Quy Hoang and brothers Robin and Terry Wong grew up together in Alief and started throwing backyard barbecue pop-ups in 2013. By 2018 they had a brick-and-mortar room on Bellaire Boulevard, a casual counter with a patio and a menu that reads like a map of southwest Houston. The brisket is textbook Texas, black-crusted and juicy, but the fun lives in the specials: gochujang-glazed ribs, a banh mi stuffed with pho-rubbed smoked beef belly, smoked char siu, and brisket fried rice when it appears. The rubs borrow from the spice shelves of Chinatown, just down the road. It is one of the places that made the rest of Texas pay attention to Houston barbecue as its own style.
What to expect
- Order sides, then meat by the pound at the cutting station; kitchen items come by number.
- No saving tables while in line, and small tables are meant for groups of four or fewer.
- There is a full bar with ten beers on tap.
- Seating is indoors plus a small covered patio out front, where dogs are allowed.
- The evening Happy Nhau-er has table service with servers; book it on Resy.
What to order
- Brisket
- Gochujang-glazed pork ribs
- Pho-rubbed beef belly banh mi
- Whatever the daily special is
- 2013Pop-ups since
- 2018Restaurant since
- Quy Hoang, Robin Wong, Terry WongFounders