Popular Fort Worth-area BBQ restaurant opens new location. Here’s how to beat the line

Mansfield’s barbecue upgrade has arrived.

Hurtado Barbecue is open at 226 N. Walnut Creek Drive, giving Mansfield a tourist-destination craft barbecue and “Mexicue” birria tacos restaurant like those nearby in south Tarrant County.

The new location isn’t quite as big as the first Hurtado in downtown Arlington.

But it’s an easy 2-mile drive from U.S. 287, convenient for residents or for barbecue travelers out for a weekend adventure.

Brandon Hurtado chose Mansfield because “it’s an underserved barbecue community,” he said Saturday, giving a preview of the new location.

It’s a complete makeover from the former occupant, Big D Barbecue. The order window is now by the front door. The restaurant has 65 seats.

Hurtado’s advice is the same in Mansfield as at the Arlington location, 205 E. Front St., or in Fort Worth, 1116 Eighth Ave.: “Order online.”

Unlike at most craft barbecue restaurants, you never have to wait in a long line at Hurtado. There’s a page to order online in advance, then dine there or at home while customers are sweating out the line at restaurants nearby.

Online ordering is now 20% of Hurtado’s business and growing, he said.

“Our goal,” he said, “is for people to not have to wait all day in line.”

The menu is the same as at the other locations: a three-meat platter for $26.50, family packs for $50-$180 and meats by the pound including brisket, ribs, pulled pork, turkey, chicken pork belly burnt ends and on weekends, beef ribs.

Hurtado’s crossover menu offers items such as birria tacos and brisket tostadas.

Some of the sides are new at all locations. The Mexican street corn is now fresh-cut. Cole slaw has given way to a kale salad with peanuts and Granny Smith apples. Other regular favorites include bacon-braised cabbage, Hatch chile mac-and-cheese, fries, rice, beans and potato salad.

Hurtado stars at dessert, so don’t forget to order it too: banana pudding or peach, pumpkin or Key lime empanadas (hand pies).

More than 20 people have come by every day asking when the restaurant would open, Hurtado said: “We know Mansfield wants more barbecue.”

Hurtado’s fame only grew with national World Series TV coverage of the half-hour lines for his Globe Life Field concession stand and particularly for his giant (Jonah) “Heim Hammer,” a huge beef shin with sweet habanero barbecue sauce that served six people for $99. It sold out quickly every game.

The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner.

It’s a short drive from several barbecue stands of note.

▪ Smoke’n Ash, praised in The New York Times for its fusion Texas and Ethiopian-spiced barbecue, is 7 miles north in Arlington.

▪ Goldee’s, rated No. 1 by Texas Monthly, is 9 miles away near Kennedale. But it’s open only at lunch and only three days a week.

▪ Jambo’s, one of the first restaurants to serve an elevated level of barbecue, is 8 miles west in Rendon. It is not related to other Jambo’s locations in Arlington.

▪ Hickory Stick Bar-B-Q, a rustic, old-school restaurant voted Star-Telegram readers’ favorite, is 11 miles west in Everman.

▪ A new location of the Sausage Shoppe, known for distinctive handmade beef sausage, will open by April 14 miles away at 3914 Miller Ave. off U.S. 287.

▪ Heim Barbecue, a local pioneer in craft barbecue, is 14 miles west in downtown Burleson.

▪ Ribbee’s, a new ribs-and-fries stand from Goldee’s, is now open 17 miles away in south Fort Worth.

▪ Cousins BBQ, a traditional restaurant now serving all-you-can-eat, is 18 miles west near Interstate 35W in Fort Worth.

▪ David’s Barbecue, carrying on the 100-year legacy of the Red and Sonny Bryan family, is 17 miles away in Pantego.

▪ Zavalas Barbecue, a craft shop also praised by Texas Monthly, is 18 miles north near Texas 360 in Grand Prairie.

▪ Panther City BBQ, another Texas Monthly top-10 restaurants, is 18 miles away near Interstate 35W just south of downtown Fort Worth.