This place was amazing!!! We tried the 3 meat combo that came with chicken, ribs, and brisket. Sides included mac and cheese, greens and smoked corn. This was shareable between two people. All the meats were tender and flavorful. My favorite side was likely the smoked corn. It has a nice savory/sweet balance. read more

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Deeeelicious BBQ. We had the brisket, ribs, and spicy links with Mac & cheese, cole slaw and potato salad. Everything was awesome and was served with a wonderfully balanced barbecue sauce. The service was fantastic, all the workers were super nice and helpful. I can't wait to go back. read more

Listen up my fellow houstonians, Gatlin's BBQ is the BBQ spot you need to be at. I had the brisket plate with the Mac n cheese and baked beans and every bite was finger licking good. read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Brisket plate with two sides plus one additional. - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

I really did not like this place because the beef was dry And the service they was like being rude to us read more

I'm a frequent Parton to Gatlin's BBQ when I'm on this side of town. I love the table service and the food. I do consider this one of the best BBQ places in town. However today I wanted to try their featured dish "GBBQ Smokehouse Nachos". I asked the individual taking my order if they came with queso, but she rudely stated no, it says fresh japapenos. The description had a smudge so it was difficult to read. I chose a different option. When I walked back up I overheard her discussing my request with someone else, stating she gave me the wrong info. Moving forward it would've been best practice to tell me, since I was right behind her, yes they do come with queso rather than disregarding it. Hopefully my next visit is better. Overall, my food is amazing as always. read more

Food was bland and not appealing to the taste buds. Service was mediocre. Customers made the ambiance better than the staff. Not my cup of tea. Will definitely stick with places such as Truth Bar B Que where the food actually tastes good, staff is friendly, and great ambiance to grab a quick bite to eat. Dont recommend! Save your money! I would give this place a 0 out of 5 if this was an option. read more

Have no clue why this place doesn't have a higher star rating. Loved it! Staff was incredible. The brisket was better than any I've had in my life. And, I've eaten some brisket in my day. The baby back ribs are also fantastic. Though, I'd put mine up against them any time. Haha! 5 star all the way. Believe it! read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Where you order - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great food served by attentive and helpful staff.. enjoyable experience will return soon

Sure, can't argue with Texas barbecue, and this is no exception. This is out of the way for me, so I don't plan to frequent the place, but if you're in the area, it's worth trying. I went with the pulled pork sandwich with a mixed vegetables side. I loved the vegetables. Lots of flavor, not too salty, and a good mix of zucchini, squash, peppers, onions and mushrooms. The pulled pork was very tender, and had decent flavor. I thought the barbecue sauce was alright. It had good flavor, but was super watery, and it just didn't do it for me like the sauce at the Pit Room. The only reason this didn't get 4 stars is because there was a piece of steel wool under my sandwich. I'm glad to know they clean stuff, but was kinda disturbed that I could have accidentally eaten a piece of metal. I didn't complain because I didn't wanna be a diva, and I figured I'd avoided eating it. But maybe just watch your plate to make sure it doesn't happen to you. I'm sure it was a fluke. read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Half my pulled pork sandwich and great mixed veggies - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

The best barbecue I've eaten. It's pricey but apparently worth it because I keep going back. Chicken is excellent the brisket melts in your mouth. Too bad they lost their dessert person that was cooking for them. Top of the line cakes! Just an outstanding restaurant. read more

Great food as always, love the sausage and brisket and sides. However, as with so many companies now they are not reverting back to pre covid standards. One of the issues today at Gatlins was they arevstill giving out plastic cutlery. When I asked about this they said it's just incase who knows what might come along, Covid is still here. Well I looked but couldn't see anyone called Covid lol. So sad companies are still living in fear which I guess is the reason for the plastic cutlery etc. The meat and sausage as fresh as it was, was not easy to cut and my plastic knife broke. The food is served on a paper towel laying on a tray which all in all didn't feel very hygienic. To sum it up our lunch was more like eating at a children's picnic. We eat out a lot and this is the first place I have eaten at this year that is still using plastic cutlery. read more

I don't even like bbq, but this place demands to be liked! I got the baked potato with turkey and it was good to the last bite. I love that they have plenty of choices for sides so there's options. My coworker had the creamed corn and she let me try it and it was very good. I also got the turtle cake, a recommendation from the cashier and she wasn't wrong. My only complaint was that the sugar from the caramel was a little crunchy. read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I ordered to go and received good service. The food has too much pepper for me and the sauce too much vinegar. I won't repeat it read more

Food here is great! I always judge a place by their Mac n cheese! I find that every other bbq spot is great with the meat but are not great with the sides. Gatlin's is different! Their sides slap and the bbq is fire! Finally a place I can go with the best of both worlds. Customer service was excellent. And the ambiance was chill, clean, and inviting. Will be back! read more

Gatlin's BBQ - the front of a restaurant - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food was delicious. Service was excellent I went at closing time and they had sold almost everything bust was able to put together the best meal I had eaten in a long while. Staff was extremely friendly and even though I arrived a few minutes before closing time they served me with care. Restaurant appearance was excellent staff was cleaning and preparing everything for the next business day. read more

The first BBQ place my boyfriend, Mother And I got to try when I first moved to Houston last August for school. The staff and the owners are wonderful people they made us feel comfortable and at home right away!! This meal was phenomenal !!! I haven't been able to go back yet because it's a bit a ways from TxSU. But please doubt doubt it We will be BACK.‼‼ Ps. They have HOT BBQ SAUCE read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Amazing BBQ. I went on a week day and the place has a great vibe and the employees are friendly and fast. The prices are also reasonable compared to Killen's, Gatlin's is a good deal. Their portions are larger and they actually serve their meals on actual plates. I had the pork ribs and mixed brisket with potato salad and green beans for my side. The pork ribs were tender and flavorful. The brisket was really good and they were cut slightly thicker than your normal bbq joint. The potato salad was actually really tasty, they were actually had a little heat. The green beans were savory and they are not vegetarian since it had bits of pork in it. I would recommend for others to try it if they are in the area. read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Brisket and spare ribs with potato salad and green beans. - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

So so good! Stopped by for lunch while in the area on a Sat. It was worth the wait! Bbq sandwiches were delicious. Love the toasted bread. Tried some of the sides too. Will definitely come back. read more

I am not able to speak on the food since we never got our order after waiting over an hour with little or no customers in the restaurant (it was not busy). Lady claimed she called my name 3-4 times but we were sitting right near the counter so that did not happen, and she wanted to argue and was very rude and never did explain what happened to our order that we paid for and then said to give us a refund like she was doing us a favor. Worst customer service I have ever experienced. No matter if you are the owner or related to the owner it just was not right!!!! read more

The baby back ribs are very tender here the smoked turkey is kick butt delicious, the brisket was wonderful. The staff was friendly and helpful and pleasant for the end of the night and ready to close. But treated me like family read more

Took a quick visit today...I'm not sure if it's the mom or grandmother, but she is the sweetest on the phone and in person each time....so, not only a hospitable environment, but clean and great food! read more

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Amazing food,service, hospitality, and ambience. I would definitely recommend going back to this place 100 times over.

We ordered a rack of spare ribs, baby back ribs, a pound of briskey, and some sides (cole slaw and grilled veggies). They ran out of corn bread muffins which made me so sad. I love corn bread! I preferred their ribs to the brisket. The food was good but nothing hugely memorable. Their slaw was not flavorful enough for me, probably because it wasn't marinated long enough? They have a selection of beers and wine. It's a very casual setting with you ordering first and serving yourself. read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Rack of spare ribs, baby back ribs, brisket, and sides (cole slaw and grilled veggies) - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

The brisket is good enough to eat plain without bbq sauce. Thank God, because I cannot stand their bbq sauce. They put jalapeño juice in theirs, which in my opinion, has no place in a bbq sauce at all. It's not that I don't like spicy or cannot handle it, I just think it's odd! I don't care for their sausage, I'm super picky about sausage tho. My family enjoys it tho! read more

This is my first visit and I'll definitely be back. I ordered the smoked Turkey sandwich and it was amazing. The turkey was seasoned and moist, very tender. The Texas toast was delicious. I ordered the Mac and cheese and fried okra as sides. The Mac and cheese was delicious and creamy. The fried okra was some of the best I've ever had. It was just right amount of crispy and flavorful! The atmosphere is awesome! It's a very beautiful building inside. I love that it's black owned. Like I said, I'll be back, read more

I love Gatlin's barbecue. The owner and are very friendly and the barbecue is some of the best in Houston. Sometimes they are little slow but it is worth the wait. My dentist is across the street so I try to come to Gatlin's whenever I have my teeth cleaned. Last time I came, my son ordered a cheeseburger . He gave me a bite. Oh my goodness it was delicious. Nice and juicy crispy outside just like an old fashion burger. It will be hard to pass up the barbecue next time but I think I will have to try the cheeseburger. You can do you like me, two stop service. Dentist then Gatlin's's, or vice versa Gatlin, then dentist. He's a great dentist also. read more

Remember in my first review when I said "chill"? Well, that was my day 1 experience at Gatlin's. So now here is my 2nd experience 10 days after Gatlin's grand opening. My experience is more of a 4.5 stars but I'll round up. I came in at 1:00 pm so it was just barely past lunch time. However, this time, there was no line and there was no wait Everything was smooth. I came in and I was able to immediately place my order. I decided to get the brisket platter and added some smoked sausage to it. I also opted to get coleslaw and mac n' cheese for my two sides. After I placed the order, the cashier handed me a buzzer to let me know when my order was ready and I went to take my seat. Plenty of open tables at this time. About five minutes in, my buzzer buzzed and my food was ready to go! What a turn around from my first experience here. Anyone who's had Gatlin's BBQ know that this is some GREAT BBQ. And despite what the troll Yelper Todd W. thinks about us who originally rated this place a one star, I had actually been to the original Gatlin's and I knew what to expect when I first came in. Did I ever have to wait over an hour and not getting my food at the original Gatlin's? Nope. So dear Tood W, if you think it's acceptable to be slow and incompetent because a business is "new" and people were still "training" then you absolutely have no clue about great, or even good customer service. And as for your "disgusting people" comment; I bet you I'm A LOT fitter than you will ever be. Do you even lift, brah?! Anyway, back to Gatlin's. When you order brisket, you have the option to get the moist (fatty) brisket, lean brisket, or combination of the two. I decided to go with the combination so I could know which one I'll like more. When you ask for sausage, you have two options: deer sausage or smoked sausage. I've never had deer sausage and I wasn't feeling adventurous at the moment so I decided to go with smoked sausage. The briskets are what you can expect from Gatlin's. Both the moist and the lean version are delicious and tender to the cut. I personally enjoyed the moist version better because to me, the moist brisket could be enjoyed even without the bbq sauce. The lean brisket, although delicious, was a little too dry for my liking and I definitely needed to dip the lean brisket in some bbq sauce. As for the smoked sausage, they are smoky and they are definitely yummy. However, it wasn't WOW yummy. But if you enjoy some smoked sausage, you will definitely enjoy Gatlin's smoked sausage. As for the sides, they weren't anything special. Both the coleslaw and the mac n' cheese were average to me. But they weren't bad at all. Just average. I'd recommend trying something else. I would have liked to try the potato salad, but they were out of anything with potatoes. If this keeps up, Gatlin's will once again claim the throne of the best BBQ in Houston (Killen's is in Pearland and Corkscrew is in Spring). But considering that TX is a BBQ state, it would be hard to claim that Gatlin's is the best ever. However, definitely delicious; Definitely a top tier BBQ, definitely a must-try if you love BBQ. Remember when I mentioned that I came in at 1:00 pm at the beginning of my review? After ordering, eating, taking some time to take a breather because all of the meat, and a couple levels of Candy Crush Saga, I left here around 1:45 pm. A MUCH respectable time than waiting for over an hour and couldn't even get to the cashier to place an order. read more

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I used to love their heights location and was really looking forward to their move since it was coming closer to my office. I heard there was delays and the initial reviews were terrible. So I did not want it to taint my feelings, so I waited until the crowds died down. Today, I came AFTER lunch time closer to 2 pm and when we pulled up, we knew today was going to be a good day, since the parking lot was half empty, which was good. When we got inside there was only 2 groups of people in front of us. We looked up at the big board above and I knew I was getting the Big 3, this is my default anyways at any good BBQ joint, you gotta try the ribs, sausage, and brisket to judge the quality of the place. The group in front of us had a menu but we really couldn't figure out where they got it. After they ordered, they left the menu for us. At least I had already decided on my meats, but the menu had all of the sides listed. On this occasion, they were out of all of the corn related items =( But I did get the mac and cheese and green beans. Mac and cheese was standard, and the green beans were very flavorful, had some bacon bits in there. So overall, the BBQ was good, but not as amazing as I had remembered it. The ribs were tender and had the right flavors, the brisket (GET THE MOIST) was the best part, and for the links, I got the venison, which is soooo much better than just the normal. The sauce is meh, but if you're going to get BBQ based on the sauce you got a whole different problem in itself. The service was great, very happy people, unfortunately, I feel like when the food is more mass produced you do lose some quality. But on this particular occasion, it was a 5 minute wait to order and maybe another 5 more before I got my food. This is a place I can frequent for a late lunch. Not everyday, can you go stand in a line for hours to get lunch, ie: franklin's. So it's definitely in my lunch rotation! read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

I had been to eat at the old location just a few times in the past. Mainly due to the fact that I thought their Q was good but overrated and the long lines especially on a Saturday with just one cash register running along with very limited indoor seating. So I went about 3 weeks ago for a visit arriving at 11:00 a.m. on a Saturday. When I arrived the front door was still closed and there were at least 20 people standing in line outside. They opened that morning at 11:07 a.m. which was 7 minutes late. We all walked in and I think it took about 15 minutes to get to one of their 2 operating cash registers which is an improvement. Also during my wait in line I noticed how much nicer and larger the new place is compared to the old place. Indoor seating is in 2 rooms with the second room primarily consisting of very long picnic tables along with a few high tables for two. On this visit I decided on the 3 meat combo (ribs, brisket and sausage) with baked beans and potato salad and a soft drink for $20 with tax. The food came out about 15 minutes later. This is one of those times when I ordered something that I really didn't want. While I like brisket, I have never been a fan of ribs or sausage. That's just me. I thought the ribs were good though along with the sausage and brisket however nothing really stood out to me. This included the sides. I love good baked/BBQ beans and these were kind of average along with the potato salad. When eating this meal the number 3 kept popping up to me. Everything was A-OK but just barely. I decided upon a return visit about a week later on a weeknight to try their brisket sandwich which is the preferred way I like my brisket. At $7.99 for a sliced brisket sandwich and no combo deal I ordered a side of coleslaw and another soft drink. With tax almost $15. My first reaction was that this is a little expensive for what I got especially compared to the previous meal which was a large amount of food for only $5 more money. My food came out about 10-15 minutes later. I rated the sandwich at a 3.5 and I enjoyed it. The cole slaw had a slight tangy taste and was ok at a 3 IMO. My only issue with this meal was the cost. My favorite BBQ meat is chicken and I decided to come back one more time to test that. So I did about another week later. Again on a Saturday morning about an hour after they opened I had difficulty finding a parking spot and then walked inside to about a 15 minute wait in line before ordering. I ordered their chicken plate with mac n cheese and green beans for sides. This entree is $11.99. About 15 minutes later the food arrived. This was my best meal. The mac n cheese was creamy and cheesy and good (3.5). The green beans were seasoned well with bacon pieces so that automatically deserves a 4! Very good. Finally the half chicken cut into 4 pieces was smoky and moist and made me happy (4). Very good. I believe that this is a good BBQ restaurant. I like the interior and spaciousness of the new restaurant. Also I believe the Gatlins to be good people and wish them success. Their employees were nice on all 3 of my visits. When I take into account my visits I rate everything here at a 3.5 but round down for Yelp purposes. I think some of their sides could be better and recommend offering a combo price for their sandwiches. If I return I will order the chicken with those two sides or maybe try the dirty rice and I would like to see their French fries to see if they are homemade or store bought. read more

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It's a bit unassuming from the street side but you walk into another world. Most barbecue places aren't very clean, but Gatlin's held the same aesthetic without the dirtiness. Great natural lighting and plenty of seating. The brisket was AMAZING and the staff were super sweet! I recommend the Mac as a side. Overall I was really impressed! read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Brisket combo, Mac and dirty rice - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Love that this place is so close to us! We have always found their staff to be courteous, professional, and welcoming. This is one of our top places to get BBQ in Houston. Reality smut addicts may notice that the RHW of Atlanta came here when they visited Houston post-Harvey. When family from Canada came to visit, we brought them here for their first Texas meal. Our toddler loves their brisket! read more

My 1st visit, but definitely not my last! After coming down from Waco participating in a Pop Up Book Shop at a local independent bookstore, The Book Scene, a fellow author suggested Gatlin's for lunch. When we arrived, the atmosphere was pleasant, restuarant clean, the staff attentive and the reader board menu was clear and easy to read from. I don't eat beef or pork and was skeptical about ordering chicken or Turkey. The sweet young lady behind the counter suggested Turkey. Fearful I was going to get usual small portions in comparison to the cost as I have in many other barbeque restaurants and/or food trucks, I was surprised and happy to see more than 2 slices on the plate (4)! The barbecue sauce was amazing and a sampling of a friend's Mac n cheese was immediately put on my "to order next time" list. I added smoked corn and yams and they were equally delicious. I had a tasty cornbread muffin and for dessert a sweet patron Herman treated me and my Soror each with lemon buttered pound cake, which was so moist and delicious. I also had the pleasure of meeting the owners, sweet Mama Mary and her dear comical husband Henry (AKA Bob) I was quickly adopted into the Gatlin family, which truly was an honor. Seeing the diversity of everyone coming through the door to either dine in or pick up to-go plates gave me a glimpse of what America looks like and should be. I even heard a testimony from a couple who's followed them from their former smaller location in the Heights to their now very spacious spot. If you love barbecue, a great atmosphere and true southern hospitality where you will be treated like family, please visit Gatlin's Barbeque! You won't be disappointed. Author Mary E Evans read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Mama Mary and Henry (Bob) Gatlin. They are the BEST! - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Finally made it here and was fairly disappointed. Ordered slice beef sandwich (moist), side of dirty rice, and a soft drink - $20. The sliced beef only had a little moist parts, most were burned ends, dirty rice was forgettable. $20 way too high for that disappointment. Won't be going back. read more

This was our first time here and I ordered online for my family. OF COURSE everyone got something different. I was able to see a lot of what they have to offer. I had a chopped beef sandwich on toast. It was really good. Hubby got two meats (brisket moist and chicken-white). He enjoyed it with baked beans (contain pork in case you don't eat pork) and cole slaw. The restaurant was clean, cashier was kind and when I arrived the order was ready--which is a big deal for me. I drove from Humble for take out and I would do it again. Oh the lemon pound cake??? BOMB! I would also like to say--offer BoB's (Black Owned Business) the same grace that you offer any other business. It's not easy for us to exist so be kind. The world needs more of that! read more

Food was good, brisket loaded fries were so good with the BBQ on top. A little underwhelmed with the brisket due to it being a tad dry but over great food! read more

This is a hard review for me to write because I really love the people and the food here. The brisket is not the best in Houston but it's pretty decent. To me what really shines here are the baby back ribs. These ribs are amazing. It's my go to now almost every time I'm there. Other main items worth honorable mention: bologna sandwich (wow! Amazing!), mushroom burger (delicious! my wife's go to!), beef rib (whoa!). Sides worth mentioning: they are all pretty good but the mustard greens (weekends only) are the best I've ever had. The dirty rice and smoked corn are also good. Stay away from the potato salad though; it's actually pretty darn bad. You may be asking why I've given only three stars with such positive feedback on the food. The main reasons are the wait time, the price and getting the orders correct. It's almost always a 30-40 minute wait after the order has been placed. With bbq and the sides it's all mostly cooked. I cannot for the life of me understand why it takes that long to plate the food after we have ordered. It really frustrated us one weekend when it took just under an hour to get two sandwiches! However we went today (July 4, 2018) and it only took 25 minutes. I'm hoping that trend continues. If they can get the orders out in 20 minutes this rating is an easy 4 stars. Next the price: it's not overly expensive for good bbq in my opinion. However, I'd rather go to Rudy's for brisket and it even cost less. I feel that the B.B. ribs are worth every penny and unmatched in Houston. Most of the plates are $12-17 which is just slightly above other bbq restaurants in the area. I don't mind paying the extra if it's worth it. The baby back ribs are worth it. Last is order quality. They regularly mess up my wife's sandwich or burger order. She ordered at turkey sandwich today and it said that it comes with herb mayo. It did not arrive with herb mayo. We asked the lady cleaning tables if we could get the mayo on the side and she told us they didn't have herb mayo. Ok. Then don't put it on the sign. I love the food here and I will keep coming back. However, I always make sure I have at least an hour: 40 minutes to wait, 5 minutes to correct the order and 20 minutes to eat. I'd also say that the Gatlin family is awesome. Greg, the owner, is a down to earth guy and his mother is always there with a kind word and a smile. They shut down on Sundays to give the workers time off which I also think speaks to their character. Go if you have the time and don't miss the baby back ribs. For Gatlin's to get to five stars: more flavor in the brisket, wait times less than 20 minutes after ordering, getting the order correct on a consistent basis and making it easier to get a drink refill. That machine is a pain in the rear. read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Haven't gotten to try the food yet, but I'm disappointed with that customer service at the walk up order line. Young lady with braids needs to check her attitude or change careers pronto. It's not a good look. Tried to support a local black business but I don't care if the food taste 5star when I finally get it...I won't be back just based on the customer service! read more

Gatlin's BBQ - I went to sit in my car while my significant other waited on the food. - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

I love the lunch and dinner food at this restraunt. I was excited to try their breakfast. Unfortunately the breakfast was not on point. The cashier took our order but wasn't as outgoing and friendly as the lunch time workers. We ordered chicken and waffles and my partner ordered 2 eggs over medium with toast. About 5 minutes after we ordered the cashier came to our table and asked if my partner wanted his eggs scrambled or over easy? He said that he wanted them over medium. She said, "I don't know what that means." He explained it's similar to over easy but cook them a little longer so the egg white isn't runny. The eggs were cooked hard. I asked for tobasco sauce for the chicken. She informed me that they don't have any type of hot sauce. But offered taco sauce. I hope they decide to add tobasco or some form of hot sauce for the breakfast foods. Also, everyone in the restaurant was given their food in styrofoam containers inside of plastic take out bag. The presentation in the styrofoam was poor. The ingredients were all placed on top of one another. No garnish etc. read more

First time. My rib sandwich was awesome, didn't even get a picture. The side of fried okra was just as good. Dirty rice was just ok. Hubby had a few meats and sides. He wasn't a fan, but he is very critical of bbq establishments. The sweet to was good, when mixed with half water, alone it's super sweet. Prompt service, great space, decent prices . The dining room attendants were good, but kinda pushy. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

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I recommend the hot links and collard greens. The brisket and ribs weren't as moist as I would've liked. Their sweet tea compliments their food perfectly! read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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