Jackson Street Barbecue

Reviews 6

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Jimmy Ho

I went on a road trip by myself to Houston to attend the first Hou BBQ Throwdown. I got to Houston around 11 AM and wanted to eat some barbecue before the event started at 1 PM. Jackson Street BBQ is located downtown in the shadows of Minute Maid Park. It is a joint effort between Houston chef Bryan Caswell and Gatlins BBQ pitmaster/owner Greg Gatlin that opened earlier this year. You cannot miss the bright red building when you are in the area. The menu had your usual suspects (meat that is) and a bunch of sides. I ordered The Trinity (moist brisket, pork ribs, and sausage) and Burnt Ends on a Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuit. The brisket was solid but heavy on salt. It was smoky and tender, but I kept wanting more from it. The ribs had a good taste with a hint of sweetness that reminded me of the ones from Gatlins. The end rib was chewy, but the meat from the middle rib pulled away from the bone with very little resistance. The German-style sausage was pretty standard. It had a garlic finish, and the casing was snappy. One bite into the burnt ends on a biscuit, and I was giddy. The crusty biscuit with the saucy, succulent meat was well-balanced. It was different but wonderful. Giving an option to add an egg to the sandwich could make it mind blowing. I went with dirty rice and potato salad as sides. I missed out on the rice when I went to Gatlins so it was good that I got to sample it at Jackson St. It had a nice depth of flavor. The potato salad was fresh and better than what you would find out there. I left a lot of space in my stomach for the Throwdown so there were a lot of leftovers for later. I did not want to put down the burnt ends on a brisket though. My wife got to enjoy the rest of it the next morning. After my visit, I found out that they failed a health inspection the prior week. It was nothing major, and I felt fine after my meal. There is a ton of space inside the restaurant. There is even a stage for musical acts. It would be a pretty cool place to hang out after a Stros game. Being downtown also makes Jackson Street BBQ a great choice to stop in for lunch or to grab something after work.

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Steven Meltzer

We were here at a private (we had the entire place to ourselves), catered event with plenty of friendly waitstaff, and I have no complaints with them, but…. The food served was not equally available to everyone….for instance, my wife wanted a “stuffed” baked potato, which several members of of the party were served, yet when she asked for the same, she was told there were none. Ditto the pecan pie (which, like the “baker”, should be a staple of this sort of venue). Despite seeing a whole pie right in front of me, I was told it was “unavailable” and it was quickly taken to the back. The chicken was dry, as was the brisket and the beans were the worst i’ve ever had. Excellent creamed corn. As noted, excellent service. (Unless you consider hoarding pecan pies.) I’m sure the host and hostess spent a fortune and were entitled to much, much better. But in retrospect, I should have been a bit cynical from the outset, when the bartenders were allowed to have “tip jars” at the “open bar”. (Cheezy and tacky at a private function, IMHO) Perhaps, had I left more than a buck, i might have gotten my ^%%#@#$%&&^%$ pecan pie! The place is located just south of downtown, near the court houses, has limited parking and is a bit hard to find.Despite living here in town, it’s unlikely we’ll be back. I just hope the host and hostess won’t be offended by my honest, frank review.

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Scott Sandlin

Easily within walking distance of most downtown office workers, Jackson Street BBQ brings a new Texas BBQ option to a market area under-served by local quality BBQ purveyors. Located on the north side of Minute Maid Park, its also an attractive option for those headed downtown to catch an Astros game. Tip: park in Jackson Streets parking lot on the north side of their building for $50, and receive a coupon/credit for $50 for food at Jackson Street BBQ! The BBQ is delivered under the watchful eye of Houston-favorite Greg Gatlin, while the sides are attributed to his partner, chef Bryan Caswell. The pork spare ribs are unmistakably Gatlins--smoky, peppery with a touch a sweetness. Moist brisket here is the go-to; on some visits the lean has been a little too dry for my taste. Sausage is a house blend made by Ruffino Meats in Bryan, TX. Some of the better BBQ chicken in the city. After 5:00 pm, they offer brisket burnt ends on one of their house-made jalapeno-cheddar biscuits, one of the better sandwiches in town. Sides available include dirty rice, excellent collard greens seasoned with prosciutto, baked beans, fried mac n cheese, and smoked deviled eggs. The homemade big chocolate chip cookies are excellent too! A sampler plate, (3 meats and a side) will run you $9.95--a great value.

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Tyshika Randle

Let me just say i go here at least 1 time a week ,the staff i have to say is beyond helpful, the best customer servcie you may experience at a restaurant, from the moment you walk into their establishment , they all have smiles on their faces . The cooks are wonderul, they make sure their customers are satisfied . There is always the same employees there which makes it a good thing when you have a relationship with the same customers everyday. The food is always greeeeeaaaattt. I have to say as much as i used to love pappas bar b que there is no competition . Shout out to the owners of jackson St bar B Que and the young lady that is always at the front counter greeting the customers ..Hi sweetie houw are you today , the customers love coming in and leaving with a full stomach and warm greeting .They make their cookies fresh throughout the day . i have to say the owners are doing a great job and to those who have rated negativity , how about you just leave your comments to yourself , they are rocking it downtown houston with great prices .

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אתה ברטון

Update 21NOV15: the sides have gone downhill...fast. Used to be packed with meat and flavor. Now bland and essentially meatless. New cooks? Caswell should be ashamed asking $12 for that trash. When brought to management attention, Bryce Gilbert did replace one of the two side items I had paid $12/ea for. Update 27DEC15: Place isnt what it used to be when it first opened. Management has gotten too greedy and service has all but disappeared. Im done "giving them an opportunity to impress me" after two months of bull (no pun intended). Ill never patron this restaurant again and I really hope it gets shut down like every other business thats been in that spot. Hands down, WAS the best bbq experience in Houston, period. Atmosphere is awesome, staff is awesome, place is clean, food is awesome. A bit too pricey and dirty rice too dry. Beans have too many ingredients that kill the flavor. EAT HERE, though! Ignore the idiotic post by "Brad Brown" here--hes a real loser at life.

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Johnny Diamond

Fair warning. Im a BBQ snob and a Texan, partial to certain items with extreme bias. My 1st and only time at Jackson St. was good. The brisket was as good as Rubys moist which isnt bad on any day. The restaurant special seemed to be a Burnt Ends sandwich which was ordered with frequency. The German sausage link was quite good. The venison was a bit dry and bland for me. It has a distinct cherry taste, although the owners told me they used post oak and pecan? The pork ribs were a let down. Dry meat, little flavor. The BBQ sauce was too sweet for me, but other liked it enough. The sides... ok get some of the collard/ mixed greens! Believe it or not the greens were a huge hit. Bacon, onion, broth, simmered into a delicious pot liquor. I think this place has more potential. Like come on? The owner/ cook had tattoos of bacon on his arms! Someone here is serious about doing a good job.

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