Ten50 BBQ Is Now Open, We Visit for Burnt End Friday

At long last, Ten50 Barbecue has opened its second location in the Devonshire neighborhood in Dallas (the original is in Richardson). Nick Reynolds first reported on Ten50's plans back in 2023, when we believed the opening would be a few months away. We're not sure what caused the nearly 18-month delay, but Ten50 finally opened the doors for the new spot on May 12, so we popped in to have a look.

Two immediate notes when we hopped out of the car. First was the smell of wood smoke, which is always a good sign. The second has to do with the massive glass and steel door at the restaurant's entrance. It's a heavy piece of kit, and you'll be inclined to give it a firm yank. But momentum quickly flings the door against the facade, and if you're not careful, maybe your fingers will provide the cushion? We slammed the door against the doorstop on the way in and on the way out. You've been warned.
Other than the door, the new space is a tasteful blend of wood, brick, steel and modern lighting with an urban loft feel. The restaurant, formerly a Sonny Bryan's for over two decades, is quite a bit smaller than Ten50's original Richardson location. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Even though we dropped by on a peak Friday night (and the restaurant appeared to be doing a vibrant dinner business), we missed any long lines, ordered at the counter, then grabbed a seat and waited for our food to arrive.

There were a few things we knew we had to try. Friday is burnt end day at Ten50, and two of us splurged on a half pound ($18) of the smoky delicacy. We also ordered a half pound of brisket ($18), mixed between lean and fatty slices, another half pound of jalapeño sausage (the cheddar jalapeño was sold out that night) for $14, as well as Ten50's usually excellent fried okra ($5).

The Observer's social media editor Jordan Maddox said it best: when you go to get barbecue, you have to get cornbread. Ten50's version fits the bill nicely, but don't sleep on their house yeast rolls, either. They're pillowy soft, and just slightly sweet, and at a buck apiece, a veritable steal.

We rounded out our tray with on-the-cob elote ($5), and a couple of iced teas. Gone are the days when barbecue used to be a relatively modest meal; our tray of goodness for two people ran us $77 before tax and tip, although in fairness, we over-ordered on the meats for two people, and took home quite a few leftovers. But there's a lot to be said for getting barbecue on a Friday night with no wait, and that's a privilege worth paying for. Ten50's new spot also sports a full bar, adding to the appeal.

By and large, we were pleased with our meal. Ten50's brisket sports a thick obsidian bark that's delicious and slightly sweet, and the brisket underneath is tender and flavorful. The burnt ends left us a little wanting, however; they seemed to be little more than rectangles of brisket point, devoid of any extra sauce, rub, or time in the smoker. They're tasty morsels, but not a true burnt end. The jalapeño sausage had a decent bite of peppery heat, but was otherwise unremarkable.

Our elote corn on the cob was delicious, with a single order sized to share, but we wished there was more of the chipotle sauce on all sides of the corn cob. Ten50's okra is still a must-order, but ours arrived somewhere just above tepid, as if it had been sitting for some time before landing on our tray. We'll chalk this up to a busy Friday night and some first-week kinks, as it took nearly 15 minutes for our tray of food to arrive after we ordered.
With Douglas Bar & Grill closing last year, there's been a gap in good barbecue in this part of Dallas, which Ten50 fills nicely. Every day of the week, Ten50 is slinging meats for both lunch and dinner, which is a mammoth effort that we'll always applaud. And judging by the full dining room on our visit, the neighborhood is plenty happy that Ten50 BBQ decided to open a second home on Lover's Lane. Just watch that door.

Ten50 BBQ, 5519 Lovers Lane. Sunday - Thursday, 10:50 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday - Saturday, 10:50 a.m. - 10 p.m.