Robert Miller, and I have lived in Texas all my life. I am proud of my state, and decided to set up this site to share its beauty with others. Through Texans United, I will be talking readers through everything they need to know about Texas. From the best places to eat, and sites to visit, to its history and useful information.
