Katy Trail Ice House

The Katy Trail Outpost is an Austin style beer garden and restaurant, located in the heart of West Plano, Texas. A long bar boasts 36 beers on tap, ranging from Texas Domestics to Regional and International Imports on the draw. We have been awarded the best patio in Dallas with our open seating communal beer garden.

The Story Behind the Smoke

Crafted to Perfection

We opened Katy Trail Ice House in Dallas in 2011 and Katy Trail Outpost in West Plano in 2013 with a simple philosophy — serve ice-cold beer and outstanding TEXAS BBQ!   Knowing that great beer deserves equally great BBQ, our pit-masters got to work. Every day, we slow-smoke fresh BBQ using traditional Central Texas techniques, ensuring it’s never carried over from one day to the next. Using only aged post oak wood, we work tirelessly to bring you the BEST BBQ TEXAS has to offer.

In the early days, we started with a homemade pit, but our passion for perfect BBQ led us to team up with world-class pit builder and international BBQ judge, David Klose.   By 2013, we upgraded to a custom Klose-designed smoker, affectionately known as “The Beast.”  Today, you’ll find our pit-masters putting everything they've learned into crafting some of the best BBQ around

Running Out Means It’s Done Right

Fresh BBQ and long smoke times are becoming rare in North Texas. Many places cut corners, using gas or automated processes to churn out BBQ in just 5 hours — and you can taste the difference.   Not at the Ice House!  We’re committed to doing things the right way, even if it means staying up all night and smoking our BBQ for up to 14 hours. We use only aged post oak wood — no gas, no shortcuts.

After about 6 hours, BBQ starts to lose its peak flavor, much like a fine wine that’s past its prime. That’s why we serve it fresh, at its absolute best.   We’d rather run out than serve anything less than perfect. It’s our commitment to quality, and it’s what keeps Texas BBQ authentic — just the way it should be.