Pappas Bar-B-Q plates cost $11.95 to $18.95 and every one includes two sides. Sliced or chopped beef brisket is $16.95, pulled pork $12.95, hickory smoked ham and sausage $11.95 each, turkey and chicken breast $14.95. Rib platters start at $16.95 for pork, $17.95 for beef ribs and $18.95 for baby backs. Po-boys are cheaper at $8.95–$14.95 but come without sides. Buying meat by the pound is the cheapest route for groups: brisket $7.75/lb, sausage $6.25/lb, ham $5.75/lb. Family Value Packs run $71.95 (serves 4–6) to $229.95 (serves 17–20).
Prices verified August 2026 from Houston-area in-store menu boards. Downtown, NRG Stadium and airport-adjacent stores price higher.
Desserts & Drinks
NutritionPappas Bar-B-Q prices at a glance
The fifteen figures people actually search for, in one table. Houston-area baseline, August 2026.
| Item | What you get | Price (Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Beef brisket plate | Sliced or chopped, two sides | $16.95+ |
| Pulled pork plate | Two sides | $12.95+ |
| Hickory smoked ham plate | Two sides — cheapest full plate | $11.95+ |
| House Special | Beef, ham, sausage & rib, two sides | $17.95 |
| Mixed Platter | Five meats, two sides | $18.95 |
| Pork rib platter | Two sides | $16.95+ |
| Beef rib platter | Two sides — most meat per bone | $17.95+ |
| Baby back rib platter | Two sides | $18.95+ |
| Brisket po-boy | Sandwich only, fries +$2.25 | $11.95+ |
| Brisket burger | Brisket over an Angus patty | $12.95 |
| Loaded potato with brisket | Complete meal, no sides needed | $13.95 |
| Brisket by the pound | Sauce, pickles, onions included | $7.75+ |
| Sausage by the pound | Pork or beef link | $6.25+ |
| Family Board | 1.5 lb of three meats, 4 ribs, 2 family sides — serves 3–4 | $42.95 |
| Value Pack 3 | Serves 8–10, everything included | $121.95+ |
A trailing plus sign means the menu lists a larger portion or an extra-weight tier above this figure. We publish the floor rather than guessing the ceiling, because the upper tier is what varies most between stores.
Bar-B-Q Specials (plates)
A Bar-B-Q Special is one or more smoked meats plus two sides of your choice, bread, pickles, onions and jalapeños. Substituting a baked potato for the two sides costs about $1.35. Deeper analysis of each on the Bar-B-Q plates page.
Bar-B-Q Specials
Single meats first, then combination plates. All include two sides.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Beef — Sliced or ChoppedCertified Angus Beef brisket. The reference order. | $16.95+ |
| Turkey BreastSmoked whole, sliced to order | $14.95+ |
| Chicken BreastBoneless, smoked | $14.95+ |
| Pulled PorkShoulder, pulled by hand | $12.95+ |
| Pork or Beef SausageMade in-house with a garlic kick | $11.95+ |
| Hickory Smoked HamThe value pick on the board | $11.95+ |
| Two Sliced Meat ComboAny two sliced meats | $15.95+ |
| Pork TrioPulled pork, pork ribs & sausage | $15.95 |
| Beef TrioBeef brisket, sausage & rib | $17.95 |
| House SpecialBeef, ham, sausage & rib | $17.95 |
| Mixed PlatterBeef, ham, sausage, rib & pulled pork | $18.95 |
Chicken combos
Half a smoked chicken alone or paired with a second meat, two sides included. This entire block is duplicated on the gluten-free menu at identical prices. Note that the plain half chicken at $13.95 undercuts the $14.95 boneless breast plate while giving you thigh and drumstick as well.
Half Chicken & Pairings
Served with your choice of two sides.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 1/2 ChickenBone-in half bird | $13.95 |
| 1/2 Chicken & Link Sausage | $14.95 |
| 1/2 Chicken & Pulled Pork | $15.95 |
| 1/2 Chicken & 1 Pork Rib | $15.95 |
| 1/2 Chicken & 2 Baby Back Ribs | $16.95 |
| 1/2 Chicken & 1 Beef RibHeaviest of the six | $19.95 |
Rib platters
Pappas smokes pork spare ribs rubbed in brown sugar and spices for about five hours, finished with a brown sugar glaze. Beef ribs or baby backs substitute for pork on any platter for $2.95. Full comparison of the three cuts on the ribs page.
Ribs
Substitute beef ribs or baby back ribs for $2.95 on any platter.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Pork RibsThe house default | $16.95+ |
| Beef RibsBiggest bones, most meat per rib | $17.95+ |
| Baby Back RibsLeanest, quickest eating | $18.95+ |
| 2 Pork Ribs & Link Sausage | $14.95 |
| 2 Pork Ribs & Pulled Pork | $14.95 |
| 2 Pork Ribs & Turkey | $16.95 |
| 2 Pork Ribs & Beef BrisketThe popular pairing | $17.95 |
| Rib Combo1 beef, 2 pork & 3 baby back ribs | $17.95 |
| Rib TrioLarger portion of the same three cuts | $22.95 |
Po-boys, sandwiches & burgers
Po-boys are smoked meat on a fresh-baked roll with no sides, which is why they sit about five dollars under the equivalent plate. Fries add $2.25 to a sandwich, $2.75 to a burger. See the sandwich page for the full po-boy-versus-plate cost breakdown.
Po-Boys & Sandwiches
Add fries for $2.25. The two-meat po-boy takes any two meats.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Sliced or Chopped Beef BrisketChopped holds sauce better on bread | $11.95+ |
| Turkey | $9.95+ |
| Chicken Breast | $9.95+ |
| Pulled Pork | $9.95+ |
| Pork or Beef Sausage | $9.95+ |
| Hickory Smoked Ham | $8.95+ |
| Tangy Tennessee PorkFresh coleslaw & tangy BBQ sauce | $8.95 |
| Sweet Caroline PorkMustard BBQ sauce & coleslaw | $8.95 |
| Two Meat Combo Po-BoyAny two meats on one roll | $14.95 |
Burgers & Catfish
Angus patties, fresh-baked bun. Add $2.95 for double beef.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Brisket BurgerBrisket & Angus patty, American & cheddar, sweet original sauce | $12.95 |
| Brisket Patty MeltProvolone & American, grilled onions, jalapeño cheese bread | $12.95 |
| Bacon Cheeseburger | $12.95 |
| Pulled Pork BurgerPulled pork & Angus patty, American cheese, tangy mustard | $11.95 |
| Cheeseburger | $11.95 |
| Hamburger | $10.95 |
| Fried Catfish PlateFresh-cut fries, coleslaw, cocktail & tartar sauce | $15.95 |
| Fried Catfish SandwichColeslaw, pickles, tartar sauce | $10.95 |
Loaded baked potatoes
A loaded potato is a complete meal rather than a side — butter, cheese and sour cream come standard, then a smoked meat goes on top. All six appear on the gluten-free menu.
Baked Potatoes
Older store menus still list several of these $1–$2 lower.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Chopped Beef BrisketThe most ordered version | $13.95 |
| Turkey or Chicken | $12.95 |
| Pork or Beef Sausage | $11.95 |
| Pulled Pork | $11.45 |
| Hickory Smoked Ham | $10.95 |
| PlainButter, cheese, sour cream | $7.95 |
Sides, fries & salads
Nine standard sides, all the same price, all free in pairs with a plate. Pappas makes the mayonnaise that goes into its ranch dressing and potato salad in-house. Which two to pick, and which survive a drive home, on the sides page.
The Nine Sides
Ranch beans · spicy rice · macaroni & cheese · yams · potato salad · cucumber salad · macaroni salad · coleslaw · green beans
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Any Standard SideIndividual portion; family size costs more | $2.95+ |
| Fresh Cut French FriesCut in-house daily | $3.75 |
| TamalesBy the piece | $3.45+ |
| Cheese Fries | $5.75 |
| Jalapeño Cheese BreadFull loaf | $5.95 |
| Chili Cheese Fries | $8.95 |
| Chopped Beef FriesBrisket over fresh-cut fries | $10.95 |
| Tossed SaladSide portion | $5.75 |
| Tossed Salad with Any Sliced MeatNo upcharge for brisket | $11.95 |
| Chef SaladWith beef, ham & sausage | $13.95 |
To-go by the pound
No sides, but sauce, pickles, onions and jalapeños come in the bag. This is the section that makes group ordering cheap, and the one most people never look at.
By the Pound & Whole Cuts
Prices are per pound unless the row says otherwise.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Beef BrisketSliced or chopped, per lb | $7.75+ |
| Turkey Breastper lb | $7.25+ |
| Chicken Breastper lb | $7.25+ |
| Pulled Porkper lb | $6.25+ |
| Pork or Beef Sausageper lb | $6.25+ |
| Hickory Smoked Hamper lb | $5.75+ |
| Jumbo 1/2 Chickeneach | $10.95 |
| Whole Chickeneach — $9.95 as a Value Pack add-on | $15.95 |
| Baby Back Ribsfull slab | $22.95 |
| Whole Brisket6–8 lbs, untrimmed and unsliced | $22.95+ |
| Pork Ribsfull slab | $29.95 |
| Beef Ribsfull slab | $31.95 |
Family packs, trays & catering
Six value packs, three tray tiers and bulk pricing above ten pounds. Trays and bulk need 24 hours' notice and are pickup only. Per-head figures for every pack are on the catering page.
Value Packs & Boards
Packs include beef, sausage, vegetables, pickles, onions, jalapeños, bread and sauce. Add a slab of pork ribs for $26.95 or a whole chicken for $9.95.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Family Board1/2 lb each of brisket, pulled pork & sausage, 4 pork ribs, 2 family sides — serves 3–4 | $42.95 |
| Value Pack 1Serves 4–6 | $71.95+ |
| Value Pack 2Serves 6–8 | $98.95+ |
| Value Pack 3Serves 8–10 | $121.95+ |
| Value Pack 4Serves 10–12 | $142.95+ |
| Value Pack 5Serves 14–17 | $199.95+ |
| Value Pack 6Serves 17–20 | $229.95+ |
| Gluten-Free Texas Dinner3 sliced meats, 1/2 lb each, 3 large sides — serves 2–3 | $38.95+ |
| Party Tray, one or two meatsper person, 24hr notice | $11.75+ |
| Party Tray, three meatsper person, 24hr notice | $12.25+ |
| Party Tray, four meatsper person, 24hr notice | $12.75+ |
| Bulk to-go, 50 lbs & upper lb, 24hr notice | $14.25+ |
Desserts & drinks
Desserts are made in-house and sold by the slice or the piece. Gallon tea at $7.95 is the quiet catering essential — it pours about sixteen servings, roughly fifty cents a head against $2.85 for a single fountain drink.
Desserts
Whole pies and cheesecakes can usually be ordered a day ahead.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| CheesecakeSlice; whole available | $6.95+ |
| Carrot Cake | $6.95 |
| Pecan PieThe Texas answer | $5.95+ |
| Chocolate Cake | $3.95 |
| Parfaits | $3.95 |
| Dessert Bars | $3.45 |
| Brownie | $2.95 |
| PralineCheapest item on the menu | $2.25 |
Drinks
Fountain drinks and tea are refillable in-store at most locations.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Soft DrinkFountain | $2.85+ |
| Sweet Tea | $2.85 |
| Agua FrescasRotating flavours | $2.85+ |
| Unsweetened Tea | $2.75 |
| Bottled Water | $2.75 |
| Iced Tea — GallonCatering | $7.95 |
| Lemonade — GallonCatering | $9.95 |
Kids' menu & breakfast
Kids' items are for ages 12 and under and include a kids' size drink. Breakfast runs at selected Houston stores only — times and which stores.
Kids' Menu
Ages 12 and under, includes a kids' drink and fries or a veggie.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Chicken Tenderloinswith fries or veggie | $7.75 |
| Kids' Platechoice of sliced meat & fries or veggie | $6.25 |
| Grilled Cheesewith fries or veggie | $5.25 |
| Corn Dog Biteswith fries or veggie | $4.75 |
| Macaroni & Cheese | $4.25 |
Breakfast
Mon–Fri 6:30–10 a.m., Sat 7–10 a.m., participating stores.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Breakfast PlateTwo eggs, skillet potatoes, refried beans, tortillas & a meat | $6.49 |
| Premium Breakfast TacosBrisket, egg & cheese; chorizo, egg & cheese | $3.65+ |
| Breakfast Sandwiches | $3.39+ |
| Breakfast TacosBacon or link, egg & cheese | $1.89+ |
| Side OrdersBeans, skillet potatoes, hash brown | $0.95+ |
How to order well: six decisions
The board is long, but nearly every Pappas Bar-B-Q order comes down to the same six forks in the road. Here is the honest answer to each.
Plate or by the pound?
A plate is one meat plus two sides, $11.95–$16.95. By the pound is $5.75–$7.75 with no sides. Under four people the plate wins on convenience; past four the pound wins on money, and the gap widens with every extra person.
Sliced or chopped brisket?
Same $16.95. Sliced shows the bark and the smoke ring, so order it if you want to judge the pit. Chopped mixes lean, fatty and bark, eats moister and holds sauce better — the right call on a po-boy or a potato.
Which rib?
Pork $16.95, beef $17.95, baby back $18.95 as platters. Beef ribs carry the most meat per bone and sell out first; baby backs are leanest and are the cheapest cut as a full slab. Detail on the ribs page.
Two sides or a potato?
The nine sides are free in pairs. Swapping both for a loaded baked potato costs about $1.35, which is nearly six dollars cheaper than buying the $7.95 plain potato outright.
Pack or party tray?
Value Packs are fixed bundles from $71.95 and cheaper per head at every size. Party trays start at $11.75 per person, let you pick up to four meats, and arrive with plates, silverware and napkins — which is what you want at an office or a hall.
Eating gluten-free?
A full parallel menu covers plates, ribs, chicken combos, potatoes and salads at the same prices. Breads, burgers, po-boys and catfish are out. Cross-contact caveats on the nutrition page.
What you are actually buying at Pappas Bar-B-Q
Pappas Bar-B-Q cooks on commercial wood-burning pits, not gas cabinets. Each pit holds around a thousand pounds of meat moving rotisserie-style so nothing sits in a hot spot, and pitmasters tend the fires around the clock, feeding in fresh hickory and mesquite and adjusting for humidity and wind. The brisket is Certified Angus Beef, dry-rubbed with salt and spice, and the pits are loaded three times a day. After cooking it rests for seven to eight hours so the juices reabsorb — cut earlier and you get dry slices instead of moist ones.
Two practical consequences follow from that, and they are the reason this page exists rather than a simple price list. First, everything is cooked fresh daily rather than held over, so popular cuts genuinely run out; beef ribs and baby backs are the usual casualties on a Friday or Saturday evening. Second, brisket that came off the pit that morning eats differently from brisket at closing time. If you care, go early.
Why the menu is so granular
What is now Pappas Bar-B-Q opened in 1967 as the Brisket House on Pierce Street near downtown Houston — the first restaurant Chris and Harris Pappas ever ran. It took the Pappas name in 1996, and the family's other brands grew up around it. Crucially, it stayed a cafeteria line: you point, they weigh, you pay for what is on the tray. That is why almost every combination of meats has its own line item rather than being a modifier on a base price, and it is why comparing “the price of Pappas brisket” means specifying whether you mean the plate ($16.95), the pound ($7.75), the po-boy ($11.95) or the potato ($13.95).
Three things the menu board does not tell you
- The two-side rule is worth more than it looks. Sides are $2.95+ each on their own but free in pairs with any plate, platter or chicken combo. A $16.95 brisket plate is therefore about $11 of meat plus $5.90 of sides. Against the $7.75-per-pound counter price, the plate is far closer to fair than it first appears — it just stops being competitive once you are buying for more than three people.
- Substitutions are unusually cheap. Beef ribs or baby backs replace pork ribs on any platter for $2.95. Two sides become a baked potato for about $1.35. Fries go onto any sandwich for $2.25 or any burger for $2.75. None of these are printed prominently.
- The gluten-free menu is a genuine parallel menu — plates, rib platters, chicken combos, baked potatoes, salads, sides and a Texas Dinner, all at the same prices as the regular board. It is not three token substitutions.
The rule we use across this site: under four people, order plates and let the free sides do the work. Four to eight, buy meat by the pound and add family sides. Over eight, go straight to a Value Pack — the per-head cost drops below anything you can assemble à la carte. The calculator does the arithmetic for you.
The items people look up first
Ranked by what readers search for on this site. Brisket leads by a wide margin; ribs are second.
Guide
Beef Brisket
Certified Angus Beef, salt-and-spice rubbed, rested seven to eight hours. Four different ways to buy it, priced.
Per pound$7.75+
Platter
Pork Rib Platter
Brown-sugar-rubbed spare ribs, about five hours in the pit, glazed. Two sides included.
Platter with 2 sides$16.95+
Plate
House Special
Beef, ham, sausage and a rib on one plate — the four-way sampler that settles arguments.
Four meats, 2 sides$17.95
Menu item
Brisket Baked Potato
A full-meal potato under chopped brisket, butter, cheese and sour cream. About 756 calories.
Single item$13.95
Sandwich
Beef Brisket Po-Boy
Sliced or chopped brisket on a fresh-baked roll. Five dollars under the plate; fries add $2.25.
Sandwich only$11.95+
Bundle
Family Board
Half a pound each of brisket, pulled pork and sausage, four pork ribs, two family sides.
Serves 3–4$42.95
Sides
The Nine Sides
Ranch beans, spicy rice, mac & cheese, yams, potato salad, cucumber salad, macaroni salad, slaw, green beans.
À la carte$2.95+
Guide
The Sauces & the Pit
The original sauce comes from a recipe handed down from H.D. Pappas. How the pits, woods and rubs work.
With your orderFree
Pappas Bar-B-Q menu FAQs
How much is a Pappas Bar-B-Q plate?
A one-meat Bar-B-Q Special with two sides costs $11.95 for hickory smoked ham or sausage at the low end and $16.95 for sliced or chopped beef brisket at the high end, as of August 2026. Pulled pork is $12.95, turkey and chicken breast $14.95 each. Combination plates — Beef Trio, Pork Trio, House Special, Mixed Platter — run $15.95 to $18.95. Every one of those prices already includes two sides, bread, pickles, onions and jalapeños.
Do Pappas Bar-B-Q plates come with sides?
Yes. Every Bar-B-Q Special, rib platter and chicken combo includes two sides free. The nine choices are ranch beans, spicy rice, macaroni & cheese, candied yams, potato salad, cucumber salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw and green beans. Bought separately those two sides would cost about $5.90, which is why a plate is better value than the per-pound counter price makes it look. Swapping both sides for a loaded baked potato costs about $1.35 extra.
What is the cheapest way to feed a group at Pappas Bar-B-Q?
Buying meat by the pound. Brisket is $7.75+ per pound and sausage $6.25+ per pound, so one pound of each plus four standard sides feeds four adults for about $25.80 — against $67.80 for four brisket plates. Above eight people the Value Packs take over: Value Pack 3 is $121.95 for 8–10 people, roughly $12–$15 a head with sides, bread, pickles and sauce included. Our BBQ calculator works out the exact poundage.
Is there a gluten-free menu at Pappas Bar-B-Q?
Yes. Pappas Bar-B-Q publishes a parallel gluten-free menu covering all eleven Bar-B-Q Specials, all nine rib platter configurations, the six chicken combos, all six baked potatoes, the three salads and the standard sides — at identical prices. Breads, po-boys, burgers, jalapeño cheese bread and fried catfish are excluded. Pappas states that gluten-free items are prepared in a shared work area that also processes wheat, so cross-contact is possible. Full detail on our nutrition and allergens page.
Does Pappas Bar-B-Q serve breakfast?
Selected Houston locations serve breakfast Monday to Friday 6:30–10 a.m. and Saturday 7–10 a.m. Breakfast tacos start at $1.89, premium tacos including brisket, egg & cheese are $3.65, and the full plate — two scrambled eggs, skillet potatoes, refried beans, flour tortillas and a meat — is $6.49. It is not offered at every store, so check the hours page and phone ahead.
Can I order Pappas Bar-B-Q online or get it delivered?
Curbside pickup runs through order.pappasbbq.com. Delivery is available in the Houston and Dallas areas via PappasDelivery.com, and full-service catering in the greater Houston area via PappasCatering.com. Pappas does not ship food anywhere in the country — the company states its menu items are not conducive to shipping. Party trays and bulk orders over ten pounds need 24 hours' notice and are pickup only.
Does Pappas Bar-B-Q take reservations?
No, and it does not need to. Pappas Bar-B-Q is a cafeteria-line format — walk-in dining, drive-thru and to-go only. You queue, point at what you want, it gets weighed and plated in front of you, and you pay at the end of the line. That format is also why the price list is unusually granular: almost every combination of meats has its own line item.
Is Pappas Bar-B-Q a franchise?
No. Every Pappas Bar-B-Q is owned and operated by Pappas Restaurants, Inc., a private family company run by brothers Harris and Chris Pappas, and the company does not offer franchising. That is directly relevant to pricing: because no store is independently owned, price variation between locations reflects corporate market pricing rather than a franchisee's decision.
Where this page's facts come from
- Pappas Bar-B-Q — The Meat — pit process, wood mix, brisket sourcing and rest times, sauce provenance
- Pappas Bar-B-Q — FAQs — reservations, franchising, shipping, catering channels, dietary policy
- Pappas Bar-B-Q — Locations — the sixteen Texas stores and their phone numbers
- AllMenus — Pappas Bar-B-Q, 12917 Northwest Fwy — line-by-line Houston store pricing, cross-checked against a second location
Prices are transcribed from in-store menu boards and corrected by reader receipts. See our verification method.