Best Barbecue In The DFW Area

For many, barbecue is more than just a passion, it's an obsession filled with a never-ending quest to find the best. Pecan Lodge, Angelo's and Longoria's might be legendary, but these aren't the only places smoking up DFW's BBQ scene. Here's the latest list of DFW barbecue joints serving up the tastiest cue in the metroplex. You can also find more of CBS' best Dallas barbecue spots here.

Hard Eight BBQ
688 Freeport Parkway
Coppell, TX 75019
(972) 471-5462
www.hardeightbbq.com

From the moment you enter the parking lot of this huge family-owned BBQ outpost, you'll encounter the sweet smell of smoke billowing out of the open pits next to the entrance. You will also be confronted by masses of Q fans lined up outside the door. Don't let that deter you though — it will give you some time to scope out the array of delicacies being smoked up before your eyes. It's hard to make a bad call here, so pile up your paper-lined tray with everything from succulent pork ribs and spicy sausages to brisket that's so sensational it doesn't need the house-made apple cider BBQ sauce that goes with it. But go ahead, add it anyway— it's pure nirvana. In addition to the Coppell location, Hard Eight BBQ can also be found in Roanoke and Stephenville.

3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House
4226 Preston Road
Frisco, TX 75034
(469) 287-9035
www.3stacksbbq.com 

If you're on a quest to find the best ribs, it's hard to beat the Rib Whisperer's lip-smacking ribs at 3 Stacks. Trace Arnold's mesquite-smoked bones of deliciousness covered in a plum chipotle glaze are phenomenal. But you'll be missing out if you just stick to the ribs. Pecan wood-smoked chicken, spicy sausages and juicy brisket with a perfectly crisp bark are about as good as it gets. Or just skip the brisket and order the bark on its own—these peppery bite-sized chunks of gold will blow your mind.Related: Best Barbecue In Fort Worth

Babb Bros. BBQ & Blues
330 Bedford Ave.
Dallas, TX 75212
(214) 745-2224
www.babbbrothers.com

The Trinity Groves foodie scene just keeps getting better, especially since the Babb brothers started smoking their Midwestern-style BBQ and serving it up with a side of rhythm and blues. Although the pulled pork and smoked meatloaf gets its share of attention, the hickory-smoked ribs slathered in the brother's signature BBQ sauce headlines the show.

Hutchins BBQ
1301 N. Tennessee St.
McKinney, TX 75069
(972) 548-2629
www.hutchinsbbq.net 

Making it onto Texas Monthly's top 50 list and being named DFW's best barbecue joint by the Morning News is no small feat in a land known for awesome barbecue. The secret? To begin with, the meat is about as fresh as you can get—straight from the farm via Local Yocal's farm-to-market butcher down the road. And it's all smoked nice and slow over pecan, hickory or mesquite, depending on the meat. Everything is excellent, from sausage and pulled pork to chicken and ribs. But the melt-in-your-mouth brisket is simply irresistible. It's seasoned with salt, pepper and cayenne before being smoked up to 17 hours over an eternal flame of mesquite and hickory wood. The all-you-can-eat option and a free dessert bar to boot makes for an overall scrumptious experience.

Del Norte Tacos
101 E. Highway 171
Godley, TX 76044
(817) 389-2451
www.delnortetacos.com 

People from all over routinely make a pilgrimage to this old converted gas station to chow down on chef Chris Garcia's delectable barbecue Mexican fare. It's easy to understand why once you get a whiff of his smoker that straddles the restaurant's entrance. Some of the ambrosial choices include mouthwatering pork ribs marinated with a pineapple-achiote paste and slow-smoked brisket tacos. But the real showstopper here is the smoked chile relleno. Garcia takes a mesquite-grilled poblano and fills it up with a choice of succulent smoked meats, then tops it with fresh queso, a dollop of crema and serves over a mound of poblano rice.Related: Best Pulled Pork In DFW