Houston has quietly built its own barbecue identity, and Eater just refreshed its map of the city’s essential smokehouses. The update adds three new names — Eastbound Barbecue, Khoi Barbecue, and Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q in Spring — while rotating out Brett’s BBQ Shop, Fainmous BBQ, and Flossie’s Barbecue.
The list, titled “The Best Barbecue Restaurants in Houston Right Now,” runs the full range from Michelin-starred destinations down to trailer kitchens serving playful specials. One Houston-area restaurant has actually earned a Michelin star, placing it alongside Space City’s brisket on the same map as vaunted Texas institutions like Snow’s and Kreuz Market.
Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q’s Playful Classics
A trailer kitchen called Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q sits just off the Grand Parkway in Spring, and it has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand. It serves the usual Texas favorites — fatty brisket, snappy sausages, perfectly chewy ribs — but the real reason to visit is the wild-card specials.
The kitchen lets its playful side show through smoked beef stroganoff and pork PB&J Uncrustables. Housemade ice cream and free beer finish things off.
CorkScrew BBQ’s Michelin Star
A Michelin star sits with CorkScrew BBQ, a short drive from Houston proper in Old Town Spring. Among its offerings, prime brisket, pulled pork, turkey, and link sausage stand out as especially strong choices.
The chopped or sliced brisket sandwich covered in house-made queso stands out among the menu items. The prime beef rib, offered only on Saturdays, tips the scales at 1.5 pounds for diners looking to commit fully. Given that CorkScrew frequently sells out by 3 p.m., it pays to reserve a table early.
Local Legends and Rice Pairings
Both Anthony Bourdain and Houston rapper Slim Thug have given their stamp of approval to Burns Original BBQ in Acres Homes, which is now considered a certified local icon.
The menu offers smoky ribs, brisket, chicken links, and housemade sausage along with dirty rice and potato salad. The loaded baked potatoes, heaped with smoked meat and all the trimmings, serve as a full meal on their own.
The dish delivers precisely what its title suggests: brisket paired with fluffy jasmine rice. That combination has won it a loyal following.
The menu centers on prime brisket, pork ribs, and beef jalapeno sausage, with a wok-fried dish that diners can customize to their taste. That dish is barbecue fried rice, made to order with brisket, egg, and Chinese sausage.
Gatlin’s and the Baytown Trip
The ribs at Gatlin’s BBQ come from St. Louis, and they are cooked with smoke until they reach their peak. The brisket is done the same way. One dish stands out: the pastrami turkey sandwich.
The menu features smoked chicken wings covered in either Thai chili or raspberry-habanero sauce. Alongside those, diners can choose between Cajun-style dirty rice and the restaurant’s celebrated baked potatoes.
The drive to Baytown for Space City BBQ is necessary, but the effort pays off. New visitors ought to begin with the two-meat plate, which pairs tender spare ribs with brisket, both served with a tangy, vinegar-forward barbecue sauce.
Worthy sides include burnt end pinto beans, rich mac and cheese, and cornbread casserole. The specials board is where regulars find barbecue tacos, loaded nachos, and the Big Back Box — a pile of smoked meats, boudin, a burger, and two sides.
Feges BBQ’s Sides and Sandwiches
The brisket, sausage, and pulled pork anchor Feges BBQ’s menu, though it is the sides that demand notice. The elote corn salad, pimento mac and cheese, and spiced cracklins are the items that set the meal apart.
A serious option at this Spring Branch favorite is the Carolina-style whole hog, served over hog fat cornbread with charred coleslaw. The expansive sandwich menu, thoughtful beer and wine list, and a small playground are rounded out by $5 happy hour frozen margaritas, making it easy for families to enjoy.
Save room for churro banana pudding or PB&J chocolate cake.
Pinkerton’s Two Locations
Grant Pinkerton’s renowned smokehouse has two locations: the Heights and Upper Kirby. The menu features prime brisket cooked to perfection, boudin, tender chicken, and pork ribs with a sweet glaze.
The expanded outpost builds on the original menu with additions such as whole hog barbecue, beef tallow fries, and bourbon sweet potatoes.
Tejas Chocolate & BBQ’s Odd Couple
Nobody ever asked whether a restaurant could combine Texas barbecue with specialty chocolate under one roof, until Tejas Chocolate & BBQ came along and answered that question.
Rich, decadent chocolates sit alongside classics on the menu. Order a wedge salad topped with brisket, or a smoked turkey sandwich paired with avocado and fried egg. Follow with carrot soufflé and chocolate bread pudding, then take chocolate truffles to go.
Houston’s barbecue scene is represented across this map, and it runs from places worth traveling to see to ones that simply serve their neighborhoods. Every one of them serves smoked meat that’s worth the effort to find.
Key Facts Box
- Michelin stars in the Houston area: At least one barbecue joint holds a star; Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q holds a Bib Gourmand
- CorkScrew BBQ prime beef rib: Saturday-only special, 1.5 pounds
- CorkScrew BBQ sell-out time: Often by 3 p.m.
- Feges BBQ happy hour margaritas: $5 frozen
- New to the map: Eastbound Barbecue, Khoi Barbecue, Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q
- Removed from the map: Brett’s BBQ Shop, Fainmous BBQ, Flossie’s Barbecue
- Pinkerton’s locations: Heights and Upper Kirby
Source: houston.eater.com