BBQ Tour - need recommendations

[TheAmazingJohnJ]

I'm from Cleveland and my boss is asking me to go to a work conference at the end of April in Dallas. I don't fly, so I'm taking this opportunity traveling without my vegetarian wife to extend the work trip into a barbecue tour.

So I'm looking for killer BBQ recommendations. I'm talking best of the best of the best. Not looking for the biggest or the most famous, but the one place I can't miss while I'm in town. Any recommendations of where to go and where to avoid would be helpful. Here's my tentative itinerary.

Day 1: Lunch in Cincinnati, dinner in Memphis.
Day 2: Lunch in Arkansas, probably along I-30 between Little Rock and Texarkana.
Days 2-5: Dinners in Dallas.
Day 6: Lunch in Oklahoma City, dinner in Wichita, Kansas.
Day 7: Lunch/dinner in Kansas City
Day 8: Lunch/dinner in St. Louis
Day 9: Lunch in Indianapolis, dinner in Columbus, OH.

[texastweeter]

Memphis needs to be rendevous. KC either Arthur Bryant, or Q39. Pecan lodge and Goldees in Dallas.

[Oak Smoke]

+1

[TheAmazingJohnJ]

Thanks for this. I was just watching a Youtube video about Q39. It looks amazing!

[tmaan235]

Don't forget Central BBQ in Memphis too.

[STEbbq]

Terry Black’s in Dallas is a great option for dinner as they are open late with brisket and ribs available.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/bbq-restaurant-roundup/texas/1216297-terry-black%E2%80%99s-dallas-review

[TheAmazingJohnJ]

Looking at the menu, it seems kind of expensive at $30/pound. Is it worth it?

[STEbbq]

That is fairly typical for Texas BBQ at least high quality stuff. You’d probably find cheaper prices outside of TX. But, yes, it is worth it.

If prices around $30/pound are not feasible every night, then you probably want to mix and match non-BBQ eating with more expensive BBQ places.

[Panhead John]

When I hit the BBQ joints in Texas, I usually get a 3 meat plate…brisket, ribs, sausage…with 2 sides and a drink, my typical lunch bill ran around $35. or so, not including tip.

[realdocBBQ]

In OKC try out Leo's BBQ.

[Lynn Dollar]

IDK bout Leo's these days. Being around since 1975 and smoking on a brick pit make it interesting, but there are better.

And I'm gonna run out of space here, need to start a new reply.

[Purc]

In Dallas, +1 on Pecan Lodge. I have been there several times and they even catered my son's wedding. I'm going with LA Pork Butt sometime in the near future to Cattleack BBQ and it is supposed to be excellent. During the recent 2024 Meat Up, we went to Terry Blacks in Lockhart and it was great so hopefully Dallas is of the same quality. If you want to drive, of course Goldee's and Panther City both in Fort Worth. As always, YMMV.

[texastweeter]

Forgot about panther city, but it's good too

[Panhead John]

Wherever you decide to go, make sure you check their website for days and hours of operation ahead of time. As an example, Goldee’s BBQ in Ft. Worth is only open Fri-Sun 11am-3…or when sold out. That leaves out having dinner as an option. A lot of the top BBQ joints in Texas don’t do dinner hours. Pecan Lodge is open for dinner everyday except Mondays. Have fun and keep us posted on your travels!

[Panhead John]

I just checked and Cattleack has some head scratching days of operation. 🧐 They’re only open 10am-2pm Wed, Thu and Fri. They’re closed on Saturdays except for the 1st Saturday of the month.

[texastweeter]

1st saturday everyone recently got their gubberment checks...

[TheAmazingJohnJ]

Appreciate that tip! Here in Cleveland everybody is open for dinner, not necessarily for lunch so I might have showed up to an empty parking lot in Texas!

[HawkerXP]

Sounds like a fun trip. Be sure to take us along with you!

[Clark]

Tell us what area of Dallas you will be in. It will make a big difference in selecting where to eat because of traffic and time restraints at lunch.

[TheAmazingJohnJ]

The conference I'll be at is right at a hotel at the DFW Airport. Lunches are all provided onsite, but for dinner I'll be leaving from the airport. I'm driving, not flying, so I don't mind getting away from the airport a ways.

[bbqLuv]

I wanna go too. I'll carry your bags.

[smokenoob]

Great minds think alike, I’ll drive!

[TheAmazingJohnJ]

Sounds good! Let's roll!

[tmaan235]

Wait, Wait! What about me?? I'm free and I can tell stories and don't mind driving. This could be a chauffered trip if you play your cards right
I'm just jealous, enjoy your trip!!

[Lynn Dollar]

In Oklahoma City

Edge Craft is my favorite, itscentral Texas barbecue. Texas Monthly's Daniel Vaughn rated it 9th best Texas barbecue outside the state of Texas. But since you've just been to Texas and eaten a lot of Texas cue, there's other places.

There's Jo Bawb's, who is an interesting fella who operates from a permanently parked food truck. He has some tables set up in a warehouse. He told me he does a mix of Texas and Kansas City style, which is pretty much what defines Oklahoma barbecue . And he loves to talk barbecue.

Comp cook Travis Clark has a place called Clarks Crew. He's won every major national comp, i.e. Jack Daniels, American Royal etc. Famous Daves came to him with a deal to put his name on a restaurant and design the menu. Its a barbecue joint with cloth napkins ....... yeah, I know. But its very good. His meats come from Snake River Farms. Has a variety on the menu.

Sounds like you're gonna be on I-35 on your way to Wichita, but there's a place just NE on I-44 about 30 miles, in Wellston, OK, called Butcher BBQ Stand. Its operated by Dave Bouska's son Chris. Bouska is another comp cook who was on BBQ Pitmasters three times.

All of these except for Clarks Crew, are only open Thursday through Sunday, they open at 11 am. Clarks Crew has lunch and dinner service.

[Lynn Dollar]

realdocBBQ Nothing wrong with Leo's. It made Triple D in the shows early days. Its very very old school. They've not changed the menu in 50 years. The brisket is chopped. The ribs are good. They give you a wet towel with your order, sort've a throwback to the days when barbecue joints had washbasins outside the front door. Its a converted old gas station. But if I were going to eat barbecue at lunch, it would be well down my list.

[realdocBBQ]

Yes, I went to the OLD Leo's many years ago - I think they've moved over onto May Ave now or something? Anyways, the strawberry banana cake... oh man, good stuff!

[Lynn Dollar]

realdocBBQ No, still at NE 36th and Kelly . Nothing changes there. Its a step into the past.

[Panhead John]

TheAmazingJohnJ I just ran across an article from Texas Monthly, and in the article it has a paragraph titled Open Late. They list the better Dallas BBQ spots that stay open for dinner. Very handy for you I believe.
Having eaten at their Lockhart location, I’d suggest Terry Blacks for at least one of your visits! 👍👍

OPEN LATE
Barbecue is associated more with lunch than dinner, mainly because so many joints sell what meat they can smoke as quickly as possible. That means many of the best spots will be sold out by early or midafternoon, but there are still plenty that are open late—or at least late for barbecue. Back Country BBQ is open until 8 p.m. every day except for Sunday, when it closes at 7 p.m. Big Al’s is open until 8 p.m. most days of the week. Hardeman’s BBQ is open until 8 p.m. or later most days, and Lockhart Smokehouse is open until 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Loro is open until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Oak’d BBQ is open until 9 p.m. daily. One90 Smoked Meats is open until 8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Pecan Lodge is open until 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Smokey Joe’s is open until 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Terry Black’s Barbecue is open until 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. All three locations of Tender Smokehouse are open until 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

[Panhead John]

Here’s the whole article from Texas Monthly…..Where to Eat BBQ in Dallas

https://www.texasmonthly.com/bbq/best-bbq-dallas/

[TheAmazingJohnJ]

Super helpful! I'll be in town fairly early on Monday that week, but Tues-Thurs the conference doesn't let out until 5pm or 6pm. Knowing who's open late will be really useful.

[CandySueQ]

Texarkana -- Naaman's BBQ. Say hello to Darby. https://www.naamansbbq.com/

[TheAmazingJohnJ]

That menu looks fantastic!

[HawkerXP]

You need to hear from Alan Brice to get the scoope from Cincinnati!

[Alan Brice]

Hawker n I had dinner at Walt's Hitching Post (NKy), but they do not open til 5. For lunch try Montgomery Inn Ribs King. Two locations. East side of the city on the river or north on I-71 appx 20 miles in Montgomery. Everything else is meh. TheAmazingJohnJ

[au4stree]

I’m a big fan of Payne’s in Memphis. It’s been many years since I’ve been there but the mom was running a tight ship and everything was super consistent. Being that you’re going for dinner, that part of town might be a deterrent. Sounds like a fun trip, enjoy and be safe.