When Baby Back Shak caught fire in February 2024, it was nearly catastrophic. In the Cedars, the neighborhood where it resides, the smell of smoking meats often wafts through in a white plume, but that day, something was different. All the employees were still inside the restaurant when owner Clarence Cohens noticed the smoke was dark. “I thought my neighbor was on fire,” he says. “But when I came outside to look at his building, I could see that the smoke was coming off my building.”
Cohens ran back inside to evacuate his employees. More than 60 firefighters responded to extinguish the fire that day. Cohens credits their quick response with saving his business, but when the fire died, Cohens’s kitchen was “open to the sky.” The smoker’s 25-year-old vent hood had what he calls a “heart attack.” Only the roof burned, but the smoke damaged furniture and priceless collectibles.
It took four months for Cohens to rebuild. “When minority businesses burn down, it’s hard to get back,” he says. “No matter how much insurance you have, it’s still a challenge to get back in compliance and play the game again.”
Cohens, a man of great faith, has built a reputation in Dallas for his Memphis-style meats. In this version of barbecue, he rises above everyone else, he says with his trademark swagger. “I am one of those veterans — an OG of the pit. A real gangster who doesn’t cut any corners.” He marinates his fall-off-the-bone ribs, a highlight at Baby Back Shak, overnight before smoking them over pecan wood. When he first opened, he only wanted to sell ribs and meat, but his mom and family encouraged him to go a little further by adding sides to the mix. Cohens listened, and today, the menu features tangy potato salad, buttered corn, loaded baked potatoes, barbecue chili-style beans, and his one-of-a-kind Shak beans.
Surprisingly, brisket is one of Baby Back Shak’s newer items. Being from Tennessee, Cohens says he was unfamiliar with Texas-style barbecue. “We didn’t kill cows like people do here in Texas, so I didn’t have the knowledge of the brisket,” he says. That changed in 2014 when Cohens appeared on the premiere of Jon Taffer’s show Hungry Investors in the “Brisket Beatdown” episode. “I didn’t want to be no brisket guy, but this Jon Taffer wanted me to be the king of barbecue, and he wanted me to ‘beat the brisket,’” Cohen says. After a few televised arguments, Cohens beat out his competitor to make the show’s best brisket.
Cohens washes each brisket slab and bathes them in Worcestershire sauce before marinating the beef at room temperature for eight hours. Then, he coats it in his all-purpose trademarked Shak Rub — a proprietary blend influenced by his mother’s barbecue — and cooks the hunk of beef at a low temperature through the night until early morning. The brisket cuts like butter. “It won’t have a touch of hardness, no char on it, but it will be tender and moist all the way through,” he says.
When he first bought the building that now houses Baby Back Shak, the roof was on the floor. The neighborhood, now known as the Cedars, was not densely populated. In 30 years, he’s watched the community transform from a collection of many empty buildings to a place being slowly developed into a neighborhood that has artist lofts; the infamous dive bar Lee Harvey’s, named after JFK’s assassin; and the flagship Alamo Drafthouse in the city. “It’s good to see that I was able to pick a spot and survive,” he says.
Every year, even after the fire, Baby Back Shak continues to grow. The neighborhood still smells sweet and heady like barbecue, and the restaurant is never empty. For Baby Back Shak’s 30th anniversary, which falls in October this year, Cohens hopes to give back to his biggest supporters. “I’ve got 30 years of customers,” he says. “You can’t beat referrals — people saying they’ve been here before, that it was good and to check them out.”
Inside his restaurant, newspaper clippings line the wall. “It’s everything that’s ever been printed about me,” he says. Thirty years of stories, referrals, and reviews sing the barbecue joint’s praises. If there was a barbecue hall of fame, Cohens says he would probably be in it. “I do believe I have a place in this business,” he says. He supports his local competitors, and they support him. “It feels good to be respected among the great ones.”
In this corner of the world, where he’s a local barbecue king, Cohens still manages to be a dreamer. “Baby Back Shak is my laboratory,” he says. “It’s where I seek my inspiration — where I seek my joy.” He wants to see his restaurant in cities across the country, even the world. “I do believe that Black barbecue can be global,” he says.
Conclusions:
* Baby Back Shak has been in operation for 30 years and has a strong reputation for its Memphis-style barbecue.
* The restaurant has gone through a fire and has been rebuilt, and Cohens credits the quick response of the fire department with saving his business.
* Cohens has a strong passion for barbecue and has developed a proprietary blend of spices and sauces that he uses in his cooking.
* He has appeared on a TV show, Hungry Investors, and has won awards for his barbecue.
* He has a strong sense of community and supports his local competitors, and they support him.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How did Baby Back Shak get its start?
A: The restaurant was founded by Clarence Cohens in the 1990s and has been in operation for 30 years.
Q: What type of barbecue does Baby Back Shak serve?
A: The restaurant serves Memphis-style barbecue, which is known for its sweet and tangy flavors.
Q: What is the secret to Baby Back Shak’s success?
A: Cohens credits the restaurant’s success to his passion for barbecue, his proprietary blend of spices and sauces, and his commitment to using only the freshest ingredients.
Q: Has Baby Back Shak ever had any major challenges?
A: Yes, the restaurant has faced several challenges, including a fire that damaged the building and the kitchen. However, Cohens was able to rebuild and recover, and the restaurant remains in operation today.
Q: What is Baby Back Shak’s goal?
A: The restaurant’s goal is to become a global brand, with locations in cities across the country and around the world.
