Made with Care

While chain restaurants certainly have the potential to be good, not many would argue that you find the best eats at small, family-owned-and-operated establishments. It’s places such as Ray’s Real Pit BBQ Shack where you can taste the love in the food, and you can tell that everything’s homemade.

More Than Just BBQ

While BBQ is Ray’s specialty, you’ll also find burgers, salads, soups, baked potatoes, shrimp, fish, and po boys at this restaurant. Our favorite non-BBQ items include the fish burger basket, served with fries and hush puppies; the grilled catfish in Cajun cream sauce, and accompanied with rice and veggies; the sausage sandwich with BBQ sauce, the Shack burger, double meat, grilled onions, cheese, and jalapenos; and the spicy sausage po boy.

The Dinner Menu

While many of the options listed above are great lunch or dinner items, if you really want to go all out, it has to be barbeque meat. The baby back ribs are a house favorite, and you absolutely can’t go wrong by ordering them. The Chicago-style rib tips plate is also a fabulous option, and people go crazy over the sliced brisket. Avoiding red meat? Treat yourself to the succulent ½ chicken plate instead. The potato salad, beans, and fried corn make for great side dishes. Also, the stuffed baked potato may become your new favorite menu item.

Tiny Space, Big Flavor

You’ll be completely wowed by the flavors of the rubs and sauces here, but the big flavor unfortunately doesn’t carry over to a big dining area; rather, the inside of Ray’s is a bit cramped, and can get a little chaotic during the busy hours. The set up is pretty simple, and you order at the register and pick up your meal at the counter when they call your number, but when it comes to seating, you better keep your eyes peeled for a table to free up.

Parking Info

Because Ray’s is built into the side of a gas station, you may face some confusion when deciding where to park. For best results, park in the field next to the gas station—your car will be fine, and you won’t have to worry about searching for a space elsewhere or walking a distance.

Great Service

Maybe it’s the fact that it’s family owned, but Ray’s Real Pit BBQ Shack provides all the warmth and happiness that you’d get if you were having BBQ in a southerner’s backyard. The staff is welcoming and friendly, and any concerns or requests will almost immediately be satisfied. Besides the small space, there’s not much about this place to prevent it from becoming one your favorites in Houston. To remedy the issue of limited dining capacity, simply call ahead and order out. Your roommates, spouse, or family members will love it when you show up with take out from Ray’s.