adieu, brisket bar-bq

Longtime Bellaire BBQ joint announces end to its 40-year run

Brisket Bar-BQ is closing its doors.

Courtesy of Brisket Bar-BQ

A Bellaire restaurant will end its almost 40-year run this weekend. Brisket Bar-BQ will close after service on Sunday, June 5.

Owner Sion Saghian cites a number of reasons for his decision. First is a desire to travel and spend more time with family. Supply chain issues and other economic factors also played a role, according to a release.

An announcement about Brisket Bar-BQ's future has been expected. In April, Lankford Grocery owner Paul Prior announced that he had leased the space for a second location of the historic burger joint. Simply called Lankford's, it is expected to open this fall.

While Brisket Bar-BQ is closing, some aspects of the restaurant will live on. Saghian's son Michael will add some of Brisket Bar-BQ's most popular dishes to the menu at his own Bellaire restaurant, New York Eatery. In addition, Houston Catering Concepts, also owned by Michael Saghian, will continue to offer its Brisket Bar-BQ menu for private events. Some staff members from Brisket Bar-BQ will be offered positions at Houston Catering Concepts.

“I want to thank our customers and all the people we have hosted over the years,” Sion Saghian said in a statement. “I love cooking and am still in the kitchen at home, while I look forward to helping Michael at New York Eatery and New York Deli & Coffee Shop. My life has been my work, and I have no regrets. Above all else, I am grateful.”

Saghian, who holds a master's degree in chemical engineering, opened Brisket Bar-BQ in 1983. Over time, it became known for dishes such as loaded baked potatoes and burgers. In 1994, he opened the Bellaire Banquet Center, an event space capable of hosting up to 300 people.

barbecue closings

two days of bbq

2 Michelin-rated barbecue joints holding can't-miss pop ups in Houston

Courtesy of KG BBQ

KG BBQ is bringing its Egyptian-influenced barbecue to Houston.

Two of the Texas barbecue joints to earn Bib Gourmand recognition in the Michelin Guide will be holding pop ups in Houston this week. One is visiting from Austin, while another is a Spring favorite with a one-day-only menu.

On Saturday, December 14, Austin’s celebrated KG BBQ will be serving at Axelrad in Midtown. Part of Texas Monthly’s 2023 list of the Top 25 New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas, KG BBQ has earned wide acclaim for pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh’s Egyptian-influenced take on Texas barbecue.

The menu will include many of KG’s most popular dishes, including brisket rice bowls with smoked Mediterranean rice; smoked lamb chops; sumac-and-cinnamon-rubbed lamb shoulder, and sides such as pink buttermilk potato salad and Baladi salad.

Service begins at 10:30 am. Preorders are available online with a minimum order of $60.

In a statement, Axelrad co-owners Adam Brackman and Monte Large say that KG will make more visits to Houston in 2025. El-Ghayesh adds that he’s a fan of the Houston bar that’s known for its spacious backyard with hammocks, a stage, and a wide-ranging menu of beer and cocktails.

“Since the moment I stepped foot in Axelrad, I loved their culture, their vibrant colors and artistic flare, their attention to detail and hospitality and love for entertainment makes this place perfect for bringing back my nostalgic memories of hosting pop-ups like how I started in Austin,” he said. “I’m proud to bring what I have created to Houston. From how diverse the city is, its beautiful variety of ethnic foods, and large Egyptian community, it has so much to offer. We are excited to serve up some Egyptian BBQ to the Houston community through our pop ups over the next year at Axelrad.”

On Sunday, Spring’s Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q will trade its usual offerings for a special menu of dishes made with smoked whole hog. The menu will include whole hog plates, whole hog sandwiches, whole hog-and-parmesan polenta cakes, and whole hog served over cheese grits with a New Orleans-style barbecue sauce as well as sides and desserts. Service will run from 11 am until everything sells out, likely sometime between 2 and 3 pm.

“The whole menu is filled with specials and cool items we don’t do everyday at the stand,” co-owner Jordan Rosemeyer writes in an email. The motive, beyond exercising some creative muscles, is to raise money for Hogs for the Cause, an annual event that raises money for pediatric brain cancer research and the families who are fighting it.

Like KG, Rosemeyer is also a member of Texas Monthly’s 2023 new and improved list. Located at 2111 Riley Fuzzel Rd., the humble trailer has earned acclaim for its weekly specials, housemade ice cream, and well executed barbecue staples.

news-you-can-eat barbecue pop ups kg bbq rosemeyer bar-b-q