It’s one of Fort Worth’s best barbecue restaurants. And it’s known for burgers, too

Five years ago, Ashley and Dayne Weaver were selling barbecue out of their garage.

Now, Dayne’s Craft Barbecue is one of the biggest Texas names in the business, a state top 50 stop that might be on its way to a future top 10.

At some point, the Weavers hope to build a restaurant and convert their current trailer to a burger stand.

They already have an air-conditioned dining room for patrons. But somebody has to line up and order from Dayne’s trailer, parked outside 9840 Camp Bowie West Blvd.

The Weavers are riding a skyrocket to the top, not only for their brisket, sausage and sides but also for the brisket double cheeseburgers, served only at lunch Thursdays and Fridays.

They’ve gone from a mom-and-pop home operation to a staff of seven, drawing national barbecue attention and serving customers from England, Canada and Australia.

“It’s been an awesome journey,” Dayne Weaver said on a recent Eats Beat podcast.

“We’re looking to take that next step.”

Look, I know Star-Telegram readers voted Hickory Stick Bar-B-Q in Everman their favorite. It’s a great old-school, back-road stop.

But the best barbecue restaurants are the “new ‘que” favorites like Goldee’s near Kennedale, No. 2 Hurtado in Arlington and Fort Worth, No. 5 Panther City BBQ in Fort Worth and No. 6 Heim Barbecue in Fort Worth, also coming soon to Burleson.

I’m amazed that even Hurtado ranked ahead of old-timer No. 3 David’s Barbecue in Pantego. After all, David’s has 113 years of Sonny and Red Bryan family history, and No. 4 Sammie’s Bar-B-Q in Fort Worth has been around for 77 years.

Part of the limited support is because Dayne’s and Goldee’s are open only for lunch right now, although Hurtado, Heim and, as of this month, Panther City are serving at dinner.

All offer upgraded meats and sides. Some, like Dayne’s, make their sausage in-house and add brisket cheeseburgers or special desserts.

Yes, they’re more expensive than Hickory Stick, David’s or Sammie’s, or the old Fort Worth stops such as Angelo’s, Cousin’s or Railhead.

But they draw barbecue fans from across Texas.

Dayne Weaver had talked for two years about how he wanted to go into the barbecue business.

Then Ashley took out a loan and presented him with a $6,000 smoker.

“She kind of put us on the spot and said, ‘Let’s do this,’ “ he said.

The Weavers were the only staff at first. Then pitmaster Thomas Loven joined in.

They moved the trailer to a now-gone flea market on West Sixth Street and also started serving cheeseburgers.

“I actually personally made the first 6,000 burgers,” Dayne Weaver said.

Now, he hopes to expand his barbecue business into a restaurant — location undetermined — and also sell burgers from the trailer.

The lines for barbecue are a little shorter on hot days, but there’s shade and fans. Dayne’s has started opening at 10:30 a.m. to get more of the lunch crowd in early, he said.

A typical family-style lunch platter includes brisket, pork belly, ribs, turkey, pulled pork, a choice of the jalapeno-Havarti or another sausage, or the occasional pork belly burnt ends or beef ribs.

For dessert, instead of the typical banana pudding, there’s a “banana bourbon delight.”

Dayne Weaver grew up in a military family that lived all over the world, but when he was 15 he came home and ate a rack of ribs at Shady Oak Barbecue, followed by several trips to Cousin’s.

“I still enjoy that place,” he said. “You can tell why they’ve been really successful.”

Dayne’s is open at 10:30 a.m. for lunch only, Thursdays through Sundays; 817-913-0986, daynescraftbarbecue.com

He’s also doing a “Brisket 101” barbecue class July 23 at Panther Island Brewing.

For $175, participants get three hours of barbecue lessons followed by what Weaver described as a “big feast” with four meats, sides and Panther Island beers.

Tickets are $175 at eventbrite.com.