Yearby's Barbecue and Waterice is opening a location in Allen in late October, bringing its halal brisket, lamb ribs and turkey breast to a former Dickie's Barbecue Pit space after bouncing between two North Texas cities in less than a year. The restaurant will host a soft opening with a limited menu this Saturday and Sunday, October 24-25, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
According to Community Impact, owner Sabrina Henley confirmed the late-October timeline for the new spot, which will sit at 405 Central Expressway S. The building previously housed a Dickie's Barbecue Pit, as reported by chron.com.
The menu leans into the smokehouse staples that have built the Henleys' reputation, including brisket, lamb ribs and turkey breast, alongside sides like mac and cheese, collard greens, potato salad and coleslaw, per the same Community Impact report. Yearby's describes its brisket, beef ribs and sausage on its website as delivering classic Central Texas flavor while meeting halal standards.
A Winding Road From Pilot Point to Plano to Allen
The Henleys' food truck began in Anna on Christmas Day of 2021, and the Pilot Point restaurant opened at the end of March 2023, according to Texas Monthly, which has tracked the Henleys' growth from that early mobile operation into a full-fledged barbecue destination.
Yearby's relocated from Pilot Point to Plano in December 2025, then closed that Plano location in June after the owners found a long-term lease in Allen, the community impact article reports, attributing the closure and the new lease to the business's own social media posts. The frequent moves haven't dulled the buzz: the restaurant earned a spot on Texas Monthly's 2025 Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints list, as chron.com notes.
A Fully Halal Menu in a Changing Texas BBQ Scene
Texas Monthly has described Yearby's as a barbecue joint whose menu is entirely halal, a distinction that set it apart when the publication first profiled the Pilot Point operation. That full-halal approach places Yearby's within a wider shift that an AP News report characterized as Texas barbecue getting a halal makeover, pointing to pitmasters blending classic smoking traditions with halal meats.
Diners curious about the new Allen location can find more details on the restaurant's own site at yearbysbbq.com. For now, the specifics of regular hours beyond the opening weekend haven't been detailed, but the soft opening gives North Texas barbecue fans their first chance to taste what earned Yearby's a loyal following in two previous cities.
