I will keep this as simple as possible, so I will lump this into three categories.

Something to understand: the very best barbecue joints are only open a day or two or three each week because really good barbecue takes a very long time to prepare. Generally, if they are open every day, then their quality is probably lesser.


CLOSE

- The best bbq closest to SMU is easily Cattleack. Make sure you check out their operating hours.
- if you are downtown, Terry Blacks is the best bet because they are open all of the time and never run out of food. This is the only joint that defies my general statement above.
- Pecan Lodge used to be one of the state’s best but the owner moved away years ago, and it has gone very downhill. I would suggest avoiding.
- Not too far away on the west side is Slow Bone. Not the greatest, but definitely in the upper tier, and they have great fried chicken. I may not be dazzled, but I am never disappointed.
- A little farther west is Zavala’s, and they are really good. In fact, I feel this is one of the more underrated joints, and they do great Tex-Mex barbecue.


NOT CLOSE

- Hutchins BBQ up in Frisco is the best on the north side. Honestly, anything north of Cattleack pretty much sucks, except maybe Vaqueros.
- The best barbecue in the metroplex is probably Goldees, but most of you probably will not tolerate the two hour wait. It’s worth it, but it will cost you a lot of time.
- One of the other best is panther city in Fort Worth. They have pretty extended hours and are pretty fantastic. One of my favorites. Also great Tex-Mex barbecue offerings.
- Sabar Is great, but they only serve food on Saturdays.
- Brix And smokealcoholics are two other Fort Worth joints that are very underrated.
- On the far west side, you have Dayne’s, and the far east side out in fate is Smoaktown. Both are pretty far away, but I promise you that both are very, very good.


TO AVOID

Like everything else popular, you will have imitators preying on the uninitiated.

- For the love of everything holy please do not go to Hard 8. It is only for show. The food is baked in ovens and brought there. The only people who like it are the people who are not from here.
- Pecan Lodge. Honestly, I don’t have a problem with these guys, but since they used to be really popular, you hear a lot of people recommending it. The problem is that people build up really high expectations, and they uniformly disappoint those expectations. Go at your own risk.
- Ten 50. This is a place in Plano that also gets thrown around, but for the life of me I don’t understand why. It’s not very good.


Food is subjective. Different strokes, different folks. But there are real and discernible differences from the waygu brisket smoked on post oak offsets at Cattleack and the Select grade briskets baked in ovens at Hard 8. Yes, there is a difference. You don’t have to care about that difference, but it’s real. And if you do care, I hope this list helps.