The Swinging Door

We love going to the Swinging Door and always bring out of state visitors to try the amazing BBQ! We do take out and eat in, have never been disappointed in the quality of their food. I love the brisket and the potatoe salad is very good.

We had Sunday evening dinner here and had a good experience. Service was prompt and courteous. The food was really good — the potato salad and cole slaw tasted home made. We also had cherry cobbler for dessert. I would prefer a «pickle bar» like Goode Company has, that way I can add as many peppers and pickles and onions as I like, but this is a very minor thing. Recommended.

Don’t waste your time or money unless you like food out of buckets and cans. They advertise sides made there but that’s false advertising. The beans are Ranch Style beans out of a can. The potato salad comes in a plastic bucket and is horrible, the tea is made from a dry powder that they add water to. We asked about the tea and that is what they told us. The only thing they actually make there is the is the BBQ, and that’s questionable also. Serviced is just okay. Take my advice and buy a BAR-​B-​Q brisket or chicken elsewhere and cook your own beans and make your own potato salad or buy it from Kroger. You’ll have a better meal than you will get at Swinging Door. The only good thing about going there or anywhere else is that you won’t have to do any cooking or wash dishes.

Probably the best BBQ I’ve had in Houston so far. Perfect for introducing out of town guests to some good southern food. The place is a bit out of the way but I think it’s completely worth it. Don’t know how to say this, but this place is what I imagined Texas being like before I moved here from the Northeast. It’s a very charming restaurant with cute antique décor and a homely feeling. I had the two meat (brisket, sausage), two side (dirty rice, green beans) combo plate. I loved everything I ate, so I’d definitely recommend each of these dishes! It was so good, I finished the whole thing, but even then I knew I needed to take some dessert for the road. Chose the apple cobbler and it was spectacular. Service is great, atmosphere is comfortable… I’ll definitely be back!

Agree with some of the other reviewers… Bar-​B-​Q was just ok… We had brisket and sausage… Sausage was definitely the favorite… the sides (rice, beans, potato salad and cole slaw) were all fairly bland. The portions were generous… But I would have opted for smaller portions and more reasonable prices. With the smallest 1 meat 2 sides plate being at $ 14+…it is not a cheap meal. The service was prompt and friendly… Don’t think we will b returning. Please pave the parking lot!

This restaurant is essentially stuck in a time warp. Save for the prices, I’m certain that not much has changed since it opened almost 40 years ago (frankly, I’m surprised that the plumbing is indoors). Lots of people like this joint … but given that it’s in the middle of nowhere, and that we pass some really outstanding barbecue places on the way, our first visit will be our last.
To summarize it in a word … tired. The «décor» can best be described as Early Yard Sale. While most barbecue places have all that stuff hanging on the walls, we noticed that those artifacts here needed a bit of attention. Apparently, nobody has ever heard of a Swiffer.
The food itself was at best mediocre. The brisket was incredibly dry (had to literally wash it down with my beverage) and very fatty (my triglyceride level went up 20 points just looking at it). Sides were nondescript (basically «blah»). Ribs were fine (best thing on the menu); chicken was OK (no smoked flavor past the skin), and the sausage tasted «commercial» … I’d be surprised if it were actually made on premises. The sauce was too thin and bland (almost like diluted ketchup). And no pulled pork … huh??? It’s one of my favorites, and its being unavailable here gives me sufficient reason not to return.
Considering the location and surroundings, prices are high (1 meat and 2 sides begin at around $ 14, and a $ 40+ check for two dinners is more likely than not). And don’t expect to find what you see on the website. Whoever designed it did a fabulous job of making the food and the place itself appear far more inviting than it actually is.
Factoring in the time it takes to get there, and the the quality of the food (or lack thereof), it’s just not worth the trip. We’re sure they’ll continue to do just fine … but without us.

Best bbq on the gulf coast and the atmosphere is real western with Cowboys and all great dance floor cold beer and a real jute box. Never unhappy with the food

I have lived here for 15 years. I do not understand the draw of this place. Every so often I used to go get some ribs to-​go but otherwise I live less than two miles away and would rather drive 7 miles into Schultzes in Rosenberg! Swinging Door has the same old tired menu. The same old tired sides. SWITCH IT UP A LITTLE PEOPLE! Owner has changed in the past several years you would’ve thought they would do some revamping. They painted outside and got rid of the black widows inside in the back area but that’s about it.
Had a school function/​auction there back a few years. They nickel and dime you. It was a local school around the corner they couldn’t even cut us a break on anything and I know they make plenty of money each week they could have supported us better. That was hugely disappointing.
Only reason I went back recently was because it was an NRA function. The food was blah as usual. Finally got up to get our plate and what do you know the person had to scrape, literally scrape the greasy pieces of the brisket off the pan to give us some! The chicken quarter was gross so I passed on it and had my $ 40 brisket pieces that wasn’t even deserving to be called chopped brisket, it was so nasty. My friend behind me waited for 10 minutes!!! 10 minutes for new sliced Brisket to arrive. Really, it’s a function. Have your pans ready because you will be filling numerous plates, duh.
No desert, no cookies. Absolutely nothing sweet to end the $ 40 ticket meal. Did I mention you get one tiny scoop of potato salad and cole slaw and remnants of brisket and that’s it. That’s ALL you get for $ 40. Their service sucks too.
Every single year we go to the ARC fundraiser at George Ranch and every year I eat before we go because it’s the same crappy food and service at that fundraiser too. I cannot fathom how people like this place. It’s a darn shame the newest owner couldn’t use at least changed up the menu some. I would stay far away from this place and go somewhere else and I certainly wouldn’t have any function there.

I love the sauce! The smoked pecan flavor is absolutely delicious! Definitely worth a try!

I love this place! The brisket and sausage are both amazing. The environment is great. I’ve been there with a few people and a very large group. The place was very accommodating to both. I love their potato salad. The employees are very nice. The décor makes you feel like you walked into the past. I love it.

Swinging Door is amazing! It’s a little far from my house, but I wouldn’t mind driving to have some good, wholesome barbeque. We actually came with a family friend and we all got the «super meal» bbq (?) it was 3 meats and 3 sides! We all chose fatty brisket, ribs, and sausage! The fatty brisket was (in my opinion) the best out of all 3! The ribs had a very nice smoked flavor to them and literally came off of the bone. I chose green beans, coleslaw, and dirty rice as my sides. I’m honestly not sure how dirty rice is suppose to be, but I’m pretty sure it’s not suppose to be stone cold. Probably will not opt for the dirty rice again. but the green beans and coleslaw were amazing and i finished both of those.
We were warned ahead of time to save room for dessert and we ordered one of each cobbler and pecan pie! The cobblers are absolutely to die for. It takes a little while for them to come out because they bake it hot and fresh then top it off with ice cream. The ice cream was not very sweet which went extremely well with the cobbler. The coolness from the ice cream just went perfectly with the warm, hot cobbler filling. The pecan pie was okay though!
The only downside I could think of was our waiter. He seemed to be very «out there» And when we gave him specific instruction it seemed to go through one ear and exit the other. We had to repeat many times what we wanted, and he would always mess something up and have to go back to the kitchen for something else.
I do plan on going back for the cobblers and fatty brisket, but hopefully next time I get seated in a different waiter’s station.

The meat was terribly dry. Like I was having a hard time swallowing it without chugging tea with every bite. I had the brisket and ribs.
The dirty rice and green beans were delicious.
I’d never go back based on the dry meat alone.

Great place for great Texas barbecue. The food is outstanding, and the staff are very attentive. It feels like going back home for a meal. I had the the smoked link sandwich with coleslaw. The sausage came dressed with their home made barbecue sauce, it was really good. The coleslaw was alright, but the potato salad was amazing. My wife had the loaded baked potato with chopped brisket, that was great.

My husband and I went around 1 on a Saturday, were seated immediately, brought bread, bbq, pickles and onions. Ordered a super combo and had ribs, chicken breast, brisket, dirty rice, coleslaw, potato salad, and a sample of green beans. Everything tasted great and was cooked to what seemed like perfection, staff was friendly but a little slow.
HOWEVER, within an hour or two of eating, I was SICK. We are talking, run to the bathroom, out of my way now, don’t come anywhere near the bathroom SICK. It lasted a few hours for me. Hubby on the other hand, didn’t get sick til much later that night. He had the same problems, plus vomiting for the next 16 hours. This was the only meal he and I had in common that day or the day before so between that and the timing, there is nothing else we can think of that would have caused this.
The only reason it is getting two stars is because I enjoyed eating the food and I enjoyed the family atmosphere. We don’t think we’ll be going back to give it another try.

The Swinging Door is an old time standby barbecue in the Richmond-​Rosenberg, TX area. The menu is very straightforward and directed primarily to barbecue dishes of beef, chicken, turkey and sausage. Three of us ordered different meals-​a sausage sandwich, a 2 meat, 2 vegetable meal and a baked potato. All 3 meals were well portioned, quite fairly priced however the turkey and sausage were not by any means the best I’ve had (both Goode Co and Pappas are superior) and the turkey was over cooked. The beef was good, not outstanding and given their specialty and experience I had suspected it would be more flavorful. I am rating it as average and will revisit as it was not objectionable, had good service and a better reputation than my rating indicates.

The best thing about this place is the dessert of the brownie blast!
Service is slow. From the host stand to the waitress at the table.
Sauce is not great. Meat is just ok. Sides are terrible. The beans and potato salad were very gross to me.
The décor is old, dim, and a rundown western theme.

Richmond is about 40 minutes away from where I live. I came here for a gathering with my parents and their friends. Otherwise, probably would’ve never made it out this far just for BBQ.
My parents and I shared 2 «super» combos, which is 3 meats and 3 veggies. We basically got one of each meat (brisket, pork ribs, sausage, chicken, and turkey) and double brisket. My favorites were the sausage and turkey. I only enjoyed the moist cut of the brisket, which we probably had 3 pieces total? The other 10 pieces were lean cuts that were pretty unflavorful and dry. The ribs weren’t fall off the bone and didn’t have much flavor either.
We also got one of each side (beans, cole slaw, potato salad, dirty rice, and green beans) and double green beans, which were delicious. They’re not the canned, mushy, cafeteria-​style ones. They’re actual whole green beans blanched and sauteed with a little bit of salt and pepper.
I saw cobbler mentioned all over Unilocal reviews, so I thought «why not?». Don’t get it. It was not good, in my opinion. The crust is not fluffy or buttery at all. I also asked for no ice cream, but it came with a big swirl of soft serve. It’s probably a good thing they messed up because the soft serve was the best part.

Great little place for bbq. The sauce is great and you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. The desserts are good as well too. I always get the sausage and brisket with beans and potato salad. Can’t go wrong with that.
Dirty rice is also good too.
So come here for some good food.

A friend recommended this place to me and told me this was some of the best barbecue in the Houston area. It isn’t. but it may be the best barbecue in Richmond.
I ordered a whole chicken, and a pound of lean brisket. The chicken looked good, but biting into it, it lacked a good smoked flavor. I could taste the rub, but once I got passed the skin, it was flavorless. I am used to seeing smoke penetrating into the meat. This was not evident on the chicken I ate. I am not sure how you smoke a chicken and don’t get smoke flavor.
The lean brisket had a nice bark, and the smoke ring was perfect, but the meat was dry and slightly on the tough side. It lacked smokey flavor. I know that the lean side is harder to get perfect, but the lean is a true test of a pit master’s skills. This meat was some of the stringiest I have had in a long time.
Nothing about the brisket or the chicken stood out, and my quest for great barbecue in Houston continues.

Had lunch here with my sisters wedding party. This BBQ place is authentic! The brisket was good, though a bit small. The potato salad was glorious! The bread and BBQ dipping sauce was especially creative as a filler, which probably precludes the conspiracy of smaller portion decisions; good business practice.
Lots of room, clean, great décor, and laid back BBQ. Very happy my sister recommended this.