Did Guy Fieri Name Pecan Lodge The Best Restaurant in Texas? Not Quite.

Food Network star Guy Fieri made waves locally and across the state when he proclaimed that the best restaurant in all of Texas was Deep Ellum’s own Pecan Lodge.

As it turns out, although framed that way by some, Fieri never made that claim.

The foodie website Mashed published what appeared to be Fieri’s picks for the best restaurants in each state that have been featured on his show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Later, the article was updated with an editorial note clarifying that the list was chosen by the Mashed editorial team and not Fieri.

But by then, the story had made the rounds locally on social media and other outlets. Dallas news affiliate NBC 5 posted the story on its website with the headline, “The Best Restaurant in Texas, According to Guy Fieri.”

Finding a more decorated restaurant than Pecan Lodge isn’t an easy feat. As you wait in the line, which often snakes out the door onto the sidewalk, you’ll see a wall adorned with a bevy of accolades.

Despite the illustrious reputation, however, the notion that Pecan Lodge is still the best in town, let alone the entire state, was met with heavy blowback online. Pecan Lodge shared NBC's article on its own Facebook page and hundreds of commenters chimed in. "Srsly? He picked Pecan Lodge?" (No, not srsly.)

Commenters argued Pecan Lodge wasn’t even the best barbecue in Deep Ellum anymore (Terry Black’s was referenced often). Others cited local barbecue heavyweights such as Cattleack, Goldee’s, Hutchins, Slow Bone and Hurtado as superior. The word overrated was thrown around often.

However, many others agreed with the recognition.

The fire was stoked. Few topics evoke emotions and deep convictions like food, particularly slow-smoked meats. But still: The best restaurant in the entire state? We decided to make a return trip for our own bit of research.
Well, the brisket, which was $17 for a half-pound, was a touch dry. A few touches, actually. Same with the pork ribs ($14 for a half-pound). We did enjoy the burnt ends – intensely smoky and caramelized beautifully, these little hunks of charred brisket were just what you would expect at a place with standards as lofty as Pecan Lodge.

The brisket sandwich ($16) was not bad, but nothing to write home about. And the mac and cheese and banana pudding, both of which typically score high marks here, were just OK.

We went in the middle of the week, so maybe that played a part. Or it was just an off night. Shout out to the peach cobbler, though. Crumbly and delightfully sweet, it was superb.

The proprietors of Pecan Lodge didn’t attain the heights they have reached without knowing what they were doing. And one could argue that Pecan Lodge set a new bar for Dallas barbecue. The impact has been significant, and the folks here deserve respect.

Perhaps most telling of all, however, after coming in second on Texas Monthly's top 50 barbecue joints list in 2013, PL was snubbed on the most recent list in 2021.

Then again, just as people say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the same holds true for food. So, where does Pecan Lodge still rank around here? That’s up to you to decide.

Alba Guadalupe wrote on a Dallas Texas TV Facebook post about the issue:

“Food can’t be rated by anybody else than ourselves. Our favorite flavors are based on our background and likings. Everyone is different. You compare a meal based on the time you ate it. Our standards are different. Just go eat where you like and enjoy.”