Cynthia R.

The food was okay. Not the best BBQ I've had. The prices were high. The cornbread needs some help and for $6 I expected more.

Trinh T.

Kafi BBQ is a Texas style BBQ joint in Irving-Valley Ranch which serves up Halal Wagyu Brisket with Iraqi/Middle Eastern influences. I follow the chef/owner on Instagram (@kafibbq), and the amount of effort and detail he puts into his craft has resulted in multiple return visits for me. This review is for my latest visit. My Overall Rating - 5 Stars (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Return) Atmosphere - Kafi BBQ can be found in a shopping strip in Irving-Valley Ranch. Only opened Friday - Sunday, on my most recent Sunday visit around dinner time, Kafi was packed. The patrons were a great mix of families, BBQ lovers, and those looking for high quality Halal meats. Smoke was in the air. 1 Star. Service - The staff is super friendly and nice. Pro Tip - Go for lunch or before 6 before items are sold out. A few items were sold out on my most recent visit (my fault I arrived at 6:45) and the staff weren't aware of what was available, leading to some confusion, but they were so nice it didn't impact my meal. 1 Star. Food - By now, you've probably read or heard about Kafi's Wagyu Brisket. For me, I love following @kafibbq on Instagram so I can see what Salahodeen is cooking up. On this visit, it was the Brisket Sandwich. First off, the house baked bread roll is soft, but firm enough to hold Kafi's famous brisket on a pile of home made cole slaw and pickles. The result was one of the best BBQ sandwiches I've eaten. The bite was soft, smokey, crunchy, and tart (from the pickles). It was a special, and I'm not sure if Kafi will keep this on the menu, but I hope they do. 2 Stars. Will I Return? - Yes. It's pricey, but it's worth it. While the brisket is great, I suggest you follow them on Instagram to see what's cooking and plan your visit around the specialty items. 1 Star.

Veronica R.

My husband went for takeout bbq. He sent the menu and I told him to decide. We decided on Dino ribs-and beans. The Dino rib was fall off the bone tender. They seemed seasoned but I would have preferred more seasonings. The rib was equally fat and meaty. The bbq sauce was sweet and vinegar tasting. Just ok to me. Along with the ribs were large slices of bread. I was confused as to why the bread was like that. Hopefully they didn't weigh the bread. The beans weee ok. It's very expensive, I will maybe give it a another try with other items.

Todd F.

When in Texas you have to have BBQ and this place was very highly recommended to me by resident in Dallas. The Wagyu Fatty Brisket melted in my mouth and the Pomegranate Burnt ends were Smokey and tender.. The Meat Slicer and Everyone there was super friendly and very accommodating and had great recommendations to try the next time.. Very Clean inside and plenty of room for large groups. I left so stuffed but will definitely be back for Smoked Oxtail and Dino Ribs the NEXT time!

Sammy K.

Kafi BBQ has to be my favorite Texas BBQ joints I've ever had. Not only is the food amazing, but the staff & owner truly make the experience worth the trip. I don't eat pork so knowing I'm not limited to only certain menu items was extremely refreshing as everything is halal. The brisket, chicken, links, and side were all 10/10. Definitely will be back ASAP and highly highly highly recommend to anyone looking for great BBQ in the DFW area.

Jesika H.

This spot is located in a plaza of sorts at the end, I arrived last night on a Friday at around 6:30 pm and the entire place was PACKED. You walk in, find the line and wait in line before placing your meal, then you go find a table. Wait was only maybe 15 mins They don't do quarter lbs they start off at a half of lb of anything I only came for the Burnt ends and indeed they were burnt to a crisp! Very tough to eat but the flavor was absolutely there. I would come try them when they first open, something tells me my batch had been sitting for a minute and that light drizzle of the sauce needed to be a downpour, that sauce was really good. They have REAL cane sugar sodas in the machine, extra star for that and 2 huge tubs of BBQ ( spicy or regular) in the middle of the 2 soda machines. I also tried the Mac- wasn't for me The beans tho- those beans RIGHT THERE!! The absolute best! The cardamom banana pudding- if you like things like lavender ice cream this is a treat for you. This was not my flavor profile at all but there is a niche market for that. Overall- I would come back to try the brisket and for more beans

Rosalie R.

Kafi Banana Pudding Saved the Day: Fair BBQ, Premium Prices Kafi BBQ had a few bright spots, but overall the experience did not justify the price point. The standout item was the banana pudding--rich, flavorful, and easily the best thing we ordered. The jalapeño sausage was another highlight, offering great flavor, a nice balance of heat, and the kind of quality I expected from the rest of the meal. Unfortunately, much of the menu fell short. The empanadas were disappointing, with very little meat and an overwhelming amount of cheese. At $9 each, they felt significantly overpriced. The ribs were surprisingly bland and lacked the depth of seasoning and smoke that great barbecue should deliver. The brisket was decent but not memorable. The oxtail had more flavor than the ribs, but it was overly greasy, which detracted from the overall experience. In the end, the food ranged from fair to good, but not at a level that supports the premium prices being charged. Aside from the excellent banana pudding, jalapeño cornbread and jalapeño sausage, there was little that would motivate a return visit. For the cost, there are simply stronger barbecue options in the DFW area.

Faz K.

Ambiance? Ambiance? It's a bbq joint with a big-ass smoker outside and a friendly man with a large blade butchering juicy meats up front (in a good way). Kafi nails it. Staff is super nice too. Friendly and pleasant, dealing with ravenously bbq hungry Texans even as the line grew to out the door by noon is no mean feat as y'all should know. They do it with smiles. The location is nice. Good amount of parking, lots of seats including a covered outdoor area to rest your behinds. Talk to me about the BBQ you say. It is quality stuff. They had a special curry sausage in rotation this day that was absolutely magic. The texas twinky was on point and the brisket, no sauce required! That's the mark of a great brisket imo. Great bark on it, nicely smoked. Hats off to the pit master and crew. Sides were not too shabby either. The jalo cornbread was solid. ELotes were kinda weak imo, needed more spice, the mac and cheese hit the right notes. I will so be back here to try the dino ribs. I suggest arriving early as they do run out at times.

Kaycie Y.

After seeing Kafi on Instagram, we decided to make the 3 hour trip from Austin to Irving just to try it out. Austin offers a ton of amazing bbq so our expectations were high. The line wasn't as long as expected for a weekend, which was a plus for us as we have a very impatient 2 year old. It took a total of 10 minutes to get through + get our food and another 20 minutes for the steak. The brisket was super tender, as was the beef rib, as was the oxtail. Honestly, there wasn't a single item on our tray that felt dry. Not even the crust on the bread lol. The bark on the meat was very tasty but not overly salty which I appreciated very much. For me, the steak and the pomegranate glazed burnt ends were the stars of the show. I was very shocked at how tender the steak was. There's zero exaggeration when I say it was melt-in-your-mouth good. I've been to Japan and this steak is very comparable to the Wagyu we had there in terms of quality which, to me, validates the price. The burnt ends are the best I've ever had. The sweetness from the pomegranate glaze was pleasant and a nice contrast to the mostly savory flavors we had going on. The fries were absolutely baller. Crispy outside and fluffy on the inside. 10/10! The Kafi team was super knowledgeable, friendly, happy, and helpful. As we waited to get through the line, I saw the owner walking around the restaurant making sure everyone was happy and thanking everyone for stopping by. I really loved that and you could tell by the way he spoke that he truly takes pride in what he and his team are doing. Overall, Kafi was everything we hoped it would be. We're very satisfied and it was very much worth the trip + the money spent.

Stacy W.

Overall, the service was fantastic but the meats were okay. We ordered the Dino bone, wagyu brisket and pomegranate burnt ends. The brisket was a little dry and tough, nothing crazy but was expecting it to be moist and tender considering it was wagyu. The Dino ribs was a lot better than the brisket. Flavorful, tender and fell off the bone. I enjoyed the burnt ends but that's because I'm a fan of pomegranate, the taste is somewhat of an acquired taste

Helen C.

Had an AMAZING experience at Kafi and was a little confused why there wasn't a line around the block. No complaints from me though, this will be my hidden gem recommendation until word inevitably gets out. We pulled up for dinner with a group of 5 on a Saturday night around 7:30 PM and were lucky that they still had their Wagyu Dino Ribs available. They actually respond to their phone number via text, so you can call ahead to see what they have left. There were plenty of tables / booths available and the owner even went around to check-in with every single party on the food. Pomegranate Burnt Ends (4.75/5): Super smokey, melt in your mouth fatty, and slightly sweet. This with their fluffy, buttery bread (please I'll pay to know the recipe for this toast man) and some pickled onions is a bite that will change your life. Wagyu Brisket Empanada (4.5/5): The dough is super crunchy and has the perfect meat to carb ratio (aka high). The green sauce it comes with adds a bit of freshness and creaminess to the fatty, tender brisket. Kafi just does not miss. Wagyu Dino Rib (4.25/5): Super smoky and the bark was a little tough in some places, but generally had a fantastic texture. While it might not be the best in Texas, it's still a stand out food experience and one that you don't have to wait hours and hours in line just to find out they've run out. Tallow French Fries (4/5): Not the crispiest fries ever, but the beef fat just makes the potato taste super luxurious. Makes me sad I don't live in an era with more tallow fried fries. Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese (4/5): I don't think the smoke flavor came though, but this is just a classy, delicious mac & cheese. No notes.

Kathy P.

Texas-style wagyu BBQ spot in Irving! It drew my attention after its feature on Eater and I finally got a chance to try while I was back in the DFW area! The brick and mortar is spacious with many booths and tables. When we went on Sunday, there was a line to order but it moved quickly. We got the 1 lb brisket, 2 back ribs, jalapeño cheddar sausage, beef tallow fries, gouda mac and cardamom banana pudding. + the house made BBQ and spicy BBQ sauces. All of this ended up being around $100 for 4 people. I was absolutely blown away by how flavorful and juicy every meat was. I especially loved the brisket seasoning and the bite the jalapeño cheddar sausage had. Everything tasted amazing with the spicy BBQ sauce. Outside of the meats, I highly recommend the beef tallow fries which had such a rich, savory, beefy flavor. Mac I'd probably skip next time because it was dull in comparison to the fries for me. Cardamom banana pudding bad a great flavor, but I wished the pudding itself was a bit more whipped, but that's my personal preference! Everything was spectacular and we happened to meet the owner who was working that day. He was super friendly and you could tell he put a lot of love in this place! My only recommendation is to make the windows in the restaurant less dim!

Ronald W.

Incredible food made with a lot of love. We stopped by after visiting another BBQ in the morning on recommendation of a friend and the recent Texas Monthly article on the incredible French fries. The Wagyu strip steak that's been smoked and finished by deep frying in beef tallow is incredible as is the Iraqi sausage with kebab seasoning as is the incredible Texas Twinkie with house smoked cheese and wrapped in beef bacon. House made pickles and bread are also delicious. Family environment, Maine Root soda fountain, everything available rolling up at dinner time? Yes please. Owner came out and personally explained the preparation of the dishes was a big bonus too.