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Tender Smokehouse

4.6 (774 reviews)
Closed • Closed

Tender Smokehouse Photos

TENDER SMOKEHOUSE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Tender Smokehouse

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Trinh H.

The girls working the register were friendly and accommodating. They answered all our questions promptly and thoroughly and were able to quickly find us a table. Food is generally ordered at the front and the sodas you get yourself at the fountain. Someone will deliver you a delicious tray of what you ordered when you get yourself situated at a table. Loved the meal itself and the sweet seasoning sprinkled over the pulled pork. Potato salad was perfect also. The seating area definitely isn't as big as other Tenders locations but there's still enough room for larger parties of up to 6. Additionally, I felt like the dining area could be spruced up a little more with brighter decor or lighting to brighten up the place, it did seem fairly dim like I was in a basement bar. But, I do understand that they're trying to go for a more rugged southern look. Overall, still loved the experience. Staff are active and on the floor making sure you have everything you need. Will definitely come back!

Slices of tenderly smoked beef Brisket, toast, pickles, and Tender BBQ Sauce. YUM!
Amigo K.

Been about 5 years since I visited the ORIGINAL TENDER in Celina, TX. That year was a great start for the Tender BBQ Smokehouse brand! I find the original location only made small changes, but still the same charm and authenticity. A new Tender location is now over in Whitesboro, TX, so I will be on the road to check it out. Today, I got Moist Brisket slices and on the side, a cup of Tender BBQ Sauce. The young lass attending the order counter was very warm & welcoming, and helpful with placing my order. Owner / manager is here, and checked that I had what I wanted. Great customer relations! Delicious as always, Tender forever!

Beautiful spot!
Ryan H.

Kind service and amazing food. What's not to love?? Try the sliced brisket, as that's what really matters in TX BBQ, and there doing it right!!

Grand Slam sandwich,  my hubs couldn't even eat all of it - and that's really saying something!
Donna H.

This place was amazing! Food was outstanding. Brisket was tender & moist. The portions were huge. Service was friendly and fast. I believe the manager even checked on us a couple times. The inside was comfortable and had a down home feel. We will definitely go back!

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Walter W.

Everything Barbecue! Every selection is a winner . If you're looking for pitmaster perfection, the journey ends here. The square in Celina is a throwback to the early 1900's . Love the town and love this restaurant. You will too .

Charles D.

Ever since moving to North Dallas we have been fans of Hutchins and to be honest, at times afraid to try another BBQ joint since our last visit to Hard 8. Well we decided to bite the bullet and give Tenders a try. And we are glad we did. The brisket was good and not as salty as others, perfectly cooked. The jalapeño sausage and ribs were tasty, turkey was moist and just the way my son likes it. And the winner was the pulled pork, that was just divine, especially with their homemade bbq sauce. Sides were okay, Mac n cheese could have done with a little more seasoning. And the only positive of Hutchins compared to Tenders is you can mix sides onto an individual serving. Service was as good as expected. Not sure if I like the fact that they serve you your food instead of seeing it sliced in front of you. The other downside was that even though we were sitting indoors there were a lot of flies around, not sure if that is only the case on Celina where we ate. All in all very good, will definitely be back as Hutchins has become rather expensive and very salty at times but still one of my favorites. Oh and Hutchins desserts are better I have to say.

Brisket and Mac n Cheese
Greg G.

We have been here a few times and always decent food. Owners are great as well. Small hometown feel. A bit noisy at times. But the food is good. Have yet to have a bad meal here. The Frisco one isn't anywhere close to the quality. Just a fancy building.

Table full of amazing food and happy satisfied family.

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2 years ago

Great BBQ and love the downtown vibe. Always fresh and resturant is clean. I'll be back.

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2 years ago

Highly recommend the brisket. Everything we tried was great! Not a lot of places to sit inside so be aware of that on a colder day.

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

The BEST BBQ around. Such awesome people and consistently great meats and sides. Quick service, family atmosphere - fun and relaxed.

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3 years ago

Went to the downtown Celina location. Food was great and good atmosphere too! I highly recommend!

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3 years ago

Great tasty TX bbq. Love their Mac and cheese and of course brisket. Yummy! Service is always friendly too.

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3 years ago

Top shelf BBQ. The is the real deal. Service is great. Celina is lucky to have this place right downtown.

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Ask the Community - Tender Smokehouse

When is the best time to go on a weekend and how long is the wait?

Even during the busiest of times, the wait is 15-20 minutes. The staff is present in the lines and aware that you're waiting. We went last week with no wait. It really depends on what the square has going on at the time. Either way, you will not… Read more

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The Nook CKMC

The Nook CKMC

4.1
(98 reviews)
3.6 mi

Stumbled across this place (it's in a residential neighborhood) and immediately wished I lived in…read morethe neighborhood. Love this for those who do! Pretty spacious place that offers a wide range of food and drink options. Everything we ordered tasted great, came out in a timely manner, and everyone devoured what they had. We ordered a pepperoni flatbread, which was crispy and the perfect portion. The Mac and cheese had far more flavor than I expected and was eaten without a fuss and in its entirety (for a kid, that's a feat). The burger was simple, but great. The wings were extra crispy, and the different drinks were tasty as well. Our server was fantastic and we will certainly be back one evening.

When in TX come to the Nook for that comfort southern food! I was leaving my cousins house and came…read moreacross this restaurant that was near by that to my surprise had a variety of gluten free items to chose from. Its located in the same parking lot as the elementary school and is the only restaurant/bar in the parking lot. Upon walking in you'll see the bar and plenty of seating as well as a patio. Since we came in the middle of the week on a late afternoon we pretty much had the place to ourselves. Our waitress came over who was really sweet and had that southern Texas charm. I ordered the elote with homemade tortilla chips, gluten free Mac n cheese and my mom got a flatbread. Hands down that mac n cheese was the best I ever had, it was so creamy but not over powering with that bold cheese flavor and it was made with gf penne pasta (I know a little weird.. but it was the only gf noodle choice I had). If you don't have an allergy I'm sure the regular noodles are just as good! So if you want that comfort food that Texas is known for, this is the place to check out if you're in Celina.

Photos
Inside seating **patio outside
Inside seating **patio outside
The Nook Burger
The Nook Burger
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JaredPierre Private Chef & Catering

JaredPierre Private Chef & Catering

4.2
(11 reviews)
5.8 mi

I am the Office and Marketing Manager for a local architecture firm; as we approached the 25th…read moreanniversary of the firm being in business, I was tasked with planning the party. We were expecting about 150 people in attendance, and the event was only for two hours. We wanted food that would be easy to manage, as we mostly had just standing tables. After tasting a couple of catering options in the "Near Southside" area of Fort Worth where our headquarters is located, I was less than impressed. With Fort Worth's history of being a "good ole' boys town", the idea that we "keep things local" is much advertised, which is the feedback I received, but when the local caterers were not performing, I had to look somewhere else. I found Jared on a community rating site for various services (that of which should not be named) and was instantly impressed. Jared was quick to respond, and answered all of my questions. Since he wasn't local, the only issue we had was figuring out how to taste his cooking. Jared had another event going on at a local university the next week, and decided to drop by with a small sample. This sample was a simple chicken, mashed potatoes, and asparagus platter- nothing of which we would be wanting for our party- but I was intrigued. I cut up the sample and distributed it to my party committee and some of our principals, and we loved it! The food was hot, and the mashed potatoes tasted like Jared had been in the kitchen for hours mashing them by hand. The asparagus was perfectly cooked, as was the chicken. I was sold! We put a down payment on the date and anxiously waited. On May 11th, the day of our event, Jared showed up early to make sure that we were prepared, then he began to set up his spread. We had wanted a variety of cheeses, crackers, fruits, and some light entrees, so Jared came up with a marble slab display (very earthy and beautiful) and he placed two of the entrees in small martini glasses (shrimp and grits, artichoke dip...yum!) which were perfect for walking around and conversing with. My photo does not do this spread justice, but I have submitted it :) After the event, Jared and his bartender cleaned their area and even helped us pack away any extras that were left over. This catering service is truly "full service". We are elated to have found JaredPierre Private Chef & Catering to cater the celebration of our 25th Anniversary and we plan on using him in the future. In addition to his talents, I found him to be a wonderful individual, and we loved having his motivational energy at our event.

If anyone is looking for a good chef, I recommend Chef…read moreJaredPierre. He just prepared a prime rib dinner for 12 for my husband's birthday and then he prepared a complete Thanksgiving dinner for 12 less than a week later. He made the pies and a giant crème brûlée birthday cake that not only tasted incredible but looked more like a sculpture than a cake! He is a talented chef with the sweetest personality. He is communicative and professional. We were so impressed with him and his food!

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JaredPierre Private Chef & Catering
JaredPierre Private Chef & Catering
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Tender Smokehouse - bbq - Updated July 2026

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