Stopped here yesterday and got 1.25 lbs of mixed (moist and lean) brisket -- $27.00 per pound and a slab of ribs ($20.75 per pound) which was about 2.25 pounds (pics attached). My favorite were the ribs. Cooked perfectly. Tender but not falling off the bone. Well trimmed. Great flavor. Basted lightly in a bbq sauce. The brisket was good and appears to be their most popular item (they run out frequently). But I've had other brisket that I like better. I like their bbq sauce and they gave an ample portion on the side. It's a small place and there is no eating inside although they have outdoor seating. It's counter service. And a big plus is you watch them carve and weigh your meat while the person at register keys in exactly what you owe. Process was friendly and expedient. I've been here a couple of times before and will definitely be back. read more

Pennie's Tex Mex Take Out - 1.25 lbs of Mixed (lean and moist) brisket -- $27 per lb - Tex-Mex Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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I found this spot on YouTube and seeing is believe with this place. The food and tamales were OUTSTANDING. I had to stop myself multiple times from going back to make sure we could try the other places on our list but this one was by far one of my absolute favorites. The service was amazing and very fast and while we didn't eat here the area to eat here was very cute and outside, which in Texas is my favorite. If you ever have the opportunity to stop in here and grab some tamales and brisket I HIGHLY recommend it! read more

If you are in Galveston give this place a moment of your time it will be worth it. I decided to walk to the famous Pennies from our air bnb. As I rounded the corner I could see the smoker and it brought a smile to my face. I ordered 3 dozen tamales but I couldn't resist ordering a pound of the brisket as I opened the door to them slicing it right in front. Food porn for sure. Very friendly staff who were welcoming from the moment I walked in. When I got home I ate 3 tamales and a slice of that brisket. The tamales had subtle heat and were yummy. But when I tell you the brisket was lights out believe me!!! I asked for it thin cut and drizzled a little bbq sauce on top. No seating that I saw but it was a cold day and i have heard they have little tables outside. The line went out the door. Excellent experience. read more

Great food and friendly service, conveniently located just off the C Wall, awesome place read more

Pennie's Tex Mex Take Out - Tex-Mex Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Great service. Came towards closing but the food was still delicious. Will have to come back earlier to try out them other meats. read more

Pennie's Tex Mex Take Out - Brisket, sausage, mac n cheese, green beans, chicken fajita bowl, chopped brisket sandwich - Tex-Mex Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Tamales. best ever. added their salsa on top. Ask for 2 of those if you go or order a big portion of it. Moist, tasty, filling. wrapped husks, pork beef mixture. bbq delicious, was'nt fond of how they cut it up for me but oh well no biggie. I am definitely going back. cost: $$$. read more

I'm not a tamale gal, but I am a Pennie's tamale gal! My friends suggested this place after they saw it on the Texas Bucket List show. This is a tiny little tamale hut in a house looking type structure off the Seawall in Galveston. This is a pickup place only. There is no space to dine. The entrance is literally only able to hold 6-7 people, and that would be tight. The 4 of us were inside and another 2 came in, so I very well know the size of the space. We arrived right before closing so they only had the pork tamales left. The service was great even though they were about to close, and the tamales were piping hot. We ate in the car since we were all so hungry. The tamales were delicious! Like I said, I'm not a tamale fan, but I am a fan of this place! The salsa is Smokey and perfect as a topper. I will be back. Great job, guys! read more

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Fantastic BB-Q & equally amazing tamales! Yes, it is an interesting combination but they absolutely make it shine!! Try this family owned business when you want something new on the island read more

The tamales were delicious and not greasy which can be a turn off. We enjoyed the barbacoa. It was lean and tasty. The homemade salsa made the total experience a 5 read more

Everyone raves about Pennies and I will as well. The brisket is incredible, potato salad was insane, and pinto beans were good. My only complaint is they didn't have all of the sides or dessert available... because they're so good that they sell out. I really wanted the banana pudding trifle but they didn't have it. Also didn't have green beans.... Just means we have to keep going back until we can try it all! The portions are smaller than traditional Texas bbq places. If you're used to going to Katz, Franklins, etc, don't expect those gigantic portions from Pennies. The flavor is to par, but you have a normal, acceptable serving size. I wouldn't say they're shareable portions. I didn't want to share a bite! Haha The ambiance is so unique! There's tables outside but we like to take ours home. If you haven't been, you're missing out. If you want BBQ on the island, call Pennies. read more

Pennie's Tex Mex Take Out - 1 meat plate : brisket, potato salad & beans. - Tex-Mex Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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OMG what a surprising treat. We ordered 4 tacos and they were probably the best tacos we've ever had and we've had a lot of good tacos being from California. We will definitely be back next time we're in the area! read more

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My wife and I recently visited Pennie's for lunch. The restaurant primarily caters for to-go orders even though there are a couple of tables available for outdoor seating. The restaurant serves barbecue options but they also make tamales that they are well known for. Thus, we ordered the Tamales and a Sliced Beef Sandwich. The tamales were delicious; soft, savory and hearty and filled with flavorful seasoned ground pork and beef. The Sliced Beef Sandwich was ok but does not meet the quality of many Texas barbecue joints. The brisket was meaty and smokey but was a bit on the dry side and really needed the barbecue sauce. Overall, Pennie's is worth a visit for the tamales. read more

Pennie's Tex Mex Take Out - Sliced Beef Sandwich - Tex-Mex Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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October 17, 2021 Been getting these tamales for years... This time I pre-ordered tamales and barbacoa tacos; those tacos are ONLY sold on Saturday-Sunday. They didn't have their delicious banana pudding today though, bummer. Tamales are delicious as usual. Buy local. Support small businesses! read more

Pennie's Tex Mex Take Out - Barbacoa taco only on weekends!!! Yum! - Tex-Mex Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Well, the last two times I went in there the ribs were terrible. I got like an end cut they were burnt and I'll be honest with you. I work hard for my money. They're very expensive and the guy behind the counter that cuts the meat up peas he's not very friendly you know I expect people to be you know nice to you if you're spending money, but the guy seems to be in a bad mood all the time. I don't know so like I said the last couple times the the meat just was terrible. The sausage was burnt. The ribs were burnt. Maybe they had a bad week. I don't know but not sure if I'm ever going back read more

Some of the best smoked chicken I have ever had!!! This is better than my Dad's and that's my favorite dish of his. Haha it doesn't even need the sauce bc the flavor is so lovely! The green beans are delightful too. The prices are great. I will have sweet dreams of this chicken until next time. Yes, the tamales are bangin too, Great job! read more

Pennie's Tex Mex Take Out - Half a Chicken, Green Beans, Pintos, and Tamales - Tex-Mex Near Me - Galveston, Texas

The best tamales!! I read that the staff was a bit stuffy but this past week when we visited they were all super sweet and happy to serve their amazing food read more

What a pleasant and delicious surprise. We almost turned back around due to the street construction but glad we made the effort. This is a must come back again and again and again. Met some of the family and learned where the name "Pennie" came from. It has to do with shoes. Thank you! read more

Pennie's Tex Mex Take Out - BBQ Wood - Tex-Mex Near Me - Galveston, Texas

So consistently delicious. I love their fatty brisket. Sausage is flavorful with a little spice. Ribs also really great. We have had the rice (Mexican style rice), beans (they are charro so don't expect bbq pinto beans), homemade tortillas, tamales, potato salad-- all fantastic every time we go. Everyone is so friendly with fast service. The space is tight so don't expect to go there and wait if they are busy- they do a great job of giving an estimated time of readiness for your order. This is a locals' favorite and will be for years to come! read more

Fair price for decent barbecue. Mostly everything was good but not great. The tamales were a let-down though. They kind of reminded me of the kind you get in a can. read more

Best bbq in Galveston!! Again, mark my words from a guy that competes in bbq cook offs, this is the best bbq on the island! read more

This cozy little neighborhood joint has very good ribs at reasonable prices. My brief interactions with the staff have been very pleasant. But it is the size and flavor of the ribs that makes me think of this place often. Worth trying. read more

Delicious tamales and very friendly people! We got 10 dozen tamales for Cinco de Mayo and enjoyed working with them.

The tamales are inconsistent here. Sometimes absolutely devine-moist, flavorful, n spicy. But at times, theyre dry and bland. I don't use measuring cups but Im hoping businesses do since consistency is expected. For a dozen tamales, they gave one small cup of salsa. read more

Pennie's Tex Mex Take Out - March2023 - Tex-Mex Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Amazing food that was delivered to our table in the courtyard in such a short amount of time! The customer service was excellent and prices are great! love the outdoor patio that you can sit and enjoy great food and amazing weather. read more

The brisket is delicious. I tried the tamales some of the best tamales I've had in a long time. They have banana pudding today and that was really good too. I definitely definitely recommend this place. Especially for the brisket and tamales. read more

We have been wanting to try this place for awhile now but usually when we are in Galveston we go to a restaurant and dine in. You know, soak up a few appetizers, take in the atmosphere, peruse the menu, that kind of thing. Well that's really not an option right now so we finally pulled the trigger on some take out from Pennie's. So glad we did. The brisket is right up there with Killen's and CorkScrew for me. It pulls apart and doesn't just break or crumble when you give it a tug. And there was enough moisture (grease) even on the lean cuts to make sure you get that flavor. Not a crazy heavy smoke but plenty to be sure. The skin on the chicken was a little floppy for me but the flavor was definitely there. If that skin was crispier 5 star for sure. Sausage and sauce were very good too. I really wanted to give it 5 stars because the crew was amazing, the place is clean, and the whole establishment seemed very well run. So it's a 4 for me this time but I'm confident within the next couple visits they will hit the mark on that chicken. Oh yeah!! The tamales!! Holy Schnikies. Absolute best tamales on the planet. We bought exactly not enough tamales. Can't wait to try this place again. read more

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Best brisket, big portion 3rd generation family business Very friendly Cute little place read more

Pennie's Tex Mex Take Out - Entrance - Tex-Mex Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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Best tamales on the island if not in the Houston area! BBQ brisket and sausage are fabulous.

The food at pennies is always excellent. This was one of the strangest visits I've ever had there. I was behind a couple of fellows while they made their whole order and were directed by the server that they could get a better deal, so they started all over again. That I have no problem with at no time did she look up and think can I help you while I redirect them. I was just doing a pick up of a call-in that I already made. Even the guys working in the back looked at me like we should get him out of that line. When I finally got up to her and the other guys were stepping aside saying you go on. She found out I had a take-out order and all I had to do was pay for it. And after all of that she had the nerve to ask me had I been there before. When asked her why, she replied, to see if I knew how things worked around there. When all she had to say was sorry for the wait. A simple sorry for the wait!!! The easiest thing would've been to ask me do you have a take-out order or something I can get right away for you sir. But her option was only one just let him stand there while I go back-and-forth on one order. read more

Love their tamales and the brisket taco plate is to die for.. Me and my family have been coming to pennies for many years and we where never disappointed in what we got to eat. I grew up on pennies. read more

Best damn BBQ on the island! The brisket is cooked perfectly it's moist and juicy. The chicken is tender and moist. The ribs are just delicious. The special BBQ sauce is unique and delicious. The baked beans are full of fresh flavors and are homemade! The potato salad is crisp and fresh! Here is the kicker go early or call in your order, because everything sells out. read more

Five stars for the tamales! We ordered the day before Christmas Eve and she accommodated our order. The beef/pork combo was delish- the ratio to meat and masa was just perfect. The salsa that came with it was great too. New tamale place for sure! Can't wait to try the barbecue next time! read more

Pennie's Tex Mex Take Out - Tamales to go! Yummy - Tex-Mex Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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Ordered our tamales for Christmas Eve from Pennie's. They were some of the best we've ever had! We were told they are among the best in Texas and I believe it! Also, the family was so pleasant when we picked them up. We will definitely try more from this business! read more

Came and tried some barbacoa after seeing other reviews and was honestly disappointed. The meat was bland and seemed too lean to be barbacoa. Now it was cheap, $11.99 a pound but there was literally no flavor to the meat. Ordered a pack of tortillas and was kind of shocked when I realized the tortillas were cold like they were kept in the fridge to stay fresh. And only one salsa cup was provided. The service was nice and the place looked clean but my meal was meh at best. read more

This food is amazing. The best moist tamales that I have ever eaten. Service is warm and kind. It is a hidden gem.

100/100. Such a great hole in the wall. Ribs were solid and brisket tacos were awesome! Maybe not world champion bbq, but for a sea-town, I was extremely pleased with the quality and execution. Everything from the salsas to the bbq sauce to the Tamales are made in house and it shows. Feels like the sort of place that only locals know about. Must stop here for an awesome fast meal next time in Galveston! read more

First, they are only open Thursday thru Sunday, which is annoying. Second, we went on a Friday just before 1 pm and they did not have any brisket accept for chopped brisket which is over chopped instead of big chunks. They said they would not have any more sliced brisket until the next day. It was a very disappointing visit. read more

food is always great, service is fast, but nobody behind the counter smiles and while good at their job, not very friendly

Oh yes! You'll think the tamales are awesome till you try the brisket and that is even more spectacular. You can get lean or fatty. Homemade, lots of care and pride in this little restaurant. Right now it's take out only but they're working on a courtyard dining area. The tamales are a traditional mix of beef and pork with a little bit of a spicy kick in the aftermath. Perfect ratio of mass to meat. Brisket had a lovely think bark and is very smoky. We had the link sausage too and it was just as good!!! read more

Omg...their Tamales and Salsa is out of this world good! There is a reason they've been in business for so long! I pre-ordered the Tamales because I was told they run out! I'm so glad I did! I didn't even try the BBQ on my first visit but it smelled delicious. I was going to get some sausage but they already ran out! Next time... read more

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