Funny that I'm on this website to write a review almost 8 years from the last time I was there. I got to thinking about good BBQ, and it made me think of one of the best I've encountered, Hard 8. I used to travel a lot for work, and would hit this place when I could. Suffice to say, it left a lasting impression on me, because here I am, almost a decade later. The atmosphere is everything a Texas BBQ joint should be, and having folks enter from the pit area was a stroke of genius. It really sets the expectation & mood. There's "decent" BBQ places here in Ohio, but there's no question Texas does it best, and Hard 8 is a true standout! (LOVE those charros!) This will be the 1st place I stop to eat if ever again I'm in the area. Honorable mention to Tyler's BBQ up in Amarillo if anyone gets out that way. read more

I went here twice in one weekend while visiting Dallas. Once with my friend and another time with coworkers. First I got the brisket, regular potato salad, sweet corn, cheesecake, and a Diet Coke (I know, oink oink piggy amirite ). But yeah it was really frickin good like what am I supposed to say. The second time I got a half chicken, twice baked potato salad, Mac and cheese, sweet potato fries, cheesecake, and a ranch water. (Holy moo could he order any more food) and yeah I was stuffed and satisfied. Only complain is they didn't use topo Chico for the ranch water but a piggy eats whatever slop the farmer pours in the troph. Thanks hard eight. I'll be back. read more

Hard Eight BBQ - Diet Coke, Chicken Half, twice baked potato salad, Macaroni and Cheese, Cheesecake - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

COPLEY, Tx. - Good grief, I am stuffed on some good bbq. In nearby Irving for work, I had to get some acclaimed Texas barbecue while I'm here, right? This place sits on the border between anymore industrial parks and residential neighborhoods. Arrived at 530ish on a Monday, and beat the dinner rush (when I left at 630, a looooong line extended into the park g lot). It works sort of cafeteria style - you order your meat, then you, it and your tray go past a selection of sides and desserts. Seating is a lot of king wooden tables and stools. Ambience is wood, country music, sports on tvs and beer signs on walls. My half chicken ($8.50) was tender and done perfectly - not dry, meat practically falling ofc the bone. I got a length of jalapeño sausage ($9). Again, a winner. More than just flavoring, there was some heat and bite to the sausage. Onion rings ($2.95) were among the better I've ever had. Definitely not your generic Sodexo onion rings, nice crispy crunch. My one regret is I didn't plan out well and save room for pecan pie. Definitely partake. Good, good stuff. Good value. Good cheesy ambience. Places like this, there's no excuse for going to, like, Dickey's. read more

See all

Meat sweats are real, but there is also this thing called 2nd Rendering, where when you eat particularly fatty meats and sweat out the excess. The only cure is sweet tea and desserts. At this point in my trip, a week in, I'd had 3lbs of Brisket, 3 racks of ribs, 1 of beef, 8 sausage links, 1 lb of turkey and a pound if pulled pork at 4 different BBQ spots. I was particularly burned out from driving hours upon hours to get these meals and I was starting to get fatigued. What was great about Hard 8 was the variety, many places didn't have the sides selection or desserts selection or the ambiance and consistency. Hard 8 has multiple locations (this one walking distance for me, albeit a long walk), which is perfect to perhaps walk off at least 1 of the items I ate here. Decor is standard bigger TX BBQ spot, not quite TB's, but certainly not their 1st rodeo seeing they have 4 other locations. They have elements of Salt Lick, but also Texas Roadhouse. Service was good, but I imagine me wearing a Montana Knife Company hat served me better than wearing a San Diego Padres hat. Brisket was a little leaky from not long enough hold time, tender, a hair dry. Ribs were bite thru, light bark, good flavor. I went with a 16oz ribeye rare which was great, just salt, light smoke and good char. Beef ribs were large dino's with a heavy smoke ring. Smoked bologna was best eaten with the stuffed potato as on it's own it's a little to nostaligc/struggle meal-ish. They do quite a bit of catering which is good to know as their website is intuitive. Order your meat from the pit, get your own silverwear, sides are sold a la carte, free beans and condiments. My favorite thing here was the desserts and sides. Fried Okra were crispy, potato salad was a little dry. Mac & cheese was surprisingly not as rich as I'd expected, which made it more enjoyable. Jalapeno sweet corn was more esquites than Tex-Mex-BBQ ish imo. Get the baked potato salad over the regular, creamier and more balanced. Fresh fruit was a nice touch to help cleanse. Split a gallon of sweet tea and load your yeti for the ride home. I'm surprised pickles and bread were extra and their BBQ sauce could have been more complex, somewhere between a glaze and sauce in consistency. Chocolate pecan pie was deccadent. Peach cobbler was amazing, eventhough I like a crumble better. WHiskey buttermilk mixed with the banana pudding was something that a local gal taught me. It's world class consistent with scalable experience and flavor that is solid in every category, glad I don't have to drive hours and can merely walk to get this level of BBQ. read more

My first time back to hard eight after several years and they still impress every time. Service is fast and friendly and the food is fantastic. Everything was amazing. This was my first time getting the ribs and they were amazing. Perfect chew, great rub, and plenty of meat on the bone. Wish I came to DFW more often to enjoy this amazing BBQ read more

Hard Eight BBQ - Brisket, jalapeno sausage, ribs, potato salad, beans - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

We were at Grapevine Mills food court and nothing looked interesting. Since this place was not far, we decided to try. They have two different lines for dining in and taking out. We decided to take out since we weren't done at the mall yet. Food came out promptly, although I think ordering for dine in would probably have been faster since there were many takeout orders. We learned that you can order online for pickup as we saw several people come grab their online order. Note to self: order online first next time. We got the turkey, brisket, brisket sandwich, and sweet potato side. I was a little disappointed that there were only 3 sides: baked potato, baked sweet potato, and corn on the cob. Sides at bbq joints are usually a highlight for me, but oh well. Upon taking the first bite of turkey, I could smell a very fragrant Smokey flavor. MmmmMmm. The turkey was also very moist and pairs really well with the non spicy bbq sauce. The brisket was so tender you can literally break it with a spoon. Delicious. The side bark was a lot saltier than the interior, but both were very delicious. Brisket sandwich was good as well. Except it was a chopped brisket sandwich and not great for 7 year olds. There were chopped brisket everywhere on the floor after our meal. The baked sweet potato side was what surprised me the most because it was literally one entire baked sweet potato! I was expecting something more like candied yams and that's why I was so surprised Nevertheless, the baked sweet potato was very enjoyable as well. It came with a side of brown sugar but honestly the natural sweetness and flavor of the sweet potato really shone through. No need for any added sugar. Overall we enjoyed our meal very much and would love to come back to try some of their other items! read more

See all

When I'm in Texas Hard Eight is a must! You walk through the smoker area first selecting your meat of choice. You order by the pound. Sausage, turkey, ribs and more. I get a quarter pound of brisket and it's a good portion! You walk inside and it's side time-- fries, onion rings, slaw, jalapeño sweet corn, pinto beans and so much more. Be sure to save room for dessert! read more

Hard Eight BBQ - 1/2 Sliced Brisket Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

Weq ordered a full rack of ribs, sliced brisket, fries, corns Juan was great and he asked us how did we like the food. Overall the experience was great. read more

See all

Killer food...great service...kitschy TX barn style atmosphere. The BBQ in this place is exceptionally consistent and flavorful. The service is open pit/cafeteria style. Everyone you come in contact with is friendly and easy to understand and communicate with. The dining area is large and open and the sound is "live"...so, be aware that it can get loud and hard to hold a table conversation because of this fact. Overall...if you're in the area and this is what you're looking for - it is worth the stop. read more

There are no words to describe this BBQ. The brisket was melt in your mouth delicious. The pulled pork was juicy and made to perfection. The side options are perfect for BBQ including hot Mac and cheese, because you can't have brisket without Mac and cheese. 100/10 would recommend this BBQ joint to anyone and everyone.. read more

See all

I'm from California and there are so many places here that advertise "Texas BBQ", I lived in TX for some time, they never sell real BBQ. When we saw this place, I saw the smoke stacks and all the wood I knew it was a winner. I was right. I tried the brisket, sausage, chicken bombs, and smoked turkey and they were all amazing. Next time I'm in the area this will be my go to. read more

See all

A Farewell Letter from the Smoked Meats For three days I lived not with barbecue... but inside it. Time lost meaning. Calendars were replaced with ribs. My bloodstream ran brisket. My pores whispered, hickory. After what historians will one day call The Thirty-Minute Purification Shower, armed with soap, essential oils, and the desperate hope of a man who smells like a food truck, I finally defeated the aroma. The steam rose. The scent fled. Victory was mine. But as I staggered toward the bed--barefoot, exhausted, spiritually tender--I began to reflect. Had I gone too far? Had I chosen the smoker when I should have chosen salad? Was this what the cardiologist warned me about when he said, "Maybe take a day off from meat"? I could feel it... my arteries, whispering softly, padding themselves like couches made of butter. My heart beat bravely, but with the caution of a man jogging uphill while holding a tray of burnt ends. And yet--strangely--I am not upset. I exist now in a rare and sacred emotional state: Happy Fullness Meets Existential Regret. A warm, smoky limbo where joy and misery shake hands and say, "Worth it." So if this is my last night--if I do not wake from this meat-induced slumber--know this: I regret nothing. Tell my story. Scatter my ashes near a smoker. Tell the others I loved them... but not as much as I loved that last plate. Five stars!!! read more

Hard Eight BBQ - Where dreams come from. - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

can't go to texas without having barbecue! my favorite was the brisket!! it was so cool, you order your meats first a which you pay by pound and then you get to the sides such as fries, salads, spices, desserts. super popular spot but they have enough seating for all! read more

Hard Eight BBQ - brisket and ribs and sausage - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

PLEASEEE COME HERE. wow the food was sooo freaking good. the hospitality was amazing, wow. we aren't from Texas, so we were so surprised that each worker was soo genuinely kind to us. We forgot their names but the two employees who served us our meat were so nice and helpful. Everything was flavorful. THE SWEET TEA WAS GOD SENT. oh i love texas sweet tea but theirs was amazing. Ambiance is lovely. They had dim-ish lighting and nice seating. High and low seating available. Very kind staff. read more

See all

Hard Eight isn't like most BBQ, they use Texas local mesquite in grill pits with direct low heat. The brisket isn't trimmed, no binder, and minimal seasoning. Brisket falls apart! Which is not a bad thing. I'm a huge fan. Texture so soft you need tongs to grab it. Purist might say that a slice needs to hold its form or have a crust. Not in this realm. His smoke flavor. Prime cuts used as well. Get a house sausage to use as a sauce mop. Add a bourbon buttermilk slice of pie. It's been said their ribeye steak is better than the Stake houses (I came for the melt in your mouth brisket- but next time). Slaw was nothing special. The beans are "on tap" next to the drinks. They get better as the flavor of the meal sinks in. The house sauce is good and helpful for flavor. Njoy First spot in Dallas, second location. I want to visit the original read more

See all

Trip to Dallas with my husband on his business trip. Ty he host held dinner here. I was so excited to try here very in Dallas Texas food! Everybody has to stand in line for order and tell the staff what you want. It was very long line to order but felt like standing in line for Disney attraction! lol!! I already enjoyed even before got meal. It was hot and felt real BBQ area with smoke. I followed our host and ordered little bit and little bit each meat. They scaled your meal weight and passed the receipt then took it to cashier. Well, their brisket is the winnah!!!! Tender and flavorful, even I'm not so much brisket meat person, that's the best! Also sirloin was good!! Tender and tasty. Their frozen margarita and frozen whiskey & coke are also very fresh and nice. If there is a chance to back to Dallas, I'd like to back here again! read more

See all

Solid spot for lunch. The Brisket is good the poppers could have been a bit larger. What makes this place great besides the food is the staff. They all are super friendly and professional. Plenty of parking in the lot. I took a star off because the Ribeye fell short on tenderness and taste. read more

See all

What an experience!!! That's all I can think of saying to start this review. Let's start with the line to get in when I arrived.... The wait to get into the building was over a hour. Once in the aroma of the BBQ consumes you... in a good way! The atmosphere is super cool and makes you feel like you're in an old western cook house of some sort. Picking out your food from the pit is a cool experience in itself. I got the 8oz ribeye, 1/2lb of brisket, spicy sausage, chicken jalapeno poppers and a sweet potato. Sooooo much food!!! I ate every bite and walked away in a food coma. Not a huge fan of brisket because it's so often over cooked. Not this one. Absolutely mouth watering tender and crazy delicious. Can't wait for another chance to go back if I'm ever in Texas again. Wish they had one in Nevada! read more

See all

I'm on a mission to try all the BBQ spots in Texas, or at least it feels that way. Today's stop was a DFW institution with a few locations around town. It was good, but honestly, not as good as another DFW chain I love, Hutchins. This place had solid BBQ, but fewer sides and noticeably higher prices. The beef rib was my favorite, and the corn was also really good. We went at an odd time in the late afternoon, so all the hot sides were pre-packaged, which was a little disappointing. On the plus side, don't forget about the free beans over by the condiments. They do have a few made-to-order sides like fried okra, which we tried and enjoyed. My only real complaint is that the ordering system felt a bit confusing, even though they post instructions by the front door. read more

See all

Food was okay, the meat was dry not very much flavor to the bbq. Service was good and the ambiance was nice but the food did not taste flavorful nor was there anything special about it. The shrimp I had tasted fishy and old and the pulled pork was oily and bland. The brisket was dry in areas and also bland in taste. read more

Hard Eight BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

Wow! Wow! Wow! When you first walk in you right away enter into the line where the grills and smokers are located. You order and pay by the pound. We ordered brisket pulled pork, sausage and stuffed peppers. Once you've picked your meat selection, you go into the restaurant and it's cafeteria style which I thought was so cool! You can pick up salads, side and desserts. There was plenty of seating and BEST OF ALL free beans! Yup! They have a pot to grab a bowl and they were delicious!! Can't wait to come back read more

Hard Eight BBQ - Pulled pork, brisket, stuffed peppers, sausage and toast - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

See all

My mom and I thought it was ok, but my 2 friends around me didn't feel "clean" after eating it. They didn't get sick or anything but they felt sick just thinking back on it. Maybe the way they prepare it needs a few extra steps before putting it directly on the grill. (It's the difference between getting ready-to-eat pork trotters at H mart versus ranch 99. Both taste ok at the time you eat it. But the H mart one feels cleaner than the Ranch 99 "after" you eat it. ) Similarly, I was just visiting Dallas for Christmas, but I felt cleaner after eating at the steakhouse than after this kind of traditional Dallas bbq house, maybe my body isn't used it. We came here because locals like the uber driver highly recommended but for me it was good for the experience but next time I'll just go to the sit down steak place twice. read more

In Texas for a conference so you know I had to try out some Texas BBQ. One of the clerks at the front desk advised me that Hard Eight was a good pick. It wasn't a bad spot. We had to catch a uber to get there because it wasn't close to the hotel we stayed at. When we arrived we could smell the meat being cooked over a wood fire. Smelled delicious. It was pretty crowded so you know the food had to be good. I ordered the half of a chicken with a side of sweet potato fries. They dipped the chicken into garlic butter before placing it on my tray. Chicken was juicy and well seasoned. They have a full bar inside as well so if you prefer an adult beverage you can get it from here too. read more

See all

Food was great! We had ribs, turkey, and brisket. This location was very busy at lunch so if you're on time restraints, I highly suggest pre-ordering and picking up or plan for a long lunch. We waited about 30 minutes in line. So the way this works- you enter through a line walking past one of the grills, when you reach the front of the line you tell the grill master which meat choices you want and they place the meat on a tray. They also have sweet potatoes, and baked potatoes as well as corn on the cob at the grill. Make sure you grab one tray for every person in your party because those trays are your plates. Then you enter the restaurant area through a door and there's a cafeteria style set up where you can ask for bread, then grab sides, such as potato salad, salads, coleslaw, salad, Mac and cheese, and don't forget butter for your potatoes. At the end of the food line you pay for your sodas and food. When I didn't see on the line was options for fries or onion rings however, when I want to fill my soda, I had seen several people have them under their plates so I wish I had known that those were options prior to paying. I wish they had other options available for kids. But they don't when we inquired this person that I'm guessing was a manager told us that most kids like a particular selection of meat. I have an autistic child that cannot stand meat. So I wish he had shared with us that we could've purchased french fries or onion rings... our son did eat macaroni and cheese, a slice of bread with the fruit salad so we did not leave with him starving. The other three of us enjoyed the meat! Now they seem to have one soda fountain in the back corner of the restaurant, so be prepared to wait in line to grab your soda as well. Next to the soda fountain was a batch of beans with some form of meat and jalapeños that you can grab a container of. It was a bit of amazed to exit the building. I think we end up exiting through the DoorDash pick up area. And the parking lot was one of the worst designs I've ever seen. If you're willing to walk just park as far back as you can it seemed a lot cleaner and easier to get around in the back of the lot. read more

See all

My first time here was really good but today I went and felt like I was ripped off completely the opposite feeling. I got 2 beef ribs ($20 each) and they were completely full of jelly fat read more

Hard Eight BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

See all

Not the worst BBQ but if you're looking to get blown away, just because this is Texas, you may be disappointed. The brisket tatsed bland. It had some marbling but tasted dry anyway, how's that possible? Salt.. do they forget to season here in DFW? Seriously. Pork ribs were overcooked and very dry on the outside and hard to bite in. The chicken was cooked the best but I feel like the white meat was still a bit overcooked, but closer to the center it was nearly perfect, very juicy but a bit of a flavor would have been nice read more

Hard Eight BBQ - 1/2 lbs brisket - bland, dry. 1/2 lbs ribs - dry. half chicken - best. juicy in center. Jun 2025 - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

Amazing bbq. Was in for a business trip and was going to go somewhere closer to my hotel. But thought I had to get BBQ down here. Little bit of a wait in line but well worth the wait. Real deal bbq. Need to get back here. read more

See all

Amazing BBQ! Cooked to perfection with the right Smokey taste. The sides were also very good especially the coleslaw. The place was clean and the cafe line moved fast. read more

See all

This wasn't my first visit to Hard Eight but haven't reviewed before. They never come up for "best in the area" but I absolutely love this bbq restaurant. I've never had a bad meal. The brisket is unctuous and tender. The ribs, first time, were so nice. Fall of the bone but with a bite. I loved that they were seasoned without sweet rubs. Fries always great and the potato salad was awesome. It's bustling place and lines can get super long. You don't get much service but the folks on the lines are always willing to help and are nice and pleasant. Like I said, super busy, lots of people but plenty of space to sit down. Decor is fun and it looks like your big boy bbq shop. Highly recommend. read more

Hard Eight BBQ - Brisket and Ribs, corn on the cob, baked potato sales and cobbler. - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

As a Californian by day but a Texan at heart; this was a fun local spot (one of many locations) to get some Texas style BBQ. I got the jalapeno cheese sausage and chopped brisket with okra. Everything was delicious and the decor is down home. You order in a cafeteria style line, pay then seat yourself. Easy and good. read more

Hard Eight BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

See all

We had a positive experience. It was our first time so we weren't quite sure if the process but the staff were very friendly. Food was absolutely delicious! Environment was clean and comfortable. They had sweet tea. All goodness. read more

I came here two years ago and loved it. This time around wasn't quite as good. The brisket was a little on the dryer side this time...however the ribs and jalapeño shrimp poppers were delicious. The vibes here are always good though. Great BBQ atmosphere and friendly staff. Definitely worth a stop read more

Hard Eight BBQ - Ribs, poppers, and brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

Tender smoked meats by the pound. It's the same price for ribs or brisket and more. Cafeteria process, grab meats than additional cost for condiments okra, mac/cheese, salad and soda. Service was friendly and helpful. Dark inside sitting and there is outside seating. If you dine in, there is a japeno type of beans in a broth gives kick of spice to the beans. read more

See all

Tried a little bit of everything - I'm from NC so I wanted to see the difference. It was different and the customer service was 10/10! Staff were very informative and helpful as soon as you walk in. Outdoorsy vibe with plenty indoor and sheltered outdoor seating. Some of the seasonings were a bit too salty for MY TASTE but if that's your thing then it's perfect. read more

See all

I thought it was only okay... my brisket was dry. The ribs were good but nothing special. My friend's steak was delicious but otherwise... I thought it wasn't the best Dallas has to offer. Big parking lot in the back. Close to the airport read more

See all

Great spot . Close to DFW. Ribs , Brisket and Pork A+ Jalapeño sausage A+ Sirloin steak A Chicken A- read more

Hard Eight BBQ - pick it and they'll weigh it - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

How we've missed Texas BBQ! Living in NM, the place where a Texas BBQ Chain was rated Best of City (it's good - but best?). We don't see much great BBQ here. This place was great, meats done up by a pit master at the location using mesquite coals. You can taste the difference. Brisket was tender with great flavor. The sausage great without being greasy. You can grab beans from the bean pot. Deserts are there - whiskey buttermilk pie, cobblers & of course Pecan Pie. Rustic looking interior & long, picnic table seating looks like Texas me. Yep, miss Texas BBQ read more

See all

OMG!!! Probably THE BEST BRISKET and RIBS we've put in our mouths!!! The Restaurant is truly Family style with Super welcoming and Friendly staff. When you walk in the Display of grilled and Smoked Meats are right in front of you to choose. The Corn on the Cobb is a must. We really enjoyed the Brisket and Ribs. Tender and juicy. Will return to this place whenever we visit Texas. So much Love for this Establishment. You literally TASTE the Love. I could just stand and watch the grill masters work their Art of Meats!! A A BEAUTIFUL THING. read more

Hard Eight BBQ - Smoked Chx, Ribs, Brisket and bacon wrapped shrimp. - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

This was a totally awesome BBQ joint. Had the jalapeño sausage, pulled pork and a couple chicken poppers. The bean pot well that was awesome as well. If you leave hungry it's your fault. Service was great and since I was a first timer there they took the time to explain how to order. Love the environment and it just felt like you belonged there. read more

Hard Eight BBQ - Cooks table - Barbeque Near Me - Coppell, Texas

See all

This place is fantastic. An absolute must if visiting Dallas. I enjoyed the fact that you can see all the meats before making your selection. The person working the grill was very nice and friendly. Even gave us a sample of the brisket. Food quality is great and the self serve beans are out of this world. Definitely coming back. I wish they would open in Southern California! read more