Killen's BBQ

Amazing. Walked in and was immediately greeted by the friendly folks at Killen’s. Never dined there before, and they recommended the burnt ends… wow. Incredible. The brisket was obviously five star, as were the sides that accompanied the combo. Food was everything I’d hoped for. Atmosphere is interestingly different from typical BBQ joint; we sat inside with the family in a clean, welcoming space and it was perfect for families. Highly recommend! Make sure to thank the great staff at Killen’s.

Killen’s BBQ is hands-down one of the best barbecue spots you’ll find, setting the gold standard for Texas-style BBQ. From the moment you walk in, the mouthwatering aroma of smoked meats gets your appetite going, and the casual, welcoming vibe makes it the perfect spot for a hearty meal. The brisket is the star of the show—tender, perfectly marbled, and packed with smoky flavor. The bark on the outside is a masterpiece in itself. The ribs are another standout, with meat that falls off the bone and a glaze that’s just the right balance of sweet and savory. For sausage lovers, the jalapeño-cheddar sausage is a must-try. Sides are just as impressive. The mac and cheese is creamy and rich, the coleslaw is crisp and refreshing, and the creamed corn adds a touch of indulgence to the meal. Don’t skip dessert—the banana pudding is the perfect Southern finish. Service is friendly and efficient, even during busy times, and the portions are generous. While there might be a bit of a wait, it’s worth every minute. Killen’s BBQ isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience that showcases what Texas barbecue is all about. If you’re a barbecue fan, Killen’s is a bucket-list destination. Highly recommend!

When I walked in and said, "I'm from Boston", and the guy behind the counter came back with, "Oh, so you came all this way and didn't bring me a lobster roll?", I knew I was in the right place. 😁😁😁 And while I live in New England, I've been around the country a fair bit, and I've had me some barbecue. From Virginia and Kentucky to the Carolinas and even Florida, I'm always on the lookout for a smoker next to a gas station. But when it comes to Texas, well, you gotta put on your big boy pants. Chef Ronnie Killen has apparently been cooking all his life, to the point where he's got a whole empire of different restaurants in the Houston area. And so it wouldn't be that surprising to find out that after adding so many locations to his restaurant enough that the quality of the food might start to slide. Nope! That was not my experience at all at The Woodlands location. Every meat I tried was delicious, and the sides were no joke either. I wish I had room for dessert, but who are we kidding? I would just go back and get more BBQ! The standout for me was the pork belly burnt ends, or as I like to call them, meat candy! They were so good, I would just go back and order as many of those ends as they would give me. Yes, yes, it's Texas, and you know a "better" joint right down the street from this one, but I'm here to say, you better put some respect on Killen's BBQ, because the crew slinging 'Q in The Woodlands are not to be trifled with! They are the real deal!

Service was great, parking is adequate, although the it was NOT (THE BEST BBQ PERIOD) it wasn't bad. I like the greens, and the broccoli casserole, and the ribs. The brisket was a bit rubbery, and dry, maybe it was bcuz they cut it from the last pieces of a brisket before they started on a new one. The service was good though.

I had the brisket. It was sliced too thick. It definitely lack the flavor that you would want to pay $24 for. It was tender. I had 3 sides and the bacon Brussel sprouts were delicious.

I have been to the location in Pearland numerous time. It was our first time visiting this location in the Woodlands. We ordered ribs, sausage and brisket like usual. There was no line and we were able to walk straight to the counter an order. While all the BBQ was good, I prefer the other location (except for the line).

The food is good.. The price you pay per portion is not worth it... I do understand the new price of everything is up... however this is too high...

Staff are kind and knowledgeable. Try the Dublin Texas Root Beer with some Fresh and Juice Brisket. 🤠👍 Don't forget to add your two sides. There Mac & Chess is smoth and cheese. And the Potato Salad is made fresh. You can taste the difference.👍🤠 Also they have an outside patio with park benches with tables.👍

Friends from Houston came in to try Killen's Barbecue, but ordered the chicken fried steak once they saw it being served - hot and fresh!! One friend made sandwiches from half the steak and the other half went to his friend! The steak was juicy and the crust was crunchy and well seasoned. The green beans were delicious as usual and the mashed potatoes were terrific with a choice of gravy. My guests were very happy dining here. Forgot to add that the onion rings are tasty snd large and crunchy! Delicious!

Whenever I get a chance to visit The Woodlands Area, Texas BBQ is a must! The famed BBQ joint in Spring TX was the initial choice on a Saturday for lunch. I arrived about 15 minutes prior to opening, and the line wrapped around the building and through the back parking lot. I was meeting my stepdaughter and her 2 year old for lunch - she asked to change locations due to the extreme wait time. She suggested Killen's in The Woodlands as it was less than 15 minute drive from where we were in Spring. Killen's was not busy at all, so went went directly to the counter to order. I am a suckered for brisket and ribs, so that is what I ordered. It didn't take long before our food was ready. Portion size was not too bad according to the price point. Brisket was decent tasking and had a nice smoke ring. Just a bit dryer than I was anticipating. I had much the same experience with the pork ribs. Food was good, but just not on the same level of excellence as the go-to BBQ joint in Spring. Killen's was a very clean, seemed on the newer end, if not recently renovated, so that was a bonus. Outdoor seating was also available.

I am not sure what the hype is for Killen's Barbecue. From the exterior aesthetic to the interior decor, and the cleanliness of the establishment, I wanted this to be a positive experience. However, from the lackluster flavors, poor marbling of the beat, and lack of air conditioning in HOUSTON, I was left feeling quite disappointed. The main star of any Barbecue joint should be the meats that have been meticulously worked on for many hours. When the star of the show are the sides, you have a problem. The baked beans, mac and cheese, collared greens, and Brussels sprouts are delicious, as expected. The brisket was absolutely dried to the point where I couldn't tell if I was wiping my mouth with a napkin or the brisket. Yes, I ordered it fatty. The ribs were terribly marbled. If one bite was a dry portion of the rib, the other bite was an entire glob of fat. Perhaps that's how ribs are sometimes, but my experiences with many other Barbecue joints in Houston were not so much that. Take your hard-earned money and try some of the local mama/papa joints Houston has to offer.

The BBQ was good but unremarkable. The BBQ sauce wasn't impressive. The food portions were generous which is appreciated. The carrot cake for dessert was outstanding. I highly recommend their carrot cake. Overall it is good BbQ with very good desserts. Sneak your own sauce in and flush theirs. The price will make you suck air through your teeth but once a year treat yourself. Not an everyday thing.

It was a chance for a last BBQ meal before leaving town for home. Noticed in photos a burnt ends daily special. Called ahead from 20 minutes away and they said it's a regular offering. When I walked in to order was told they couldn't give me any because someone had put in an order already and they couldn't spare enough for my order. I explained I had just called them and drove out of way to come further north to no avail. Left and had an absolutely amazing meal at Pinkerton's and so glad they it all went down like that. Once I was inside Killens it looked like a fast food place and ambiance was lacking compared to old school feel and smell of pinkertons - a much more authentic BBQ experience that I was looking for.

Placed and paid for an order of turkey to be picked up Thanksgiving Day. They cancelled my order at 4pm the day before Thanksgiving. No explanation provided. Now I'm scrambling to figure out a replacement. Truly crazy.

This place was just ok. The baked beans were so spicy I couldn't enjoy them. The Mac & cheese was way too watery. The brisket was just ok. The restrooms didn't even seem like they were updated from the last restaurant that used to be there. I'm overall this place was just ok I don't think I would come back though.

This place was alright. We got ribs, sausage, beans, and potato salad I was not too impressed with it. I will definitely try the baked potato next time. Ordered online and service was good.

My husband and I and a friend of ours went here for the time last night and omg I was blown away! The service was amazing we were given suggestions the staff were super friendly and made us feel like family and very welcoming to us. The food was phenomenal it was so good and it didn't make my stomach feel too full or heavy it wasn't greasy and the meat was full of flavor. The pork belly bites just melted in my mouth they were perfect. Will be going back over and over and telling everyone about it!

Every time I come here I try something different on the menu and it never disappoints. Today I got their BBQ elote which is their creamed corn and chopped brisket with cilantro and lime - it's so flavorful and filling! Also got a side of brussel sprouts which always is delicious. Their banana pudding is so hard to avoid when I come here so of course I got an order of it. It's so creamy and flavorful - not too sweet and lots of bananas! The food was out super fast and there was plenty of seating during lunch. I love that this place is in our neck of the woods! Definitely give this place two thumbs

Lunch service today, May 29. Checked their menu before going and chicken was on the menu but they didn't have chicken listed on restaurant menu. Disappointed!! So my husband and I ordered the sliced brisket sandwich. Dry. Dry. Dry. The brisket was so dry it was hard to chew. No fat to be found. We are in Texas, not LA, California. Why do bbq restaurants take all the fat off? The sides didn't look very appetizing. We ordered bagged chips. Over priced, $32 for 2 sandwiches. Really? Won't be back to this restaurant.

I needed some good Texas barbecue to-go and this place definitely rose to the occasion. I got a three meat plate with ribs, brisket, and jalapeño sausage with potato salad and pinto beans as sides. I would've preferred if the meat was more tender but it definitely wasn't dry (far from actually). The ribs were pretty skinny but there I liked them and the sausage was delicious, there was more cheesy flavor than what I was expecting. The brisket wasn't the most tender I've ever had but it was still really good and pretty thick with a good amount of fat (if you're into that). Lastly I loved the beans and potato salad, I might go back just for that. Overall I'd recommend Kileen's, they make pretty solid barbecue. Also my gripes with tenderness might be due to having to drive 20-ish minutes home with my order.

Visiting from Alabama and wanted to try Killen's. Ribs were great. Sides were very good especially creamed corn. Service was friendly and we even stopped by HEB To pickup some Killens Seasoning to bring back home. Next time we are in the area, we will definitely return.

Got take our from here today. It was my first time trying Killen's. Can't wait to come back with family and friends. I got the one meat plate with Ribs, Mac N Cheese, and creamed corn. Everything was delicious and flavorful! Big portions and I had leftovers that I ended up having for dinner. The ribs were juicy and huge. See photo for comparison with the "silverware" lol. Excited to go back soon! If you have tried this place, I highly recommend you do!

Flavor was good. Upset about the amount of food in relation to money spent. Ordered smoked wings and receive 8 wing pieces which were all small, slimmer and shorter than my pinky. Also ordered '2 meat plate with Pork Ribs and brisket for $29 and received 1 (ONE) rub and 3 slices of brisket. Called back to discuss with manager but received an automated message that tried to "connect me to a team member" but repeatedly ended with a dial tone.

Our cousin took us to Killen's for dinner. Plenty of parking and the place was empty for a weeknight. You place your order at the counter and they serve the food to your table. Our cousin ordered about 6 pounds of BBQ; beef and pork ribs, brisket, and sausage. Several sides ordered; collard greens, mac n cheese, and potatoes, which were served in tall plastic containers. For dessert, we had peach cobbler and bread pudding, also served in plastic containers. I had the brisket. It was very moist and super tender. Perfectly smoked and seasoned!! Wanted to try their sauces, so I chose the tangy sauce and it was really good. Paired well with the brisket. The beef and pork ribs were fall off the bone good!! Again, very tender and seasoned well. The collard greens were smokey in flavor and a tad too salty for my taste. Loved the potatoes and mac n cheese!! I did not have any room for dessert but my family unanimously preferred the bread pudding over the peach cobbler. Great restaurant for Texas BBQ!!

Thank god for Killen's in Woodland! No need to drive over an hour at their other location and wait in line to get some delicious BBQ. I came here with one other person for lunch. We ended up just sharing a 3 meat plate of brisket, pulled pork, and sausage. It came with two sides so we got coleslaw and Mac n cheese. Everything was good. I love that they gave you two thick slices of brisket. I wish they gave us more pulled pork though. But everything was delicious, cooked perfectly, and had lots of flavor. Our meal also came with pickles, onions, jalapeños and two slices of toast. For sauces, they offer their tangy, sweet, and coffee BBQ sauce. My favorites are the tangy and coffee, but tangy is the best one in my opinion. Our 3 meat plate with 2 sides was around $25. I'm not sure why some people on here complaining about price. I didn't think that was bad at all. If you want a full rack of ribs its $43. But lots of meats. The inside of this place is super casual but clean. You can see what you are ordering and you pay first. They will bring it out to you when it is ready. Parking is easy since they have their own private lot. I cannot wait to come back when we are visiting.

I was confused about why it was so empty inside and then I saw the sides on the hot table. They'd been sitting there all day by the look of it. The beans had literally re-dried. Mac and cheese was super bland. They served me the burnt dry end of the brisket. The turkey was slightly better. The best value for money was the tacos, for $15 you got significantly more food than any other plate. Oh and they don't have Diet Coke!

Great bbq! I visited their other location for a while and I'm glad they're here too. I ordered online and everything was packaged well, brisket was especially delicious. I wish they would bring back their deviled eggs. My only negative is that's it's pretty expensive, but I guess that's bbq in general. It wasn't super busy, which was a little surprising given it was lunch time... and it kind of felt like a Lubys inside so they could add some decoration to make it more unique. The food is great though, recommend giving them a try!

Take out order 1# pulled pork 1# lean brisket 1 order smoked wings The pulled pork was pretty good, however my sister pulled out a hunk of hard fat that was gross. The lean brisket had good flavor but it was dry. The order of smoked wings was a complete waste of $15. They were small, no special flavor and were accompanied by the mushiest fries. Even my husband who won't waste food said to toss them. We ordered from here because Cork Screw was closed. Lesson learned. My biggest irk was that I called to order and the phone message suggested it was best to order using their site instead. Which I did. It charged me an additional $1 fee and tried to automatically added a 20% tip, which you need to manually back out of. Management please take notice...this feels deliberately slimey. I have no problem tipping for good service, but let the consumer decide and stop your ordering program from scraping an extra dollar into their pocket for the privilege of having to place the order online rather that speak to a human.

Looking for great bbq on a Sunday afternoon and stumbled across Killen's in the Woodlands! I can't say enough about the lean beef, homemade sausage links, flavorful greens and macaroni and cheese! I was intrigued about the dessert menu and had to try the bread pudding...my husband thought it was sitting in ice cream but it was so much more! You gotta try it for yourself!!!! I am certainly a FAN now!!!

Sometime the food is good and sometimes it is not. Sometime the food is salty and sometimes it's not. The last time we went they served my husband's baked potato with cold butter and cold cheese. They didn't melt it down. Sigh...The service is just ok. Ambiance is nice for a BBQ place. It's clean and I liked the decor.

Ordered takeout and picked up in no time. Very affordable for the huge portions across all menu items. Was surprised to find a quart of BBQ sauce along with everything else in the order. Service was fine as everything seemed made to order.

If I could give a lower rating I would!!! This place is very unprofessional with all there works wearing head phones. Definitely not paying attention to customers!!! The food is terrible compared their sister location in cypress!! Their customers service is the worst!! I'd recommend you eat at other locations because this one is unacceptable! Everything about this locations is terrible including the food!! Go to the cypress location!!!

Stopped in due to recommendation from a couple of friends had the chicken fried steak. Very large and tasty. Would recommend to anyone. Next time will try some sausage as it looked very good on the rack. Nice inside eating area and very friendly service.

Love their baked potatoes! They're huge, overflowing with toppings and meat. They offer a bucket of fried chicken that comes with biscuits and sides that is also pretty tasty.

Good bbq. But this is the second time in a month I e been there and it seems as if their ac just doesn't work any more, it's hot in there and unfortunately just doesn't look clean.

The food here at Killen's is awesome. This is seriously the best BBQ here in the Spring Woodlands area. Oh my goodness the BBQ is awesome here seriously the Turkey is always so juicy and flavorful with the perfect seasoning, the sausage is excellent, I am not a big brisket fan and I had a taste and I was shocked it was the best brisket I've ever had it was super moist. The sides are awesome the Mac & Cheese is super creamy and cheesy, my potato salad is so good and my husband said his baked beans were great. Overall I would highly recommend coming here for your BBQ Fix!

Woodlands location does not disappoint. Brisket and pulled pork were delicious. Love the cole slaw

I love Killen's, this is my 4th time in Texas & my 2nd location I have tried! I love that the service here is way faster than the restaurant style. We got the brisket Mac and cheese Beans Beef ribs Cream corn Bread pudding And when in Texas I only drink sweet tea All of it was so good! We came in with 8 of us and there was plenty of seating on a Saturday afternoon, I was not embarrassed with the kids noise, it was perfect! Definitely will be back or try another stand alone restaurant

I'm very upset because I love Killen's BBQ from a food standpoint. They have some of the best BBQ in Houston. However, running out of food an hour and a half before closing on a Saturday, and then use Valentine's Day (4 days before I was there) as an excuse is ridiculous. I think this location ships in the food from a main location. This location is in an old fast food restaurant so I doubt they smoke anything here. The attitude of the employees was abysmal to say the least, and they literally offered me nothing but excuses. They were even completely out of sides too! Unacceptable!

Not on the same level as the Pearland location concerning food quality & ambience. This Killen's looks like a refurbished Dairy Queen & doesn't carry the same "Texas BBQ" vibe. Also, food quality was way lower -- most of my brisket & sausage was dried out, so I suspect it had been reheated & wasn't fresh. The biggest disappointment was their burnt ends -- they were super chewy, barely warm, & unpleasant tasting. Burnt ends are chewy when they haven't had enough cook time. Staff was nice & friendly & service was fast, but my bbq experience at this Killen's location was severely lacking. Probably wont be back until I hear it has improved.

I had my mouth all tuned up for Killens. I had my wife go pick it up since I was sick. We ordered the pork ribs, Mac and cheese, potato salad, and peach cobbler. The ribs were tough and hard to chew. They had none of the tenderness I expected from Killens. The Mac and cheese and potato salad were good, but the peach cobbler was a disappointment. It was a container of mush. It was riddled with too much cinnamon and the crust was non existent. I assume it's prepared with a crumble topping and not a traditional crust. For $50 this was not a meal I would eat again.

Killen's has a grand reputation and it is well deserved. They serve quality brisket (I prefer moist and they do it well) and awesome sides. I had just that, a brisket plate with cream of corn and beans for sides. The beans were good and had pieces of brisket in the mix. The creamed corn is different from the usual with notes of velvety vanilla with heat on the back end. Quite enjoyable. The brisket was perfect with a nice bark and can be paired with one of three house sauces: coffee, tangy or sweet. I prefer the tangy but you can have them all. But the star for me is the pork belly burnt ends, this is magical pig candy with a sauce that is both sweet and unctuous. That I could it daily. My doctor wouldn't like it but I would. Service is quick and friendly. This is a relaxing eat.

I'm a fan! I visited Texas for the 1st time and this place was recommended by a local friend of mine. BBQ is great. The bfatty brisket was very ery juicy and it's delicious on its own! What I also loved about this place is the yummy side dishes! Mac & cheese, collard greens and the creamy broccoli rich with cheese. I can't wait to eat here again when I got to Texas!

Hubby wanted some good barbecue for dinner but we didn't feel like driving into the city. We came here because it was near home. You can either dine in person or call in your order. They have a pickup window as well. We decided to dine in. We were actually pleasantly surprised! The food was delicious and flavorful. The price point was kind of on the high end but what isn't these days. The portions are large. We could've easily ordered the three meat dinner and purchased additional sides to save money but we didn't. Hubby had the one meat dinner with two sides. I had the 2 meat dinner that came with 2 sides. We both got fountain drinks and a slice of pecan pie. The total was approximately $63. I feel the pie was a bit overpriced but it was good. We should have asked them to warm it up for us. The brisket has a very good bark with plenty of flavor. Very tender and minimal fat. The turkey was juicy but could have had a bit more seasoning. The pork ribs were tender with good flavor.

Got food from the drive through, ordered the beef rib potatoes and slaw the only thing good was the potatoes. For the price I paid the food was unsatisfactory the one beef rib I got was burnt and hardly any meat on it, the slaw was bitter. Service was fair he seemed a little bothered . Definitely will not go back to eat anything else.

Ordered (moist) brisket, pork ribs and sausage, all meats were acceptable, not amazing but good. The brisket was tender and had a good char, pork ribs were tender but needed a bit more seasoning and the sausage was tasty. I had potato salad and baked beans for sides. The potato salad was fresh and the beans were flavorful. I would return if I was in the area and wanted BBQ, not great BBQ but good BBQ.

I love BBQ. It has been great to witness how much the BBQ scene in Houston has exploded over the past couple of years. Not only in terms of quantity but also going well beyond traditional BBQ to incorporate the diversity and creativeness that makes our city so special. Killen's BBQ in Pearland is number one for me. It's a lofty honor. I was in The Woodlands and stopped by for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Located close to Cynthia Woods, they have their own parking lot so parking won't be an issue. Like a lot of BBQ joints, you pick out what you want at the counter. My order is usually pretty standard: two meat plate with brisket and pulled pork with mac and cheese and creamed corn. And if I'm feeling fiesty, ribs and bread pudding. All of it is incredible. This time around, I decided to switch things up and get the chicken fried steak special which is served with green beans and mashed potatoes and gravy. While not traditional BBQ, with all of the restaurants in Killen's empire, he has the range. You get a jumbo-sized chicken fried steak which was extra crispy. That's what you want in a CFS. The green beans had bacon bits. Bacon on anything is a plus. And the mashed potatoes were quality too and complimented well by the gravy. I washed it all down with a sweet tea. While the Pearland location is where it's started, it's nice to see that Killen's has expanded from the south side to the north side.

Not worth the money or the hype. Corkscrew blows this place out of the water, hands down. The only thing that was impressive was the size of the beef ribs but they were mostly fat. They were great to add to slow cooked beans at home. Everything else was dry and not very flavorful compared other popular places around town. I know Killens has an amazing reputation but maybe this location just doesn't hold up to the original? Place was packed, almost zero parking available. Friendly service. Helped me carry my large order to the car. Food quality alone won't bring me back.

We ate here on our first visit to the area. They were out of so many meats and sides. The rub on the beef rib was so salty! The prices were crazy expensive too. One rib was more than $25!! I am used to Lucille's out West where you get 5 of the best beef ribs for only $35. We may try it again as others say this place is good and perhaps we just had an off day.

I rarely visit Bbq places because I find their fare inconsistent, expensive, and often disappointing. EXCEPT Killen's which I've visited as a rule, whenever I've been in PEARLAND on the other side of the Houston Metropolitan area. Now Killens has a Woodlands location and the experience is even better! Huge seating area, wonderful music, friendly service and mouthwatering Bbq with delicious sides. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

Man. This place it delicious! It took me way too long tk try it! I'm all about Corkscrew BBQ, but honestly, Killen's is right up there with Corkscrew. The BBQ is amazing and the sides are great too. Below are the reasons why Killen's will be my new "Go-to" for BBQ- Price- Compared to other BBQ restaurants with the same or comparable quality of BBQ, Killen's seems relatively inexpensive! A two meat plate WITH two sides was $20. That's inexpensive when you're talking about BBQ! Customer Service- Everyone in the restaurant, EVERYONE, was so friendly and kind! I felt welcomed and appreciated as well. Food- The food was EXCELLENT! I ordered moist brisket, macaroni (AMAZING), and green beans that were so fresh that they still had a snap to them when you ate them. We also ordered the banana pudding. It was SO delicious, not overly sweet, and tasted like REAL Bananas, not that bright yellow fake pudding you buy in a box. Atmosphere- The restaurant was clean, had a lot of natural lighting, and a patio with outdoor seating. I'm looking forward to returning!

The food is incredible! The BBQ pulled pork and Brussels sprouts were the best I have ever eaten! This is must try BBQ, and if I lived nearby I would seriously be in trouble.

Always simply fantastic! Meaty, juicy ribs, great brisket, and southern style sides!

Overall an ok barbecue joint. The meat is solid but it's the sides that really make this place good. The Collard Greens are amazing and the Mac and Cheese is to die for. Service was good and they have a multitude of drink options. I recommend the lemonade mixed with the sweet tea. The sauces they offer were not good. They were very watery.

Brisket was cold and fatty. Mac'n Cheese was good and hot. Sausage was good and hot. Corn was good. Turkey was average and luke warm. Server guy was great. No ingredients on bbq bottles so didn't bother asking more than if they had onions in sauce ("yes, onion powder"). Hopefully they don't use monosodium glutamate tenderizer? Shouldn't at these prices. Iced tea was good. Got here at 11:30 so figured hit at prime ready time.

Didn't enjoy at all. The fried Mac and cheese bites were flavorless and the brisket queso didn't taste great. Will most likely never go back.

Food was really good, could have been hotter, but yet again the difference dining room was very chilly