Great service and great burnt ends! The lean brisket is one of the best in North Texas!! The breakfast tacos are very tasty. read more

I love Tender's ribs! And their sides... especially the beans and potato salad have a great homemade taste. Service is always great. read more

I have been coming here since they have opened and by far the Brisket is one of my top two.

Tender Smokehouse has been on my list to try for a while now. Rated one of Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in US and located in a small town of Celina, TX. I'm always in TX and I happened to be in the neighborhood. You can smell the bbq as you walk through the door. They were open for dine-in and there was no wait on a Saturday evening. I ordered the beef rib special which is limited in quantities (be sure to call ahead to check) and a 1/4 pound of jalapeno cheddar sausage. The beef rib is gigantic and extremely tender as well. The meat slides right off the bone and is well seasoned. I must warn you should have a big appetite before attempting to finish this in one sitting. I ended up taking mine home for another meal. In case you're wondering if I finished the leftover the answer is yes. The jalapeno sausage is also delicious and definitely recommended. Each order comes with a slice of bread and pickles. The BBQ sauce is the bomb! Make sure you get a lot of that on your ribs... I did not order any sides because I knew I wouldn't finish it. I did try a little of the mac and cheese. The manager dropped by to say hello and checked in to make sure everything was good. We had a nice conversation and he brought out a sample of the brisket for me to try because he knew I was from California and wanted to make sure I tasted one of their most popular meats before flying home. I was stuffed! I can definitely see why this place is so popular. Celina is a small town but don't let that deceive you. Their customer service is top notch and I experienced the exceptional hospitality here. I highly recommend giving this place a try the next time you're in the area. read more

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Located in downtown Celina, this is a great place for us to go since it is pretty close to our home. Atmosphere - 4/5 - Not a large seating area, but has several outdoor tables that fit several people. Staff - 5/5 - Super friendly. If you are new, they can provide good suggestions on what to order. Food - 4.5/5 - Several great items to try. Ordered several of the following: - Brisket - 5/5 - Really, really tender. Must get this. - Jalapeno Sausage 4.5/5 - It is spicy, but not too spicy. I definitely recommend this as well. - Ribs - 4/5 - The ribs were pretty good, but not as tender as I expected. Overall, still really good ribs, but I prefer the brisket for sure. - Veggies - 4/5 - The pineapple slaw and mac and cheese were pretty good as well. Overall, this is a great spot up north to grab barbeque. I will be coming back here again. read more

Tender Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Celina, Texas

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Tender's Smokehouse is a local gem. If you are looking for great BBQ without breaking the budget, look no further. My favorites is the stuffed sweet potato with Brisket and all the toppings, the burnt ends & the ribs. But don't sleep on the breakfast tacos. ;-) The staff is always nice and your food comes out pretty quick. If you get a chance, ask to sit in the smoke room. read more

The barbecue is second to none and the baked beans are my favorite! Love this place....

I know a lot of ppl like this place but I truly don't see why. There are WAY better BBQ places in the DFW area. The brisket had no flavor and I hated how they put shredded cheese on top of the Mac and cheese and wasn't even melted on. Is it worth the trip-no. But if your a foodie then come try it for yourself to compare to others. It's a no go for me. Even tho the food wasn't to my pleasing the service was good. read more

Tender Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Celina, Texas

The ultimate fall off the bone, tender ribs. Tasty sides especially the potato salad and banana pudding. Your won't be disappointed, a must visit for excellent BBQ. I GUARANTEE. read more

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Came in on a recent Saturday to finally try out the famous bbq I've heard so much about. My husband and I ordered brisket sandwiches, potato salad and he also had a few ribs and baked beans. We both dove in thinking we were about to enjoy some phenomenal bbq. Sadly, we were very underwhelmed. Didn't even come close to Ten50 BBQ in Richardson-still the best in our book! read more

Some of the best Texas BBQ you can get in the Dallas area. The staff is always amazing and it's a great place to bring your kids. They have outdoor activities that allow you to relax and enjoy a wonderful meal and keep the kids happy. Try the potato with brisket, but you may want to share it with someone because it's HUGE! read more

Newbies to Tenders and here's our quick review. Customer service - both awesome at the counter and the food runners. Food - great all around. I like how nothing comes sauced, you add your own. The smoke flavor is well noted in the meats and the sweet potato! Brisket was our favorite for the meats. Will be back again! Pricing - on point for the value and service The employees, younger, older, up front and in back were all on point 8/13 read more

Tender Smokehouse - El Jefe Pretty much all their meats except turkey - Barbeque Near Me - Celina, Texas

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Maybe today was an off day but the brisket was a little tough, which happens from time to time, but the flavor seemed off from when I usually go here. Very little smoke and just an odd taste. read more

Tender Smokehouse - Lean brisket regular sausage Mac n cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Celina, Texas

This time I got the Big Rib, a $30 giant beef rib. This one was pretty fatty, but you roll the dice when you get a beef rib. Good sides included pineapple slaw and Mac & cheese. Street parking and great venue. read more

Tender Smokehouse - Beef Rib - Barbeque Near Me - Celina, Texas

Beat bbq I have ever had! The service is fast and friendly. Great ambiance at each location. Don't miss out on the banana pudding!

The best BBQ and service around!! Highly recommend their brisket, bbq beans and Mac and cheese! So good! read more

Tender Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Celina, Texas

Food was really good. Went to location in Celina with some friends. The wait is worth it!

Best brisket I've ever had....piled on top of a sweet potato was heavenly. Ate outside in the beautiful Texas spring weather = perfection. read more

Tender Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Celina, Texas

That was some of the best barbecue I've had in the greater Dallas area! We ordered at the restaurant right when we got there, and we were taking the food back for a ten person coworker event. You can smell the smoke and sweetness right when you park in the area. The restaurant is located in downtown Celina, and it is a quaint and really cool area. There is outdoor seating for the restaurant, as well as indoor. We had ordered 3 pounds of the brisket, 1 quart of the Mac and cheese and 1 quart of the pineapple slaw. We also got a ton of roasts on the side, and barbecue sauce. For ten people, it was more than enough and we had several people able to get second servings. I was hesitant about getting the pineapple, initially thinking that it would have chunks of pineapple or be too sweet, however it was very good. It had a subtle sweetness to it, but more than anything it tasted fresh! The Mac and cheese was perfect, and the brisket literally melted in your mouth. Many people had recommended this restaurant to me, and I know why now. The service was also fantastic, they took the time to answer our questions and helped us make selections since it was our first time. If you are not in the Celina area, there is a location in Frisco as well- wherever you go it is a must try! read more

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Read about this place on the yelp reviews and also that it was close to where we were staying. We met some friends for dinner and purchased several plates including brisket and sausages and the usual stuff. Sides were the beans and an assortment of salads. Overall the quality was good but i would not rate it as exceptional. The quality of the meat was good and it was moist. Sauces were very nice and were a necessary accompaniment. Overall a good place. read more

Great bbq. Our fav here in DFW area. Wife loves the turkey. I like the ribs. Frisco location is best read more

Been coming here for years and I thought once they started expanding the quality would drop off, but by no means did it. I'm a regular at this location and the other one off Hwy 380 in Aubrey TX. Both locations are top notch and I highly recommend the fully loaded sweat potato with wet brisket, it's phenomenal. It's also a great place to get some catered food, my employees love it. TEXAS BBQ at its finest. read more

So glad we went to Tender smokehouse! We love downtown celina and this bbq was good. We ordered so many things on the menu. Our favorite was the appetizer with Fritos! It sounded odd but was the best thing we had! We would go back just for that. Atmosphere is fun and overall a great experience!!! read more

Tender Smokehouse - Ribs, pulled pork, Mac n cheese, Frito appetizer - Barbeque Near Me - Celina, Texas

Hail to Tender Smokehouse! Spareribs, Pulled Pork, Prime Brisket, and, Sausage Extraordinaire! Charming house in Celina! Smoker & Picnic Tables Outside! Wait Line & Menu Board before seated! Juicy, Tender, Flavorful Meats! Tangy BBQ Sauce! Savory Mac 'n Cheese! Twisted Pineapple Slaw! Exceptional Service! Well taken care of! Made to feel right at home! Texas Hospitality all the way! Can't wait to get in my car - a leisurely 1 hour drive - smell of Tender's smoke - pull up a chair again! CHEERS! read more

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Nestled off the Main Street and square in downtown Celina is a well know BBQ shop. I've. Wanted to visit it for ages and just never had the time. It was early and mid week, so only one person in line and orders placed at the front; I wanted the Jefe to go which is a sandwich with brisket, sausage link and pulled pork; rib on the side. It came with their beans. There are lots of sides(another day) and sweets up front, which I didn't pick up today. The Texas Toast was done perfectly, all the ways were seasoned well and moist. The beans were really good and I will definitely be back; next go round to try all the sides and more cuts with the family. read more

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It's always excellent here. Great food, service, and the patio is always a good time. They also have breakfast tacos!

Very long wait. Staff took my cell number to text me when food was ready, then never did. Still, generous portions of delicious BBQ. Each food comes with a side of Texas toast, so come hungry. Brisket was high quality, and the house BBQ sauce paired nicely with each meat. The pulled pork sandwich was the star of the show. I ordered to go and enjoyed the food at a picnic table Celina town square -- just a few doors down. Good spot for fresh and real BBQ. read more

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Our family LOVE this place! Great food. Great service. They offer smoking classes that are thorough and fun. Highly recommend any of the classes they offer. read more

RIBS: A+ moist, succulent, flavorful and not too salty like in many other places. BRISKET: A again flavorful, and you get a choice of fatty or lean. PULLED PORK: A makes for a great sandwich on their slabs of white bread with their delicious bbq sauce. (wish they had a vinegar based sauce too.) SAUSAGE: A+ probably my favorite of all the local BBQ places MAC & CHEESE: B needs more seasoning and perhaps a little panko. BAKED POTATO: A- enormous and tasty. Get it loaded and you don't need anything else. BANANA PUDDING: B- this is their weak spot. It's edible and sweet but could use more chunks of banana. SERVICE AND DECOR: A Western and friendly. What more could you ask for? read more

Delicious!! I'm not sure why we haven't been here sooner. We knew they are opening a location in Frisco soon but decided to try them out now. When we arrived, we didn't quite know the setup to order but asked and got in line. There were probably about 15 or so people ahead of us but it didn't take that long. It gave us time to figure out what we wanted. While in line, a lady came by and got the size of our party to figure out our seating. We had 3 adults & 2 kiddos in our party. We ordered a pint of mac & cheese and regular side of beans for the kiddos (not big meat eaters), I got the brisket & sausage and individual side of pineapple coleslaw, hubby got loaded baked potato with sausage, and FIL got the 1/2 lb brisket with beans. All of it was delicious and so yummy. Service was great as well. We will definitely be back again whether this location or in Frisco. Awesome!! read more

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They are always so nice! Food is great and consistent. Loved their baked potatoes with brisket or pulled pork. Texas toast, onions and pickles with all your meals read more

Dare I say, this is the best bbq I've had in 2020. Tender went above and beyond my expectations and that was almost an hour after I picked it up! I stopped here after a trip to Ray Roberts State Park, ordered online and ready within 30 minutes. The girls at the counter were not wearing masks which was a let down since I saw a few reviews saying they were handling COVID but the food made up for it. I got the two meat combination with two sides and it lasted me about three meals. That brisket? WOOF, it was damn tasty with some of the most beautiful brisket bark I've ever seen. Jalapeno cheddar sausage? The cheese melted in my mouth. The baked beans were slow cooked and packed a tons of flavor, I think there was brisket in them too? The pineapple cole slaw was the perfect compliment to balance the spiciness of the sausage. Again, this was TO GO and hour/days later. I heard they have a location in Frisco and I can't wait to go to that one since it's closer. read more

Happened to be in town on Saturday 2/8/25 and needed somewhere for lunch. Knee-jerk decision that paid off big time! Wonderful staff who were polite, engaging and super helpful! The location and atmosphere were very nice and the BBQ was excellent. Everything was super fresh and we hardly had to wait for our food to come out! I especially liked the jalapeño sausage, brisket, and the sauce. If we are ever nearby this or any of their other locations we'll be sure to stop in! read more

The fact is, I was so busy eating this delicious meal I took one lousy picture of the plate I put together for my kid. We've passed this place many times during our drives through Celina and there has ALWAYS been a line out the door. But on a perfect 70 degree Saturday at noon, we were shocked for it to not be busy. We parked and I practically ran to the restaurant (much to my husband's dismay). We ordered a pound of brisket, a quarter pound of sausage, pint of Mac and cheese and a pint of beans. I split that between me, my husband, 7 year old and 4 year olds with serious appetites. The Mac and cheese was very good. The beans seemed to have brisket in them and had a little more watery sauce than I care for. The brisket was tender. We weren't given an option for lean or fatty, but we did request it chopped. Each table has sauce at it so I didn't have to chase that down like in other places. The food was good and we'll go back, but there wasn't anything especially memorable or that stood out about the meal. Mask wearing by staff was a bit hit or miss. The service was friendly and quick. read more

It's called tender for a reason. When I say this BBQ is good! We usually get their ridiculously tender ribs, juicy sausage, and tasty brisket with a side of beans but this time we tried the Mac n cheese. The beers are cold and food is delicious every time! The location is small with indoor and outdoor seating and takeaway but the service is always fast and friendly. read more

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Always good always consistent - service with a smile Jalapeños sausage is some of the best around and whatever you do don't sleep on the banana pudding read more

Banana pudding!! Don't leave without the Banana Pudding! I also tried the Frito Pie - it was yummy but next time I think I will have just the pulled pork (so good - tender, lean meat) with a side of Mac-n-cheese - delicious!! read more

Tender Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Celina, Texas

Good food and great staff. The manager is always going around checking on everything to make sure people are happy. I can't say I have been there once and had anything that was bad. My kids love the sandwich with Mac N Cheese. I love the beans and potato salad for my sides. Have not had the chance to do the breakfast yet but I am sure it's as good as the evening food. The banana pudding is fire! read more

This is the FIRST restaurant review I have ever written. We went to Celina and just chose this on spur of the moment. Tender is 1) the best BBQ I have ever eaten 2) a fantastic and welcoming team of managers and hostesses and servers 3) a place that is clean and keeps on cleaning and 4) may have the WORLD's best banana pudding. It's incredible. The food was delicious. We've been talking about this place for two days. If you want a "DDD" type experience, go to Tender Smokehouse in Celina.... read more

Tender Smokehouse - Barbeque Near Me - Celina, Texas

Great bbq, great service. A little hole in the wall restaurant with really good ribs! Put one in Ft Worth? read more