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A tray of barbecue.
Barbecue from Interstellar BBQ.
Interstellar BBQ

13 Essential Barbecue Restaurants in Austin

All the briskets, ribs, and sausages a person could ever want

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Barbecue from Interstellar BBQ.
| Interstellar BBQ

Barbecue is a way of life in Texas, there’s just no way around it. The nationally recognized smoked meat scene found in the Austin area is so important that pitmaster Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue even won a James Beard Award; Distant Relatives pitmaster Damien Brockway is a two-time semifinalist; and KG BBQ pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh is a first-time semifinalist this year.

Here is Eater’s updated definitive guide to the finest barbecue in Austin, including places with and without lines, outdoor picnic table seating and indoor table service, restaurants and food trucks, and all the briskets, ribs, and sausages a person could ever want. This means Franklin Barbecue, La Barbecue, the Austin outpost of Black's Barbecue, African American-pegged Distant Relatives, and many others. Brisket is naturally recommended at all of the restaurants and trucks below.

For other smoked meats needs, Eater Austin has it covered: there are Hill Country picks, excellent ribs, best sandwiches, stellar sides, desserts, and more. Then there's the Austin barbecue primer and a guide to the barbecue capital of the world, Lockhart.



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Interstellar BBQ

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The Anderson Mill-adjacent restaurant from John Bates and Brandon Martinez (of the long-gone Noble Sandwich Co.) was named the second-best barbecue joint in the state by Texas Monthly. The menu is full of meats by weight (including sliced or chopped brisket), sandwiches, and tacos. The sides are particularly great as well. Expect lines.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas; takeout orders placed in person or advanced preorders online.
Days and hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. or until everything is sold out.
Recommended orders: Peach tea-glazed pork belly, pork spare ribs, beef kielbasa, turkey, tomato-zucchini salad, smoked scalloped potatoes.

Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew

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The Brentwood barbecue restaurant is a prime spot with actual seating that is focused on good smoked meats; plenty of daily specials like smoked prime ribs; sandwiches, smoked half-chickens; and solid desserts. Lead pitmaster Lance Kirkpatrick trained under Bob Mueller in Taylor. There’s a second location up in Cedar Park, and a Cajun-focused offshoot out in Dripping Springs.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and patio dine-in areas; takeout orders placed online or in-person.
Days and hours: Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Recommended orders: beef ribs, pork ribs, turkey, barbecue sandwiches, peach cobbler.

Black's Barbecue

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The Austin branch of the renowned Lockhart barbecue destination will have to do for those who can’t make the trip down to the smoked meat capital of Texas. Find the same very good menu at this local spot from the Black family.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas; takeout orders placed online or in-person; third-party deliveries through Favor and DoorDash.
Days and hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Recommended orders: beef ribs (only available for on-site ordering), brisket, barbecue chicken, and sausages.

The newcomer barbecue pop-up-turned-barbecue truck offers Egyptian-Texan smoked meats courtesy of James Beard Award semifinalist pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh. The menu is fun, with barbecue-topped rice bowls, stuffed pitas, and tahini. The location at Oddwood Brewing in the MLK neighborhood makes it that much easier to pair beers with meats.
Service style: Food truck-style service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas courtesy of the host site; takeout orders placed online or in-person.
Days and hours: Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. or until everything is sold out; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until everything is sold out.
Recommended orders: lamb bacon ribs, pomegranate pork ribs, kebabs, oum ali (bread pudding).

Sam's BBQ

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For a taste of old Austin, head to the Central East Austin barbecue institution. Sam Campbell opened his namesake business in the late 1950s; after his death, Dan Mays Sr. took over in 1977, and now his son Brian Mays oversees the establishment.

Service style: Counter-service with indoor and outdoor dining areas; takeout orders placed online or in-person.

Days and hours: Sunday and Monday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Recommended orders: Mutton, brisket.

Franklin Barbecue

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Everyone knows about the long lines at Franklin Barbecue — it’s been well documented — but for many, it’s worth the wait for those perfect briskets from James Beard Award-winning pitmaster Aaron Franklin. For those looking to plan ahead, it accepts preorders. For an Asianish take on the famed brisket, head over to Loro, his other restaurant in collaboration with lauded Austin Japanese restaurant Uchi.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas; takeout orders placed in-person; advanced preorders online; national shipping.
Days and hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. until sold out (typically around 2 to 3 p.m.)
Recommended orders: brisket, beef ribs, turkey, sausage, bourbon-banana pie.

A tray of barbecued meats.
Barbecue from Franklin Barbecue.
Franklin Barbecue

Micklethwait Craft Meats

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Pitmasters owner Tom Micklethwait and Ren Garcia serve up thoughtful smoked meats at this Central East Austin food truck parked at their bar Saddle Up. Expect the staples (brisket, Tex-Czech sausages, ribs), as well as barbacoa. The standout sides round out the meal, like lemon-poppy slaw and jalapeno cheese grits.
Service style: Food truck-style service with an outdoor dine-in area; takeout orders placed online or in-person.
Days and hours: Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. until everything is sold out.
Recommended orders: sausages, barbacoa, beef ribs.

Terry Black's BBQ

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Other members of the famed Black family made their mark on Austin with barbecue, too. Twin sons Mike and Mark Black honor their father with their Bouldin Creek smoked meats restaurant. The typical meats are served by the pound, sandwich, or family meal; along with sides, beer, and even wine.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and outdoor dine-in service; takeout orders online or in-person; national shipping.
Days and hours: Sunday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Recommended orders: brisket, smoked turkey, ribs.

Distant Relatives

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Chef Damien Brockway and his Govalle truck have quickly made a huge impression in the local barbecue smoked scenes, being named one of Eater’s best new restaurants of 2021 and Eater Austin’s food truck that same year, plus the pitmaster is a two-time James Beard Award semifinalist (2022 and 2023). The menu honors and explores what modern African American fare really is with a Texas lens, which leads to items such as pulled pork served alongside tamarind barbecue sauce and brisket with a smoked mustard butter sauce.
Service-style: Food truck-style service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas courtesy of host site Meanwhile Brewing; takeout orders placed in person.
Days and hours: Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. or until everything is sold out.
Recommended orders: Brisket, chicken leg quarters, burnt ends with black-eyed peas.

A tray of barbecue and sides.
Distant Relatives’s barbecue.
Nicolai McCrary/Eater

La Barbecue

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The Holly barbecue restaurant from LeAnn Mueller has a permanent home befitting the funky cool vibes. On deck are beautiful briskets, ribs, house-made sausages, and, for something different, caviar, plus beers and cocktails.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and patio dine-in areas; takeout orders placed online or in-person.
Days and hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Recommended orders: brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, sausages, Bobby Dawg, shells and cheese, and pickles.

Brown's Bar-B-Que

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It’s hard to miss the bright red trailer outside South Austin spot Corner Bar, serving simple, high-quality meats. Pitmaster Daniel Brown serves what he calls “old-school barbecue” where the goal is “to give people great food for a cheap price.” Pair the smoked meat plate with drinks from the bar.
Service style: Food truck-style service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas courtesy of host site; takeout orders placed in person.
Days and hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, chicken, pulled pork sandwich.

Leroy & Lewis

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The new-school barbecue trailer and Eater Austin’s food truck of 2017 from pitmaster Evan LeRoy offers up twists on the usual smoked meat classics. Think beef cheeks, halved avocados stuffed with barbacoa, cauliflower burnt ends, cheddar cheesecake, and more.
Service-style: Food truck-style service with outdoor and indoor dine-in areas courtesy of host site Cosmic Coffee; takeout orders placed in person.
Days and hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Recommended orders: beef cheeks, barbacoa, burger, cauliflower burnt ends, cheddar cheesecake.

A tray of smoked meats.
LeRoy & Lewis’s barbecue tray.
Logan Crable

Moreno Barbecue

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For South Austinites, this barbecue truck is the answer for excellent smoked meats, from brisket to sandwiches and tacos.
Service-style: Food truck-style service with outdoor dine-in areas; takeout orders placed online or in-person.
Days and hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. until everything is sold out; Sunday 9 to 11 a.m.
Recommended orders: brisket, barbacoa (also in taco form), turkey club sandwich.

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Interstellar BBQ

The Anderson Mill-adjacent restaurant from John Bates and Brandon Martinez (of the long-gone Noble Sandwich Co.) was named the second-best barbecue joint in the state by Texas Monthly. The menu is full of meats by weight (including sliced or chopped brisket), sandwiches, and tacos. The sides are particularly great as well. Expect lines.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas; takeout orders placed in person or advanced preorders online.
Days and hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. or until everything is sold out.
Recommended orders: Peach tea-glazed pork belly, pork spare ribs, beef kielbasa, turkey, tomato-zucchini salad, smoked scalloped potatoes.

Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew

The Brentwood barbecue restaurant is a prime spot with actual seating that is focused on good smoked meats; plenty of daily specials like smoked prime ribs; sandwiches, smoked half-chickens; and solid desserts. Lead pitmaster Lance Kirkpatrick trained under Bob Mueller in Taylor. There’s a second location up in Cedar Park, and a Cajun-focused offshoot out in Dripping Springs.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and patio dine-in areas; takeout orders placed online or in-person.
Days and hours: Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Recommended orders: beef ribs, pork ribs, turkey, barbecue sandwiches, peach cobbler.

Black's Barbecue

The Austin branch of the renowned Lockhart barbecue destination will have to do for those who can’t make the trip down to the smoked meat capital of Texas. Find the same very good menu at this local spot from the Black family.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas; takeout orders placed online or in-person; third-party deliveries through Favor and DoorDash.
Days and hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Recommended orders: beef ribs (only available for on-site ordering), brisket, barbecue chicken, and sausages.

KG BBQ

The newcomer barbecue pop-up-turned-barbecue truck offers Egyptian-Texan smoked meats courtesy of James Beard Award semifinalist pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh. The menu is fun, with barbecue-topped rice bowls, stuffed pitas, and tahini. The location at Oddwood Brewing in the MLK neighborhood makes it that much easier to pair beers with meats.
Service style: Food truck-style service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas courtesy of the host site; takeout orders placed online or in-person.
Days and hours: Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. or until everything is sold out; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until everything is sold out.
Recommended orders: lamb bacon ribs, pomegranate pork ribs, kebabs, oum ali (bread pudding).

Sam's BBQ

For a taste of old Austin, head to the Central East Austin barbecue institution. Sam Campbell opened his namesake business in the late 1950s; after his death, Dan Mays Sr. took over in 1977, and now his son Brian Mays oversees the establishment.

Service style: Counter-service with indoor and outdoor dining areas; takeout orders placed online or in-person.

Days and hours: Sunday and Monday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Recommended orders: Mutton, brisket.

Franklin Barbecue

Everyone knows about the long lines at Franklin Barbecue — it’s been well documented — but for many, it’s worth the wait for those perfect briskets from James Beard Award-winning pitmaster Aaron Franklin. For those looking to plan ahead, it accepts preorders. For an Asianish take on the famed brisket, head over to Loro, his other restaurant in collaboration with lauded Austin Japanese restaurant Uchi.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas; takeout orders placed in-person; advanced preorders online; national shipping.
Days and hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. until sold out (typically around 2 to 3 p.m.)
Recommended orders: brisket, beef ribs, turkey, sausage, bourbon-banana pie.

A tray of barbecued meats.
Barbecue from Franklin Barbecue.
Franklin Barbecue

Micklethwait Craft Meats

Pitmasters owner Tom Micklethwait and Ren Garcia serve up thoughtful smoked meats at this Central East Austin food truck parked at their bar Saddle Up. Expect the staples (brisket, Tex-Czech sausages, ribs), as well as barbacoa. The standout sides round out the meal, like lemon-poppy slaw and jalapeno cheese grits.
Service style: Food truck-style service with an outdoor dine-in area; takeout orders placed online or in-person.
Days and hours: Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. until everything is sold out.
Recommended orders: sausages, barbacoa, beef ribs.

Terry Black's BBQ

Other members of the famed Black family made their mark on Austin with barbecue, too. Twin sons Mike and Mark Black honor their father with their Bouldin Creek smoked meats restaurant. The typical meats are served by the pound, sandwich, or family meal; along with sides, beer, and even wine.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and outdoor dine-in service; takeout orders online or in-person; national shipping.
Days and hours: Sunday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Recommended orders: brisket, smoked turkey, ribs.

Distant Relatives

Chef Damien Brockway and his Govalle truck have quickly made a huge impression in the local barbecue smoked scenes, being named one of Eater’s best new restaurants of 2021 and Eater Austin’s food truck that same year, plus the pitmaster is a two-time James Beard Award semifinalist (2022 and 2023). The menu honors and explores what modern African American fare really is with a Texas lens, which leads to items such as pulled pork served alongside tamarind barbecue sauce and brisket with a smoked mustard butter sauce.
Service-style: Food truck-style service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas courtesy of host site Meanwhile Brewing; takeout orders placed in person.
Days and hours: Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. or until everything is sold out.
Recommended orders: Brisket, chicken leg quarters, burnt ends with black-eyed peas.

A tray of barbecue and sides.
Distant Relatives’s barbecue.
Nicolai McCrary/Eater

La Barbecue

The Holly barbecue restaurant from LeAnn Mueller has a permanent home befitting the funky cool vibes. On deck are beautiful briskets, ribs, house-made sausages, and, for something different, caviar, plus beers and cocktails.
Service style: Counter-service with indoor and patio dine-in areas; takeout orders placed online or in-person.
Days and hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Recommended orders: brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, sausages, Bobby Dawg, shells and cheese, and pickles.

Brown's Bar-B-Que

It’s hard to miss the bright red trailer outside South Austin spot Corner Bar, serving simple, high-quality meats. Pitmaster Daniel Brown serves what he calls “old-school barbecue” where the goal is “to give people great food for a cheap price.” Pair the smoked meat plate with drinks from the bar.
Service style: Food truck-style service with indoor and outdoor dine-in areas courtesy of host site; takeout orders placed in person.
Days and hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Recommended orders: brisket, pork ribs, chicken, pulled pork sandwich.

Leroy & Lewis

The new-school barbecue trailer and Eater Austin’s food truck of 2017 from pitmaster Evan LeRoy offers up twists on the usual smoked meat classics. Think beef cheeks, halved avocados stuffed with barbacoa, cauliflower burnt ends, cheddar cheesecake, and more.
Service-style: Food truck-style service with outdoor and indoor dine-in areas courtesy of host site Cosmic Coffee; takeout orders placed in person.
Days and hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Recommended orders: beef cheeks, barbacoa, burger, cauliflower burnt ends, cheddar cheesecake.

A tray of smoked meats.
LeRoy & Lewis’s barbecue tray.
Logan Crable

Moreno Barbecue

For South Austinites, this barbecue truck is the answer for excellent smoked meats, from brisket to sandwiches and tacos.
Service-style: Food truck-style service with outdoor dine-in areas; takeout orders placed online or in-person.
Days and hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. until everything is sold out; Sunday 9 to 11 a.m.
Recommended orders: brisket, barbacoa (also in taco form), turkey club sandwich.

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