This Popular Barbecue Joint in Texas Is Getting Rave Reviews for Meats

Biting into a brisket sandwich, elbows on a long wooden table, stone walls all around you — that’s how it’s meant to be enjoyed.

Present-day Pinkerton’s Barbecue in Houston, Texas, started with a single pit and one man’s childhood love for smoking meats.

Pinkerton wanted to serve up meats with his family’s recipes as well as some of his own. The logo says it all — a ranch-style P with two stars, framed by a belt buckle shape that nods straight to its Texas roots.

Originally from small towns across Texas, the Pinkerton family called Houston home as Grant was growing up. That’s where his business stands today, and with multiple locations, Pinkerton’s has been on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 BBQ Joints list from 2017 to 2024.

Hours and parking at Pinkerton’s

Meats are served daily until they run out, so don’t delay getting out the door.

Their hours are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday. They’re closed on Mondays, and they stay open an hour later (10 p.m.) on Friday and Saturday.

There’s outdoor seating when the weather’s nice. They don’t take reservations, so plan ahead.

Saturday is Pinkerton’s busiest day, followed by Friday. Weekdays are your best bet for a quieter meal with friends or family.

Parking is close to the building, but spots are limited. Go early, if you can.

Parking spots are a little uneven and mainly gravel in some places. Try to visit Pinkerton’s when there’s enough daylight to see where you’re going.

If you can’t find parking up close to the restaurant, there’s street parking nearby.

In true Texas barbecue style, your food comes out to you on a small gray tray. There’s a piece of butcher paper, topped by your meats. Sides like mac and cheese and beans come in a paper container, too. Don’t forget white bread to complement your meal!

Inside the restaurant, the menu is scrawled in handwriting on pieces of brown paper on the walls behind staff members. Nothing fancy!

Once you’re in line, tell staff members what you’d like for your meats, sides, and dessert, then pay and pick up at the end of the line.

Pinkerton’s also offers takeout, so you can enjoy your favorite meats and desserts from the comfort of home.

Meats on the menu!

One thing to note about their menu is that the meats are gluten-free. So, if you’re looking for options you or your party can eat, Pinkerton’s has you covered.

Meats by the pound range from $21 to $38. Other meats cost between $6 and $13.

It’s not a casual drop-in place. Be ready to splurge on a meal out!

Pinkerton’s by-the-pound meats include sliced or chopped brisket, beef or pork ribs, pork shoulder, turkey, thighs, and sausage. Sandwiches come in brisket, pork, sausage, and turkey.

The sides at Pinkerton’s are jalapeno cheese rice, coleslaw, beans, and mac and cheese. There’s a Grant’s Potato Salad, if you want something named after the founder. Be careful about the Duck and Sausage Jambalaya because it includes gluten (if you’re gluten-free).

For a sweet treat, Pinkerton’s offers bread pudding, blueberry cobbler, and banana pudding. All of the desserts include gluten, so steer clear if you need to! 

A few of the meats, sides, and desserts are named after Pinkerton family members, such as Aunt Ruby, Rosemary, and Grant. Grant’s hands-on standards haven’t changed since day one.

Pinkerton’s does run out of some sides and meats, especially as it nears closing time. So, if you have to have that mac and cheese, head in early to make sure you get what you really want.

Your party at Pinkerton’s

You can absolutely host your own party at Pinkerton’s, whether that’s a wedding, anniversary, birthday, retirement, and so on.

For parties on site, they have a group menu and private spaces you can rent out. Outside, they have benches on a covered patio with a tree above your head.

This outdoor area is one of Pinkerton’s greatest strengths, in my opinion.

There’s a huge tree that hangs over the patio section with all the benches and tables. At night, it’s lit up, giving a glow to going outdoors for your meal. They’re good about stringing up lights, so if that’s your thing, head outside.

The outside isn’t much to look at in the back. It’s an older building, with white walls. There are some cables and pipes exposed. Not necessarily a photo ops moment.

Inside, it’s an ideal setting for a dream wedding or an anniversary party. The stone walls have deer heads like a lodge. The ceiling and tables are all wood. Curved windows and door frames make it softer. Lights up above are shaped like lanterns, the perfect way to set a romantic mood.

The front door has a nice “P” brand, wood beams, and “Come and Eat It” letters. It’d be a good place to take photos with friends or family. Tall wooden posts, and a stone wall behind you, finish off the look.

They also have full service catering, or drop offs, for a party at another venue or at your home. Let the festivities commence!

Pitmaster’s story

Grant Pinkerton, founder and pitmaster of Pinkerton’s, was born and grew up in Houston, with a family that’s from the Hill Country and the Gulf Coast.

Even as a little kid, he loved learning about cooking meat (safely, of course), getting a fire going, and the corresponding traditions that make us proud to be Texans.

He went to Lamar High School, a local school in Houston, where he participated in Future Farmers of America. During those high school years, he also spent a lot of time outdoors and was passionate about conservationism.

He went on to get his bachelor’s in Rhetoric and Writing from The University of Texas at Austin, a degree that would serve him in telling the story of what would be Pinkerton’s.

Moving back to Houston from Austin, he decided it was high time to bring that story to life.

When he did a soft opening of what’s now Pinkerton’s, the late 20s pitmaster looked outside to find a line running straight down the side of his building.

And in 2024, Pinkerton’s received Bib Gourmand status in the Michelin Guide for Texas. This honor is reserved for those restaurants that serve fantastic food at moderate prices.

Where’s the merch?

Pinkerton’s has an online shop for all their merchandise. The shop’s aptly titled Come and Eat It.

On the Come and Eat It website, buy T-shirts and hats with Pinkerton’s logos and signature rubs and sauces by Pinkerton’s.

For $11-13, you can get a sweet sauce, vinegar sauce, or a rib glaze. Or, for $30-85, you can get bundles of rubs and sauces. Pick your favorite!

Tips before you go

Be aware that Pinkerton’s often has a long line, especially on weekends. Know that you’ll wait in line, so prepare some games to play with the kids.

Portions are quite large. Grab a takeout box, and enjoy leftovers several days later.

Grab a drink from the bar and look around while you wait. Watching what other tables are eating is a great way to narrow down your order before you reach the front of the line.

Indoors, Pinkerton’s gets cramped, especially on weekends. Don’t expect a table with lots of elbow room. This is barbecue the classic way, with long, wooden tables, and paper towels and sauce bottles to pass down the table.

If you’re struggling to decide what to get, don’t try to force everything all at once. Instead, make a plan to come back another time with friends or family, to experiment with a meat or side you didn’t have room for last time.

Some people say there’s not enough seasoning, or that some dishes are overcooked or undercooked, so be sure to specify how you’d like your food cooked, prepared, and seasoned, when it’s your turn to order.

Not as hungry as you thought you’d be? Share a platter with your spouse, kids, or friends.

There aren’t as many vegetarian options, since Pinkerton’s is mostly about meats. Call ahead if you’re going with a group and looking for what ingredients are in their sides.

If meats by the pound get too expensive for you, go for the sandwiches. They’re a little cheaper, if you’d rather not break the bank.

To get there, search Pinkerton’s Barbecue or plug 1504 Airline Dr, Houston, TX 77009 directly into your maps app.

Where: Pinkerton’s Barbecue, 1504 Airline Dr, Houston, TX 77009

Pinkerton’s Barbecue wasn’t founded by a chef from a famous culinary school.

It was dreamed up and made a reality by a Houston kid who’d rather be out in the backyard smoking meats than anywhere else.

One barbecue pit. Long, wooden tables. Messy napkins. Stone walls. Bar stocked with bottles.

Gather up the kids, and make a Pinkerton’s visit. It won’t disappoint.

Find them online at pinkertonsbarbecue.com, order ahead at orderpinkertonsbbq.com, follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and pull up directions on Google Maps before you head out — because the line moves fast, but the brisket goes faster.