Serious firepower

Ronnie Killen fires up newest location of his barbecue restaurant in The Woodlands

The Woodlands has a new destination for "the best barbecue, period." Ronnie Killen quietly opened the second location of Killen's Barbecue last weekend in a former Culver's (8800 Six Pines Dr.).

Over text, the chef sounds relatively pleased by his first weekend of service, during which he supervised the cooking and continued to train the staff. "I think I got three hours of sleep this past weekend," he writes.

Sleepless days notwithstanding, one thing is for sure: the restaurant will produce plenty of food. Killen has installed two Oyler rotisserie smokers and two traditional offset pits from Cen-Tex Smokers to power the restaurant. That should be enough cooking capacity for 150 briskets, 90 racks of pork ribs, and the other meats Killen's Barbecue serves, including turkey, pulled pork, and housemade sausage. Signature sides like creamed corn, mac and cheese, and cole slaw are also available.

The restaurant needs some finishing touches inside to be fully complete from a design perspective, but photos on social media show that it replicates the look of the Pearland original.

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"My goal is for the barbecue here to be better than in Pearland," Killen adds. That would be quite an accomplishment, considering the original location has been ranked by Texas Monthly as one of the state's 50 best barbecue joints.

For now, The Woodlands location is open for dine-in and to-go from 11 am until sold out. Drive-thru service will follow in the coming weeks.

In total, Killen now operates eight restaurants: two locations of Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland and The Woodlands; two locations of Killen's Barbecue; Tex-Mex restaurant Killen's TMX; Killen's Burgers; Killen's STQ, a steakhouse-barbecue hybrid in Briargrove; and Killen's, the comfort food restaurant he opened off Washington Avenue this summer.

Expect Ronnie Killen's famous smoked meats at the new locale.

Killen's barbecue meat platter with sides

Photo by Robert Jacob Lerma

Expect Ronnie Killen's famous smoked meats at the new locale.

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switcheroo

2-acre Houston patio bar rebrands with new name and family-friendly menu

Photo by Sean Rainer

The bar's patio includes 10,000-square-feet of turf.

A bar in Houston’s Near Northside neighborhood is switching things up with a new name and revised menu. Effectively immediately, Woodland Social is now known as White Oak Social.

Simply put, the new name is designed to end confusion about the bar’s location, which many people assumed was in The Woodlands. In fact, it’s located next to popular concert venue White Oak Music Hall, which is reflected in the new name.

“We wanted a name that truly represented where we are and the community we serve,” the bar’s owners said in a statement. “Many guests thought we were located in The Woodlands, so renaming the business to White Oak Social makes our location clear and aligns our brand with the neighborhood we love.”

Along with the new name comes a few improvements. They include an outdoor playground that’s designed to appeal to area families, many of whom are already regulars.

In addition, the restaurant has broadened its menu. While pizzas still remain, White Oak Social now offers burgers, chicken tenders, more entrees, and a kids menu. An all-new brunch menu includes updated cocktails and more options for kids.

Piper’s Hospitality Group (Preslee’s Southern Good Eatery) opened Woodland Social in 2024. Originally named for the Woodland Heights neighborhood, the two-acre property has an 8,000-square-foot main bar area, a 15,000-square-foot outdoor patio that includes 10,000-square-feet of turf, and more than 100 parking spaces.

“We’re excited for this next chapter,” the group said. “The new name, the expanded menu, and the playground show our commitment to being a neighborhood gathering place for all ages.”

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