Barbecue Inn

I read a Thrillist article about the 21 best fried chicken in the country (
) and was flabbergasted that Barbecue Inn made the list! Even more so, Barbecue Inn was actually the first fried chicken joint being featured in the list. Of course I had to look this place up, right? I’m even more surprised that I’d driven by this place many times due to its close proximity to my work place but never gave it a second look due to the dated look of the restaurant.
I made it out here for lunch to try their fried chicken to see what the hell Thrillist was talking about. I walked in here and saw that the interior was as dated as the outside. However, there was no wait because the restaurant was pretty much empty, and I was told that I could sit anywhere I please. I decided to sit at the bar since I was dining by myself and service at the bar is typically faster than having to wait a waitstaff coming to my table to help me.
I ordered the fried chicken; and of course, as usual, I ordered white meats only — two breasts and a wing. The fried chicken comes with fries and a bowl of salad so I asked for Ranch dressing. According to the waitress who was serving me, they made their ranch and thousand islands dressing in house. The salad came out quick. However, the salad dressing didn’t taste anything special to me; it tasted just like your typical ranch dressing.
The fried chicken came out soon after and let me tell you this, they were pretty good sized. I can usually eat two breasts and two wings from any chicken joint in one sitting. Here, however, I wasn’t able to finish my chicken. Maybe it was due to the fact that they also gave me a good portion of fries.
As for the flavor, it’s a good old fried chicken. II thought the chicken could use more seasoning, though. I love my fried chicken with some spice in it. Gus’s fried chicken in Tennessee is an example of deliciously spiced fried chicken (#5 in the list above). I would say that the chicken is pretty comparable with the chicken from Max’s Wine & Dive — juicy and awesome batter. I’m pretty much in agreement with Paul D.‘s assessment.
My service was pretty good overall. Until it was time to pay. My waitress disappeared. As a matter of fact, all the waitresses disappeared from behind the bar. Not sure what happened. I just flagged a different waitress and paid at the cashier.
Although the name of the restaurant is Barbecue Inn, I don’t think I’ll ever come here to try the BBQ since Gatlin’s is so much closer to me so I can’t comment on that. I will, however, come back here to try the chicken fried steak.

A BBQ place that does better fried chicken than BBQ. Walking in is like going back in time. There is a counter with stools, and cushy red booths lined everywhere. Plates clanking, and a dull conversation roar. Everyone from that old couple married for over 50 years (that have been coming here almost just as long) to families just starting out and bringing the next generation of fans in will visit. You really get the Pleasantville vibes here. It is always full, but not so much that there is no parking or no seats available. At least on the weekends. Service is as friendly and quick as can be.
It has been a long, long time since my last visit. Good to see nothing has changed. Southern fried half chicken will feed you for an entire day. You get the salad first, which is just a big bowl of lettuce and tomato with a mountain of dressing. The trick is to continue adding crackers from the basket to the salad. Unremarkable otherwise, but what you going to do? That is the way they have served the salad for decades. The chicken is piping hot, it comes to the table probably hotter than any other fried chicken in town. Not that the spices are intense at all, just incredibly hot temp wise. The batter is fantastic though, and really juicy. I would say the BBQ is a little better than Goode Company, but certainly far from the new big four (obviously when considering the life of this place they are all new).
Thats it, unpretentious, unchanged by time, and an underrated gem in the Independence Heights area. Hopefully it won’t take me a few years to make it back next time, but it will not have changed one bit if that turns out to be the case.

Okay, this IS my 2^nd visit but I wasn’t on Unilocal back then. I remember the pie was DELICIOUS! I cleaned that plate!
Today: the salad was fresh, cold & crisp and cut very well, thank you! I didn’t think to ask for the dressing to be on the side so it was probably more dressing than what I needed but so… thanks for not being stingy! I ordered the half serving of chicken fried steak as I saw other Unilocalers suggest. Oh, yum! So, so delicious! Plated well with fries though I ate only a few. Full!
Fresh tea. Nice service. Pleasant, old-​timey, comfortable atmosphere.
Very busy lunch rush but I was served and back to work in 30!

I’m amazed at the quality and freshness of their food. I had the shrimp and crab plate. I am impressed.

This place was awesome I can’t believe it the star rating isn’t higher. The best part of the experience was our waitress Kitty and the food was well worth the drive. I had the shrimp dinner and added a piece of chicken fried steak, the sides were a salad and french fries. My coworker ordered the ribs and he said «they are the best ribs I’ve ever had» and since he has eaten all over the country, I know they must be great and I will be trying them the next time I come. I will make sure and ask for Kitty when I return, she has to be one of my favorite waitresses.

Wonderful old fashion waitresses that treat you well, great food that tastes amazing and fills you up. The ribs are the best in Houston hands down!!! The only negative is prices are a bit high but you are paying for good service and amazing quality food.

Undisputed best fried chicken I’ve ever had. You feel like you’re walking back in time in your old home town — one of the last cultural oases in Houston that neither hipsters nor yuppies have yet commandeered. I heard the ribs and brisket are fall-​apart tender, and the most popular item on the menu, according to our waitress, is the fried shrimp. I will be going back to try both.
Another review on this page says it’s BYOB, but I ordered a beer when I was there.

No baby changing station. Despite its vintage structure, babies need a place to be changed.

1^st visit and everything was perfect. The hours: I got a jump on lunch since they open at 10:30; and I was the first patron. The service: a sweet waitress on top of her game. The food: chicken fried chicken and gravy; a southern-​style dinner salad with too much (just right) blue cheese dressing. The price: $ 22 for a generous meal, tea and lemon meringue pie for dessert. The seating: a counter was available and the red leather booths were just right. The cleanliness: for a many decades old restaurant the upkeep was wonderful. The style and ambience: a family dinner that took me back to family restaurant trips from 35 years ago. I was a little surprised there wasn’t a cigarette vending machine.
A new favorite. I’ll be back soon for the BBQ pork.

You’d think a restaurant that’s been around for decades would have better food than this. The texture, moisture, and freshness are all excellent. But when it comes down to the actual taste, there is something mediocre/​average/​bland about all the items here, main dishes and sides. Unfortunately mediocre food tends to feel overwhelming or bloating halfway into meals in general. The barbecue sauce was bland and on the sweeter side without any kick out tang. The fried chicken was flaky, crispy, and moist, but bland in flavor. Some article or website said this was the best fried chicken in Houston. What an utter disappointment. On the flip side, the price is average and the service was excellent.

Hands down the best chicken fried chicken in the Houston metropolitan area, and that even includes my grandmother’s house.
Sit at the counter if you don’t want to wait for a table.

After learning the Barbecue Inn has earned The Houston Press highest honor for cities best fried chicken, I had to give this place a go. Anyone that know me would know that fried chicken is nearing the top of my favorite foods list. As I arrive at 7:30 on a Thursday afternoon, the main parking lot was packed. This was indeed a good sign. There is also another parking lot on the rear side of the building which had plenty available parking.
The restaurant had a nice down home «Mel’s diner» feel, sassy waitress and all. I almost mistakenly called this waitress «Alice» as she gave me the side eye and a playful tongue lashing for changing my salad dressing order. She was a very sweet and fun waitress.
At first glance around the historic establishment, I thought I was on the set of a «Cocoon» movie reboot or a nursing home day room. They must have a hell of a seniors discount. It was cool though, as I really like the set up here.
Of course I ordered the Fried Chicken which was made to order and takes about 25 minutes too prepare. This chicken was amazing. It wasn’t the best I ever had but definitely really good stuff. The white chicken dinner came out with 2 big breast and a wing that was piping hot, crispy, and super juicy. Mmm Mmm Good!
The fries and salad that came with it were mediocre. The star of this ensemble was clearly the chicken. I can’t wait to go back and sample the seafood.

On my first visit to this 60+ year old Houston landmark (lunchtime) our server Kitty recommended the fried shrimp platter with hand cut fries.
The shrimps (seven in a full order) were perfectly breaded and had just the right amount of crunch. Since I like an extra kick in my red sauce, Kitty brought me a small plate with a generous heap of horseradish.
Shrimp lover Heaven!
The fries were likewise top notch… but I had to leave a few uneaten to make room for lemon meringue pie… which was out of this world.
The salad (which I nibbled on throughout the meal) was crisp and fresh with ripe tomatoes. The ranch dressing was home made and very flavorful.
So now I am ready for an after-​lunch nap to dream about the experience!

Simple food but really good. The fried chicken is terrific, cooked upon ordering and always moist.
I like the barbecue, but I keep ordering the chicken fried steaks.
The décor is dated, the patrons are an older crowd, but the food keeps me coming back.

Yes yes. This fried chicken was rated the best fried chicken…5 years ago in Houston. But I still wanted to try it.
I think the history and the fact that the place probably didn’t change that much in the past decade or two is kind of interesting. It is currently 67 years old. They have pictures of when it first opened around the restaurant.
My sister and I came in 45 minutes before closing time. But we eat fast. We both ordered fried chicken and our waitress Betty let us know that it would be a 30 minute wait for it. As our sides we got the baked potato and fries. We also ordered the cocktail shrimp as our appetizer.
The cock tail shrimp was okay. The sauce is overwhelming and I had to scrape a lot of it off to like it.
When our entrees came out, Betty forgot the baked potato. Everybody makes mistakes, it’s fine. When we questioned her about it she tells us sorry and asks if we still wanted it or are we okay with the French fries. I mean, we did order it. So it kind of confused me to why even ask. At least she took it off from our check because the baked potato is $ 2.20 extra. The French fries are good at least. That’s what makes up for it.
The fried chicken though. The crisp on it was near perfect. But when tasting it, I felt disappointed. Maybe I just like a little more seasoning or taste. It didn’t have as much flavor as I thought it would. The meat was juicy though. But for me, I think it’s about the taste. It has all the right components for a good fried chicken. I don’t think I would make my way to wait for this fried chicken but it’s nice knowing that the fried chicken I was eating was freshly fried for me.

I’ve been in-​out of Houston since 1979, had never dined at the BBQ Inn until this week… waitress was Ms/​Mrs Kitty, nice and not bashful… the Fried Chicken was OUTSTANDING, I asked for extra-​crispy and got extra crispy chicken, fresh fries, large basic salad with tasty ranch dressing… just as known in the City. One can BYOB (Whiskey-​Wine) as they only have a limited menu of beer.
Trust this review, just GO; if FRIED is not your deal, then why expect something different…

I did not know they were known for their fried chicken — I might have ordered it if I had 25 minutes to wait… I’m sure it’s tasty but we were hungry.
Instead, I ordered the bbq brisket. I will say it again as I always do — why oh why oh WHY can restuarants not serve HOT bar b q? This is yet another place where I ordered brisket and it came out room temperature — slightly warm at best. GROSS.
I managed to put it away since I was starving but it was not worth the $ 13 it cost only because it was a bit dry and did not have much flavor. And the baked potato — no bacon bits. WHAT??? What kind of restaurant withholds bacon bits from their baked potatoes? That’s the best part!
The best part of the meal was the coconut cream pie. I don’t even really like coconut and this was fantastic. I would go there just for a slice of the pie.
The ambience reminds me of those old school bar b cue family owned restaurants that were popping up in the early 80’s.
The waitress was nice and very attentive.
I want to give this place more than two stars, but they have to work on their food quality first. I’ll probably go back to try the fried chicken and once I do I’ll post an updated review. For now — two stars.

Quirky old school diner. BYOB! Sassy waitresses. FRIED CHICKEN! I mean for this place to be around since 1946 and still be super busy says something right?!
The good: The friend chicken. Comes with 3 large pieces. Me and my boyfriend decided to share because I usually can’t eat to much fried chicken. It comes with a large, basic salad-​get the dressing on the side they drown it-​and home fries. After eating that delicious-​juicy-​crispy breaded breast I wanted more! Next time we shall order the kids meal for me and 1 regular 3 piece chicken order and it will be the perfect amount of food for both of us. (They let my adult friend order the kids meal which comes with one piece of chicken, salad, fries). Pretty perfect. I also got a piece of the chocolate pie soooooo good! Oh I almost forgot, it’s BYOB!!! No uncorking fee. They have beer for sale but we brought wine :)
The bad: the Bf ordered a stuffed baked potato with brisket but they ran out of potatoes. He was quite sad. They gave us the brisket in a bowl anyways. The old school booths are kind of small. Ask for extra room if you have big men in your party.
Is it the best fried chicken in Houston? Not sure. But it was pretty damn wonderful and the experience of the old diner certainly makes it a must try spot.

So I had a fried chicken craze streak recently, and happened to come across an article naming the top 10 fried chicken joints in Houston. Barbeque Inn had claimed the #1 spot on that list, so I made it my life goal to taste that meat at all cost!
The restaurant looked like an incredibly old diner. Not only did the place look old, but all their customers were old as well. I’m talking about white hair old! And the fact that my girlfriend and I were the only Asians among the sea of Caucasian seniors did not soften the amount of glares that were turned on us as we strolled in the door.
So I ordered the famous fried chicken, and my gf decided to try out the chicken fried steak. I was told that there would be at least a 15 minute wait, which I had no problem with. It meant that my friend chicken would be cooked fresh. And indeed it was so fresh and hot that it burned my mouth (a habit I need to get rid of from being so anxious to eat -.-) Although the skin was very crispy and the meat tender and juicy, it was too salty for my taste. It was salty enough to leave a bad impression on me. The chicken fried steak however, was completely bland, and would’ve been a disaster without the gravy, which didn’t even help that much. I remember leaving that meal with the thought that Frenchy’s was much better.

As some of the Unilocalers have mentioned, once you walk through the doors, it takes you back in time about 50 years. Even the exterior looks like it came out of the Brady bunch.
The fried chicken was juicy once you bit through the breading which was hard as a rock. Popeyes has better chicken.
As for the St. Louis ribs, this was definitely a lot better than the fried chicken. I recommend you go with the ribs over the fried chicken if it comes down to picking one or the other.