Houston Restaurants:Barbecue

I should be able to qualify as an expert on Houston Barbecue Restaurants. In the last couple of weeks I've grabbed pork ribs, chopped beef and links from local food establishment all over the city.

You don't have to go very far in Houston to locate fine dinning, Chinese, Soul Food or any cuisine that your palate desires. But, it's the wonderful taste of smoked meat cooked on a grill that people closely associate with Texas. I visited 5 different Houston restaurants in search of some delicious slow cooked meat.

Restaurants In Houston

Here's a list of some of the places that serve good barbecue in Houston that I can vouch for and regularly buy, eat and know their food. You can find these restaurants and plenty others in my new Restaurant Guide when it's complete later this month. I won't bother awarding stars or making other comments. I'll give you their addresses and let you be the judge.


Guys Meat Market
(713) 747-6800 3106 Old Spanish Trl, Houston, TX

Thelma Bar B Que
3755 Southmore Blvd, Houston,

Beef And Bun
4418 West Fugua

Burns Barbecue
8307 Depriest

Old Hickory Inn Barbecue
5427 S. Braeswood

Walkers Barbecue
Fannin

Lockwood Inn
Lockwood

Bobbie's Cue
Scott

5 Of Houston's Best Barbecue Restaurants

Lockwood Inn

Located on Houston's North side it's a place that has a long tradition of good barbecue. I went there for my favorite meat, tasty homemade links, They were sold out for the day when I got there. I reluctantly order a chopped beef sandwich, since I was pressed for time.

Bobbie Cues

This award winning chef just opened a restaurant on Scott across from he University of Houston. He knows how to season, smoke and serve up heaping portions of barbecue.

Beef And Bun
They're one of the few places that don't sell a rib sandwich. You have to get them on a Rib basket. It always overflowing with about 4 or 5 big juicy pork ribs and more fries than you can eat.

Thelma's

I was passing by and noticed there wasn't a line outside and made a dash for the door. I wasn't even hungry, so I took a barbecue rib sandwich to my mother, who's always game for some Thelma's. The ribs were small and the meat was tender with enough ribs for the two of us to feast on a single sandwich.

Old Hickory Inn

I had the pleasure of accompanying a friend who had won a free dinner when she correctly answered a question on the Antiqueman, Paul Wishnow's radio show to the Old Hickory Inn. We had a platter with double meat, sliced beef and links and potato salad and beans. The service was exceptional, the food was alright.

How To Tell Good Barbecue

It's always been my contention that good barbecue has to be marinated. I'm not that crazy about dry rubs and injecting stuff into meat. I like my meat in a wet marinate, so it can soak up the flavor for a couple of hours before being slow cooked. It only takes about 30 minutes of smoking to get the taste I like. But it requires several hours of heat before it's done.

I always use either oak or pecan wood sprinkled with mesquite chips that infuse their aromatic flavor into a slab of meat. When I can touch the meat and it pulls away from the bone I know that the meat has achieved the right level of tenderness and perfection that's neccessary befor any pork, beef or meat, is considered genuine Texas Barbecue.