Reviews Leon's World's Finest Barbeque

This is our first trip to Galveston (my first trip to anywhere in Texas since I was 13) and since we are headed out on a cruise tomorrow, and we flew in 2 days early, one big requirement was to find QUALITY BBQ while we were here. Our biggest requirement was that it had to be a Mom & Pop shop... no chain restaurants for us. We discovered Leon's after some Google searches before coming to Galveston, and based on photos of the place, we made the decision to check them out. Right on the main drag into Galveston, I spotted it when we drove in the evening before... very easy to locate, and the sign, while small, is indicative of everything we hoped to expect from their BBQ. We all agreed to hit them up for lunch the next day. When we showed up, they weren't seating in the dining room - but that's okay - we had decided to take it back to the hotel lobby to eat lunch beforehand. We met the daughter, celebrating her birthday and she took our orders. (Happy Birthday! 🎂🥳) When in doubt, you ALWAYS GET THE NAMESAKE DISH! My hubby, our friend, and myself all chose the "Leon's Cut" - a juicier brisket cut, with the fat - 1-meat dinner which came with two sides. I chose the mac & cheese and red beans & rice, my hubby got the mac & cheese and potato salad, and our friend picked red beans & rice and coleslaw. All the dinners come with a choice of white or wheat bread as well as pickles & sliced raw onions. They let us sit in the car in our AC while they packed up our meals and brought it out to us. With the heat warning, we appreciated this, although we could have hopped out to get it when ready. They were all super nice and very helpful at picking out items. When we unpacked the meals at the hotel, we were not disappointed! The meat was juicy, full of smoke, salty in all the right ways, and the flavors were top-notch. And the 1-meat portion is HUGE! I loved the homemade mac & cheese, and the red beans & rice were packed in a separate bowl, so it didn't slosh in the containers. I appreciate this little step. I got to try my hubby's potato salad and quite enjoyed the tangy flavors. We were surprised that we each got two slices of bread, so our friend asked if he could have the bread to make his own little sandwiches. He later told us that he was SO HAPPY to have brisket sandwiches while he was here. Oh, and their BBQ sauce was nice and thin, with a great vinegar base. I don't normally use BBQ sauces because they tend to be too sweet, but this had the PERFECT balance. I'd buy that sauce to use at home if I could sneak it back on the plane. 😅 For those who aren't sure about hole-in-the-wall, or Mom & Pop shops that don't generally advertise their businesses, my best advice is when you know their business hours, plan to go earlier in the day, closer to when they open. You get fresher cuts and more choices from the menu. You won't be disappointed. If we come back down here for another cruise, and we bring my In-laws, we will make sure we come to Leon's again. We noticed the "for sale" sign on the building, though... so hopefully, that just means a new location in their future. 🙏🍖🍗❤️

I’ve wanted to eat here for a while but needed an excuse to come to Galveston. Finally made it 2/2021. Easy access from Broadway. We were the only ones eating inside but they had a steady to go business. We wanted to get a good sample, so my dad had the North Carolina chip BBQ (chopped beef/tomato-based BBQ sauce) and I had the 2 meat plate (brisket/sausage) with sides of spicy rice & green beans. We enjoyed all. Portions were large and the food was out quickly and was hot & tasty. I noticed the lemon pound cake when we walked in – it looked good so we each had a piece and were not disappointed. Owner/employees were very friendly. We love to visit places like this as it’s clear they really care about the food. Definitely eat in or get it to go if you’re in Galveston!

Slap Yo Momma Good! Choose between 1 meat or 2 plus sides. The chicken is tender and juicy. The cook put their foot in those greens, seasoning is like Grannies. The bbq beans were tender and seasoned perfectly. The mash potatoes are from scratch, real potatoes, not flakes. The only thing I didn't care for, that I was really looking forward to, was the Mac n cheese. To me it had a sour taste so I didn't eat any past the 1st bite. The woman who waited on us was personable and was attentive. After our meal we got to meet Mr. Leon himself. He told us about how he started as an army cook and how his restaurant came about. He showed us newspaper articles about himself that were taped to a wall inside the restaurant, and told us the stories that went with them. Then, he was pulled away to get back to work in his kitchen. If you're looking for authentic soul food in Galveston, Leon's World's Finest Bar-B-Que is the spot!

Unbelievably good BBQ! Small, off the beaten tract, but so wort it. Best brisket in Galveston hands down. And the prices are amazing g for the portion size. Service is very friendly and attentive.

My wife and I love their bbq. We had the sliced brisket and it was awesome. The slow smoked brisket is delicious. The home made potato salad is the besr I have tasted. The baked beans were very good as well. Then the surprise of the day was their deserts. I had the bread pudding and once again it was the best I have tasted. This family owned and operated business is a place for really good food that is cooked by amazing people and served with pride and gratitude.

Like others have said we had to do a doubletake to find the restaurant since it looks very residential from the outside but the smell of BBQ is the first indication we were in the right place. Once inside we were greeted with the finest southern hospitality. The sweet tea is the cornerstone of southern cooking so it was an obvious choice of refreshment and paired well with everything we ordered. I inquired if they had my favorite cut, burnt ends and was blown away at how good they were! The burnt ends were even better than the Leon's cut. This restaurant is surely a hidden gem and a great place to grab lunch or dinner.

One of the two best bbq joints I tried while in Galveston. Don't make me choose my favorite. First of all the young waitress that took our order was very friendly. She guided us through our bbq journey. We had ribs, chicken, brisket, sausage and, as a finale, the pecan pie. It was all amazing! But the pecan pie was to die for. If you get the chance, eat there. And don't forget your cracklings! Clearly homemade and crispy.