Smokey John's — Restaurant in Dallas

Hands down my favorite meal while in Dallas! As our trip was winding down we still had not had one of the main things we came to town for, Texas Style BBQ. After using our Yelp apps we discovered Smokey John's. It was close to the hotel and also on the way to our event that evening.

Upon arriving all of us knew immediately we were in an authentic BBQ joint. At first glance it's a pretty bare bones no frills establishment however once you look around you'll see that there's some old 1970's era Cowboy's photos on the walls as well as some pictures of blues players that have visited over the years. The smell of BBQ permeates the entire dining area.

We walked up to the counter and after a quick look at the menu I selected the sliced Texas Brisket along with sides of Mac & Cheese and Baked Beans. I wanted to eat more but we were on our way to an event and couldn't linger for desert or take any carry out.

What I did have was incredible. The brisket, which was smothered in BBQ sauce, was so full flavored yet tender that it practically disintegrated in your mouth. I can't remember the last time I had brisket that was this delicious. Probably never. The sides were delicious as well, especially the Mac & Cheese. Last but not least I used the corn bread to clean up the entire plate. OMG it was so good.

While our meal was nearing it's end the owner walked out and was checking on the various customers. His name was Brent and we shot the breeze with him for a few minutes. He told us about how his father "Smoking John" had started the place and explained all the old Cowboy paraphernalia on the walls and how BB King would come in and play for Ribs back in the day, or the Cowboy's would come in after a game. Super nice guy with a wealth of info about growing up in the business.

Next time I come to Dallas this is going to be my first stop. No...

Old-School East Texas style BBQ done right. Exactly what i was looking for today. What it was like before the "foodie" scene took over. Ribs and brisket(point) perfectly seasoned and perfect tenderness. Ribs were firm enough to hold a bite, but tender enough to come off the bone effortlessly. Brisket from the point was moist without being too fatty. Smoke was present but not overpowering. Hot links were great. They remind me of Zummo's when they still sold links that were actually spicy. Nothing crazy about the sauce, but it complemented the meat just as it should have. The food is not going to have the plate appeal and presentation as your typical foodie magazine BBQ, but if your more concerned with how your food tastes than posting it on Instagram, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Sides were like an old soul food cafeteria. Yams and mac n cheese were on point. Just how you remember them wherever your family went on Sunday after church. Same for the cornbread. It was just mealy enough without being dry, and a hint of honey in there. I saved the butter bomb cake for dessert, but I'm sure it will be great as well considering everything else i tried was 5/5.

As far as service goes, I'm typically not too nit-picky, especially considering It's a cafeteria-style restaurant, not a steakhouse. I can do without the pleasantries, but all the staff working behind the counter did make an effort to say hello to me and the other customers as we approached the line, which was a nice gesture as they were starting to get fairly busy after I came in.

Overall a good experience, and more importantly a flavorful one. Highly recommend if you want a change of pace from the long lines and ridiculous hours of the names in the press that all seem to taste the same. Great to see a mom n pop joint keeping tradition alive and...

First time in Dallas and on the way to our hotel, we found this local BBQ spot. When we entered, the young lady slicing and cutting meats greeted us with a smile and was very friendly! We told her it was our first time in and weren't sure what to order. We sampled Brisket and 2 different sausages. We ended up ordering the Cat Fish Filet w/Yams, Cornbread & MacNCheese, and also the 3 Meat Combo Ribs and double sausage(the spicier one) w/Greens and Coleslaw. We added a Peach Cobbler for kicks to complete our meal. Everything was SOOO GOOD! My fish was seasoned so well, (very savory but not over salted) and was tender as well as crispy to the last bite. Yams were really good but just a little too sweet for my taste and the Cornbread was perfect. The Mac and Cheese was everything! Even the tartar sauce was jazzed up really nicely! The 3 Meat Combo Ribs were tender and had a really good smokey bite to it, the Sausage was a tad spicey🤏🏾, and savory, super juicy and they even slice it into coins for you(a nostalgic touch for me😁!) The Greens were pretty good and along with the coleslaw, it was fresh! The Peach Cobbler was soo darn good that we only took a sample spoon from our to go container and had to stop ourselves because we were already full from dinner! Lol The young lady who checked us out and checked on us throughout, was the best. She even made some suggestions for our stay in Dallas(thanks Ajiana). Shout out to the cooks and everyone behind the scenes as well. This was a great gem! We'll be back next time...