Pecan Lodge Menu — Dallas BBQ Worth the Line
Justin and Diane Fourton’s Deep Ellum smokehouse: USDA Prime brisket over post oak and hickory, the legendary “Hot Mess,” and a line that starts before the doors open. Full menu, prices, and how to order it properly.
How much BBQ should you actually order?
Pecan Lodge sells meat by weight, so “how many pounds?” is the question people get wrong. Pick your group size for a suggested order, a cost estimate, and whether you qualify to skip the main line.
- Order ½ lb brisket (say fatty if you want the classic) plus ½ lb of pork ribs or two sausage links.
- Two sides between you — the mac ‘n cheese and the collard greens are the usual pair.
- Alternative for two: one Hot Mess plus one Two Meat Plate, split. The Hot Mess alone is close to a two-person portion.
- A solid spread: 1 lb brisket, ½ lb pork ribs and 2–3 sausage links.
- Three or four sides for the table, plus a dessert or two to share.
- Want one showpiece? Add a beef rib — they average a pound each and are the photo everyone takes.
- Split it: 1½ lb brisket, 1 lb pork ribs, 3 sausage links.
- Four sides is about right for six people, since portions are generous.
- Consider The Trough instead — it’s built to serve 4–5 and adds a beef rib and pulled pork to the mix.
- 2 lb brisket, 1 lb pork ribs, ½ lb pulled pork and 3 sausage links.
- Five sides, and a pint each of the banana pudding and peach cobbler for the table.
- Or take The Trough and top it up with an extra pound of brisket.
- 2½ lb brisket, 1 lb pork ribs, 1 lb pulled pork and 4 sausage links.
- Six sides, family style, plus quarts of dessert rather than singles.
- Add a beef rib or two if you want a centrepiece — they’re the thing people remember.
- At 15 people or more you’re into catering, which Pecan Lodge offers for groups of 15+.
- Their online catering system has been in the works, so quotes are handled the old-fashioned way — email the team your event details.
- Ordering for a party at home instead? The Trough serves 4–5, so three of them covers a group this size.
Estimates use the standard barbecue rule of about ½ lb of cooked meat per adult when sides are served, costed against the listed menu prices. Your appetite, leftovers plan and drink order will move the total.
A farmers market stall that became the benchmark every other Dallas smokehouse gets measured against.
Pecan Lodge was started by husband-and-wife team Justin and Diane Fourton — Justin runs the pits — as a stall at the Dallas Farmers Market. Word travelled the way it does with real barbecue: slowly, then all at once. The move to a permanent home in Deep Ellum turned it into a destination, and the line out the door became part of the experience.
The brisket is the reason. It starts as USDA Prime Certified Angus, seasoned simply with salt, pepper and a house spice blend, then smoked low and slow over post oak and hickory. The style is Central Texas at heart, but the rub leans east — a little more spice, a nod to Louisiana across the border. You order it lean or fatty, and the regulars say fatty.
Then there’s the dish that broke containment: the “Hot Mess.” A jumbo sea salt-crusted sweet potato buried under South Texas barbacoa, chipotle cream, cheese, butter, bacon and green onions. It is enormous, it is absurd, and it is the single most photographed thing on the menu.
Below is the full menu as it currently stands, plus the part most guides skip — how to actually get to the front of the line and what to order once you’re there.
What actually happens in the pits
Pecan Lodge’s own menu carries the line “our fire burns” — and that’s not decoration. The smokehouse runs on wood and time, with no gas assist and no shortcuts, which is exactly why the daily supply is finite.
The plates that built the reputation
If it’s your first visit, these are the dishes that show up in every review, every list and every photo of a Pecan Lodge tray.
Weekend showpieceBeef Rib $28 ea
Averaging a pound apiece, bone in, with a thick peppery crust. The single most dramatic thing you can put on a tray.
ShareableSmokehouse Nachos $16
South Texas barbacoa over homemade queso, pico de gallo, grilled peppers and onions, salsa verde, chipotle crema and cotija.
Seen on DDDThe “Pitmaster” $17
Brisket, pulled pork and sausage stacked together, topped with slaw, BBQ sauce and fresh sliced jalapeños.
How to handle the famous line
The line is genuinely part of the Pecan Lodge story. It’s also avoidable, if you know how the place works.
Order 5 lb or more and skip ahead
This is the big one. Guests buying five pounds of meat or more can use the express line rather than the main queue. If you’re feeding eight or more people, rounding your order up past 5 lb can save a substantial wait.
Go early — and treat “sold out” as real
Everything is smoked fresh in finite daily batches, and the menu itself says the restaurant is open “until we’ve sold out.” Popular cuts can be gone well before closing, especially at weekends. Before noon is the safe window.
Monday is a short day
Monday service runs 11am to 3pm only, while Tuesday through Sunday run into the evening. It’s an easy mistake to turn up on a Monday evening to a closed door.
Deep Ellum parking, briefly
Street meters around Deep Ellum are often free after 6pm on weekdays, but check the individual meter rather than trusting the rule — times vary block to block. Paid lots nearby are cheap, and weekend evenings are the tightest.
Where you’ve seen it before
Pecan Lodge, answered
Where is Pecan Lodge and what are the hours?
Pecan Lodge is at 2702 Main Street, Dallas, TX 75226, in Deep Ellum, and the phone number is (214) 748-8900. Hours are Monday 11am–3pm, Tuesday to Thursday 11am–8pm, Friday and Saturday 11am–9pm, and Sunday 11am–8pm — or until they’ve sold out for the day.
How do you skip the line at Pecan Lodge?
Orders of five pounds of meat or more can use the express line rather than the main queue. Beyond that, arriving early is the reliable approach — the kitchen smokes limited daily batches and popular cuts sell out before closing.
What is the “Hot Mess” at Pecan Lodge?
It’s the restaurant’s most famous dish: a jumbo sea salt-crusted sweet potato loaded with South Texas barbacoa (shredded brisket and pork with southwestern seasoning), chipotle cream, cheese, butter, bacon and green onions. It’s very large — plenty of people split one or take half home.
What should I order on a first visit?
Start with the brisket — ask for fatty if you want the version regulars swear by — then add burnt ends, a beef rib if you want the showpiece, and a link of jalapeño sausage. The Hot Mess and the Pitmaster sandwich are the two signature composed dishes, and Aunt Polly’s banana pudding is the classic finish.
How much brisket should I order per person?
The standard barbecue guideline is about half a pound of cooked meat per adult when sides are served, so four people works out around two pounds total. Use the planner near the top of this page for a suggested order by group size — and remember that hitting five pounds unlocks the express line.
Does Pecan Lodge do catering or shipping?
Yes to both. Catering is available for groups of 15 or more, handled directly by the team by email while their online system is being set up. For anywhere else in the country, Pecan Lodge offers nationwide shipping through GoldBelly®.
Are there vegetarian options at Pecan Lodge?
Options are limited — this is a smokehouse. Vegetarians can build a plate from sides like mac ‘n cheese, cole slaw, potato salad and fried okra, though note that Southern collard greens and pinto beans are often cooked with pork, so it’s worth asking. The desserts are all vegetarian.
What makes Pecan Lodge brisket different?
Three things: the beef is USDA Prime Certified Angus rather than a lower grade; the seasoning is a simple salt-and-pepper base with a house spice blend that leans slightly more East Texas than the classic Central Texas rub; and it’s smoked over post oak and hickory in offset pits, low and slow, with no shortcuts.
Find it on Main Street
2702 Main St, Dallas, TX 75226
Deep Ellum · (214) 748-8900
Barbecue · dine-in, takeout and delivery
Casual, counter-service and busy. Outdoor seating, good for groups, and dog friendly on the patio.
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