Barn Burner Texas Barbeque

This review describes a first visit to Barn Burner Texas Barbeque in Pasadena. The atmosphere is memorable: a bright red barn exterior, lots of antiques and vintage items outside, old drive-in style speakers in the lot, and a spacious, dance-hall-like interior with plenty of seating for large groups. Diners are given big mason jars of iced tea and lemonade plus a basket of peanuts, with shells tossed on the floor as part of the casual vibe.

The menu is built around meat-by-the-half-pound combos that include two sides and a roll, starting at $9.25 for a half pound and going up to $27.95 for two pounds. However, there are surcharges: tri-tip adds $3.00 per half pound and baby back ribs add $4.00 per half pound, which makes the meal more expensive than it first appears.

The couple orders the 1.5-pound combo, the "Get it Straight George" ($19.95), choosing baby back ribs (+$4), tri-tip (+$3), and brisket (no surcharge), plus beans and coleslaw. With surcharges, the total for the combo comes to $26.95.

Service and presentation are underwhelming: the meats arrive in paper-lined plastic trays, the server confuses the brisket and tri-tip, and BBQ sauce is applied despite a request to serve it on the side. The meats have good mesquite smoke flavor but seem under-seasoned on the exterior.

In terms of taste, the tri-tip is dry and a bit tough, and the sauce doesn’t rescue it. The baby back ribs are overcooked and disappointing. The brisket is the standout—tender and beefy, though still needing more seasoning. The sides, especially the coleslaw and beans, are the real highlight of the meal.

Dessert, a peach cobbler, looks promising but turns out to be the biggest letdown: too much pectin and not enough peaches. Overall, the reviewer sees Barn Burner as a very new restaurant with an appealing setting and some potential, but with significant issues in execution, pricing clarity, and consistency that they hope will be fixed as the place matures.