Anxiously awaited Lockhart's BBQ arrives in Royal Oak

The recently opened Lockhart’s brings Texas style BBQ to Royal Oak. And it’s good. The renovated building is bright and airy. Huge windows separated by rows of paint splattered exposed brick, provide a view of downtown Royal Oak while the open kitchen reveals the smoker and busy staff.

After calling ahead for a table, our party was seated right on time. We chose Burnt Ends as an app, and they were amazing. Double rubbed and double smoked, these rib tips had an intense natural smokiness that was addictive. These are a must-try, and go great with one of the almost dozen Michigan craft brews on tap. We chose the Arcadia Rye IPA, which was hoppy with a nice smooth finish, and none of the metallic taste you sometimes get with an IPA.

Deciding on dinner was a tough one. Ribs or brisket? Pork or beef? Chicken?—not this time. Luckily, there’s plenty of combo options. I had the pork ribs with smoked brisket. Ribs come slightly charred, with a good helping of dry rub. This is not “fall off the bone” style of ribs. You’ve got to work at it a bit, but it’s well worth the effort. And what about the brisket? Smokey comfort food heaven. The definitive smoke ring at the edge of the meat tells you this is the real deal. Surprisingly to me, there was more brisket than ribs on the plate. Of the four sauce choices, Lockhart’s signature sauce was a consensus favorite.

Other dishes at our table included pork ribs with housemade sausage, and with pulled pork. The sausage, seen hanging in front of the kitchen, was delicious, and just a bit spicy. The pulled pork had a nice flavor profile.

Sides-- the mac & cheese is excellent. Creamy with a nice crust. Sweet potato fries—one of the few non homemade items, were tasty and not soggy. The coleslaw was first rate, and the hush puppies-- I could sit down and eat a plate full of these moist tots of fried cornbread.

Other entrée options include Fried Catfish; Mac-n-Cheese Shepherd’s Pie--smoked brisket with onions and a zesty sauce topped with mac-n-cheese; and a House sandwich fittingly called Quadruple Bypass-- a one-pound combination of pulled pork, smoked bacon, smoked sausage, smoked ham & smoked cheddar. Hopefully they have a cardiac tech on hand for folks who attempt to eat the whole thing.

If you’ve saved room for dessert, try the Dr. Pepper chocolate cake—a generous serving of layer cake that is rich, moist and delicious. Other sure bets include the house made lemon cake, and pecan pie.

Lockhart’s BBQ
202 E. Third Street
Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 584-4227

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