Lakewood Smokehouse

Highly disappointed.
Pros:
— Great design and décor
— Good ambiance
Cons:
— The bathroom smells awful — dirty, old mop smell. And more, but I’ll refrain from going there. Can’t imagine what the kitchen is like.
— Food was okay, my fries were cold and over salted
— Friend had a bbq salad — mostly fatty pieces, awkwardly shaped bowl that is not made for a big salad.
— Wait staff could be more attentive — we came at an off time and rarely saw our waiter.
— Lots of dirty and unbussed tables.
This restaurant is in a great location and has a ton of potential.

Just upgrading the review: love this place and it has become my go-​to BBQ place to take non-​Texan BBQ-​craving friends! Great addition to the neighborhood! We got a table right away and started with the fried pickles. My husband enjoyed the pulled pork sandwich, and my dad raved about the club sandwich. My mom really liked her chopped brisket sandwich too. I got the moist brisket, turkey, and we shared some cheddar jalapeño sausage. Solid mac and cheese. Really loved the cheesy corn bake with a little heat from jalapeños! The brisket queso is quite delish. I’m also a big fan of the cheesesteak. I could go on, but you should eat here posthaste!

Mr J has a little box full of pieces of papers that he’s written different restaurants so that we don’t end up spending lots of time debating on where to go eat. Lakewood Smokehouse was a place that Mr J and I both really wanted to try out — especially with all the glowing reviews.
The folks here at Lakewood Smokehouse are nice. The atmosphere is modern yet cozy. The minute you walk in, you can smell the barbecue down to your bare bones. They have a Monday — Friday 2 – 6 PM happy hour that Mr J and I missed because I was at yoga and Mr J was doing something I don’t know about.
We ordered the burnt ends and the KC ends. Both of these came with two sides so we ended up getting the mushrooms, macaroni and cheese, potato salad and corn. We got an order of the bacon wrapped jalapeños and then a beer each since who doesn’t eat barbecue with beer?
The food came out exceptionally quickly. I think all of our orders came out within 10 minutes of ordering. Then we got the burnt ends and KC ends. well, let’s just say Mr J and I were anticipating a bigger portion. What we ordered was plenty of food — had to get a to-​go box that weighed at least 3 lbs. However, when you think of a barbecue joint, usually what comes to mind if a cafeteria style joint that slathers meat on a tray, gives you a loaf of bread and a pint of whatever side you ordered.
Food condensed into a readable list because I don’t feel like writing more than I have to:
1) The bacon wrapped jalapeños were delicious and came on a bed of fries which I didn’t anticipate at all
2) The macaroni and cheese was bland
3) The mushrooms were delicious
4) The corn was tasty but then I added in a heavy dose of hot sauce which made it much more palpable (Mr J and I also just like spicy foods and this reminded me a little bit of elotes)
5) The potato salad was pretty standard — nothing to write home about
6) The burnt ends were tender but I wasn’t blown away
7) The KC ends were also tender and were a decent portion (bigger than the burnt ends) and was a little too chewy
Lakewood Smokehouse isn’t a bad barbecue joint but it isn’t the absolute best. I wouldn’t proactively seek out coming here but I wouldn’t be vehemently coming again out of convenience or for some other matter.
I hear the happy hour is pretty dope though.

This is my second time here and for a sit down BBQ spot this is very good. You can tell they are managed well because the service here is top notch and the hostesses and waiters are overly eager to help you pick and serve. Now for the food the burnt ends are awesome. Brisket nothing to special but good the appetizer wings are good but need to be cooked longer. Turkey was smoked well and sausages come out whole but u can request that it.

Good when you want the bbq taste with a sit down restaurant atmosphere. Free rolls and good selection of beers on tap. Tried the cuban which was loaded with meat. Had creamed corn and mac and cheese as a side, the latter was better. Have only been here once but for sure planning a return visit.

Disappointing.
Had dinner here last night. We started with the cheese fries. The portion was large and tasty but many fries were without topping and the spicy ranch was nowhere to be seen.
My husband ordered the smoky old fashioned at the same time that we placed our dinner order. Around 10 minutes later our server came by to apologize for the wait on the drink (which he still didn’t have) and to say that the bar was very backed up. We’re pretty laid back so, no big deal.
My husband got the Cuban sandwich and corn casserole which he enjoyed. My son ordered the poblano cheddar sausage sandwich which was awkward because the sausage pieces were sliced so large that they were falling out of the sandwich (the sausage was tasty though). I ordered the Carolina pulled pork sandwich which was advertised as «dressed in hot and tangy sauce» but I didn’t notice the sauce at all. It was very dry and bland tasting. The Mac and cheese was tangy and watery, not at all what I was expecting of «6 cheese macaroni and cheese». The man who delivered the food asked if we would like BBQ sauce to which we responded «yes please!» but he never returned. It was probably another 10 minutes before our waiter came by again and we were able to ask him for sauce. He apologized for the wait on the drink again (which he still didn’t have). In the meantime we saw him serve drinks from the bar (including mixed drinks but not a smoky old fashioned) to another nearby table that was seated after us.
After eating not much of our food just because it had been so long waiting for the sauce and pigging out on the cheese fries, the smoky old fashioned was finally delivered sans the supposed cherry and orange peel garnish. At this point we really didn’t even want it anymore, we were finished eating. We asked for to-​go boxes at the same time the waiter delivered it. He apologized again for the wait.
I would not eat here again. The food and service were sub par. Small details made a big difference. I don’t know why a BBQ joint wouldn’t just leave the bottles of sauce out on the table. I can’t understand how the drink took so long to come out and was surprised that they didn’t offer to comp the drink or have the manager come by our table. We left half the drink because we were ready to go. Not worth $ 58 for a family of 3.

This place gets 5 stars because there is not one single thing I can think of that needs improving. We had a dining experience here that was near perfection.
Service/​Friendliness
Cleanliness
Food
Handcrafted cocktails
EVERYTHING was 5 star quality.
Man, this place is fantastic. We ordered brisket, pulled pork and turkey. Smoke rings are beautiful, meat is moist & tender and is rubbed to perfection. The sauce is sweet and spicy, the fried okra came out hot and crispy with a yummy black pepper batter, and the bbq beans were great too!
Order the Smokehouse Bloody Mary. If I could start my day with one of these everyday, I would.
— Go during happy hour to get half price apps & drink specials.
— Ask Sean to make you an Irish Mule. Heavenly.

As soon as I parked, the first thing I noticed was the giant smoke stack blasting smoke out of the back of the building, and I knew I had made a good choice. When I walked in the door I was met with an aroma that was beyond heavenly, and the staff at the front all seemed like they were having a good time (which I love to see!). It was decently busy, but still felt very laid back. I sat at the cocktail tables by the surprisingly large bar. They had my favorite beer on tap along with many others, plus a great assortment of liquors (but it was only 1 PM.). I was already sold on this place and I hadn’t even looked at the menu!
The menu prices were about what I expected, and there was a really good selection of sides to choose from. I ended up getting the classic brisket sandwich with a side of fried okra. My waiter, Sean, was very helpful and patient with my indecisiveness, and the food came out in a very timely manner. Having the choice of lean or moist meat and two different cuts was nice, and the food was AMAZING and at a slightly lower price than my go-​to burger joint.
The meat was perfectly cooked, and the okra is exactly what you want from fried okra. The meal was the perfect portion and I completely cleaned my plate, which I rarely ever do, and I will definitely be returning and spreading the word about this place. Can’t wait to try the rest of the menu! Ribs are next.

Visited unexpectedly early dinner. Nice atmosphere and superb local craft beer selection.
Service was attentive and the manager even visited to sincerely check on my experience.
Being me, I couldn’t just order but had to over-​order. My meal included:
— Beef Rib: oh boy, flashbacks to Jack Stacks (KC) which lived up to all prior experiences. Massive, moist with nice bark which was salty and intense smoke
— KC Burnt Ends: interesting play on what I am used too. Big square pieces double cooked. Not bad but i prefer the more rustic approach with all sides burnt
— Fatty chopped Brisket: there is a lean options, but why go there first visit. This was wonderful, tons of black crispy bits, very rich and moist.
— Pork Ribs: not your traditional texas flavored ribs, lots of sweet, tasted apple flavors, good flavor, but not at tender as I would have liked.
In conclusion, Beef Rib and Brisket were the ****‘s and I will return. If you do not like heavy smoke, stay away, if you like heavy smoke, you will be raptured.

Stopped by 2÷6÷16 around 5pm (just before the rush). Ordered the 2 meat Plate with Sausage and Brisket added ½ lb of ribs for 6bucks the side dishes were Mac and cheese and BBQ Beans. The smoke house Pizza. And a couple of beers on tap.
First I love the location and what they’ve done to the interior (it’s nice and open).
I loved my Smoke House Pizza It was loaded with cheese jalapeño peppers Brisket and other goodies. I also liked the Brisket that came with the 2 meat plate we went with the lean brisket and it still wasn’t dry at all. My mate was lukewarm about the sausage said it was «ok» but nothing to rave about. Probably wasn’t spicy enough for him. We both liked the Ribs. They had a nice rub and the sauce was alittle sweet but not too sweet yet could have had a touch more heat. Speaking of heat, the only true miss steps were the side dishes. The Mac and Cheese? We just didn’t care for it. I think they should look at using a different mix of cheeses maybe a higher quality and just up the price a little to make up for using better cheeses. The BBQ Beans were served at Refrigerator temperature. So that was a NO on the BBQ beans.
Overall this place seems great for Weekday after work have a drink and take advantage of the Weekday specials. But the Meat just isn’t smoky enough for me. I need to stink of a BBQ pit after leaving this kind of place and it just doesn’t smell much like BBQ inside to me that translated to meat that was BBQ for sure but was missing that outdoor flavor, if you know what I mean.

Went on Friday night. Great experience and bold flavors were not lacking. I like seasonings and pepper and they had plenty to bring out the meat flavor. Everything had the right amount of smoke– not too much or too little.
Better sides than pecan lodge if your looking for a benchmark. Actually this place has amazing sides. Kale salad even has some great flavor.
Best wings I’ve had in Dallas– get the Lakewood smokehouse flavor wings. They fry them then grill them in a special sauce…
Burnt ends were on point. Pork Ribs and sliced turkey were also on point.
Minor complaint– the beef rib is way too expensive. So we didn’t get it. But wanted to.
Bloody Mary has got some kick and was quite delish.

Well compared to lockhearts this place is just ok. As a stand alone they are pretty good.
I had two meat plate with two sides. This was way too much food. Stick with a 1 meat plate. I had the brisket and a sausage. Skip the sausage it was just ok no better than say dickies.
My friends has pulled pork, brisket. Together we also had the following sides. Corn casserole, bbq beans, mac and cheese, fried okra, mushrooms.
The only thing I did not like was the beans. They were more lile Charo stile than sweet baked beans.
The okra was a little greasy. The corn was the best side dish.
They have two types of brisket either lean or moist. Moist being fatty.
Overall I would go there again

Delicious! The BF and I went here for dinner last night. This place is hopping. Lots of families and lots of couples.
I’m no BBQ expert, but I really loved the flavors of the brisket and ribs. I ordered the one meat plate and added the ribs for an extra $ 6. The BF got the Kansas City flavored burnt ends. I had a small bite of his and thought the meat was too dry. First time having burnt ends, though so what do I know. My brisket and ribs were juicy and I didn’t really need a knife to cut the meat. Their BBQ sauce tastes vinegary and mustardy and I loved it and added that to my meats.
For sides we got the mac n cheese, cilantro cole slaw, some corn dish and mushrooms. All but the mac n cheese were a hit with both of us. The corn medley thingy was by far the best.
I think it’s nice to have a BBQ place with waiter service. I will definitely be back!

I like this place.
Great food. The nachos were seriously a meal I won’t forget anytime soon.
The beer isn’t cheap but they do have a very nice selection of local brews.
The staff seem pretty happy which always makes for a nice dining experience.
Go for the pulled pork nachos, if nothing else!

A couple of weeks ago I read a review of Lakewood smokehouse from the Dallas Observer. I was impressed with the pics I saw and what they had to say, so I decided that I would give this place a shot the next opportunity I had to go out to eat. So when my wife asked me if I minded if she went out to have dinner with her girlfriends this last Friday, I quickly obliged and made my plans to go have some bbq with my partner in BBQ, my 14 year old daughter. If you have read any of the BBQ Advocates thread, you have probably noticed that I’m pretty passionate about both cooking and eating bbq. I’ve passed that love on to my daughter who is quite the critic. We have done a few bbq crawls together, so having the opportunity to have a night out, just the two of us enjoying some bbq, sounded like the perfect Friday night to me.
Lakewood smokehouse is in East Dallas, not too far from uptown and is partly owned by Jason Hall, the owner of Frisco’s 3 Stacks smokehouse. Once I read that, I knew this would be more of a typical restaurant, than a good ol bbq joint.
Lakewood is open late on weekends, so I let traffic die down a bit on Friday night before we started the long drive. We arrived about 7:15 and much to my surprise, the parking lot was full and there was a wait to get a table. We put our name on the list and were told it would be a 30 minute wait. There was not much seating for those waiting, so I ended up standing the whole time. There is a pretty decent sized bar there, and that appeared to be where most went to kill time while waiting on a table.
Upon being seated it took a few minutes before our waitress stopped by to take our drink order. She stumbled her way through the conversation. She was a nice young lady, but it was apparent that conversation did not come easy to her. After drinks were dropped off, it took at least 5 minutes before we saw her again. For a pretty small restaurant, I would have expected a bit faster service, but they are new and still trying to get things figured out.
I am a huge fan of beef ribs. So, as soon as I saw they had a beef rib plate for $ 19 with two sides, I knew just what I was going to order. My daughter is all about moist brisket, so I suggested she get a two meat plate so that we could try the poblano cheddar sausage that is made for them by Rudolphs meat market in Deep Ellum.
Within 5 minutes of placing our order, our meals arrived which made me very happy, as I had been watching everyone else eat bbq for nearly 45 minutes.
I was a professional photographer before we moved to Frisco, so I am all about the visual appeal of food, especially bbq. I’ve eaten enough good and bad bbq that I can pretty much know if I’m going to enjoy my meal, just by looking at it. So when our meals arrived, I was immediately let down. My big beef rib was small and there was a chunk of unrendered fat in it that took away a third of the rib once I cut it out. It was basically the same amount of rib that you would get from a beef short rib. I knew right away that it also hadn’t been cooked long enough to allow all of the fat and connective tissue to break down which results in a rib that is soft as room temperature butter. I had to cut my bites from the rib as if it were a steak. As for the sides, I ordered a baked potato and cheesy corn. I loved the corn, but the potato was just meh. A typical steamed potato with little flavor.
Now on to my daughters plate. I was immediately disappointed in the moist brisket. It didn’t look appealing at all, similar to what I would expect from a place like Dickeys bbq. It was painfully obvious that there had been little to no trimming of the fat on the brisket before or after smoking. To my surprise, the brisket came away from the fat really easy, letting me know it was a well cooked brisket. It was super tender letting me know the pitmaster had some skill. Unfortunately though, the taste was unremarkable. It had little seasoning on it and just a hint of smoke. As for sides, she got fries and fried okra. The fries were typical fries, but the okra was really good, and I’m not really even a fan of okra. The star of the show by far was the poblano cheddar sausage. It was really appealing to the eye and had great flavor. We wished we had just ordered several of these.
Our waitress stopped by a few more times but never asked what we thought of our meal. I was hoping to speak to the manager about our meal, just not enough to seek him out.
After paying the bill of $ 40, I could not help but wish that we had kept our money in Frisco and saved the gas by going to Hutchins where we are always happy. I had to give it a shot though. You never know if you don’t try, so it is what it is. I got to spend a night with my daughter eating bbq, so it was still a win for me.

Service was really quite bad. Albert was inattentive, confused and forgetful. We had to ask three times for a side item that didn’t come out with the meals.
I got the Burnt Ends and they were disappointing. They were dry and tough and the flavor that usually make burnt ends so good just wasn’t there. I also got the fried okra and the mushrooms. Mushrooms were nothing to write home about, the okra was flour-​battered rather than cornmeal… perhaps some people’s taste, but not mine.
My son raved about his regular brisket, although he didn’t care for the bbq beans. I tried one of the ribs and it had a very tasty smoked flavor and wasn’t too fatty like is so often the case. The french fries were natural style and quite good. The smoked sausage pizza was strange and confusing.
We didn’t try them, but we saw the brisket tacos being delivered to another table and they looked pretty awesome. I’m also intrigued by the bloody mary that is served with a rib. But not curious enough to go back to Lakewood Smokehouse any time soon.

We came on their 2^nd day of opening on a friday night around 7:30 and the wait was about 30 minutes with a full house. Word travels fast!
The cocktails were excellent. I had a bloody mary with the right amount of spiciness and a tender rib as the garnish. My friends enjoyed their drinks as well. The smokey old fashioned was fun to watch being poured.
Burnt ends: Initially, it was delicious! It was smokey, moist, and tender, but then I started to bite into pieces that were dry and a bit salty. :(
KC Style ends: Somewhat flavorful, because of the sauce, but it was dry and chewy. Did nottttt like it.
Brisket loaded queso: Now thissss was good! Nice and smokey chopped brisket with delicious cheese. Makes me wonder if I should have just ordered the brisket instead of the KC style ends/​burnt ends.
Baked Potatoe: It came loaded and was pretty good
Cabernet Mushrooms: My friend ordered this and I tried a piece and wished I had ordered it, haha. Get it!
Mac and Cheese: The cheese sauce was nice and thick, and it tasted pretty good
Overall, some things were great! and others… not so much. The KC style ends were a letdown and the burnt ends were partially delicious. Since I’m a little conflicted, I’d say 3.5 stars, because it has only been two days and there’s a potential for improvement. *Arnold voice* I’ll be back!
***Update***
I tried the brisket plate for and jalapeño fire crackers for lunch. The brisket was a bit on the dry side. :(The mushrooms were still good though and the bbq beans were okay. The jalapeño fire crackers were delicious though! I’m noticing a trend here… the brisket in any appetizer is good, but the brisket by itself isn’t so great. Strange!

We came on a busy Saturday night, but the wait time was not bad at all. Our waiter, Jerome, was awesome! I ordered the burnt ends, which lived up to the hype with a healthy dose of smoke flavor. Also, the fried okra was delicious.
$ 5 kids meals were a great deal and even came with ice cream sundaes.
Our family left very happy and will be back for sure.

I’m so excited it’s open. We have been driving by giving this place the eye for weeks! And it’s good. Lakewood now has a solid good BBQ place that tastes as good as it smells.
This is a restaurant. It’s not a joint. You go in and a hostess seats you and hands you menus. You do not get to go to the fixin bar to get your pickles and onions, but you DO get brisket queso. The brisket queso is a MUST HAVE. Chunks of smokey meat belong in a hearty spicy cheese bowl. It was my favorite thing.
Also, they have a crazy menu – brisket pizza? Brisket cheese steak? Who are these people?! I played it safe and got burnt ends. They have traditional and Memphis style. I’m a traditional Texas gal so guess which one I got. Yup, and the smokey burnt part melted in my mouth and made everything right with the world.
I also got to sample the poblano cheddar sausage. It had a little bite to it. I liked it as well. For sides I had the corn cheese casserole and the ranch potato salad which were okay. The sides and lack of fixin’s are my only down sides, pun unintentional. They were good, but I base restaurant choice on sides pretty often.
Service was amazing and I look forward to going there again, like maybe tomorrow.

Look what I found! A brand new BBQ joint in Lakewood. The good news is the BBQ is on point and they have a large variety. We started off with the Fried Dill Pickles and the Jalapeño Fire Crackers… aka Bacon wrapped jalapenos stuffed with Brisket… ya I said it… Brisket! Soooo tasty. From there I ordered the Giant Beef Rib. It was… well Giant! This massive rib was marbled (I like this for taste and to keep it juicy) and in a decadent manner melted in my mouth. My counterpart had the Mahi Tacos, but I didn’t ask how they were since I was in freakin BBQ nirvana!
Enjoy!