Order BBQ for Thanksgiving

8 best Houston barbecue joints for a smoking Thanksgiving feast

Let's be honest. The worst part of preparing Thanksgiving dinner is making the turkey.

Brine it? Flip it? Fry it? Cover it in foil? If so, for how long? Also, roasting a turkey takes up all that time in the oven that could be devoted to pies.

Instead of hassling with all that, consider buying a smoked turkey from one a local barbecue joint. Pitmasters know what they’re doing, and every meat tastes better with a little whiff of smoke.

This list isn’t comprehensive, but it does provide some options from both established players and up-and-comers in the barbecue scene. All are guaranteed to satisfy.

Feges BBQ
The Greenway Plaza barbecue joint has a full menu of Thanksgiving meats and sides. Choose from whole brisket (approximately 7 pounds, $130), turkey breast (approximately 3.5 pounds, $50), pork ribs (whole rack, $40 or half rack, $20) and sausage ($16 per pound, whole links). Sides options — loaded potato salad, braised collard greens, Moroccan-spiced carrots, sweet potato and banana mashers, mac and cheese, or cornbread stuffing — are available as half pan (7 to 10 portions, $30) or full pan (14 to 20 portions, $60). For dessert, consider PB&J chocolate cake, banana cream pie, or rum raisin bread pudding ($40 each). Orders via the restaurant’s website must be placed by Wednesday, November 14.

Killen’s Barbecue
Ronnie Killen’s acclaimed barbecue joint will once again offer whole smoked turkeys (14 to 16 pounds, $70), whole briskets ($95), and brisket tamales ($20 per dozen). Pair them with signature sides like creamed corn, mac and cheese, or coleslaw for $9 per quart. Email eat@killensbarbecue.com to order.

Roegels Barbecue
This Briargrove fave, and member of Texas Monthly’s prestigious top 50, offers bone-in hams and whole turkeys for $65 each. All the usual sides are also available for $6.95 per pint or $11.25 per quart. Call the restaurant 713-977-8725 by Wednesday, November 14 to order.

Buck’s Barbeque Co.
Jim Buchanan is offering whole turkey breasts (approximately 4 lbs, $55), whole briskets (approximately 9 pounds, $125), and whole ribeye rolls ($18 per pound, order by weight). Custom cooking is also available. Email orders or inquiries to jim@bucksbbqco.com. Orders must be received by 5:00 pm on Friday, November 16th.

Corkscrew BBQ
The Spring barbecue joint will offer its full menu of whole meats and sides for Thanksgiving pre-orders. Options include brisket (approximately 6 to 8 pounds, $20 per pound), turkey breast (3 to 4 pounds, $16 per pound), pork butt (4 to 6 pounds, $16 per pound), chicken ($12 each) and pork ribs ($26 per whole rack). Sides are available by the quart ($14), half pan (feeds 20 to 25, $45) or whole pan (feeds 75 to 80, $160). Orders via the restaurant’s website are due by Wednesday, November 14. Act fast. They sell out quickly.

Pappa Charlies Barbeque at Cypress Trail Hideout
The Cypress-area barbecue joint offers a variety of protein options for Thanksgiving: whole turkeys fried or smoked (approximately 12 to 14 pounds, $55.95), smoked turkey breast (approximately 5 pounds, $46.95), smoked ham (approximately 7 pounds, $45.95), and whole brisket (approximately 7 pounds, $18.95 per pound). Sides are available for $19.95 per half pan. Opt for packages of a turkey or brisket and two sides ($95) or four sides ($129). Add apple cobbler for $19.95. Order by November 18. Call 281-213-4136.

Henderson & Kane
This modern take on a general store in the Old Sixth Ward has a range of Thanksgiving options. Meat choices include whole turkey breast ($60), individual turkey legs ($7), smoked honey-baked ham ($60), racks of ribs ($35), whole smoked pork shoulder ($75), whole smoked brisket ($125), or half pound links of sausage ($9). Add tamales by the dozen: smoked brisket ($19), smoked pork ($19), smoked green chile and cheese ($17) or refried beans and cheese ($15). Then add sides such as potato salad, coleslaw, or mac and cheese for $35 each. Finish with one of the seven different pie options, including spiced pumpkin, pecan, or apple for $24.95. To order, email catering@hkgeneralstore.com by November 18.

The Pit Room
The Montrose barbecue joint is offering smoked turkeys (approximately 13 pounds, $85) and whole briskets (6 to 8 pounds, $100) as well as its signature sides by the pint ($6.50), quart ($11.25), or gallon ($40). Call the restaurant at 281-888-1929 by November 19 to order.

Get brisket, turkey, and more at The Pit Room.

Courtesy photo

Get brisket, turkey, and more at The Pit Room.

barbecue news-you-can-eat

one last squeeze

Ben Berg's New York-inspired, fancy burger joint will soon shutter

Photo by Leah Wilson

undefined

The original location of Ben Berg’s fancy burger joint will soon serve its last meal. B.B. Lemon on Washington Avenue will close after service on Sunday, June 1, the restaurant announced on social media.

In response to CultureMap’s request for comment about the decision, a representative provided a statement that reads in part:

“It is never an easy decision to close a restaurant,” Berg said. “The love Houston has shown B.B. Lemon-Washington over the years is what made it such a special place. Thank you for making us part of your everyday moments and life celebrations.”

The statement continues that the restaurant is “no longer part of our strategic plan,” referring to Berg’s company, Berg Hospitality Group. However, the location of B.B Lemon that opened last year in the downtown tunnels will remain open.

Open since late 2018, B.B. Lemon takes inspiration from iconic New York City restaurant JG Melon, including its signature green-and-white checked tablecloths. Thanks to a spacious patio and a lively atmosphere, B.B. Lemon soon found favor with area residents and downtown office workers, who made it a happy hour favorite.

Like its decor, B.B. Lemon’s menu also takes inspiration from the East Coast. In addition to a diner-style, wagyu cheeseburger, the restaurant serves an array of comfort food that includes fish and chips, a lobster roll, and blue crab beignets.

Berg’s decision to close B.B. Lemon follows last year’s closure of Benny Chows, its New York-inspired Chinese American restaurant. In January, the company closed NoPo Cafe to make way for a new location of Bagel Bob’s HTX.

The group also opened three new concepts in 2024: live fire steakhouse Prime 131, retro diner Buttermilk Baby, and upscale steakhouse Turner’s Cut. It will open a second location of Buttermilk Baby in Sugar Land this summer.

news-you-can-eat closings