Burns Original BBQ

This is the first time I have visited Burns since 1994. It was a horrible experience as far as customer service is concerned. Upon entrance the wait was minimal, about 5 minutes to be assisted. I was summoned by the cashier, Tonya. First of all she did not speak, her facial expression was giving a «What the hell do you want vibe?”(Thank God, I’ve changed) I approached the counter and said hello, how are you, and she said, «What do you need?», never acknowledging my greeting. (Thank God I’ve changed) As I was asking questions about the size of the order she interrupted me several times (Thank God, I’ve changed). I waited until she mumbled what she said and I again attempted to ask questions. She looked at me and rolled her eyes to the back of her head and mumbled again. (CHANGE) I asked if I could get the specifics on a certain item. She said very dry, I’m trying to tell you what’s best or something of that nature! By then, I could not take it any longer, I stated in my most professional manner (I was in a company vehicle and on lunch picking up something for my supervisor), Ma’am you are very short and RUDE. She giggled and stated, «A lot of things, but short, I’m not. (Thank God, I’ve changed) I said all that to say, no matter how good your product is, it is the person or persons distributing it as well as the ones you encounter first that makes a world of difference. in other words as long as you have Tonya representing your establishment, I will not be back and I will make sure I tell all my friends, family, frenemies, enemies, strangers, and anyone else I encounter!!! P. S. — The food was nice!

This place is in a residential area so don’t worry if it looks like you are lost on the way there. It’s mostly takeout, but there is a covered patio to sit at if you stay. The sausage was really good, but the ribs were a little dry for my taste. Unless you tell them otherwise they will put sauce on eveyrhing, which I prefer not to. They had run out of potato salad, which I wanted to try, but the baked beans were probably the best I’ve ever had.
The staff was friendly and the crowd was lively, and the owner even offered to buy my dinner next time because of the potato salad shortage! There was a security guard on site who ushered everyone out and boarded the windows at closing, so it might not be the best area to linger in afterwards.

The service was great here! The friendly staff was very helpful when ordering and moved the line quickly. The BBQ was delicious. The loaded bake potatoes are out of this world. I had the rib sandwich and it was fantastic, I almost didn’t even need sauce.

Great atmosphere and really friendly staff. I got a two meat plate: ribs and brisket with potato salad and green beans. I also got a loaded potato with chopped beef. The best thing I ate was the potato salad! It was so yummy! The ribs were also very delicious. The brisket was somewhat chewy and lacked flavor-​beside the cup of BBQ sauce they were drowned in. The loaded potato was good but not worth the $ 10 I paid for it. I got it with chopped beef-​which was more fat than meat-​so I won’t make that mistake again. But I’ll be sure to frequent this establishment!

Quick, proficient, and awesome food!
I would come as often as I could eat bbq :)

3.5 My go to fave. Not the best in the city but very enjoyable.

Burns bbq have some of the best homemade sausage i have ever tasted. I also had the ribs which was very tender and delicious. The service was great and fast. I will definitely be back for more.

Ate here for the first time tonight. The food was okay. I really wanted brisket but they were out, due to Super Bowl weekend. Okay, so all they had was ribs and sausage. The sausage was tough and hard to fully chew up. The ribs were over cooked too, very hard to chew. Sauce and potato salad was good. Honestly, I was not impressed. Maybe I need to give them another chance.

I like BBQ a lot, but I have never been a beef ribs girl. They are OK, but do not have the juicy flavor of pork ribs, which I much prefer. Of course in Texas ribs = beef, so I usually skip out at most BBQ joints. Enter Burns Original BBQ. This place has THE BEST beef ribs I have ever tasted. I can only imagine what someone who LIKES beef ribs would think. The meat is tender and oh-​so-​full of flavor. You really cannot go wrong.
The potato salad is another stand out. It is more on the mustard-​y side, so keep that in mind if you are pro-​mayo-​taste for your potato salad. The potato salad is perfection every time I have it.
BBQ sauce is a nice vinegar-​based sauce, not overly sweet or thick like many BBQ sauces in Texas. BBQ sauce taste is really a matter of preference, but this is a nice sauce that truly compliments the flavor of the meats instead of drowning it.
I like to buy extra sausage to make breakfast tacos in the week. Fab for my taste buds, terrible for my waistline, but it’s only a once-​in-​awhile thing.
Do yourself a favor and TRY THIS PLACE ASAP.
Unilocal 100 2016: #3

Loved this spot for BBQ! I only visit Houston occasionally and was thrilled to come here for lunch yesterday. Be prepared to wait in line for a little since it’s a popular spot. Sides were decent and only a few choices, but the ribs, brisket, and spicy sausage were absolutely delicious– their BBQ sauce is one of the best!

If you’re craving BBQ and some tasty potato salsa this is definitely the place for you. Being on the northwest side of town I thought it would be a small area, but there’s actually a patio with about 6 tables or so to sit down. I ordered the 3 meat plate and two side combo and spent less than $ 15.
I am definitely going to go back just for a large side of that potato salad, it’s pickled to perfection. I honestly loved the potato salsa more than the meat, but the meat is mostly meat so that was pretty exciting.

This was my first trip to Burns BBQ and I am VERY PLEASED. … the service was great… the food was great and the staff was very friendly… this is a local gem with great prices and darn good BBQ … I will definitely be back…

One of the complaints I have had about Houston is that this city knows nothing about real BBQ. I have been on a quest for the past two years to find great Q in this city. I finally found a place that is worth the drive. Burns has delicious, tender, tasty ribs, links and brisket. I wasn’t wow’d by the brisket but thought it was ok, but I thoroughly enjoyed the links and ribs. They only had a small selection of sides, so I had dirty rice and potato salad and both were good.
There is no indoor seating, so you either eat outside or take out. The service wasn’t the friendliest, but like I said this is the best Q in town.

Burns reminds me of my grandpa’s bbq. Sauce is texas and spicy but a little sweet, almost a bourbon flavor. The homemade spicy links are nice. The staff is friendly even when busy. Thanks for making me feel like i am home.

The Ribs = make U speechless, The chicken Links = on point, The brisket = embodies what all brisket should taste like (smoked to perfection), The sauce = XXX rated and the Spicy links = criminal …
Best BBQ in Houston thus far!!!
Came on a Saturday afternoon where the crowd convened just to get their fav selections. Even though the line gets long, the wait is fairly short.
Menu items disappear as the day progresses due to high demand & limited supply so get here EARLY!
Newly renovated so you can enjoy your BBQ on premises.

Best in the World Burns is the place like know other. I been coming here pretty much as long as I been on earth. Not going to give my age… just going to say they still Rock. Not only is the Bar B Q Outstanding the family is as well.
Burns keep up the Great work. I’m from Houston but now I live in California and when I touch down, I make it my business to come as many times a week as I can.
Oh not to mention if they coming to be close upon my arrival to Houston. I make sure someone stops by to get my food ahead. So this way I still don’t miss my Burns on Saturday nights when I get here. Burns much love from Lessie!!!

I ate here once several years ago and remember then you ordered outside and ate outside. Now they they have added an interior space to order inside which gets you out of the weather now. Eating is still done outside on covered picnic benches if you aren’t getting it to go.
Last week for lunch I drove over to try it again. Some fellow Unilocalers have been telling me how much they like Burns and I said I would go back again. This time I ordered a sliced brisket (moist sandwich) with beans as a side ($ 8.75)So that I could try another side I ordered the potato salad for an additional $ 1.99.
When the food came out about 10 minutes later I went outside to eat at one of the picnic tables. I live about a 30 minute drive from here and didn’t want it to get cold. I actually started out trying the sides. The beans were ranch style that had pieces of brisket, onions and bell pepper in a good sauce that I rated as a (4). Very good. The potato salad is mustard based and was good too (3.5). I enjoyed them both and was pleased with their size. Each was almost big enough for two to share and at $ 1.99 each presented very good value.
During this time I was only bothered by one fly which was totally manageable. When I opened the foil to get at the sandwich I noticed that the bread was square sandwich bread. Some of the sauce had dripped down under the bottom piece of bread and was going to make it soggy. Fortunately I caught it in time to save the sandwich. The sandwich had a lot of meat. I enjoyed the brisket and sauce. It was moist and good with a nice smoke flavor however it was not quite as tender as some of my other more favorite brisket sandwiches. Don’t get me wrong it was good but only a (3) to me. I did think the meal represented a good value price wise. During this time my one fly turned into about 9 flies that wanted a taste and this bothered me playing shoo fly with them. I scarfed the food down and left.
I am not a rib fan. Just brisket and chicken and sometimes pulled pork. Perhaps Burns ribs are very good. I liked my meal however I must tell you that when I can’t take the food home fast enough and have to eat outside (which I really don’t mind if it isn’t freezing cold or blistering hot) and deal with pests (flies, birds, ants, skeeters, etc) I don’t enjoy the meal as much. My BBQ experience here food wise rates a 3.5 but rounds down to a 3 for Unilocal purposes.

Went to Burns Original BBQ for lunch on a Wednesday with 4 other chaps from the office — none of us had been there before but someone heard about the place. After finding the place we were surprised by all the cars and the comings and goings from the place. Maybe the popularity was because the food was good. Well we were all not adventurous today and all got the same basic thing — rib sandwich. In my case I got the combo which included 1 side (chose dirty rice) and a canned drink — all for $ 8.25. Service was efficient by the counter staff.
Well this sandwich was two thick slices of white Texas Toast with half a rack of ribs in between, smothererd in sauce. There were some pickled sliced dill cucumber and fresh onions on the side. It was pretty darned good. We ate outside on the picnic tables under the canopy in front as this is really a take away place — there is no inside seating. If you do decide to eat on the premises you had better order some water and reserve a bit to wash your hands since this place doesn’t appear to have any washing facilities (or rest room). But the barbecue was great — first time I ever had a sandwich with great big bones in it, but the BBQ was so well done that you just pulled the bones out. The dirty rice was delicious as well.
Will probably come again.

You will wait.
That said, you will also eat the best bbq in Houston like royalty.
Go to Burns’.

This is probably my favorite BBQ restaurant in Houston since my other one closed down recently. Their other 2 locations, on Antoine and N. Shepherd have closed down, so they are just back to the original location as far as I know.
They have remodeled to where you can walk in and order at a counter. There are still no indoor seats, but there are about 6 outdoor wood benches to sit at. When you order at the counter, you can sit on a few benches inside the ordering area, but they’re not really for eating though.
I have been coming here for years for their fall-​apart ribs, melt in your mouth brisket and homemade links. They have regular, chicken and homemade links. i usually order the homemade, which are not like some other places in town where the casing is chewy. They smoke the sausage longer so the casing is crispy similar to smoked boudain and you can bite right through it. My typical order is the 3 meats for 11.99. This comes with no sides, just break onion and pickles upon request.
Although I’m one of the only white person’s here when I show up, they still give me great service like family. This hole in the wall is not to be missed by any BBQ lover.