Dallas BBQ - Chelsea

Barbecue in Manhattan doesn’t need to be complicated. Dallas BBQ Chelsea keeps it simple on 8th Avenue, where the smoky scent carries down the block before you even step inside.

The address—261 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011—places it in a stretch of the neighborhood that still feels like old Chelsea; not the polished storefronts of the High Line, but the part where delivery bikes weave between lunch crowds and the occasional honk from a yellow cab. A barbecue spot here has to move fast, and this one does, serving plates of comfort food that pair just as well with a local beer as with one of their cocktails.

Lunch and dinner both draw solo diners and small groups, people who want a plate of ribs or brisket without fuss. Coffee is on the menu too, though most come for the alcohol—beer and cocktails that cut through the richness of the food. The selection leans toward what’s easy to drink with smoked meat, nothing pretentious, just straightforward pours that keep the line moving.

Call (212) 462-0001 if you want to skip the wait. For directions, check the map.