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The Best BBQ in Dallas
The brisket-by-the-pound counters and oak-smoke pits that define barbecue across Dallas and the wider DFW metro.
By Dim Hour · Updated 2026-06-24 · 6 verified picks
Dallas barbecue runs on the Central Texas tradition: brisket smoked low and slow over post oak, sold by the pound off a cafeteria-style line, with house sausage, pork and beef ribs, and a few sides rounding out the tray. The best joints here lean on the meat itself rather than sauce, which arrives on the side if at all. The metro stretches the map well past the city limits — Deep Ellum, the Design District, Farmers Branch, Frisco — so the short list crosses several suburbs. These are the spots worth the drive and the wait, each scored and verified by Dim Hour.
A few rules of the line: order brisket by the cut, asking for fatty (point) or lean (flat) so you get the texture you want. Most of these joints are walk-in only and many sell out daily, so getting there early — often well before noon on weekends — is the difference between a full tray and a sold-out sign. Buy a little more than you think you need, grab the classic sides, and expect to eat off butcher paper.
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The Picks
1
Cattleack Barbeque
Texas BBQ · Farmers Branch · $$ · Dim Hour 92
🏆 Michelin Bib Gourmand 2024 & 2025 | Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ
Cattleack hides inside a Farmers Branch industrial park and runs a menu that changes daily, smoked over oak and hickory by Todd and Misty David. Order the brisket and pork ribs, and chase the specials — the wagyu pastrami and pork steak sell out fast. It keeps limited service days, so check before you go.
Order: Brisket · Pork Ribs · Wagyu Pastrami · Pulled Pork Sandwich
2
Pecan Lodge
Texas BBQ · Deep Ellum · $$ · Dim Hour 92
🏆 Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ | Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Pecan Lodge grew from a farmers-market stand into one of Deep Ellum's defining smokehouses, with three wood-fired pits running nearly around the clock. The beef rib is the order, the brisket carries a bark that shatters, and the banana pudding closes it out. Expect a line.
Order: Smoked Brisket · Beef Rib · Pulled Pork · Banana Pudding
3
Loro
Asian Smokehouse / BBQ · East Dallas / Lakewood · $$$ · Dim Hour 93
🏆 Michelin Bib Gourmand 2024 & 2025
Loro is an Asian smokehouse from Uchi's Tyson Cole and Franklin Barbecue's Aaron Franklin, set in East Dallas near Lakewood. The oak-smoked brisket and Thai chili smoked turkey carry Southeast Asian flavors, and the smoked brisket fried rice is the signature crossover. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2024 and 2025.
Order: Smoked Brisket Fried Rice · Thai Chili Smoked Turkey · Oak-Smoked Brisket
4
The Slow Bone
Texas BBQ · Design District · $$ · Dim Hour 92
🏆 Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ 2025
The Slow Bone is on Texas Monthly's 2025 Top 50 BBQ list, tucked into the Design District. Order the Goodstock Prime brisket and the smoked chicken, and save room for the sweet potato praline; the beef rib runs Friday and Saturday only. A walk-in counter that sells out.
Order: Brisket · Smoked Chicken · Fried Chicken · Sweet Potato Praline · Beef Rib (Fri-Sat)
5
Terry Black's Barbecue
Central Texas BBQ · Deep Ellum · $$ · Dim Hour 91
🏆 Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ (2021)
Terry Black's is the Deep Ellum outpost of the Lockhart-by-way-of-Austin family, serving Central Texas brisket, massive beef ribs, and jalapeño-cheddar sausage off the line. The space is large, with a patio and a full bar, making it an easier hang than most BBQ joints. Walk-in only.
Order: Brisket · Beef Rib · Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage · Pulled Pork · Sliced brisket
6
Hutchins BBQ
Texas BBQ · Frisco · $$ · Dim Hour 91
🏆 Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ (2013, 2017, 2021)
Hutchins BBQ in Frisco is a family-run institution from brothers Tim and Trey Hutchins, with three appearances on Texas Monthly's Top 50. Order the brisket, beef ribs, and house-made sausage, and don't skip the Original Texas Twinkies — brisket-and-cream-cheese-stuffed jalapeños. Walk-in, and worth the drive north.
Order: Brisket · Beef Ribs · Texas Twinkies · Burnt Ends · Sausage
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best BBQ in Dallas?
The top BBQ picks in Dallas include Cattleack Barbeque, Pecan Lodge, Loro. Each is scored and verified by Dim Hour; see the full ranked list with signature dishes above.
What kind of BBQ is Texas known for?
Texas is known for Central Texas-style barbecue: beef brisket smoked low and slow over post oak, sold by the pound off a butcher-paper line, with beef and pork ribs and house-made sausage alongside. Sauce is secondary — the smoke and the meat do the work. Dallas joints largely follow this Central Texas tradition.
Should I order brisket fatty or lean?
Brisket is cut from two muscles: the fatty point and the leaner flat. Fatty (point) is richer and more forgiving; lean (flat) is firmer and slices cleaner. Order by name at the counter — "fatty" or "lean" — or get a mix of both. Most pitmasters will recommend fatty if you only try one.
Which Dallas BBQ joints are walk-in only?
Most of the city's top BBQ counters are walk-in only — no reservations. From this guide that includes Cattleack Barbeque, Pecan Lodge, The Slow Bone, Terry Black's Barbecue, Hutchins BBQ. Plan to arrive early, since these joints sell out and the lines build fast on weekends.
Do Dallas BBQ joints sell out?
Yes. The best joints smoke a fixed amount each day and close when it's gone, so brisket and the popular specials can run out well before the posted closing time. On weekends, lines often form before opening. Get there early — late morning is safest — if you want first pick of the cuts.
Where can I get the best beef rib in Dallas?
Pecan Lodge is known for its beef rib, with three wood-fired pits running nearly around the clock in Deep Ellum. Terry Black's Barbecue and Hutchins BBQ also turn out the big bone-in beef ribs that are a Central Texas signature. They're large and often limited — ask early.
Is there great BBQ in the Dallas suburbs?
Yes — some of the metro's best is outside the city limits. Cattleack Barbeque sits in a Farmers Branch industrial park, and Hutchins BBQ is a longtime family institution up in Frisco. Both reward the drive, so don't limit your search to central Dallas.
Which Dallas BBQ spots have won awards?
Cattleack Barbeque holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2024 and 2025 and a spot on Texas Monthly's Top 50 BBQ list. Loro also carries a Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2024 and 2025. The Slow Bone and Hutchins BBQ have appeared on Texas Monthly's Top 50 BBQ as well.
What sides should I order with Texas BBQ?
Classic Texas BBQ sides run to potato salad, coleslaw, pinto beans, and mac and cheese, with banana pudding or a cobbler to finish. Some Dallas joints carry standouts — banana pudding at Pecan Lodge, sweet potato praline at The Slow Bone. Order a couple to share; the meat is the main event.
How many restaurants does Dim Hour cover?
Dim Hour covers 938 restaurants and bars in Dallas, each scored and verified. This BBQ guide pulls the highest-scoring genuine Texas smokehouses from that catalog — brisket-forward joints across the city and the wider DFW metro.
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