Smoak Town BBQ — Restaurant in Fate

“We followed the Smoak… and found BBQ glory at the end of the trail.”

TL;DR: Smoak Town BBQ brought the fire. Brisket, turkey, and pulled pork were all bark, bite, and beauty. The sides held their own. Hospitality was five-star, straight from the pitmaster’s heart. Worth every mile and every empty stomach rumble on the road to BBQ salvation. This one smokes the competition.

It’s early on a Saturday morning. The truck’s full of gas, the cooler’s iced down like a Yeti in January, and I’ve got a few cans of Celsius riding shotgun. The mission? Four BBQ joints in one day, and Smoak Town BBQ was stop number one.

The wife, aka my side dish queen, decided to sit this East Texas meat parade out. Said something about wanting to “catch up on work.” Translation: she didn’t want to be trapped in a brisket-scented truck with two grown men arguing over which pitmaster has the best bark. Her loss.

My buddy Big D rolled up right on time, and we hit the road with the same focus as a pitmaster watching a firebox. First stop: Smoak Town BBQ, nestled in the heart of Fate. By 10:15, we were pulling into a food park that had more wood stacks than a small lumber yard. Official opening time was 11, but we figured a little Texas charm and hungry eyes might work in our favor.

Pitmaster Cameron Haley greeted us like we were family showing up late to Sunday dinner. No hesitation. No fuss. He built us a plate that could’ve made a grown man weep.

That plate? A trio of meat magic: thick-cut turkey slices that were moist and seasoned like Thanksgiving came early, brisket with a bark that crackled like campfire kindling and a center that surrendered like slow-simmered butter, and pulled pork so tender I thought about calling it sweetheart. Mac and cheese came creamy, beans came bold, and that homemade sauce? It was the kind of dark, tangy elixir you want to bottle and baptize your next brisket in.

The setting? Casual. Honest. Covered seating and small-town pride hanging in the air. His sons were out “hunting frogs” nearby, which, let’s be honest, is just elite-level prep work for future BBQ pitmasters.

We cleaned our plate like it owed us money. No leftovers. No regrets. Just smiles and sauce-stained fingers.

We shook Cameron’s hand and promised to be back when we had time to linger and eat slow. This place deserves a second visit with the full crew and side dish queen in tow.

18th stamp in the passport...

Smoak Town BBQ: A Mixed Platter of Promise and Potential Nestled a bit off the beaten path for those in the DFW metroplex, Smoak Town BBQ beckons with the allure of smoky, slow-cooked meats and a welcoming ambiance that immediately sets it apart. From the moment you step inside, the premises impress with their pristine cleanliness and inviting warmth—a testament to a team that takes pride in its space. The service elevates the experience further, with staff delivering hospitality that’s not just attentive but genuinely above and beyond. A standout touch? Complimentary beer, a rare and delightful offering for a barbecue joint, instantly winning points for creativity and guest appreciation. My order, a family pack featuring brisket, burnt ends, and pork ribs, arrived with a side of their much-talked-about mac and cheese. Let’s start with the brisket: while the seasoning was bold and well-balanced, with a savory crust that hinted at hours of careful smoking, the meat itself fell short, veering toward dryness and lacking the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that defines top-tier Texas brisket. The burnt ends, however, were a redemption story—juicy, crispy-edged morsels bursting with caramelized flavor, they delivered the soul-warming satisfaction barbecue lovers crave. The pork ribs stole the show, their fall-off-the-bone texture and robust seasoning making each bite a masterclass in balance and execution. Yet, the true star of the meal was the mac and cheese—a creamy, cheesy revelation that elevated comfort food to an art form, its golden crust and velvety interior lingering long after the last bite. While Smoak Town BBQ offers a solid experience, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the DFW area’s barbecue titans. The brisket’s inconsistency holds it back from greatness, but the standout ribs, burnt ends, and that unforgettable mac and cheese signal a kitchen with serious potential. For those willing to make the trek, it’s a worthy stop—especially with a cold, free beer in hand. With a bit more finesse, Smoak Town could soon be a contender in the fiercely competitive world of...

I’ve been scoping out this place since I moved to Rockwall Texas in April. Pass by this joint sometimes and could smell the BBQ. Reviews are insanely positive. Pictures of the brisket and Mac and cheese look mouth watering! It was the one thing I wanted so badly. So why the 3 stars?

Came here today on a Friday to celebrate my success in passing a test for my new career. Got to the window and they had a very limited menu. They only had brisket nachos, Pulled pork nachos, pulled pork sandwich, and a brisket sandwich. I was confused because looking at the google page for Smoak there’s tons of pictures of sliced brisket and mashed potatoes with Mac and cheese. I asked the girl at the window if that was all they were serving and she said yes on Fridays we serve this only. I was really disappointed since I wasn’t much in a mood for nachos or a sandwich.

I decided to order the brisket nachos and my wife got the brisket sandwich. The nachos we’re okay nothing special just some chips cilantro beans queso onions with shredded brisket. Taste like Applebees brisket nachos. Sandwich was actually pretty good it was moist and the buns were soft and crispy with a hint of butter.

What made the experience awful during our meal was the amount of flies that were infesting our table, I was literally karate chopping the air every 2 seconds. Not the establishments fault for this but just be aware that sitting down and eating comes with a toll.

Overall I was disappointed in the nachos and lost out on a chance to try the real BBQ. I ended up going to soul-mans BBQ afterwards to get some brisket and ribs.

Maybe I’ll try it again some day and hope I come on a day they’re serving brisket and...