OK - foodies - make the trek. And if you claim to be a BBQ "expert" - this is the place. If not the top BBQ place in town - in the top few. Spotless. Friendly and quick service. To the important part - the meats and sides are outstanding. The brisket (with a slightly sweet sauce on the side) and sausage may be the best in town. Even the beans were memorable. And the portions are huge - we had the 2 meat + 2 side plate. I did not eat that evening... Now for the killer - the prices. The plate was $10.50. A plate of what I now call "mediocre" brisket and decent sausage + 2 sides (usually decent) at Goode Company is $18.00. And a lot less food. You owe yourself a drive about 10 minutes S of downtown. read more

First time having Texas BBQ and this is hands down the best experience. The food was absolutely delicious, but the service was even better. Forgot to take pictures because I was so hungry. Cucumber salad was my fave side but we tried all of them read more

Great BBQ! Although there could be a few improvements. Let's start with the highlights: -Friendly staff - even though the line was pretty much out the door for dinner orders, the staff were patient and accommodating. -Ribs dinner plate ($11), fall off the bone kind of goodness! -Plenty of table seating, as most people are taking their orders to go -A couple of TVs around Lasting first impression: -Saw two small cockroaches in the dining area....NOPE. Please keep the cooking/eating area clean! Food is good, but I just...can't. -Limited selection of sides, as they had ran out sometime during dinner and decided to not make anymore for the 730pm-ish crowd. Was hoping they could make more and continue offering all sides until closing. Overall the BBQ is great! Although given what I saw during my first impression, maybe take it to go so it won't ruin your appetite. I think I'm going to wait a very long while for a second visit. read more

I have been hearing about #RaysBBQShack for almost a year now before deciding to try it out myself. Now, If I was from Texas I would have given this 5 stars no question because I have never had quality BBQ here and literally buy BBQ in bulk when in my hometown on Little Rock and freeze it .. so sad... but I digress. On to the review. I made a vow a while ago that I would never eat food from a gas station or a place connected to a gas station. THAT WENT OUT THE WINDOW yesterday. PARKING: Ray's is located in the parking lot of a shell gas station. there are a few spots in front and few behind the store. Be careful as it's crazy getting in and out of the lot during peak periods (lunch and dinner rush) SERVICE: Nothing but smiles when you enter. The hosts are kind and patient with you but there are some rules. 1.) don't approach the counter on your cell phone or you will not be helped. 2.) no refunds. Make sure you know what you want 3.) Ray's closes at 8pm no later. If you happen to arrive at 7:59 and approach the door at 8pm, the nice young man will politely close the door in your face and flip the sign from open to close. SETUP: Small retail space. Capacity is probably 40, with that being said, if you want to come and SIT FOR #LUNCH arrive at 11am. If you want to call an order TO GO, do so at least 10-15 minutes before arriving at the restaurant or you will have to wait and there isn't much waiting space. FOOD.. FOOD... So I ordered a little of everything so that I could truly experience Ray's. I ordered the Rib plate which come with two sides and the Sausage plate that also come with two side. The RIBS - was so freaking good. There is a spicy sweet rub that goes on the meat, which makes it have this crispy, spicy, sweet crunch to it when you bit into the ribs. They were cooked perfectly and the meat fell right off the bone! The SAUSAGE - so tender and juicy with a little spice to it. This was really good with the BBQ sauce. The sauce is no joke too! I am going to just put it on everything. The SIDES - potato salad was ok, my mom's is better and the beans have what tasted like candied bacon in them. They were yummy... BUT THE BEST ITEM ON THE MENU IS THE FRIED CORN!!! It was so good that I may drive back by there just to slap someone.. LOL.. It's heaven and I didn't know what that tasted like until yesterday around dinner time.. I so want to go to heaven now. I will most certainly be back and am so glad that I bought a ton of #BBQ so that I at least have enough to hold me over through the weekend. read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - #FriedCorn #RibPlate #SausagePlate - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place has some of the best if not the best bbq in Houston. *The brisket is so tender and flavorful you just want to eat and eat *The Rack of ribs literally fall off the bone. The ABSOLUTE BEST ribs I've ever eaten... EVER!! *Sausage- so good and has a nice kick of heat to it *Potato Salad is great. And I am super super picky with potato salad and usually only eat my own *Cucumber Salad is phenomenal and very refreshing *Baked Beans- They add some of their sausage (which has that awesome kick of heat) *Fried Corn on the Cob.OMG that stuff is food crack. I've never eaten friend corn so wasn't sure what to expect.. WOW. It's pretty freakin awesome. An absolute must try. The only thing I didn't care for was there sweet tea which taste like syrup to me... This place is a hidden gem with some amazing food that will keep you coming back... or maybe it's the crack corn.lol! Seriously everyone has to try this place!!! read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - Fried Corn with brisket, chicken, Sausage, and ribs. - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Looking for amazing BBQ with excellent service? This is the spot in Houston! I came here starving and ordered a full rack of ribs and the house special with 4 meats. A bit excessive? Maybe? I just assumed that the portion size was small. Nope. There was so much meat you could feed body builders for life! I'm playing. It was amazing though, great smoky taste with fresh meat and great customer service! This place is unbelievably great! Highly recommend you visit this location if you love BBQ! read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - House special - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack is the transformation of a successful food truck to a brick and mortar location. The owner, a retired Harris County Sheriff, present when I dined there, was extremely friendly, interacting with every customer that came up to the counter. There is obviously a culture of fun and friendly service as every staff member provided great service and went out of their way to make all patrons feel comfortable. Their menu has a wide variety of options to chose from. The ribs and sliced beef are as tasty as several previous reviews have pointed out and will not disappoint. Even though I was in on a week night, Ray's BBQ Shack stayed busy. Most customer were getting their food to go so there was still plenty of available seating. With the amount of traffic coming in and out, I assume this location is packed on weekends. Definitely a great location to visit if you want great BBQ. read more

I've had a lot of barbecue. So far this is the best. Why are they making me type so many characters.

I don't understand how this place received all of the great reviews. I was very disappointed with my lunch. I had the sliced brisket sandwich, potato salad and an ice tea. The only thing that I enjoyed was the potato salad, it was excellent. The brisket sandwich was another story. The beef was dry, tough and lacking in flavor. The sauce was served on the side, it was Ok. It had an unusual flavor but still not bad. The Ice tea has to have been the funkiest tea that I have ever tasted. It tasted like it was mixed with grape juice, not good, not good at all. The employees were friendly but we were overcharged. We ordered the lunch special and but we were charged for the items individually, so instead of being $6.50 it came to $8.25 each plus tax. Nope, funky ice tea and tough brisket, I will not going to be going back to Ray's BBQ shack. read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - Funky ice tea... Taste like it was mixed with grape juice. - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Their barbecue is amazing, but the customer service sucks. My coworkers and I placed an online order for pick up, and they get the order wrong! I ordered sausage as one of the meats on the 3 meat, 2 sides platter and there was no sausage... We called the restaurant and the lady was being very rude, claiming that it was OUR fault for not checking prior to leaving the restaurant. Apparently there's a sign that says if you don't check your food there are no refunds. Also, the last few times we've ordered from here the portions seemed a lot bigger. Today's meal was just a disappointment overall. The food is great, but they definitely need a better staff! read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - Brisket, Ribs (instead of the SAUSAGE ordered), and Rib Tips w/ Dirty Rice and Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The fried corn, beans and ribs are all delicious. The brisket was quite tender, but not particularly flavorful. If you've never had fried corn, you have to try it. It's a good amount of tasty food for a decent price, I think the combo was about $15. It's totally a neighborhood joint, so don't expect anything fancy, just good food at a fair price. I look forward to going back and maybe trying the fish or shrimp. If i could get a ribs and shrimp combo ... oh baby... that would be nice! read more

This was our first time. I have mixed reviews. Coming from NC and Alabama, I assumed hospitality would be stellar. I was wrong...Although we were not greeted by the cashier the two people that prepared of food was nice. When I went to go wash my hands, an employee was blocking the entry and even after I said "excuse me" he did not move. Now to the food.... I got the brisket sandwich and half of it was fat!! Not my forte... read more

Ray's is no-nonsense, good BBQ. Good ribs, good sausage, good sauce, great beans. I ate about 1.5 times what I normally eat for dinner because the food was just that good! (I usually order a 2-3 meat plate and plan on taking leftovers, but not this time...oops...) It's a little place next to a gas station, and although it's small I didn't have trouble finding a seat. The lady behind he counter was absolutely hilarious, she was giving me a hard time since "I was one of them Rice students." Couldn't have asked for better service at the counter, or better food. It is also very cleanly, as it is well maintained. At first I was a little nervous based on the neighborhood, but this judgment was quickly set aside once I walked in. You have all walks of life here, because it's good food we all love to enjoy. read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - Three meaty ribs under all that sausage... Better than any BBQ I've had inside the loop - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

I'm back for the best Q in Houston. Family pack # 2 and a slab of ribs. I was asking my family What would you like to eat and since we were near, the answer was automatic Ray's BBQ. Nothing has changed in this place but get busier. If you come on for lunch you better get here early because you Will not find a seat. I just explain how much time, care and I will say it Love that Mr Ray puts in to his BBQ. It shows in the tast and quality. read more

Wow this place was great!! Worth the money for sure and it wasn't even expensive the whole meal was $35! The flavors were fantastic and the bbq sauce was where it's at! Love and would definitely recommend plus the service was great! read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - Brisket fully loaded potato and beef rib with spicy rice and green beans - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

I ordered a burger well done with mustard and ketchup on the side. The burger was cooked medium and the ketchup and mustard were on the burger. The ketchup was for my fries, which were soggy, not my burger. I guess your employees need lessons on how to read. I hate ketchup on my burger. Can't believe I just paid $20 for this read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - "Well done" - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great bbq place!!! Never been here before, but after seeing some yelp reviews, I gave it a try. 10/10 would come again. Very delicious. I had the beef plate with potato salad and fries. The order came out with pickles and onions atop the potato salad. Self serve the sauce. The meat was fantastic! Tender and juicy and the sauce... yum yum. I loved the the potato salad, it had a nice tang to it. The fries were steak fries and seasoned. The ketchup tasted very strange and I may just have gotten a bad bottle... but I decided to dip my fries in the bbq sauce because it was great! About nine bucks for this place PLUS a modest student discount--bring your id card if you have one. The place was small and busy. There was a queue that lined up after I got my order. There were four booths and two tables. Two large booths (6-8 people) and two smaller booths (2-4 people) and two smaller tables (2-4 people). I didn't have a problem getting a seat though, it seems like most people do carry out. I liked eating in though, the booth was comfy! Also the bus boy was so sweet, he even opened the door for us as we left! read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - Beef plate + potato salad and fries. Came with bread, pickles, onions. My friend got a two meat plate, ribs + beef. - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Ms. Angela was a big help. Loved the sausage and spicy rice. They were out of ribs at 1:30 pm... Really? Great taste and decent price. I come back for sure. read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - People were dying to get in this place! - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

One of the best BBQ spots in Houston. For to-go call in your order for a quick transaction upon arrival. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu;I'm sure I have had every item. Enjoy! read more

As much as I've been here, I can't believe I've never given Ray's a review. I absolutely love this place! I have never ever, ever had bad food or bad service. It doesn't matter whether I get my food to go or eat here, it's always good! The team here is top notch and of course, so is the food. I even have to run the boudin to College Station for my daughters. They are reasonably and competitively priced...overall inexpensive for barbecue in Texas. Just because a restaurant is located in the "hood" it doesn't mean their prices have to be dirt cheap. As I type this review, I'm munching on their delicious tea cakes. read more

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I was disappointed The catfish they advertise on there menu is actually swai fish not catfish , I know real catfish when I taste it waste of money I do not eat swai fish , stick to Pappadeaux if you want real catfish all these restaurants are charging catfish prices with swai fish smh. read more

Pro: Very large brisket plate. Fresh food & clean place. Con: Although my husband enjoyed the dirty rice the sides choices are very limited. Also, the strawberry lemonade was a little too sweet. Looking for good brisket you will find it here. read more

Hidden gem that we stumbled across on our first day in Houston. The food was delish and you get an abundance. Enough for two people or enough to have leftovers. The service was great. Our cashier was very sweet and helpful. And its a black owned business! I'd come back next time I visit Houston read more

I Love the BBQ here, I don't even think it needs any more complements, and reviews but I would like to add to this place, the fried fish is very well prepared, and fried crispy on the outside, my wife loves everything about this place, I believe the location late at night is the only thing she doesn't like. read more

Wow. Those ribs were out of this world. Seriously hands down some of the bbq I've ever had. What made those ribs so good? It was the smoky scent that hits your nose as you sit above your rack of ribs. It was the soft meat that easily fell off the bones. It was the rich seasonings and saltiness of the meat and fat. The meat was juicy as you bit into it. The homemade bbq sauce went really well with everything. Sorry if that was dramatic or too much. But seriously. Damn. The sides including potato salad and spicy rice were really good. What makes this place even better is the family charm of the shop. It really feels like your coming into a family owned shop where the food is made with love. Check out Ray's. It's worth the trek and will satisfy that bbq crave! read more

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Great BBQ and friendly staff. I definitely recommend the Brisket, A-mazing!!! My new favorite BBQ spot. read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - Brisket and Sausage - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

The only BBQ place that I have been to (and I've been to a lot) who actually season their burger meat. They do tend to be well done but they are still really good. My family is very southern, and we are very picky about our Cajun food and our BBQ. However, this place has never let us down, I've been at least 5+ times and they have amazing consistency and quality of food. Their Brisket is tender and juicy with the right amount of seasoning, their macaroni and cheese is to die for, and their homemade beans are smoky and sweet with a great kick. Now, not everyone can fry fish but damn can they fry fish and shrimp. There hasn't been anything on their menu that I haven't liked so far. I love supporting Black owned and family businesses and this place definitely lives up to the hype. I'm gonna be honest, no offense to The Pit Room but this place is WAY better. read more

First time visiting Ray's BBQ Shack and it was definitely worth the cost; the meal did not disappoint. Only two words needed ...... "So Good!!" 9 piece jumbo shrimp, three hushpuppies and steak fries. I haven't tried the BBQ but if it taste like the shrimp it's worth trying. read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - This picture doesn't do the meal any justice. - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

I'm not going to pretend to know anything about barbecue at all, but they have some damn good stuff. I got to try their sausage plate, ribs, and brisket, which were smoky, juicy, and tender. And that fried corn on the cob? I never say this, but OOOHMYGOD. Their spicy rice and cucumber salad were pretty excellent as well (potato and macroni salads were eh). For the portion size and quality, price is very reasonable. It's located by a gas station on OST in a very unassuming part of town. I never would've known to come here without the reviews here, and am glad I came to give it a try. The place would be perfect with outdoor picnic tables and BYOB... read more

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I had a VA appointment and decided to try some good bbq downtown since I was in the area and new to Houston. The order was fulfilled quickly and the food was hot! I got the sausage and brisket plate with potato salad (which is bomb) and dirty rice. Everything was good. I'd give them a 9/10 just because I didn't feel like it was something I couldn't find anywhere else. I also got the catfish with 4 shrimp and that was also good. I didn't like the fries that but that's just cause I don't like steak fries but they were seasoned so nothing wrong with them if you like that cut of fries. The bbq sauce on the side was pretty good, it has a little kick to it but not super spicy. The peach cobbler was bomb as well. The people were also nice and friendly. Would recommend this place! read more

The fish that I paid for that your staff and menus says is catfish it is NOT catfish it's Swai. Customers should be informed properly about what they are eating. read more

Y'all need some good ole homemade bbq with some love this the place I recommend this for everyone

Two words.... Rib Tips! I've been getting g the same plate since they were at the old location. So good. read more

Had known about Rays BBQ since 2020 or 2021 and never had the opportunity to visit because I live very far from them( Katy mills area). Decided to finally commit to going today as an early birthday present to myself. Not a pork eater so was eager to try the beef ribs. Had them and the loaded French fries. Very good and very large portions. Definitely will go back again. read more

We ordered the turkey burger with fries, kids 1 meat/1 side platter and the fish and 6 shrimp basket with fries. It was more than enough for the 3 of us! Turkey burger accompaniment no longer has romaine lettuce, instead has shredded lettuce...regardless, it was moist and juicy. Fish and shrimp basket had large filets of fish and 6 huge jumbo shrimps. Overall, food was delish and didn't break the bank. read more

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Ray's bbq came through for me. For my daughter graduation party, everyone loved it. Thanks

Rib tips were good, mac and cheese was creamy but had no flavor, briskets tender, but no flavor. Portion size for the 3 meat plate was skimpy.They gave me 4 tips for a portion. Could have been better. Didn't make me want to come again. read more

This place did not disappoint!!! We were greeted at the door and table cleared off for us while we ordered in line. There were 4 of us dining and the cashier recommended the Max. It was a good choice because it allowed us to get a tasting of everything. However the portion size is probably just enough for 2 hungry people. Everything was soooo good though!! We ended up ordering more sides so that there was enough to go around. The catfish, mac n cheese and ribs were amazing! I highly recommend it!! The service was great too, everyone was very pleasant read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - The Max Platter - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

WOW what can I say. These ribs were fantastic. First time in Texas and it surely lived up to its hype! Their fries were crisp with tons of flavor. Had the Mac and Cheese and that stuff was DANK. Best Mac and Cheese I had in my life. Would definitely go back to this place again! Amazing food what a great start to my trip in Texas. The food came out really quickly and the staff were really friendly! Love the atmosphere of this place, truly a gem of Texas! read more

Ray's Real Pit BBQ Shack - Barbeque Near Me - Houston, Texas

Ray's was delicious. Complemented with a very friendly staff, their brisket plate left nothing to be desired. After I ordered i was a little worried that I didn't get enough food but when the food came out I was very happy with the portion size. The brisket was phenomenal. I had the Mac and cheese and baked beans as well which were great. read more