The “two sacred cuisines of Texas,” said Dallas restaurateur Julian Barsotti, “are barbecue and Tex-Mex.” You’ll find both, together, when Los Charros Tex-Mex Smokehouse opens May 30, 2025, in University Park.
Barsotti is known for his Italian restaurants Nonna, Fachini and Barsotti’s (formerly Carbone’s). But he’s dabbled in Tex-Mex with Odelay, a fajitas and margaritas restaurant at Lovers Lane and Inwood Road.
When he took over the restaurant at the former Lumen hotel, now a Hilton property called The Graduate, Barsotti wanted the space across from Southern Methodist University to serve Texas’ two “sacred cuisines.” But who could do the barbecue? He found a partner in Corby Ferrell, a full-time banker and barbecue hobbyist.
Years ago, Ferrell hauled the smoker out of Peggy Sue Barbecue, a longtime restaurant in Snider Plaza. The restaurant had closed and the building was headed for demolition, so Ferrell got the smoker for free. His employer, Benchmark Bank, paid to have the smoker restored, and Ferrell now regularly smokes meat for friends and clients at events like the Byron Nelson golf tournament.
Ferrell had barbecue in his bones anyhow, as his great-grandfather owned a barbecue joint in Tyler named Watson’s. (It eventually became Stanley’s Famous Pit Barbecue, a beloved Northeast Texas restaurant.)
The puzzle pieces clicked into place as Barsotti and Ferrell assembled a barbecue and Tex-Mex restaurant near SMU.
“People want those two cuisines when they come to Dallas,” Barsotti said.
Perhaps customers will look first to the cocktail menu, a mix of margaritas, ranch water, mezcal mules, carajillos and more.
Appetizers combine smoked meats and Tex-Mex, like with the brisket nachos, brisket quesadillas and smoked chicken flautas.
The theme continues with larger plates, and all carry some Texas swagger. Brisket Frito pie comes topped with chile piquin barbecue sauce. Cheese enchiladas are served with Wagyu beef. There’s also King Ranch chicken, barbecue shrimp tacos and red snapper tinga.
Fajitas come in every variety you could guess, and some you probably couldn’t: chicken, shrimp, Wagyu, prime brisket and Berkshire pork. The escabeche (pickled vegetables) add a vinegary zing alongside meat served with grilled poblanos and onions.
Because the hotel restaurant is expected to serve out-of-towners in addition to Park Cities residents and SMU students, Los Charros will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. We could see Ferrell’s barbecue breakfast tacos becoming popular on football game days.
“We wanted to tie it into the hotel and SMU,” Barsotti said, “but we’re treating it like a stand-alone restaurant in the neighborhood.”
Los Charros Tex-Mex Smokehouse is at 6101 Hillcrest Ave. (inside The Graduate hotel), Dallas. Expected to open May 30, 2025.