Serving iconic dallas barbecue since 1910
Great Food.
Great People. Great Value.
Sonny Bryan, whose original vision for top-tier Texas barbecue is still alive and well, used to keep the restaurant open until the 800 pounds of meat ran out (usually around 1 pm). He’d spend the rest of the day riding his bicycle around town.
A lot has changed since the days of Sonny and his bicycle but we’re proud of the blend of old and new you’ll encounter while visiting our flagship store.
It’s easy to spot imposters in the barbecue industry.
Looking for authentic barbecue that stands out among all the other briskets?
We’ve got the roots and the history to prove you’re in the right place.
The restaurant won a James Beard Foundation Award in 2000
Sonny Bryan
“THE ONLY SMART THING I EVER DID WAS FIND SOMETHING I COULD DO WELL, AND DECIDE TO BE HAPPY DOING IT.”
February 13
1910
Elias Bryan opens the first Bryan’s Smokehouse on Centre Street. He quickly becomes known for sharing with Dallasites his family secret of cooking untrimmed meat with the lean side down. It’s an instant hit!
1930
Elias Bryan’s son Red opens his Smokehouse on Jefferson Street. Nicknamed The Tin Shack… barbecue sandwiches are sold for 10 cents.
1958
Sonny Bryan, manager of Red’s restaurant, decides to put his own stake in Dallas barbecue. He and his beauty pageant wife sell their gun collection and move across the river to build their Smokehouse in “wet” Dallas.
February 13, 1958 marks opening day for Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse. Thankfully smoking meat didn’t require electricity because the wiring was not in place on opening day.
1970
Sonny Bryan’s is known for attracting the most diverse crowd anywhere in Dallas. It became a hangout spot after civil rights demonstrations and a place where anyone– no matter the color of their skin or color of their collar- could come and enjoy lunch.
1974
Notable figures such as Richard Nixon and Julia Child stop in for some brisket!
1989
Sonny Bryan sells his legendary name and recipe to the Harman Family.
2013
Changes come to Sonny Bryan’s as the flagship restaurant is renovated and expanded to make room for more people.
2016
The Original Sonny Bryan’s, located on Inwood Road, becomes the first and only BBQ joint in the State of Texas to be open 24/7.
2017
Sonny’s famous brisket recipe is revamped to be even better! The Hill Country Brisket is introduced to Dallas.
2018
Sonny Bryan’s hits a major milestone and celebrates 60 years on Inwood Road!
2023
Sonny Bryan’s tips its hat to Dallas’ rich cultural history and commissions local artist, Mari Polhman, to craft a mural depicting several iconic elements unique to our city.
Testimonials
Locals, tourists and foodies love Sonny Bryan’s!
Edgar R.
May 2, 2025
Awesome place with quick service. Very good food for the price which was good as well.
Wonder Wendy
May 4, 2025
Good barbecue with great selection of meats. The onion rings are delicious! They have ribs, smoked sausage, brisket and chicken. The potato salad was delicious. In inside of the restaurant was good southern Texas atmosphere
Jeff Carr
Apr 30, 2025
Great place. Great food and the staff was great! I would recommend it without hesitation.
Randy Thomas
Apr 19, 2025
Best place to get some great BBQ… Open 24/7… Huge onion rings are awesome!
Justin Moc
Apr 18, 2025
So glad that they are open 24/7! Visiting from Canada and had to try Texas bbq and came here first thing in the morning. 10/10 recommend
Sanjeevakumar
Hiremath
Apr 14, 2025
No place like this for some late night bbq. It was super quick and very delicious barbecue.
Meghan Doyal
Apr 13, 2025
Amazing food, and really chill environment. Huge portions too, so definitely have leftovers. The jalapeño sausage and the brisket were my favorites.
John Blank
Mar 25, 2025
Sonny Bryan’s staff are always friendly. We had a large party of about 17 people. They quickly opened up another room to help with this occasion. The food was very good, too. The big plate was perfect for sharing.
Nafisa Gagen
Mar 2, 2025
They were very patient and answered all my questions. She was really good with my picky eater. The meat potato was delicious, and big enough for me to take home for lunch tomorrow. Their special BBQ sauce is the best. I highly recommend this place especially if you are hosting tourists.
Jake M.
Feb 15, 2025
I love this place! I’ve been going here since I was a kid and recently moved back home and have started making it a regular part of my rotation. They go the extra mile and Jeff the GM really cares about his customers. Definitely come by for the amazing food, delightful atmosphere and excellent customer service!
Douglas Kilgore
Feb 5, 2025
We have been meeting for lunch every Wednesday for several years. Food is good and they have meeting room.
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