The moment you walk through the front doors of Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que and Home Cooking on West Mockingbird Lane, you’re hit with the glorious smell of wood-smoked meats and the sight of smiling employees eager to get customers through the cafeteria line and fed well.
Both the food and culture at this family-run restaurant near Love Field trace back to its founder, “Smokey” John Reaves. Though the local barbecue legend passed away in 2019, his legacy endures through every rib, slice of brisket, scoop of mac n cheese, and spoonful of banana pudding.
His sons and the restaurant’s co-owners, Brent and Juan Reaves, have big plans to celebrate their dad and the loyal fanbase that’s made Smokey John’s a lunchtime tradition for thousands of hungry people each week.
Prior to the restaurant’s founding in 1976, their dad smoked meats for the pure pleasure of the craft. When people started asking if they could buy his meats, he realized that his backyard hobby might actually be a viable business. Young Juan, however, didn’t quite understand what it meant to start a business from scratch. Even after his dad first took him to the vacant building at Lemmon Avenue and Mockingbird Lane, that would become the restaurant’s first location.
“I was five years old, but I totally remember going in with my dad. He said, ‘Son, this is going to be my new restaurant.'” Juan recalls. “I couldn’t imagine how this dingy little building was going to become a space people ate. Why would anyone eat here? I thought it was crazy.”
Originally called Big John’s, both the restaurant and John himself got new names one day when a regular customer walked in. The place was filled with smoke from the pit, prompting the customer to joke that he should call it Smokey John’s. The rest is hickory-smoked history.
John, his wife, Gloria (aka “Mama Reaves”), and cousin Douglas “Rent” Spaglin formed a dream team, with each specializing in an essential part of running the business—from bookkeeping to pitmaster duties and everything in between. A family-run restaurant from day one, Smokey John’s grew in popularity in part because everyone who walked through the door was treated like an honorary member of the family.
John never advertised, but his larger-than-life personality drew people to him, and word of mouth took many different forms.
“There was no social media, but he didn’t need it because he had Drew Pearson, Harvey Martin, and a whole slew of Dallas Cowboys,” Juan says. “If they got interviewed on TV, they’d mention Smokey John’s. That was his PR, right?”
The State Fair of Texas also played a major role in building the restaurant’s reputation.
“Dad was only the second minority vendor at the Fair,” Juan explains. “The first was back in the ’60s, and my dad didn’t get in until around 1978. By the ’80s, there were so many more because my dad really advocated for getting minority folks in there.”
It wasn’t long before the Reaves family learned the secret to success at the Fair.
“With the State Fair of Texas, every year we have to create something that gets attention,” Brent says. “I think our business—really, every business—is predicated on attention. How much can you garner?”
Over the years, the restaurant received plenty of buzz from its famous smoked turkey legs to more outside-the-box fair food creations. Among their wild and wacky creations, fried Jell-O and the Big Red Chicken Bread (a fried chicken wing atop a Big Red soda-flavored donut) won Big Tex Choice Awards for Best Taste in 2016 and 2019, respectively.
In addition to a thriving catering division, the State Fair of Texas was instrumental in keeping the business afloat after a fire tore through the restaurant in 2016. Brent and Juan were in charge by then, and suddenly found themselves having to rebuild from scratch. Fortunately, Brent says Frost Bank gave them a $300,000 loan without requiring any collateral.
“That’s kind of crazy for a barbecue restaurant that just caught on fire,” Brent says. “But they’ve become a great partner ever since.”
Frost Bank is the title sponsor for an event marking the 50th anniversary at the end of the month. Beginning Monday, August 24, they’ll be launching a Customer Appreciation Week packed with daily specials—all leading up to a celebratory block party on Saturday, August 29, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Continuing their father’s history of giving back to the community, a portion of proceeds from sales during the party will benefit Helping Hands Open Hearts and the Rockteen Youth Foundation. The brothers will also unveil a new menu to mark the occasion.
“The new menu will prominently feature the ‘Steve White,’ which has been on our secret menu for a while,” Juan says. “It’s named after a customer of 30-or-so years. He even had his memorial service here at the restaurant.
Order the Steve White, and you’ll get fried-to-order catfish and ribs. The unusual but tasty combination harmoniously unites two very Southern dishes on one plate, epitomizing the very concept of Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que and Home Cooking.
The block party takes place during Black Business Month, perhaps a little extra bit of serendipity.
“Dad was always helping out folks, always donating and working with churches and schools, and it was never just about him. That’s kind of how we built the event,” Juan says. “We are inviting out other small businesses to showcase their products, like one of our employees who makes candles.”
He says there will be booths with educational and health information, the Bishop Dunne Band will perform live, and they’re giving away cookies from Cookie Society in Frisco, Mama Moore’s Gourmet Popcorn in Grand Prairie, and ice cream from Mr. Sugar Rush.
The free event culminates with the unveiling of a commissioned portrait of the four “Pillars of Smokey John’s,” which in addition to John, his wife, and cousin, includes longtime collaborator and supporter Ruth Hauntz. Known as Ms. Ruth and the founder of Ruth’s Tamales, another Black-owned State Fair staple at the booth next to Smokey John’s, she and John helped each other through many tough times with both of their businesses and the family wants to recognize her contribution to their story.
And as a fitting Texas tribute, guests will enjoy a sweet tea toast to the next 50 years in business.
“It’ll be a lot of fun, and a such great way to honor our dad,” the brothers say.
Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que and Home Cooking, 1820 West Mockingbird Ln., #18, Dallas, smokeyjohns.com
