WEST HOUSTON. Marked on the outside by a big pink pig head, Baker's has a reputation as a comfortable, downhome establishment. Inside, picnic tables and easily cleanable surfaces let you know that some sauce may be spilled but that you're not to fret. Simply enjoy luscious, hickory-smoked meats like pork, beef brisket, poultry, and sausage. For a well-rounded meal, add in pasta or potato salad or something more unusual, like marinated tomatoes. An offshoot of the Dallas original.

THE HEIGHTS. For terrific Texas barbecue, savvy locals recommend this '50-style diner, where leather chairs and tile floors contribute a bit of local color. Even with its popularity, the owners ­thankfully ­ haven't felt compelled to glitz up the place. Keeping with the theme, regulars are big business, and you'll often find born-'n-bred locals piling in by the truckload to sample good, old-fashioned eats. Standards at Barbecue Inn include heaping portions of BBQ ribs, fried steak, shrimp, and catfish.

NORTH HOUSTON. Reputedly serving some of Houston's best barbecue, Burns is a longstanding tradition in these parts. The place is essentially take-out, although a few outdoor picnic tables accommodate those who lack sufficient willpower to wait. The East Texas-style barbecue is more than fork-tender and, when topped with Burns' delectable sauce, practically irresistible. Beef brisket is the standard, but you'll also find great ribs, sausages, and chicken. A few sides can be had as well. If you come during the day, you'll likely encounter crowds; if you wait till later, you may discover that certain items have already sold out. Such is the price of popularity.

DOWNTOWN. If the name of this barbecue joint sounds familiar, that's because it is, in fact, run by the family of Clyde "The Glide" Drexler, star of University of Houston and NBA Rockets basketball. It's completely appropriate, then, that the interior of the place looks much like a gym, courtesy of gleaming hardwood floors and high ceilings. It's a comfortable setting for digging into smoky, falling-off-the-bone East Texas barbecue, especially beef brisket but also ribs, chicken, and link sausages. The menu offers American grill fare as well. Many folks would assert that Drexler's is the yardstick by which all other Houston barbecue is measured.

WEST UNIVERSITY. Eat inside or outside at this rustic BBQ shack, where brisket sandwiches, smoked duck and smoked chicken draw lunch crowds from all around the West University area. Be sure to have your game plan set as you make your way through the cafeteria-style line, because you'll have far too many choices to make once you get to the front. And be sure to save room for their world famous pecan pie ­ there are few better ways to reward yourself for cleaning your plate. One of Houston's best.