OAK'D BBQ Opens a Second Location in Addison

We first met Michael Lane when OAK'D BBQ opened on Greenville Avenue in November 2020. When we covered that opening of OAK'D, Lane was working behind the scenes while consulting for another restaurant, so he preferred to stay in the shadows. While Lane's name may not have been in the spotlight, we came away impressed with the barbecue being turned out under his guidance.

In 2021, OAK'D announced a second location to open at the site of the former Chamberlain's Seafood in Addison. Fast-forward almost two years, and the new Oak'd has opened its doors, this time with Lane's name prominently displayed over the door.

"We've really worked our ass off to finally get this open," Lane said.
The hard work is evident from the moment you step inside the new location. Ordering takes place at the cutting line straight ahead, and there's plenty of seating off to the left side of the dining room. Just to the right is a massive bar that fills a third of the space; this is where we posted up for our meal. The bar spills over to an impressive patio with outdoor couches, tables and chairs. And just opposite the bar is a game area with Skee-Ball, a foosball table, air hockey and basketball.

Lest you think the games and the bar are gimmicks, rest assured that OAK'D still has a strong barbecue game, too. We popped in just before the end of the daily happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m., so we were able to get a tray of tasty nachos topped with pulled pork for just 10 bucks, available at the bar only. There's plenty of cheese, bell peppers, jalapeños and succulent pork for two people to share, and the tortilla chips are sturdy enough to hold up to the load of toppings. And OAK'D's bar is a full-service model, so whether it's beer, wine or liquor that strikes your adult beverage fancy, the bar staff has you covered.
Two of us also shared a two-meat tray of brisket and sausage ($22.99), with red skin potato salad and mac and cheese for our sides. The thick-sliced brisket strikes the perfect salty and smoky balance, and the jalapeño sausage is on point, too. OAK'D earns points for adventurous sides like balsamic Brussels sprouts and roasted cauliflower, but standbys like the three-cheese macaroni and potato salad are smart choices.

Lane gave us a quick tour of the restaurant and smokehouse and shared some of his other plans in the works. On weekends, OAK'D is going to experiment with live music at one end of the spacious dining room after the regular dinner service ends, with a small stage rolled out for the occasion.

Currently, all the meats at OAK'D are smoked on a pair of M&M wood-fired rotisserie smokers, but Lane tells us he has approval from the city to expand the smokehouse further into the parking lot, providing space to add three more smokers. Also in the works are new walk-in refrigerators and prep space to turn a large chunk of the restaurant into a commissary-style kitchen for Lane's other passion: supporting first responders and the military.
Lane's father was an Army doctor, so supporting troops is something that feels natural for him. The extra-large kitchen and smoking capacity of the Addison location allows OAK'D to do more meals for good causes, whether it's an upcoming cookout for Dallas and surrounding cities' police departments, or feeding an entire brigade of Army reservists and their families before the soldiers deployed to Kuwait last year. Lane also hopes the commissary kitchen can provide another revenue stream for OAK'D by providing ready-to-serve barbecue to bars and smaller restaurants.

Despite opening during the pandemic, OAK'D on Greenville Avenue quickly developed a regular following that helped make the brand successful. And with the new location in Addison, denizens north of 635 can avail themselves of the OAK'D goodness as well.

OAK'D BBQ, 4525 Belt Line Road, Addison. Sunday – Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Thursday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.