18th & Vine Barbeque

There is no excuse for bad service or lack there of. I was excited to give this place a try but was quickly turned off after my party was seated. I was there at 1:00 p.m. on a Sunday and they were not that busy. We were thrown some menus and sat for 15 minutes with no waiter or anyone trying to wait on us. I was so turned off since two waiters walked by numerous times. They didn’t say one word. We were so turned off that we got up and left. On the way out the door one waiter noticed we were leaving and asked what’s up??? We advised him of our experience and kept walking. There are too many great restaurants in the area to ever deal with this bad service. I’m sure when their lease is up they will be gone. The building is beautiful and would make a great restaurant & bar — just not this one.

Setting is fresh but comfortable. Server was awesome. The sausage was out of this world.
Noticed some other reviews suggested parking on the street. I live not too far away and would recommend sucking it up and doing valet. Parking is limited on the street — I believe one side is «no parking» but signage is sporadic at best and lately the police have been towing at night.

Pretty good BBQ, but not the best I’ve ever had. Waiter was really friendly and passionate about the food they serve. Beans were really good and chicken was really moist. Brisket, burnt ends, and pulled pork were kind of so-​so.
Parking is a pain. They have a tiny self-​serve lot and a giant valet lot across the street (pretty backwards). There is street parking though.

I went to 18^th and Vine with great hopes, sadly they were not met. We gathered with a food oriented meetup and were chompin’ at the bit to get to chompin’ on some Q.
Arriving before the gang, my wife and I sat in the bar and had a few beers and an order of fried okra. The bar was beautiful, Paulo the bartender was great, the selection of beers and whiskies was a thing of joy and the fried okra was unlike any we’d ever had and was the high point of the evening. It was crisp and juicy and a bowl of delight. The okra was sliced in half lengthwise, battered, and fried. Served with a dipping sauce, we were in hog heaven.
When our party arrived, we moved to the dining room. We had the mushroom appetizer (which was good), the burnt ends (which were OK, but nothing to write home about), the ribs (which were the second best thing we had all evening), the home made sausage which was poorly made (the sausage didn’t hold together well, had too much fat, and was too much black pepper and too little other spice), the brisket (which was lamentably dry) and the jalapeño cheddar grits (which weren’t very jalapeño-​ish or very cheesy — a bland disappointment).
The décor was lovely, the servers pretty good but the food just wasn’t all that.
I’d far and away rather go to the Lockhart Smokehouse or Pecan Lodge.

I am not one that typically craves BBQ or seeks it out. However, after hearing such good things about 18^th & Vine, my friends and I decided to make an evening out of it. It was fantastic. The restaurant itself is very cute and well done. Unlike most BBQ places I have been to, which are very informal– order at the window type of place, 18^th & Vine is a sit down restaurant. Our server was wonderful, very informative, and very attentive! All of the food was full of flavor and cooked to perfection. My favorite things were probable the burnt ends and fried okra. Their vegetarian option, cauliflower «steak,» was even amazing. You really can’t go wrong here!

OK people… I get it. Go with the $double $digits Burnt Ends starter, because apparently that’s the dish that folks love at 18^th & Vine. Unfortunately, we skipped the Burnt Ends and opted for the Two ‘Que Plate with ribs and brisket and BBQ mashed potatoes. More on that later.
The BBQ Caesar and Chopped salads were substantial and well-​prepared, as they should be for barely under $double $digits…no complaints here on the salads. So, bring on the slice of KC BBQ! Wait! What? Is that it? Two skinny dried-​up over-​cooked stuck-​on-​the-​bone ribs, two thin slices of brisket, a small ramekin of creamy BBQ mashed potatoes, four dill pickle slices and a dollop of pickled onions on paper. That’s all we get for our hard-​earned $ 19?
Well, this handsome old-​looking new house that replaces the torn-​down real old house is a prime piece of Crow real estate, but the rent hardly justifies the steep BBQ prices. For decades Maple Ave. has been treasured for unpretentious good food and drink at a fair price. The eclectic list of successful ethnic eateries within walking distance of 18^th & Vine is notable. I dare say, these portions and prices would never fly at the real 18^th & Vine in KC, and I’m thinking they won’t fare well here at Maple & Throckmorton in Big D.
Enjoy your Burnt Ends!

Quick Review:
The restaurant itself is located off Maple Avenue and exclusively offers valet parking (10 feet away from the restaurant)…I suggest nearby street parking which is not difficult to find. 18^th and Vine has both indoor and outdoor patio seating. Inside, the restaurant is complemented by a full bar with overhead tvs and an upstairs level that provides scheduled jazz music events. The BBQ meats have always been tender and well flavored. The appetizers and sides, although filling, have been underwhelming. I particularly like the Brisket Grilled Cheese for lunch, though it is incredibly rich and heavy. Finally, I don’t mind spending money for a good meal, however, I do find that $ 100+ BBQ dinners for two (without excessive ordering) a bit high for the type of cuisine.
Overall, I think 18^th & Vine is a great restaurant to enjoy KC BBQ in a real relaxed atmosphere, however, I would still take a Jumbo Z Man from Oklahoma (now KC) Joe’s any day of the week… I have to maintain my loyalty. Eat up.

My first impression was how cute the restaurant is. It looked like a house. Walked in and it was even nicer. Loved the windows all around and the chill atmosphere. Service could be improved. We ordered chicken wings, shrimp and grits, oysters, and ribs & pulled pork. The wings were good. Not sure what they did to the blue cheese but it was good! Usually I don’t like blue cheese with my wings, but thus was good. The shrimp and grits were good too. The ribs were a bit dry. The oysters were delicious!

Burnt ends are delicious! The jalapeño sausage is the best I’ve ever had no joke. Huge pieces of jalapeño & cheese pieces stuffed inside with a crispy exterior. The cheesy grits however were very bland, I would steer clear if I was you.
Pit master Matt Dallman knows his sausage that’s for sure & was very welcoming.
This is an upscale Kansas City BBQ joint, so if your looking for TX BBQ on the cheap on town paper this ain’t the place.
Will for sure be back for the burnt ends, jalapeño cheese sausage & their spicy BBQ sauce!
I’d give it 3 ½ stars if I could.

18^th & Vine was surprisingly disappointing, but only because of my entrée. The location of the restaurant itself, parking (valet), and décor was good, but the food was sub par. I made an OpenTable reservation for a Thursday evening and was happy to be seated upon arrival.
Let me start off by saying that the burnt ends are definitely as delicious as everyone says they are. I also really enjoyed the fried apple pie (comes in the shape of two little empanadas) for dessert. Unfortunately the brisket stroganoff was everything it should not have been. It was extremely spicy, there were hardly any noodles, and the majority of the plate was the ground beef (not in typical shape/​texture of brisket). The person who was eating with me even made a comment how «that is definitely not brisket stroganoff.» To be honest, this was the worse brisket stroganoff I have had in the DFW area. Would I order it again? Definitely not. Would I return to 18^th and Vine? I will definitely give them another shot since I want to try their actual BBQ.
18^th & Vine did not have the wine they recommend for the briskett stroganoff on the wine menu. The waiter mentioned something about it being «seasonal.» I let him pick a different wine for me and it was really good. Wish I could remember the one I actually had, but it was very smooth. I’d order it again if i could remember the name!
I do want to mention that the service was amazing and our waiter, Jacoby, went above and beyond in his work. He was friendly, cheerful, attentive and above all… he really made our experience! Gold star for you Jacoby!
Subtracted two stars because the brisket stroganoff was just that terrible.

Everything was yummy: burnt ends, fried okra (okra was definitely better bang for your buck… it was the only thing we ordered where the portion size seemed congruent with how much we paid for it). I got the stroganoff which was really delicious. My husband and our friends got the bbq plate and they felt the ribs were adequate but not great. Husband stated the jalapeño cheese grits were «eh». Fries were over salted (and I mean, I have been known to eat the salt left over in a bowl of chips).
The bottom line is that the food was all either really good or good, but for the price and portion size I would expect it to be outstanding. I can’t really justify spending that much on a small amount of decent barbeque when there are tastier and cheaper options out there.
As we finished eating I did a poll of our table and everyone stated it was a four star experience. And then we were basically rushed out of there; our table was bussed while I was still finishing my drink, our signed checks were picked up seconds after they were put on the table. We had a six thirty reservation and pretty much at 7:30 we were not-​so-​subtly hinted at that it was time for us to go. When we got up I realized they were waiting for us to leave to push our table next to the table adjacent in order to accommodate a large party. If we were lingering I would understand but I think a little over an hour is to be expected for a group with a reservation. This experience bumped them down to three stars.
I doubt I’d return here in the future.

This isn’t really a BBQ joint. I know BBQ joints… this isn’t one. This is a «BBQ Restaurant.»
Not to say that is was bad. It was fine. But this place is too high brow to be a bbq joint. The fact that they «seat» you tells you that from the get go.
The burnt ends that I had for a starter were pretty good, but far from great. They use a sugar cookie rub here, so if you don’t want that, stay away. Lots of places use a sugar cookie rub (i.e. Lockhart Smokehouse, so that’s not all bad).
I had a two meat plate with ribs and brisket. The brisket was about a 6.5 on a 10 scale. Tenderness was good. Flavor was good. Just not superior.
The ribs were a little less impressive… about a 6 out of 10.
My side was actually the high point… jalapeño-​cheese grits… very tasty.
I ate in the bar so I could watch roundball on TV. The bartender was great… service was very good. Very nice beer selection. Staff overall was very friendly.
Décor and ambience match the tone of the place: uppity for a BBQ place.
Prices are somewhat high considering the portions. Pushing $ 19 for a two meat plate with one side, and the portions were small (two ribs, three slices of brisket). So the prices: no bueno.
Overall, not bad. Good staff, nice bar, decent bbq, but overpriced. I’ll stick to driving across the river and going to Lockhart.

Good, solid BBQ place in uptown. FINALLY! Even though it’s KC barbeque…
A group of 4 of us came on a Sunday at noon, and it was relatively empty. We started by ordering the fried okra and burnt ends. The fried okra was great. Lived the way they fried it, not too oily but still perfectly crispy. I liked the burnt ends, but they weren’t as fatty as burnt ends that I’ve had before, which means it lost a little flavor to me.
For the main course, I got the Two-​Que plate with ribs and chicken. The chicken was cooked very well. So juicy and tender. The ribs were a little small but very tender. Not super fall off the bone but still very good. I forgot KC style wants you to use the sauce, so I added some on and it made the meats more juicy. My friend said the brisket was a little dry but better with the sauce. We’re both used to fatty Texas brisket (nom).
The best thing about this place is I can come here with my vegetarian/​vegan girlfriend because they have a cauliflower steak! She thoroughly enjoyed this.
All in all, very solid BBQ in the uptown area with a solid beer selection too. Definitely will be back, hopefully to try out the upstairs or sit on the patio outside.

From the moment I walked into this charming house; hearing Jazz Greats recordings; admiring the interior of lighting fixture, photos, and window treatments; I was ready for a good time! Then, their food matched that feeling, ecstatic I am still!
Started with their BURNT ENDS: melts in your mouth, the wakening of the sweet and sticky molasses unlike any other region’s BBQ — yum! Paired with their House Salad: wonderful light vinaigrette tossed in fresh greens, pickled red onion and Texas goat cheese — bit of tanginess in cutting the sweetness of the burnt ends — perfect!
Next, generous portions of MATT’s PICKS: 1) CHICKEN: wow — yes, both dark and white meat were juicy, tender and tasty but it was the charred, sweet, and bit of spicy skin that was totally amazing; 2) Pulled Pork: oh so tender, nice when dipped into their BBQ sauce; 3) RIBS: first missing the fat then really loving the LEAN and clean taste of them!
Two additional sides ordered: 1) Apple Cider Slaw: for the tartness; and, 2) Jalapeño Cheese Grits: for a bit of heat! Both very tasty and went well in accompanying all the BBQ meats!
Such a treat it was be seated and served to the deliciously prepared STICKY, sweet, spicy, and savory Kansas City BBQ! It was my first but it will definitely not be my last to 18^th & VINE!
Cheers!

After a lot of back and forth on debating to try this place out or not, I finally went for it. The parking a lot across the street is weird, first the valet says we didn’t have to valet so I parked and he said my car would be fine, I come out and my car in sandwiched in between 2 cars –_-.
Now onto the restaurant itself, we walked in and I asked for a table of two; the host immediately asked if we had reservations; didn’t think of needing reservations on a Thursday at 6– especially as there was plenty of open tables. We got seated anyways, but the whole time there were open tables around us. The place itself is very dim lit and has nice décor.
All the reviews of the burnt ends were raved about, so a friend and I started out with that. Now I know why they were so raved about — delicious! Cubed brisket with just enough fat on it to melt in your mouth, and packed with flavor.
My entrée, I went with the 2 que plate, which comes with your choice of two meats and a side. I had the ribs and brisket, which you get your choice of cut; I went with a more lean cut instead of fatty, with a side of the slaw. My friend had the ribs and chicken with a side of beans. The beans were blah — missing something, it just wasn’t that great. The slaw was alright, a good compliment to the meats. The 2 lean slices of brisket I had were mediocre — the ribs were seasoned great though. The chicken my friend had was quite dry, but what made up for it was the barbecue sauce. It was very peppery which I enjoyed.
All in all, I don’t think this is something that I would crave to return for. The star of the place was the burnt ends (which would be my meal if I returned) and the barbecue sauce. The service itself was quite lack luster. We finished our meals quickly, but were never attended to again for at least 20 minutes. The price for the food I think was a bit off, the two meat plate with a side was $ 18.

I made a reservation for four people this past Friday night and we all got there right on time. Unfortunately, our table wasn’t ready and we had to wait a total of 25 minutes after our reservation time before being seated. We weren’t thrilled about having to wait so long, but at least they had a separate bar area for us to order drinks and sit at while we waited.
The wine list was perfect for a BBQ restaurant. The wines weren’t too fancy or expensive, but they were good for the price. My fiancé’ and I ordered a bottle of wine to share, while the other couple we were with had different cocktails that they enjoyed.
Once we were finally seated, we were lucky enough to have a fantastic waiter. His name was Jacoby, and I would definitely request him as my server again. He was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, making it easy for us to make our selections!
For starters, we ordered the Potato Skins and the Burnt Ends. I’ll start with the Potato Skins because they were surprisingly amazing. At first, I wondered why our friend ordered Potato Skins out of all of the other appetizers on the menu, but once tasting one of the moist and cheesy potatoes, I was so happy that we had them. The Burnt Ends were out of this world delicious. The meat was so tender and the sauce was so tangy with a ton of good flavor. I could come back here just for these alone.
I came to the restaurant thinking I was going to keep it light and order the salmon, but once Jacoby talked me into a meat plate, I ordered the Chicken and Sausage with a side of Pit Beans. The meal was outstanding and the portion size was just right for one person! The BBQ sauce on the table that I dipped the meat in was the best BBQ sauce I’ve ever had in my life, hands down! The sausage was some of the best I’ve ever had as well. The beans were delicious and went great with the meat.
I also had some of the brisket and the ribs, and although I liked my meat options better, these were also good.
The Collard Greens are a must! Normally, when I order greens from restaurants, they are too salty. But, these were just right!
This was my first time going out on a Friday night for BBQ. I loved how classy and «upscale-​casual» the restaurant is. I would definitely come back again, but I wouldn’t dare come without bringing a ton of more friends with me to share this wonderful new spot with. It was a good time and a great meal!

18^th & Vine Barbeque is a Kansas City inspired restaurant on the edge uptown that offers an alternative to Texas barbeque. Be advised, this is not a barbecue joint. It is not a shack. It is, however, a very cool restaurant which offers a great alternative experience to Texas smoked meats.
My Overall Rating — 3 ½ Stars (Atmosphere, Food, Return)
Atmosphere — There’s a bit of cool retro charm here with the smell of hickory smoke in the air as soon as you walk up. 18^th & Vine appears to be a remodeled house/​school of some kind. But unlike most casual DFW barbecue restaurants, this place has some upscale touches. Dim lighting & leather booths make it more date night than game night. Inside you’ll find KC inspired photos hung on the walls throughout. There’s a main dining area, bar, and even upstairs event place. Very unique — awesome. 1 Star.
Service — It’s table service so you can make reservations and you’ll have a waiter. Unfortunately for us, this was the only part of our experience that was a letdown. Everything started off well with introduction to the menu and concept. But we saw our waiter twice for the rest of the night. Once to take our order & once with to give us the bill. Requests for simple items (straws/​water) were forgotten or ignored & we had to flag someone else. It’s a big deal because 18^th & Vine is a table service restaurant. If I were at a casual place, I can refill my own drink & get my own straw. No Star.
Food — Now to the most important part. I can’t explain the difference between KC/​Texas/​NC barbecue, but I can write about what made the visit worth it. The good news is if you want barbecue, you’ll get it. You won’t find fusion or «barbecue inspired» dishes. The night started off great thanks to Mykie’s recommendation of burnt ends. They were cubes of brisket with tons of rub and enough fat to melt in your mouth. I could have ordered this for my main meal & have been perfectly happy. The fried okra was my favorite dish. These whole okra pods have a crisp salty-​sweet seasoning that made them very addicting. We went with Matt’s choice (pulled pork, brisket, & chicken) with a side of ribs.
Ribs — My favorite of all the smoked meats. Meaty with a sweet (5 spice?) flavor
Brisket — Nice rub that was also a little sweet — we received lean cuts
Chicken — Again I liked the rub on the skin. A bit dry though so you may want to sauce it
Pulled Pork — Lots of rub and pork at its best. I liked it as much as the brisket
We added cheddar jalapeño grits (HELL YES) and apple slaw (cool & sweet) to pair with our meats. The barbecue sauce is on the sweet side, but I really liked it and it was great with both the pork & chicken. Overall, I honestly didn’t care if it were KC style or not, it was pretty darn good. 2 Stars.
Will I Return? — Yes but… I will come back for more okra, burnt ends, and some of the other items on the menu (smoked salmon). There is a decision that needs to be made here. 18^th & Vine is more like Smoke than Lockhart. It’s classy vs. hipster. Not only will you get an entirely different style of barbecue, you’ll get an entirely different experience. If you know that going in, you’ll enjoy it. Hope they fix the service. ½ Star.
My Unilocal Rating Scale (Sum of all parts):
1 Star — Atmosphere — Is it a cool dive? Perhaps an upscale place? No matter the type, atmosphere plays a big part and I’ll give a star if I like it or thinks it has great charm.
1 Star — Service — You can have a great meal with bad service. But that’s also what can make a five-​star joint drop to four. It’s important to the dining experience that service is great and on point.
2 Stars — Food — I’ll award up to two stars for the food, since this is the main reason we dine out. Sometimes the extra star is given for value, but it’s really all about the food.
1 Star — Will I come back? — If I know for a fact I’ll return, I’ll give this a star. A place has to make an impression for me to return.
Each Category can be given up to 1 star except food (2 stars) because I consider all these categories important to the overall dining experience. I will sum them up to provide my final Unilocal score.

Got here a little ahead of schedule so I killed an hour at the bar learning a thing or two from the locals and enjoying some local brews, in particular Four Corners’ Local Buzz and Revolver’s Blood & Honey.
The real show began, however, when we moved to a table and started in on some delicious appetizers (starters on the menu). We had the burnt ends and the fried okra and they nearly stole the show. The okra was incredibly fresh and the burnt ends were, well, burnt ends! For the main course I had the brisket and the ribs with a side of pit beans while my boyfriend had the house-​made sausage and the pulled pork with a side of BBQ mashed potatoes.
Everything was beyond delicious and the service from the hostess to the bartenders to the wait staff was impeccable. I’ve got nothing but love for this place and I would stop by again if I’m ever in town.

I’ve never been to a BBQ restaurant where a waiter/​waitress has to take your order. Usually you go up to the counter and you tell the butcher what you want and he’ll serve it for you right then and there. Not this place, and I guess that’s where they take it up a notch. If there was such a thing as «Fancy BBQ» then this is it. Everything is escalated, the atmosphere, the service, the food, and definitely the prices. Average meal with a soda and a side is about $ 20/​person.
I had the brisket with a side of slaw and cheesy grits. The brisket was good and had a really interesting sweet rub. It wasn’t as «melt in your mouth» as Lockhart’s, but it was definitely tender and juicy! The slaw was also really interesting, again sweet and tangy, from the apple cider. The grits were definitely cheesy, but it didn’t really stand out. I wish it had more of a kick like jalapeño or black pepper.
Overall, I really enjoyed the food and the service and I look forward to trying some more of their plates.

What’s this? A new spot in Dallas that isn’t A) yet another burger joint trying to pry their way into an already saturated market or B) An Austin transplant establishment copying itself up North for some of that sweet sweet corporate cash? Be still my heart.
While the Dallas barbecue scene is strong, there’s still room for some fresh faces, and 18^th & Vine brings Dorothy and Toto to town to introduce this city to some KC flair. Now, let’s recap for a moment before we begin:
The top three barbecue spots in Dallas are, in my opinion, very well established:
1. Pecan Lodge:
2. Lockhart Smokehouse:
3. Smoke:
These three establishments, as you may well know, specialize in Central Texas BBQ, where pecan or oak wood, salt, and pepper are all that matter. Sides and sauce? Secondary.
18^th & Vine on the other hand dishes up Kansas City barbecue: hickory, slow cooked, and saucy. I’m not entirely partial to one or the another, but I’m glad that we’ve got a KC contender in town now to mix things up. If you don’t want to read any further know this: 18^th & Vine is a perfectly fine bbq establishment that walks that freshly gentrified line of contemporary dining establishment and historical cultural foodie fix, but in my opinion it doesn’t quite compete on the same tier as the established spots here in Dallas.
Star 1: How were the service and atmosphere?
Having been in Dallas for just shy of three years now, here’s what I’m used to when it comes to barbecue: walking into a hybrid shack/​barn house dining room to the overpowering yet delightful smell of smoked meat. I line up, shout out my order to a bearded man with at least one sleeve of tattoos before watching him hack up my meats of choice and handing them over with maybe a side or two.
18^th & Vine is an entirely different experience. Outside of the very classy interior décor, the whole thing feels quite a bit more sophisticated, with well dressed and attentive servers, tables, and even what I think I saw was the ability to make reservations? Interesting, but in some ways refreshing. The kitchen and the meats are hidden away, and you place your order like you would at a steakhouse. My experience from start to finish was fine, and very much reminiscent of Smoke. This will, without question, be a marvelous brunch spot if they choose to go that route. Star Granted.
Star 2: How were the portions relative to the cost?
The lunch menu here at 18^th & Vine was exceptionally well priced, and my Basie chopped brisket sandwich was $ 12.00 and inclusive of a truly massive portion of spiced fries. Meats by the pound are comparable to what you mind see at Lockhart or Pecan Lodge, and all in all the whole spectrum is affordable considering the prices that are tacked onto bbq these days. Star Granted.
Stars 3 and 4: How was the food?
So out came the real test, and the results were mixed. Having a taste for the spicy, I ordered The Basie, which is a chopped brisket sandwich with pepperjack cheese and jalapenos.
The bun? Soft and airy to the point of being able to properly absorb the juices — that’s a good thing. What wasn’t as good of a thing if I’m being honest was the brisket, which, while slow cooked and soft in true Kansas City fashion, was exceptionally fatty. I get that everyone has preferences, but I prefer my brisket a bit on the lean side so that you can really chew into it as opposed to needing to scoop it up with a spoon. Again the flavor here was good, but the consistency was a tad bit off.
Not being one for sides as I think I touched on earlier, their quality didn’t influence me as much as they might others, but it’s worth pointing out here that the cheese and one or two jalapeño slices on my sandwich didn’t do much, and the fries were weak: seasoned yes but soft and limp.
All in all my sandwich was a wee bit disappointing, and while I can appreciate the slow cooked style that 18^th & Vine brings to the table, they’re up against some serious competition in this town. Single Star Granted.
All in all? Single Star Granted.
Star 5: Would you eat here every day if you could?
I wouldn’t given the competition in the area, but I’ll be back to give 18^th & Vine another shot or two with some of their other meats by the pound, and as always, my review is subject to change based on those future experiences. No Star Granted.