Brooks’ Place

I drove out from the Heights a few weeks ago because a coworker recommended them to me. I rarely leave the Heights area — let alone the loop (especially for food), but I trusted my coworker. First of all, the people working weren’t very friendly. They didn’t seem to like me nor my group of friends. They weren’t necessarily rude, but they weren’t welcoming either. Just very smug and apathetic… They seemed to be much more interested in their phones and other coworkers than the customers. I expected friendly service way out there in the country. Anyway, all of us has brisket and sausage plates. Brisket was dry, sausage was cold, and the sauce was bland. Maybe I caught them on an off day, but I’ll never find out for sure. No one that worked there seemed to care if we enjoyed our meals or not. What a waste of a May afternoon by driving out there. Oh well. Live and learn. Even Goode Company is better.

I really wish I could give this place 4.5 starts rather than 4. The brisket is simply amazing. The sausage is awesome and the beans and okra are astounding. I got the porkbelly which I’d knock half a star off because it was a hair dry for my taste but that was corrected by the place’s awesome sauce. They put rosemary in the sauce which really gives it an interested twist when it comes to the flavoring.

Wow wow wow this freaking brisket.
I had the 3 plate of meat. Brisket, pulled pork and sausage. Side of Mac and beans. Wish I just got brisket only for the meats. The other meats were good, nothing life changing, but the brisket blew me away. It was so freaking good. Also the beans were amazing as well like really amazing.
If I go back (from out of town) I will just do the brisket and beans as a side. Located in the parking lot of ACE

Best BBQ around. Melts in your mouth.

I can’t believe I live 5 mins from this place! Most of the really good BBQ places are a long drive from my house; so I am super thankful! I was driving home from work and decided to stop by. I’ve read some really high reviews and wanted to see if they lived up to the hype.
They only offered brisket and sausage. I was okay with that because those were the choices I wanted, but sadly they only had 2 sides and that was the potato salad and cold slaw.
I got the TWO MEATS (brisket and sausage) WITH THE 2 SIDES (2 servings of potato salad). The lady that took my order was so friendly and helpful. She was very sweet. Even when she told me they only had a limited menu, I was okay with it because she said it so apologetically and sweetly.
I didn’t eat there, but I brought my food home and shared it with my mom. We both enjoyed the briskets because it was so moist and juicy. I loved the fatty parts. The brisket was seasoned well and I love the sauce on the side. It was like a sweet and sour sauce. The sausage was a bit dry, but it was still very flavorful. I love the charcoal/​smoky flavor. The potato salad was creamy and I loved the chunks of potatoes that were mixed in. I also got mac and cheese. I don’t usually eat anything too cheesy, but this was a nice creamy and soft addition to the dish.
Overall, I definitely will come here for my BBQ fix. It’s so close and so yummy. It fills my belly with joy. I only hope that they have a full menu; so I can order a little bit of everything.

Meat was slightly fatty but very tender and sausage was great. Got the value pack which was a great deal and got large sides of coleslaw (average), potato salad (yummy) and baked beans (the best!). Sides were a great portion and meat was enough for 4+ people! Bbq sauce was okay but nothing special. Wait time was short but FYI they are first come first serve unless you call ahead for the weekend. Ordered Togo and they included plasticwear, plenty of sauce and plenty of napkins, perfect!

Summary– Just OK barbeque, I agree with some other reviewers that it’s overrated on Unilocal.
Food– 3 Stars
Pretty good sliced brisket but nothing over the top.
Ribs were straight up tough although once you chewed into them the flavor was good.
The sausage was flavorful as well but dried out.
Sides were good overall. I really like the Okra salad, which is unusual and was delicious.
Service– 4 Stars
Super friendly and fast.
Atmosphere– 3 Stars
It’s a truck in a hardware store parking lot with some benches. In the summer it must be hotter then hades.
Value– 4 Stars
Not overpriced.

Love this place. The sauce is really good. They have deer sausage which is not easy to find at a bbq place. Discount for having a license to carry and you are carrying.

WARNING: This place has a bloated rating because of open carry support (I don’t have a problem with it) but it has some false five star ratings because if it.
I’ve eaten here about five times now and it’s just below average food, The sauce is really good but the food is really hit and miss from brisket thats dry and hard one day to soft and moist the next. I’ve haven’t had a problem with their pulled pork but the chicken was over cooked and and really dry but well seasoned the one time I could get it, I’m probably going to stick with a more reliable place for my Bbq.

First off Mr. Brooks was one of the most hospitable person you could meet. Met him this morning to take advantage of his 25% off open carry special. When I tell you it was worth the drive from Atascocita to his restaurant I mean it! The food was top notch delicious! The BBQ was seasoned well and «cut with a fork tender»! The sides were also well seasoned! My one year old daughter loved your black eyed peas! I was so impressed. That being said, thank you Mr. Brooks for allowing us the right to open/​conceal carry at your establishment. It was a great experience and my family and I will be back!
One more thing «How bout’ them Cowboys!»

Award winning* BBQ! I’ve been tasting brisket all over the US for 40+ years and Brooks’ is one of the best. Don’t forget the sides too, their Cranberry Almond Slaw is killer!
The food is so good and consistent that I had them cook for several birthday parties.
Support local business and give Brooks’ Place a try!
*2015 Houston BBQ Throwdown GRAND CHAMPION

Extremely pleased with this place, immediately felt welcomed as I walked up to place my order. I ordered the brisket plate with baked beans & potato salad. Brisket was super tender & moist, beautiful smoke ring. Looking forward to becoming a regular as I’m new to the area. Pleased to see the signs encouraging respect for your fellow man and and also support for LTC holders.

I have been singing the praises of Brooks’ since I introduced his brisket at my son’s graduation party a few years ago. If you want great flavor, good bark and fantastic made from scratch sides, look no further than this little gem at Barker Cypress and 529. Regulars know that in addition to brisket, you need to try the other menu staples like various types of sausage, ribs, chicken etc. Also be on the lookout for the treats like beef ribs, pork loin and smoked oxtails.
Whether you are staying to dine at one of the outdoor picnic tables or picking up an order to go, rules need to be followed: no pets, no low-​hanging or baggy pants and come 2016, open-​carry customers are welcome. Also, be specific about what you want, though Brooks’ is the hardest working man in the BBQ business, he and his staff are not mind readers.
Finally, If you need to satisfy a sweet tooth, try one of Mrs Brooks’ homemade desserts.
Regularly listed as a Texas Monthly top BBQ joint and local award winning brisket, Brooks’ is a must try for the authentic BBQ enthusiast.

I am a Yankee transplant living in Cypress and a huge Texas BBQ fan. I love to BBQ myself and have had great BBQ like Aaron Franklin’s in Austin and also plenty of terrible BBQ so I don’t hand out 5 star ratings to just anyone but Brooks’ Place deserves one.
I took my fiancé and her friend from Wisconsin out for lunch this afternoon as I didn’t have time to do a cook myself but wanted to make sure she got a genuine Texas BBQ experience while she was down here. Brooks was the perfect choice!
We ordered 1 lb of point brisket and ¼ lb from the flat as well as 1 l/​b of ribs, some deer sausage, and a few sides. As we got our food, Mr. Brooks came out and thanked us for coming out on such a cold morning and to chat about what brought us to his establishment and to make sure we were enjoying his food. We probably chatted for 15 min about BBQ, cook offs he was involved in, where we were from, just the usual banter that comes along with a great BBQ joint. He was very courteous and polite and we now have some great cook offs to visit next year.
The BBQ was on point! (pun intended) Brisket is the true test of a pit master’s skill and Trent cooked ours to perfection, the point that I ordered was moist and tender, pulling apart perfectly. It was sliced to ¼ inch, had a perfect smoke ring and classic Texas style dark crust, I didn’t ask him what he used in his rub but I would guess it was most likely a standard salt and pepper central Texas style. I believe he was using Oak and the smoke flavor was not to overpowering. My fiancé had the ¼ lb of brisket from the flat since she likes the leaner cuts, it was sliced to ¹⁄₈ inch and she had nothing but positive feedback to provide, both she and her friend were both extremely satisfied with their brisket.
The ribs were also cooked in central Texas fashion, the rub was either the same as used on the brisket or very similar. They were not over cooked to the point where the meat would all just slide off the bone, it was once again a pull off the bone tender which is the perfect target for ribs. They provided some sauces with our meal but no one even bothered to open them, the natural flavors of the meat were too good to cover up with sauce!
The deer sausage was also excellent, I don’t get all that worked up over sausage since it doesn’t require the skill that good brisket does but I can say that it had a good blend of smoke and spice, I think Trent may have added some jalapeño to give it a little extra kick.
The ladies ordered a few sides, the only one I tried was the Bacon Onion Potatoes and they were excellent.
I always get nervous about taking people out to a BBQ joint for their first taste of Texas style BBQ if I haven’t vetted the place myself as I want to make sure they have a great experience. If you are like me in that regard, have no fear, Brooks’ Place will not let you down. My fiances friend said it was the best meal she’s ever had and it wasn’t just about the food, it’s about ordering from a trailer in a parking lot, sitting at a picnic table with your food coming to you in brown paper bags, chatting with the pit master while eating, and then going into a BBQ coma afterwards that completes the whole experience.
My respect for Mr. Brooks and his wife doing what Texas BBQ is all about, make sure you take the time to talk with him if he isn’t too busy when you go!

Lots of people showing up at 11:30 Saturday am.
Potatoes aren’t mashed, and while the menu says garlic, this is garlic and then some. Hyper-​seasoned.
The beans have black pepper and something else, and they’re pretty good.
The sauce is tangy — a little sweet and a little heat.
The brisket has a very little ring but offers a very rich, full, smoky flavor. Excellent bark, and moist cut wasn’t too fatty.
The ribs are exactly how you want them to taste, not huge but moist, tender, and fairly mild.
My palate for pulled pork isn’t super refined — it’s definitely tender, but it’s better with sauce.

No wonder it’s on Texas Monthly’s list of 50 Best BBQ places. Great tasting BBQ. Outdoor seating only. Saw pitmaster who said hello to us.

I had the privilege of stopping in at Brooks’ over the weekend. I had some guests in town and since they were hungry and we were in the area we stopped in.
We ordered 1 ½ lbs of ribs, some mac and cheese and potato salad. Also while you wait there is an ice chest right in front that says” free beer with id” so of course we had to try. They were extremely cold and refreshing. The ribs were tender and meaty and the mac and cheese had a bbq flavor. The potato salad was not like the kind your mom would make but pretty good.
It was the first visit for my guests and they enjoyed it immensely. They said the next time they come in town, that I had to bring them back again.

2^nd visit to this amazing bbq trailer. I have eaten Brooks several times before I went to his establishment, because he is part of the Houston barbecue festival held every year. I was impressed at the festival, but I have been blown away by the food at his trailer location.
Pulled pork and brisket are so incredibly succulent and melt in your mouth good. The meat stands alone here. There is a definite smoke and rub flavor, but the flavor and tenderness of the meat and the perfectly rendered fat are what grabs your mouth’s attention.
On this visit the ribs needed a little more time to become fully tender, they were a little chewy, but the flavor was there.
He also was offering turkey legs and duck. I didn’t try them.

Like many other people, we first heard about Brooks’ when the Chronicle and Press wrote about the trouble Dunkin’ was giving them – since we like BBQ and hate corporate foolishness, we decided to give them a shot. Glad we did – their brisket is OUTSTANDING, literally the best I’ve ever had!
But be warned, it’s pricey – we got two ½ lb lean brisket sandwiches, two ¼ lb orders of sausage and a small side of baked beans, and it was over $ 49. So make sure you’ve budgeted accordingly before visiting :)

Trent Brooks — God bless you, man! You are the king of Texas BBQ. I could stop there but then you’d never understand this spectacular man or his BBQ. I have saved my 300^th review for your place because it deserves something special.
I stumbled across this fantastic place from a very close friend who surprised us both with how awesome this place is. We both made it here one day when you still had BBQ and ordered I think everything off the menu. The brisket was off the chart, the sausage was fantastic. I loved the ribs and everything we had. I was in a coma afterwards because it is that fantastic. You sir, are one of the top 5 places in Texas I would get BBQ from.
Ever since arriving in Houston in 2009, I have been wanting and desiring some awesome BBQ in Houston. Before 2010, Houston was a BBQ oasis — simply stated: there wasn’t much here to eat. You had to go to Lockhart, Austin or Dallas to get some decent BBQ. Then, a miracle happened. Trent decided to go public with his BBQ and the place has not been the same since then. You’ve probably heard of other BBQ places and I would put his BBQ up against even the best in Texas — and it would hold SOLID in any comparison. Why? Because he only produces the best BBQ he can — and as anyone knows — the smoker only holds so much meat.
So what does that mean? well, it means you better get your butt here early if you want some of that delicious BBQ. All of your 5 star reviews are deserved because you have mastered how to smoke that meat and serve a quality product to your customers.
Now to the best part: his sauce. I know, I know… a good BBQ doesn’t need sauce, but OMFG, that sauce!!! I have no idea what you put in it to make it that awesome — but whatever you do, its over the top.
Bottom line:
One of the 3 top BBQ places in Houston, perhaps the best. One of the top 5 in Texas and that is quite worthy of a 5 star review, Trent. You are amazing. Keep it up!