Hard Eight BBQ

Brisket (Great) Onion Rings (Homemade and great) Fries (Good) Beans (Free and Good) excellent Spicy Sauce Potato Salad (Ok — not a sweet pickle fan), Jalapeño pepper sausage (Good) bacon wrapped chicken jalapeño popper (Great — dipped it in Lemon Butter) bacon Wrapped Shrimp (Great — should have had him dip it in the butter too!)

DISAPPOINTED!
So much hype for this place! Yes, we did come during lunch on a weekday but STILL! Right when we walked into the restaurant we could the meats from the two huge pits they had. We ordered brisket, pork ribs, and a baked potato.
The brisket: the driest brisket that I ever had in my life! Drenched it in BBQ sauce and it was on par with the brisket from your local Dickey’s! The pork ribs were a bit better but still on the dry end. Our baked potato was $ 7 and came with absolutely no toppings…
Not too sure what the hype is… but definitely not worth it. Luckily, there wasn’t a wait so we didn’t wait long for our food. Might have to give it another shot but giving this place a two thumbs down for now…

Very popular BBQ joint, it was ridiculously packed the night I went. Literally NO parking in the lot and hungry frustrated drivers circling the lot hoping to score a parking space. I thought to myself, «This must be good eartin’ to draw this type of mob» Yep, I used the M word, as in mob of starving folks ready to chow down.
I attended a private party, we had a business meeting. I really enjoyed the brisket and pulled pork, very good.

This is the place that I always take out-​of-​town friends that want to experience «Texas» bbq. The open grill always elicits excitement here and drooling, LOL. The food is good in the place is unique and fun but by the time you get to the cash register things definitely add up.
All that being said, this is my favorite barbecue in the area.

Love this spot anytime I am in town.
Ordered the pork ribs and brisket both of which were really tasty. I would have to give the ribs the edge as they were excellent even without any sauce.
Complimentary beans is a nice touch and they are just spicy enough with slices of jalapeño and sausage thrown in for even more flavor.
Sides are a bit lackluster hence the four stars and not five. Not bad but not great either.

I was Dallas for work but had decided I would not miss a visit to this BBQ Mecca. I had heard fantastic reviews from my fellow Unilocalers, friends, and colleagues. The location is in a very interesting location and for a moment I thought I may be driving the wrong direction as it is located within a large industrial area and seems to be the only restaurant in a couple mile radius.
Once I arrived I have to say it was a bit confusing on where I should go upon entry. I walked in and looked around but no one offered direction. You have to walk to the very rear of the building and outside to a covered area where the actual grill is located. The grill master then opens the lid and shows you the goods and let’s you pick whatever you want. This being my first time I ordered everything, which was way to much food. The breakdown as follows:
Pulled Pork: this is offered with free white bread and that’s a nice bonus. The flavor was nice enough but missed the mark for me, I felt it could have benefited from additional spice or cooking time. Score ²⁄₅
Brisket: this was a true standout. The meat was tender and melted in your fingers, it was truly perfection. The flavor was intense and lasting, the outer crust was incredible. ⁵⁄₅
Ribs: the ribs were tender and tasty but did not offer anything unique, but still great overall. ⁴⁄₅
Spicy Sausage: despite how good the brisket was, the sausage was actually the winner for me. I was impressed at the power of the flavor in each bite and once again the tenderness of the meat was a common theme. It had a beautiful spice and a lingering juicy finish. This is a must try. ⁵⁄₅
The jalapeño sweet cream corn is the highlight of the sides and also a must try.
Overall this place is worth a visit and hits the mark. The only disclaimer is it can get pricey as you pay by how much the meat weighs so be smart about how you order.

OMG
SO MEATY
I had the brisket and the sausage and the pork shoulder and the corn and the beans and and and the spicy cider bbq sauce and the toast and then I died and went to bbq heaven

I love this BBQ joint! I’m just a little upset that I lived in the area for 5 months before discovering it. Just follow the large cloud of smoke, and the loud music in the parking lot and head on it & get in line. As you wait, you get a peek of all the meaty deliciousness on the grill, be careful not too order too much– it’s easy to go a little overboard when placing your order.
Lots of bench type seating to sit & enjoy the grub. This place really captures the Texas feel. It’s casual, yet good quality food. My favorites consist of the brisket, jalapeño sausage (yes it’s quite spicy), and chicken poppers. Also on the menu, is rib eye cooked to order which looks simply amazing, and prime rib every weekend. Make sure not to forget the beans which are in a big pot in the back, and they are good!

I came to Hard Eight on my first trip to Texas. Local friends decided that Hard Eight was the place to go to experience real Texas BBQ. I couldn’t be more impressed with the quality of the meat and the service of the staff. This was perhaps the best meal I have ever consumed. I went into a massive food coma post dinner and was basically rolled into the rental car.
Wins: Sausage, chicken poppers, brisket, Mac and cheese, corn
Soooooo amazing!!!

Hard Eight is still solid BBQ, but I feel like I’ve been to other better BBQ spots during my trips to Dallas. I came with a big group of coworkers, and Hard Eight is great for large groups since they have a ton of seating. However, since it was around 7pm, we had to sit in the covered patio area with just the fan going during a hot August, and we were all seating while eating. This time around I tried:
–Fatty Brisket ($ 15.50/lb), Shrimp Poppers ($ 25/​lb), Famous Fries ($ 2.75), Oreo Mudpie ($ 3.25), Jalapeño Sweet Corn ($ 2.50) [
: The fatty brisket was good, but the shrimp poppers were overfried. The fries were good but not amazing, and the Oreo mudpie was really sweet (the banana pudding is much better and recommended over the Oreo).
–Pork Ribs ($ 15.50/lb) & Sirloin ($ 15.50/lb) [
: The pork ribs weren’t as tender as I expected, and the sirloin was flavorful but not amazing. I wouldn’t order either again.
The fatty brisket was really the only part of the meal that I enjoyed this time around, but everyone else really liked it. You can definitely get bang for your buck here (and a ton of meat), but there are a lot of other places with better BBQ in Dallas, in my opinion. Parking wasn’t an issue since their lot is pretty big, but it can get packed.

Brisket is the king of Texas BBQ. If you can’t do brisket just close. Or move to Oklahoma.
The brisket at H-​8 was perfectly prepared: melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender, bursting with just enough smoke and crisp (but not too crisp) burnt ends.
As a bonus, the ribs were also really good. It’s the first time I’ve found legitimately tender ribs in Texas.
Hard Eight is some of the best BBQ I’ve had, and it completes my holy trinity of DFW BBQ joints. Definitely check this one out.

The banana pudding is bomb! Everyone raved about the brisket, but I liked the bacon wrapped poppers and the sausages better. The brisket was good, but a bit dry and inconsistent — and as one of my favorite authors, Darren Hardy, says… Be consistently consistent, constantly.
This place is pretty legit. Nice ambiance, with all the smoke everywhere. The blueberry cobbler sounded amazing in theory, but was super dry. Maybe I just picked a crappy one out of the fridge.
The sweet bbq sauce was realllll good. The free beans were good too, and I don’t even LIKE beans. They were like a meaty stew!

So you get in line and pick from meat, meat, and more meat. A very cool and gritty vibe here, and the BBQ is fantastic. Not of the caliber I have had down near Austin, but extremely good!!!
Had brisket, and asked for burnt ends, as I always do, and it was fantastic. Also had some sausage, which I wasn’t a huge fan of.
The sides are all delicious, and the whole feel of this pace was excellent.
Will definately come back next time I am in Dallas.

I didn’t eat in at this restaurant, we had a catered in for lunch and all I can say was it is pretty darn good!
Taste is refreshingly different than the usual Dickeys or Sonny Bryan.
I will definitely check this place out again and eat in.

Having in laws from Dallas, this is a absolute must visit place everytime I go back (I’m from NYC so you can imagine my excitement at Texas BBQ). Several years ago on my first trip to the area, I recall asking my soon to be mother in law (a strict vegetarian mind you!) What the best local BBQ spot was considered (figured she heard a few things here and there). Without hesitation she exclaimed «Hard Eight.» I paid it a visit and it was love at first bite.
My most recent trip, I placed an order for a Thanksgiving Turkey to be picked up the day before Thanksgiving Day. They serve smokes turkeys that feed 10 – 12 people for $ 44.99. It was absolutely amazing and one of best turkeys I’ve had. Ever. Period. 2 days later I returned for my regular meal. My «go to» items usually include Brisket (a must), ribs, and jalapeño sausage. I always make sure to grab a few shrimp and chicken poppers (wrapped in jalapeño and bacon) as well as jalapeño cream corn as a side. I typically buy more than I should and it turns out to be a gluttonous meal, but given the rarity that I’m able to make it here, I take advantage.
The food is phenomenal and even as I’m sitting get writing this (back in NY) I’m salivating. The ribs melt off of the bones, the brisket is nice and tender with sooooo much flavor from the smoking process
If you’re in Dallas and you’re wondering where to go, make sure you head to Hard Eight. It’s a short trip to Coppell from my main city and absolutely worth it!

I would call this place the only legit, hardcore, central TX bbq in the Dallas area (at least that I’ve heard of). By that, I mean it’s the only one that has a giant outdoor area with a huge bbq pit with billows of smoke coming out of it. You line up and order at the front. We came as a party of 5 + kids, and ordered a couple of brisket baked potatoes and sausage baked potatoes, and then brisket and a ribeye steak to share. The food was good. The brisket on top of the baked potato was really good, better than the brisket alone in my opinion. The baked potatoes are good deals at only $ 7.50! The ribeye was pretty good considering the price, but sadly very overcooked. If anything, trying this place out was definitely worth the experience!

This year alone with all my traveling to Atlanta and Texas, I’ve been to approximately 8 great BBQ spots but Hard Eight BBQ is certainly at the top of the list!
The experience starts as you pull into the packed parking lot and struggle to find an open spot while trying hard not to let the delicious bbq smells distract you from your current task. Once you’ve succeeded in parking, the next hurdle is the long line that extends out of the restaurant. Don’t be dissuaded though, it’s a rather quick-​moving line. As the line inches closer to the open bbq pits, excitement rises as you think of all the different items you can order! There’s quite a lot of selection on the menu. I opted for brisket, ribs, sausage, and a corn on the cob. There are two lines, if you go left you can view how the meat is cooked. we were hungry so we stayed on the right side and went straight to the cooked meat.
For first-​timers, ordering can be a bit confusing since everything is sold by the 1lb. Just pick out a few things you want to try and tell them it’s your first visit and they will cut off an adequate portion. If it’s not enough, just ask for a few more slices. like I did for the brisket since it looked mouthwatering good and I convinced myself I would go on a diet after my trip: P
The meat is weighed and a sticker is placed on your tray. Make your way through the door and load up on sides. There were sweet potato fries as well as pre-​packaged sides, fruits, and dessert items. After you’ve had a chance to exercise self-​control or lost to it, you finally end up at the counter to meet face-​to-​face with the final damage. Alcoholic drinks are served at the bar, baked beans are complimentary and are located at the far end past the fountain drinks.
I love this spot because of the experience (picking your dinner from the bbq pit!) and overall ambiance. Great food, casual hangout spot, lots of seating both indoors and in the outdoor patio area. We stumbled out of there a bit too stuffed but all agreed this was the best bbq!

/TL;DR You know what makes damn fine BBQ? Stacks of wood and four piano sized smokers that makes you walk out smelling like you sat near a campfire.
/​ATMOSPHERE The place packs in quickly so get there early. There’s plenty of seating once you’re in. I went during autumn so outdoor seating was great!
/​FOOD I had a quarter rack of ribs and some spicy sausage. They were both good but a little dried out. I wasn’t terribly impressed with the coleslaw, but the jalapeño cream corn made up for that!
/​SERVICE When you walk in, pick your meat. It’ll get weighed and priced. After that, you just move along like any ol’ cafeteria and pay up at the end and get seated.
HOW TO READ MY REVIEWS:
1 Star — Does not approach edible. Enter at your own risk.
2 Stars — If I’m in the area, I’d pick something else.
3 Stars — I would stop by if I happen to be in the area.
4 Stars — I would pick this place out of other places nearby.
5 Stars — I would go out of my way to dine here.

I’m from Michigan and the BBQ up north is nothing like this! Going a step further the way it’s served is ABSOLUTELY unlike anything up north. The fact you can pick your meat (by the pound) and they slap it on a tray from the grill is unique for this Yankee. I went with the brisket, sausage and popper (I think that’s what it was called). Incredibly tasty, not dry. The two BBQ sauces were perfect for the meat.
The real disappointment was the sides. I went with the Coke slaw and Mac and cheese. The Coke slaw really did t have any flavor and the Mac and cheese was just ok. But this is a meat place and this is America and they killed it on where it mattered. Next time I’m in the area for work I’ll be stopping here for sure. We got there around 530. When we left at 6:45 the line was at least 50 people deep outside. You know it’s good when you see that!

Ride ‘em Cowboy
Alrighty folks. I’ma fixin’ tuh teach y’all how to eat like a true Texan. I reckon it’s about time y’all learned how to talk like real Texans too. That way people will know you’re from around these parts. Plus, the chicks dig it. Now make no mistake y’all. This ain’t no place for you Yankees up north, this is a down and dirty barn yard supper club!
Ain’t my first rodeo
Straight up true to the lone star state style, these multiple BBQ pits are always smokin’ the tastiest BBQ in these parts. Sure’nuff you’ll be able to get your hands on everything you’ve came fixin’tuh eat from brisket, pork ribs, sirloin, sausages, turkey, pork chops, prime rib, and even your juiciest rib eyes! Served right out of the pit as you order, like a buffet for the best bbq in town!
I reckon if you’re tryin’ to eat here for lunch, you won’t be headin back out to herd cattle, you’ll be tuckered out right quick until supper time, that’s for darn sure.
So eat up!