I recommend Big Ray's Barbecue for many reasons. The first is their brisket is tender, moist and flavorful. The staff is friendly and personable. They serve sweet tea. Yay!!! The drinks come in 2 sizes, 20 oz. $1.89 and 32 oz. $2.49. And Big Ray's has daily specials, Saturday included, from 11am -3pm ranging in price from $6.99 to $10.99 so not bad at all. From the regular menu you can order just a barbecue sandwich for $5.99 or with 2 sides for $8.99. In addition to having delicious barbecue and great customer service I love it that Big Ray's is a family owned business. If you enjoy barbecue I definitely recommend this spot. Try the brisket. read more

Big Ray's BBQ - Store hours - Barbeque Near Me - Allen, Texas

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I'm not a big bbq eater, but I really enjoyed the food here! Came here for the first time just expecting to get sides since I'm not a big meat eater. I shared a half chicken with my mom and we got 2 sides with it. Wow, the chicken was so good! Really tender and flavorful meat, and the skin was delicious! The half chicken was also plenty to share, especially with 2 sides. For our sides we got okra, which was fresh out the kitchen, and Mac and cheese. The okra was so good! Golden brown, crispy, seasoned so well, and they were still so warm from being freshly cooked. I've had some bad under seasoned okra, so I was glad to find somewhere that does it right! The Mac and cheese was also a winner. So creamy and peppery. It almost made me think of gravy, but in a cheesey way, if that makes sense! I highly recommend trying these sides when you come in! The staff is really friendly and helpful with the menu. It's pretty clear, but if you have any questions, they are happy to help. It's not a huge space, but there is still plenty of places to sit and enjoy your meal. read more

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Stopped at Big Rays BBQ after being on the road. My family decided they wanted BBQ. The food, service and atmosphere was great. The portions were great for the prices. read more

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Some of the best BBQ and food around!!! Hidden gem in my opinion Will definitely go back and have already told friends about this place read more

My mother being from East Texas, wanted some delicious home cooked BBQ. Being in the middle of a pandemic with cold weather limited my usual BBQ cooking time so I went to Yelp in search of good BBQ. It's difficult to find good ole' BBQ in N.Dallas(Frisco) until I came across Big Ray's BBQ. First off, you know you are in for a treat when you enter and the 1st thing you smell is childhood memory smelling BBQ. We order our food to-go and the level of customer service was simply amazing!!! We were in the car about to drive off and the owner came out to the truck to remind me that I had forgot my pork chops I had ordered... in the cold weather. Hands down the absolute best. They literally make you feel like family. The food..... "Dear Sweet Baby Jesus in a Manger"!!!! All I can say is that I will no longer be driving all the way to Oklahoma to get my BBQ because I've found the BEST PLACE IN DFW!!! And that's Big Ray's BBQ read more

Driven past this place everyday and finally stopped by. BBQ was delicious, but the real showstopper was the bread pudding. Amazing. Would highly recommend, especially if you don't want to wait at the other popular spots. read more

Great lunch special. Down to earth great food, service and ambiance. I was greeted with great smiles as first to enter for lunch...sides are great...Mac and cheese....wow!! read more

This is really a great bbq place that serves you good I'll fashion bbq! It's not like the local big name restaurants that have you in a hot smokey line waiting to get served. The smoke brisket is amazing and so is the regular sausage. The baked potato brisket is amazing as well. Great portions and best of all no freaking scale weighing and determining the price. If the item says $9.99 it's $9.99 and again they are generous with their cuts and portions. Definitely none of that 2 slices of beef and 3 pieces of sausage for $20. I truly enjoyed the potato salad and peach cobbler! Excellent and courteous service good eye contact showing you you're a valued person not just another customer in the line with them waiting for you to move along. Definitely a hidden gem! read more

Big Ray's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Allen, Texas

It had been several years since I had been to Big Ray's sowe decided to go to Big Ray's. My daughter had the pulled pork, baked beans, and Cole slaw. I chose sliced before brisket, potato salad, and Cole slaw. It was all excellent My daughter and I both agreed that Big Ray's really knows how to make baked beans! Most places you get barbeque beans(calling themselves "baked" beans). Not. Or you get plain old pork 'n beans. Again, called baked beans. These were closest to how we make ours as any we've ever had. I would recommend Big Ray's 10 times over anybody else. The service was excellent. as was the staff. Friendly, very professional, and prompt. read more

Good food and good people. Visited this place about 3 times now and you can't go wrong on good down-home BBQ.

finally got a chance to try Big Ray's today. My mom and I stopped and got the lunch special (sandwich, veggie and a drink) to go. The staff was very friendly. I got the rib sandwich and fried okra with spicy barbecue sauce and my mom got the sausage sandwich and cabbage with regular barbecue sauce. Both sandwiches were delicious and the cabbage was soooo flavorful. For drinks, my mom got strawberry Fanta and I got red koolaid! tastes just like childhood. For dessert, my mom and I split the bread pudding. It was amazing! Made with white chocolate chips and a white chocolate drizzle. I will definitely be back and plan to use for future catering. read more

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For the first time the brisket was tough. I've eaten there for the past three years and today was the only time I've been disappointed. Smoking meat is an art and I think one time out of 50 is probably just a fluke or at least I hope. read more

Food is good. I've definitely have had better BBQ elsewhere, but for a local place it's good. Service is fast.

Great food! The ribs--oh my, meat falls off the bone! The sides where good as well. I had the banana pudding, which was also excellent. This was a great find. I will be back. read more

Found the food to be dry not moist like I prefer. Brisket and whole chicken. Prob will not be back. read more

Finally made the trip up to Allen to try this place out, and it was well worth it. Service was great. They allowed an organization to put up a table of $5 masks and they all look pretty cool; even better, they have different sizes. If I did not already have half a dozen, I would have picked up one. Note: There are a few tables if you want to eat there. I had the two-meat plate (brisket and chicken) with green beans and carrots. And in a moment of weakness, I had some of their made-from-scratch peach cobbler. The meat was good. The brisket was very lean and went well with their spicy bbq sauce. The chicken was surprisingly good with a nice smoky flavor. An interesting thing was the sauce, it was thin and I really liked that. I could just dunk a bite in there and have a good flavor without a mountain of sauce on it. I mean, I really liked that because I like BBQ sauce, but don't want it to drown out the meat. The green beans were tasty and had a really clean flavor to them (for "southern" green beans). The carrots were a surprise. They are described as "marinated in a tomato-based sauce" and they are served cold. Now, if you had told me all of that in advance, I would not have ordered them, but I did, and they were strangely good. And I mean that literally, good in a strange way. I am not even going to try and describe it, you should just try them. I will probably always make them a side when I go to Big Ray's, 'nuff said. Anyway, really glad I dropped by. The only downside here is that I don't live closer. :-D read more

Wow! Big Ray's barbecue is the best i've had in decades! Brisket baked potato, catfish, all the sides just excellent! They closed at 9pm and we got there around 8:25pm and the food was super fresh and hot! We tried all other barbecue places and Big Ray's barbecue is truly the best! read more

Man I'm so mad I've been missing out on this good food. Everything was great. And I knew from the first bite it would be. Service was good and quick. I'm excited to go back. This will be one of my new top bbq spots. read more

Big Ray's BBQ - Sides: Potato Salad, Baked Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Allen, Texas

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I hate to give poor ratings & maybe I caught them on an off day, but I wasn't impressed overall. The smoked sausage was very good and the ribs were ok, but the brisket wasn't tasty, the sides were blah and the cobbler was not good. The inside of the place looks cool, the people were nice & the other ratings were good, but I have had better and was unimpressed. Not worth my money. read more

My husband and I drive by this place all the time and one night, we finally tried it. They have daily specials, and it being a Wednesday, we got the Wednesday Wing special along with a smoked half chicken and a turkey leg. We also got mashed potatoes and the three bean salad as our sides. The smoked wings were good but not something I would get again as it was a little dry. The smoked half chicken was kind of a small size but the chicken was moist and juicy, unlike the wings. Similar to the half chicken, the turkey leg was good and the meat fell off the bone! The leg was HUGE! It was a lot of poultry for us in one night that we got sleepy early.. Zzzz.... Overall, the food we got was good but pretty standard. I do plan to revisit to try the other meats, like the brisket and the ribs. The daily lunch specials seem to be really good here, which varies from sandwiches, to loaded potatoes, to fish fry. The restaurant has a classic barbecue atmosphere inside, with the cafeteria style ordering when you come in. The staff is also really nice and friendly! Looking forward to my next visit. read more

Big Ray's BBQ - Smoked Turkey Leg - Barbeque Near Me - Allen, Texas

Amazing brisket. Just the right amount of moisture without being greasy. Great flavor!

I had food from this establishment for the first time today via DoorDash delivery. When I initially read that this place had smoked turkey legs, I got really excited. I'm the kind of person who goes to state fairs for the sole purpose of seeking out the turkey leg. In fact, if the turkey leg is good, I'll tell my friends, don't bother me, let me finish and I'll talk to you once I'm done. That's how serious I am about good turkey legs. I also ordered some chicken. When I picked up my order, I decided to sneak a peak. The turkey and the chicken seemed to be smoked to perfection. The texture of it looked just great and the smell was just divine and I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into it when I got home. When I got home and bit into the turkey leg......nothing. I tasted absolutely zero seasoning. Not even salt and pepper. It tasted like something that they would put in the 60 and over menu over at Luby's. The chicken was also just as bland. I do have southern Louisiana roots so maybe my standards for great seasoning are a big higher than for average person. I decided to take the chicken and turkey, doctor it up with my own seasoning and cook on a low temperature so I wouldn't dry it out. It was okay once I was done with it. Mr Ray if you're reading this, please add some more seasoning to your product. It seems like it has great potential but the lack of seasoning made it miss the mark big time. For a side, I ordered some baked beans. It was okay, certainly had more seasoning than the meat. I'd give my whole dining experience a C-. read more

Chopped beef brisket sandwich with Mac and cheese lunch special $8.99 was great. Friendly staff.

By far the BEST barbecue in Texas!! If you want REAL southern cooking at its finest, you've got to check out Big Ray's. Family owned and finger licking good, the smell alone will start your mouth watering. I highly recommend their pulled pork over a huge baked potato smothered with cheese, butter, chives, and their amazing sauce! There are plenty of sides to choose from, including okra (perfection) and homemade potato salad. No southern meal is complete without sweet tea, and they put the tea in tea-rrific (sorry, I had to). And, even if your shirt buttons are about to pop off from the extra large portions, do not leave without dessert. Their banana pudding is served (like mama used to) with nilla wafer cookies and is whipped into a confection that you can't stop yourself from devouring. And, my personal favorite, their bread pudding is warm, gooey, and the flavor is divine. They have reasonable prices and daily lunch specials that will make you do a double-take. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to drive to Allen for a true BBQ lunch! read more

Big Rays' barbecue is hard to beat. The ribs are so soft and flavorful. The catfish is so good also. We have tried other places but always come back to Big Rays. read more

First time tonight, VERY disappointing! Meat was ok, nothing special. I was excited to see the cucumber salad, it's just sliced cucumbers with a little italiam dressing, BLAH. The fries, HORRIBLE. You cpuld tell they were cooked in old oil. They were limp and greasy, they looked awfull and tasted awful. A Huge waste of $55. read more

I've been a fan of Big Rays for many years. Have sampled barbecue at many more highly touted barbecue venues, all over the state of Texas including the world-famous ones in Austin with two-hour lines, but still consider Big Rays one of the best. Large portions and toasted buns. Great side options, I especially like their baked beans. Free refills on drinks. If you prefer brisket with less fat, they are happy to oblige. Old westerns on the TV and wall decor give it a real rustic Texas feel. We visit several times a month and take out of town guests who always want to return to Big Rays when they come back. read more

I ordered via UberEats one day. They did. It disappoint! Great alternative when I can't fire my own pit up!

Good food, daily specials and friendly service. I've been here a few times. I recommend them and I'll be back. Family owned. read more

Stopped by here today for the first time! Very good brisket and sauce. I liked the coleslaw and okra. Their Texas toast was very good also.

Great food and great name but they need to update menu prices that are seen on yelp. Every sandwich, plate or loaded potato was at least $3-5 more than advertised on the web. read more

I don't know how this place isn't 5 stars across the board... I walked into a cozy, real Texas BBQ place for the first time. It was super clean with amazing smells in the air. First man I talked to, I told him I was from California and I told him I wanted a bit of everything, and he suggested the sampler (4 meats, 2 sides) When I got my food I knew immediately I was in for some of the best BBQ in my life. Brisket, pulled pork, jalapeño sausage, pork ribs, and I think I may have made a friend because he slid in some of their smoked bologna on the plate (It was phenomenal). The meat was so good that I forgot to use the spicy BBQ sauce I asked for. Luckily, a few pieces of meat remained so I could taste it! I talked with Ray and his son John, who were running the show today, and I am absolutely blown away by the customer service. Maybe being that awesome, nice, well spoken, talented, and humble is a Texas thing, but we could sure use some more Ray's and John's in this world. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING JOB. I will fly to Texas just to see these two guys and get another sampler plate. read more

Big Ray's BBQ - Table view - Barbeque Near Me - Allen, Texas

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The smoke is real! Good brisket and sides. Big Ray's is now on my go to list. I highly recommend checking them out. I'm hooked.

Awesome BBQ great ambience wonderful staff. This place has been our family favorite for years, never disappointing. I get the 3 meat platter with double green beans. Keto-friendly and delish. read more

Big Ray's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Allen, Texas

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First the food was really good. I had the Thursday special dbl meat (chicken and sausage)baked potato w/spicy sauce. They used fresh smoked meat which they deboned and chopped in front of me all while having great conversation! Now here is the amazing part as we were conversing I told them I found them online since I wasn't a local. Once I told them I evacuated my home Houston as a result of Hurricane Harvey. They not only offered me their well wishes and heartfelt concern, the young lady preparing my food offered to pay for it as well!!! The overwhelming feeling of empathy and love was present. Big Rays is a place that i recommend for not only their great food but also their stellar service!! read more

Big Ray's BBQ - Thursday Special Double Meat(chicken and sausage) Bake Potato w/spicy sauce - Barbeque Near Me - Allen, Texas

Awesome food! Service excellent and employees where very nice and attentive... top 5 best bbq in the metroplex.

Decided to give this place another try. Last time (a few years ago) it was just OK. Went there yesterday and it was great. The lady slicing the meats gave generous portions. I could not finish the two meat plate. The brisket and sausage were perfectly cooked with great Texas BBQ flavor. BBQ sauce was light and tasty. Sides were excellent. Great job. I will be back for sure. read more

Came here because we found it on Yelp. We loved it. The staff is so sweet, the food was amazing. We will definitely be back

There is a anointing on the BBQ at Big Ray's. I walked up to the counter, and a sweet young woman presented me with a slice of turkey. I was only there for the brisket, but I then added turkey to my order. This was the kind of turkey that should be served on everyone's dinner table during Thanksgiving and Easter. That bird was seasoned to perfection and juicy. It almost made me forget all about the beef brisket. The butcher was kind enough to ask if I preferred a lean piece of brisket, or more fat. I was floored because usually at barbecue joints - you get what you get and you don't throw a fit. She followed that question up with the option of having the brisket sliced or chopped. In my mind, I was thinking it cannot get better than this, but it did! The next server had a beautiful spirit, and I think she even sings in her church choir. She was thorough in explaining all the side options, especially since I don't eat pork. The baked beans were on point and probably my favorite side. The mac and cheese was a tad bit on the runny side, but still very flavorful. The potato salad was pretty good; I'd suggest going a little lighter on the mustard. Also, the Texas Toast was a nice change from the usual store bought white or enriched wheat sliced bread at most BBQ joints. Lastly, she suggested that I order dessert. They had peach cobbler, bread pudding, and banana pudding. I was torn between both puddings, so she gave me a sample of both. Their desserts made me want to slap my mama, so I ordered one of each. Big Ray's has the best banana pudding (in my humble opinion) because there are no bananas in the pudding. I could definitely tell they used some sort of banana flavoring in the pudding. It was sheer perfection, since I hate fresh bananas in the pudding. They have a tendency to get brown, unless you use lemon, but who wants that flavor in 'nana puddin'? Please forgive me for taking my time with this review, but Big Ray's deserves all the accolades. The brisket and turkey were superb! I've had my fair share of Texas and St.Louis BBQ, yet they always miss the mark. Either the meat was too fatty, the sauce was too tangy, or the sides are mediocre. That's certainly not the case here. Also, make sure to get a large cup of Kool Aid to wash everything down. If I resided in the Dallas area, then this would be my barbecue restaurant of choice. read more

Big Ray -- another Allen Classic by Allen Native. big Ray has some good BBQ and all the classic sides you would expect. My wife loves the Friday fish fry ! read more