Killen's is always delish. The service can sometimes be off, but the food is always good. I recommend getting the brisket Benedicts, but get it "Jose's Way" (replacing the Texas Toast with a biscuit). So good. read more

Babysitters, pardon this old cliche, but "I've died and gone to heaven" is all that I could think of. In this case, a slice of heaven was right here at Killen's of The Heights Restaurant!! Today was my dear Mother's X3rd birthday (she's giving me the side eye thinking that I divulged her age) and my crew of eight (consisting of friends and family) rolled into Killen's with thoughts of gluttony dancing in our famished heads. Although we made reservations, it wasn't as busy and tumultuous as it can get on occasion. See, in the South, we love good southern cooking (kin folk, that's just the inner loop folks way of saying "soul food") and we love to let everyone around us know how much we love it. Our server, Ashley (a-dor-a-ble!) and I were helping my friends and family by recommending such Killen's favorites as the seafood platter with that wonderful catfish and shrimp, mind blowing BBQ plate, and chicken fried steak so delicious it makes you want to slap yo' Mama (just a southern saying, Babysitters! She's giving me the side eye again). The proportions were generous, and the creamed corn was dy-na-mite! Oh, Lort! I felt like I had kicked the winning field goal by introducing my family to this Houston institution and made this a memorable birthday for my Mom. Thank you Killen's! As usual, you were on point and you made my Mom feel like a million bucks on her special day. . Bon appetite, Ya'll. read more

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Excellent meal and service. The fried chicken was crunchy,moist, and tender. Even the Wedge salad with blue cheese and pork belly was a treat. Literally the best Wedge I've ever had - the slightly spicy pork belly was great with the creamy blue cheese dressing. Good sized portions at a reasonable price. Thoroughly enjoyed our Killen's experience. We WILL be back! read more

Good BBQ. The best not really. But certainly not the rest. I'd eat it again. The hype has subsided so that means the lines have moved on to the next fad. read more

First time at the heights location! Favorite things to get was the Pork Belly Burnt Ends (melted in your mouth and super flavorful and crispy), the Chips & Queso & the Peach Bread Pudding (creamy & buttery & made out of croissant bread). The atmosphere was very modernized too and they did really well on the remodeling. Plenty of parking spaces to the right of the restaurant. Restrooms were clean & had the fancy thick napkins. read more

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This was a nice spot for some good food. Food was good but expected more by way of flavors especially with the dinner entrees, I had the fried chicken suggested by the waitress and my bf had the pork chops, both looked amazing but neither had much flavor leaving us a little disappointed. Again wasn't bad, just expected more. We had the fried green tomatoes and deviled eggs for appetizers which were pretty good. Restaurant did have covid practices in place and a nice aesthetic inside. Staff was very friendly even though they were busy, just maybe a little more attention to the details. My water had something floating in it, a stem of some sort from something, through the whole glass so not something easily missed and then we were added an extra dinner entree on our check and wait staff told us they were glad we caught that Bc they saw it earlier and forgot to take it off. Again, though very friendly and no issues but just pay a little more attention. Would likely return to try some other dishes, maybe not right away though. read more

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Nothing to complain at all about this place. Service was really good, food is excellent here. Not many places you can find that has award winning bbq combined with other typical Texas fare. The pork belly is melt in your mouth. The chicken fried steak was wonderfully breaded and fried. Gravy is top notch. read more

Killen's - Chicken fried steak - Southern Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Great lunch spot! Socially distanced tables inside, still require masks unless seated at table. They do have an adjacent parking lot. Just get the pork belly- so much goodness from those bites and this is coming from someone who's not a super "fat" fan. We definitely over ordered. The 3 meat plate could easily feed 2- if you're going with the 2 meat def get the ribs coz those had the beat spice rub! Chicken fried steak was done well but nothing to write home about. But I def want to come back for the hot chicken sandwich. Also- DEF leave room for the bread pudding. It's just the best. I'd come back just for dessert!! But he warned- this cannot be taken down by one person- even if you're motivated. Too much buttery goodness. read more

Killen's - Empty plate where pork belly once was - Southern Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Probably the best mac and cheese I've had in a while!! The pork belly appetizer is also to die for. Always tender and has so much flavor. The restaurant itself looks boring from the outside, but the inside is super cozy and cute. The waiters/waitresses are always so nice and great. read more

Killen's - Mac & Cheese and Pork Belly - Southern Near Me - Houston, Texas

Pros: - Huge burger. (5 stars) - Friendly staff. (5 stars) - Restroom paper towels are premium grade paper. As weird as this point may sound, I figured I'll add this in for good measure. (5 stars) Cons: - Burger was huge but tasted weird. Not spoiled or old or bland. Just weird. (2 stars) Rather disappointed considering all the hype I have heard about Killen's. The hype must have been regarding one of the other Killen's eateries. - Fries tasted weird as the burger. And on the saltier side well. (2 stars) - Need to install touchless (hands free) mechanisms in restrooms (e.g. soap dispenser, faucet, door openers). (1 star) read more

This wasn't my first time at a Killen's restaurant, but it was my first time here. I debated whether or not I should go because I've been trying to eat healthier, and well... this is comfort food, so probably the opposite of healthy. I still wanted to go, though, because I like to try new places, it's around the corner from my house, and let's face if, I've never had anything bad at Killen's. Anyway, I went there with a friend who is also a restaurant owner and who likes to eat, so needless to say, we went overboard. We each had an appetizer, entree and dessert and of course a ton of leftover. Food: Starting with apps, we ordered the tamales (tasty, but a bit on the dry side to me) and the deviled eggs ( A perfect blend of sweet and salty and different textures (my favorite part of the meal)). For our entrees, we had the fried chicken (HUGE portion, absolutely delicious, but I wish it was all dark meat) and the chicken fried steak (great flavor but too chewy). Lastly, for dessert, we had peach bread pudding (too sweet for me and strong condensed milk flavor) and German chocolate cake (a bit dry and nothing memorable). Atmosphere: this place is cute and trendy and they practice social distancing. There's also ample (free) parking, which is always a plus. Service: our server was nice but not very attentive. He only brought one setting and we had to ask each time for a refill on our tea. All that said, I'd go again, especially if I'm trying to load up on carbs or need some comforting. read more

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Great atmosphere good food great service a hidden gem!. Enjoyed the deviled eggs and peach Mojito.

As soon I landed in Texas last week, I went straight from the airport to Killens for some delicious BBQ! The Brisket along with the sides were amazing. I Paired them up with a tasty Sweet Tea Mule. Definitely a great stop for an excellent southern comfort food experience in Houston! * Brisket Plate with Beans and Potato Salad. Added Mac N Cheese, Creamed Corn, and Corn Bread for the table. * Sweet Tea Mule- Four roses, lime, tea, and peach & ginger beer. read more

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Great food, manager was very attentive. The service was a little slow while sitting at the bar but to be fair the bartender made drinks from the moment I sat down/til when I got up and left. It took a about 10 minutes for me to get asked about my order but the manager saw me and took care of it. They were super packed around 6/6:30 so be patient folks! read more

Killen's - Chicken Fried Chicken - Southern Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Service was excellent. Food was delicious and the ambiance was nice. This restaurant and food is excellent and has all the great southern comfort food. Definitely recommend read more

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A girls trip to Houston & we were thrilled to have gotten a table at Killen's on a Saturday night! I'll start with the dinner I ordered...I got the chicken fried chicken with gravy on the side & okra!!! Ohhhhh weee! I about died & went to heaven the portion was HUGE and enough for me to share a few bites. Okra is also a favorite of mine & they sure did it right!! My friend ordered the 3 meat BBQ platter and thankfully she has plenty to share! Mouthwatering & simply delish! We made the mistake of thinking we'd share the The Mac n cheese and greens were not quite enough to share - get your own!! The service was great, the restaurant was clean & had the stylish open feel... well worth it & a high recommendation to enjoy when you're in downtown Houston! read more

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I had the fried chicken and Brussels sprouts. The sprouts were roasted with some dressing that involved bacon... could have been served warmer, but still good. The half chicken came out hot and crispy. With a little bit of Louisiana hot sauce, it was delicious. Next time, I may try the special of the day... tonight it was pot roast that came in a big, two-handled bowl. The place is clean and the service was friendly and good. read more

I visited this fine establishment during lunch... to say the least... we had a party of 8 and everyone's plates looked delicious! I couldn't take pictures fast enough to get everyone's meal... shows how good the food is.. only negative was staffing.. one waiter for the entire restaurant... I'm unsure if this is normal or if someone called in... read more

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I have visited this restaurant many times and it is always great! The servers are kind, and the food and drinks are delicious. I can't help but order some sort of fried chicken everyone because it is incredible. The buttermilk fried chicken is my favorite. This time I opted for the chicken tender salad and it was delicious! Fresh veggies, crispy bacon, and lots of fried chicken. The restaurant sometimes gets loud at peak hours, but is otherwise perfect spot. Parking can be limited on the weekend. We were just here at 5:30 on a Wednesday and had no issue parking or getting a table. Highly recommend this spot!! PS get the pupusas (currently on the specials menu!), they're incredible. read more

Killen's - Chicken tender salad and Mac & Cheese - Southern Near Me - Houston, Texas

Disappointed! I read about this restaurant and placed it in my list of "to-try". No reservations were needed. We walked in and was seated promptly. Our service greeted us immediately. I ordered a side car and it arrived with no issues, plus it was great. Ordered appetizers: deviled eggs and ribeye spring rolls. The deviled eggs were delicious. The ribeye spring rolls absolutely NOT! They were fresh but under seasoned like bland meat surrounded by nothing. It was horrible. I should have taken heed and close the check but I continued to order a entree. Entree: Chicken fried steak with mash potatoes and brown gravy. I also ordered the collard greens and fried okra. The chicken fried steak was large in portion and the gravy was great. The collard greens were honestly the best I thing they had on the menu. The okra was BLAND just fried in cornmeal. My friend order fried catfish and fries.. the food was BLAND and under seasoned! We tried adding salt, hot sauce and ketchup but she couldn't even eat it. Honestly felt Like I visited a overpriced Lubys or Picadilly. read more

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Sunday brunch visit on 01.09.22. Pork belly - (5/5). Pretty much every table orders these. Cubes of tender pork belly with a nice mix of meat and fat, in a sweet red sauce. Very good. Brisket spring rolls - (4/5). This was off their specials menu. Deep fried on the outside but not really crispy. They are really fat and stuffed with a generous amount of brisket and possibly a touch of BBQ sauce. The brisket was shredded like chopped brisket and is moist and smoky. Pork belly eggs benedict - (4/5). Similar to the pork belly and sauce used in the appetizer but sliced thin to sit on the english muffin. They put a slice of ham in here too which I feel like is cheating - give me more pork belly! Egg was poached well with soft whites and flowing yolks. Not mentioned on the menu, but it comes with thin crispy hash browns that help scoop up the hollandaise / yolks that fall out of the benedict. Chicken fried steak & eggs - (4/5) Absolutely bonkers portion size. Great salty crunchy fried chicken breading coating a nice thick piece of pounded beef. Good balance so it's not all breading like some bad chicken fried steaks are. They also give a generous amount of white gravy so no bite is too dry. read more

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Couldn't find parking at Truth so I want to Killen's in the Heights. Had some of the best BBQ and sides ever. My sides were Cole slaw, creamed corn and Mac and Cheese. The BBQ was so tender, no sauce or knife needed. And I don't know which side was best. So happy I went to Killens. read more

Second time here. First was during brunch when they opened a year ago. I had the pork belly eggs benedict. The pork belly was more like shaved BBQ pork with the sauce. I was disappointed. I was more impressed by the peach bread pudding. It has become one of my favorites for bread pudding. Fast forward to a few days ago for dinner. I've always wanted to come back for lunch or dinner. I dined with my best friend. We got the pork belly appetizer. So much better! Now that's true pork belly similar to Travelers Table but with BBQ glaze. My friend ordered the BBQ plate and subbed the sausage for extra brisket. I tried the brisket, and it was too dry for me. The potato salad was nice and tart to pair with the meats. It came with a side of beans that looked like more chopped brisket inside similar to chili. I ordered the chicken fried chicken. I'm so glad I did! It was massive. The breading had great flavor, and the chicken was tender and juicy. The mashed potatoes tasted from scratch. The white gravy was sour cream or cream cheese-based, which made the dish really rich. To add to that, the menu didn't say it came with a side, but I had a small side of black eyed peas. If I had known, I would've chosen a veggie to cut the richness or choose a different side. The bay leaf in the black eyed peas was overpowering and tasted medicinal. My friend hadn't tried the bread pudding, so we ordered one to share even though we were full. Their peach bread pudding is a cross between custard, creme bruleé, and bread pudding. We had plenty of leftovers and enough food to hibernate. I'd come back to try more sides! Service was great both times. I'd make reservations. It was starting to fill up around 7-8 pm on a Friday. read more

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Unfortunately this was a bad experience with the food( ordered a burger twice that was over cooked ) and manager, Curtis, who was not willing to comp any drinks for the mistakes and walked away from me during the conversation . Madison the bar tender was lovely but clearly the management doesn't care about customer satisfaction.....will not come back after coming here for 5 years. read more

This is my second time eating at this location in the Heights. I tried the Brisket Grilled Cheese this time. It probably would have been good if I did not change my order from the bread that it comes on to a hamburger bun. My husband ordered the Texas Brisket Burger and he said it was great. What I really wanted to rave about was the Peach Bread Pudding. Look at my picture!! Those peaches were swimming in that bourbon sauce (or whatever it was) and that sauce had soaked in the bread like pushing a spoon into a bowl of cereal. So heavenly!! I will definitely be visiting again. Also try the location in Pearland. Those mac and cheese balls are soooo good. And the brisket. And the collard greens. And the .... Well you get the point. read more

Killen's - Texas Brisket Burger and Brisket Grilled Cheese - Southern Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Everything we got was soooooo good... the server was knowledgeable and made sure all was good... it's a must go to again read more

Killen's - Bread pudding top notch and size was enough for two - Southern Near Me - Houston, Texas

Southern food at it finest. Don't be fooled by the outward appearance from a busy Houston intersection. This place is a gem. The interior is beautifully appointed. The waitstaff is friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. The bourbon selection is excellent for a smaller institution. We enjoyed the fried chicken, bbq platter, popcorn shrimp, collard green and peach bread pudding. All were excellent. The fried chicken and popcorn shrimp were both light crispy and juicy as the should be. The collard were tender and spicy. I usually have to add hot sauce but I was happy that I didn't have to today. The bbq was tender Smokey and flavorful. And the piece de resistance - the peach breach pudding was delicious. I alway find bread pudding too sweet but this was not. It was well balanced. Over all an excellent meal. We sat at the bar and throughly enjoyed the bar tender. Great service and pleasant conversation. We will certainly be back! read more

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I don't understand why this place is so empty. Servers are standing around waiting. The food is delicious, the service was great, the place was clean. I also think the prices are fair compared to Grace's and other southern places. I hope this place stays around. I'll be back. read more

Killen's - Delicious - Southern Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Absolutely loved their bacon Mac & cheese. Did not particularly enjoy the French toast or the hash browns, but I can not stop thinking about the Mac & cheese (there wasn't much bacon in it but that was okay with me!). The location has "complimentary valet" (they will strongly encourage you to tip) and it's in a good location. Would recommend if you're in the area. read more

Kind of too hyped up but I'd go back and try something else ! Probably the plates instead of what I got which... I don't remember. Pork belly appetizer way too sweet for my taste. But they accommodated. Good drink selection! read more

Classic southern comfort dishes, but make it ELEVATED! Each dish is presented so beautifully, and the portions are surprisingly very large. So although the prices are a bit on the higher size, the taste and size greatly make up for it. My friend and I ordered the following dishes: -Brisket Tamale: The brisket chili was amazing, but the actual tamale portion was really small and was not worth the price -Chicken Fried Steak, small: Call me basic for getting this, but it was really good! The small portion was huge, and I had leftovers to take home -Smoked Short Rib: Amazing! The meat fell off the bone and was so tender. The coffee bbq sauce paired well with the meat! Did not come with any sides though. -Mac and cheese side: No explanation needed here I ordered a gin cocktail, and it was very refreshing. I would recommend trying their special cocktails with your dinner! The ambiance was nice and bustling for a weekday dinner. I would definitely recommend getting a reservation ahead of time to avoid a wait, or head to the bar seating if you want to be seated right away. Service was great, and everyone was friendly! This is definitely a place to have a dinner if you're looking to impress your guest! read more

Been here numerous of times and it has yet to disappoint. The pork belly are a must have. Super tender and flavorful. The chicken fried steak was massive size and just the right breading. Their banana pudding is absolutely the best around. Service is always on point and nice vibes at the location. read more

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The staff was very welcoming & my "Guava Lava" drink was strong, pretty & delicious. The floor plan is very open & tables well spaced. Clean & cute with an elegant farm style. It was a Friday around 2, and the start of memorial day weekend so I have a feeling that some of the mistakes with the food were because some regular kitchen staff were on vacation or on break/in a meeting perhaps. I'd be willing to give 'em another shot since the foundation of good food was definitely there. I got their popular PORK BELLY & a BBQ meat plate of MOIST BRISKET & PORK RIBS with COLESLAW & CREAMED CORN. BELLY: They threw it in the fryer, which I don't think they normally do based on other review photos, and at too low a temperature at that since the chunks were completely saturated with oil (I used my cloth napkin to squeeze most of the excess out). It came with a red sauce & a small ramekin of green flavorless oil which we gave back to the server who didn't know what the heck it was for either. The server also divulged that another table noticed the SAUCE for the pork belly didn't taste like it normally does. The red sauce they gave us was actually a delicious spicy sweet BBQ sauce which totally worked out because the BBQ SAUCE they did give us for the meat plate was honestly disgusting (thick, not sweet, tomato based with an overwhelming amount of crappy yellow mustard). Honestly, it should go kill itself. Again, this seemed to be an off day so I feel like I don't even know if that's the sauce they normally use as other reviews mention a coffee one, & there was definitely NO coffee in that monstrosity. BRISKET: This was so great. Moist, perfectly smokey so not as smokey as Pit Room (but not as tender) & it just had a more complex yet subtle flavor I really appreciated, so Killens definitely wins this one. PORK RIB: Looked good, good bite to it, I think the spice on this was slightly less complex & more black pepper forward than the brisket. It was honestly a little difficult to taste because I'm pretty sure someone brushed oil on top of them. WHY? Whyyyyyy! I don't know who in the kitchen put that together but again lots of things off today as if they had no idea which sauces were for what or like they were front of house, actually I'ma bet on the dishwasher. COLESLAW: Pretty good. Creamy, lightly sweetened, but would have appreciated a little more acidity/vinegar. CREAMED CORN: Yummy! I'd say how could you go wrong but I'm sure other places do. It was thick, rich, creamy & not too sweet. read more

Went on a visit to Houston and absolutely loved the ambience. The staff was friendly and the food was delicious.

There's multiple Killen's locations and apparently the one in Pearland is the best because the pit master is there! This location was pretty good too. I like that they had a big parking lot. Service was great and food came out quick. No reservations required. Things we ordered: Apps: pork belly, deviled eggs, brisket tamale -pork belly had a sweet flavor and good texture -deviled eggs were a little too mustardy for me -tamale texture was kind of dry and was probably my least fave item Entrees: Chicken fried steak size LORGE - kinda chewy but good flavor; I probably would get the chicken fried chicken instead next time 3 meat bbq plate - brisket was kind of dry but good flavor, sausage was average, pork ribs were also dry Fried okra and creamed corn sides were DELICIOUS! The best items I ate. Our server did warn us that the BBQ meats would be dry for dinner and are fresher during lunch. read more

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If you like lots of salt, this is your 5 star home. I found the brisket (Waygu) very tender, but void of any flavor other than salt. The brussel sprouts were overly salted as well. THe waiter was solicitious and concerned, but he didn't taste the salt. We did get salt on the beer glass, perhaps they thought we oould have been slaves to salt and thought it necessary to over salt. I was very disappointed. I have eaten lots of Texas Bar B. Q and expected this would top the list, unfortunately, it is at the bottom. read more

Food was great . Everything was fresh and flavorful. The margarita was top tier . Super cute ambiance and the service was great .. definitely would come back to this place read more

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Deviled eggs and chicken fried chicken are delish! You won't regret getting them. You can easily share one portion, the chicken is huge! Also decent sized parking lot. We went at 6 when it wasn't too busy to be COVID conscious but by the time we left at 7, the place was packed. I do wish everyone working was masked. read more

Killen's - Chicken fried chicken - Southern Near Me - Houston, Texas

Amazing Everything!! We had the deviled eggs with pulled pork and they were an explosion of flavor. Then I had the fried chicken with creamed corn and baked beans. Beans were ok but the creamed corn?! Best taste ever. The chicken was crisp, fresh and moist. DELICIOUS. My boyfriend had the brisket (fall apart tender), turkey (so moist), and ribs (everything about them were perfect). We're both from California and it was A M A Z I N G. Don't even get me started on the banana pudding. In love and will be back!! read more

Service was great, open parking, the burger was seasoned well and so were the fries. The portions were big. The prices were ok. I wanted to try the mac and cheese but the deviled eggs won me over. They were super delicious. I'd definitely go back. read more

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