Great service. The food was pretty good too. Enjoyed a lunch outside with my 4 kids and they all ate. THe staff was supportive.

We picked up Tender for the family tonight for the first time and it's so good! I'm obsessed with the pineapple slaw and very surprised with the chicken! (Not usually my choice at bbq spots but so glad we got it) definitely recommend! The brisket was very juicy and tender too (makes sense with the name ) and customer service is 10/10!! read more

Tender Smokehouse Little Elm - Barbeque Near Me - Little Elm, Texas

It only took one visit for us to become Tender Smokehouse fanatics! The manager, Jason, gave us recommendations and took care of us during our first visit. He was phenomenal! They have many options, so we decided to try small amounts of almost everything. The spare ribs were hands down the best thing on the menu. They were so tender and the best fall-off-the-bone ribs we've EVER had!! They also paired perfectly with their in-house BBQ sauce. We also ordered the El Jefe, lean brisket, turkey, potato salad and BBQ beans. The brisket was okay, but the turkey was juicy and stood out. The El Jefe is MASSIVE! It's definitely worth a try for the price, and it's really a meal in itself! Surprisingly, the beans were the best of the sides we tried. I typically don't care for potato salad, but I enjoyed theirs. I didn't care for the mac n cheese, but my girlfriend enjoyed it. You get Texas toast, pickles and onions with the meats, and they were great additions to everything! The highlight of our experience, however, was the outstanding customer service. During our meal, Jason checked in on us and surprised us with banana pudding and a sample of jalapeño cheddar sausage, which genuinely blew our minds! The sausage was incredible, and his generosity made our visit special. read more

See all

Late family lunch early dinner. This place is larger more airy than the location in Celina where my family met almost two years ago. Both times the food was great. I got just a quarter pound of moist brisket and a quarter pound of turkey breast with was more than enough for me as a carnivore. The rest of the family enjoyed their food with plenty of left overs for them to snack on later at home. The staff incredibly kind, friendly and cheerful. My son and I arrived prior to the rest of our family so as we waited one of the workers offered me a drink and I enjoyed an iced tea while we waited. It seems this place is expanding and if you are planning to expand more Rockwall is in desperate need of a great BBQ place. I'm usually in Rockwall for dinner with my cousin about every three months and there don't seem to be any good places for BBQ in that area! read more

Nice people, the restaurant looks good inside, got our food very quickly and this is one of the few places I've eaten outside where the staff not only didn't forget we exist but I'd classify them as very attentive. The jalapeño cheese sausage was great, the moist brisket was good, the Mac and cheese was okay, the beef rib was absolutely not worth the money for the amount of edible meat we got and the dry seasoning on the outside of it... it can definitely go without that. For super nearby, it's great and I'll definitely try other things. read more

See all

We had been to the location on Preston and tried them at the Little Elm Brew and Que, and it was just so good that we were just thrilled to hear that one was opening down the road. We typically place orders to go. So we haven't eaten in yet. However, I will sit and wait inside for our order, and they've been very nice to me. One time I was offered a drink while I waited. It was very much appreciated. Definitely don't mind sitting inside to wait, as it has a nice, wide open feeling to it. I tend order enough meats to last us a few days, which is probably enough to feed an army because I would rather have too much of their bbq than run out. My SO's favorite: Moist brisket. He absolutely loves it. He'll eat other meats but this is his go-to meat from Tender. My favorites: Pulled pork and pork ribs. They've got pork down PERFECT. The taste, texture, and flavor of that meat is unparalleled. The turkey is also quite good, and we have gotten it several times. However, if there's pork or brisket around, it's usually the last to get finished. The meat is moist and flavorful to where it doesn't need a sauce, but the sauce they provide does add a nice touch without hiding the flavor of the meats. Toast, pickles, and onions are also great accompaniments. I will say the sides are good and have tried the Mac and cheese and potato salad sides. But hate to say it - they get forgotten when the meats are around. Banana pudding is a very good dessert. It's rare to have enough room at the end of the meal, but if you do, I recommend it. read more

Tender Smokehouse Little Elm - Cute little note on the To-Go bag - Barbeque Near Me - Little Elm, Texas

MUST TRY! Hands down, best BBQ we've tried by far. Had to go 3x within 2 days. I recently visited Little Elm Beach for the first time and heard a radio advertisement for a BBQ place nearby. By the end of the day, I had forgotten the name, but Yelp came to the rescue and showed me Tender Smokehouse BBQ. It immediately clicked, and we decided to give it a try. Conveniently located close to the beach, it was the perfect spot to end our day. The reviews were positive, though a couple of negative reviews had mentioned religious décor, but truthfully, the religious décor was not overbearing nor should it have an impact with this restaurant's ratings. I am not religious like that, but I had found it rather than overbearing. We ordered the Beef Rib, Potato Salad, and Mac N' Cheese. Our food arrived quickly, served by the welcoming and passionate assistant manager, Stacy, who is the most respectful, kind, and easy-going person we have ever met. His hospitality was top-notch! The Beef Rib was massive and fell off the bone, needing no BBQ sauce. Even my friend who dislikes potato salad loved theirs, and the Mac N' Cheese was delicious, even for someone like me who usually doesn't enjoy it. Stacy surprised us with banana pudding, which was the best we have ever had. I personally work at a higher end restaurant who serves expensive, made from scratch, gourmet banana pudding, but Tender Smokehouse's banana pudding surpasses it. Also, I don't usually like sweet pickles, but their pickles are absolutely amazing. Stacy had recommended their breakfast and since our first experience left us so impressed, we returned for breakfast the next day. The buttermilk pancakes and smokehouse potatoes were fantastic, the potatoes were amazing and brought back nostalgic childhood memories. Stacy's thoughtful service continued, bringing us extra potatoes. After breakfast, we went back the beach and guess what we got for dinner? We returned yet again for dinner, trying the Frito Pie with brisket and beans and a loaded baked potato with brisket. Stacy also brought us the best turkey I've ever tasted. The Frito Pie and baked potato were satisfying, though the BBQ sauce was different, being vinegar-based instead of sweet and spicy. Overall, the food is perfectly seasoned and doesn't need additional sauces. Dining here three times in two days speaks volumes about the quality. Along with Stacy's hospitality and customer service, it was truly an incredible experience. Tender Smokehouse BBQ has overtaken Hutchins as my top BBQ spot. Highly recommend for great food, excellent service, and a cozy ambiance! read more

See all

Delicious smoked turkey and lean brisket! The green beans and mac-and-cheese sides were also tasty! Make sure to grab a bottle of bbq sauce from the self-serve station - it makes everything better! Great casual atmosphere that is perfect for a laidback date night or family meal. Definitely looking forward to my next visit! read more

Tender Smokehouse Little Elm - Barbeque Near Me - Little Elm, Texas

Their food is great, ribs are my personal favorite. I had a bite of my wife's baked potato and was pleasantly surprised to find out it seems to be smoked. Lots of flavor, may have to get less ribs next time and a potato as well. The people who bring the food after ordering are great, they check back and see if you are good with drinks and condiments. Place is spotless clean and comfortable. It's been a couple of times a month place since they opened. read more

The food!!!!! Omg the the food! You better be hungry when you come! They give you sooooo much!!! And its so hard to NOT over eat!!! The staff is so kind and the owners are so personable! You can tell they truly care and put their entire heart into this place (all locations) read more

It was my first time in and you know a place is good if there is a long line - and there was! I ordered a brisket sandwich and a side of fried okra. I sat out on the patio with a book and enjoy the atmosphere while I ate. Also, their drink cups are souvenir cups. What Texas household isn't complete without a cupboard full of barbecue joint souvenir cups! read more

Tender Smokehouse where have you been all my life?! Honestly I was having a pretty crappy day at work but boy oh boy when I stepped into this fine establishment my day turned around! Staff was amazing! Nothing beats some southern hospitality. They have a nice little patio overlooking lake Lewisville which was perfect!! Food was 10/10. Literally everything was amazing. You must try the Turkey and Brisket, highly recommend. The manager, Stacy, came by and was so friendly. He went above and beyond to make sure our first visit was one of a kind. Be sure to ask for him when you visit. Can't wait to come back and try their breakfast tacos. read more

Tender Smokehouse Little Elm - Turkey and BBQ Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Little Elm, Texas

See all

New Restaurant Review: Tenders Little Elm I have a project down the street from the new location of Tenders in Little Elm, and have been eagerly awaiting the opening of it. Well, I have good news, they are finally open! They are doing a little bit of work to the patio outside still but inside is up and ready to rock 'n' roll. I have been to all of the locations of tenders. It's one of my favorite go to for some awesome Texan barbecue, and this location stands up to the hype! I went around 2:30 on a Friday, hadn't eaten all day, so it was definitely ready to eat! I ordered the lean brisket and the smoked turkey. Served with delicious pickles, Texas toast, and delicious BBQ sauce. The brisket was smoky and had a fabulous flavor. The turkey has a nice pepper flavor and was cooked really well. The people are really what makes Temder's stand out at every location. They go out of their way to make sure you understand the menu if it's your first time and check on you multiple times during your meal. One of the managers from the Aubrey location I recognized chatted up with a bit, really top-notch folks. The aesthetics inside are the same, rustic decor of the others, they have tall, built-in booths and tables throughout. Lots of Trophy animals around. If you are in the aLittle Elm area next to all the happening areas, tin man social, Hula hat, and like, be sure to stop by for some awesome BBQ! You won't be disappointed. read more

See all

You order your food and it is quickly delivered to your table. Great staff and servers. Excellent Barbecue and I know BBQ. read more

We finally made it by to try Tenders! Did not disappoint. All the meat lived up to the name and very good. My baked potato was huge and the Turkey was perfect. Brought at least half of it home for another meal. Do wish they had some appetizers like stuff jalapeños and maybe a few more veggie sides on their menu to offer. read more

Tender Smokehouse Little Elm - Baked potato with Turkey - huge and took over half home for another meal. And hubby got the Grand Slam to try a little if everything - Barbeque Near Me - Little Elm, Texas

I had hoped to give rave review on the food but unfortunately I don't have one to give. I placed a take out order consisting of the 3 Rib entree, a potato salad, beans, turkey and brisket. Spent a total of $34,67. The meats had good flavor but the turkey was a bit dry. The brisket was moist and tender. Honestly it was the better part of my meal along with the tasty pickles and onions. However, the ribs were less than satisfying. I was deeply disappointed in the very item I was looking forward to trying! They were dry and had an overcooked, reheated taste, the taste meat has particularly bbq when it's been refrigerated and reheated. The texture was like I was eating jerky. Potato salad had no flavor at all and the beans were subpar. I was told to try a different location but I'm not so sure I want to take the chance! read more

My husband and I went for dinner on a Saturday night. The customer service was excellent and the food was amazing. My husband said it was the best brisket he'd ever had and I would agree. He ordered brisket, the frito pie with brisket, and I had the roasted chicken with macaroni and cheese. We can't wait to go back and try the ribs. The only miss for me was the texas toast, it was kind of soft I would like it to be crispy. Overall great place for BBQ, I highly recommend it! read more

See all

Deeeelish! This was a stop for a party bike ride we did. We got drinks, but could smell the food. We were limited on time so thought we'd come back. After checking pictures online we couldn't stop thinking about this place so literally went back right after the bike ride. I wish I would've take some pictures, but it smelled so good I couldn't wait. This is why I need to go back next time and get some pics! The ribs were falling off the bones, the mac-n-cheese was so cheesy, and BBQ beans was an added treat. We also enjoyed the brisket, and the turkey. Staff was so friendly and we got our food pretty fast. It's worth the drive to Little Elm for some dang good BBQ! read more

I really hope this location does well, it seems like a tough spot for any tenant. That said, they've got a solid breakfast menu and are worth checking out. read more

The food was good and served really fast. Servers continued to check on our table. Very friendly staff at all levels including the owner. Loved the country setting as well as the different motifs in other booths. Each booth had a Bible verse in it and was a welcome site. A little encouragement for those curious. Give them a try. My only regret is that I did t try the fried okra. Everyone around us got it. read more

The service here is amazing. Everyone is so friendly and quick. The lady at the counter gave us an overview of the menu and as soon as we picked our table someone was right behind us with utensils and BBQ sauce. We also got checked on a few times during our meal (this isn't one of those joints with a waitress, so it was nice to be checked on) The food was pretty good too. I had a pulled pork sandwich and it was over flowing with pork. This is a great place for little elm. read more

Best breakfast in town. Bacon is fantastic and original sausage superb. Can't beat the Texas toast! Everyone is nice and helpful. Music and more in the dining area. Love love. read more

I took a friend here for lunch. I got a bbq beef sandwich. I should have ordered the moist because the meat was tough and dry. The cole slaw was not good. My friend liked his food. I would most likely skip this place. read more

I had a baked sweet potato with brisket. Meat was moist as I requested. The serving size was nice for the price.

Food and service was wonderful. We had a group of 20 people and we were well taken care of. No one left hungry

I tried Tender Smokehouse with a group of friends recently and we really enjoyed it. It's a rustic quick service place where you pick a seat then order at the counter. The hubs and I shared the jalapeño smoked sausage and the pulled pork with the Mac and cheese. The sausage was so delicious and the pork was great too. They have a bbq sauce to go with it that complements everything. The toast I could take or leave. The macaroni was tasty and we had a bite of the banana pudding that the group ordered and it was fantastic, exactly what you would expect at a BBQ place. I would definitely come back again and try some of the other meats they have to offer! read more

Great place to eat amazingly well. Food is great, service is quick and staff is very friendly, not knowing what else to do for you. Great place for families. I highly recommend checking it out. read more

I had breakfast at tenders in little elm this morning. Was really looking forward to it. I chose Biscuits and brisket with burnt ends. In fairness you can also get it with moist or dry. I chose wrong. Maybe I just don't understand what "burnt ends" are but what I got was a plate full of fat, not meat, none! FAT with burnt edges. It was actually disgusting. When I left my plate it was still full because I wasn't hungry any more. After the first cpl of bites I was so grossed out I cldnt eat any more. I tested each piece. There wasn't one bite of meat. All FAT! So maybe that's what "burnt ends" are and I don't understand. but I won't be going back. I'm still grossed out. If you go try the normal brisket, Moist or regular. It has to be better than what I was served. Good luck to you. read more

The food is consistently great. For bbq that can be hard. Have always had kind and prompt service too! Hope they stick around!

5 plus stars for sure! It was a drive by...and we loved it! Exceptional service. Great atmosphere...loved the old Southern, casual feel. The food...everything we ordered was absolutely incredible. This will be one of our locals. read more

OMG!! Eating for the first time, trust me if you come in for breakfast you will not miss out on the meat experience, the breakfast tacos are at another level of delicious , I ordered 3, Chorizo, Jalapeño sausage and a brisket tacos, they are sooo delicious you will be wanting more. Doesn't get any better eating by the lakeside, cool breeze just perfect. The Chorizo taco just totally got me by surprise not what I expected, it's smoked pulled pork, while they give you salsa, you are going to want to use the BBQ sauce, turns it up to another notch, just so delicious. The Jalapeño sausage was equally delicious, for this taco I did use the salsa, and the salsa is Mexican approved, lol. Just the right amount of heat. The king of the tacos Brisket Yuummmm! Smoky Tender- ness, lol. Now the coffee could be better, but not here for the coffee. But please if you get a chance give breakfast a shot, you will NOT be disappointed. Can't wait to do this again. read more

See all

Ordering was super easy, get your number and have a seat either inside or on the patio. Beautiful evening so we chose the outside. Nice place in a nice location. The food is very reasonably priced. I had the El Jefe which was loaded with sliced brisket and sausage and a side of potato salad which was very good! We skipped any of the deserts so can't speak for that but will definitely be back after tee ball games this summer! read more

The staff here was very friendly and the food came out fast. Unfortunately that's the only good things I can say. I came in for breakfast and ordered the brisket with biscuits & gravy, eggs, and potatoes. The brisket they gave me was all fat. I tried and tried but could not find a single piece of edible meat in what they gave me. The brisket meat they used is a very poor quality, and it was not cooked properly to let all the fat render out. It was also mostly flavorless aside from some smoke flavor, on the tiny bit of it that I could eat. The biscuits looked good but were completely dry and flavorless. There was a big portion of eggs but again unseasoned and completely flavorless. The potatoes had a little seasoning but were undercooked. I ended up not eating more than half of what I got, because the plate of brisket fat that they served me was completely inedible, and the rest of what I got was so tasteless, dry, and underdone. A huge and expensive disappointment for food that's relatively easy to make. read more

This was a GREAT experience!! Food was wonderful! We had all the meats, and most sides..WOW!! Staff was super friendly and everything was very clean!! We will be back!! read more

Excellent and attentive service. Clean restaurant. And the BBQ can't be beat! Plus the pancakes are amazingly fluffy and good for breakfast.

Well we purchased a bunch of Brisket Pulled Pork with sides , BBQ beans , Cole Slaw, Potato Salad and that's about all . It was all ! The pulled pork was much better this time it was not as dry ! Anyway the Ambiance , well it's a BBQ place . The service is outstanding from the servers to the manager . My husband ordered all this food for a Mother's Day celebration. He drove to the Tenders in Little Elm . He thought he ordered from them . When he arrived there nothing was ready . They didn't have the order !!! Well they called the manager to figure this out . Well my husband ordered it from the Frisco store . The manager Jason at the Little Elm store said I can fix this . He did and dinner was great !!!!!!! D. Watt read more

Love that Tender opened up in this location! So far it's been really good. They also serve breakfast starting at 7am. The portion size is great and there's the same great flavors and taste of their lunch and dinner bbq. They are closed Sunday and Monday so be aware of that if you're planning a trip. Overall, great! read more

Tender Smokehouse Little Elm - El jefe - Barbeque Near Me - Little Elm, Texas

See all

This place is the best food in all of Little Elm! We are beyond excited to FINALLY have a place to eat, close to the lake! The service is 5 Stars and the food /BBQ 10 star! Just delicious food. Visit them, you will enjoy it. Burnt ends best I've had in all of Texas- not too fatty. read more

Fabulous food and great people! The way BBQ should be! Whether you are eating in or ordering to go - can't go wrong with Tender! The ribs are to die for and the beans... the beans are amazing! The brisket was my son's favorite, and I inhaled the turkey. So good! read more

Service was wonderful. They even gave us a dessert on the house! Food was pretty good too.