Demeris Bar-B-Q – West Loop

i am so torn the customer service was amazing but NONE of the sides are fresh made just heads up. we sat at the bar bartender was friendly, bar is small but nice. was looking for a nice bar. Okay back to sides… Potato salad scooped from a tub for sure and beans tasted canned, not that it was bad tasting but if a place comes w all fresh stuff they will be out of business thats why they dont care. There is really no competition. Ive heard of Gaitlins but seems that they are more hole in the wall open at certain hours type of place. All and all we had a good experience. I don’t complain bout the people price bbq takes time it is expensive folks no matter where u go. Yeah manager is an a-​hole like we r doing him a favor sat at the bar eating w other people didn’t bother to say hi to us. They r damn lucky to have Regina…

Tried this place out for the first time after passing it every day on my way home from work for the last two years. Got the three meat plate to split between my boyfriend and I, because for $ 20 we figured it would be plenty to share… It definitely was not. While everything we got was good (beef, pulled pork, ribs, beans and Mac n cheese) for that price it was not a very big portion. I’ll probably go back again but just get a beef sandwich or something cheaper off the menu. I don’t mind paying a lot for good food, but that price for that amount/​quality didn’t seem worth it. So in summary: the food is pretty good but a little expensive for what you get.

The brisket was beautifully carved and tasty. The pulled pork was «melt in your mouth» good! My favorite side was the jalapeño corn!
I definitely would eat here again for some good BBQ!
To top it off the cashier was very nice.

I’m a big fan of the bar. Very good prices too. It can be a bit «clickish» at times but I’m still there.

Fast friendly easy, never been disappointed…

I remember back in the days when Demeris had good BBQ. Not the case today. Their BBQ is tender but tasteless. Guess when they built this location they left the old pit and taste behind.

My favorite BBQ spot in H-​Town. A bit pricey for some items. Well worth it. It is delicious. The service is quick. The food is authentic. They are consistent and never let me down. A must for Houstonians and visitors as well. Perfection.

really enjoyed the food. got the two meat special with sausage and turkey with the rice and corn. enjoyed every single bite.

Well, we’re finally done. Been eatin’ here for so many years I can’t remember. But no more.
Whenever we order take out through their window, we never receive anymore the loose cut that we order. It’s always the leaner cut which in no way tastes as good as the top meat. I’ve complained to Yonny Demeris a couple of times and he had always responded but the last time this occurred, I sent a note and a picture to him and he totally ignored me. I couldn’t believe it.
Anyway, the primary meat slicer /​sandwich preparer pays absolutely no attention when asked to prepare one from the loose cut meat and I’ve noticed him for years always acting as if he must use every piece of the brisket and push it to customers. I hate this type of overbearing personality in an individual and have just given up on being abused in this manner.
Finally, on several occassions I’ve had hairs in the potato salad and it’s infuriating when this happens. Too much indifference on the employees part is driving us away and that is unfortunate because the owners most often are such caring people and their product when we dine in is properly prepared and served. Adiós amigo!
Edit: Well, we tried Gatlin’s and this is indeed our new Bar-​B-​Que joint from now on. Yonny, you’re a terrible manager and I’m glad to finally say that I’ll never be back, buddy. You can count on losing business to Gatlin’s once people become aware of just how good theirs is and how you mistreat the to-​go clientele as I’ve stated above. Take your place and shove it, I ain’t goin’ there no more.

Came on a Sunday afternoon, I got the brisket dinner with potato salad and Mexican rice, I really enjoyed both. I’m very picky about potato salad, I hate when it’s sweet but this one was just right. I will definitely be returning.

Excellent BBQ and extremely fast service. The brisket is top notch but could have been a little bit more tender for my taste. The ribs are as good as any I have ever had. Same with the sausage. The cole slaw was kind of bland and the green beans looked like they came out of a can but I came for the BBQ! Phenomenal fries. Nice condiment bar too. The establishment is clean and the staff may not be super friendly but they are very efficient.

Demeris is great accessible BBQ. To compare this place to Gaitlins… as other Unilocalers have… isn’t really fair.
Sure your quality can be superior ala Gaitlins but I’m often frustrated by the «we’ll be open when we want to be open» attitude of Gaitlins and other «craft» BBQ joints. The pretentiousness of it really chaps my hide. Plus Gaitlins is very uncomfortable… who wants to wait in line for a half hour and beg to be served ala the soup nazi then be forced to beat it or dine on picnic tables. That’s how it feels at Gaitlins.
No thanks. Call me uncool but I want to be comfortable and feel wanted and that’s what you get at Demeris. A nice clean, comfortable solid BBQ joint without the pretense and attitude.

Pros: the «Hoffy» burger was delicious. Burger was perfectly cooked, the bun was so good. I would definitely order again.
Cons: this was first time I’ve ever thought that bbq could use some salt. Chopped beef sandwich was tasted and discarded, not worth eating. Mac and cheese should be left on the kids menu. All around disappointed with those items.
In my opinion, I would avoid the bbq, other items are far superior!

I’ve been eating here for years, mainly when it was on the opposite side of the loop, closer to Northwest Mall. I’ve tried the different meats:
Sausage – a bit dr, but nicely seasoned. I recommend they switch their recipe or supplier and they would have a winner for some wonderful link sandwiches.
Beef – very good, nice smoke ring, though the smoke is a bit harsh (might be oak). Well-​trimmed and a nice taste overall and texture.
Chicken – a tad dry, but that actually works with the smoky flavor of the meat. A real favorite for me personally.
Ribs – another very good item, very meaty and moist. Another favorite.
The sauce is a touch watery, but still within my acceptable limits. Sides are very good with the Mac and cheese the best of the lot in my opinion.
I’d probably give this overall 3 stars, but the 4^th star is for Miss Regina who is the Queen of this restaurant: friendly, smiling and she will take of you with your order – so BE NICE TO HER, because she deserves back the happiness she gives her customers.

I’ve been coming here since it was at the old location that got knocked down to expand the freeways… this location is easier to get to, but you have to pay attention! It is just past the Houston Garden Center, if you miss the turn you cut back through the Whataburger.
This place has a drive thru, and the lady normally working the drive thru during lunch is hillariously friendly to me! I have also gone inside to pick up to go orders. The line can be to the door during the lunch rush, but an employee will walk the line to get people with to go orders.
I always get the chopped beef sandwich or sliced turkey sandwich with the sauce on the side so my bread isn’t soggy by the time I get back to the office. The jalapeño corn is amazing!!! Their fries are cut thin and could be a crispier in my opinion, but they are still good.
They have a decent sized menu for a BBQ place!

OK. I admit that the craft Barbecue places like Gatlin’s and Brook’s Place are much better. However, of the chain BBQ place I like Demeris best.
Service is always quick and even a long line seems to move quickly.
This location is new, as the former location was dozed to make room for the highway expansion. You have to know how to get here, it’s on the feeder road and if you miss your turn it will take another minutes to get back.
The fare is standard chain BBQ so in addition to the Smoked meats there are sides, baked potatoes, burgers, salads, etc.
The chicken is tasty and about what you expect at the chain places. The ribs are good but a bit dry. The sausage is better than average for most BBQ places. My favorite and standby is the brisket. Moderate smoke, good flavor, nice texture. I often get the sandwich basket. The fries may not be to everyone’s taste, but I love them. They a crisp, tasty and sometimes a bit on the greasy side (which I know is not trendy in this age of health conscious «low fat» fries).
If you want the very best BBQ go to a place like Gatlin’s, Brook’s Place, Vergie’s or Corkscrew BBQ. If I’m not near one of them I will always look for a Demeris.

3^rd visit & that was strike 3.
I really hate to 1 or 2 star a place but after the 3^rd visit & a disappointing meal. It has to happen.
Visit 1 I had a sliced beef sandwich, meh! Very dry brisket not much flavor, & very mild flavor bbq sauce (which I’m ok with, I don’t like overwhelmingly sweet bbq). Umm the BBQ sauce was good?
Visit 2 I had sliced beef only & I specified I want fat on the meat, don’t trim it!!! Mediocre & there was still pretty much no fat on the meat. Umm… the fries were good though?
Visit 3… the one that killed it for me. I ordered a small beef salad (drive thru) which was $ 8.90, I get home & open the bag & 1^st thought to myself was wtf, I just paid $ 9 for this?! Mind you the night before I went & has a chicken shawerma salad for $ 9 also & I didn’t finish it (ate the rest the next day) The small salad is in a small «to-​go box» the $ 9 salad I had the night before was in a large to-​go box. Now after thinking what a overpriced meal. The beef, I damn near couldn’t chew… I was pretty much swallowing the whole cubes. I didn’t want to finish this poorly cooked beef that I was literally choking down but I forced myself to eat it… I did pay frekkin $ 9 for this tiny salad that took me about 20min to finish trying to chew on rubber meat.
Sorry but I think this bbq sucks. Go to Rudys… they got it down packed.

My company got catering from Demeris this week and it was amazing! I had never tried their bbq before and I have to say it’s the best restaurant bbq I’ve ever had. The brisket was extremely juicy and tender and the sausage was delicious! I will definitely have to make my way to their location in the near future.

My husband and I get take out from here quite frequently, and although they can’t always seem to get the order exactly right, it’s always delicious!
My husband’s favorite items are the sausage and Mac and cheese. He also likes the brisket, and has tried the green beans on several occasions. The rice was a little lack-​luster. The salads are big and fresh, and the potatoes are huge! Definitely get ½ if you are only mildly hungry. BBQ sauce is spicy, but worth it!
The restaurant itself is open and spacious with a friendly staff, and the drive thru is a great option when you are in a hurry.
Cheers!

3÷17÷14 12:51pm — This is classic Houston BBQ which is a metaphor for mediocre. I have lived in this fair city for 20 plus years and over that time I have had a few plates of Demeris barbecue either at their Shepard location or catered events. I proclaim it classic Houston BBQ because I have eaten this same bland plate of roasted meats covered in sauce all over Houston for the last 20 years. Demeris is one of the big names in Houston BBQ. They have been around since 1964 so they are part of the blame for 4 lost Houston decades of serving this sauce covered roast beef. This is a new location but actually a relocation from a strip center that was torn down for the Hwy 290 expansion.
I scored Demeris a 70 out of 100. This is classic Houston Bum Steer BBQ.
Smoke: Hickory. At this location the smoker is walled off like Fort Knox. There is a smoke stack (been fooled before) but not a stack of wood in sight. The smoker is not visible from the cafeteria line. I know that JR Manufacturing lists Demeris as a client. Wood or Gasser? Who knows. I trust JR so I’ll go with wood fired which makes this plate of BBQ even more sad.
Brisket: Fair. ¹⁄₈ in smoke ring beneath a paper thin bark (gasser?). Mild faint smoke. Tested tough of tender. No detectable rub flavor. Its a slice of roast beef. Use the sauce.
Ribs: Fair. Get the toothpicks. This spare rib was chewy tough. Lots a tearing and dirty bone. Mild faint smoke. No detectable rub left. Use the sauce.
Sausage: Fair. A course ground beef link with herb seasoning. It was like combining Central Texas, East Texas and Czech. It did not work. It was very dry. No after taste. Little smoke. Use the sauce.
Sauce: Good. A thick tomato base mild sweet sauce. It was buttery. It was served warm and developed a skin like queso cheese. Nice. Everything thing here needs sauce so just have them drown the plate.