Harold Dean Smoked Goods Smokehouse — Restaurant in Flower Mound

I’m going to be blunt in my review. I’m assuming this is a family run business and I love & support those. The last thing I want to do is affect their business negatively. So please take this review as constructive criticism only. Hoping that maybe the owner or chef might consider a couple of tweaks, or maybe this was a one off. This is just my opinion from my 1 experience. My favorite food is barbeque, to the point where I could almost just sip on BBQ sauce lol. It really doesn’t take much at all for me to be happy with it. Definitely not a BBQ snob by any means, no fancy BBQ work needed to win me over. Just as long as the brisket is tender (BBQ sauce is there for a reason).

Having said all of that, I was honestly kind of shocked this place is deemed one of the best BBQ places around here. I was initially very excited to try it & ordered a to go meal. I got the chopped brisket, salad (with what I’m guessing is their homemade ranch), and their “homemade Mac & Cheese”. I was very excited about some rich, flavorful, cheesy homemade Mac & cheese!!

The good: the bartender there was super sweet & wonderful. The ranch dressing was really good. The BBQ sauce was really good. The place was clean.

The not so good: the salad initially looked good, but as I put it on a plate, I found many pieces that were very slimy & wilted (not a little, I mean almost black). I thought no big deal, I’m sure that’s easy to miss being mixed in with all the salad. I thought that I had picked all those pieces out until I started eating the salad. If you’ve ever tasted wilted rotten salad mixed with good salad, you know the flavor is repugnant. So, I spit that out and moved on. The ranch flavor was great though. They should bottle and sell that if they make it!

I came to the conclusion that they call their Mac & cheese “homemade” simply because they boil the pasta and add whatever “cheese” sauce that it has (ie just cook it, just like any other Mac & cheese). That in no way tasted like anything other than cheap Mac & cheese, definitely didn’t taste like any actual homemade Mac & cheese I’ve had or made. The sauce was smoother than like the cheapest of cheap (with those curdled up bits), but where on earth was the flavor?! 99% of the flavor was the pasta. Plain elbow pasta was by far mostly all I tasted. I would recommend either removing the word “homemade” or maybe coming up with a new recipe. It was not rich, not flavorful, definitely wasn’t cheesy and it defintely doesn’t taste homeade. It would be believable as a “vegan elbow pasta with a light sauce glaze”. 😬

It’s dang near impossible to mess up brisket with me personally (again, I can just dunk it in BBQ sauce and be super happy. Just give me beefy BBQ sauce! Haha). I will say they did a good job at my request for lean cut. But the very hard and thick “crust” was no beueno & seemed dried out too. I know some people might like that. I tried to just eat around it because I love brisket & I just don’t care enough about small things to get in my way of eating it lol. But it was chopped, so difficult. And HOLY MOLEY I found where they put all the seasoning! More specifically all the salt. YEOWZA! I love flavor & seasonings, but wow that was a TON of salt (specifically salt, maybe MSG? But also salt. One more time for the fun of it? SALT!). The salt was so powerful I could hardly taste the meat most of the time and had to spit out quite a few bites that were so salty it made my head jerk back, it was overpowering. It’s possible someone just got very generous with the salt with that batch? BBQ sauce cant mask salt unfortunately (I tried). But again, good BBQ sauce. And if that’s homemade, they should bottle and sell that too.

I will pick out wilted food & still try to eat it, I will eat around parts I don’t like because I’m hungry & will still be happy. I will eat just about anything! But man, they were 3 for 3 on my first trip there. 🫣 And as much as I love brisket, I think I’m even more heartbroken over the...

I recently had the pleasure of visiting this wonderful restaurant, and I must say, it exceeded all of my expectations. From the moment I stepped foot inside, I was greeted with a warm smile and a genuine sense of hospitality. The service provided here is simply exceptional!

Let’s start with the highlight of my visit - the brisket sandwich. Words cannot express how incredibly delicious it was. The meat was perfectly smoked, tender, and bursting with flavor. Each bite was a heavenly experience, leaving me craving for more. This place certainly knows how to make an amazing brisket sandwich that will satisfy even the most discerning taste buds!

Apart from the delightful food, the atmosphere of this place is worth mentioning. The ambiance is neat, cozy, and inviting. The attention to detail in the decor, coupled with the background country music, creates a pleasant and relaxed dining environment. It’s the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy a scrumptious meal.

Furthermore, the staff deserves special recognition for their outstanding service. They were attentive, friendly, and went above and beyond to ensure my dining experience was nothing short of exceptional. From providing insightful recommendations to promptly fulfilling any requests, their dedication to customer satisfaction truly stood out. Our waitress, Sissel, was constantly smiling, chatting, and waving at my one year old.

I also appreciate the cleanliness and hygiene maintained throughout the establishment. It’s evident that they prioritize the well-being of their patrons, which further enhances the overall dining experience.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this place to anyone seeking an outstanding dining experience. Whether you’re a fan of delectable brisket sandwiches or simply looking for a spot with a neat atmosphere and exceptional service, this place has it all. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to indulge in their culinary delights and enjoy a memorable time. Five stars all the way!

Keep up the fantastic work, and I’ll definitely be...

In a town where most restaurants are just expensive chains, Harold deans is the refuge that we needed in this area. In a little unassuming corner of Highland Village, Harold deans stands tall and mighty. Upon entering, a very kind host came to our attention immediately- when seated, beautiful live music on the patio soothed my ears. Alas, no more driving out to the city to hear local musicians! My first visit, I ordered the gator balls as a starter. Let me tell you, as a guy from Florida, I’ve tried plenty of good gator- and this was one of them. Now is where a good BBQ restaurant is truly tested, their barbecue sauce. The sauce, I believe, is homemade and you can sure taste the love. Not too overbearing, savory, delicious and fresh out of a carafe. As my entree (“The Andrew”) was delivered to my table I knew upon first glance it was going to be good. Ladies and gentlemen if you come to Harold deans you better be hungry, they do not go light with the portioning! And I’ll tell ya, a lot of food is an amazing sight in a time of inflation (especially for a hungry boy like myself). My burger was consumed with so much joy that all I thought about afterwards was planning the next time I’d be back. As a man who love his BBQ, even driving out to Dallas for a bite is quite the hassle and pricy these days- but thank the lord that Harold Deans is here, and hopefully to stay for a long time. All in all, Harold Deans is a gem. You can tell that this place is ran with love, and I will be coming back for more, and...