Barbecue
Brisket Tostadas and Smoked Quail, Four and a Half Days a Week
Strouderosa is a pit barbecue joint in Lake Highlands, in Dallas proper rather than out in the suburbs, and it keeps barbecue hours: Wednesday through Sunday, closing when the afternoon is done. The hand-drawn jalapeño on the logo was drawn by the founder's father.
Barbecue Hours Are the Whole Plan
The single most common way to miss good Texas barbecue is turning up on the wrong day. Strouderosa closes Monday and Tuesday and does not serve dinner.
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
| Wednesday to Saturday | 11am to 8pm |
| Sunday | 11am to 5pm |
| Monday and Tuesday | Closed |
The name honors Don Stroud, the founder's father, and the concept grew out of making salsa with him in the early 2000s. Locally it is known for brisket tostadas and smoked quail, which is a more interesting order than the standard three-meat plate.
It is a strip-center suite on Skillman Street, so set expectations accordingly: this is a barbecue counter, not a dining room, and that is exactly the point.
Groups, catering, and honest limits
- Catering is available and is the right route for any real group.
- The restaurant states it hosts private dining experiences, but publishes no rooms or capacities. Given the size of the space, assume small and let us confirm.
- Strouderosa is not on Texas Monthly's 2025 Top 50 barbecue list. It appears in the D Magazine directory, which is a listing rather than an award.
- For a large group that wants barbecue at a venue, catering into a private space beats trying to seat everyone here.
Tell us the day and the headcount and we will work out whether it is a table or a catering order: ask the concierge or arrange it.
Sources and references
No private dining capacity is published and no award is verified. Texas Monthly's 2025 Top 50 list does not include it.
From a Farmers Market Stall to the Main Street Line
Justin and Diane Fourton started smoking meat at the Dallas Farmers Market in 2010, and the line followed them to 2702 Main Street in Deep Ellum. It has not gotten shorter, which is the most honest review a barbecue joint can earn.
What to Order When You Finally Reach the Counter
The pits burn mesquite and oak, and brisket is the headliner: a dark peppery bark, a tender middle and enough smoke to follow you home. Spare ribs, burnt ends and pulled pork fill out the tray, and the mac and cheese under a crown of burnt ends is a side that forgot it was supposed to be supporting cast.
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 11am to 3pm |
| Tuesday to Thursday | 11am to 8pm |
| Friday | 11am to 9pm |
| Saturday | 11am to 10pm |
| Sunday | 11am to 9pm |
Groups, timing, and honest limits
- Monday closes at 3pm, which is the easiest way to plan a dinner that never happens.
- Popular cuts can sell out late in the day, so arrive early or let us set up the order ahead.
- Catering is the smarter route for a large group than trying to seat everyone at once.
Tell us the day and the headcount and we will work out whether it is a table or a catering order: ask the concierge.
Sources and references
The True Tradition of Great 'Cue, Served Until the Meat Runs Out
Owner Jill Grobowsky Bergus is the granddaughter of Edgar "Papa" Schmidt, who bought the legendary Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas in 1948. In 2011 she and her husband Jeff brought that Central Texas pedigree to the Bishop Arts District, and Dallas has been lining up for it ever since.
Post Oak, Butcher Paper and a House Rule
The method is gloriously stubborn: post oak smoke, simple rubs, meat sold by the pound on butcher paper and Kreuz sausage from the family recipe. Brisket leads with a peppery bark, and the smoked prime rib makes a strong case for a second trip to the counter. One rule outranks the rest: they serve until they run out of meat.
| Location | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Bishop Arts, Dallas | 400 W Davis St | 11am to 9pm, Friday and Saturday to 10pm |
| Plano | 1026 E 15th St | 11am to 9pm daily |
| Arlington, Texas Live! | 1650 E Randol Mill Rd, Suite 130 | 11am to 10pm daily |
Groups, timing, and honest limits
- When the meat is gone, it is gone, so late arrivals may find a shorter menu than they hoped.
- The Arlington location inside Texas Live! runs under a licensing agreement, handy before a game at the stadiums next door.
- For a big group, a pre-arranged order beats hoping the brisket survives the line.
Tell us the location, the day and the headcount and we will make sure the brisket is still on the block: ask the concierge.
Sources and references
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Strouderosa Catering
Strouderosa's Lake Highlands counter is built for a line, not a banquet, so the smartest way to feed a crowd is to bring the pit to the party. Brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork, turkey and sausage arrive with the homestyle sides, and the brisket tostadas and smoked quail that locals order by name can come along too. The name honors Don Stroud, the founder's father, and the recipes grew out of making salsa with him in the early 2000s. That family streak shows up in the portions, which lean generous in a way your guests will notice somewhere around the second plate. Tell us the date, the headcount and the venue, and we will line up the order, the timing and the delivery. The kitchen keeps barbecue hours and closes Monday and Tuesday, so give us a little runway and we will make sure the smoke arrives before the guests do.
Pecan Lodge
Every great origin story needs humble beginnings, and Pecan Lodge delivered: Justin and Diane Fourton started smoking meat at the Dallas Farmers Market in 2010, and within a few years, Texas Monthly ranked them among the top four barbecue joints on the planet. Not in Texas. On the planet. They've since moved to a permanent Deep Ellum location, but the lines haven't gotten any shorter — which tells you everything you need to know. The pits run 24/7, fueled exclusively by mesquite and oak, producing brisket with the kind of expressive bark, tender interior, and rich smoky perfume that has converted vegetarians and started arguments in parking lots. The pork ribs, sausage, turkey, and pulled pork are all exceptional, but the brisket is the headliner — the Beyoncé of Central Texas barbecue, if Beyoncé spent eighteen hours in a wood-fired offset smoker. The sides hold their own, which is saying something when the protein demands this much attention. Located at 2702 Main St in Deep Ellum. Open daily — arrive early, because the good stuff sells out and the only thing worse than the line is missing it entirely. Call (214) 748-8900.
Lockhart Smokehouse BBQ
Lockhart Smokehouse carries the true tradition of great 'cue, and the family tree to prove it. Owner Jill Grobowsky Bergus is the granddaughter of Edgar "Papa" Schmidt, who bought the legendary Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas in 1948. In 2011 she and her husband Jeff brought that Central Texas pedigree to the Bishop Arts District, and Dallas has been lining up for it ever since. The method is gloriously stubborn: post oak smoke, simple rubs, meat sold by the pound on butcher paper, and Kreuz sausage made from the family recipe. Brisket leads with a peppery bark and a tender middle, while the shoulder clod and beef ribs make a strong case for a second trip to the counter. Sauce is available, but the meat rarely needs the backup. One house rule matters more than any other: we serve until we run out of meat. Located at 400 W Davis St in Bishop Arts, open daily from 11 AM (until 9 PM Sunday through Thursday, 10 PM Friday and Saturday). Call (214) 944-5521, or let us plan the visit so your group arrives while the brisket is still on the block.
Available Packages
Strouderosa Catering
Strouderosa's Lake Highlands counter is built for a line, not a banquet, so the smartest way to feed a crowd is to bring...
Pecan Lodge
Every great origin story needs humble beginnings, and Pecan Lodge delivered: Justin and Diane Fourton started smoking me...
Lockhart Smokehouse BBQ
Lockhart Smokehouse carries the true tradition of great 'cue, and the family tree to prove it. Owner Jill Grobowsky Berg...
There are cities that serve barbecue. And then there's Dallas, where barbecue is less a cuisine and more a deeply held belief system with its own rituals, hierarchies, and pilgrimage sites. The pitmasters here don't use gas or shortcuts — they use oak, hickory, mesquite, time, and a level of patience that borders on spiritual discipline. The result is meat that falls apart at the suggestion of a fork and smoke rings that could make a grown Texan weep.
Dallas barbecue ranges from legendary Deep Ellum institutions that started at a farmers market stall to Michelin-recognized joints with hours so limited they feel like speakeasies for brisket. What they share is an unwavering commitment to doing one thing — smoking meat over real wood — and doing it better than almost anywhere on Earth. Bring napkins. You'll need them for the food and possibly for your emotions.
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