The Ultimate Austin BBQ Guide
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The Ultimate Austin BBQ Guide for Guys
Austin, TX. The city conjures up images of feasting on breakfast tacos, rocking out at Austin City Limits, and cruising 6th Street.
It's no secret my adopted home has become a destination of all sorts of trips. When it comes to guys trips, the first suggestion I always hear is, "BBQ!"
And why not? Austin is home to some of the best BBQ in the Universe. From mom and pop trailers to established, classic haunts there is a plethora of BBQ to eat.
In this guide, I'll break down everything you need to know about the BBQ scene.
BBQ Vocab 101
Before we dig in, you need to get back to the BBQ basics. If anything this will impress your friends as you're tearing into a fatty brisket.
Indirect heat: Most ATX BBQ places use this method to cook. Instead of putting the meat directly over a fire (aka direct heat), smoke and heat are dragged over the meat in a smoker or pit. This "low and slow" method is what gives tough cuts of meat their tenderness.
Direct heat: Meat is cooked directly over a flame. Very few places in ATX do it this way. In other cities you'll find this method more.
Bark: This is the outside of a cooked brisket. The dark, charred skim resembles tree bark.
Smoke Ring: Just underneath the bark is a pink ring around the meat. This is the smoke ring that results from the cooking. There is discussion on if this ring actually makes the meat taste better or not. It's more of a religious debate. Either way, it looks amazing.
Holy Trinity of BBQ: Speaking of religion... the three main things you order in Texas BBQ are brisket, pork sausage, and pork ribs. Start with these. Brisket is king in Austin, so if you have choose from these three, choose brisket.
Brisket: This is brisket country. This is what pitmasters are judged on. Brisket comes from the chest of the cow. It's a tough meat, so it's smoked low and slow to get it fork soft.
Fatty Brisket: This cut has more fat and more flavor. It comes from the point of the brisket, as opposed to the….
Lean Brisket: It’s a bit tougher than the fatty cut and comes from the flat cut. It’s preference, you can’t go wrong with either.
Texas Monthly: TM is a fantastic magazine that covers all aspects of Texan life. Every few years they release their Top 50 list for Texas BBQ. This is the Bible in BBQ rankings.
Old School BBQ: Think of this as traditional BBQ and your standard meats and sauces. Just your delicious basics.
New School BBQ: Austin is booming. With that comes people from all over the world adding to its rich culinary scene. New entrants to the BBQ world are fusing old school smoking with new techniques and flavors. So, you'll see BBQ joints with Asian and Middle Eastern flavors, for example.
Mueller Family: This is the First Family of Austin BBQ. The family tree in Austin is wide and deep, and many of the BBQ joints in Austin have ties to the Mueller fam.
Lockhart, TX: "The BBQ Capital of Texas" is a mere 45 minutes away. The town may be small but it packs a BBQ punch with some of top places in the state: Black's, Terry Black's, Smitty's, Kreutz's Market to name a few. The town square is worth checking out. It has undergone a sort of renaissance as bars and coffee shops priced out of Austin have moved here.
Till We Run Out: Most places have a set amount of BBQ. When they run out, they run out. Most places will not be open for dinner, so plan ahead and get there early.
The Must Have BBQ Joints
If you're new to Austin, start here. These are the tried and true, award winning, can't go wrong places.
Franklin BBQ
This place put Austin BBQ on the map. It's THE place everyone goes. Town favorite chef Aaron Franklin started this in simple a trailer in 2009, and it is now a legend in a modest brick and mortar. This is the place where people are happy to wait four hours. And it does not disappoint. One of the many uber-friendly staff will tell people in line the approximate cutoffs (i.e. anyone past this person shouldn't expect brisket because we'll run out.)
Location: East Austin
Wait Time: If you want to wait in line, you must get there at 7AM. Yes, 7AM, no matter what day. It will be at least 3 hours before you eat, so bring breakfast.
Pro Tip: Order online for takeout. While you can't eat at the restaurant, you can take it to a number of bars (I recommend Zilker Brewing 5 minutes away). You can place orders a month advance, and it runs out quickly. There's also a minimum amount you must order.
Pro Tip #2: Rainy days see shorter lines.
Awards: This place has won every award imaginable, including a James Beard Award.
Micklethwait Craft Meats BBQ
The "-th" is silent. Micklethwait’s is a simple trailer, but it's a town favorite. If you're looking for a top BBQ place without the fuss of waiting in a long line, this is a good option. The citrus beet salad is a good palate cleanser. For what it's worth, this place catered my wedding.
Location: East Austin
Wait Time: Short line. Grab a coffee and be in line by 10:30AM to make sure you get brisket.
Awards: Top 10 in Texas Monthly Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints. Seen in the Southern Living, Wall Street Journal, NY Times, and others.
La Barbecue
Location: East Austin
Wait Time: 1-2 hours
Awards: Texas Monthly Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints
Lamberts
This is one of the few places that will be open for dinner. It's a proper reservations and sit down restaurant. Some call it "fancy BBQ." It's a great option if your schedule doesn't allow for BBQ for lunch or if you want BBQ and a night out on the town. The restaurant itself is in a cool historic building downtown.
Location: Downtown
Wait Time: Reservations are highly suggested.
KG BBQ
Combining Texas BBQ with Egyptian flavors is the epitome of "new school" BBQ. Pitmaster Kareen El-Ghayesh worked in the finance world. Then he quit to learn BBQ. Now his trailer at Oddwood Brewing is a town favorite, and the guy was a James Beard Award semifinalist. Solid career move.
Grab a beer while you you wait. Grab another while you down this delicious meat.
The Brisket Rice Bowl and Lamb Chops are dynamite here.
Location: East Austin
Wait Time: 1-2 hours
Awards: James Beard Award semifinalist. Featured in countless publications
LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue
This is another "new school" BBQ place. It mixes traditional BBQ with international flavors like kimchi and beets. This team burst onto the scene in 2017. Since they've been leaders in changing Austin's perception of what BBQ is. It's in the Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden lot. It has a cool patio vibe, so grab a drink and wait for your food.
The Akaushi Brisket is top choice here, and it's only available on Saturday and Sundays.
Location: South Austin in the lot of Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden
Wait Time: 1-2 hours
Pro Tip: The trailer is right next to Crux Climbing, an indoor bouldering gym. Work up an appetite here, then grab your 'que.
Awards: Texas Monthly Top 50 (#5), Texas Monthly Best New BBQ Joints (#1)
Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew
This place is tried and true. It's standard BBQ, and they usually are open for dinner. They've branched out to several locations inside and outside the city.
Location: North of downtown in the Brentwood area. There's another location in suburb of Cedar Park.
Wait Time: Not usually a long wait
Pro Tip: If you find yourself in Austin during Thanksgiving, they do a ridiculously tasty smoked turkey you cook at home.
Other Joints
There are way too many BBQ places in Austin to talk about. Here are a few others that are worthy of your visit.
Cooper's BBQ: Cooper's downtown slings traditional BBQ. It's open late too for dinner.
Snow's BBQ: This place won top BBQ in Texas not too long ago. It's been featured on a Netflix's Chef's Table. It's in Lexington, TX, an hour away. Be prepared to wait in line for a few hours.
Rudy's: Some might consider this fast food, but it is damn good. If you're in a pinch, stop here. It’s in a gas station so you know it’s good.
Interstellar BBQ: These guys were later to the BBQ game, but they made quite the entrance. Ranked in #2 Texas Monthly's Top BBQ places, it has a strong lunch crowd. It's in northwest Austin, so it's a good option if you find yourself up that way.
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