Harlem Road Bbq

Struck gold finding this gem in the middle of nowhere. Absolute gold. Or diamond I guess? :) (Click to keep reading) Food The brisket was perfect, smokey and the perfect ratio of of moist fat to thick meat. The chipotle sausage paired so well with the homemade BBQ sauce made with their own Armenian coffee (that they sell). The meat Mac-n-cheese was great. And oh my lord the coleslaw. The complete opposite of store-bought mayo-drenched poor droopy cabbage. The vegetables sprung alive in the vinegar and local honey (which they sell from Hive Bee Farm) dressing, capped off by the interesting addition of sunflower sprouts, which transported me instantly to a whimsical botanical garden. The homemade bread pudding capped off my feast nicely. Prices are reasonable - not cheap, but definitely reasonable. Service Personable, fun, and super nice. And the food came out quick on top of that. One of the servers was the chef-owner’s nephew, Caden, and he couldn’t have been more fun, both in recommendations and conversation. Atmosphere It’s so fun inside. Like you stepped back into an old wooden shack from an old Western movie. But spacious and tastefully decorated. Even the little garden outside with the “outhouses” starts the vibe. They had up a thanksgiving “what are you thankful for” board. And a cute Christmas tree. And decorated guitars and a cool Stubborn Sodas fountain. Even though it was mostly empty at 3pm on a Wednesday, it was still so fun. But why is it in the middle of nowhere? It’s off the side of a medium-sized highway between strip malls of chain junk restaurants, Amazon’s huge warehouse, storage lockers and a neighborhood. No sidewalks. The chef’s nephew filled me in. It started as a trailer food truck, and then the chef’s friend Joe owned the huge plot of land with the storage lockers. He asked Joe for a little corner of it to begin his shack 6 years ago, and then he built the shack around the trailer. In fact, the kitchen is still all in the same trailer, but it melds so perfectly with the shack that I didn’t even realize until he pointed it out. The chef, Ara Malekian, is apparently pretty well-known in news articles and the like. He has his own cookbook (also for sale), and he was on the BBQ Brawl TV show.

This little bbq shack in Richmond delivers the flavor. It's one of the best bbq joints in the area for sure. Come early to get beef ribs before they sell out as they often do. Food: We tried all the proteins. The chicken was good but a little dry. Both sausages were pretty tasty. The moist brisket was moist without falling apart and had a good bark. The pork rib was delicious and cooked competition style. For those who dont know what that means: meat hangs onto bone and does not fall off, i prefer a little looser. The pulled pork was a surprise hit and was not as sweet as others, which was perfect for us. The star was the beef rib. Perhaps one of the best beef ribs I've ever had. It's no wonder they were sold out before noon. I fortunately got the last one. Condiments were even good, and the housemade pickles were fresh and delicious. Service: fast and friendly. Couldn't ask for more. Atmosphere: Laid back country vibe with lots of metal and wood rustic charm. Very clean and tidy.

The locals of Richmond, TX, had told me about this little gem right off Harlem Rd. It was worth it so I could get my brisket fix when I'm at work. They were out of the beef ribs, which I wanted to try. They had plenty of brisket. I get the moist cut. Well, at least I asked for it, but I got a mixed cut of both. Personally, I don't care for the lean cut, but that's me. The bark was amazing, and the flavor was great. The lean was a little dry. The bark was a bit salty, but that's perfect for me. I tried their Mac and Cheese, which was good. What I love most about this little restaurant is the old country backyard BBQ feeling I got once I arrived. I stopped by during my lunch, so I did not get to enjoy that full experience. I did get the chance to meet the owner and pit master of the joint. He offered me a free drink as I waited for my order to be completed and served. He was extremely helpful and provided great hospitality. Overall experience is a 5. I'd definitely be back to try more of the items on the menu.

Delicious! Lives up to the hype with great taste and expert preparation. The beef brisket was meltingly tender. A+++ But the biggest surprise were the pork ribs. Best in Texas! Most folks hereabouts would not even think of ordering pork ribs at a BBQ restaurant in Texas, but you should here. They are not fall-off-the-bone tender (they would not be any better if they were), but are instead meaty and thick, like a beef rib. Love the BBQ sauce, too, but it's on the side if you're not into sweet. All that said, I am not a fan of virtually everything else on the menu, except maybe the baked potato. The pulled pork, compared to NC pork, is awful. The potato salad, Cole slaw, pickles, onions, are best left in the bag or put in the trash. I've read about the owner's background and story behind his recipes, but they are not to my taste. YMMV. Get the brisket or pork ribs and BBQ sauce and be happy.

Visiting from out of state and stopped here for a snack to pass some time . The atmosphere was awesome and the staff was very friendly and accommodating. I ordered a 1/4 pound of brisket and pork ribs along with their beans. The ribs were great and the brisket was dry but had great flavor, as for the beans I thought they were unique and I would get them again. I would definitely visit again and try other menu options as it seems they produce great flavors. Pickles were great too.

🍖Came here for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. We were a little worry seeing how empty it was at noon on a weekend. 🍖 We ordered the moist brisket, pork ribs, mac ‘n cheese and Cole slaw. We wanted to try out the beef ribs but there wasn’t any. 🍖Our brisket wasn’t very moist, but the ribs were very good. The mac ‘n cheese 🧀 was super delicious, and the Cole slaw was our favorite 👍 🍝 The restaurant is smaller and had a feel of you’re being in an old western lodge. The bathroom is outside and you come up to a window to order and self serve. We did tried out the Stubborn Cola and definitely worth it 💯 🍝 Overall we loved the friendly staff, the Cole slaw, Mac and cheese, and ribs. Wasn’t a big fan of their brisket. Will come back to try out the beef ribs and hopefully the pork shank 😋

Finally! Been looking for the best bbq in town and I really think this is it! Brisket so tender you’re tempted to not use a fork, sausage so yummy, ate it so quickly wish I had ordered more, and the potato salad…. Not your typical yellow mustard potato salad. A little fancier than I’m used to but lots of layers of flavor. Quirky soda choices and you have to byob, all worth the visit to Harlem Road Texas BBQ, will recommend, and will return with family and friends. My one wish is that they add more outside seating and more seating in general. Would love it to be a tad bigger inside and out!

It's always a pleasure seeing Chef Ara Malekian, one of the few men whom I look up to, not only because he's a consistent professional of his craft and business, but also the way he carries himself, I always walk away learning some life lessons from him. We enjoy a most wonderful BBQ brunch at the patio with Bebe. The Moist Briskets and Pork Ribs are smoked perfectly with balanced flavors. The Coleslaw is refreshing, we are fans of Mac N Cheese, so is Bebe apparently, and the Chocolate Bread Pudding has just the right amount of sweetness. It's almost a crime to enjoy such a satisfying meal with the most beautiful weather outdoor. We appreciate what we have and the people and pets we love. Hope y’all have a marvelous day with your loved ones.