Pappas Bar-B-Q

This restaurant was slightly disappointing. The Pappas chain may have been too hyped up to my husband and I but we were definitely expecting more. It wasn’t very busy and service was ok. The food was just bland and dry. My yams tasted like they weren’t even completely cooked and my ribs were so tough. The bbq sauce taste like taco sauce and I wasn’t truly a fan of it. The pulled pork was dry and that was the only sauce available so I choked my way through a dry sandwich. I don’t think I would revisit but it’s not bad for the price.

Since I work in the vicinity, Pappa’s BBQ Downtown on Smith is an occasional stop of mine. Though the smokiness of the meats can be inconsistent, and the sides just average, after a few trips I found an off-​the-​menu item (for this location) that has become somewhat of a guilty pleasure. Pappa’s does very well with their fresh cut fries, and at some locations, they have Chopped Beef Fries on the menu (e.g., Pierce St.). Chopped brisket and queso on their fresh-​cut fries is really good! Topped with pico de gallo and sliced jalapenos, for $ 7.95 it’s a great bargain for lunch, and more than enough food. Pro-​tip: order the beef «board chopped», so you get fresh chopped brisket from the cutting board (not that pre-​sauced stuff). Then you can add your own sauce, as little or as much as you like. They will substitute shredded cheddar for the queso also if that’s your thing.

I travel to many cities and can’t believe how dead this part of town is after 5. This place gets 4 stars for being open for a simple decent dinner within walking distance of my hotel. It’s a big place with typical bbq at typical prices. I got takeout which was very convenient. Downtown Houston dies at night. Too bad

I’m a pulled pork East Coast BBQ kind of guy. Still, I was in Houston for a quick trip and needed I find some meals near the Hyatt Regency downtown. Unless you consider eating at an underground Subway or Wendy’s, that part of town is a veritable food desert. I ended up at Pappas three times. Once for the breakfast platter, once for the sliced beef sandwich and hand-​cut fries, and a final time for the beef sausage sandwich with cucumber salad in the side. Every time, I left full and happy. Is it high-​end luxury BBQ? No. Is it legitimate BBQ with a great atmosphere, good prices, and a good menu? Yep. Give it a shot. One word of warning: you’ll smell like wood smoke if you stay too long…

This place will do in a pinch. It’s handy enough if you find yourself in the neighborhood and you’d like some barbecued meats. It’s not the best, but it’s not the worst, either.

I like this place… its not the best BBQ, but it does the trick when I’m in the mood eat bbq, especially since it’s walking distant from my work. Lines are never too long, or it could be since service is fast they seem they are never too long. Food is okay… really like the mac. Though i do hate smoky smell after i leave… stays on your clothes all day.

Pulled pork sandwich was delicious. They bbq sauce had a nice sweet taste. The restaurant has a topping bar with onions, pickles, jalapeño, bacon bits and sour cream for a loaded potato. Reasonable prices. Serves breakfast too!

I have not had brisket in many years. This was awesome! Service was great, place was very clean. Highly recommend!

For casual BBQ, this place is great. It’s no Franklin’s or Killen’s, but it is a great option for a workday lunch spot. The BBQ is solid – I particularly like their smoked turkey and baked beans (or whatever their beans are called), and, surprisingly, their GIANT cookies are delicious. The service is quick, and there’s plenty of seating, so it is a good option for a quick lunch. I’m a fan of Goode Company, but I think Pappas may be even better.

The food is great… They have a great product. The problem for me continues to be with the people. This means management. Pappas for me is like Starbucks. Wherever I am in the city… I can always trust to hAve a good meal at a Pappas restaurant. This is my second time dining at the Smith location and while the food is always great. 75% of the tables are full of dirty dishes limiting my table choices. The one bus boy could care less about this job. I understand that it’s hard to find good people right now but you pay for what you get and none of this should be any of my business. This isn’t the only Pappas I’ve noticed slipping over the last few years. I like the atmosphere, being downtown lunch is a great mix of business people and city folks. I will definitely continue to patronize Pappas, but only until I see that this is the new standard

Good BBQ. Not the best BBQ, but great for a downtown lunch.
This location is self-​serve, but there is plenty of seating. After you order and pay, there are two counters in the middle of the restaurant with sauce, bread, pickles, onions, pico, and jalapeños.
I like the baked potatoes with chopped brisket. Large, and a fair amount of meat. Baked potatoes at Pappas are much better than nearby Otto’s.
On my last trip, I had a «pork trio plate» for $ 12 with pulled pork, two large ribs, and some pork sausage. The pulled pork was ok, but didn’t have much flavor. The ribs were better, but could have used a little more seasoning and perhaps cooked a bit longer to make them more tender. I liked the sausage the most, and would definitely order it again. The plate came with two sides and I had plenty of food to split for a second meal. The green beans and pasta salad were tasty.
I have been to the other downtown location and agree the meat is better there, but I go to this location out of convenience. Pappas is still a good choice for a quick lunch, but expect the normal BBQ prices.

the food here was great! I had to ask them to put extra meat on my salad because it wasn’t as much as my friend’s plate and it was the exact same order! They don’t have it measured out — they gave me a small hassle about it — saying that I needed to pay more but I showed them my friend’s salad and mine and they finally put a few extra slices to compensate for the difference.
I like the mini salad addition bar they have and how everything is pretty much self serve other than the actual meal. If I was back in the area, I would return and recommend to friends. Which I did and 3 other people went the next day and loved it!

Burp! Just had lunch here today. Had what is one of my favorite at Pappa’s Bar-​B-​Q, the chopped PO-​boy, and also got myself 2 ribs, just as tasters. As far as the size of the PO-​boy, it was extremely huge and full of meat. But it wasn’t the best flavor I’ve had from Pappa’s. I believe the one on Main & Pearce is much better. The ribs however was excellent. But I’ve had ribs at this location before and it wasn’t so good. So, for lack of consistency, it loses a star. The sauce here isn’t much to talk about. It’s missing the kick yet, it does provide a good mild flavor to the ribs. I hate to give this place 2 stars, but consistency is the key for me. Eat well and prosper.

I have been a customer since I started working downtown in 2008. I love the breakfast tacos here! The portions are generous, and my favorite is the chorizo and egg taco!
At lunch today ordered my regular selection, a chopped beef sandwich with fries and ice tea. I was surprised when the total was $ 12.23 instead of the usual cost under $ 10. It seems that the sandwich basket which includes fries is no longer offered. This added $ 1.85 to the cost. This is too expensive. I won’t be coming here for lunch as often after this, and that is too bad!

This is a great place to eat lunch during the week if you’re working downtown. The line to order was not long at all, and there were plenty of places to sit.
I ordered a baked potato with sausage. I like that there is a condiment bar so you can fix your potato however you like. Also, the potato is huge so you will definitely be full afterwards!

Came for lunch and had a baked potato with pulled pork. Easy and simple combo? Me thinks not. pulled pork was dry. even when drowned in bbq sauce. Location in downtown Houston makes it a potential choice for lunch, but come with low expectations.
Tips:
If you’re eating in, be warned that the atmosphere is very smoky and you will come out smelling smoky.
If you plan to order a baked potato to go, be warned that you won’t get the typical southern portions where potato comes as a side to butter, sour cream, green onions and cheese.

Food is good, but I’ve had much better tasting BBQ. But the quality of the food is great.
I am addicted to the morning breakfast tacos, especially the barbacoa and egg, which is available Thurs & Fri only currently. That can change.
I would say they have the best deal on breakfast tacos also.
Plus they now have a drive thru open at 6am.
This is a regular stop on the way to work for me. You should try it too.

If you go here for the bbq, then your fault. Should of read the reviews on Unilocal first.
One thing I will give them credit for is the breakfast tacos. One of the very few places where one taco will satisfy me. Although I’ve had every taco, my main choice is the chorizo and egg. The chorizo and egg are just loaded into the tortilla with no regard. That’s a good thing.
Can’t complain about the service. Always fast and courteous.
Go for the breakfast tacos. Skip the bbq during lunch and dinner.

The best bbq places are run by people that have a passion for bbq. This establishment is run by some corporate person trying to turn a pretty dollar in the thriving downtown lunch market.
The bbq here is edible (²⁄₅), but I wouldn’t even quite say decent. The french fries (3.5÷5) are yummy though. I typically order the baked potatoes because they’re probably one of the least unhealthy items on their menus, but the poboys are also okay because of the size.
The agua frescas (³⁄₅) are nice to drink, but you will probably become diabetic after a cup because of the sack of sugar they probably mix into it.
I wish I could say that there is better bbq in the immediate area. Wait, there’s Otto’s bbq, but that’s only slightly better than Pappas. There are plenty of great bbq places in Houston. Unfortunately, there aren’t any good places in downtown.
TIP — There are two bars to get your sauce, ketchup, onions, pickles, etc. The one further away from the counter is typically better stocked.
TL;DR — The bbq is nothing special, but it has a lot of seating and a stand-​alone to-​go line, a bonus for downtown lunch eating.

Just average, I picked up a cut beef po’boy, a side of cheese fries, and mac salad to my hotel room (a 2 min walk).
The beef was dry (even after pouring all the sauce on). The bread was stale and I had no desire to eat it (and i love french bread rolls). The mac salad was too oniony, and had black olives in it (i think mac salad should be basic… if you need a recipe, just look at any hawaiian one), and the cheese fries… i actually needed to put SALT on them. Fries that need salt? Wth? And the cheese coagulated so fast that I didn’t get a chance to even dunk those ones that didn’t get cheese on them.
Overall, even though I haven’t had a great experience of Texas BBQ (check my impression of Goode), Pappas, I can definitely tell, isn’t a great representation of it.
No excuses.