Longtime local shack serving smoked-meat sandwiches & platters plus sides, desserts, beer & wine. Based on 775 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.4 stars. Price $$
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Takeout ✔️ No-contact delivery
Address:
5427 Broadway Avenue J, Galveston, TX 77551
Phone: (409) 744-0070
Hours
| Sunday | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Monday
(Labor Day)
|
10 AM–7 PM
Hours might differ
|
| Tuesday | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Thursday | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Friday | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM–7 PM |
Menu
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Photo Gallery
Reviews
Jaden Kale
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.
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Toy S.
Let me start off this review with I’ve been going to Leon well over 10 plus years including family and friends. I’ve always enjoyed the food, the staff and Mr Leon. Today 6/3/2023 most definitely was the last day my family, friends and myself will ever patronize this black owned establishment which I absolutely use to love. The reason being due to the unprofessional and disrespect shown by Mr Leon today. I was in town and as I usually do stopped by for a rib sandwich. Ordered my sandwich to go and went to the seawall to indulge. Well to my surprise 2 of my ribs were not fresh and dried out. I decided to overlook it and proceeded to open my onions and pickles only to find the onions were brown and old. At this point I decided to take my food back to request fresher. I arrived back at Leon’s. I explained/showed the young lady at the cashier the brown onions and the dried out ribs, then another lady came out they both acknowledged it and said we will take care of it. Well out of nowhere Mr Leon comes out the kitchen asking what’s wrong. As I proceeded to explain to him the onions are old and brown and the ribs are not “fresh” , they’re dried out. He instantly became agitated, walked up into my personal space, put his finger in my face and said don’t say my food is not fresh and called me a flat out liar and began to argue with me. The downright disrespect and unprofessionalism he displayed absolutely floored me. I told him you must not be having a good day because you will not talk to me like that but due to my mother raising me correct I will not disrespect my elder. Mr Leon continued to act unprofessional and argue with me. Smh. I was on my bluetooth with a family member while the verbal altercation took place and she asked who was that and I told her the owner Mr Leon. She stated oh that’s unacceptable they don’t have to worry about our business anymore. The young ladies apologized and brought me out fresh ribs and onions. Their customer service was superb and I appreciated it very much. Mr Leon should have took lessons from them. If the first disrespect wasn’t enough Mr Leon comes back out the kitchen a 2nd time to argue yet again. I told him you do not argue with a customer and walk up on them and put your finger in their face, he flat out lied and said he didn’t. This is not the legacy Mr Leon and his business should want to be known for after all the years, its truly sad. If you don’t know how to talk to a customer stay in the back cause no one has a right to talk to anyone the way Mr Leon did less known to a customer. I’m attaching pics of the dried out ribs and brown old onions. First rib pic is the dried out ribs, the last pic is of the fresh ones given to me after taking them back.
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Rainy
Extremely friendly down home local restaurant. I’m sure if I went back – WHEN – I go back next time, they will know my name.
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lexy g
Slap Yo Momma Good!
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Vicki e Hergerber
Hands down the best BBQ I have had in a very very long time. Leon and his sweet sister Ada will take wonderful care of you.. I highly recommend everything.,….loved the meats and the sides…Mac and cheese was so good. I was way too full to eat the rum cake but it looked wonderful. The portions were huge , my husband and I could of easily shared the 2 meat plate.
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Mark Smith
I’ve wanted to eat here for a while but needed an excuse to come to Galveston. Finally made it 2/2021.
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John K. Mes
Fair warning: this is a long, favorable, review. Leon’s deserves 6 stars out of 5. I will start by saying we (8 of us) were the only family to stay and eat – on Tuesday nights I guess most of the business is carry-out. But every person who came was greeted by name or treated like they were close family…. we were no exception. Towards the end of our supper Leon himself came out and chatted with us. Among the stories he shared he told us he honed his craft in the military (25 years in the army and 2 tours of duty in Vietnam, thankyouverymuch!) and it totally shows. He also served/catered Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s supreme court inaguration supper. So we each had different combinations of meats (brisket, sausage, turkey, and yard bird [chicken]) along with sides. My nephew ate all his mac & cheese, then ate his sister’s, then proclaimed Leon had ruined all others for him – it was the best mac of his life. The turkey was tender, moist, and oh-so-delicious with just the right amount of peppery flavor. The brisket was perfect. My mom, who is tiny, ate almost all of hers (which is saying a lot!), all the while saying how filling and tender and juicy it was, then asked me if I was going to eat all my potato salad. The greens were by far the best – if you’ve ever hesitated to try them anywhere else, don’t, here! My dad had the stuffed potato and it was huge and according to him & my mom, superb. My brother-in-law had the sausage & brisket and I think he said maybe 2 words the entire meal: “mmmmm” and “more.” My neice’s boyfriend had the yard bird sandwich and if you’ve ever seen a 17-year-old muscular boy reach “full” then you have an idea how fast that disappeared. I think he said even less than my brother-in-law. Then Leon offered us desserts. He brought out a rice pudding cake (I think that’s what he called it) with rum sauce for my dad to try. He liked it so much he ordered it for all of us, but we wanted brownies, buttermilk pie, and pecan pie instead. I’m allergic to buttermilk but the bite I had was so worth it. Bottom line: everything, and I mean everything, on the menu is so delicious there is no wrong choice. I’m adding a photo my sis took of Leon (left) and my dad. If you’ve ever felt like you’re being treated like long-lost family then you know why it wasn’t just the food, but Leon and everyone there, that made this a most incredible, memorable, dining experience.
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Anthony Zaffiro
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.
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Frannie D.
Delicious barbecue experience. Building doesn’t look like much from the outside but the food! Oh the food!!! Between us, we had the brisket, ribs, and the “Leon’s Cut” (thicker cut, more fat, amazing crust brisket) along with potato salad, BBQ beans, red beans and rice, and absolutely delicious cole slaw. The meat was flavorful and tender. Bread pudding for dessert was just ok but the rest was great!!
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Mellenaise Hooper
It’s a Sad day when Leon’s World Famous Bbq ends like this. If this is the Comeback, they can stay gone. My Husband and I were so disappointed in our meal. The chicken was So dry and the sliced beef was old and burnt( I didn’t ask for in the first place) then I asked for chopped beef and got chopped chicken pieces on a hard bun covered with pickles and unnecessary onions. Plus the beans had no juice at all.
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