I must start by saying how very good the food is. I drive from 1960 spring for this food. The pork ribs and brisket are to die for. Dirty rice and greens and potato salad all homemade very tasty. My combo plate runs about $29 but well worth it. However the down is the lines waiting outdoors to buy food. Then you may get to register and be told we are out of Ribs or brisket due to being busy . Staff is always nice I think they need to open 2 registers the goal should be no guest waiting . When you see ladies and kids and elderly people waiting it's time to fix the issue. read more

Heard about the legendary Kitchen Sink and had to try it so I ventured out to Gatlin's all the way from Montrose. I couldn't find it on the menu at first and felt a slight panic, fearing I waited too long to make it out here and they had taken it off the menu. To my delight, I finally found it buried in the middle of the sandwiches section. I knew it was going to be good when the young lady taking my order gave me an encouraging "Nice." when I got up to the counter. Food came out in under seven minutes and it was massive. I tried to hold it up to take a picture but was afraid it was all going to fall out, it was that stuffed. It was made up of layers of brisket, sausage, dirty rice, cheese, jalapeños, bbq sauce and whatever else they were able to shove into massive bun (I didn't open it up to inspect before diving in, regretfully). Anyways, I destroyed it in about ten minutes, it was that good. Next time though, I would definitely just get the bbq so I can enjoy the sides - no bbq experience is complete without the side dishes! Unfortunately, the Kitchen Sink didn't leave much space for those. read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Can't leave Houston without trying the Kitchen Sink! - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Arrived on this evening to pick up food and the establishment was closed. Sign said 11am to 6pm however door was locked. Please update hours so customers do not drive out of the way for nothing! read more

I don't understand the recent negative reviews. I thoroughly enjoyed Gatlin's, both the food and the service. The ribs were very tender and nicely smoked. The sauce wasn't too thick and had a vinegary taste - perfect IMO. The brisket was very tender and moist. While not the best BBQ I've had, the overall experience puts Gatlin's right up there. read more

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Love Gatlins! Just had a small gathering for my dad's birthday and picked up Gatlins to feed everyone. It was a hit! Got ribs, brisket and sausage and four sides, everyone was delighted and satisfied. My dad loves collard greens and these did not disappoint. read more

Pros - Very clean and modern restaurant. Staff members are extremely kind and welcoming. Cons - The food and service... Moist Brisket was tough, dry, and has no flavor. The pulled pork was also tough and dry but did have a bit of flavor. The potato salad was pretty awful, the dirty rice was probably the best thing I got. My one advice to this restaurant is to hire a food expediter. Dine-in and to-go orders take too long to receive and the poor lady that is handling it all is definitely NOT enough to handle the lunch crowd. I'll stick with Franklins for my bbq from now on. read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Sad Potato Salad..kinda gross too - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I was totally disappointed in my visit today! I waited all week, went absolutely no where only to come out and expose myself to germs just to get my weekly Gatlins fix. My food was cold, in addition to there being a discrepancy on whether I get one side or two right in front of me between employees. Being a business owner that is one of the most unprofessional things you can do in front of a customer. I paid an additional $2.50 for a baked potato as a side and I ordered online so the system should know whether I get one side or two, and make sure I order accordingly. I waited over 40 mins for my food and didn't complain. Then they were out of the side I did order, and since that was the case they made sure to let me know that I wasn't getting an additional side since I got the potato. I paid $44 for a three meat plate, a chicken baked potato, and cake. I realized my food was cold before I left the parking lot and called only to be questioned as to when I picked the food up as if it was somehow my fault it was cold. After being passed around on the phone I was finally told to come in. Came in and a guy came from the back with the worse look in his face, as if I was bothering him. Told me he's basically out of what I ordered and asked what I wanted him to do, warm it up or what, but only if I ask him to. Like what!!! I ended up asking for a refund for the 3 meat plate instead of being able to enjoy the meal I came for. The customer service was absolutely horrible. Then you guys are handling money, credit cards, having close customer interactions with no gloves or mask and bagging food at the same time. The guy handling money, credit cards, customers, etc at the counter got bread for me and bagged it with no gloves at all. After all that got home and the chicken on the baked potato was hard as could be! Like wth!! Due to the poor customer service, unsanitary conditions, and no effort to actually give a damn that I was dissatisfied I will not return again. I order a large amount of food twice monthly for all my managers. I will no longer do that. I have been a long time customer of Gatlin's and I am extremely disappointed to say the least!! I try to support small businesses but I'm gone have to head on back to Pappa's! By the way the contactless order pickup is a complete lie! You walk up to the counter through plenty of others placing and picking up orders. There was no box‼‼‼‼ read more

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It would be a shame to be in Houston and not experience BBQ. Great location (needs more parking), inviting modern atmosphere, friendly, smiling, bubbly staff and of course, delicious food. Gotta say, this place is popular! I felt under pressure to make my decision on what to order, so we let the people behind us go before ahead so we could have more time. I ended up with the Texas Two Step (sausage and brisket) with baked beans and cold slaw. Portions were not an issue! I had more than enough for leftovers and an additional meal. Even though they were busy, there was ample seating. Staff came around and cleared plates. All in all, I would definitely return. read more

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

The food is great, But once again their customer service. They have a large dining area adjacent to the smaller dining area. During this time of social distancing its closed. So let's jam more people in a smaller space, technically staying within the capacity rules. Smh read more

Absolutely delicious brisket, smoky and moist. Pork ribs were also pretty good. Looking forward to coming here again! Best bbq among the several places i've tried in texas. read more

Delicious BBQ and sides! I love the ribs, brisket, green beans and dirty rice. However, I wish they had more flexibility with their 2 and 3 meat plates like other BBQ spots. You have to get the combo plates they offer. I didn't get the combo I wanted. They only have a handful of 2 or 3 meat plates. Very odd. Their white meat chicken is very dry. I do like their sauce and pork ribs, though. The sauce has a nice tang and the ribs have a smoky taste. read more

Food: ordered the Big 3 Dinner to go. Brisket: tasty and tender. Ribs: perhaps too lean...had to chew the meat of the bone. Sausage: ordered the traditional - excellent! Dirty Rice: quite tasty, the right amount of spiciness. Potato Salad: Potato Salad is one of my preferred sides; this potato salad was not good: to mushy, like mashed potatoes, overly seasoned. Brownie: a disc that looked more like a cookie; hermetically sealed in a cello pouch. Kind of counter to the fresh-made image of the rest of the menu. Service: took nearly 25 minutes for my food to come out. WHY? Waiting area too far from counter area, hard to hear when name or number called. Packaging: I have a bit of an issue with restaurants that charge $15+ for a dinner, then pack it in 30-cents worth of styrofoam. No cutlery kit. Glad that I was taking it home where I could use my own tableware. read more

Gatlin's BBQ - This is the brownie. - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

I ordered a taco and breakfast sandwich to go on a Friday morning around 9 AM and it took over 40 minutes to fill the order. There were at least 5 people in the kitchen...not sure if they were prepping for lunch service, but they sure didn't seem to be interested in serving breakfast. read more

Went here for breakfast and boy oh boy was it good! I got the brisket taco and the chicken biscuit. The brisket taco should actually be called a burrito it was huge and the brisket had good flavor. The chicken biscuit was cool perfectly and the biscuit recipe was on point. Can't wait to try this place again read more

I really wanted to like this place, because it is so close to my office and I had heard good things. The food was good, but the customer service has turned me off to future visits. We waited in line for 30 minutes and when we finally got to the register, the cashier proceeded to ring up 3 to-go orders while we stood there waiting to order. She was also completely unapologetic when she finally took our order. After ordering, we waited another 45 minutes for our food. It was disheartening, because our food wasn't even hot. Disappointed read more

Wow...Simply wow The lean brisket was flavorful and most enough to not be dry The fatty brisket was amazing, no excess fat but rather a great marbling with extra burnt edging for additional flavor. The venison sausage is spicy and fill of flavor as well, true delicious. The Mac and cheese is very rich with some pepper for spice. I am not a pepper fan but this was light enough to taste but not over power it. Overall this is a top 3 brisket BBQ place (I have about 15 of the top 50 visited so far) The only hit I have against them is they don't show you the meat so picking lean vs fatty is a leap of faith. I'm old fashioned and Texas BBQ mean you get to look at the meat first. read more

I'm visiting from California and my cousin, who lives here, suggested this bbq place. When we arrived there was no line . After ordering we were giving a buzzer to notify us when our order was ready, which did not take long at all. My husband and I shared a the big 3 sausage, brisket (moist) and ribs with two sides baked beans and Mac and cheese. This was hands down very tasty, fall off the bone good smoke bbq. I'm a huge Mac and cheese lover and theirs did not disappoint. I always got the sweet tea, which was also delicious. We met the the owner's mother, who was very welcoming and made sure we enjoyed ourselves being that we were from out of town (2 from California 2 from Detroit and another who moved from Detroit). She even threw in cake for us to try. I was sad that they had run out of the puddings and cobbler (I'm assuming those are the most popular). I loved this place!!!! read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Big three combo with Mac and cheese and baked beans. This is not the full portion since I shared it with my husband. - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Best bbq I've tasted I Htown! Great, polite service!!! The meat is tender. Well seasoned, and great sauce! read more

Came here for a graduation party food was delicious loved the smoked corn and staff was very friendly great experience

Worst service I have ever had. Unprofessional team members and was told customers don't come first. As I'm leaving another customer had an issue with there food as well and he acted as if it wasn't a valid concern. I definitely would not recommend this place to anyone. read more

A beautiful and rustic/modern design. The service was very good. With attentive staff. My issue was with the food. We ordered brisket, brisket burnt ends, ribs, and smoked chicken wings. Unfortunately they were all dry. It was very disappointing. They are either: 1. over cooking the meats in terms of time, or using too high a temperature. 2. Smoking the meat without sufficient humidity. 3. Storing the finished meats in a dry warmer at high temperature. read more

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The food was amazing! We didn't eat there but ordered for pickup. The brisket sandwich was outstanding. I recommend the pork potato too.

I went here with my coworkers. One of our goals is to find the best bbq in Houston (and surrounding areas). We got there around 10:45, about 15 minutes before they open. There was already a line outside. I ordered the lean brisket, spicy sausage, mac and cheese, and potato salad. I thought the lean brisket was really nice. It had a lot of flavor and it wasn't dry like some brisket I've had in the past. The spicy sausage could have been spicier but it wasn't bad either. I was not a fan of the potato salad. It's kind of sweet which is a little weird. The mac and cheese tasted like it was out of a box with some pepper on it. Not my favorite either. For dessert, we got the lemon pound cake. Everyone got to take one home. I have to say it's pretty amazing! I would highly recommend trying it. read more

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

Great bbq in Houston! If your looking for great bbq centrally located in the city, without super long lines, and great customer service, come to Gatlins!! Bought my friend here who was visiting from NY and she was thoroughly pleased. Yes to the brisket, sausage, ribs Meh to the chicken Sad they ran out of the big mama beef rib but i WILL be back to try the pastrami and turkey sandwich!!!!!! read more

ADVICE: Good tasting food! However, service and portion sizes could be better. I purchased an online order for pickup today, 2/20/2021, for (2) two meat combos. Due to their pickup system, of course, I followed the instructions per the text message to secure food. After getting home to my surprise both orders are missing one of its two meats for each combo. I IMMEDIATELY made a call to the restaurant hoping this issue would be resolved as it EVENTUALLY WAS! I was instructed to return to the restaurant to pickup remaining food. Cool! I get back to the restaurant and kindly inform one of the cashiers what I was picking up! GREAT ATTITUDE FROM THIS YOUNG LADY! I am then called to the counter and questioned on what I had. I kindly explained to the gentleman at the counter and what appears to be one of the owners(Lady) about what my online order was! The gentleman questions me on exactly what my order was and if Im sure I was missing food! Both of their tones and expressions carried an insult as if I was trying to get more food or free food! The looks on their faces would not be appreciated by anyone who has just paid 40 plus dollars on food and does not have it all there! The lady goes on to say, "I know I double checked that plate. I double check all plates before bagging." Well I would like to say to the owners and employees, as a past customer I am HIGHLY displeased with those antics and that IT IS OKAY TO BE WRONG SOMETIMES!!!! I have on several occasions supported this establishment and introduced fellow colleagues to this establishment. This is not the way to handle customers! I have praised this establishment continuously in the past only to be treated as if someone was trying to get over! Lol it's not that serious for some meat. Obviously I can afford to eat here having been here many many times in the past! NOT EVERYONE IS TRYING TO GET OVER!!! Love you all but I am HIGHLY DISSATISFIED!! Please feel free to contact me for further feedback if you would like to improve customer service! P.S. This isn't the first time I've had an issue with a pickup order but I love you all so much I continue to come back. Sincerely, A Continuous Paying Customer read more

Ordered lunch for the office. For the first time ever we were all very happy with what we had ordered. I ordered the east west plate. The brisket was very good they rib was a little dry but still enjoyable. Mac and cheese side was pretty good the dirty rice was too salty to for my liking. It was definitely satisfying . Very delicious. I will order from here again. I might actually share a meal with a co-worker they serve enough for 2 !! read more

Gatlin's BBQ - To - Go East West plate ... Great presentation - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food was great and the service was nice. The restaurant was very clean. Brisket Plate

Ribs were awesome! I have tried coming here 3 other times and ended up leaving because the wait was ridiculous. This time I got there early and prepared to wait. Waited 30m after waiting I got the ribs and pulled pork. Both were great! I will be coming back, hopefully they can improve there speed in the next few months. read more

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

Thank Goodness for their newly updated, expanded location on Ella Blvd just North of 610 N. You know what I mean if you ever seen their old location. This new location is freekin awesome compared to their old location! These guys are now primed to be a Texas Style BBQ "GIANT" in the Oak Forrest/NW Houston area for years to come. Their BBQ is Excellent. Brisket, Ribs, Sausage, etc. I'm not their hugest Side Dish fan but they'll do. Desserts are ok and sometimes limited. Sauce is optional as we like to say. They are still a small Mom and Pop Biz but now their clientele has jumped leap years.They have a loyal following, including me and they will keep them for a long time. Just keep smoking that meat! Their hours of operation are odd but that's expected. This is NO Half Ass Family Owned establishment, I've seen lots of people who are Friends with the Family & I even got to talk to Chris one day and he was such a very nice, sincere person that typifies the Houston Culture. I like that! read more

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This is most definitely some of the best BBQ Houston has to offer! It's top of the line to say the least. I had the brisket plate with macaroni and cheese and dirty rice. I'll start with the Mac and cheese first, the Mac was so flavorful and well seasoned as well as the dirty rice! But obviously it was the brisket that stole the show for me. The brisket was well marinated and seasoned. The tenderness and moistness was next level! I'm definitely coming back soon because I love the people there. Great place to take the family. read more

Upon entering Gatlin's, I was greeted with a big smile by Mama Gatlin. After scanning the menu, I selected the 2-meat combo. The St Louis ribs were just right--flavor throughout the meat. The brisket's bark permeates into the meat. For sides, I had the flavorful grilled veggies and, also, green beans. I almost never add BBQ sauce to my brisket but I figured I'd sample the warm, original house-blended sauce...Good choice, it was a unique flavor that I wouldn't ascribe to any region (e.g. Kansas, SC, etc). I would bring my Parents and friends here. Heck, Gatlin's was so good I've decided to write this review for strangers. Just go. You'll be happy. Oh, they have military discounts too. (Just show your ID) read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Yum! Pork ribs, moist brisket, grilled veggies, green bean, fries. - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

I'm not really sure what the 3-stars are about but ... this, at worst, is a 4-star joint. What's Right: - Serving Size - clearly, we're still in TX. I got the Big 3 and ... well, I should've brought a friend. - Sausage - on point. Well seasoned with a great snap! - RIBS - WHA THA WHA? Seriously, skip the line - don't look at the menu and say "ALL THE RIBS IN A TO-GO BAG AND NO ONE GETS HURT!" Moist, fall-off-the-bone and well seasoned. - Coleslaw - yeah, I'm the person who loves coleslaw and Gatlin's is great. There's a touch of zingy and sweet. - Location - still close enough for everyone to get to quickly. - Parking - plenty of it and the lot is well lit - Ambiance - plenty of seating to get your embarrassing BBQ smash on. - Value - I've paid lots more for BBQ that wasn't as great ... that some of you people are fanboying/girling over. On the Fence: - Brisket - I can see where folks may take issue with the brisket but I can tell you that my serving was moist and flavorful and I got a mix of both fatty and lean. Nice smoke ring and a beautiful crust. Like any other place ... brisket comes down to the rub, the smoke, and the heat. I've eaten enough Texas brisket to distinguish between rub preference and crappy brisket. I thought the rub was fine. Let's Work on This: - Potato Salad - I have high expectations. This was pretty average and lacked salt and depth but... ask me if there was any to take home - NOPE. Overall - this is a Houston BBQ dynasty and they show it. read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Big 3 - Brisket, Ribs & Traditional Sausage Links. - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

We were visiting Houston for the weekend and was told about Gatlin's. Been traveling to many cities and when you go BBQ, alot have same method. You stand in line to order, find a table and wait for food Gatlin's is a very clean place, w TV's spread out, and attentive staff cleaning the place. For food we ordered way too much for 2, but we wanted to sample alot. Baby back ribs Brisket Spicy sausage sandwich Collared Greens Mac and cheese Corn bread Peach cobbler All was excellent, but favorites were the ribs, sausage and Mac and cheese We met mama and papa Gatlin. They were totally hands on, mama outzide and papa in the kitcen read more

I'll just cut it to the ribs: 1) The staff are nice and fun to talk with 2) This took the #1 spot over my Killen's & Rudy's 3) The extra dining room in the back is a cozy place to dine Overall, the briskets at this place have just became the best briskets I have had. The links sausages are just okay. Coleslaw are good, dirty rice is just okay. I will definitely come back. And that is all I have to say about that. read more

Gave this place a second chance. The ribs were cooked to perfection. The brisket was nice and smokey. I had dirty rice and beans that were good also. read more

All around good BBQ. Some different and good sides too. I had a order of wings too and that was very good. Usually just brisket and sausage when I do the BBQ thing. Spicy sausage could have used some more heat it it. I would go back and send friends there. read more

Recently tried for the first time with a group of 12 friends. Friends who had visited previously raved. Here is what we found: - clean attractive location with plenty of parking available - expansive BBQ and sides menu; maybe the biggest we've seen at a Texas BBQ "joint" - was moderately busy on a mid-week evening - tried the 3 BBQ at friends' recommendation - brisket was as good as it gets; juicy and moist with bark; wonderful flavor - venison sausage was OK (my own is better) - did not care for the baby back ribs; dry, not much meat on them (just a couple of small bites), our home made ribs are MUCH, MUCH better - brown beans side: saucy, sweet, touch of vinegar - green beans side: did not care for these; were very garlicky; not what I expect in a typical BBQ joint - fried okra: right on the money; perfect! - attendants were present to bus the table as we individually finished; delivered late items - average prices for good Texas BBQ When we return, we will order only their brisket. We don't make brisket at home because it takes too long. May or may not order sausage; the venison sausage lacked flavor. Definitely will NOT ever order their baby back ribs; they were disappointing. Played oldies music in the background. Note to Astros fans: they do not subscribe to a TV package that includes local Astros games so you cannot watch the Astros play at home at Gatlins. read more

Gaitlin's has been on my list to visit for years, and I am a huge BBQ fan, having eaten BBQ in numerous cities, most of them in Houston, TX. I must have come on a very good day. I came on a Monday at 11am right when they opened and ordered the spare ribs meal with collard greens and smoked corn. This dish was absolutely divine, the spare ribs were so, so tender you barely had to bite and the bone itself was super moist and tender from the slow-cooked process. The collard greens were perfectly seasoned, not too sweet and the smoked corn added a nice touch to the rest of the meal so well. Each dish tasted so fresh and homemade. You could tell they put a lot of thought into their dishes, everything had a touch of robust flavor and richness. I also ordered the brisket fries and these were fine, but I think the meals are the winners here. I was very impressed and will be returning. Of the BBQ joints in Texas this is up there in the top 5 for me. read more

Today was my first visit to Gatlin's and it was amazing! I had the spare rib platter, I ordered take out and even after drive home . . . dang it was good. The spare ribs are "Slap Yo Mamma" good! They were so flavorful that I did not need or really want to use the sauce, don't get me wrong the sauce was some of the best I have had and I will be using on the chicken I am making for dinner tonight. The platter comes with two sides and I selected the potato salad and mac n cheese. Both were yummy and seasoned perfectly. Normally I prefer a chunky potato salad (theirs is creamy) but this was so tasty I ate it all! The staff was super friendly and very helpful in answering my questions as it was my first time there. I am looking forward to returning soon! Thank you for a fantastic lunch! read more

Gatlin's BBQ - The spare ribs are "Slap Yo Mamma" Good! - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

We went here with family after my daughter's swim lesson. I ordered the brisket cobb salad and subbed bbq sauce instead of salad dressing. It was so good! It is my go to when I am craving a salad. I have ordered it now more times than I can count. It is always consisently good. I absolutely love it! They give you a lot of food for the price. The bbq sauce is very yummy. I will keep coming back to get the brisket salad. Five stars! read more