Brisket Rules
An acclaimed restaurateur is now serving smoked brisket in downtown Dallas at a place called Brisket Rules, a kiosk inside AT&T Exchange Hall at 211 S. Akard St., where it opened in March.
The concept comes from chef Brett Curtis, a food industry veteran with 40 years experience, and is a spinoff of the first Brisket Rules, which Curtis opened in Grapevine at Harvest Hall in 2023. Curtis also owns Dock Local, a coastal seafood restaurant with stands at both of those same locations, as well as Plano and Nashville.
"Food halls create community, draw a diverse crowd, and give us the flexibility to incubate our concepts before committing to the heavy footprint of a traditional restaurant buildout," Curtis says.
Everything at Brisket Rules is made in house including the sauce and smoked meats. Meats are smoked at both the Grapevine location inside Harvest Hall and at an offsite kitchen on Ross Avenue. They generally smoke meats for eight to 10 hours.
The menu is small and features sandwiches piled high with a quarter pound of either brisket, pulled pork, or smoked turkey; a bowl with rice or salad and avocado, a popular go-to for busy professionals downtown; and a meat plate that comes with two meats and two sides for $24.
They also have a charcuterie board with meats, smoked cheese, and pickled veggies like carrots and cauliflower. Other items include nachos and sides like Texas beans and mac & cheese, which can have meat added for an extra charge.
Specials change monthly such as in June, which features a loaded brisket potato with a salt-rubbed oven-roasted potato topped with brisket and BBQ sauce.
One fun aspect at Brisket Rules is how seriously they take brisket. — to the point they devised a list rules, hence the name. The brisket rules are their guiding principles for making sure "every bite is just right," and there are six as follows:
- Pick a prime cut - quality matters
- Rub, don’t drown - no marinades allowed
- Season just in time - not too far in advance
- Low & slow wins - avoid shortcuts
- Good wood only - don't settle
- Wrap & rest - the final step to brisket bliss
