Houston BBQ Throwdown 2026!

* *The Beer Hall is AIR CONDITIONED!**

The Houston Barbecue Festival, Saint Arnold Brewing Company and Goodstock by Nolan Ryan announce the 10th annual Houston BBQ Throwdown! featuring 14 of Houston's best barbecue restaurants competing to create the next great barbecue dish that represents Houston-style barbecue.

Each ticket includes entry and unlimited samples from each of the barbecue competition entries. Saint Arnold will provide beer at no additional charge.

**To ensure the best possible experience for all guests, only a limited number of tickets will be made available for sale. Tickets sold out well in advance of the previous event - we encourage you to purchase tickets as soon as possible to ensure availability.**

**All tickets sold in advance online. No ticket sales at the door.**

Participating barbecue joints include (subject to change): Charm Taphouse & BBQ, Chavo's BBQ, Chicano BBQ, Daddy Duncan's BBQ, Deckle & Hide, Eastbound Barbecue, Fire Craft BBQ , Koop's BBQ Kitchen, La Cruda Brand BBQ (defending Judge's Choice winner), Space City BBQ (defending People's Choice winner), The Pit Room, The Station at Smokey Oaks, and Weaver's BBQ.

Additional participants will be annpounced before the event.

Much like Kansas City-style barbecue is associated with “burnt ends” and Memphis-style is known for pork ribs, Houston-style barbecue will become known for dishes that incorporate the many diverse culinary influences of this “creole” city.

A blind judging process featuring barbecue experts from around Texas will pick a single winner from the entries. Current judges are Will Buckman, co-owner and pitmaster at CorkScrew BBQ in Spring; Wayne Mueller, owner and pitmaster at Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor; Bao Ong, restaurant critic for the Houston Chronicle; chef and restaurant consultant Jess Timmons; and additional judges to be named later. There will also be a “People’s Choice” award in which guests can vote for their favorite dish.

**A very limited number of guest tickets will be sold. $75 general admission includes samples of each barbecue joint’s competition dish. $130 VIP tickets also include access to the private Saint Arnold Investor’s Pub for viewing of the judge’s panel. Saint Arnold will be serving beer at no additional cost.

**IMPORTANT – FOOD CONSUMPTION POLICY
All food served at the festival must be consumed inside the venue. Coolers and other containers used to store food are prohibited. Food may not be removed from the venue for any reason. This policy will be strictly enforced by festival staff and security. Thank you for your cooperation!

More information: [email protected]

Produced by Burnt Brisket LLC.

Thank you for supporting Houston barbecue!

Photos by Jose Palomo.