Hard Eight BBQ Coppell

A couple of weeks ago, I swung by the Hard Eight BBQ in Coppell. If you are not familiar with the Hard Eight brand, it is good and consistent BBQ. They have five locations in North Texas. In my opinion, the original (Stephenville) is the best. You find this with a lot of BBQ restaurants. It isn’t necessarily because the additional locations are lower quality, have lesser management, or use different recipes. A lot of the time with BBQ, the age of the pits used can play a large part.

So, on to talking about the Coppell location! Here are the specifics:

Coppell Hard Eight – Near DFW Airport
Address & Phone
688 Freeport Parkway
Coppell, TX 75019
972-471-5462
Hours
M – Th: 10:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Fri – Sat: 10:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sun: 10:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

In general, I like Hard Eight. This location can be really crowded during lunch hours on weekdays. If you have flexibility in your weekday schedule, try to show up at either at [11:00] AM or after [1:00]. If you go between those hours, you’ll most likely have trouble finding a place to park and will be waiting in line for a good while. Another important item to mention is that the line is partially outdoors. Even when you are indoors, you will be standing near the pits. On a hot day, it is a bit of a beat down, and the same thing goes for the cold. If you know anything about Texas BBQ though, this is normal. Weekends at any BBQ joint worth it’s salt come with a long line and difficult parking, and this restaurant is no different.

Some other notes about Hard Eight:

• You can order a rib eye while and line. They grill it in front of you on quality coal fire.
• Beans are free. You get them after you find a table. They are over by the drinks fountain.
• The parking lot is tight. If you have a larger vehicle, sometimes you can’t get a spot.
• There are indoor and outdoor (covered patio) seating areas. On nicer days, seating is ample. On days where the patio area is not enjoyable, indoor seating can be hard to find.

Here are some of the pictures from the store:

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My Review

• MEAT
  • Lean Brisket: I gave this a 4. Good smoke, consistency, and seasoning.
  • Moist Brisket: I like the lean better than the moist here. The fat didn’t seem to render enough. I still give it a 4, because the bark and smokiness were on point.
  • Smoked Turkey: The turkey was good. It almost got a five, but lacked seasoning. The smoke, tenderness, and consistency were very good.
  • Pulled Pork: The pulled pork was a little greasy for me, but the flavor profiles were solid. I liked the smokiness and there was ample pepper.
  • Smoked Chicken: This was a good bird. A little light on the smoke for a five, but the seasoning was balanced and it held it’s moisture well throughout the cook.
• SIDES
  • Jalapeno Beans: The beans are in a large pot, and you can tell they simmer all day. I got a nice hot jalapeno in mine so that was a plus.
  • Potato Salad: It is a good mustard potato salad. I liked it.
  • Macaroni and Cheese: Average at best.

Rating

My rating: 3.88 out of 5
My Score: 77.5

Learn more about my rating system on my BBQ Rating page.