Date Night: Texas Jack’s Barbecue in Arlington

A little over a year ago, Alix and I read the upsetting news that Tallula and Eat Bar would be shutting their doors. The closure marked the end for one of our favorite happy hour destinations. When one door closes another door opens, and we were pleased to see Texas Jack’s Barbecue wasted no time in opening the door again.

For starters, Texas Jack’s completely opened up the main dining area, shedding light (literally!) on what was previously a more secluded room. The interior is rustic, yet bright, and includes classic western decor such as the cow-hide bar stools.

If you’re eating or attending a barbecue you can always be confident in the amount of food. This dining experience is no different. Texas Jack’s Barbecue might very well be playing off the belief that everything is bigger in Texas with the size of some trays. As for the recipes, you’ll find a lot of classic ingredients that are tried and true, and a few twists to familiar.

Our visit was exactly what you’d expect – filling. We tried the St. Louis-Style Spare Ribs, Allen Bros. Beef Brisket, Allen Bros. Beef Short Rib, Freebird Chicken, and Nature’s Choice Duroc Pulled Pork Shoulder as entrées. Our favorites were the pulled pork shoulder and the spare ribs after being slightly intimidated from the large meat-filled tray we were presented.

This may sound like an abomination, but some of the sides may have been better than the meats. The Kale Caesar Salad, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Rissotto with Porky Pinto Beans, and Esquites (a pan fried corn) were all table favorites. Don’t make the mistake of limiting the sides you order because you want to save room for something else.

Barbecue is synonymous with beer at a cookout and good bourbon in restaurants, Texas Jack’s can give you both. We both opted for the cocktails Jack’s Mule (made with Buffalo Trace) and the Smoked Whiskey Sour (made with Bulleit Bourbon).  Al also tried the Josephine, which she compared to a fresh sangria.

Again, bring some friends when you decide to stop in. After all, it might be the only way you can handle trying all the sides. The cozy rustic interior of the restaurant is more than appealing,  and I can see our next visit being spent at stools by the bar with our food and cocktails.

Cheers!