The Slow Bone Barbecue

Eater recently nominated The Slow Bone for a national award honoring bad restaurant names. (It competed in a category for groan-inducing sexual humor.) Dallas chefs were more complimentary, nominating this low-key barbecue spot as one of the city’s 10 best restaurants in an Observer survey of 75 food industry professionals. That might be exaggerated, but it reflects the fact that this is darn good barbecue near downtown — and, blessedly, with far shorter lines than you’ll encounter at Pecan Lodge or Cattleack.

Top pick: This might be counterintuitive, but the side dishes are the stars here, along with some of the city’s best fried chicken. Order sides strategically, preferably in a group, because six or seven of them are great and your tray won’t have room for them all.

The downside: Between us, the brisket just isn’t as richly flavorful as the best of the best.