My Favorite Barbecue Joints in Austin
While I’m not a barbecue expert – I’m hardly a snob about any comestibles unless you count getting annoyed with weak-ass drinks in bars – I appreciate good barbecue as much as the next Texan. During my 8-year-long vegetarian experiment, a chopped beef sandwich was what I’d find myself missing most of all. Well, actually it was probably a tie between a chopped beef and a sausage wrap.
But now that that ridiculousness is over, I can eat all the barbecue I want and here’s the places I like to go best in Austin. Keep in mind, this is a list composed of my favorite places in the Austin city limits. I’m not going to start a barbecue war by trying to claim this is the BEST bbq in Austin. Just my personal favorites, and the reasons why are many and various.
Ruby’s
512 West 29th Street Austin, TX 78705
(512) 477-1651
Not to be confused with the small chain that is Rudy’s Country Store and Barbecue, Ruby’s BBQ is a 25-year-old, family owned and operated place near UT campus. It’s one of my favorites because their food is bangin’ and also it used to be the place to go (amongst my people anyway) for a hearty meal and a beer after every tubing trip.
Their oak-smoked beef brisket is all-natural, tender and juicy. My other meat picks are the crispy-skinned Elgin sausage, and the smoked turkey breast or chicken. The spicy chopped beef is very popular, but it’s a touch too sweet for me. They smoke their own ham hocks to make the collard greens, too, which are divine. They also have the BEST vinaigrette coleslaw in the world – sweet and sour with just a hint of lively green bell pepper – and an excellent mustard potato salad and spicy BBQ beans. This is definitely not one of those barbecue places that skimps on the sides; even their pickles are notably crisp and fresh. They also have a vegetarian Frito pie if one of your party doesn’t consume of the flesh of beasts.
The atmosphere is nice, you order at the counter, take a number and your drinks, and they bring you your food a few minutes later. Cozy shiplap walls, and various hot sauces on every table in case the barbecue sauce isn’t enough for you. There’s also a comfortable, covered outside sitting area in the back of the restaurant with picnic tables. Oh yeah and they also have beer! (And wine, but who drinks wine with barbecue?!?!)
Danny’s BBQ
1814 Harvey Street Austin, TX 78702
(512) 236-0858
This is one of my favorite BBQ places because it’s good, it’s friendly, and it’s only like 6 minutes away from my house. It’s also extremely reasonably priced. Their sauce is good enough to drink. It’s thin, slightly sweet, tart with vinegar, spiced with mustard and black pepper, and warmed on the smoker. The pork ribs are almost fall-off-the-bone with an excellent crusty bark on them – I definitely recommend those. The brisket’s got a good smoke on it, not too fatty, and tender enough to still be good when reheated in the microwave for lunch the next day. And if you by chance find yourself there on a Friday or Saturday, get the chicken. Go ahead and order a whole one for yourself and commit the cardinal sin. It will be worth it. The potato salad is acceptable – it’s the typical mayo-mustard-Russet-potato business you see often, with little flecks of pickle relish, fortunately minus the pretty-but-weird-tasting pimiento you so often find in this type of potato salad. Beans are the only other side dish and there’s no dessert offerings. Mostly this is a takeout place and you order from the window – perfect for a picnic lunch to-go – but there are 3 covered picnic tables out front if you want to stay. There’s no beer, but plenty of cold Big Red and Orange Fanta!
Louie Mueller Barbecue
206 W. 2nd Street, Taylor Texas 76574
(512) 352-6206
Technically NOT in Austin, but not too far out. We visited this Texas tradition a month or so ago to shoot an episode on the meat that made them famous (Click to watch: Louie Mueller BBQ). Wayne Mueller, 3rd generation pit boss/owner, showed us how they do their brisket and house-made beef sausage. I can tell you with certainty that if the brisket isn’t the best you’ve ever eaten, the beef ribs are the best beef ribs in existence. No joke. The potato salad is smooth and heavy on the celery seed – I LOVED it. And damn, that sausage. But the beef ribs are really what they’re known for so if you’re ever anywhere close and a even little bit hungry, it’s worth a drive. Say hi to Wayne and tell him we sent you!
Sam’s
2000 East 12th Street Austin, TX 78702
(512) 478-0378
Sam’s Barbecue is my ex-husband’s favorite barbecue place in town, so I used to eat there a lot. It’s been about a year since my last visit, but what I remember most about the place is its exceptionally friendly owner – Sam’s nephew – and its slightly grungy interior. Grungy in the way a barbecue place gets after decades of smoke and grease have permeated its walls. Sam’s has been in the same location since before I was born. The sauce is good – thin and not too sweet with little bits of roasted onion flitting about willy-nilly. The brisket is good, though often fatty. The sausage is not really my bag – a little gamey – but well textured. The sides are forgettable. But the pork ribs. Oh, Lord. Get the damn pork ribs. If nothing else, go for that. Meaty, juicy, well-crusted. Get them. Or get a chopped beef sandwich, which is also excellent and probably easier to eat with your clumsy, drunken paws. Oh yeah, did I mention Sam’s is open until 3 am on Friday and Saturday nights?
Salt Lick
18300 FM 1826, Driftwood, TX 78619
(512) 858-4959
If you’re ever visiting Texas or Austin for the first time, I highly suggest finding a friend to drive you out here. Pack a cooler with ice and beer and keep your eyes peeled for deer in the road. Give your name to the hostess and find a spot under the trees to have a beer or two, listen to a live band, and wait for your table inside. Check out the huge pit, laden with hundreds of pounds of meat. Order a two or three meat plate and get the brisket, the pork ribs, and/or sausage. The Salt Lick has some of my favorite potato salad and coleslaw ever — both are old family recipes with a surprise ingredient. They have homemade pie and cobbler, too. Bring cash.
Some of you may be shocked – shocked! – that neither Franklin nor JMueller are on this list. Well. I’m sorry. I just can not bring myself to wait in line, or drive all the way across town to south Austin. Maybe some day. I doubt it, though. I really hate waiting in line. And driving. But, they’ve been written up plenty of other places and I’m sure they are both amazing. If you go sometime, pick me up a chopped beef sandwich, would ya?
UPDATE! 2013
900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 653-1187
We finally tried out Franklin. We went on a Sunday morning with a couple of friends we hadn’t seen in a while, so the wait was a good time to catch up. We met there at 10am and the line was already about 75 people deep; we finally got through the door around noon and were seated with our food by about 12:30. It was very good brisket. The pork ribs were excellent and the sides were all very good, especially the beans which were chock-full of shredded meat. The staff was super friendly. I’m glad we went to see what all the hubbub is about. I wouldn’t do it again, though. There are other places with shorter waits whose brisket holds up to Franklin. (See La Barbecue and Louie Mueller.)
UPDATE! 2013
6610 North Lamar Austin, TX, 78757
(512) 380-9199
Stiles Switch It’s a great cafeteria-style barbecue place with an old-but-clean atmosphere. A covered patio area with picnic tables and games is available for seating, too. We tried the brisket, pork ribs, and Thorndale sausage and enjoyed them all. The pork ribs, though, were the standout to me. They have several sides to choose from; we had the lemon coleslaw, potato salad, and corn casserole. The only thing I wouldn’t order again was the lemon coleslaw – it lacked salt and vinegar I thought, although the lemon zest was a nice idea it didn’t quite come through. The beers were varied and fairly priced and the staff is very friendly and helpful when you’re deciding what to order. Since opening, this has become a very popular lunch spot for the neighborhood, so expect at least a 30 minute wait in line before ordering. The good news is that unlike many other popular spots in town, I’ve never been here to witness them out of meat.
UPDATE! 2014
1200 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 605-9696
La Barbecue is most excellent and has staked a quick claim in the Austin barbecue scene. The sides here are nothing to write home about, but the meat sure is. For the love of God, get the handmade sausage and the juicy brisket and super tender pork ribs. It’s BYOB, but many days there’s also free beers while you wait.
For more barbecue reviews, check out ManUp Texas Barbecue.
I’m with you on not standing in line. No way. Been there, done that.
Now for my big question, does Ruby’s have chocolate chip cookies? Someone told me they served excellent chocolate chips cookies and I’ve been tempted to stop in just to see if that is true.
It is TRUE! With pecans or without. They also have excellent pineapple-coconut pie sometimes. And cobbler. I probably could have written a whole article on best desserts at bbq places.
Thanks for your anti-waiting-in-line solidarity, too, Anna. 🙂
have you tried Pok-E-Jo’s? I used to eat there a lot when i lived there
Pok-E-Jo’s actually catered my wedding! It was good, but I haven’t had their food since then.
We often cater in Pok-E Jo’s for work functions, the moist brisket is good, probably my favorite of the menu. The sausage always has loads of black pepper, coarse ground to give the meat plenty of heat. The smoked chicken is hardly ever touched, they leave it in huge pieces. The best side dish they make is the green bean casserole with fried onions on top. Pok-E Jo’s is good because they deliver, but if you are eating out there are other choices.
They are good for catering. I also like their broccoli salad!
Uh, oh, U.S. News has weighed in. I don’t agree with them listing Austin as No. 5 in the USA. Barbecue is different in different parts of the country, and comparisons are meaningless.
I agree. I thought the same thing when Bon Appetit declared our own Franklin Barbecue “the best in the country”. How can one person declare that? Especially when you’re comparing the apples and oranges that are all the different regional ways of barbecuing.
Worth the wait! Recommend going on a Saturday morning. Show up early with coffee, mimosas, or bloody mary’s if you’d like. You will turn into a BBQ snob once you try. I’m sure there are other compable/competitive BBQ joints all over, but the hype that Franklin gets it well-deserved!
Thanks, Kyle! Sounds fun when you put it that way. 😉
I like Pok-E-Jo’s too, especially their chicken.
And I’m so happy to hear that Ruby’s really does have great cookies. I’m going to stop by as soon as possible.
Alright! And I should stop by Pok-E-Jo’s sometime soon, too!
Where does Rudy’s (with a D) fit in all this? I see them as the fast-food of BBQ in Austin, good for a quick fix if you don’t have time to drive and wait in line all day 🙂 We often stop to gas up on roadtrips at Rudy’s so we can grab some BBQ.
That’s how I think of Rudy’s too. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good and they have creamed corn and banana pudding, but the atmosphere is very cafeteria-like and not very personal. But I’d totally eat there if I was close by and hungry.
I think BBQ place desserts would be an EXCELLENT article. I would love to find the city’s best banana pudding or fruit cobbler.
Oh yes. Banana pudding is so good after a spicy barbecue meal.
I respect that this isn’t a write up of the best BBQ joints in town, and instead are your personal favorites, but I’m confused on why this was chosen for the Austin City Guide. Don’t you think they should have gone with a more comprehensive write-up. Or at minimum someone who has eaten and J.Muellers, Franklin and Stiles Switch?
On another note, for someone who lives 6mins from
Airport and MLK, J.Muellers is hardly a far drive. Heck, you can call and place your order in advance!
Hi Mike!
The city guide was pulled together by the Austin Food Bloggers Association. Topics weren’t really assigned, but volunteered for. I’m the first to admit that I am hardly the most qualified person to write this article, but I was the one that volunteered. Last year’s article by the Man Up Texas Barbecue site is a more comprehensive list. I’ve linked to it in this comment and I’ll add it to the post.
Thanks for writing! I’ll update this post with any other barbecue places I try.
I’ll have to add that I really enjoyed Stiles Switch BBQ. There is no 3-hour line to wait in, the food they put out is awesome, and everyone there is extremely friendly. I’d highly recommend checking them out.
Thanks, John! I have heard good things about Stiles. I’ll check it out soon.
I admire your balls by not hopping on the Franklin bandwagon. However, it really is worth the wait and quite delicious. I tried Stiles Switch today and the brisket was amazing also. JMueller is next on my list and I’ve also heard positive feedback about Live Oak.
Thanks, Jodi! I am looking forward to trying Stiles. Boyfriend has a couple days off this week and I’m trying to get him to go to Franklin and bring me some lunch!
I’m pretty excited to try Ruby’s now! I’ve been overlooking it even though it’s close to my house.
Oh that’s great, Meredith! Hope you like it!
Sam’s! Love it. Love their mutton. Love that you graciously called it a ‘slightly grungy’ interior, cause, let’s face it. Not much slightly to it. The night I was there last, I remarked that it should get the vote for most likely to be caught in crossfire barbecue joint. But I LOVE it! (And really, I love the whole area. That was a snarky joke. We all know that Rundburg is really the spot most likely…….)
Ha! Yeah, there have been some shady looking characters hanging around outside a few times I’ve been, but that was also after 2am and that’s when the shady characters come out all over town. Still, I love it and the owners are so friendly.
Truth be told, I’m no less shady than anyone else around there at that hour, and that is the hour around which I’ve been ; )
Ha! True, true.
I also loathe driving and waiting forever I feel like I end up not going to some of the most popular places! I’ll have to tell my partner about BBQ Heaven, he loves those giant turkey legs.
I know! Waiting in line usually puts me in a bad mood. I think if there were a take-a-number system and you could get there, grab a number, and wander around the area, I’d be much more likely to do that.
But yeah, BBQ Heaven is awesome if you’re down town.
(Most) everyone knows the BBQ mecca in Lockhart, and nothing against those guys, but I give my love to Opie’s in Spicewood! And their sides are good, which is often hard at a BBQ joint. Thanks for the tip on Sam’s — I’ll have to check it out!
Thanks! Never been to Opie’s. Good to know about the sides. To me, that’s almost as important as the BBQ.