Jack’s Ranch returns to Tysons, this time with full barbecue menu

Jack’s Ranch wants to reintroduce itself to Tysons, and this time, its full identity will be on display.

The Texas-barbeque-meets-Italian restaurant debuted at the Lumen Apartments (1755 Tysons Central Street) in November, but a combination of factors, including the surging omicron variant of the coronavirus, prompted a closure on Dec. 25.

When Jack’s Ranch reopens on Friday (May 20), as first reported by Eater DC, it will have an expanded, barbecue-focused menu that owner Steve Roberts says is more in line with his original intent, though some pasta, pizza, and other Italian dishes have been retained.

“It’ll be an excellent addition to Tysons, given the menu that we have available for everyone,” Roberts told FFXnow. “We do just amazing smoked meat, Texas-style craft barbeque, just like what you would get if you were visiting Austin at one of the best barbeque restaurants there.”

The restaurant’s unusual mix of food was inspired by the marriage between 19th-century cowboy John B. Omohundro (a.k.a. Texas Jack) and Italian ballerina/actress Josephine Morlacchi, according to its website.

According to Roberts, who also owns Texas Jack’s Barbecue in Arlington, the smoked meats were always supposed to be the centerpiece of his new venture, but delays in getting permits from Fairfax County for smokers forced the restaurant to initially launch with only half of its menu available.

After about a month of operations, Roberts says the team decided it “didn’t make sense to continue that approach,” especially with COVID-19 cases rising in the area. They opted to shut down until the smokers were officially approved, which took about seven months.

Open from 5-10 p.m. daily for dinner, with a 4-7 p.m. happy hour, Jack’s Ranch has a 300-seat dining room and a bar that serves beer, wine, and cocktails. Takeout is also available from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Later, the restaurant will add lunch and brunch hours, an 80-seat outdoor patio, and live music performances on its second floor, which has space for private and special events.

Now that the smoker situation has been addressed, giving Jack’s Ranch the ability to cook 100 briskets a night, Roberts says he’s on the lookout for outdoor patio furniture that can withstand the wind that sometimes hits the site, which is just west of the Route 7 and Route 123 interchange.

“We don’t want it blowing all over the place, but I think people will really enjoy it,” Roberts said. “It’s a fun, casual, but beautiful spot.”