Big Al's Smokehouse BBQ — Restaurant in Dallas

UPDATE: After reading the manager's response to this review, I decided to give this place another try, because I really used to like this restaurant. I went in on Friday 12/20/19 at 3:00 pm. I again, ordered the fish special, which they advertise on their sign as the daily special. Caroline took my order and told me that they are out of fish. I said that it is Friday and it's not even dinner time yet. She said that they stop serving fish at lunch. I then spoke to the cashier, Jesus who said the same thing. Jesus said that Pedro is the manager and he has been the kitchen manager for 40 years. I have known Pedro a long time and he is usually always their whenever I frequent the restaurant. Everything was always great, so I don't understand the change. I told Jesus that his was literally the 5th time that I have come in and ordered Fish on Friday and they were out. The POS system will clearly show the fish sales on Friday. I have a feeling that they really do have fish, the staff just doesn't want to make it. I would advise the management to just look at the fish sales on Friday the last few months, then check the inventory to see what is really happening. Well, I believed management when they left the last response. I guess, it just wasn't true. I will not be going back.

Just OK. This place used to be a decent restaurant. I live close by and would go at least once a week. Within the last few months, this place went down hill. They are always out of everything. They used to have staff that really cared. With the new staff, when they are out of fish, tea, baked potatoes, they will say they are "just out." I have literally been coming here for the last 10 years and it's never been bad, but lately, you can tell that the restaurant has lost its pride. I gave it 4 weeks. Literally. I have come at least 1 time per week the last month and every time, they are out of what I want. The new staff just says, "Sorry, we're out." No more loyalty to regular customers. It's actually kind of sad. I really used to like this restaurant. I just don't know...

Only about a mile from “The Original” Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse, and maybe two miles from Dallas Love Field, sits a classic Dallas-area barbecue joint called Big Al’s Smokehouse BBQ. They’ve been there smoking meat over hickory wood since 1974. Given that history, and given some of their brisket cooking adjustments that Daniel Vaughn reported on in Texas Monthly a couple years ago (see below), I was very hopeful to have a great experience. And, happily, I was not disappointed. I of course went with the Texas Trinity of brisket, pork ribs and their jalapeño sausage. They also offer a huge variety of both hot and cold self-serve sides at Big Al’s, and I was happy to see one of my all-time favorites, creamed corn. So I got some of that along with baked beans.

▪️Brisket – As I mentioned above, Daniel Vaughn reported that Big Al’s changed their approach to brisket in 2013, after nearly 40 years of cooking them completely untrimmed and then removing fat and bark to serve. Thankfully the new approach of trimming the brisket before cooking and then not trimming the beautiful bark off has remained for the last 6 years. My slices of brisket were outstanding. They were very flavorful, had a great super-dark bark, with a solid smoke ring and fat that was well rendered. ▪️Pork Ribs – The pork ribs were absolutely wonderful. They use St. Louis-style spareribs at Big Al’s. And these had a great chewy bark and a nice finishing sauce/glaze with a bit of sweetness. The meat was perfectly cooked – nice and tender, and it pulled away from the bone, but without falling off. ▪️Jalapeño sausage – The sausage had a good grind with very visible and delicious chunks of jalapenos. There was a snap to the casing, and it wasn’t too chewy. ▪️Sides – The baked beans and creamed corn were good. They were nothing to write home about, but there was nothing to complain about either. They complemented the meat very nicely.

If you’re in the metro Dallas area anywhere near Love Field and haven’t tried Big Al’s Smokehouse BBQ, they are definitely...

UPDATE: I have just spent the last 10 minutes in a Home Depot bathroom just down the street, vomiting undercooked catfish. I for one when he never be visiting this place again and steering anyone and everyone I possibly get away from this place.

I do not understand the four star rating for this place.

I just ate here today for the very first time and the best thing I can say about it is that it is horrid and completely unedible.

I had the catfish plate, which was today's special for $11 and to say the least, it was very disappointing because I ended up spending $11 and some change for about 2 oz of baked beans because that was the only thing could be eaten.

When the basket was brought out to me with the fish, french fries and hush puppies it looked pretty good. When I bit into the first piece of fish, I couldn't immediately tell that the fish itself was undercooked by a lot and the inside batter wasn't even fully cooked however, the batter on the outside was overcooked which is a huge indication that they have their fryer way too hot.

The hush puppies work overcooked and like eating rocks and the french fries, also overcooked and absolutely no seasoning on them. Which you expect some sort of seasoning or even salt at a self-proclaimed...