I just moved to the Dallas area after being up in Washington the last 8 years. I thankfully had some pretty great BBQ thanks to an Aggie who is building a bbq empire up there and has the approval of Daniel Vaughn (Jacks Bbq). I figure my bbq tastes are not up there with most but have enjoyed Pecan Lodge and fell in love with Cattleack last week.

Went today to Hard 8 in coppell to get some turkey, brisket, and ribs. The turkey was dry, the brisket had a weird almost gas like taste on it, and frankly I couldn't finish the ribs. It was more grease than flavor

I brought this up in my staff meeting and my team jumped all over me not believing me when I said it was kinda bad. Blamed it on being out of Texas so long.

Am I in the wrong here? Did I just hit a bad day with three different meats just being bad or not to my particular tastes?

Only been to Hard 8 once. Not impressed

Should try Hard 5.5. It's not the size of the brisket, it's the motion of the smoker

I liked the Coppell location much more than the Colony location but I haven't been to either in 4-5 years.

I like it for a chain. Better than Rudy's and other chains. However, I have noticed it depends on the day. Sometimes I'm like woah how do some people not like this and other times I'm just like meh. Normally I just go and get the lunch special sliced brisket sandwich and I put it on jalapeo bread (love that they have this) and load on the jalapeos and onions and it's good.

I've tried both locations once, was never impressed. Both times the place was packed on weekday lunches. I don't get it. I mean it wasn't awful.

I prefer Dickey's over Hard 8.
The sides are much better.

Hard 8 is very overrated because of the atmosphere.

chris1515 said:

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I prefer Dickey's over Hard 8.
The sides are much better.

Hard 8 is very overrated because of the atmosphere.

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I will give them that, the atmosphere was pretty incredible.

And yeah I like Dickeys and Rudy's for what they are. It isn't mindblowing but I don't feel gross eating there.

chris1515 said:

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I prefer Dickey's over Hard 8.
The sides are much better.

Hard 8 is very overrated because of the atmosphere.

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Wow that's bad. You must've had an awful experience. Y'all are crazy. Dickeys is straight awful

I've been to Hard 8 in Coppell once, was not great. Thus why I stick to Hutchins and Tender.

Hutchins in Mckinney is amazing and the sirloin at Hard Eight in the colony is delicious

Some of the best bbq I've had (if I don't make it myself) is Winners BBQ in Plano

mAgnoliAg said:

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chris1515 said:

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I prefer Dickey's over Hard 8.
The sides are much better.

Hard 8 is very overrated because of the atmosphere.

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Wow that's bad. You must've had an awful experience. Y'all are crazy. Dickeys is straight awful

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Dickey's is not "awful". That's BBQ snob talk. It's fine for what it is - quick, cheap. adequate BBQ.

Dickeys is just sysco stuff put in a gas powered smoker. They aren't aspiring to much

Has Hutchins reopened? It caught fire a few weeks ago.

The McKinney location is still closed. Frisco is open though.

Thank you. Yea I knew it was Mckinney, I should have been specific.

I'm much closer to the Frisco one anyway!

Hard 8 (at least the Coppell location) is the Joe T Garcias of BBQ. Cool atmosphere, good place to take out of towners for an "experience", average at best food.

Order ribeye at H-8.

Significantly better than what you'll get at any other non-prime steakhouse.

chris1515 said:

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I prefer Dickey's over Hard 8.
The sides are much better.

Hard 8 is very overrated because of the atmosphere.

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Oooof. That's not saying much then.

Frankly, we don't have very good BBQ in DFW for some reason. It all tastes the same to me aside from the one time I've had Pecan Lodge and that was a catered event. It's about the only thing I've had around here that stood out above the pack.

Garrelli 5000 said:

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Order ribeye at H-8.

Significantly better than what you'll get at any other non-prime steakhouse.

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I will give them a second chance for that. Texas Monthly praised that

I've always liked the hard 8 in Roanoke. Maybe just been lucky.

Not the best brisket or ribs. Steaks and porkchop are very good.

My opinion: Texas bbq should be judged on the brisket and sausage. Sides are nice to have but not essential. Chicken and turkey are for the ladies.

Heim in Fort Worth is good, but the hipsters ruin the atmosphere. 407 in Argyle is legit. Hard 8 in Roanoke is good. Rudy's is decent, consistent bbq. Anyone who likes Dickey's has questionable taste.

I do love 407 BBQ

YouBet said:

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Frankly, we don't have very good BBQ in DFW for some reason. It all tastes the same to me aside from the one time I've had Pecan Lodge and that was a catered event. It's about the only thing I've had around here that stood out above the pack.

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Interesting. Same experience for me. Their catering was far better than their in-restaurant food, strangely. I chalked it up to COVID messing up their mojo.

I saw this post as I was leaving for lunch today. I was headed out of town through Stephenville going right past the Hard Eight there so I stopped.
It was pretty good. Pit guy pulled a new brisket out for my sandwich (on jalapeno bread) and I got a quarter link of sausage.
My first time at any Hard Eight. I'd go back, maybe try the one in Burleson where I live.

Hutchins is our favorite. Hard 8 was okay. We didn't have a steak but they did look good.

Been to the hard 8 in Roanoke several times and Always found it pretty good. I really want to try Derek Allan's in FW and (to a lesser extent) pecan lodge.

Group up in Houston and we always went to a place called Roegels that was really good and never had a wait. I've found any time a BBQ place has a wait it's going to disappoint.

Want some good food from Hard Eight? Go to Spring Creek, eat there once, then realize it could be much much worse.

hph6203 said:

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Want some good food from Hard Eight? Go to Spring Creek, eat there once, then realize it could be much much worse.

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I had seen Spring Creek a few times and had a suspicion it wouldn't be great.

All this talk of bad bbq and no mention of colters. The woat.

Cramp00 said:

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All this talk of bad bbq and no mention of colters. The woat.

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Thanks for getting their old commercial stuck in my head you son of a b^tch.