R & K Barbecue — Restaurant in Houston

Disclaimer: I’m Asian American with very little soul food experience, so I don’t know what exactly good soul food should taste like, but I’ve been curious to try it. I think the negatives may just be because of my preferences (I like strong flavors and I like sweet things to be very sweet), so keep that in mind. I’m looking forward to trying their barbecue and chicken wings in future visits. The woman who helped me was extremely nice and helpful (5 stars for service). She even gave me several samples of various items since it was my first time. She said the chicken wings special (10 wings for $5 or 20 wings for $10) is available only at night, but you can get any number of wings to-go at any time for $1/wing. It’s a great deal, especially because they give you the entire wing (leg, wing, and tip), for both the chicken and turkey (soul food menu) wings. -Ox tail: 4 out of 5 stars. Very tender and moist, but I just wish the flavor was stronger. It’s also the most expensive meat and pretty pricey, but I know raw ox tail is also fairly expensive. -Meatball: 3 stars. It was OK, but nothing special, but I’m also not a meatball fan (she gave me one whole meatball to sample). I’m not sure if it’s good or bad, but the meat was a little firmer than some meatballs that I’ve had, but it could have just been leaner meat? -Yams: 4 stars. They are only slightly sweetened, but pretty good texture since they’re soft chunks with just a hint of firmness so it’s not mushy. They sit in a fair amount of liquid (not sure what it is, maybe just water?) in the heating tray, so not as sweet as candied yams that have no liquid. They also do not have any marshmallows like candied yams, another reason they’re not as sweet. I like candied yams, but seems it’s not a fair comparison. -Collard greens: 3 stars. It tastes pretty bitter, but I think that’s just how this vegetable tastes from my past experience, which is limited. She said they cook it with some meat, bacon I think, but I didn’t really taste the flavor. I liked that it’s made with bigger pieces of the leaves (but still small enough that you don’t have to cut it) rather than chopped into small pieces like most other places where I’ve eaten it. I probably would not order it unless I just want another vegetable to be healthy and low-carb. -Red beans: 3 stars. Nothing to get too excited about, but not bad. Cornbread: 3 stars. Just standard cornbread, nothing special. I’m not a big cornbread fan, but I like it when it’s moist and sweet, but then again it’s probably just my preference, and I have only had cornbread like that in a couple other restaurants. -Strawberry cake: 3 stars. Overall it was okay. It appears to have some small pieces of strawberries in it, which is nice. I’m not sure what kind of frosting it was, and it looked fine when it was in the store at room temperature, but by the time I ate it many hours later at home at room temperature the icing had slid down a little towards the bottom of the container which was not visually appealing. When I ate it, that icing was lighter/fluffier than some other icings, and the cake is placed in the container laying on its side, which is why I guess it collapsed. It tastes...

This place is a little slice of heaven on Normandy Street. Maria offers warm greetings with a smile from behind the counter when you walk in. She is very knowledgeable of the menu and was a great help when taking our order. We had the brisket sandwiches. I ordered mine chopped due to some dental work I was having done that day, expecting the tiny little pieces of brisket that usually come on a chopped beef sandwich. My first impression as I opened the wrapper was just how HEAVY and HUGE this portion was! I then discovered their version of chopped consisted of large juicy CHUNKS of brisket! There was no way I navigate that appealing texture even though my mouth was watering for it! So, I decided to give my full attention to their wonderful potato salad, content to take the sandwich home for a later treat. About that time, Ron, the owner, walked by, and realized I was not eating the sandwich and asked why. I explained about my dental dilemma and he insisted on bringing a baked potato that I would be able to eat. The giant that was set in front of me could have fed six people. I could not make a dent in it. Delandria, our sever, noticed this and took it off to be wrapped to take home. Ron would not hear of payment for the potato. So I left with TWO huge doggie bags! With the best bbq in Houston, a friendly and helpful staff, and an owner who is present and cares about his customers, R & K is a can't miss BBQ destination. As for the burgers, I cannot give my opinion without having one. I do, however have an opinion about anyone who would dine at a world class bbq restaurant and order a burger. After the superb service we received I know a simple request would have resulted in a swift resolution to any problem that might be had with any dish they offer. Shame on anyone who posts a negative review without giving them a chance to make it right. We will definitely be regular customers...

I recently visited PK's BBQ based on a recommendation from a colleague. At the time, I was unsure of what to order. Upon arrival, I noticed that the menu offered a wide variety of options, which was impressive. Eventually, I decided to order the beef brisket, potato salad, and macaroni and cheese.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was pleasant, friendly, and laid-back, suggesting a great potential for an enjoyable dining experience. However, upon receiving my order and returning to my place of business, I encountered several disappointments.

First, the aluminum foil separating the condiments from the food stuck to the macaroni and cheese, which removed the top layer of cheese when I tried to remove it. This was somewhat disappointing, but not as much as the macaroni and cheese itself, which lacked flavor entirely. It seemed as though no seasoning, not even salt, was used during preparation. The macaroni and cheese was, quite frankly, inedible after the first bite.

In cont rast, the potato salad was quite good, offering a decent reprieve from the otherwise unsatisfactory meal. Unfortunately, the brisket was tender but exceedingly dry. It was so dry that I felt as though I could start a fire by rubbing the pieces together. I resorted to adding barbecue sauce, something I generally dislike doing, as true barbecue doesn't require it. The sauce added a bit of texture and flavor, but the bark on the brisket was far from ideal. It was so overdone that it tasted like charcoal, forcing me to spit it out.

In conclusion, I will not be returning to PK's BBQ, nor would I recommend it to anyone. The claim that this establishment offers the best barbecue on that side of Normandy is, in my opinion, unfounded. This is one barbecue place I will not be...