The absolute slowest service I have ever experienced in a BBQ place. 20+ minutes to move 15 feet to the counter. Had 2 registers but running only one.......Why? The almost another 30 minutes for the food. How hard is it to slice brisket and sausage??????? The food better be outstanding or I will never return Update- never returning. Horrible food read more

Man, I want to like this place, but 25 minutes in line to order and 46 minutes waiting and still no BBQ. Ok. Got it finally. Ordered the big 3 plate and spicy links plate. Sides were smoked corn (I think canned), potato salad and dirty rice. All meats and sides were okay but not worth the wait. This was started at 2:15 on a Saturday. Cost $35.00. The Texas trend of waiting long for certain BBQ is strange. I recommend driving a little further to Burns BBQ. Just as good or better and the wait is a few minutes while you chat with friendly people. Around Gatlins customers and staff do not seem happy. BBQ should be fun, not an ordeal. I have been to this location twice now and the old location several times. Sorry but I don't plan to return. read more

In need of better management. Was looking forward to coming here only to find a very long line WITH ONLY ONE REGISTER OPEN. There as many people sitting as there are in line, with about 65% available seating. Am going to have to consider the unnecessary wait next time I want bar-b-que. ...simply open another register. That before we got to the register - out of half the items on the menu; no exaggeration! No tea made - I like to have tea. Hope the food is good... read more

"Eek! Methinks not." One of my friends was talking about this place, so I went for it. Unfortunately, it didn't go well. I was going out with a friend and wanted a beer, which I found out they don't serve. That was fine, I was hungry and could skip the beertizer. I ordered from one cashier and had a heck of a time getting sides. The little red X next to a side means it's out (it looks more like an asterisk, so I thought it was some dietary note). Why they don't just cross that side off the list, I do not understand. Also, all of their beans have pork in them, which I find to be an overwhelming flavor, so that was half of the available sides. I went with mac & cheese and the potato salad (I only had 3 options that were still available and that were porkless). I sit down and get pickles and a drink and cutlery and napkins and notice that my friend paid and walked away, got called back to the counter, got a drink, then went to the cashier counter again. She sits down and tells me that she won't be eating. She ordered a baked potato then they called her back to say it was out, so she tried another dish, also out. Then she asked for a side of mac and cheese and the cashier told her she couldn't order only a side, she'd have to get a meat plate. WTF? My buzzer goes off so it's too late for me to cancel my food so that we can go somewhere that will serve items from their menu. When I get my food I ask if it's true that sides cannot be ordered a la carte. Three ladies are standing there and tell me no, that's not true so I ask why my friend was told that. She's my mac & cheese quest partner, so there's no way she'd pass up getting mac if it were possible. The owner comes over and starts to pet my friend's arm as she offers to get her any dish that she'd like. I can tell that she's completely freaked out about being petted so she says "No thank you," but the petting and offer continues. She has to ask the owner, Mary, to stop petting her arm. I understand that Mary was trying to correct the situation, but touching somebody, especially petting, is not cool. Make sure your cashiers are competent and all of the apologizing wouldn't have to be like this. Running out of potatoes seems to be a frequent problem for this place. I had ordered half moist/half lean brisket and it had a lot of chunks of fat that I just kept picking out of the stack and piling to the side. Be aware that moist = all the fat, not just a little fat on the edge of the meat, but chunks of pure fat. BBQ sauce was pretty good. Mac & cheese was good (only thing I ate all of and was sad to see it go). I took one bite of the potato salad and had to spit it out. It tasted rancid. It must have been pretty far past date because it tasted like the smell of rotten milk. One time a college roommate left for Christmas break without checking the fridge and had milk in there... the potato salad tasted like our kitchen smelled the day the roomie finally cleaned up after herself. We went to Cedar Creek next so that AJ could eat and I could get a beer. It's safe to say that neither of us will ever return to Gatlins. read more

I visited Gatlin's on the evening of July 11, 2023. Having just arrived in Houston after an over 3 hour drive, cooking was out of the question but we desired a great meal. I suggested that we go to Gatlin's and pick up food. I was so happy that there was no wait and was able to walk right to the counter and make my order. Our order consisted of sliced brisket, ribs, links, potato salad and collard greens. My family and I was extremely disappointed in the food as the potato salad was short of horrible tasting like instant mashed potato without any seasoning and extremely dry. All of the meats was dry and lacked flavor. I called to voice my complaint and was met with a person who refused to take accountability for the food purchased from his establishment. When I suggested that perhaps the cook had had a bad day, Mr. Gatlin responded, "We don't have bad days." After a lengthy debate with him continuing to defend his restaurant's food while making me feel as though this was a bad dream or perhaps that I had imagined that the food we had tried to eat was actually good and perhaps I was having a bad day, he suggested that I bring what I had not eaten back. On the following day, I went into the restaurant and once again attempted to voice my unpleasant experience regarding the barbecue. Mr. Henry Gatlin was quite defensive and at one point in the conversation asked me where I had eaten barbecue. I declined to give him a list of the many great places where I had had barbecue that would put his to shame and perhaps he should call and ask for some smoking tips: Bodacious (Longview, TX) Ten Fifty (Plano, TX), Heim(Ft. Worth, TX), Pecan Lodge (Dwtn Dallas), Meshack (Garland,TX) Terry Black (Dallas,TX). I finally realized that the conversation was going nowhere and Mr. Gatlin was not in the business of having a satisfied customer; therefore, feeling quite frustrated I left Mr. Gatlin and one of his staff standing there with the food I had returned and walked out of his restaurant hot as fish grease. Later that day, my sister called back and he agreed to return 64 dollars of the 164 we had spent. read more

The service was horrible. This was my first time eating here & cashier was very short & dry with me. There was not a line but she seemed to be in a hurry. The chopped beef sandwich was pretty good but it seemed to have a lot dried out end pieces mixed in. read more

Still fantastic. Ribs are delicious. Brisket is moist, tender, and flavorful. The sides are always good especially the dirty rice and green beans. Had the pork on a previous trip and it was excellent. I assume most negative reviews are based on a long line or Gatlin's running out of food. Welcome to BBQ. This is the same thing that happens in Lockhart or at Franklin's in Austin. Try going during off hours. I went at 5:15 on a Wednesday with no wait and they were only out of turkey. read more

Ok, I'll be upfront about the wait. I got there at opening, and it took 25 minutes from entering the door to getting my food. But this is similar to most restaurants. This place isn't fast food, don't expect them to slop it out onto a plate right away. Meat was FANTASTIC. Brisket fell apart and I loved the BBQ sauce. Spicy sausage was great, not overly spiced. If you want a sweeter sausage, they had a venison sausage as well. Sides were decent. Wish the green beans had some bacony taste to them (he usual BBQ flair w green beans). Mac and cheese had some seasoning, but I wasn't a huge fan. I would've preferred some thick creaminess with just a plain cheesy flavor. It's about 10-15 per person. Great food though, worth the cost. Just don't forget... This isn't fast food. This is a restaurant, just without the waiters =]. read more

I ordered from Gatlin's while I was visiting Houston with the family. The order was through UberEats, so I didn't visit the restaurant and can't comment on the staff or service (although I have heard good things). The food alone is worth a stop. I ordered a combo that included brisket, ribs and sausage. All of it was fantastic, with great flavor and moist. The brisket had just the right amount of fat and spice, and the ribs were similarly solid (fall of the bone and so tasty). I thought the sausage was perhaps a step below the brisket and ribs, but still definitely worth an order. In terms of sides, my favorite was the dirty rice. I didn't get a chance to try all of the top barbecue places in Houston, but definitely recommend Gatlin's if you want your brisket or rib fix while you're in town. read more

They changed their hours from a lunch service and a dinner service to an all day 11-9pm service. By my postings at 5:30, they had only sausage left. People were walking out before even getting in line. What a crock of $/;t. I'm off to Pappas Bbq. Yeah it's decent but at least they don't constantly run out of meat. Gatlins has officially become a joke of a restaurant. Whoever owns it must have failed business 101. read more

I do NOT understand how or why the reviews aren't higher but I'm going to do my part. My gf and I had bbq chicken, the moistest brisket, and sausage. The chicken (which we both eat white meat) was so juicy and not dry at all. The brisket was to live for, pre-cut, nice red smoke line and it had a custard of seasoning on the top of the meat. FlavorFULL. We had sweet corn bread (with a nice touch of corn in it. Our sides were slap yo damn mamas greens and dirty rice!!! Great ambiance and beautiful, spacious place! I liked the high schools and local businesses on the wall. I believe I saw Shipleys, how wonderful it is for Gatlins to advertise for others on their wall, permanently... The secret recipe truly is love and I must say everything was even better than on 19th! read more

Gatlin's has everything you could want in a bbq joint. Fantastic ribs? Check. Brisket and sauce? Check. Cornbread and drinks? Check. Friendly staff? Double check. If in the area, pay Gatlin's a visit! read more

Gatlin's BBQ - Simple plate-great flavor - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Nothing to run and tell about. We waited so long I thought our buzzer was broken. When we received our food, the only items that were hot were our sides. I don't understand how you wait so long and when your food finally comes out its not hot. We both got the 2 meat combo. The Brisket was dry even though we asked for a mixture of the moist and lean. The Ribs were tasty but would've been much better hot. The spicy Sausage wasn't spicy and I didn't care for it. I'm a huge Sausage fan btw. The Grilled Veggies were the highlight for me. I didn't care for the Green Beans either. They were out of Greens and Yams so that is why I got Green Beans. I read a few reviews before coming and I see what they are saying about the customer service. The young lady at the counter wasn't smiling nor very inviting. If you have someone at the counter they should have a bubbly personality and ready to help customers. read more

Coming from Austin, maybe my expectations are too high? My wife and I tried the brisket and the spicy sausage. Both were dry. The brisket was firm and chewy. The quality was probably the worst I've had in my life. The sausage had a strange grainy texture. Not much flavor, similar to sawdust. Absolutely no snap from the skin. We were a little shocked at the lack of quality. We thought the service was very good, nice people. The smoked corn was unique and delicious. However, the potato salad was just average. I can't believe some are saying this is the best BBQ in Houston. read more

Their service & BRISKET are amazing! Love all their sides, you can't go wrong with any of them. Advice: - go EARLY b/c sides and mains will sell out! read more

Like having food prepared and served with a lot of love? Welcome to Gatlin's BBQ. 5 stars for the food and service. The food truck is a temporary location until their restaurant will be ready to move back. You cannot go wrong with whatever you eat here, but do not, I repeat, do not miss the sliced brisket with some barbecue sauce! I am going back there pretty soon. The only other place where I have had such quality food is Franklin Barbecue in Austin, TX. read more

The food was good and all, but this was easily the slowest restaurant of all time. It took me 20 minutes to get through the line. Then, I finally got my order in at 1:02 PM. I didn't actually get my food until 1:28 PM. What?? The food is already cooked...just like other reviewers have said, all you have to do is slice it and put it on the plate. That should definitely NOT take 26 minutes. I didn't even get to enjoy my food because it took up my entire lunch break. My suggestion: speed it up. I noticed a lot of annoyed people when I was there besides me. read more

I absolutely enjoy the food at Gatlin's BBQ. Bye bye Pappa's BBQ! Hello to Gatlin's for authentic, delicious Texas BBQ. The sides are great too! Stop in and treat yourself to some delicious food, a warm and friendly staff, a great atmosphere, and an incredible all around terrific dining experience in Houston (Garden Oaks on Ella Blvd). Yummy, yummy! read more

So nothing can really be said about the quality of the food...if they were not out of nearly everything. The few things that were left were great, but when you go to order and are they are out of half or more of the options 2 hours before closing it really leaves you with some doubts about if things have changed. I thought the new location would help with producing enough to keep up with demand. Brisket, ribs, chicken...we are out. Dirty rice, Mac and cheese, cream corn...don't have that either. Desserts, well we don't have any oh wait there is a cookie. May try again if they can get their act together and make enough to last the day. read more

I love this place. I always get two things. The beef rib and brisket. 100% of the time it tastes amazing. The only down fall is that I end up over ordering all the time and as a result over eating as well. It's defiantly one of the better BBQs I've ever had if not the best one. There are two other places that might top it. Maybe... Not so sure. The only thing that I wish they had is more drink machines. Sometimes you need to wait in a line to get some a coke... read more

This is a very painful review. I've been going here for BBQ since they were at their original location. My husband and I went to have BBQ tonight and were both shocked at what transpired. My husband ordered the pull pork plate, which gives you enough meat to make about two or three sandwiches, along with two sides. I got the pulled pork sandwich along with two paid sides. All was delicious. But that's were it stops being good. For my two sides, which were creamed corn and mac & cheese, I paid 3.50 per side. (7.00 just for corn and Mac& cheese) Each was in a small cup. Didn't seam like enough considering the price. My sandwich, which use to come on a bun was now on buttered toast. Did not hold up to the weight of all the meat and sauce. Had to eat my sandwich with a fork. That w defeats the purpose of a sandwich. Upon picking up our food, my husband noticed there was no bread for his plate of meat. When he asked for some bread he was told they only give you one piece of bread. When we asked where HIS one piece was, the worker got a bit testy. They said they now charge per slice of white bread. I find this to indicate that maybe the family bit off more than they could chew with the expense of this new and much bigger location. To nickel and dime your customers like that is wrong. And very CHEAP!!! Bread is an integral part of a BBQ meal. Should be given out freely to paying customers. What's next? Charging for the glass you get water in? Charging for BBQ Sauce? A fork and Knife? It will be a while before I go back, if at all. In this area there are plenty of good BBQ restaurants around that give enough bread for your meal. So the 2 stars are warranted in this case. Maybe they will figure it out. read more

I was a fan of Gatlin's previous location in the Heights. I like their new location even better. There's more parking, quicker service, an expanded menu and the BBQ is just as good. The new Gatlin's is an upgrade in many ways. No, it's not as homey as their previous location. No, Gatlin's is no longer "inside the loop." Yes, it's in a small shopping center next to a paint store. I like everything about their expansion nonetheless. The brisket is just as juicy, the turkey is just as tasty. The beef ribs...definitely worth the splurge when it's on the menu. They have a wide variety of sides now, some with meat, some without. I usually go veg with my sides, and there are lots of great options like the smoked corn, veggies, slaw, and mac and cheese. That smoked corn is on point though. I'm not a big corn eater, on or off the cobb, but I fell in love with Gatlin's smoked kernel corn. It's got a great flavor and that subtle smoke that lets you know it's there. Gatlin's is in my top 3 BBQ venues in Houston. I will definitely keep hitting them up when I'm in the mood for BBQ. read more

Wish I could give 3.5 stars. While this was good and certainly serviceable barbecue, I wasn't totally blown away as I was lead to believe I would be. Not bad but nothing great. read more

We visited Gatling BBQ based on an advertisement seen on tv. The food was okay but we were very disappointed in the young owner. My wife and I were seated at the front table waiting for our food ( over $100 in cost) to be prepared to go. The young owner passed our table several times, never making eye contact or saying hello. Not good customer service. read more

So I paid for my food and 35 minutes later the waitress came to our table to say they ran out of baked potatoes. She then said they had one left for my roommate and that he was the one that ordered the last one. So we said ok and my roommate sacrificed his potato for me so that I could have it. Then 10 minutes later she came back to say they ran out of his too. Wtf. I've heard this place is good, but they really need to be more organized. Definitely not worth the wait. Finally 10 minutes after that we received our food which wasn't what we originally ordered 1 hour prior. The waitress was really nice though. It wasn't her fault, but I appreciate her apologizing and being courteous about the whole thing. The food was also pretty good, but not sure if I would wait an hour for it. Word to the wise - order to go! read more

It was worth the wait. Long story short, we had been waiting for the new location to open and then had to wait for them to sort things out a bit. Today, they did. The service was reasonable (line to the door that moved, a few minutes for our order to be ready), and the food was great just like it had been at the old location. This was around 1:30 on a Friday. We will see, we may have to pick and choose our times to eat there, but we often eat at non-peak times anyway. read more

I would actually give 5 stars for the food...but that's only if can actually get your food. EVERY single time we've gone there (and we have tried many times), they lose our order OR we have to wait for over an hour for our lunch. Most recently we tried the "quarantine" online ordering. We selected 11:45 as our pick-up time - and they were supposed to text your phone when your order was ready. We waited until 12:20 then walked into the restaurant and found out the order had been sitting there for who knows how long. Food was COLD, and even worse was the attitude of the people who work there. They acted like it was an imposition to take care of us, the customer. NEVER going back!!!!!!! read more

I'd like to leave a good review, but it's been 30 minutes and I'm still waiting on it. And it's a Wednesday night and there was no line when we walked in. I've eaten here before and the food is great, but is this a made-to-order BBQ restaurant? Isn't the food pretty much already cooked? Hoping this new neighborhood spot can put a better system in place to feed their customers more quickly. read more

Clearly, Gatlin's BBQ is not the right establishment to be associated with Uber Eats™. My wife and I just endured a nearly thirty-five minute 'back & forth', trying to order a simple four items. Not only was Gatlin's unable to complete our orders for being out of meats (if this is your frequent issue, why be part of Uber), but when we made SEVERAL attempts to call and revise our order, we were met with an 2+ minute prompt giving restaurant hours, and options on catering... ...what the heck is THAT about. (?!) While the question of the quality of the food may suit the reputation, I'd have yet to know given the difficulty in trying to make an order. Given this poor experience, I think the restaurant should avoid taking to go orders, particularly during heavy traffic. It seems that the walk-ins are consistently going to consume the inventory. And if you're not going to answer the phone when people call, why bother having one? Definitely an experience I'd share with others to avoid the same unpleasantries. read more

I usually get chicken dinners. I wish they still included condiments pickles jalapeños...but I guess I'd have to ask. Bbq sauce a little watery but ok. Staff friendly & professional. read more

I have eaten here a few times already and have not been disappointed with my food choices. The hospitality is also on point. Don't forget to try the lemon cake. read more

Everything was absolutely delicious. Best BBQ I've tried! We travelled from Utah just to try it.

If I had been able to leave a 0 I would have. Spent $ 48.00 on a meal. Got home one of the items was to hot to eat , it literally had almost a small container of jalapeno peppers on it. I tore the sandwich completely apart and took all the peppers off and still couldn't eat it. Call to speak to the manager he was no help, only offered to talk to the help . Then he said next time maybe just request to remove them completely. He just didn't seem concerned that I had to throw food away that I spent my had earned money on. Well for me a bought lesson is a learned lesson. Never again. I'm a small business owner and I would not allow any of my clients to feel they didn't get there moneys worth. My clients are important to me each and everyone of them. read more

Today was the last straw. The brisket is good, but not that good. After a 15 minute wait in line (which is long, but not crazy) I ordered a sliced brisket sandwich, baked beans, and a tea. I waited 43 minutes to get my food. When I went to the counter for the third time my pager had not gone off, but my food came up as I stood there. The gentleman who was in front of me in line had still not recieved his order and questioned that I was getting my food before him. He was not out of line at all, but was told to sit down or they would give hin his money back. This is BBQ brisket cooked last night, and what tasted like canned baked beans. How in the world does it take 43 minutes (I have pictures of my watch, and time stamped ticket) to serve this up???? I don't go once a week, but I have been a regular customer since the begining, and a native of the Heights. I will not be going back to Gatlin's. read more

Service was excellent from the ladies at the counter and the people clearing the tables. Lovely staff. When it came to the food however it wasn't as good as the reviews made me think it would be. The pork ribs were really quite unpalatable (so dry!), the brisket nice but incredibly fatty... half of it was inedible because they were just huge strips of fat. The sides were excellent, and we had the beef rib which was the best item that we ordered. read more

Love having this place in our neighborhood. We've been a handful of times-dining in or taking it to go for family dinners. Sausage, brisket and ribs- always delicious. As far as sides- baked beans and okra are my favorites. (One thing to keep in mind- there will likely be a line and at times they will run out of certain things! Sad yes, but it also speaks to how GOOD their food is that this happens!) Another thing that I LOVE about Gatlins, is the staff! They are so personable and friendly. They really do make you feel like family or old friends. Which in my opinion, you can't put a price tag on, and you can't really find at most places. read more

I decided to try Gatlin's and am so glad I did. In addition to the moist brisket, I got carried away and ordered four sides- the smoked corn, coleslaw, mac and cheese, and potato salad. Did two people need four sides? Haha, no. But do I regret it? Absolutely not. Everything was so delicious, and the employees were so kind. We will be back! read more

We had Gatlin's cater our wedding in January and they did not disappoint! They were easy to work with and everything went very smoothly. We had family and friends in from out of state that wanted to experience true TX BBQ. Let's just say they were blown away by Gatlin's food and service! Whether it's stopping in to grab lunch or catering for 100+ I'd recommend them to anyone! A+++++ read more

Before I met my wife, Gatlin's set the tone for Houston smoked meats. A couple years passed, I met my wife, and we tied the knot. Now, Houston will be visited a handful of times a year... and by divine providence Gatlin's relocated to my Mother-in-Law's neighborhood. On the whole, the meat is of good quality; however, I couch that comment with an acknowledge that I am a local to Austin and thus compare everything to the golden standard of Franklin and Friends. Venison provides a nice unique option, but the brisket is the go-to. Bark is thick, sweet, and smoky; however, moistness is lacking. Grab a side of mac-and-cheese, and you have yourself a quality barbecue meal. Gatlin's offers visitors and locals alike an adequate option for good grub, and I would urge you to swing by if you are in the far north side of Houston proper. read more

OMG this is literally the best BBQ I have ever had. The meat fell off the bones on the ribs. The brisket was moist and tender. The sauce was good, even the mundane things like the bread was good. The only thing I'd shave a tiny fraction of a point off of would be the links, surprisingly I can't benchmark on links cause usually everyone's links are housemade and excellent. I got the spicy and they weren't the best links I'd ever had. Next time I'll get the regular links. I couldn't tell if the spiciness of the links was making everything else taste spicy or if they kick up the spice on everything - the rub, the sauce. I suspect it's the latter. The sides were good too, we got dirty rice, mac & cheese and this very tasty coleslaw. BF couldn't let it go and went back and got some desserts. A chocolate brownie type thing and a cake that claimed it was lemon but didn't taste lemony to me. It was still delish. I want to go back but there are so many other BBQ places I want to try. But I will go back probably sooner than later. read more