Dubai Loves Palestinian-Owned BBQ Joint Serving Authentic Texas BBQ

Big T’s BBQ and its authentic Texas-style barbecue is the talk of Dubai. The Palestinian-owned restaurant is named for its proprietor and top chef, Fadel “Big Tasty” Faour and is located in Al Quoz Industrial Area 4. Meanwhile, this popular barbecue joint is surrounded by low-rise warehouses and dusty roads, where trucks and lorries pick up and transport products. However, Big T’s BBQ Kitchen doesn’t need to be among Dubai’s iconic buildings, six-star hotels or golden sandy beaches, as it is a major attraction all of itself.

Why should you visit Big T BBQ Kitchen in Dubai?

Despite its humble surroundings, Big T BBQ Kitchen’s delicious Texas barbecue is the talk of the town and a must for foodies visiting Dubai. Chief chef and proprietor, Fadel “Big Tasty” Faour, is bringing customers in from all over the city for his authentic Texan barbecue which foodies won’t find anywhere else in the sprawling, modern city.

One drawback to the restaurant is that it is only open for three days a week, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 12 to 10 pm. Despite this, Big T’s has attracted quite a devoted following. Meanwhile, anyone who wants to sample the delicious fare should be prepared to get in the queue, filled with other foodies longing for some Texas barbecue. Moreover, some wait as long as an hour to sample the famous restaurant’s fare and if you asked them, they would tell you the wait is totally worth it.

What’s on the barbecue menu?

Big T’s serves ribs, brisket, burgers, beef cheek, pastrami and Texas sausage. All is smoked in Faour’s 1,000-gallon Texan smoker, which the chef claims is the biggest of its kind in the UAE. Moreover, he uses post-oak wood, imported from Texas to smoke the meat and offer his diners a taste of the real Texas. Meanwhile, one of the customers’ favorite dishes is Big T’s beef brisket, which is smoked for at least 16 hours before cooking and serving.

The restaurant’s official website boasts:

Texas barbecue inspired cuisine. Everything prepared from SCRATCH with quality ingredients. We smoke using 100% wood! NO charcoal, gas or electric!

Diners can also dine on mac n’ cheese, cornbread, seasoned fries, grilled cheese sandwiches, coleslaw, potato salad and other classic southern sides and barbecue meals. Meanwhile, delicious desserts are on the menu, including banana pudding, tres leches, and vanilla cheesecake to round off the meal.

Scrolling through Big T’s Instagram feed, it is clear that the chef takes diner’s requests to heart, including changing the texture of the Mac n’ Cheese. Faour also posted recently, writing, “I am honored to serve you all! I never worked in a restaurant with this many repeat customers. I will keep this alive and improving as long as a [sic] can.”

Meanwhile, many of those regular customers have become friends and the restaurant does well on social media. Moreover, the Palestinian chef, who grew up in the UAE, is privileged, but humble about all the attention his restaurant receives. Fadel has even been featured on the front page of Caterer Middle East magazine.

For any readers planning on visiting Dubai, make sure to head to Big T’s BBQ to sample Fadel’s delicious food. Check out Google Maps for the exact location of the restaurant here.