Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q in Tyler: A Decades-Old East Texas Barbecue Landmark

In Tyler, barbecue talk tends to land on one address sooner or later: 525 South Beckham Avenue. Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q has been smoking meat on that corner for generations, and it has picked up a city landmark designation and a long run of statewide praise along the way. Here’s what to know before you pull up a chair.

Tyler is the Smith County seat, about 100 miles east of Dallas, which works out to roughly an hour and 45 minutes by car. Stanley’s sits just south of downtown, so it’s easy to work into a day in the Rose City.

Is it really East Texas’ oldest barbecue joint?

You’ll see Stanley’s described that way, including on its own website, so we dug into it. The short answer is that it’s one of the region’s oldest, but we couldn’t confirm it’s the oldest. A few East Texas barbecue spots trace their roots back further, and the history of this one depends on how you count.

According to Texas Monthly’s history of the place, a barbecue shop first opened on this site in 1953 under a different name and changed hands before J.D. Stanley took it over and put his name on it. The restaurant itself says it has been serving East Texas barbecue since 1960, and other accounts put the start in the late 1950s. However you slice it, people have been eating barbecue on this spot for about 70 years. That’s a rare run, and it earned Stanley’s a Tyler Historic Landmark designation.

After J.D. Stanley died in 2006, new owners kept the doors open. Today the restaurant is run by Nick and Jen Pencis, who kept the old-school pit-smoked roots while adding a few modern touches.

The sandwiches are the stars

Plenty of folks order brisket and ribs by the pound here, and you won’t go wrong doing that. But Stanley’s has a real reputation for its stacked barbecue sandwiches, some with names and back stories as colorful as the food.

• The Brother-in-Law: a longtime favorite built on chopped brisket and a hot link with cheese and fixings. According to Texas Monthly, it started as an off-menu variation dreamed up by a longtime employee.
• The Mother Clucker: smoked chicken thigh on a jalapeño-cheese roll topped with a fried egg. It’s a newer creation that has become one of the joint’s signature items.
• Barbecue by the pound: brisket, ribs and other smoked meats for anyone who’d rather skip the bun.

Menus change over time, so check the restaurant’s current menu online for what’s being served and today’s prices.

Breakfast, bourbon and live music

Stanley’s isn’t just a lunch stop. It opens early for breakfast on weekdays and Saturday mornings, which makes it a handy first stop if you’re passing through Tyler on a road trip.

It also has a full bar. The restaurant says it carries more than 90 bourbons, whiskeys and ryes, which it bills as the largest selection in East Texas, along with Texas craft beers on tap. Stanley’s also hosts live music on some evenings, and the kitchen stays open later on those nights. Check the Stanley’s website for the music calendar.

When to go and what to expect

Stanley’s is a casual barbecue joint, not a white-tablecloth dining room, so come hungry and dress for comfort. As at most popular barbecue spots, arriving a little ahead of the usual mealtime rush is a smart way to beat a line.

The website lists breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and 8 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, with barbecue served Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday hours aren’t listed, so don’t count on a Sunday visit without calling first. If you’re feeding a crowd, the restaurant also does catering.

Make a Tyler day of it

Since you’ll be in the Rose City, pair lunch with some time outdoors. Tyler State Park is a short drive north of town and is one of the prettiest spots in East Texas when the leaves turn. And if Stanley’s leaves you hungry for a barbecue road trip, our guide to Lockhart, the Barbecue Capital of Texas is a good next stop.

Hours, dates and prices can change. Check the official website before you head out.

Whether or not it’s the very oldest, Stanley’s has earned its spot in the conversation. Seventy-odd years of smoke on the same corner, a sandwich lineup with its own lore and a good bourbon list make it a stop worth planning around next time you’re in East Texas.

Featured photo: Billy Hathorn via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.