In the great State of Texas, if you're going to barbecue, you'll have to do it as exceptionally as you can. That said, Galveston's own Koop's goes above and beyond when it comes to giving meats the low and slow treatment. Koop's has sat on 45th and Broadway for at least five years, but today -- my 45th birthday -- was my first time visiting one of the island's very beloved eateries. Even before I set foot through its front door, my heart, mind and stomach were set on a one-meat platter consisting of brisket. I told P.J., who owns and operates the establishment, to give me a combination of moist and lean since I was a new customer. Well, well, well. It turned out that I made the right decision to get both types of brisket because I thoroughly enjoyed the one-meat platter: juicy, tender and ample. It was super easy to cut into pieces, too. I paired the meat with macaroni and cheese and broccoli and cheese after learning that the sides that I originally wanted -- the dirty rice and the corn -- ran out for the day. The former sides came in generous helpings, but because I was so enamored with the brisket, I didn't finish them, and they're now sitting in my fridge with the next item I'm going to rave about. My mom accompanied me, and she ordered the loaded baked potato. You know the old adage, "Everything's bigger in Texas"? It applies to the tater because it was massive enough to feed a whole family. A baked potato that huge isn't stingy on deliciousness. According to my mom, it was a bit spicy, which isn't a bad thing if you ask me. The interior of Koop's is quintessential Texan with some hints of the island. It was like dining inside an old time country store sitting beside a dirt road. To the right of the entrance is a corner that boasts the restaurant's numerous trophies and accolades, letting you know that they take their craft very seriously. As for the staff, P.J. and Kevin, the gentleman who served us our orders, are super friendly. Future diners are more than likely to leave Koop's not just full, but with a slightly larger friend circle. read more

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Koops has owners who are genuinely kind, and that alone makes the experience memorable. When he asked how I liked the food, I didn't sugarcoat it -- told him it wasn't my thing. Instead of brushing it off or giving the usual polite nod, he actually asked why, listened, and seemed to care about the answer. That part stood out more than anything on the plate. BBQ is a tradition, and everyone has their own style. Koops has theirs, and it clearly works for plenty of people. It just isn't mine. I won't be back, but the fact that the owner took the time to ask, listen, and treat feedback like something worth hearing says a lot about the place and the people running it. read more

I ordered my food to go. The food was ready and customer service was friendly and cordial. The taste of the food was good, however. It was sitting in 1/4th inch of grease in which I was wondering if it was cooked in oven or on the grill. The grease was a turn off since I suffer with acid reflux. The portion size of my order was nice and allowed me to eat three differnt times . I WILL go back. read more

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We've been three times, once for the brisket stuffed potatoes to done in, once for brisket to take out. PJ told me if I want a beef rib to get there early or call and reserve. So we did! This is not your normal beef rib. This is a brontosaurus bone with meat. We ordered two thinking they were the Pappas or Killens style. We couldn't finish one. I was with my GF visiting from Atlanta. We split a large side of mac n cheese and never took a bite. Took the rest to go. It must be experienced at least once. The bark was nice and crispy and the meat very most. Pricey at $28 per but they were awesome. And the only bbq joint on the island that serves beef ribs! read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Two beef ribs and a split of the large mac n cheese. - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

This is a good BBQ spot in Galveston! I knew it was good because they open at 11am and there were guest already standing in line outside, that gives a idea that it must be good. When they opened we were welcomed in nicely. I got the 2 meat plate, ribs, sausage and two sides cowboy beans, dirty rice. Dirty rice was the best. When I opened it I was curious if it was going to be good, it looked different of others I've ate at other places. It was so so good, very tasteful and good texture. The ribs and sausage was very good. Now the beans are ok, it may be good to others but not the taste of beans for me. It's cute and clean inside, lots of plants. The servers are so nice and helpful. Now when I'm in Galveston and want BBQ I'll go here. read more

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When they say chopped brisket sandwich they mean it's huge ... like 1lb huge. The staff is super chill and the sides were plentiful. The staff was also super attentive and really seemed to appreciate your business. That and the great Texas bbq will keep me coming back. There is nothing better than supporting a local small business. read more

I read an article last year [I think] of all the yummy hot dogs in Galveston and i finally had one This "koop dog" was huge and YUM-ME!! Big link with mac & cheese, brisket and pico. Soo yummy to my tummy! Go get you one!! read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Hot dog w/brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Always looking for a new lunch spot in Galveston. We love supporting mom & pop businesses and Koop's is now officially on our "go to" list! Atmosphere is cozy rustic southern eclectic and family friendly. Steady stream of folks in line to order which tells me the locals love this place. I had the Broadway sandwich (pulled pork & brisket) w potato salad and hubby had the house sausage quesadilla w dirty rice. It was all really flavorful, made from scratch (you can tell for sure) and delicious! Large portions so we took at least half of our meals home. Next time I'll save room for the banana pudding. Thanks for the great service, Kevin! Y'all keep up the good work! We'll definitely be back. read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Now I know why it is number one!!!! Fast service and fun atmosphere!!!! Lucky we hit in when we did, place filled up immediately after we ordered! No we can't walk ffffuuuulllllllll! read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Couldn't wait chopped brisket Sammy!!!! - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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Then your 27 minute video would have showed Pj dropping our food off, he couldn't get away from the table fast enough, never did he return then you would see Kevin come up right behind PJ to explain to us that the food container were our plates separated them and even went as far as talking to us about our food. We can agree to disagree you can say whatever you want I know how you made my husband and I feel in your restaurant I have the right to share our experience. You didn't go right back into the kitchen you started talking to another caucasian lady that came in for a to go order. If you want share the whole video from when we walked in till we left go for it see what others think, the only person that acknowledged us and was kind to us was Kevin. Tarra if that's the case why when you came out of the kitchen you went straight up to that table and asked them how their food was and never came over to our table? Just be mindful how you treat customers. Why didn't you check on us? You interacted with several caucasian customers never came over to our table. Food was ok have had better. Service from PJ was awful but Kevin was amazing. It's a small corner restaurant. Coming from a customer point of view you should treat all your customers the same way despite color I witnessed Pj customer service with a white couple very professional but when my husband and I entered the restaurant there was hardly any eye contact with us he wasn't friendly at all he dropped our food off at the table and walked away several times he checked on the white couple joking with them but never once asked us how are food was or if we needed anything. My husband words were maybe he doesn't like interracial couples that's sad he and I both felt that way. read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Who is this responding PJ? I would never want to hurt a business in anyway be mindful how you treat people - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

First off the staff is super friendly.The man that brings your food is also really attentive. However , 2$ sharing fee is weird. I got the 2 meat plate and it literally came with two 6 inch pieces of brisket and we got the house sausage it was one cut into 10 little pieces. The sides were okay and the flavor was just not there. Another thing that bothered me was that some staff or family members brought in some dogs and the dogs were all over people and their foods. Those dogs kept being taken back and forth. I like dogs but it's not sanitary for them to be all over people's paid food. It just makes me question their cleanliness when no one is there. read more

I stopped in to bring home food for family dinner. The brisket was sliced so thick one pound yielded only 5 thick slices. I also got a half pound of sausage. With this they gave me 3 slices of bread and about one tablespoon of barbecue sauce. Good food but check your order before you leave. Spent $40. and had to buy additional food elsewhere read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Brisket and sausage. Way too thick - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

First things first, Koop's is a local favorite and is only open for lunch 11am-3pm Tue-Sat, get there early or you're guaranteed to stand in line or not have your first choice in what you want to eat. They were out of several things by the time we arrived at noon. Upon entering, you will find plenty of seating, clean bathrooms (with hot water to wash your hands!!!), and wonderful aromas! The gentleman that took our order was patient, informative and friendly. He said their most popular sides were the mac 'n cheese and the baked beans. I opted for a two meat (brisket and smoked sausage) platter with Brussels sprouts and beans. My other dining companions opted for a one meat (ribs) platter both with mac n cheese, one with baked beans and the other the potato salad. Let me start with the brisket, simply phenomenal! Legit melted in my mouth and the smoke and flavor was so delicious! The ribs were extremely flavorful and tender also. No bbq sauce needed for either meat! The smoked sausage was decent also, not as special as the brisket. Now let's chat sides, le sigh, let me also preface this statement by saying I don't believe I have ever been to a bbq joint or smoke house where the meat AND the sides were comparable. The same remained true at Koop's. All of our sides accompanied their meats fine enough but left a lot to be desired. They have a policy where if you rub the hog or something and don't like your side they will get you another. We chose not to do that. We did have a very upbeat and friendly conversation with one team member who informed us that we can bring beer in next time. One of my dining companions mentioned he was bummed they were out of nachos. The team member stated that they make their chips from scratch and are one of their most popular dishes and described the brisket queso they also make. Needless to say my dining mate made arrangements to return the next day for these fantastic sounding nachos. Long (er) story short, my dining mate picked up the nachos and they were nothing like described by the team member or depicted on their social media. That was a major letdown. read more

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Koop's BBQ was recommended to my family by our shuttle driver as a great barbecue place. The restaurant is near our Airbnb, so our first day in Galveston we decided to give it a try. We went about an hour and a half before they were closing, and they were out of some items (like the mac and cheese and ribs) but our shuttle driver had said the brisket was really good, so I got the brisket with greens and stuffing with gravy as my sides. There was a variety in the meats and sides ordered by my family, but the portion sizes of all the food was huge! Even the banana pudding was overflowing the container. The greens have a kick to them, so I wouldn't recommend them if you can't handle spicy food, but I absolutely loved everything I had. The service was amazing as well. Everyone was really nice and the interior was clean and inviting, so we enjoyed dining in. My brother joked that he would be back for breakfast, but seriously, this is a great place with amazing food. I just wish I had remembered to take pictures of the food. read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - A picture taken inside the restaurant. - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

I have nothing but great things to say about this family owned business. From the moment we walked in to pick up our catering order, we were greeted with smiles and good energy. Mr. Koop was so kind and helpful. Our order was ready and fresh as soon as we arrived. The establishment is really clean and accessible. Most importantly the food was DELICIOUS! Here's what we ordered: Ribs - 5/5 Brisket - 5/5 Chicken - 5/5 The 5/5 doesn't do it justice because truly it should be 10/5 read more

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Consistently the best bbq restaurant ever. It's always good which isn't easy. The brisket is excellent, I get the juicy. The pork ribs so soft and flavor full. The dirty rice with brisket trimmings, and banana pudding. I'm always amazed. The guys workin in there are also really cool. Love the place. Surprised it's in Galveston and down the street from my house. Blessed place. read more

I still haven't eaten bbq since eating here, nor cooked bbq because Koops has set the bar so f'n high!!! read more

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We went here recently, and we were amazed at how hard they worked to give us a HORRIBLE experience. Seriously. They have to have put effort into creating this disaster. * The brisket was dry. It was like chewing on plywood. * The ribs were so chewy and undercooked it was impossible to get the meat off the bone. * The sausages were greasy fat sponges. I spent over $100 on our order and EVERYTHING was awful. We have come here multiple times, starting right after this restaurant opened in this location. This will be the last time. This is officially the worst barbecue meal that we have ever had in Texas and a complete waste of perfectly good cows. Hey, Koops? When the ribs the local grocery store sells are better than the ribs you're selling for almost $19, you are IN TROUBLE. read more

Just stop reading this and get there! This was our second time there, and we wish we lived right down the street so we could have Koops every day! Every meat was tender, juicy, and melted in our mouths. The sides were cooked to perfection. Lastly, banana pudding, tasty and a great way to bring the full meal together. Open maps, put Koops BBQ in, and drive there right now, and enjoy. Why are you even still reading this? Why isn't your face full of amazing BBQ!!!??? read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - The Koops Sampler - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Best BBQ in Galveston. Great service. If you've never been before, definitely get the sampler.

Yikes! This place is SO over rated. We went for brisket and got basic meat with a liquid poured over it. So disappointed. Good brisket in Texas should have a top layer of pink, smell like the wood it was smoked with, be tender and basically melt in your mouth and definitely NOT have something poured over it. .Theses guys work hard, but A+ Texas BBQ it is not. The green beans were hot, the bread pudding was a clump and the banana pudding was soupy. Keep looking closer to central Texas! read more

Hands down the best BBQ we've ever had! I am very picky when it comes to bbq and this did not disappoint. I would gladly drive 5 hours just to come have some more of this. If you are traveling and are looking for some AMAZING Texas BBQ, look no further. The staff is super friendly as well! Literally nothing will ever compare, so do your tastebuds a favor and go try them out! Loved the atmosphere there as well, all the plants made it nice and inviting! read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Pulled pork sandwich and pinto beans - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

We have been seeing this place when we come down to Galveston and decided to give it a try on a Wednesday afternoon around 1:30pm. Not much of a crowd at that time and they were only out of two things -- the beef ribs and the loaded baked potato. It's a quaint little place. You order at the counter and they bring out your food. There is limited seating. We ordered ours to go. I took pictures of the menu and they are attached. While ordering, I had a chance to talk to one of the owners (they're a husband and wife team). He indicated that their side dishes vary daily so what's shown here may or may not be available on the day you come in. He indicated that you can go to their Facebook page to see what sides and desserts they have available that day. My husband and I ordered sandwiches (pictures attached). Most sandwiches are $14.51 and come with one side. I ordered the sliced brisket sandwich (extra extra lean) with collard greens as my side. I also ordered a side of barbecue sauce. I like a lot of sauce and what comes on the sandwich isn't enough for me. My husband ordered the "Nice to Meat You" sandwich (pulled pork, sliced brisket and sausage) with a side of jambalaya. This sandwich was $16.59. Both sandwiches had coleslaw on them. The sliced brisket is superb. Highly recommend. The collard greens are also really good and I liked the jambalaya. The owner indicated that the jambalaya has their smoked meats in it and it did have a fair amount of sausage. I didn't see (or taste) any other meats but I still enjoyed it. The sausage has a good flavor. I also tasted the pulled pork on my husband's sandwich and it was just ok to me. All in all, some pretty good barbecue and sides and is especially convenient being on the island. Next time we're on the island, we'll come back. Although, I'm really partial to the sliced brisket, I think I'll try something else next time. read more

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Hello Galveston what a beautiful hidden gem you have in this finger licking deliciousness BBQ at Koop's. We loved the brisket and ribs. They are perfectly coated with the most heavenly seasonings while allowing the light BBQ sauce to add a punch! And the sides!!!! Oh we will be coming back to try more on the menu l, can't wait!!!! read more

Want bbq? Go to Koops. Hands down, the best bbq on the island. We got the sliced brisket sandwich and they have perfected it! I would have preferred more sauce, but it was still good. The slaw & pickles are clearly handmade and not store bought. The bun wasn't my favorite but it was good... just a little thick / firmer than I'd like but they probably need the sturdiness for all of the meat they load on it! Seriously, the brisket was amazing! The sauce was so good too - I wanted more of it. The sides are tiny but mighty. Get the potato salad - it won't disappoint. The "spicy corn" was not a hit. We won't order it again - corn was canned and needed salt. Maybe they had a bad day so try it if you want but it's not our jam and we love elote. We called in the order and they were busy. When we picked up, the service was great! read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Sliced brisket sandwich & potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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They have brisket Mac & cheese that is a new fan favorite! A great spot to try when you want something new in your BBQ!

Food was so good!!!! I am on a Texas BBQ tour and I must give Koop's a special thank you for being so good. I had the Pulled Pig Sando and my wife had the brisket. Sausage is homemade and had the snap, flavor and proper spice. It was so delicious! My wife's brisket was so good she almost didn't share. But I snagged a half strip and it was tender and also great flavor without sauce. The location is on a corner house of Broadway and it is cozy and makes me feel like I'm at home as well. Very clean dining room and R/R. The staff so helpful keeping busy to keep the restaurant clean and full.. read more

Man, they do everything right here. It'd be worth 5 stars on the meat alone but they continue to impress ya with all-star service and delicious sides. I'm not gonna recommend one thing, get whatever you feel like and come back for the rest. Bless y'all. read more

Wow! Excellent BBQ - served hot, fresh and tasty! We had the BBQ potato, BBQ sandwich and banana pudding as a side. All excellent with super friendly staff. read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Wow! Excellent BBQ - served hot, fresh and tasty! We had the BBQ potato, BBQ sandwich and banana pudding as a side. - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Walked in the door was greeted by I believe the owner was very welcoming suggested a meat plate that had everything very reasonable priced three sides and a dessert and drinks included. The food is amazing. Definitely worth every penny spent. We have leftovers for sure. Are y'all doing? Oh yeah we're staying down the road. We started eating the banana pudding right off the start because we knew we'd get too full and that wasn't a bad choice. read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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Oh wowwww this place was so good. I don't even like chicken but theirs was so tender and flavorful, especially with their spicy bbq sauce. The banana pudding was amazing too. Definitely a place to visit when you're in Galveston! read more

The food is good but they charge almost $2 for a cup of water. In my experience tap water is complimentary in most restaurants. If Koop's is going to charge for it they should tell you so when you're ordering. It came as a surprise and led to a really bad experience. read more

Ambiance: (5/5) Really felt the Texas vibe here. Great seating. Price: (4/5) Average price for the area. Food: (5/5) I got the mini loaded Mac and it had the most amazing brisket. It had a couple of sauces, cheese, and beans too. I've never had a Mac like this. Then we got the grilled cheese brisket sandwich that came with a side of Cole slaw (lunch) and that was amazing too. I think some places don't have good ratios of bread to meat and this was perfect for me. Service: (5/5) Great people! I'm only here for a few days but I wanna come back. read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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Great family owned business combined with great bbq and easy to locate. We were coming in hot, hungry and thirsty. I wanted a burger because I wanted something put together that I could sink my teeth into. But oh boy!! I didn't know that this burger was a special burger made with chopped up brisket ends and ground beef. Just writing about it makes me remember my experience. Look all I can say is go visit koops asap, you will not be disappointed. One suggestion, get there early because they do run out of items. Enjoy!! I can't wait to go back!! read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Cheeseburger & potato salad - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

OMG! My husband had read about this in Texas monthly. A real treat and we look forward to going back. We brought our two medium sized dogs as we were car traveling. The outdoor patio was delightful and cool in the shade. Service was impeccable, and the staff was extremely kind. read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Lee Roy and Dixie - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

The BBQ is amazing and the staff is always helpful, friendly and bustin it! I love that they mix up the menu and have to go options pre made read more

Got food to go, sampler. It was the worst BBQ I have ever had. It was entirely covered in black pepper, literally a whole bottle was used on it. It was super greasy, over cooked. This is not in any way an exaggeration, the food along with sides was engulfed in black pepper. First time and last time eating there. read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Greasy Bad Peppered BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

My coworker brought me here one day recently. I was relatively excited. BUT, I leave this with you: IF you enjoy paying for tap water, ($1.85 on my receipt to be exact) then by all means ignore my review. Digress? It would be my pleasure. This was not Mountain Valley Spring water, nor was it Evian or sparkling or carbonated.....this was one dollar and eighty-five cents for tap..... I cant imagine what the tea costs.....which, by the way, are the only two options they had. Most BYOB's charge for soda and alcohol or don't have them at all but in 30 years of traveling to over 40 states in this country.....I've never seen anyone charge for TAP WATER at a BYOB. This is Galveston Island....an island surrounded by water.....and we're being charged for it. This would be like if we vacationed in Bora Bora and they said, "Sorry sir, we only have hamburger steak." A vacation spot where you can watch fresh fish (among other aquatic life) through your windows and floors!!! The really bad part is, the food was more than plentiful and very good! Let me be clear, the food was very good!! It was a lot of it!!! The folks here were extremely nice!! It was higher than normal BBQ costs which fuels my confusion on the costs of tap water. There is a Chinese restaurant in Bellaire that has two (not one) but two free soups everyday to help yourself to while you wait on your main order. (Guess how much water costs there.....free.) I'm extremely sorry but I will not return to a place that charges me for water. That's a shame because it was great food. My question though is how many hits are consumers going to take on prices in this inflated economy? If this is the start of what restaurants and eateries are going to be in the future, then I have no problem never returning and staying home (starting with this eatery). I don't enjoy getting nickeled and dimed, Or, to rephrase this modernly, to be a dollar eighty-fived! read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Chicken with Brisket Sides of Potato salad and Dirty rice - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

We were tipped off to this place by locals at the campground we're spending the winter at. Parking is little to none. The building is on a corner with one street being fairly busy. If I hadn't heard about how good it was, I don't think I would've bothered with it (we have a long bed crew cab dually truck). As it turns out, this place is well worth doing whatever it takes to get in. This was the best brisket I've ever had. It had fat but not too much fat. More of a marble quality to the fat. Cooked to perfection! The ribs were good but a bit more on the dry side. I didn't get the impression that this was a quality issue but just that their ribs didn't match my preferences. Everything about this place spoke to their attention to the meat and the quality of their cook. The sausage was fantastic in both taste and texture. If you're in Galveston and you like BBQ, be sure to check this place out. read more

Koop's BBQ Kitchen & Catering - Barbeque Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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Food was fantastic and service was just as good. Not waiting at all to order. They put tables together without us asking. Cute place with plenty of seating. The banana pudding and mac & cheese were amazing. read more