Texan barbecue is some of the best in the United States, and there’s no better place to sample the many different styles of Texan BBQ than Houston. Houston is home to more than 10,000 restaurants, and some of the best and most popular of those are barbecue. With so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. We’ve listed our top five Houston barbecue restaurants to help you pick.
Blood Bros. BBQ
Blood Bros. BBQ is quickly becoming one of the most popular pop-up barbecue joints in Houston, and for good reason. This pop-up cranks out 200 to 250 pounds of smoked meat every second Saturday at the Beats + BBQ + Brews at Lincoln Bar and Kitchen.
Blood Bros. BBQ serves traditional barbeqcue favorites as well as unique creations like their amazing MacRib: a rib sandwich layered with a crisped scoop of mac ‘n cheese. Super hungry? Chow down on the Wilfork Platter, a mammoth-sized portion of brisket, beef rib, full rack of pork ribs, wings, and sausages.
Corkscrew BBQ
Previously housed in a trailer, Corkscrew BBQ finally got a brick and mortar a few years back. Still co-owned by barbecue experts Will and Nicole Buckman, this restaurant has garnered quite the loyal following. Get there too late in the evening, especially on weekends, and they’re liable to be out of many dishes due to overwhelming demand.
Corkscrew BBQ is well known for succulently moist brisket with perfectly executed cap, as well as the Whole Hog Sandwich made from pulled pork, sausage, and a couple ribs. The eatery is located at 26608 Keith Street in Spring.
Pappa Charlie’s Bar-B-Q
Like Corkscrew BBQ, Pappa Charlie’s Bar-B-Q just recently moved into a brick-and-mortar location. Serving up some of the best Texan barbecue at the most regional prices, you’re welcome to mix and match meats and serving styles to get the barbeque platter of your dreams.
Brook’s Place
Helmed by Terry Brook’s, Brook’s Place is consistently lauded as one of the best and most flavorful barbecue joints in Houston. One of the most popular dishes is their brisket, which is fatty and delicious, served moist and expertly smoked. Other offerings include beef ribs, smoked catfish, and smoked pork butt, all accompanied by an incredibly diverse range of sides like cranberry slaw, bacon-garlic potatoes, and classic mac ‘n cheese.
Brook’s place is located in a trailer parked in the Kroger’s parking lot at 18020 FM 529 Rd in Cypress.
Pizzitola’s Bar-B-Cue
Pizzitola’s Bar-B-Cue may be one of the oldest barbecue joints in the city. Opened in 1934 by pitmaster John Davis and then taken over by Jerry Pizzitola in the ’80s, the meat at this historic restaurant is still smoked over John Davis’ open pits, the only restaurant in Houston still allowed to prepare meats this way. The spare ribs and the brisket are two of the most popular dishes.
Pizzitola’s Bar-B-Cue is located at 1703 Shepherd Drive.
These five Houston barbecue joints should be enough to get you started on your way to discovering why Houston is one of the top barbecue destinations in the US.
Image “beef brisket at snow’s bbq” by sashafatcat, used under CC BY 2.0
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