Last Thursday, without any sign of an official announcement or grand opening, staff unceremoniously opened the doors of the long-awaited Tender Smokehouse in Whitesboro. And just like that, a new local favorite was born.
What was supposed to be a “soft opening” quickly became a feeding frenzy as word spread like wildfire on social media. People came from all over to enjoy the highly-anticipated barbecue joint. And it’s no wonder – Tender Smokehouse’s reputation precedes it.
Established in Celina, Texas, in 2017, this family-owned Texas barbecue restaurant earned Yelp’s #2 ranking in the country – across all restaurant categories -- after just two years in business.
Owned by five partners (Andrea Weimer, Eddie Bell, former pro ball player Torii Hunter, Katrina Hunter and Matt Kemp), the business model for the chain (which now boasts five locations across North Texas) has always prioritized three things: food, service and atmosphere.
“We keep it simple,” Area Operations Manager Terrance Grant said. “We never advertise, we just rely on word of mouth. We put our customers first and do our best to offer high-quality food and excellent service.”
Grant has been with the business from the beginning. Based in McKinney, he’s here for a couple of months to get the new location up and running before turning the reins over to Whitesboro managers Steve and Esmeralda.
He said that awhile back, Tender’s business partners were looking to expand their restaurant chain and were considering several locations. They knew they wanted a small town north of their other locations. Bell, a horseman, was integrated in the horse community in Whitesboro and thought this city might be a good option. The traffic on highways 377 and 82 as well as the location’s proximity to the lake made it an attractive spot.
In early 2024, the partners secured the Whitesboro location and signed a lease on the building. Before they could get to work, they were in the process of completing a new location in Little Elm. Then, they had to wait for building supplies, which took longer than anyone expected.
The team finally got some renovations under way. The building had most recently been a Dickey’s Barbecue restaurant (although many citizens remember when it was a Dairy Queen). The Tender crew added a covered patio out front which offers yard games, like giant Jenga and Connect Four, as well as some TV’s. They also covered the back area for their barbecue pits. They decorated the inside with a rustic vibe that creates a welcoming, fun energy. Finally, last Thursday, they welcomed their first customers.
The restaurant can seat around 70 people indoors and 60 people on the patio. A bar will serve 12 beers on tap (and growlers to go), wine and frozen margaritas.
The company has also provided more than 30 jobs to local residents, something that’s important to the company’s partners. Torii Hunter’s philosophy is “food, shelter and clothing” – the more people you hire, the more food, shelter and clothing you can provide for those folks.
During the day, most of the workers are Whitesboro locals. At night, it’s 25 local high school kids (three from S&S, three home-schoolers and 16 from Whitesboro).
“Some of our servers are kids who have been coming to our Celina location with their families for years,” Grant said. “One kid was hired over a year ago, just waiting for this location to officially open.”
Staff was mostly trained ahead of time at the restaurant’s Celina and Aubrey locations. They were ready for the doors to open last week, and it’s a good thing -- on the first day alone, they served around 300 customers.
“All of our customers were so excited and friendly,” Grant said. “People were actually thankful that we were open. And everyone was patient with us.”
After just a few days, Grant’s team has already made some adjustments based on customer feedback. They’ve added fryers so they can now offer smoked chicken, French fries, fried okra and green beans, none of which was previously on the menu.
The restaurant expects to open its drive-through in May and it will soon offer online ordering and catering.
The menu at Tender ranges from breakfast options (pancakes, breakfast tacos and fresh biscuits and gravy get rave reviews) to lunch specials and a la carte, build-your-own meal plates. Most options are gluten-free. Desserts include banana pudding and Mindy Lu’s fried pies (sourced from Arlington, Texas).
Tender also makes its own rubs and barbecue sauce using an in-house recipe. They make about 50 gallons of sauce per week.
As a chain, Tender honors their Texas roots by sourcing local ingredients and products, from local craft beer to Dublin Bottling Works sodas. They also aim to support the local community as much as possible.
The faith-based company (scriptures are noted subtly on walls around the dining room) is closed Sundays and Mondays. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
Tender Smokehouse is located at 1001 US-377 in Whitesboro. Stop in and see managers Steve or Esmeralda or any of the friendly servers who are ready to provide a great dining experience with delicious food in a fun atmosphere. You’re sure to see what makes Tender Smokehouse a cut above the rest.
