Best Barbecue in Memorial, Houston: 8 Joints for Brisket and Ribs

Barbecue in Memorial, Houston is better than most visitors expect. Within a few miles of Katy Freeway you can eat Michelin-recognized brisket, smoked whole hog -- rare even by Texas standards -- and mesquite-grilled Czech sausage unchanged since 1977.

This guide covers eight verified Texas-style BBQ joints in the Memorial area, defined here as the zone between Loop 610 to the east, Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) to the west, I-10 to the north, and Westheimer to the south -- taking in Spring Branch, the Memorial Villages, and the Energy Corridor strip. Every entry was confirmed open as of October 2026.

The quick list

• For a meal in a historic building: Goode Co. Barbeque on Katy Freeway, mesquite pits unchanged since 1977.
• For Michelin-recognized brisket: The Pit Room Memorial -- the restaurant's Richmond Ave. location holds the only Michelin Bib Gourmand at a Houston BBQ restaurant.
• For whole hog (rare in Texas): Feges BBQ in Spring Branch, co-owned by a Chopped champion and a Purple Heart recipient.
• For Central Texas purity: Roegels Barbecue Co. on South Voss -- salt, pepper, post oak, nothing else.
• For a reliable counter: The Brisket House on Woodway Drive, Houston's own BBQ operation since 2010.
• For Energy Corridor convenience: Houston Barbecue Company on Eldridge Parkway.
• For breakfast brisket: Aunt Pookies on Sam Houston Parkway, open weekdays from 6:30am.
• For a neighborhood institution: Virgie's BBQ on Gessner, a family operation since 1965.

How we chose

Each entry had to be located inside the Memorial boundary described above, confirmed open on its own official site or a listing updated in 2026, and focused on smoked Texas-style barbecue -- not Korean BBQ or chain fast food. Hours change often; treat every schedule below as typical and check the restaurant's own site before you drive. Some of these joints sell out before closing time, especially on weekends.

Memorial core: Katy Freeway

Goode Co. Barbeque

8911 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77024 · Sun--Thu 11am--8:30pm, Fri--Sat 11am--9pm

Jim Goode opened his first location on Kirby Drive in 1977 with no restaurant experience -- he and his uncle reportedly slept at the smoker in rotating shifts to keep the fire going through the night. The Memorial location on Katy Freeway sits in a two-story antebellum building and runs the same mesquite-only pits today. No gas, no electric, and multiple James Beard nominations along the way.

What to order: Sliced beef brisket, Czech sausage (from a handcrafted Weimar-area recipe Goode acquired in the 1970s), jalapeno pork sausage, jalapeno cheese bread, and Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie.

The one surprising fact: Goode Co. has received multiple James Beard Award nominations over the years -- a rare distinction for a Texas BBQ counter. The Czech sausage and mesquite pits are unchanged from opening day in 1977.

Best for: Out-of-town guests and large groups wanting a full sit-down meal. Arrive by noon on weekdays to avoid a queue. For more in the neighborhood, see the best restaurants in Memorial.

The Pit Room -- Memorial

10301 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77024 · Daily -- breakfast tacos 7--10:30am, BBQ 11am--9pm

The Pit Room is the only Houston barbecue restaurant to earn a Michelin Bib Gourmand at its original Richmond Ave. location -- the only Houston BBQ restaurant with that recognition. The Memorial location, opened in 2024 near Memorial City Mall, is a large indoor-outdoor venue with a covered patio. They use USDA Prime beef on custom barrel-style offset smokers, and the meat arrives without sauce unless you ask.

What to order: Sliced brisket, beef ribs when they're on the board, and the brisket breakfast taco -- the only Michelin-adjacent meal in Houston you can eat for under twelve dollars.

Best for: Weekday lunch, serious brisket seekers, groups needing a large covered patio.

Spring Branch

Feges BBQ

8217 Long Point Road, Houston, TX 77055 · Tue--Thu 11am--8pm, Fri--Sat 11am--9pm, Sun 11am--3pm, closed Mon

Feges may be Houston's most credentialed joint. Co-owner Erin Smith is a Food Network Chopped champion with fine-dining experience; her partner Patrick Feges is a Purple Heart recipient. They launched their first location in 2018 and opened this Spring Branch spot in June 2021, earned a spot on Texas Monthly's Top 50 BBQ list, and then did something almost no Houston pitmaster attempts: they put whole hog on the menu.

What to order: Prime brisket smoked over post oak, spare ribs with the house glaze, house sausage. If whole hog is on the board the day you visit, order it. Wednesday evenings kids eat free; Sunday hours are 11am--3pm only.

The one surprising fact: Whole hog barbecue is rare in Texas, where beef dominates the culture. Smoking an entire hog low and slow requires a different preparation and a significantly longer cook than a brisket -- which is part of why so few Texas joints attempt it.

Best for: BBQ enthusiasts comparing styles across Houston. Pairs well with a look at the full Spring Branch restaurant scene.

Aunt Pookies Barbeque

1450 W Sam Houston Pkwy N, Suite 108, Houston, TX 77043 · Mon--Fri 6:30am--3pm, Sat 7am--3pm, closed Sun

Aunt Pookies has been feeding the Spring Branch West and Energy Corridor workforce since 1968 -- over 55 years in the same location. It is a no-frills counter: small, typically cash-preferred, sold out before 3pm. The 6:30am weekday opening makes it the only spot on this list where you can eat brisket before 10am.

What to order: Smoked beef brisket plate, St. Louis ribs, baked beans. Plates are affordable by any standard in west Houston.

The one surprising fact: The 1968 opening predates most of the Energy Corridor's industrial development. When the petrochemical companies arrived along Beltway 8, Aunt Pookies was already there.

Best for: Early risers, Energy Corridor workers, and anyone who wants brisket without a noon crowd.

Briargrove and South Voss

The Brisket House

5775 Woodway Drive, Houston, TX 77057 · Mon--Sat 11am--8pm, Sun 11am--6pm

The Brisket House opened its original Woodway Drive location in 2010. It is a straightforward counter-service operation in a strip center: you order at the counter, pick your sides, and eat brisket. Seven days a week.

What to order: Brisket, sliced or chopped. Potato salad and beans complete the plate. This is a meat-forward operation and makes no apologies for it.

Best for: A reliable weekday lunch close to the Galleria and Briargrove neighborhoods. No wait list, no specials board.

Roegels Barbecue Co.

2223 S Voss Road, Houston, TX 77057 · Daily 11am until sold out

Russell Roegels opened this Voss Road location in 2014 with more than 30 years of barbecue experience. The philosophy is Central Texas in the strictest sense: salt, pepper, post oak, brisket sliced to order. Texas Monthly has placed Roegels on its Top 50 BBQ list, and the Houston Chronicle has put it on its Top 100 restaurants list.

What to order: Brisket, sliced to your preference. Arrive before 1pm on weekends -- popular cuts can be gone by midday.

The one surprising fact: Open until sold out is a Central Texas tradition that means exactly what it says. On a busy Saturday, the board can be empty before noon.

Best for: Central Texas purists. Anyone who believes sauce is beside the point.

Energy Corridor

Houston Barbecue Company

1127 Eldridge Pkwy, Suite 400, Houston, TX 77077 · Mon--Sat 11am--8pm, Sun 11am--7:30pm

A few blocks west of Beltway 8 on Eldridge Parkway -- technically Energy Corridor, but the anchor BBQ joint for west Memorial and Energy Corridor communities. Owner Kurt Craig ran Luling City Market on Richmond Avenue for 16 years before opening here. Brisket goes 9-plus hours over post oak, served on butcher-paper-lined trays in the old-school Texas counter style. Two house sauces: a tangy Carolina version and a sweeter Kansas City style. For more along this corridor, see the Energy Corridor restaurant guide.

What to order: Brisket, smoked sausage links, and whatever ribs are on that day.

The one surprising fact: Hurricane Harvey flooded this stretch of Buffalo Bayou in 2017 when the Army Corps of Engineers released the Addicks Reservoir. The restaurant rebuilt after the closure and came back with renewed focus on the craft.

Best for: Energy Corridor lunches, families with kids, the post-work plate.

North Spring Branch

Virgie's BBQ & Catering

5535 Gessner Road, Houston, TX 77041 · Tue--Fri 11am--4pm, Sat 11am--5pm, closed Sun--Mon

Virgie's is technically just north of I-10 on Gessner -- Spring Branch North, a five-minute drive from the Spring Branch joints on this list. Adrian Handsborough's father opened the original building in 1965. The site opened as a burger counter called Virgie's Place and Adrian converted it to barbecue in 2005, naming it for his mother. Texas Monthly placed Virgie's in its Top 50 in 2013.

What to order: Ribs -- meaty, smoked to the bone, the reason regulars drive past other options to get here. Brisket sandwiches are a close second. Get there before 2pm; Virgie's closes at 4pm Tuesday through Friday.

The one surprising fact: The four-lane Gessner Road running past the restaurant was just two lanes when the family first built on this corner in 1965. The street changed; the operation didn't.

Best for: The authentic neighborhood experience. Ribs specifically. Anyone tracing Houston's long barbecue history.

Save this: checklist before you drive

• Check hours the day you go. Virgie's closes at 4pm Tuesday through Friday. Aunt Pookies closes at 3pm daily. Don't show up at 3:30pm expecting brisket.
• Arrive early on weekends. Roegels and Feges can sell out before 2pm on Saturdays.
• Sauce or no sauce. Roegels and The Pit Room both serve brisket without sauce by default. Ask if you want it.
• Most spots have surface lots. None require street-parking strategy.
• Brisket travels well cold. Bring a cooler if you're buying extra for later.
• Feges is closed Mondays. Virgie's is closed Sundays and Mondays.

For a broader look at this part of Houston, see the best restaurants in Memorial or the Memorial area guide. For BBQ elsewhere in the city, start with the best BBQ in Houston guide or the Houston pitmasters profile.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best barbecue restaurant in Memorial, Houston?

Goode Co. Barbeque (8911 Katy Freeway) and The Pit Room Memorial (10301 Katy Freeway) are the most widely recognized joints in the area. The Pit Room's original Richmond Ave. location earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand -- the only Houston BBQ restaurant with that recognition. Goode Co. has been smoking over mesquite pits since 1977.

Is The Pit Room in Memorial Houston?

Yes. The Pit Room's Memorial location is at 10301 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77024, near Memorial City Mall. It opened in 2024 and is open every day -- breakfast tacos 7 to 10:30am, full BBQ from 11am to 9pm.

Which Memorial area BBQ joints are open early?

Aunt Pookies Barbeque at 1450 W Sam Houston Pkwy N opens at 6:30am on weekdays and 7am on Saturdays, making it the earliest option on this list. The Pit Room Memorial opens at 7am daily for breakfast tacos.

Where can I find whole hog barbecue in Memorial or Spring Branch?

Feges BBQ in Spring Branch (8217 Long Point Road) is one of the few Houston-area joints offering whole hog barbecue. It is rare in Texas because of the additional preparation and cook time required. Check their menu board the day you visit -- availability varies.

What are Goode Company Barbeque's Memorial hours and address?

Goode Company Barbeque's Memorial location is at 8911 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77024. Hours are Sunday through Thursday 11am to 8:30pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to 9pm.

Which Memorial BBQ spots sell out early?

Roegels Barbecue Co. (2223 S Voss) is open daily until sold out -- popular cuts can go by noon on Saturdays. Virgie's (5535 Gessner Rd) closes at 4pm Tuesday through Friday. Both Feges and Roegels can sell out their best cuts before closing on busy weekends.