The Wooden Spoke

We quickly popped into The Wooden Spoke one afternoon just to taste the brisket. The flavors were good, and served with the right Texan garnishes (pickles, onions, and jalapeños). It was not the most tender brisket I’ve ever had, but it wasn’t chewy either. I’d definitely be interested in going back first thing in the morning when it’s fresh, to see if they could boost to a 5 star.

The Wooden Spoke… otherwise known in our home as Big Mike’s…is a great local BBQ spot! They are so friendly and the Bbq is great! One of my husbands favorite thing is their Brisket Frito Pie! If you like Frito Pie I guarantee you’ll never find a better one! Also the Big Mike Sandwhich is amazing but be prepared… it is massive!

I stopped here several times when they first opened and was impressed with the Bbq, though my husband complained about the small portions (and I agreed it was pricey). More recently I went in as a convenient stop for the kids. 4 hot dogs and a couple of small sides were close to thirty dollars. The hot dogs were wrapped in flattened pieces of white bread. I asked for ketchup and was given four packets. I asked for a little more and was handed one more packet. Not impressed.

First time — got Ribs with potato salad & beans. The potato salad and beans are good — the Ribs were GREAT!
Tender, tasty, and moist! (I eat BBQ without sauce…)
This will be my go to place for BBQ now!

This place has terrific food and it’s the perfect atmosphere… rugged. I took my daughter here to continue a college game day tradition. It was the first time we had been and we will be back! Highly recommend the brisket, chicken and sausage plate. Really good food and nice people! Worth the drive if you don’t live near.

I’m never the gal that says, «let’s go get some q»… That was until I tried the Wooden Spoke. Big Mike is so nice and his que is on point! His Frito Pie is EVERYTHAANG! I’m not sure if they make the banana pudding on site, but damn you can’t leave that place without trying some.
Today, he has stepped his game up! Kobe brisket, stuffed pork loin wrapped in bacon with chipotle mash potatoes & slaw… If this was in the menu everyday, I would live in the place!

This place is so good! Love the baked potatoes. Probably the best bar b q in the Tomball and magnolia area! Truly a hidden gem!

Stopped by last night and took home a rack of pork ribs and a pound of brisket. While waiting for my order a customer came in to pick up a pre-​order of 9 lbs of brisket and 8 ½ chickens. The meat wasn’t ready because the crew said Big Mike didn’t pass it on. Wonder what the customer did for his party?
The ribs were fantastic and the brisket was very good. I ordered the mar belled side of the brisket. Sauce was Cattleman’ unless they pour theirs into. Cattleman’s bottle. I will say the rack was HUGE. 12 bones with a ton of meat on each bone. Old only eat for of them. Didn’t try any sides this time, but I will on my return visit.

We had the best Barbecue lunch ever. We tried the brisket, sausage and the chicken. It was great. Everyone there is so friendly and restaurant is small but very cute. When we come me back to Houston, it will be our first stop and our last stop when we leave. Love, love the food. Our kids all gave the food a 10. Thank you Big Mike, John and Marilyn. Wish we lived closer, we would be there all the time.

I didn’t care for their bbq, your better off going down to the bbq hut in magnolia or even Rudy’s off of 45 and soon to be one on 249.

My sliced brisket was fatty. I like barbecue beans. These were ranch style. The meat was served on a large hamburger bun. First and last time there.

Great bbq! Wonderful folks!
My son and I went and were very pleased. The owners were very kind and helpful. The sausage and brisket were great!

The barbecue here is excellent I was there when they first open you got large portions food was really good
Went there on March 19, 2015 ordered their brisket sandwich their prices went up there was so little meat on the bun it tasted all like bun could not really taste the meat
I understand prices of meat have gone up you raise the price of your sandwich then you cut down the portion of meat you put on it
I can understand raising your price but not cutting the product to do one or the other was very disappointed won’t go back because if I wanted bread with barbecue sauce and really no meat I could stay at home and do that

Brisket, chicken and spicy sausage… Smoky as you can get! Great sauce, warm familiar ambiance and yummy banana cream! They sell local hubby too. They treated me like family! Loved it.

I was in town recently for a visit and was craving some real Texas brisket, but we didn’t want to drive too far on a rainy day, so based on the Unilocal reviews, we stopped by Wooden Spoke to meet Mike and check out his place. He’s a hands-​on owner, seemingly just as happy checking on and chatting with customers as smoking up meat
They have a nice new dining area that’s small, but has plenty o’ charm, with reclaimed roofing tin that has a nice, natural patina, and handmade tables and stools.
The food is really good here… My brisket was perfectly smoked and had a nice flavor, even if it was a little more lean than I prefer. My parents raved about the pork, and we all thought the coleslaw is some of the best anywhere. The potato salad wasn’t my favorite, but Mike’s BBQ sauce is the real deal
Really good ‘que and friendly folks… a great combination. I can’t wait to come back and try some of the other meats

I had been eyeing this place for a couple months. I finally stopped and took an order to-​go, it smelled and looked delicious. When I got home to feed the crew, and took my first bite which practically fell off the rib bone, I was immediately agitated with MYSELF FOR HAVING TAKEN SO LONG TO STOP HERE FOR THIS DELICIOUS, heavenly Q!!! It is the best bar-​b-​q within 30 miles. The sides were excellent, the brisket and ribs melted in the mouth. The sauce was flavorful and nicely complimented the meats. I cannot wait to go back, (tomorrow). Stop here, try it, you will not be disappointed. Good job wooden spoke! We love your food and service!

Great bbq have been looking for a place since my go to place closed a few months ago. This is a cool little place located on 2978 it’s not fancy but doesn’t have to be. As far as the food goes I got the three meat (Brisket, sausage, and ribs) and my girlfriend got the bbq baked potato. The meat all had a great flavor didn’t even need sauce the cool thing about the Brisket is they give you the choice of lean pieces or pieces with a little more marbling. The ribs fell off the bone and the sausage had a good kick from the jalapeño but the spice didn’t overwhelm the flavor. We also shared a banana pudding for dessert which was pretty delicious as well. This will definitely be a place I come back to go for bbq

Great brisket and cool little place! I don’t know what was better the brisket sandwich or good conversation with mike the owner.

The brisket at Wooden Spoke is the real deal: tender, flavorful, well seasoned. Wooden Spoke’s brisket is pecan smoked, so it doesn’t have that «tang» that hickory or mesquite give the brisket, but I think that lets the beef shine like it should. I could eat that brisket all day long. Now, they do have some problems with consistency from time to time. I’d say 1 in 5 trips, the brisket is just not up to par and comes out dry. Haven’t found a pattern to what are good days vs bad days, but when they’re on, they’re ON.
Sometime over the last few of months, Big Mike changed the sausage. This is quite simply the best sausage I’ve ever had outside of that magic little town, Lockhart. It’s the only one I’d recommend in the whole area. It’s just that good! It’s juicy, perfectly seasoned, good «snap» on the casing, and the grind is just right — not too fine or too coarse. So good! Whatever other meat you get, make sure you get some sausage, too.
The chicken was a bit bland. Though tender, and with a nice spice rub, all the flavor was in the skin. I’d say the chicken was average, not up to the standard set by the brisket.
Big Mike’s ribs are probably my favorite food in the whole world, when they’re on. Again, they’ve had some off days where I got ribs that were still meaty and still tender, but not very well seasoned. But, they’re tremendous when they’re done well.
As for the sides, I think they’re above average in execution. The potato salad was pretty much as you’d expect, but with an extra mustardy kick that sets it above the norm. The ranch beans had a strong, usually well-​balanced mix of spices — though cumin can dominate on some days — and were cooked perfectly. That alone wins points, as I’ve had my share of mushy beans and definitely appreciate a place that doesn’t overcook them. Ranch potatoes are a wonderful, rich indulgence, but they suffer from consistency problems. Sometimes, it’s just some shredded cheese on top of semi-​crunchy potatoes. The cole slaw is usually a good bet, lightly dressed and crisp with a nice vinegar tang.
Throw in good tea at a good price, and a real friendly pit master in Big Mike, and you’ve got a winner. It’s a regular stop for me.

Since last year, quite a bit has changed at this Woodlands/​Magnolia BBQ pit. Dining area (patio) has expanded. Definitely getting more attention with featured from the Houston Chronicle and at the Houston BBQ Festival this year. Have eaten here a few more times since. The sausage links have vastly improved. Big Mike uses the same source for sausages in Lexington as Snow’s BBQ (which is a big deal). And the quality of the links are awesome. I would come here for the sausages alone. The brisket here is hit or miss. When it’s good, it’s really good. Nice and moist, somewhat tender, good smoke. Other times it’s terribly dry or tough. The pork ribs here aren’t bad, it’s quite meaty. But tends to be a bit bland. The cole slaw here is great. Consistency is not the forte here, but if you catch them in a good day, you’re in for a real treat!