Trinh T.
Yelp
Meshack's Bar-Be-Que Shack is literally a shack or food stand that serves honest to goodness great barbecue. Be warned, there's no infrastructure for seating, but if you're ok with eating in your car or picking up a catered order, if you're in the area Meshack's should be #1 on your list.
My Overall Rating - 4 Stars (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Return)
Atmosphere - A run down parking lot, overgrown grass, a busy intersection, and a long line are some of the things you'll find at Meshack's. If it's your first time, look for their sign and then find some parking. If you're there early then you may find just a few people waiting. Get there at peak time and they will have probably run out. It reminds me of Austin, which is a good thing. Some people may not like having seats, but if you're just here for the smoke it won't matter. 1 Star.
Service - It's a family run business, which means they take pride in their offerings. If you're there just to eat, you'll walk up to the shack, order with the lady, and proceed to wait to be called. Prince likes to sweet talk his way into some free samples, so be nice because these are good people. We've placed a large catered order with them and they are great. They took the time to get our order right, call us with updated timing (good smoking has a small window), and help us with the order to the car. Again, good people here. 1 Star.
Food - Is it the best in Dallas? Everyone has their own opinion but I'll say they're the best in Garland. I'll highlight two of my favorite items. First, their chopped beef is my favorite in the area. The brisket is finely chopped and tossed in sauce, but it's a perfect balance. Not too much or too little. When you place a large scoop on soft white bread, add pickles & onions, you have the perfect chopped barbecue sandwich. My other item of choice is their beans. Perfectly tender, sweet, and you'll find bits of brisket added for flavor. I could honestly eat an entire bowl of beans and be highly satisfied. The ribs have great smoke flavor but I prefer ribs from other places (Slow Bone). And honestly the other sides are your basic sides. It's still some of the barbecue in the area. 1 1/2 Stars.
Will I Return? - For catered orders - no doubt. I can't see myself making a trip to Meshack's just to eat on my own - sorry, I'm a messy eater & need a table, chairs, napkins, & help. But if I needed a large catered order, Meshack's can take my money. 1/2 Star.
My Yelp 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 Yelp score.