Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse

Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse is a well-known BBQ restaurant in Dallas, Texas that was founded by William Jennings Bryan Jr. (known as Sonny) in 1958 near the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.[1][2] It has seven locations in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex (DFW) while closing all franchise units in Utah by mid-2014. Sonny Bryan's also has one of the largest catering companies in DFW.

Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse
TypePrivate
IndustryRestaurant
Founded1958 (1958) in Dallas, Texas
FounderWilliam Jennings Bryan Jr.
Headquarters
Dallas, Texas
Number of locations
7
Area served
Texas
Key people
Brent Harmon, President & CEO
Websitewww.sonnybryans.com

History
Sign in front of the original location on Inwood.

The Bryan family has operated memorable barbecue restaurants in the Dallas area for over a century. Sonny's grandfather, Elias Bryan, first opened his Bryan's Barbecue in 1910[2] while Sonny's father William Jennings "Red" Bryan opened Red Bryan's Smokehouse in 1930.[3] Sonny opened his Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse in 1958 and ran it until 1989 when he sold it to a group of Dallas investors.[4][5][6][7] Bryan died from cancer just a few months after the sale.[8][9]

While Bryan was alive, he had only maintain a single location and never franchised.[10][11] Although the new management vowed to keep the original location the same,[7] they started building additional locations.[12] The first new location opened in the West End in 1991.[10]

Under the new management, Sonny Bryan's expanded, including new locations at Love Field in 2011,[13] one a major department store in a mall (1993-2011),[14][15] plus three locations in Utah,[16] with the first Utah location opened in 2011.[17][18] The current CEO is Brent Harmon.[19] At one point during the early 2010s, the company had as many as 10 locations in Texas[20][21] plus 3-4 locations in Utah.[22][23] By August 2014, locations in Texas were reduced to seven while all of the locations in Utah were closed.[24]

As of mid 2014, current locations in Texas include Inwood (original location), Richardson, West End, Las Colinas, Lovers Lane, Downtown (Dallas), and Fort Worth. Recently closed locations in Texas include Preston & Forest,[25] Macy’s Galleria, and Love Field. Former locations in Utah include Sandy, Foothill, Valley Fair, Cottonwood Heights, and Downtown (Salt Lake City).

To cater to workers on the late shift at the nearby hospitals, the original location switched to a 24 hours operations in May 2016 while the other locations maintained their regular schedules.[26]

Distinguishing features

Some locations use old school desks as dining tables,[27][28] which were first used by Sonny Bryan himself at the original location.[29]

Noted customers include Julia Child,[30] Lyndon Baines Johnson, Dean Fearing,[31][32] Emeril Lagasse,[31] Larry Hagman,[33] Jimmy Buffett,[34] King Khan and the Shrines,[35] and George W. Bush.[36]

Awards

The restaurant won a James Beard Foundation Award in 2000,[37][38] a Best Barbecue Dallas award from the Dallas Observer in 2007,[39] and several Readers' Choice Best Barbecue Awards from D Magazine for 2010, 2011, and 2012[40] In 2015, the chain was declared as the fourth best southern barbeque by the readers of USA Today.[41][42]

In the media

It has been featured in a Dallas-based episode of the Travel Channel show Man v. Food Nation, in 2011,[43]the Dallas episode of the Cooking Channel show The Originals with Emeril,[44][45] the barbecue episode of the Food Network show Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels,[46] and the Travel Channel show 101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown, in 2014.[47][48] It has been written about and favorably reviewed in Southern Living,[49] People (magazine),[50] the Los Angeles Times,[51][52] the New York Times,[53] the Chicago Tribune,[54] the Houston Chronicle,[55] and culinary books by Jane and Michael Stern[56][57]

See also

References
  1. Withers, Ashley (September 28, 2011). "Fire damages Dallas' original Sonny Bryan's barbecue restaurant on Inwood Road". Dallas News.
  2. McLeod, Gerald E. (January 24, 2014). "Dallas' Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse lights up the sunny side of the street". Austin Chronicle.
  3. Brooks, Gayla (January 23, 2012). "The king of Oak Cliff barbecue: Red Bryan's may be gone, but its mouthwatering legacy is not forgotten". Oak Cliff Advocate.
  4. Weingarten, Paul (May 30, 1989). "In Texas, Sonny Bryan's Barbecue Is Legend". Lewiston Journal. p. 8C.
  5. Weingarten, Paul (May 10, 1989). "If There`s Barbecue Sauce On The Mercedes, This Must Be Sonny's". Chicago Tribune.
  6. Belli, Anne (February 19, 1989). "Investors Save BBQ Legend - Cancer sidelines restaurant founder". Dallas Morning News (Home Final ed.). p. 33A. Alternate Link via NewsBank.
  7. "Since 1958, Dallas Barbecue House Has Packed 'Em In and Stuffed 'Em". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. May 21, 1989. p. A/15. Alternate Link via NewsBank.
  8. Babb, Christina Hughes (February 28, 2012). "What we learned about Sonny Bryan's BBQ while writing a bicycling story". Lakewood/East Dallas Advocate.
  9. Barber, Dan R. (December 24, 1989). "King of Texas barbecue, Sonny Bryan, dies at 63". Dallas Morning News (Home Final ed.). p. 21A. Alternate Link via NewsBank.
  10. Stovall, Waltrina (April 26, 1991). "Sonny Bryan's in the West End: still cookin'". Dallas Morning News (Home Final ed.). p. 6. Alternate Link via NewsBank.
  11. Rangel, Enrique (February 14, 1993). "Fired Up To Celebrate - Sonny Bryan's marks 35 years of barbecuing". Dallas Morning News (Home Final ed.). p. 39A. Alternate Link via NewsBank.
  12. Griffith, Dotty (April 5, 2002). "Almost the same old Sonny's". Dallas Morning News (Second ed.). p. 15. Alternate Link via NewsBank.
  13. Thompson, Steven R. (January 6, 2012). "Sonny Bryan's circling airport locations". Dallas Business Journal.
  14. Ruggles, Ron (October 25, 1993). "Sonny Bryan's BBQ goes posh at Macy's Galleria. (barbecue)". Nation's Restaurant News. Archived from the original on March 22, 2014.
  15. "Sonny Bryan's Facebook Page". February 20, 2012. Comment about closing of the Macy's Galleria location.
  16. "Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse". KTVX. October 10, 2012. Archived from the original on 2014-03-22.
  17. Warchol, Glen (September 22, 2011). "Some good 'Q' from Texas". Salt Lake Tribune.
  18. "Sonny Bryan's opens in SLC". Salt Lake Tribune. January 10, 2012.
  19. Zaragoza, Sandra (October 31, 2004). "Finger-lickin' good spot for barbecue". Dallas Business Journal.
  20. "Locations in DFW". Archived from the original on December 5, 2011. Retrieved 2014-08-02.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  21. "Locations in DFW". Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved 2014-08-02.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  22. "Locations in Utah". Archived from the original on August 2, 2012. Retrieved 2014-08-03.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  23. "Locations in Utah". Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved 2014-08-03.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  24. "Locations in DFW". Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved 2014-08-02.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  25. "Bowery Opens, Screen Door Closes and More From a Very Busy July". Dallas Observer. August 2, 2012.
  26. Gonzales, Eric (April 27, 2016). "Show Me the BBQ! Original Sonny Bryan's Opening 24/7". KDAF.
  27. Cleaver, Gavin (August 7, 2012). "An Englishman Reviews the Lunchtime BBQ of Sonny Bryan's, Pecan Lodge and Soulman's". Dallas Observer.
  28. Burros, Marian (August 19, 1984). "Dining Out in Dallas". Lakeland Ledger. p. 4E.
  29. Lyons, Dee (February 13, 1987). "Sonny Bryan's". Dallas Morning News (Home Final ed.). p. 11. Alternate Link via NewsBank.
  30. Cogill, Gary (August 7, 2009). "New film sparks memories of Julia Child's time in Dallas". WFAA.
  31. Nichols, Nancy (February 3, 2011). "OMG Hurry: Dean Fearing and Emeril Lagasse are at Sonny Bryan's". D Magazine.
  32. Primeau, Marty (December 8, 1985). "Dean Fearing". Dallas Morning News (Home Final ed.). p. 1e. Alternate Link via NewsBank.
  33. Browne, Rick & Bettridge, Jack (2002). The Barbecue America Cookbook: America's Best Recipes from Coast to Coast. Globe Pequot Press. p. 111. ISBN 9781585746897.
  34. Peppard, Alan (February 16, 2001). "Hagman playing the hero: Flying Buffett buffet". Dallas Morning News (Third ed.). p. 33A. Alternate Link via NewsBank.
  35. Freedman, Pete (April 8, 2010). "King Khan & The Shrines Write A Jingle For Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse". Dallas Observer.
  36. "President orders barbecue for trip back to Crawford". Amarillo Globe-News. Associated Press. March 29, 2002.
  37. "The Original Sonny Bryan's". James Beard Foundation. 2013-04-22.
  38. Crea, Joe (May 10, 2000). "James Beard Awards Honor Best In Cooking". Plain Dealer (Final ed.). p. 1F. Link via NewsBank.
  39. "Best Barbecue Dallas 2007 - Original Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse". Dallas Observer. 2007.
  40. "Sonny Bryan's". D Magazine.
  41. Peele, Britton (May 29, 2015). "Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse is the fourth best southern BBQ according to USA Today readers". GuideLive. Dallas Morning News.
  42. "10Best Readers' Choice: Best of the South winners announced!". USA Today. May 29, 2015.
  43. Tone, Joe (August 15, 2011). "Man vs. Food Takes On Dallas on Wednesday". Dallas Observer.
  44. Philpot, Robert (May 25, 2011). "Lagasse hunts down restaurant 'Originals'". DFW.com.
  45. "Dallas". The Original with Emeril. Episode CCORG-104H. Cooking Channel.
  46. "Best Barbecue". Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels. Episode RY0303. October 17, 2006. Food Network.
  47. "101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown". Travel Channel.
  48. Blaskovich, Sarah (March 18, 2014). "Travel Channel says Truck Yard and Sonny Bryan's in Dallas are "amazing"". Dallas News.
  49. "The South's 20 Best BBQ Joints: Take a culinary trip around the South to discover our favorite stops for each BBQ style". Southern Living. 2011.
  50. Richman, Alan (August 28, 1989). "Searching for BBQ Bliss, the Pickings Are Easy". People. 32 (9).
  51. Lasley, Paul & Harryman, Elizabeth (November 15, 1987). "Dining Out in Dallas: Driving to the Best Barbecue Place". Los Angeles Times.
  52. Raichlen, Steven (February 25, 1998). "This Brisket's Smokin'". Los Angeles Times.
  53. Burros, Marian (August 8, 1984). "And If You Want Texas Fare". New York Times.
  54. Warner, Gary A. (April 6, 1997). "Smokin': Barbecue Makes Sonny Bryan's A Dallas Institution". Chicago Tribune.
  55. Cook, Alison (May 30, 2006). "Cook's Tour: A dining blog with Alison Cook". Houston Chronicle.
  56. Stern, Jane & Stern, Michael (2011). Roadfood: The Coast-to-Coast Guide to 800 of the Best Barbecue Joints, Lobster Shacks, Ice Cream Parlors, Highway Diners, and Much, Much More. Random House. p. 465. ISBN 9780307591258.
  57. Stern, Jane & Stern, Michael (2009). 500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late: and the Very Best Places to Eat Them. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 298. ISBN 9780547416441.
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