Noble Smoke

Noble Smoke is Jim Noble’s barbecue restaurant on Freedom Drive west of Uptown. The bar is a large, handsome room with a bar and a wood pile out front, and the smell in the parking lot does most of the marketing. Sauces lean Carolina vinegar first, which delights locals and divides visiting Texans. The bar is the most convenient serious barbecue to the airport, which makes it a reliable last meal before a flight. Staff check in often and the bartenders make genuinely useful recommendations.

What to know

• The sampler platter is the way to learn the range, with sausage and ribs leading.
• Smoked wings, fried broccoli, onion rings and a smash burger fill out the menu.
• Staff check in often and bartenders make useful recommendations.
• The apple dessert gets ordered more than people expect.