Blood Bros. BBQ — Restaurant in Bellaire

I wanted to know what all the hype is all about so I decided to take out a variety of meats and side dishes. I got there at 10:30 AM on a Saturday (they open at 11) and there was already a line of 6 people. I ordered beef ribs (weekend only and they usually run out by Noon), pork ribs, beef brisket, chicken, jalapeno cheddar sausage, corn, mac & cheese and brisket fried rice. The verdict, mediocre at best. Beef brisket was the best, falling off the bone kind of meat, and fat, a lot of fat. Next is the brisket, same kind of meat and untrimmed fat that melts in your mouth. Pork ribs was okay, kind of dry and chewy. I've tasted better ribs at other BBQ places. Chicken was bland & had no favor. Don't they marinate chicken like at least Sam's roasted chicken? Cheese sausage could use a lot less cheese (it carries more cheese than mac & cheese), and could also use a lot less jalapeno (it was hot chewing on certain pieces that could give you a jerk. Mac & cheese & corn was okay, nothing to write home about. Brisket fried rice is another big hype. I can get fried rice somewhere else that tasted better, in equal portion (their biggest size big boy, maybe now it's a Quart) for half the price. Yes, half the price.

Now the sauce, the red one was spicy hot and the yellow one was medium spicy & sweet (but better for my taste buds and I'm an Asian who could withstand very spicy food). To me, these are not the kind of slow-simmer sauce that some chefs put time to perfect. These are simple mixtures of a variety of seasonings, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, sugar and Sriracha.

Now the price, $30/lb beef ribs, $28/lb brisket, $20/lb pork ribs, $18/lb jalapeno cheddar sausage, $10 half a small chicken (not Sam's or Costco size), $14/Quart fried rice, same as all other side dishes. Bottom line: One pound of each will run you over $100 and can hardly fill you up. A family of 6 can look at $200+. Bring your Big Fat Wallet! Worth it or not it's your call but for me it's not. I have tasted better BBQ elsewhere for less. So it's a "try once and for all" thing for me, I won't be back for quite a long while. A final word of warning: Be sure NOT to miss your cholesterol medication💊! Did I say untrimmed fat?

I gave it 1 more Star because of all the hype from The NY Times, TX Monthly, Food & Wine, Bon Appetite. Those critics must have tasted something I didn't? All the untrimmed fat wowed them? Or they went along with all the hype and amazed with the "blood-bros"...

An amazing new Houston-area BBQ joint opened in December. Blood Bros BBQ is run by two brothers (Terry & Robin Wong) and a long-time friend (Quy Hoang). They have been doing pop-up BBQ around Houston for years. And they opened their brick-n-mortar joint in Bellaire, just outside the loop. The restaurant has a great feel. The interior is painted orange (maybe it is Astros orange?). These guys grew up in Alief, not too far from the Chinatown area. And they take advantage of this heritage, integrating Asian spices into their rubs and recipes and offering some pretty awesome Asian-inspired foods. ▫️ Of course I had to go for the Texas trinity of brisket, ribs and sausage. First, the brisket - it had a phenomenal bark, a great smoky flavor, and was very moist. In the rub I think I tasted a small amount of what tasted like Sichuan spices (sometimes known as hot-and-numb spice). It was a really nice hint of Asian spice in an otherwise very Houston-style brisket. The ribs also had a distinct, but not overpowering, Sichuan spice flavor mixed into the incredible rub. The taste of those ribs was absolutely killer. They were moist but not oversteamed - the meat came away from the bone cleanly without just falling apart. Finally, they had a special sausage the day we went. It was a hot link, and boy was it tasty. It had a great snap to the casing and a great grind, very smooth Asian-accented flavor & some awesome kick. ▫️ Not to be outdone, the sides and condiments are phenomenal as well. I tried their creamed corn (I am addicted to that stuff), and it was amazing! My other side was absolutely mind-blowing. True to the Asian feel, they offer brisket fried rice! My barbecue buddy, Craig, ordered the jalapeno coleslaw - and he let me try that as well. So delicious! Their condiments are next level, just like everything else they do. Homemade pickles & pickled red onions. Both fresh and pickled jalapenos, as well as raw red onion and regular dill pickle chips. ▫️ Everything they make is Texas-sourced. If you live in Houston, give Blood...

Another stop during my vacation to Houston. The staff at the register were extremely helpful because my group was a bit overwhelmed by the options.

We essentially ordered a small sampler platter. Had to get some ribs as well as some mac and cheese, brisket fried rice, a brisket banh mi, pork belly bao buns, and a chicken salad sandwich for myself.

Both flavor of ribs were great and a welcoming introduction to the rest of the food. The banh mi was more a brisket sandwich with a few vegetables reminiscent of a traditional banh mi, but nothing more resembling such. Similarly, the pork belly bao buns were tasty, but I feel that frying the bun made it "fusion" in terms of texture adding a crispy crunch to the tender pork but it threw me off as the pork belly is already fatty and the bun being fried made it almost excessively so. My chicken salad sandwich was seasoned well with crisp tomato and lettuce, but again, I was slightly confused as the cold chicken salad sat between two toasted pieces of white bread. Two room temperature slices would have complimented the chicken salad much more. Lastly, the sides of mac and cheese and brisket fried rice had phenomenal potential, however, they were warm at best. If they were hot, the mac and cheese especially, could have been something I would want to take gallons of home with me, but it being the temperature it was made me lose the excitement I had for the flavor.

I appreciate the great service we received in the restaurant and the atmosphere was amazing as well, I just think the food missed some crucial marks as well as being a tad more pricey than I would have liked to pay. Still a great spot nonetheless and would definitely recommend to anyone who is around the area and wants...