Barbecue in Houston's Chinatown: Brisket to Char Siu

Houston's Chinatown has been doing barbecue longer than most people realize. The Bellaire Boulevard corridor from Gessner Road to Beltway 8—the stretch Houstonians call Chinatown, Asiatown, or just Bellaire—holds one of the city's most decorated Texas BBQ restaurants, three dedicated Cantonese roasted-meat counters, a Xinjiang charcoal-skewer spot, a Lao sausage specialist, and a Vietnamese com tam institution. Nine currently open spots on or within minutes of that corridor are below.

What counts as Chinatown for this guide

Houston's Chinatown runs along Bellaire Boulevard between Gessner Road to the east and the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) to the west—roughly two miles through ZIP codes 77036 and 77072. The corridor also includes the adjacent Harwin Drive stretch and Beltway 8 feeder roads. One pick, Fung's Kitchen, sits on the Southwest Freeway about two miles south of the corridor and is included as the closest Peking Duck specialist to the area.

How we chose

Every pick below has been verified against official or authoritative sources as of October 2026. Barbecue here covers Central Texas smoking (brisket, ribs, sausage), Cantonese siu mei (roasted duck, char siu, crispy pork belly), Vietnamese chargrilled pork (com tam), Lao grilled sausage, and Xinjiang charcoal skewers—all forms of direct- or indirect-heat cooking that go by BBQ in their respective traditions. Hours change; verify directly before you go.

Texas BBQ

Blood Bros. BBQ

5425 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire, TX 77401 · Tue–Sun lunch · Wed–Sat dinner · closed Monday

Blood Bros. BBQ is the only Texas-style pitmaster restaurant in the Chinatown corridor and one of the most celebrated in the city. Founders Robin Wong, Terry Wong, and Quy Hoang grew up in Alief—the neighborhood that frames the western and southern edge of Houston's Asiatown. The three started hosting backyard pop-up BBQ events in 2013 and opened the Bellaire Boulevard brick-and-mortar on December 20, 2018. They brought their upbringing with them: the brisket rub carries spices Hoang grew up eating in Chinatown, and weekly specials rotate through Thai pork belly burnt ends on Fridays and sloppy jack tacos on Tuesdays.

Blood Bros. has earned a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand three consecutive years (2024, 2025, and 2026), a spot on the New York Times 50 Best Restaurants list (2021), a Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ Joints ranking (2021), and a James Beard Foundation finalist nod for Quy Hoang in Best Chef: Texas (2022).

What to order: Brisket and pork ribs are the anchors. Beef ribs are Saturdays only, first-come basis, and typically sell out early. Thursday's Tray Day—two meats, two sides, and cornbread for $23—is made for sharing. Wednesday's $10 smoked brisket cheeseburger is the best value on the menu.

Before you go: Lunch runs until sold out, typically by early afternoon on weekends. Arrive by 11:30 am on Saturdays. Dinner service runs Wednesday through Saturday.

Cantonese Siu Mei (Roasted Meats)

Siu mei is the Cantonese tradition of roasting meats—duck, pork belly, honey-glazed pork (char siu)—over indirect heat in a closed oven or rotisserie. It is what most of the Western world calls Chinese BBQ, and Bellaire Boulevard has been a hub for it for decades.

One Roast (壹哥烧腊)

9600 Bellaire Blvd, Suite 102, Dynasty Plaza, Houston, TX 77036 · daily 11 am–8 pm

One Roast at Dynasty Plaza does one thing well: quality roasted meats made fresh every day. The kitchen roasts daily using Hong Kong and Guangzhou techniques, with notably crispy exteriors. The three-meat plate puts roast duck, siu yuk (crispy pork belly), and honey-glazed char siu side by side. The pipa duck—a whole flattened duck roasted for maximum skin crispiness—is the showpiece.

What to order: Three-meat plate or pipa duck. Popular items sell out before 8 pm; aim to arrive before 6 pm.

Sinh Sinh

9788 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036 · typically open until late; verify hours before visiting

Sinh Sinh has been on Bellaire Boulevard since approximately 2006—long enough to be called an institution. A dedicated siu mei counter runs alongside a full Vietnamese-Chinese menu and live tank seafood. Roast duck, char siu, and crispy pork belly are sold by the pound or as rice plates. The roasted duck wonton noodle soup is the dish most regulars order.

What to order: Roasted duck wonton noodle soup and a pound of char siu. Sinh Sinh keeps late hours, making it the answer when every other BBQ counter on Bellaire has closed.

Hong Kong BBQ

11772 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77072 · check hours before visiting

The shop focuses on small pigs—typically 35 to 50 lbs—for whole roast pig: smaller animals yield juicier meat and cracklier skin.

What to order: Roast pork belly / siu yuk (typically around $11.50 per pound) or char siu (typically around $9.75 per pound). Combo plates start around $9.25. Whole roast pig: call ahead to confirm availability.

Xinjiang Charcoal Skewers

Xin Jiang BBQ

9260 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036 · Mon 4:30 pm–midnight · Tue closed · Wed–Fri 4:30 pm–midnight · Sat noon–midnight · Sun noon–9 pm

Xinjiang BBQ—chuan'r—is the northwest Chinese tradition of grilling skewers over live charcoal with cumin and dried chili. Xin Jiang BBQ serves lamb, beef, shrimp, chicken, chive, enoki mushroom, and tendon skewers alongside lamb pilaf, hand-pulled noodles, and fresh-baked naan. Skewers arrive piping hot from the grill.

What to order: Lamb skewers and lamb pilaf. This is the most accessible introduction to Xinjiang-style BBQ in Houston. Note that the restaurant is closed Tuesdays.

Lao Grilled Meats

Lao'd District

9393 Bellaire Blvd, Suite B, Houston, TX 77036 · daily 11 am–9 pm

Lao'd District opened to serve the Lao and Thai flavors of its founders' upbringings. The house-made Lao sausage (sai oua)—pork, lemongrass, garlic, and kaffir lime, made in-house from scratch—has been the signature dish since day one. Pair it with sticky rice and the jeow bong dipping sauce.

What to order: Lao sausage ($12.99) with sticky rice. Add the Crack Belly—lightly battered crispy pork belly in sweet chili sauce ($14.99)—if you're sharing.

Vietnamese Chargrilled Pork

Thuan Kieu Com Tam

10792 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77072 · daily 9 am–9 pm

Com tam—broken rice with a chargrilled marinated pork chop—is a Vietnamese BBQ tradition that has been a daily staple on Bellaire for years. Thuan Kieu Com Tam's combo plate (com tam bi suon cha) layers the chargrilled chop with a baked pork and egg cake (cha) and shredded pork skin (bi). Check the current menu for pricing.

What to order: The com tam combo. Add the Nem Nuong Cuon—grilled pork spring rolls—as a starter.

For Groups

Kim Son

10603 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77072 · closed Tuesday · check website for current hours

Kim Son's Bellaire location runs an expansive staff-served buffet, including multiple roast duck preparations—Peking Duck with steamed bun, Baked Roasted Duck and Taro Root, Roasted Duck Salad—alongside grilled oysters, clams, and shaking beef. It is the right choice when a group needs one table that covers everyone.

Just Outside the Corridor

Fung's Kitchen

7320 Southwest Fwy, Suite 115, Houston, TX 77074 · Tue–Sun 10:30 am–9 pm · closed Monday

Fung's Kitchen is about two miles south of the Bellaire corridor on the Southwest Freeway. The award-winning Peking Duck is the reason to make the trip—traditional whole-bird preparation with tableside carving. Closed Mondays; reserve ahead.

Save This: A Chinatown BBQ Route

Five styles in one afternoon. Use a rideshare or designate a driver.

1. Arrive at Blood Bros. BBQ by 11 am for brisket before they sell out.
2. Head west to Xin Jiang BBQ (opens noon Saturdays) for lamb skewers.
3. Stop at Thuan Kieu Com Tam for a com tam combo.
4. Reach One Roast or Hong Kong BBQ for a siu mei plate before 6 pm.
5. Cap the night at Sinh Sinh for duck wonton noodle soup—call ahead to confirm late hours.

Before You Go: Checklist

• Blood Bros. BBQ closes Mondays and sells out at lunch; arrive by 11:30 am on weekends.
• Beef ribs at Blood Bros. are Saturdays only; arrive early or they will be gone.
• Xin Jiang BBQ closes Tuesdays and does not open until 4:30 pm on weekdays.
• One Roast and Hong Kong BBQ items sell out before closing; aim to arrive before 6 pm.
• Kim Son closes Tuesdays; Fung's Kitchen closes Mondays.
• Korean table BBQ is also well-represented on Bellaire—see our Houston Chinatown guide for more on the full corridor.

More Eating in Chinatown

For the full neighborhood context, start with the Houston Chinatown guide and the best restaurants in Bellaire guide. The best BBQ in Houston guide covers Texas-style picks across the city. For the Vietnamese side of the corridor, the best Vietnamese restaurants in Houston guide has more depth. A full food crawl guide through Houston's international districts has a ready-made multi-neighborhood route.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is Blood Bros. BBQ in Houston's Chinatown?

Yes. Blood Bros. BBQ is at 5425 Bellaire Blvd in Bellaire, TX, in the heart of Houston's Chinatown/Asiatown corridor. The three co-founders grew up in Alief, the adjacent neighborhood, and opened the restaurant there in December 2018.

What is siu mei?

Siu mei is the Cantonese tradition of roasting meats—duck, pork belly, and char siu pork—in a closed oven or rotisserie over indirect heat. It is what most of the Western world calls Chinese BBQ and is available at several counters along Bellaire Blvd in Houston's Chinatown.

What is the difference between char siu and siu yuk?

Char siu is honey-glazed roast pork, typically made from shoulder or loin, with a red-caramelized exterior. Siu yuk is crispy-skin roast pork belly, scored for maximum crackling. Both are forms of Cantonese siu mei and are sold side by side at counters like One Roast, Sinh Sinh, and Hong Kong BBQ on Bellaire Blvd.

Is there late-night BBQ in Houston's Chinatown?

Yes. Sinh Sinh at 9788 Bellaire Blvd is known for late hours, making it the go-to for late-night roast duck, char siu, and wonton noodle soup. Verify current hours before going.

When does Blood Bros. BBQ sell out?

Blood Bros. BBQ runs lunch service until they sell out, typically by early afternoon on weekends and by mid-afternoon on weekdays. Arrive by 11:30 am on Saturdays. Beef ribs, available Saturdays only, sell out even faster.

Where can I get Peking Duck near Houston's Chinatown?

Fung's Kitchen at 7320 Southwest Fwy, Houston, serves award-winning Peking Duck and is about two miles south of the Bellaire Blvd corridor. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday; reserve ahead for the duck.