If there’s one thing Texas is known for, it’s fantastic barbecue. From casual to upscale, it seems like every restaurant in the Plano area has barbecue on the menu. So how do you know which barbecue will satisfy your hunger? Whether you like your barbecue sweet, smoky, or spicy, you know you’ll enjoy a finger-licking good meal when you choose one of these best barbecue joints around Plano.
Lockhart Smokehouse
Not only is Lockhart Smokehouse one of the best places in Plano for barbecue, but it’s also considered one of the overall best restaurants in the city. The most legendary meat places in Texas use the counter service method, and Lockhart Smokehouse is no exception. When you enter this popular barbecue restaurant, head over to the counter at the back of the restaurant next to the smoker to order, pay, and get your food. The meat is then pulled right from the smoker and sliced just for your order, so you know you’re getting some of the freshest barbecue possible.
A few of the popular menu items include the beef brisket, dry-rubbed pork ribs, juicy barbecue turkey, and barbecue chicken that has been smoked for eight hours. Lockhart Smokehouse is also the only place where you can get barbecue Kreuz Market sausage made from the 110-year-old recipe and shipped directly from the market. If you’re not sure what to get, just ask one of the servers behind the counter for a bite. They’ll be glad to let you sample the different meats so you can choose exactly what you want.
Winners BBQ
Although Winners BBQ is a newcomer to the area, it has developed a loyal following. This might have something to do with its unique menu offerings that are sure to please everyone. One of the most popular items at the restaurant is the MVP Potato. This baked potato comes with your choice of one, two, or three meat toppings. Your meat options include brisket, chicken, pulled pork, sausage, or ribs. If you really want something filling, you can also opt for the G.O.A.T Potato, which is piled high with all five meats.
The meat plates are another bestseller. Like the MVP Potato, you have your choice of one, two, or three meats. This meal also includes two sides and a drink. The homemade sides include potato salad, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and coleslaw. If you’re in the mood for a sandwich, consider the sliced brisket, pulled pork, or sausage. Winners BBQ also has family platters and sells meat by the pound, which is perfect for times when you’re feeding a lot of mouths.
Jin Korean BBQ
If you’re interested in adding some international flair to your barbecue, head to Jin Korean BBQ. This restaurant brings a little bit of Seoul to Plano and offers both a buffet and traditional lunch and dinner menu. Some of the popular buffet items are the slices of spicy marinated pork belly, sweet and savory beef bulgogi, and barbecue pork tenderloin.
If you decide to order from the dinner menu, consider the LA galbi. This popular dish has tender short ribs marinated in a sweet and savory sauce. Another outstanding choice is the chadolbagi, which has thin slices of beef brisket. These all-you-can-eat premium meats are brought out raw so you can grill them at your table and enjoy them just the way you like them. If you saved room for dessert, be sure to order the Korean sweet rice drink, which is a traditional sweet drink made from rice with cinnamon.
Love and War in Texas
Love and War in Texas near the heart of downtown Plano is part restaurant and part iconic music venue. The Texas-sized menu at the restaurant is like a road map of the state with different offerings that are unique to different regions. The Texas Gulf Coast portion of the menu has Baytown spicy shrimp, habanero fish tacos, and Gulf Coast tilapia. The West Texas Plains portion has some of the best steaks you’ve ever had. You can also check out the Border section for enchiladas, fajitas, stuffed poblano peppers, and more.
However, if you’re in the mood for barbecue, you’ll want to order from the Piney Woods or Hill Country parts of the menu. Here you’ll find delicious offerings that include a full rack of slow-smoked baby back ribs with Shiner Bock barbecue sauce, mesquite slow-smoked brisket smothered in Shiner Bock barbecue sauce, and marinated, chili-rubbed, and slow-roasted wild boar.
Barrel & Bones Craft Bar and Smokehouse
If you travel just a few minutes west of Plano to The Colony, you’ll find Barrel & Bones Craft Bar and Smokehouse. This restaurant fuses new and exciting culinary styles with traditional Texas barbecue for a menu full of items you’ll want to savor again and again. Some of the signature smokehouse meats are the half-pound Texas brisket, half-pound turkey breast, whole Texas chicken, jalapeno sausage, and half-rack of ribs.
If you can’t decide what to get, order one of the combination platters. Your options include two meats with one side, three meats with one side, or the Alabama chicken, which is a smoked chicken half topped with Alabama barbecue sauce and served with green beans and fries. Another popular menu item is the Smokehouse Sandwich, which comes with chicken, turkey, brisket, or sausage on a toasted bun and served with your choice of homemade barbecue sauce.
No matter what you decide to order, make sure you save room for dessert. The bread pudding and bananas Foster ice cream cake are two outstanding seasonal offerings, and the peach cobbler and fudge brownie a la mode are available to satisfy your sweet tooth throughout the year.
When those of us at Huffines CJDR Plano are in the mood for mouth-watering barbecue, these are the places we like to go. What do you like to order when you visit these top barbecue joints in Plano? Please feel free to leave a comment and let us know so we can try something new the next time we visit!
Image via Flickr by Dana McMahan