The Early Word on Dripping Springs Barbecue Restaurant The Switch

The Switch, the expansion of beloved Brentwood barbecue restaurant Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew, was an essential addition to the Belterra Village development out near Dripping Springs this June. Rather than focusing exclusively on barbecue, The Switch has a more upscale feel in the evenings and adds Cajun dishes to the menu.

But how did these changes fare with the barbecue die-hards? Read on for the early word on Dripping Springs destination, the Switch.

The food: Austin 360 noted on Instagram that the brisket, chicken wings, and boudin were very popular. Barbecue blogger The Smoking Ho said that “the meats are on the level of what you would expect to get served at Stiles Switch.” He particularly enjoyed the cabbage cooked in brisket drippings. Austin Foodheads liked the new Cajun additions, particularly the blackened catfish. Over on Yelp, a common complaint is that the food is often too salty, but Mark B. said the crawfish pie “changed my life.”

The service: Ordering at the Switch seems to be confusing to some. Lunch is counter-service, but dinner switches over to bar-style-service (with additional Cajun items available). While servers are generally acknowledged to be nice, Yelpers had gripes regarding system of ordering at the counter before being seated during dinnertime.

Update: After listening to diners, The Switch has made the full menu available all day and shifted to an entirely table service model.

The space: The expansive dining room is definitely a hit. Barbecue group Texas BBQ Posse called the space “impressive.” The Smoking Ho added that it’s “beautiful,” and continued: “If your nose was not tipped off by the smoke, you would have never guessed it was a barbecue restaurant.”

Overall: The Switch currently holds a 3.5-star rating on Yelp, a bit lower than Stiles Switch’s 4 stars, and reviews don’t appear to be improving. However, there’s still plenty of positive things to be said about the Switch, like Yelper French D. who said simply, “Service and food are exemplary.”

Update 9/5/18: This article has been updated to reflect changes to the menu availability and service style.

• The Switch (Tour) [The Smoking Ho]
• Sneak Peek: The Switch Near Dripping Springs [Texas BBQ Posse]
• All Coverage of the Switch [EATX]