#9 - CATTLEACK (ack-ack-ack-ack-ack) BBQ is Movin' Up

Cattleack BBQ was the 9th stop in my quest to visit all 50 of Texas Monthly's best BBQ joints.  I'm no stranger to Cattleack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack BBQ.  I've been to the restaurant twice since 2016, had the food as take-out and sampled it at Smoked Dallas. I was never disappointed, but I wasn't overly impressed either. After four visits, I took Cattleack for granted...been there, done that, movin' on, movin' out, ya know? 

Anthony, a college friend of mine, was the first to recommend Cattleack to me. The service was friendly and the food was fine, but what I remembered most was the location -- a nondescript office park -- and the free Lone Star beer they were handing out to customers. That's just the way they are at Cattleack.

One of the rules of my quest is to make a legitimate visit to every BBQ joint on the list to collect my stamp for the Texas Monthly BBQ Passport.  It doesn't matter how many times I've been there, no cheating, no purchases from the take-out counter.  Well, as they say, don't be afraid to try again. Smart move, because things have changed a lot at Cattleack since my last visit. Texas Monthly named them the 3rd best BBQ joint in the state, they've expanded their space and their indoor seating.  Outside, it's still an office park.  Inside, it looks like a scene from a Texas BBQ restaurant.

If you want to go to Cattleack, you need to plan.  They have very limited business hours -- 10:30 am to 2:00 pm on Thursdays and Fridays. They're also open the 1st Saturday of every month from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm. That's it. This results in long lines, but it also means the Cattleack team is focused on making every meal meaningful.  There's no mass production going on here, just outstanding BBQ.

On the Thursday of my visit, I arrived at 10:45 am to find 30 people standing in line outside the restaurant.  It was 45 degrees in the shade, and all of us wimpy Texans were complaining about the temperature.  As usually happens in long BBQ lines, we passed the time swapping stories about the different places we had been. After 15 minutes, we made it to the door to find...another line of about 40 people cued up for 'cue.  Impressive considering that the restaurant had only opened at 10:30 am!

When I finally reached the counter, I ordered the usual with sides of Hatch Chili Mac & Cheese and Loaded Baked Beans. By the way, Cattleack has no Vienna sausages or tongue on the menu.  Sooner or later I'll find them...it comes down to fate...I might as well be the one. Only the good try tongue!

The brisket was phenomenal, the jalapeno sausage tasty and flavorful.  But the loaded baked beans are a meal in themselves. They're packed with slivers of brisket, and they are my favorite side next to the Habanero Mac 'n Cheese at Lockhart's.  When a BBQ restaurant has this on the menu, that's always an omen to me. Cattleack gets it right the first time and it is sooo good.

Everybody has a dream, and it's good to see Cattleack BBQ achieving theirs. They've earned their accolades and deserve to be movin' up on Texas Monthly's list of the best BBQ joints in Texas.  Don't go changing, Cattleack!  [Note: Food Insider says we Texans call Cattleack the best BBQ spot in Dallas, so who am I to judge?]