Lockhart Smokehouse-Bishop Arts Location

My wife and two daughters as we are about to enter.

I recently ate at a barbecue place that I have wanted to try for some time, Lockhart Smokehouse.  This restaurant opened up last year in the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff.  The owner, Jill Grobowsky Bergus wanted to bring Central Texas Barbecue to the DFW area and opened this restaurant in this hip and trendy area.

Bar area as you enter Lockhart Smokehouse

What intrigued me most about this restaurant is the fact that the owner is related to the Schmidts of Lockhart, Texas.  One faction of the Schmidt family owns Kreuz Market and another faction of the family owns Smitty’s Market.  Both of these barbecue joints are absolutely fantastic and according to various publications, are consistently ranked in the top five barbecue restaurants in the state.  If you are ever in the Lockhart area, do yourself a favor and go try one or both of these restaurants. 

Me abou to get my eat on!

So my family took off on a Saturday morning and set off on a field trip to the Bishop Arts District to give Lockhart Smokehouse a try.  Now that we have two small children, it is rare feat for us Collin County suburbanites to venture South of 635.  The menu of Lockhart Smokehouse showed that they served Kreuz sausage that is actually shipped to them from Kreuz Market.  That alone was enough to make me take the short journey to Southern Dallas.

Menu for Lockhart Smokehouse

The first thing you notice when you enter this barbecue joint is the smell of wood smoke, which is always a good sign.  For meat, we ordered ½ pound of lean brisket, ½ pound of shoulder clod, two spare ribs, and two Kreuz sausages (one original and one jalapeno cheese).  For sides, we got “Lockhart Slaw” and Mac n’ Cheese.  All the meat is served on butcher paper with slices of white bread and you are expected to eat with your hands.  Much like Smitty’s and Kreuz, don’t ask for sauce unless you plan on upsetting the pitmaster.

Brisket, Spare Ribs, and Kreuz Sausage

"Lockhart Slaw" and Mac n' Cheese

Shoulder Clod

The brisket was fantastic and was some of the best brisket I have had in the DFW area.  The shoulder clod had a good smoky beef flavor and had a texture that reminded me of prime rib.  The ribs were perfectly seasoned and tasted great.  The sausage tasted just like the sausage you would get at Kreuz Market.  My wife wasn’t a big fan of the sausage, but I particularly liked the flavoring of the jalapeno and cheese variety.  The cole slaw was average, but the mac n’ cheese was top shelf. 

My youngest daughter after she found one of my discarded spare ribs to chew on.

I really enjoyed Lockhart Smokehouse and plan to go back.  I would rate this restaurant a 4.  While it may not be quite as good as Smitty’s or Kreuz Market, it is still really good barbecue and rivals the best I have had in the DFW area.  The only thing I regret now is that I should have ordered a couple pounds of the brisket and a tub of mac n’ cheese to go!
Lockhart Smokehouse
http://www.lockhartsmokehouse.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=4