I decided to try this place for BBQ spare ribs based on reviews. I ordered the BBQ meal - spare ribs and and brisket. It was awful! The spareribs and brisket was dry and chewy. The corn side dish was edible. read more

Best pit barbecue this side of Texas. The contender is crazy! The service was fast and smooth, and the inside of the restaurant takes you back to an old school barbecue joint somewhere in the middle of nowhere Texas. Can't recommend this place enough! read more

So its 1:20pm on a Saturday afternoon and this place looks about as lively as funeral... Pretty pathetic scene tbh.. They had an awful live band playing, would've been better to play whatever was playing on the country music station. As for the food the quality, its pretty good. The prices are ridiculous though, for $7.95 you just get brisket sandwich. Any sides you want like potato salad I got start at $2.95!! I did get a sample of some really good sausage slices as a sample from a guy who I guess was the manager on duty...guy came to table like 3 times within 10 minutes... Super annoying.. Guy seemed so desperate to get my approval of the place... So sad. I normally don't leave such scathing reviews; but for a guy who's a professional chef and been working in the industry for over 5 years all I can say these guys need to revisit their menu prices and also get some new servers in there! My server had all the enthusiasm and friendliness of someone who was about to get a rectal exam. This restaurant may have been in business since the late 30's but it's time for a fresh look at service practice, menu prices, and management style. read more

Pizzitola's Heritage BBQ - Half eatten bbq sandwhich - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Nothing fancy, just excellent BBQ. We live in AZ now but I dream of the ribs. Last time we visited Houston, this was our first stop. Try everything, it is all great! read more

The food was bland. I had this several years ago and it was delicious, but this time it was just plain. I definitely was disappointed this time. read more

Pizzatola's is where recently relocated Northerners will bring their out of town guests to enjoy some terrible Texas BBQ. I would have given it zero stars if I could:) Oven baked meats, doused in liquid smoke, with non-rendered fat and below average sides is what you should expect if you are silly enough to come here. Go to Truth BBQ, Pinkerton's, or Killen's if you want some really excellent Texas BBQ. read more

Best bbq ribs in town! You haven't had truly good ribs, until you've been to Pizzitola's. It's OMG good! The staff is nice and often has a friendly sense of humor. Once you get inside, you may feel like you've been transported to Odessa, TX or some small town. Try the banana pudding if you have room in stomach. read more

Pizzitola's Heritage BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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My husband brought me some of his food back from lunch. He got the brisket plate with potato salad and mac and cheese. The brisket a little dry a good combo of fatty and lean but not much flavor you need the sauce. The potato salad was traditional southern which I liked. The mac and cheese one step up from Kraft because they add shredded cheese. It satisfies the bbq craving but nothing stands out.. I had Gatlins a few weeks and my normal go to is Rays. My husband said even Pappas bbq brisket has more seasoning. This place has been around for some time so I think they just haven't elevated anything. read more

Pizzitola's Heritage BBQ - Brisket mac and potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great spot for spare ribs in Houston as this has been here forever. Great taste, great sauce. Pizzitola's is a staple here in Houston. For other types of meat it is not my favorite, but one of my favorite sports for pork spare ribs. read more

Great dining experience, I have driven bye this place for years but today we stopped. Walking in we were quickly seated , given menu and got our drink order. Ordered brisket and 1/2 lb of ribs. The brisket had everything you look for in good smoked meat. , good bark , smoke ring ,with pull apart tender. Flex test over a fork and the meat bent right over. Ribs were nice smoke color and when bitten left a good bite radius , tender to the bite My only negative comment was the rib was a little over salted. That is my taste profile , others would probably not notice. There was a sweet after taste and pepper after taste which was pleasant. There was was tangy with a sweet vinegar chaser which I soaked my bread in. ( good BBQ doesn't need sauce to cover it up. read more

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Pizzitola's Bar-B-Cue has been around for a long time. They've been around far before the BBQ explosion happened in Houston. They're also at a great location in the Heights on Shepherd. I had dinner there on a Tuesday and was able to find a spot in their small lot. Pizzitola's looks like a country BBQ joint. No frills with a lot of memorabilia adorning the walls. Since I wasn't feeling any of the sides, they don't have fries, mac and cheese, or anything like that, I just went with the ribs. An order of ribs consists of three ribs with warm BBQ sauce, two slices of bread, and pickles. Not a big meal by any means so I'd recommend a combo which comes with two sides if you're hungry. Since my entree wasn't too much, I had the bread pudding for dessert. Everything overall was below average. Pizzitola's just can't hang with the BBQ heavyweights that have sprouted up around town. They're known for their ribs but I wasn't impressed. Service was good, the BBQ was just lacking compared to spots like Killen's or The Pit Room. read more

This should be your go-to spot for spareribs in Houston, no doubt about it. This place has been a Houston BBQ institution for years and once you experience the unique open-brick-pit BBQ taste, you will see why - in fact, they are the only open-brick-pit BBQ place allowed in the Houston City Limits! The location is a bit quaint and dated, but it sticks with the character and history of the joint. Order to dine-in or to-go, but just be sure to get some of the best ribs in town! read more

Old place and a little run down on the inside which is usually my kind of place as long as the food is good. It was not. It was 1:00 on a Saturday with only a few other tables filled. They were out of Mac and Cheese. Tried a brisket and sausage sandwich along with a plate of moist brisket and ribs. While the brisket was tender and the ribs fell off the bone, there wasn't much flavor in any of the meats. I didn't get even a hint of ANY smoke flavor in anything. It's almost like everything was under-seasoned and baked in an oven. I resorted to the BBQ sauce to add flavor which I did not like, nor did anyone in my party. It was almost like a Carolina vinegar based sauce....but without the vinegar. It was bright red so I expected some tang to it, but there was no tang, nor was it spicy, nor was it even that sweet. It was just bland. Also, $25.00/lb for brisket is crazy if it's not some of the best brisket I've ever had and this was far from it. Additionally, you are waited on (which is a crime for BBQ) so you have to keep in mind that you will be tipping on top of these high prices. We had a groupon which paid for most of the meal, but it's a groupon I wished we didn't have because we probably would've never went otherwise. With the amount of great BBQ places in Houston now, there are much better options for the same price even in the same area. 2 stars for the food being at least edible and the waitress was nice. The sliced white bread was also good. read more

Nice quaint building with a very country atmosphere located in the Heights area of Houston. Excellent & friendly service. I had the ribs, pinto beans and boiled cabbage with sausage. The ribs were very tender with a nice smoke flavor with a very light seasoning. I prefer a more spicy rub and a more spicy sauce though. The beans & cabbage with sausage were also very bland. The rating of 4 stars is due to the outstanding service, relaxed atmosphere and tender ribs, otherwise (due to the blandness of the vegetables and lack of spiciness of the rub/sauce) the rating would have been much lower. Overall, I'm glad I visited this local eatery, but I doubt I'll return. read more

Saw this BBQ on Good Morning America Summer Road Trip. It was a step back in time, but that's about it. It was very underwhelming. It was not bad, well... the banana pudding was miserable, it was gritty and lacked flavor. The brisket was the best part, tender and good flavor. The sausage was pretty good too. The turkey was a bit fatty and bland. The spare ribs were dry. I'm pretty sure the potato salad and Mac n cheese was store bought. The pinto beans... bland! The smoked coleslaw and sausage was the best side. Too much bbq to chose from on Houston. Next... read more

Alright, in all. Our waitress seemed tired/overworked, and had a solemn expression on her face most of the time we talked. She was okay overall, I just wish I had a fake can of nuts that ejected a wound-up snake toy that I could have used to liven her up ;-). The food overall was fairly good. The chicken was a bit dry, but the brisket and pork ribs were tasty, as were the other sides. This place was about what I was expecting it to be. Glad we stopped in and finally got to try it. I've eaten better and I've eaten worse... read more

When you give a review for a BBQ place and your review highlights the cabbage and the Mac and cheese that should tell you all you need to know. The sausage was absolutely nothing but greasy grocery store stuff, the ribs were fall off the bone, but that is because they were over cooked and had no ring taste. How you judge BBQ is the brisket. Of the uncountable places I've eaten brisket, this chewy mess of tasteless FAT was possibly the worst. No ring, half the slices we cut and threw away because it was fat and if you have to put sauce on brisket to eat it...IT SUCKS! They get 2* because of the small servings of sides. read more

Stopped in today and saw my old friend Tim. Such a warm and welcoming place and great service. Always nice to feel like home when you walk in to Pizzaitola's Thanks Tim I owe you one!!! PS the waitstaff is AMAZING. read more

Okay, I confess... I'm not a barbecue aficionado. My overall rating is based on the total dining experience... the food, the decor, the atmosphere, the service and the special Texas hospitality that my family received when we ate here (I may also have been prejudiced by my daughter's opinion that Pizzitola's is the best barbecue in Houston). We ordered a variety of dishes, sides and drinks and everyone thought that it was great. The owner (Mr. P?) was there and he did regale us with some history of the establishment and the area. He is a charm. P.S. I don't know where some of these reviewers are going because we spent $22/person which is less than a better known barbecue place that we visited during the same get-together here in Houston. read more

With a place that pushes their ribs, you'd expect amazing ribs right? WRONG. Just mediocre Q a best. The brisket is lean but still moist. The sides were blah, had to cover it in BBQ sauce to make it bearable. read more

It was bbq Ima say nothing spectacular. The slaw was good. The quantity of food was fair the quality was meh. Customer service was great the guy who took more order was very pleasant. How ever the guest in the dining area were rather, absurd hear a voice loudly saying "is this cowboy and Indians day" then this old white guy at first adored my son and then said this remark about "forgot to bring Bert" thinking because my son had on a green blue&white striped shirt¿ it was sorta weird. Was my first time patronizing; a very intimate place for my liking. I'm thinking it's self seating. And if your getting it 2go it's best to call ahead. To avoid lingering around the dining area for the mix banter. The 2meat dinner plate & beef slice sandwich I ordered. (Old draft review just submitted) read more

I will admit, it is difficult to find good BBQ in Houston, and we all have our own preferences. No one can beat my dad's BBQ, so I don't try to find restaurants that will serve me what I can get homemade at dad's house. As for Pizzitola's, it was pretty good. I had the brisket which had just enough fat and it was plenty moist. The flavor was very good and not too salty. Their sides are a bit boring. I think they would have more business if they had fresh sides - and cooler options. I tried ordering the grilled vegetables, but they were "out." I still don't see how you run out of grilled vegetables. I got the potato salad and pinto beans instead. The waitress asked if I wanted cheese and onions on it, so I said "Sure, why not," later to discover the dollar charge for it. When we first entered, we were greeted by a young man who was full of spirit. He sadly informed us that they had run out of ribs for the day, so he offered us cards to get a half rack free on our next order (with the purchase of a full rack, of course). He then offered to show us the old-time brick oven in the back of the restaurant and since this was our first visit, we went to check it out. He was very eager to make us feel at home. The waitress was not so enthusiastic, but she did her job. For this little run-down hut of a restaurant, I think the prices might be slightly high, especially since the sides are not too thrilling, to say the least. But I will probably be back because all of the meats I tasted (grilled chicken, brisket and sausage) were pretty darn good. read more

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Went in on a Saturday afternoon. Few customers. Seat yourself order from menu style restaurant. Staff friendly and quick to take your order. This is the place to go if you enjoy overpriced dried out meat! Will not go back! read more

Pizzitola's Heritage BBQ - Brisket sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place is awesome! Pizzatola's rocks! The only open pit BBQ in Houston, dating back to the '30's! It's location is grandfathered due to the Houston fire codes. We got a special tour of the pits. Josh, Jerry and Betty were the epitome of Texas hospitality. If you have a friend from out of town whose never been to a Texas BBQ joint this is the place to take them. It is very low key, unassuming, lots of Texas memorabilia on the walls with homage to all college football teams. Red and white checkered tablecloths, fresh sweet tea, warm wet paper towels to clean your fangers. [fingers] I've driven by here for many moons, always meaning to stop. I had a GF visiting Houston for the first time ever and was in search of beef ribs. I called Pizzitola's (among many others) and only Josh very kindly told me they did not have any and referred me elsewhere, saying "but when you want pork ribs, come see us!". In this day and age, I was impressed at the humble and gracious referral. So we went to Pizzitola's on a Friday night (2/6/15) and between two dainty flower ladies, demolished a slab of ribs. We had a side of beans and cole slaw and even though they were delicious, we just wanted the meat. We thought the rub was an exotic blend and were surprised to be told the secret. (I won't spoil it for ya'). Husband had the brisket which was fabulous. Betty gave us a sample of the sausage which we all loved. But IMHO, the ribs were the best. My GF had a Lone Star (when in Texas!!) and was given a coozie from a wedding that was held there. How cool was that? There are many stories in there, I hope you get to chat with Josh or Jerry or Betty and be entertained. I disagree with the naysayers here but everyone has their own tastes and opinions. There's a reason they've been in business for umpteen years, y'all. If you're a pork rib fan, do yourself a favor, gather your appetite and head for Pizzitola's! read more

Maybe I came on an off day. Maybe they had just served a huge group. But this Friday around 4pm, we stopped by with a groupon to give their BBQ a try and we were glad we didn't end up paying full price. It's pretty easy to park here, just watch for potholes. There was one table seemingly of regulars and plenty of folks coming to pick up food to go. Our server was not too friendly and wasn't very helpful with this being my first time here. We got the brisket banditos which were decent, but I don't think I could tell the difference between these and pulled pork. The rest of the meats (brisket, sausage, turkey, and ribs) were warm and dry. Of the lot, the turkey was probably the most flavorful. The mac and cheese was pretty decent but the beans were mostly standard. They do have a happy hour from 3-8pm just about everyday, which includes some starters and discounts on drinks. For the price of the food, I have definitely had better elsewhere. read more

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Best ribs in Houston! If you like dry rubs ribs this is your place. Love the long standing history of this place and it still never disappoints! read more

One star only because the wait staff were fairly nice, and the restaurant/restrooms were at least clean. Otherwise, if it were possible to give zero stars, this 'Kitchen Nightmares' candidate would get it. We used a Groupon I got a 50% discount on, and even then I felt ripped off. We came here on a Saturday lunchtime, and the BBQ we were served was blatantly made yesterday (or even days ago) and re-heated. Ribs were jerky-dry, and flavorless except for the gamey taste of low-quality pork. Potato salad was underseasoned, not even salt could give the pinto beans any flavor - even the BBQ sauce was lukewarm and utterly miserable. If they'd given me a bottle of sauce from the grocery store shelf it might have penetrated the sheer blandness of everything, but apparently this place would rather serve a crappy 'home-made' sauce with no hint of smoke flavor than something half-decent made by machines. I couldn't finish my lunch, so we ordered some pecan pie so I could have something somewhat enjoyable. They were out of the coconut cake. probably because they cook nothing on a Saturday, and just re-heat old food. It arrived icebox cold - they didn't even ask if I wanted it heated up. At that point I just wanted to eat SOMETHING and leave, even if it was a defrosted dessert courtesy of Sara Lee. Oh, and both desserts and sides are a complete rip-off - $5 for a slice of cold pie, or $2.75 for a single, lonely scoop of flavorless potato salad, both thrown onto your table so the tiny plastic dish clatters. Also - it took more than 15 minutes to deliver a sandwich to my spouse. It shouldn't take 15 minutes to put chopped beef on bread, especially when the place is empty. It shouldn't take 15 minutes to deliver chopped beef on bread to the table sitting less than 10 feet away, ESPECIALLY when I hear someone behind me say "these are for table (our number)" after 5 minutes, only for the waitresses to disappear from the restaurant floor for TEN minutes, apparently taking a brief detour through Narnia to get our food to us. They gave him no sauce, no condiments, nothing - he had to use what they gave me. They also charged us on the bill for a sandwich we didn't even order, and never apologized for this mistake. A completely miserable experience akin to the cafeteria of a nursing home, I'm convinced that Pizzitola's is kept afloat only on the blind, unwavering loyalty of people who've been coming here for decades, and people who've never eaten BBQ before in their lives. This place may have been around since the 70's but it's fallen from grace, and hit every branch on the way down. Avoid at all costs. read more

First service is very slow. God help you if you ask that meat on the potato is on the side because they charge the same price for the potato plus extra 1/4 pound . I guess they charge to separate. So ask for extra plate so you can scrape off the meat to dress the potato. The sauce is not really good. I usually like a sweet souce. Iced tea is not sweetened and I guess no straws. The manager Josh did come out and brought fresh meat that was topside instead of the very dry meat that was brought out. Sauce-. Plan and simple not good. Some people will like it but I like thick sweet molasses based sauce. At least I can say I've been, stop wondering if it's good. I do appreciate Josh stopping by and talking to me seems nice but that sauce is pretty bad! read more

Pros: great service, very friendly waitresses, very Texas country feel, they bring warm wet cloths for your harnds, & the ribs are pretty good Cons: I had to ask them to rewarm the food bc it just wasn't hot when it came out which was kind of a major turn off even though they were super polite about it. The chicken was somewhat dry. read more

A great local and historic BBQ staple inside 610. Really great brisket and Ribs, and the sides are awesome. Step away from the chains and give pizzatolas a try! read more

Ample parking. Great service. The manger was very courteous. He even brought me a sample of the turkey to taste. The staff go out of their way to make you feel comfortable..the food waa phenomenal fresh and seasoned. I will be coming back. read more

Pizzitola's Heritage BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

One the best bbq joints in Houston do not be fooled by the outside of its look of a old school bar look it's very friendly in side and family approved I highly recommend this place it's a Houston institution read more

Pizzitola's Heritage BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place is amazing! My husband and I were driving by and could smell the ribs. We decided to pull in and give it a try. We were not disappointed. The ribs are sooo tender and juicy. The bbq sauce is so flavorful too! Customer service is amazing. The staff genuinely care if you enjoyed your meal. I will definitely be back! read more

I had the 2 meat combo dinner with brisket and links. The brisket was just OK. The links were really dry and not very tasty. The potato salad wasn't very good either... it wasn't even as good as what you can get at a grocery store. However, I can say that their sliced bread was good. With respect to the atmosphere/ambiance of the restaurant, my wife and I commented to ourselves how depressing the environment felt. I understand this place has been around for a long time and there are plenty of other restaurants that have history to them as well. But this place just didn't give off a good vibe. It sort of felt like you were in the Twilight Zone. read more

If I could give Pizzitola's 50 stars I would. The brisket is the best I've ever eaten. The staff is so friendly. My husband and I came in on our anniversary and the owner came out to talk to us table side. I will continue to visit this piece of Houston's legacy read more

I was recently in Houston for the first time and was told by many people that Goode Co. and Pizzitola's were the best BBQ joints in Houston. I tried both and thought that Pizzitola's wasn't as good as Goode Co. The brisket and the spareribs were flavorful and smoky but quite dry, and the watery BBQ sauce didn't stick to the meat. The smoked cabbage was the best side dish I had at either place and the banana pudding was delicious. read more

I have been on a mission for the past 3 years to find the best BBQ that Texas has to offer. I read about Pizzitola's in "Follow The Smoke", and finally had the opportunity to stop in. The first person I met was Jerry Pizzitola, whom treated me like I was Guy Fieti. We ordered the Rib Fest Sampler with Pork Ribs, & Burnt Ends on the Brisket, with simple BBQ sides (Beans & Slaw). The ribs were fall off the bone, & had a simple, yet delicious dry rub. You know a great rib, when it requires no sauce, and these were exceptional. The sauce was really good, but absolutely was not needed. What made our visit even more awesome was when we ordered a 2nd helping of Brisket, & Jerry brings over a platter with Smoked Pork Butt, Smoked Sausage, & more burnt ends. The pork butt & sausage was out of this world. Tender, smokey, & tons of Texas flavor. To top off the delicious meal, I asked our waitress to bring whatever dessert she thought we need to try. She brings homeade banana pudding (made daily by their 85 year old grandma). It was a perfect end to a phenominal BBQ experience. I will be bringing my friends & family that visit Houston to Pizzitola's to get a real Texas BBQ experience. Look for Triple D to show up here somewhere down the line for sure. Yeah, it really is that good!!! Put this on your list of "must try's" if you are in the Houston area. read more

Pizzitola's Heritage BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Every now and then you just have an amazing food experience and that's what happened to me today when I stopped here for lunch. While I'm no BBQ expert I do know my way about some good eats and no stranger to good Texas BBQ. The main reason I'm giving this 5 is because of the "experience" and not just the food. I stopped by at 12:30 and the place was packed. I was seated quickly (and friendly) and sat in the corner. I ordered a rib dinner (I almost ALWAYS get brisket) but today it was ribs. Food arrived in LITERALLY 5 minutes but before the food got there two different people (other than my waitress) stopped by and asked if I needed anything. Wow, very attentive. Ribs, potato salad, and beans (generous portions) placed before me and I dove in. 1 minute later this gentleman from across the room looks at me and give me a thumbs up with a ? Like, everything good? Need anything? I'm like, heck yes! About 2 minutes later this same gentleman stopped by with another plate and said "this is desert to wash down those ribs..." On the plate was a sample of their brisket and links. Huh? Heck yes!! Of course I thanked him and said it was my first time... Turns out he is the owner. His name is Jerrry. We chatted while I continued to snarf down the meat and it was truly a lovely conversation. What a great guy. He walks away ONLY TO COME BACK with a sample of his chicken!! Dang!!! I eat all over the country and these experiences (sadly) are rare but this was a very special lunch that I won't soon forget. The food was awesome and the experience even better!!!!! 5+ Stars on Jerry. 4 Stars on the BBQ DEF GOING BACK! read more

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Came here based on an article we saw for the top 10 places to eat in Houston. (We're going down the list) Servers were friendly and food was excellent. Even better was $2 domestics all Saturday with the purchase of an entree. We all got something different to try the different meats. Chicken deboned was a little bit lacking but still good. The brisket, jalapeño sausage and ribs were AMAZING. Would definitely recommend. This restaurant has a long history in the city of Houston. Be sure to check them out! read more

Brisket enchiladas are the best. Extremely filling and flavorful. I will be back. The place smells great.