Saturday night, and the place was jammed. The hostess told us (party of two) we could wait 45 minutes for a table, or we could get something to eat immediately if we sat at the bar. We chose the bar, which was downstairs and noisy, but not so loud we couldn't hear each other. The service was very fast, and very efficient. As soon as we sat down at the bar, I was glad we didn't wait for a table. That sentiment only got stronger as our meal progressed - more than enough room at the bar to eat, and my server (the bartender),was just a nod away from me. I ordered the 1/2 Chicken with the house BBQ sauce and a Jim Beam on the rocks, and my companion ordered the pulled pork sandwich and a beer. My sides were cornbread and deviled eggs, and hers were green beans and mashed sweet potatoes. My chicken could have been cooked a bit more, but was within acceptable "done-ness". Their house sauce just didn't have enough punch for me; fortunately, there were other bottles of sauce at the ready there on the bar, and one of those was labeled "Hot", and that was what the chicken needed. Both of my sides were delicious. My SO was pleased with everything she had in front of her, and she used the house barbecue sauce, and pronounced it perfect for her. We had a couple of more drinks as we lingered at the bar after the plates had been cleared away. It was a pleasant sojourn, and it cost less than $50 (sans tip) for two people, and I'm happy with that anytime. It wasn't perfection, but it was good. read more

Just had delivery. I've beeen to the restaurant and liked it. But with delivery they were bad. No sauces to choose from, so I assumed they would include a few different ones. Nope! Dry meat and no sauce. The sides were cold. And that had nothing to do with delivery. She was here within 10 minutes of pickup. Won't be getting from here again. Very disappointing read more

Lockhart's is a nice looking place that smells delicious when you walk in. The meat is smoked right in front of the front door and you can't miss the experience of in-house BBQ. Unfortunately, the food didn't blow me away. I ordered smoked pork nachos that were presented well, but lacked a sufficient amount of pork, had an excess of jalapeno peppers, and were generally difficult to eat. Beer selection was good, service was friendly, and the atmosphere is good. I'll give them another shot the next time I'm in town. Homemade pickles/onions were a nice touch. read more

Average, lack of a true smokehouse flavor. I've had much better BBQ and far overpriced given the lack of flavor. Not a repeat for us.

My wife received a promotion from Lockhart's BBQ in her e-mail and our taste buds wanted to take a trip to flavor town, so we stopped in for dinner last night around 6:15 PM. I was immediately blown away by this place when we walked in because the smoker was right there behind the bar and the place smelled amazing. We were also greeted and seated by a server within 10 seconds of entering the restaurant. I eventually saw the grill master come out with a pile of heavily seasoned pork butts, which made my mouth water. The place is huge and it was spotless (clean) from the floor to the tables to the bathroom. We shared a cup of the Ugly Smoked Gumbo and a cup of Lockhart's Texas Chili to start. Both soups were incredibly delicious and they were exploding with pieces of meat-beef brisket in the chili and chicken and sausage in the gumbo. They had a full bodied flavor with a great combination of heat and smoke. The chili was slightly sweet in comparison to the gumbo and the gumbo had all the things I love about Cajun food-perfect amount of spice. When you order a plate of meat, you get two sides with it. I had the pulled pork with cornbread and collard greens. The cornbread was piping hot when it arrived-I pulled it apart and steam rose out of it. It was obviously scratch-made and oh so delicious. The collard greens were delicious with the perfect amount of acid, sweet, and smoke and there were plenty of pieces of bacon, green peppers and onions on them. The chicken that my wife had was outstanding. The pulled pork was great too, not the best that I have had, but it was still good. It was served in big pieces with the burnt outer crust still on, which was a way that I'm not familiar with, but it was delicious with lots of smokey notes. They had some great sauces too, which I expected from an authenticate BBQ place like Lockhart's. I also had some of their freshly brewed iced tea, which was refreshing and addictive. I ordered half sweetened and half unsweetened. Our waitress was attentive, friendly and knowledgeable and she helped us have a fantastic experience. She gave us some great information on the food, such as when my wife ordered the chicken and she explained that it would arrive with a pink color because of the smoke. She explained that the pink color didn't mean the chicken was under-cooked, it just meant that the smoker did it's job of adding flavor. The menu had a ton of great BBQ options to choose from, so we will definitely be back to try some of their other food. read more

Horrible horrible the worst $60 ever spent on food!! Brisket empanadas tasteless Mac n cheese is dead wrong and should be off the menu Sweet potato mash is disrespectful The smoked wings no flavor and over cooked all u taste is smoking wood!! The green beans were unacceptable they were raw and. Old in the middle they green beans need time to cook it's not a veggie u just sauté and that's it they take some time I wouldn't recommend this place AT ALL!! read more

Drove all the way there after work because it said they said that they were open until nine on google. Get there at 8:22 to be told by a very rude bartender that they stop serving food at 8:30. Gas is to expensive to waste on driving 20 minutes to be turned away by a rude employee read more

Status Update! The manager of Lockhart's re-reached out to me after my previous post and offered me the opportunity to come back and try out Lockhart's on her dime. We exchanged several emails in which I thoroughly outlined how exceptional customer service in an area that is over-saturated with phenomenal places to eat is a MUST in order to attract and obtain a solid following. That's my opinion of it, anyway. She agreed and continued to answer my email stating she appreciates the feedback and looks forward to having me back in. Ok, great. Good customer service! So, fast forward a few days to when I receive a gift card in the mail in a plain white envelope. I was excited to open it and read whatever personal message was contained within, whether that message was to thank me for giving Lockhart's another try, or hoping I enjoy the meal this time, or even a funny note just saying "please stop giving us negative reviews." Well, that upside down frown turned right back around when I opened the envelope to see a completely blank gift card sleeve and no note :( Here's the thing: maybe I'm picky, maybe I expect too much, or maybe I just hate dining out (not true, please read my other reviews), but what I certainly DON'T hate is follow-through as it relates to customer service. It is so, so, so, so, so, so important, and I can't stress that enough. Anyway...I'm rambling... I really do appreciate the offer to get me back in the door - absolutely (hence the 3 stars instead of 1), but, obviously, it could have been executed better. Ok, now we wait for the ACTUAL restaurant review. Coming soon! read more

Wasn't thrilled the first time, so I tried it a second because I simply love BBQ. Very small meat portions, I got a 1/2 chicken and I would say 1/3 of the 1/2 chicken was actually meat or edible parts of chicken. My gf got the pulled pork meat and it's probably 2oz of meat max. The sides are decent. But we want meat, when u eat BBQ , u usually get full. Because of our hunger we got an appetizer , BBQ pork nachos. It's chips with a lot of cheese and about 1oz of meat on it. Very disappointed again and will not be back. I'm no good snob, especially with BBQ. But the portions are not acceptable. Both visits I was so hungry, that I ate the piece of bread they give u, while drenching it in the BBQ sauce just to get some BBQ satisfaction lol. read more

Q: Does Lockhart's serve up some great bbq? A: Yep. Q: Is it fantastic, amazing, best of the best? A: I wouldn't say THE best, but i'm def a fan of their bbq! Q: Would you go back? A: Of course, can't wait to try more items off the menu! I'll have to say, i was pleasantly surprised by Lockhart's. I know reviews have been mixed about this place, so i wasn't trying to set my expectations too high (so i wouldn't be disappointed). Long story short...i really liked this BBQ joint! The highlights of my visit to Lockhart's were: 1. Atmosphere - Very laid back vibe, modern/rustic decor, open kitchen, and nice smokey aroma (always a plus). 2. Pickles - Each table was given a complimentary jar of housemade pickles, which were marinated with jalapeños (giving them a perfect amount of zing). 3. Beef Brisket - A great balance of smokey flavor, tender, juicy, and cooked perfectly! On the other hand, service could've been better (less 'tude and more helpfulness), bbq sauces were okay (too watered down), and the sweet potato fries were just meh! So why am i rating this place at 4 stars instead of 3 stars you may ask (since the pros vs. cons are pretty even)? Well, Lockhart's really impressed me with their BBQ brisket...enough to make me think they really know how to do bbq, and they do it well! read more

Royal Oak used to house a sorry excuse of a barbecue place, not too long ago. A disgrace to barbecue that was known as Memphis Smoke. They thought dimming the lights, playing music, and sprucing up the bar would keep people coming back. Well, it did for awhile, but fortunately the carnivores of an economically slumping metro Detroit has "smoked" em' out o' there. Thus RO has given birth to a place worthy of being called a down home barbecue joint. Lockhart's. Where friendly service and jalapeño pickles are served for free. Ah, if only the BBQ was free. My 1/2 chicken and 1/4 slab ribs meal was very filling. The half chicken was tender, seasoned well, and the house sauces were AWESOME to dip into. The ribs were tender, and fell of the bones nicely - though not the best in the world (but after eating the worst BBQ in RO before, I am not so greedy to expect the best there either). My sides of mac & cheese and beans were modest portions so as to not take away from the meal (though it is saddening to not have leftovers). My girlfriend's brisket and pulled pork meal was delectable. So tender, so juicy, and the brisket was tender, yet firm enough with a nice fatty outer layer. Very good. All the meats had an excellent dry rub, safe for all, and the house sauces guaranteed to come in a flavor that will please your unique palate. My only significant complaint I have is that cornbread is a side you can only select as one of your 2 sides to the meal. I feel that a BBQ joint should serve cornbread by default, and then let you choose 2 sides in addition to that. The default bread without using up one of your 2 sides was just plain white or wheat sliced grocery store bread. This was a disappointment, but tolerable. Overall, this spot to me ranks as one of the solid go-to BBQ joints in metro Detroit. Not everyone has the time or patience to wait in line down at Slow's for the classic and somewhat overrated Detroit BBQ, and often we want a little nicer interior look and feel for dine-in than Lazybone's can offer (which in my opinion is the best value/carry out BBQ in metro Detroit). I highly recommend this place. Good riddance to Memphis Smoke! read more

I thought they'd improve, and they have. They've always seemed too dedicated to not work on their weaknesses and accentuate their strengths, and they've done both. Last time there, the brisket was the juiciest yet, the burnt end appetizer was better than ever, the thick-cut smoked bacon was fantastic, and the beer list was just as good as it's always been. Further, the outdoor patio space they've added, complete with a couple TVs and an attractive wooden enclosure, adds some really useful additional square footage. And they seemed to have added, or perhaps I just hadn't seen it before, the option of getting a whole pig served at your table (must order at least a week in advance). Sounds like a pretty cool excuse to get some friends together. There are some good BBQ options out in AA, downtown and out east, but Lockhart's is certainly the best in Oakland County -- Union Woodshop aside, perhaps... read more

This is a sort of pre-release review of Lockharts BBQ in Royal Oak. My friend and I were lucky enough to get invited to a 'mock opening' of Lockhart's a few days before the real opening and I'm happy to report that southeastern Michigan has yet another very competent, real-deal, low and slow, wood fired, barbecue joint available to it's diners. It's amazing that over the course of a year, the area has gone from very slim pickins to being able to find something excellent for every real barbecue lover. Right when you hit the door of the rustic warehouse style restaurant you can see the smoker and chop area as well as smell the smoke. It reminds me of the setup at the famous Salt Lick in Austin, TX. The dining room is a fun, wide-open area with just a few TVs for the people who want to check them out...but not so many as to be distracting. There are big windows all around to watch the hustle and bustle of Royal Oak. There's also a nice outside seating area. Wait staff was very friendly, and did a fine job especially for a place that's not really open yet. A stout jar of fresh pickles are brought out with the menus. Something very different and very tasty. They seem to be homemade and are crispy and delicious. The only thing that was confusing here was how we were supposed to consume them. My friend and I just dug in with a fork and ate them up. There was some unexpected spice in there I couldn't quite put my finger on that made them stand out. At any rate...tasty. Burnt ends were right there on the menu, and we had to have them. Nothing is better than good burnt ends and these were delicious. All the concentrated smokiness and char, tossed with a little sauce. Excellent. Lockhart's uses harder woods to smoke like hickory and oak, and it makes the smoke taste more intense. The sauces were very tasty. You have your pick of four sauces, a sweet sauce, the 'Lockhart's' house sauce, 'fire in the red' sauce, a vinegar Caroline sauce, with the house 'Lockhart's' sauce being a fantastic mix of tangy, sweet, with just a nice tinge of heat. I didn't find the Fire in the Red sauce to be that much spicier, even though it had enough raw spices to be clogging the nozzle of the squirter. I alternated between these two excellent sauces. Lockhart's has an extensive menu and when open to the public will allow you to put a platter together of the items you want. That's always appreciated. I ordered the brisket and ribs combination, with mac and cheese, and ocra on the side. Everything was served in a small industrial kitchen style tray with some butcher paper, more pickles, white bread, and your items. It's a fun, no frills, down home presentation. The brisket had a lovely smoke ring, and a nice beefy taste. If anything it could have been a little more tender, but the taste was definitely there. A return trip will prove this out. The ribs had a nice outer char, but moist interior, came off the bone nicely, and had a hickory smoke taste. Not a strong rub, so a little sauce added extra flavor. Nicely done. The ocra was served in scrambled eggs with a nice salt kick on top. I know ocra isn't everyone's dish, but these were great and you can tell yourself you had something healthy...a vegetable. Mac and cheese came in a small ramekin style bowl with some little crunchy bits on top. Portions were ample but not huge. They're not looking to contribute to the obesity epidemic here, just feed you. --- Lockhart's seems to be going for authentic across the board, and that's just great. You won't find many crazy twists here, just honest to goodness, real-deal barbecue from people who seem to have done their homework. So now, for a whole swath of southeaster Michigan, excellent barbecue is not too far away at all. There's no need to put up with the nasty boiled and sauced pig at the local 'barbecue chain' anymore...the gods of barbecue are smiling on Michigan, finally. (Check my 'Michigan Barbecue Landscape' list here on Yelp for a roundup of other great (and not so great) barbecue places in SE Michigan) read more

Pleasantly surprised by Lockhart's. Grabbed dinner here yesterday with no expectations and walked out a pretty happy and satisfied camper. First off--NO WAIT! Huzzah! I was in a hurry so not having to wait was a huge bonus. So many things on the menu sounded fantastic but I opted for the pulled pork sandwich and a side of sweet potato fries. The pulled pork by itself was North Carolina style--no sauce. So by itself, for me, it wasn't anything special. But throwing on some of BBQ sauce found in the bottles on the table really livened things up. I like my sauce sweet and a little tangy so I went with a combo of the Sweet BBQ and the Lockhart's sauce which had the right balance for me. The pork had a few bits of dry meat but over all it was pretty tasty. I was a little disappointed that the pulled pork didn't come with any coleslaw or anything on top, just a huge scoop of pork. The coleslaw isn't required but I always like it as it adds a nice bit of crunch to the meal.The sweet potato fries, however, were great. Really tasty; perfectly fried and fresh. I also tried the ribs which were nice and tender without being terribly greasy or fatty. The sauces really livened these up as well. The mac and cheese as a side was the kind of mac and cheese I like-- with a nice liquidy-type sauce rather than it being a little stickier. I'd order that as an additional side next time too, or maybe give the deviled eggs a shot. The service was a little laggy. Maybe it just felt that way because I was in a hurry but there was very little interaction between our server and us even though they weren't terribly busy. I couldn't even recognize him when it came time for us to flag him down to get our check and a to-go box. The prices are reasonable and overall the food was tasty with really hearty portions. I think it has potential to be a place I'll frequently visit when I'm in Royal Oak. I just think they might need to get a little more on the ball when it comes to service. read more

For a month a friend of mine has been posting about this place on how amazing it's going to be and how great the food is and this is one of his favorite barbecue places to go outside of bad brads. So group of us we're excited to go and try the food the day before memorial day since most of us work retail and it's hard to try to get a gathering of eight people in one place. We went on a Sunday and they close at 10 o'clock most of our group showed up at 8 o'clock and a few of us showed up at 8:30 which still gave us a little time to order seeing there was only two other tables occupied during the time of us being there. You could tell our waiter he was new to his job and just really didn't know what he was doing. We all placed our orders and maybe I would say five minutes after placing it he had to come back to verify all of our orders because he wasn't 100% sure he got it right. When the food came out three people in our group were still missing part of their order because he forgot to put it in. All of my food came out which I ordered was a half smoked chicken with some mac & cheese and hush puppies. The chicken was awesome, the Mac and cheese wasn't that great to me. But the hush puppies were amazing. When it came time for out bills I asked for a menu so I could get a few things for carry out to take to my mom since she can't leave the house right now. He told me sure no problem and walked away to go grab one, while he did that I looked at my bill and I can tell it was very wrong, he had two different orders on mine that weren't even my orders. Quite a few people at my table had long bills and we had a flag him over to let him. He went to go fix it and I asked again for a menu and he said oh yeah sorry forgot about that I'll go grab it. He brought the bills back to us and when they were still messed up and still had to be fixed and still waiting on a menu. It took us about 45 minutes to get all the bills right since he says his manager had to fix them each time. You would think at that point his manager would've came up and asked us who had what so she can fix it right the first time. It was about an hour altogether until I even got my menu right before they were closing to even place an order which was kind of disappointing. But I did get the food and brought it home and the next day my mom ate her food and wasn't impressed by the sweet potatoes that were very bland and the brisket that was very dried out. I'm not sure if this was a one time deal where the food was just below average or this is something that happens often but personally I wouldn't waste my money coming here when I know there's quite a few other better barbecue places that I can eat it and not have to deal with this. read more

Lockhart's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

Overall a good experience with good service. The first time I came here was with a 20+ work group which was handled nicely by 2 servers. The beer selection was great and the food came out hot and without delay. With little distractions, such as bad service or crowded space, the work party went great with good conversations and a lively atmosphere. Today I went with 4 coworkers that were from out of town. They all acknowledged that it was the best BBQ they've had (and I was the only one drinking the excellent beer :-). I had the half chicken with the house rub. Could have used more of the rub, but with the 4 house BBQ sauces at the table, there was no issues with giving it a kick in flavor. The server was attentive but not in any way over-bearing; perfect for a more personal work dinner. Some reviews you'll notice mentioning a slight 'pink' in the center of the meat. The server tonight had the forethought to warn us that it is due to the "low-and-slow" style of smoking the meat. So keep that in mind... Night-on-the-town tip: there is a hilarious comedy club right around the corner from Lockharts, within walking distance. Perfect for a dinner and a laugh. Cheers! read more

We waited a couple of weeks after they opened to make our first trip to Lockhart. I was excited b/c my husband loves Slows, but it isn't conveniently located to our house (especially now that we have a little guy in tow). I was hoping that this place would be the perfect solution. Things started out on a positive note - we were greeted and seated promptly, our server was friendly, the Michigan craft beer selection was excellent and the jar of pickled fun was a pleasant surprise. We started with Fried Green Beans, the only appetizer that seemed an easy one to share with a little kid. They were actually pretty good and the spicy aioli was a perfect compliment. We ordered the Lockhart Special so we could try a little of everything. The smoked brisket was the highlight of the platter in my opinion, and everything else was lacking. The pulled pork was sporting a bit too much fat, the ribs we were served seemed skimpy on the meat, and the sausage (we ordered the hot one) wasn't anything too special either. I suppose we at least learned that on future visits we would just order the brisket. The sides were okay, but a bit lackluster as well. The jalapeno beans were a different spin on traditional baked beans. The collared greens were good... but lacking in the greens department... It seemed like it should have been called red peppers and onion. The Mac-n-Cheese reminded me of the baked mac & cheese my mom makes. Sorry, but this girl still votes that Slow's (and Howe's Bayou) have the best mac&cheese. I think we'll give this place another month or two to work out their quirks and try it again. read more

So many BBQ places have opened up around these parts, you'd think you were in Texas! Sadly, there is nothing like the Salt Lick here in the mitten. Fortunately, Those of Us Who Say Pop can still enjoy some killer 'que at Lockhart's. Two words: BURNT ENDS. Seriously. After I popped one of these succulent, crispy, juicy babies into my mouth; I almost started singing in Klingon. Rich, meaty, delicious. They should be an entree (they will be for me in the future!). The rest of the beef brisket is marvelous too--you'll want to bury your face in it. I like to think of it as the barbeque equivalent of the pastrami served at Katz's Deli in NYC. It's THAT good!! The pulled pork is also tasty and juicy, but it's all about the brisket. When the star of the show is the meat, you want to serve it with something that is going to complement, not compete, in terms of taste and texture. The sides at Lockhart's work nicely in that regard. Feelin' saucy? They have four to choose from: vinegar, sweet bbq, spicy and their house sauce. The latter was my fave. I got my meat to go, but when I arrived to pick it up it wasn't ready yet. In fact, they were very busy and the gent behind the bar hadn't even keyed in my order (I called 20 minutes ahead). He apologized and rushed my order as well as allowing me the pleasure of enjoying a glass of wine ON THE HOUSE while waiting. 5-10 minutes later I had a ginormous bag of beef (and pork and sides). I can't wait to go back and enjoy a beer or two with my brisket!! read more

Lockhart's has become a regular spot for lunch, for most businesses in the area. Lots of seating, great service, and the food is exceptional BBQ. Burnt ends are fabulous, the shepherd's pie will leave no room for dessert, and if you're lucky, try the pulled rib meat if its on special - my favorite, whether it be in a quesadilla or on a sandwich. I seldom go a week without getting my "fix"! read more

Probably the best chili in the D. The hot sausage bits really make the protein cup come alive. The pickles are also delicious. When you grow tired of 2-4 hour wait times for a table at Slows, Lockhart's is a better alternative. Also, not having to deal with snarky servers who think they are doing you a favor by serving you is an added benefit. read more

As a transplanted Detroiter who has lived in Texas for 6 years, I had very big expectations for Lockhart's BBQ. After all, it's named after Lockhart, TX, the home of Kreuz Market, with great BBQ in the surrounding cities (including the amazing Snow's and Franklins). I also had tempered expectations knowing, after all, this is metro Detroit and there isn't much good BBQ around here. Famous Daves, seriously? So on a recent trip back home, my family joined by another family (4 adults, 4 kids ages 10-4) decided to try it out. We arrived around 7:15pm on a Thursday evening and the place was jamming, even to the point where we were told there was up to an hour wait for our party... Strange considering the many open tables. About 10 minutes into our wait near the bar, the manager came by and said hi (a very nice blonde woman.). I told her we live in TX and how we were excited to try it, but the wait was too long for starving kids. She got us a table right away - kinda sad that the hostess couldn't do that. We started with apps, first the burnt ends and chili. The burnt ends were small nuggets of brisket with a tangy sauce on them. Most of them, the brisket was too tough, except for one or two softer pieces which were quite good. The chili was really good (Texas chili, so brisket and no beans, which is foreign here!). Definitely some heat as well, it was quite enjoyable. For the main plate, I got the brisket and hot sausage, with Mac and cheese and fries. First, the good - the sausage. It was really good, great taste, good spice, and not too tough a casing to cut into. It didn't fall apart when you cut it either. The brisket was average at best - those in Texas, it reminded me of Bone Daddy's BBQ.. Pretty dry and tough, didn't fall apart. I had one piece which was more of a fatty piece, and it was just ok. Too much fat, no rub, and no smoke taste. Then the sides - had to be the worst part. The fries were real thin, some over cooked, some under cooked, and most just soggy. The Mac and cheese had a nice bread crumb topping, but was 99% Mac and 1% cheese... It was basically eating plain rotini noodles. The service wasn't very good, either. The manager, a very nice lady who seated us, was great. But our waitress was really bad - she never asked how the food was, didn't offer refills, and when we finally flagged her down for one of our kids refills, she didn't ask if the other kids needed one. So I'll give them a 3 star, mostly averaging out as if it was a 2 star Texas place, but 3-4 for Detroit. read more

If you would have asked me 2 weeks ago what I would rate Lockhart's, I would have given it a solid 4 stars. However, after going to Union Woodshop and experiencing the amazingness that is their BBQ, I have to say, Lockhart's is more on the 2-3 star level. Every time we go there, I get the same thing - the pulled pork dinner. I LOVE pulled pork. And every time I go to Lockhart's, around 40% of my dinner is inedible because of the amount of fat that's in the meat. Now, what I do eat of the meat is really good, super tasty and tender. But having to sort through chunks of fat is just not very appetizing. What Lockhart's DOES do really well is their hushpuppies and their mac n cheese!! The hushpuppies are deep fried and golden brown, with a nice crunch on the outside and a soft inside. I wish they had a signature dipping sauce for them, but they just come out alone, kind of sad :( The mac and cheese is creamy and delicious - not as good as Union's, but pretty darn close. I would definitely say I would rather go there and just order sides rather than ordering their meat. The BF has gotten brisket there as well and he encountered the same problem - most of his meal was full of fatty pieces that were not appetizing at all. Maybe we're too picky, but neither of us likes any fat in our dinner. I do love how Lockhart's is decorated, their servers are always fantastic, and their beers are pretty good, although I tend to stick with wine. Definitely a place to go if you don't want to drive too far for decent BBQ, but sadly, no longer my first choice :( read more

Disappointing today. Almost everybody's food was cold. Mac and cheese was tasteless. Not a good experience today.

I love a good bbq restaurant and I've been to a lot of the Detroit area places including Slow's and Red Smoke. I think that Slow's blows Lockharts out of the water and my experience with Red Smoke was also much better than here. There was nothing about my meal that I could even rave about. I was eating with a group of 16 on Friday and we had made our reservation on Tuesday. However, when we arrived at the restaurant they did not have our reservation written down. My friend who made the reservation said that the manager she spoke to was very adamant about us all being on time and staying within a 2 hour time limit for eating. I understand that she is running a business and they get busy but there's a better way to approach these issues than with rudeness. When a few of us spoke to the manager about the problem with our reservation she was not apologetic. Instead she was quite rude and none of us were being rude to her. Her attitude makes me consider never going back for a second chance. Our waiter was okay. A little forgetful but we were a group of 16 so I'll give him credit for doing a nice job with a large group. He also automatically split our bills which is something I think every server with a big group should do. The food was just okay as well though. After waiting 45 minutes for a table (when we were supposed to have had a reservation) and dealing with a rude manager I needed the food to knock my socks off to change my opinion of the place. I ordered the Pulled Pork and Ribs with Sweet Potato Fries and Greens. I liked my sides better than my meat and I usually love pulled pork and ribs. I just don't like overly fatty pork and dry ribs. I did try a bite of the Burnt Ends that many people raved about and they were good. The macaroni and cheese that I snagged a bite of could be compared to Velveeta brand before it should ever be compared to Slow's macaroni (which is to die for). Overall, I was unimpressed by Lockhart's BBQ. read more

For some reason I couldn't decide between 4 and 5 stars, but then when I asked myself what I DIDN'T like about this place, I couldn't come up with one valid complaint. So 5 stars it is. I have been wanting to go to Lockhart's since it opened, so I was pretty excited when I was asked to go for a friend's birthday dinner. We had a pretty big group of people (I think about 12ish), and we didn't have to wait long even though we had call ahead seating. I tried the Detroit Dwarf beer while I waited, and it was really good. We were sat outside at 7:30 at night, which worried me because it was quite chilly out. But it was very comfortable and a whole lot better than sitting inside where it was very busy. They have heaters outside so I wasn't even cold and sat in my short sleeve shirt until the very end of the meal when I started to get a little cold. We started off with fried green beans, the burnt ends, and pork sliders. All of which were delicious, especially the burnt ends. I could have made a meal out of them, they were that good. I had the Carolina Pulled Pork sandwich (which is pretty much The Reason from Slow's except the meat is a little more chunky) and sweet potato fries. Both were delicious. The BBQ sauce on the pulled pork was really light, but they have quite a few different BBQ sauce choices on the table, so it was nice to be able to try a few of them. I tried the sweet one and one that was a little more spicy, I think it was called something with red and/or fire in it? Both were very good, and I kind of preferred the spicier one. I also tried a bite of someone's mac and cheese. It was good, but I do like the mac and cheese from Slows more. It could have been a little more baked. Everyone else at the table seemed to enjoy their meals as well. Service was really great, food came out quickly, and our drinks were filled pretty regularly. Do I think it is better than Slows? I can't decide. I love Slows, it will always be a favorite of mine. But the fact that I can walk to Lockhart's and get the same quality meal for the same price without having to wait an hour+ on a busy night, I will probably choose it over Slows next time I'm in the need for some good BBQ. Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed! read more

There are two glaring things about this place that make it difficult for me to rate it above 3 stars. It's overpriced and under portioned. Whenever you go to a BBQ place you can expect to leave absolutely stuffed with enough food for your next meal about 80 percent of the time. I have been here 3 times and each time I have finished my meal completely with no leftovers. I'm not a big eater nor a big guy. On top of that, I've never gotten out of here under 13 an entree, which is a bit steep for a pulled pork sandwich with store bought coleslaw on top and maybe a 1/4 lb of meat on it. The pros of this place are that they have a ton of seating, in the basement, 1st floor, and patio with tvs and a pretty good beer menu with rotating taps that focus on local breweries. You can get in to eat at almost any time. Overall: it's an ok restaurant among ok restaurants in Royal Oak. Proceed if you must. read more

I like the vibe here. It's open and airy, and the big picture windows make for great people watching in Royal Oak. The food was good - not amazing, but definitely solid. My girlfriend and I split the Lockhart's Special, subbing out the sausage for bbq beef brisket. All of the meat was tender and a bit fatty (not bad though), the cornbread and hushpuppies were delicious, but for me, the real highlight of the meal was the macaroni and cheese. It was so good, I wish I had a big bowl of it as my entree. They also have a great selection of Michigan craft beers on draft. Strawberry "Short" Cake for $3.50? Yes, please. The prices are a little high, but the entrees are plentiful; we didn't finish all of our food, and we both were stuffed when we left. I'd come back again. read more

I really want to like lockharts. I love BBQ (I do some smoking at my sandwich shop... And may open my own BBQ place one day). But here's the deal: Pros - Good beer selection Friend green beans are good They put several sauces on the table Some of the sides are great Cons Service is mehhh Meats are mehhh. Taste like a straight oak, possibly hickory smoke... Which in my palate has a bitter almost acrid flavor. Need to balance it with a fruit or pecan wood The sauces are mehhh The bun on the sandwich basically fell apart out the gates... Needed much better toasting. Pricing a little on the high side for what you get. So basically, this sums up a majority if RO restaurants... Exceptionally mediocre. Is it terrible? No. But Bad Brad's, slows, or the Wood Shop kick this place square in the nootz. read more

Besides being overpriced they have pretty good food, I was able to cut my beef brisket with a fork, ribs fell off the bone, pulled pork was amazing. Barbecue sauce selection is decent (all tend to somewhat taste very similar to each other), baked beans kind of reminded me of the bushes baked beans and are very tasty. Mac & cheese was very dry very bland would never even think of ordering it again, $3.50 for one piece of cornbread So I believe that's a little ridiculous itself... They give you fresh carrots, onions, and pickles marinating in their own in-house creation (just give me bread please) when your seated... Portion sizes are extremely small!!!! So if you're well-to-do, or loaded and don't care about spending $50 for two people to eat BBQ come to lockharts. The food marinated good in my stomach after, It didn't feel the need to be exited immediately like some other places I've eaten. My rating is more like a 2.5 not a 3, Thanks for your time yelpers!!! read more

This BBQ is ok. The Mac n cheese is ok. The creamy coleslaw is not great. The only difference I could taste between their original sauce and sweet sauce was varying degrees of Liquid Smoke. Yes, liquid smoke. You've been warned. read more

The smell of sweet smoky goodness wafts in the air as you walk through the door. Sausage, brisket and other meats hanging in the kitchen, delicious sauces on the table and a menu that leaves you wondering, what shouldn't I try. This place is the real McCoy. A buddy of mine helped me move some furniture this weekend, and a hearty meal and a beer was in his future for thanks. He suggested Lockhart's. As a fan of the DBC and the ROB, I had heard of Lockhart's but had never partaken, it was a trip long overdue and assuredly one that will be followed by a repeat soon! Located just north of the ROB between third and fourth, it's near a ton of parking, which was nice, and has a great open feel (high ceilings and a lot of windows). We were a little disappointed by the number of TVs in the place. We thought, were there a few more, this could be the perfect Sunday football or NCAA tournament location. Don't get me wrong, there are TVs, but they were a bit fewer and further between than we've become used to these days. When you walk in, the board to the right has all the local brews. On it is one of my newest favorites, Milking It Productions AXL, a delicious Pale Ale that goes down well...glass after glass, and provided the perfect palette cleanser and refreshing wash for the delicious meal to come! The meal to come was incredible. My buddy Adam ordered the Ugly Gumbo, think traditional Gumbo except sans seafood and plus tons of pulled pork. It was awesome. I had to steal a few bites. Being a few days after St. Patty's, I had to go for the Sheppard's Pie, but this wasn't grandma's version. Instead, a delicious portion of brisket, spiced up with a bit of hot sauce and smothered in sauteed onions and peppers is layered with delicious three cheese mac n' cheese and then broiled to a crispy and delicious finale. This was awesome! I like the beer...hell, I love the beer, but this was the perfect BBQ meets comfort food experience. Both dishes were large enough to be too much food for one sitting. Conversely, both dishes were good enough to prevent either of us for taking them home! Yeah...we finished the dishes and didn't have room for the delicious Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake or Pecan Pie. In the end...this was a great meal. I will be back again and again. Though I want them to get more TVs, I'm thrilled about the BBQ. Great smoked pork and beef, delicious local beers, and great service...this place is the real deal. Get there, bring a bib...and enjoy! read more

Well, I've been to Lockharts twice now, and writing this review, I don't even remember what I had, which should tell you something. Definitely nothing special or remarkable. The only thing I can remember having there is the pickles, which are quite tasty and enjoyable, and free. Definitely worth the 1 stars. Looking over the menu, my party and I ordered burnt ends, which were ok. On the plate the burnt ends came on, there were piles of oil all over which was unappealing, but didn't stop me! The first time I tried the pulled pork, which was smoky and tasty after i added their various BBQ sauces available at the table which were decent. My party got the Lockharts special, none of which he said was great. He took left overs home and never even bothered to eat them, and he eats anything. Second time we went because we wanted to sit outside somewhere and the 2 restaurants we tried before were both full, so we ended up here. Again, pickles good, burnt ends ok, entrees not so great. I got the smoked sausage sammy, which was literally smoked sausage and cheese on bread. I just ended up eating the sausage and taking off the cheese and bread because it was just awkward. Our various sides included mac n' cheese, cornbread, coleslaw (creamy), and potato salad. None of those were ever finished, they were bland and tasted like they had no seasoning whatsoever. Our service on both occasions was not great, not terrible, but somewhat slow, and lacked any enthusiasm. Overall the pickles are good, but that's about it. read more

Ugh! Based on my meal today 3 is very generous. If they had not had Frankenmuth on tap, 2. I was near the place and grabbed a carry out. I wanted to try the burnt ends and was told they were only an appetizer. Most places I've been would never treat that as an app. Burnt ends are very powerful and really are the meal. Anyway, I knew I wanted to try the pulled pork and brisket. I waited patiently for the bartender for several minutes, he was very friendly but somewhat frazzled and a bit slow. OK no problem. I said "I'll have the pulled pork and brisket and give me your two best sides. Whatever you think is best". I got green beans and corn with cheese. I know this is my fault, but I thought with what appeared to be all these great sides, he would have wowed me. Cheese is totally unnecessary with corn, it actually overpowers the flavor. The green beans had a bit of microwave feel and I've now tossed them. The meats. Looked absolutely stunning except they were luke warm in parts and cold in other parts. The brisket had a nice smoke ring but was dried out. I'm speculating from sitting for a while. I opened one of the carry out boxes to see one piece of white bread and 3 pickle slices, why even waste my time with that. I paid a reasonable price for the meal. Give me at least two pieces or none at all. I unfortunately felt like I was at a Red Hot and Blue and don't think I'd make a huge point to run back. Oh well, that was home smokers are for. read more

Delicious BBQ, quite a big selection of food and drinks, and friendly service. I love how they have a patio and a downstairs, lots of room to accommodate. They also have brunch which is absolutely amazing! One of my more favorite places for brunch. read more

FINALLY! a BBQ place that can somewhat hold its own against the infamous Slows! I am a die-hard Slows fan and it will always hold my heart, so this review is a little bit hard for me to write, because i don't think ANY bbq place in the metro detroit area can compare, but this was at least tasty and wayyyyyy better than Rub BBQ Pub or Memphis Smoke. I had the Carolina Pulled Pork sandwich with sweet potato fries. The pulled pork was excellent! that supeeer moist fall of the bone, ridiculously juicy pig. can't complain there. the fries were also crisped to perfection! I love sweet potato fries, but sometimes the texture can be wayyy off if they aren't cooked right. these were simply amazing!! The one beef (no pun intended) i do have with this place were the sauces. I wasn't a raving fan of any of the four that were on the table, but could at least stomach the sweet bbq. I'd still pick slows as the top dog, but this may be my new second best! read more

(2.5) Overall This is a difficult review to write, realistically the food @ Lockhart's needs to be a bit better. The staff @ Lockhart's is great the hostess & our server Stephanie absolutely rocked. She guided us through the menu helping us decide on the our appetizer selection the hot tamales (smoked pork & salsa verde) and the dish earned a solid A. Decided on Lockhart's special which consists of their brisket, hot sausage, pulled pork & ribs. Here's how I see it: Brisket: C- {The portion was obviously re-heated (a tad dry) and became cool waaay to quicky, colour wise it was where it needed to be. Just wish I was received something that had been pulled off the grill & properly rested.} Hot Sausage: B {I usually avoid this dish but decided to give it a go and it was good. Spicy, smokey & well balanced} Pulled Pork: B+ {Moisture levels were great & I didn't think the smoke over powered the flavour of the meat. Paired very well with their Carolina Sauce) Ribs: C- {Unfortunately dry (obvious reheating again) but well composed, these are not 'fall off the bone' and a little short portion wise. Sides: Mac & Cheese: D {I hate writing this but I consider the dish to be a staple of Detroit area restaurants. Scrap the recipe, go sample your competition & start over) Hush Puppies: B+ I was psyched to see these on the menu. Very tasty, crunchy on the outside & fluffy on the inside. Jar of Pickles: A Definitely ask for these!!! Took a slice of their Dr. Pepper cake home (B+) & called it an afternoon. Willing to give it a go again, however I would be a lot more picky and stick to pulled pork dishes rather than the platters. If feels a bit pricey and a little lite portion wise. Sauces were all very good I'm not a sweet sauce person & their's really stood out. I definitely want to go back for their burnt ends and some other apps, will update this review in the future... read more

I've never dined in with this establishment, but I've had their take out three times now and after paying for it this last time I feel safe making my criticisms. The food here is really good. The ribs are delicious, the spicy sausage was on point, their brisket was juicy and tender. I love how they provide white bread to sop up the bbq juices too. However this place is waaaaaay over priced. I didn't realize how much they charge until I ordered from there myself. Between me and a friend we spent about 50 dollars (granted we do eat a lot) and was left slightly hungry. For 25 bucks a head I should be rolling myself to the bathroom afterwards and burping up small amounts of food. This was not the case. So yeah, great food, redonk prices. read more

Lockhart's is named after a notorious small town, Lockhart, TX, that is famous for its BBQ. I moved here from Texas less than a year ago, visiting Lockhart, TX religiuosly, and I beg you to not let this restaurant mislead you. What you find here is NOTHING like Texas BBQ, and I was very disappointed in its fake-out. However, I really enjoy the awesome beer selection & atmosphere here! Definitely come for a relaxing time with friend & the game on the tube. read more

Every male employee must hate working here. Server was not bad in the fact that he did get everything needed but no smile, no enthusiasm and no personality. Walked around like he he did not want to be at work. Couldn't even look someone in the eye while answering questions. Make manager walked around with the same attitude then scooted chairs all around for no reason other than to make the most obnoxious sound. Sandwiches were ok but the the best was the burnt ends app. Seriously not coming back to this place. read more

My husband and I came in for dinner after hearing really good things about this place. There was a little bit of a wait which was understandable for a Friday night in Royal Oak. While we waited, my husband decided he wanted to grab a drink at the bar. I noticed the placement of the bar is really close to where they do their cooking so you're most likely going to walk out smelling a little smokey if you hang out up there. After maybe 30 minutes we were seated....in the basement. We'll take the blame for this one, I was unaware basement seating was even an option and had I known I would've specified the main dining area or outside. The basement just seemed a little too....basementy. I was really looking forward to enjoying the beautiful weather that evening considering it was one of the nicer/less humid nights. But, noted for next time. Onto our meals.... We had the fried green bean appetizer, which was fine for the most part but I think I'd rather use up those calories elsewhere. They were pretty greasy, which ok I get it FRIED green beans, but you know that feeling you get when the grease just coats your throat and it's all you can think about....it was kind of like that. Neither of our meals was super spectacular. The cornbread was really dense, my potatoes just tasted burnt, and my Mac and cheese and brisket were just ok. My husband's sentiments were about the same. I really really REALLY wanted to like it here. Based on all the other reviews and comments from friends, I had very high hopes. For now, I'm just going to hope that maybe they were having an off night. That I can understand. We're willing to give Lockharts another try in the future, but we won't be in a huge hurry to go back any time soon. read more