Killen's BBQ

Killen's BBQ in Pearland, a suburb approximately 20 miles south of downtown Houston, is the restaurant that established pitmaster Ronnie Killen as one of the most important figures in Texas barbecue. Killen is a classically trained chef who applied French culinary discipline to the Central Texas BBQ tradition with results that Texas Monthly has recognized as among the best in the state. The prime beef ribs—enormous individual short ribs from premium Black Angus cattle, seasoned with salt and pepper and smoked for hours over post oak—are the centerpiece of the menu and the item for which visitors make the drive from Houston. The beef ribs at Killen's are consistently cited alongside those at Franklin Barbecue and La Barbecue as the standard for the category in Texas. Brisket is equally exceptional: deeply smoked, richly marbled, and rendered with the patience that separates elite BBQ from the average. Smoked turkey at Killen's receives the same attention as the beef, emerging juicy and well-seasoned. Banana pudding made from scratch with real banana custard and vanilla wafers closes most meals. The dining room in Pearland is functional rather than atmospheric—a meat market and cafeteria-style setup typical of Central Texas tradition—but the quality of the food makes the suburban drive worthwhile. The restaurant operates Tuesday through Sunday and closes when the meat is gone, typically early afternoon. Ronnie Killen also operates a steakhouse and burger restaurant in the Houston area under the Killen's brand umbrella.