Best barbecue near Austin, TX

[Holy hell all time]

Heading down to Austin a week from Wednesday. Wondering if anyone has recommendations for the best barbecue in the area. Will have a rental car so will be able to head out of downtown if needed.

Was in Austin in 2010 for a week so have some ideas of things to do but if anyone wants to make any suggestions those are also welcome. Just a quick Wednesday to Saturday trip.

Thanks in advance. Scoop is always great for travel recommendations.

[Hards Alumni]

Heading down to Austin a week from Wednesday. Wondering if anyone has recommendations for the best barbecue in the area. Will have a rental car so will be able to head out of downtown if needed.

Was in Austin in 2010 for a week so have some ideas of things to do but if anyone wants to make any suggestions those are also welcome. Just a quick Wednesday to Saturday trip.

Thanks in advance. Scoop is always great for travel recommendations.

Uhhhhh Franklin's.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Easy
https://saltlickbbq.com/

[Holy hell all time]

Easy
https://saltlickbbq.com/

That looks fantastic.

The last time I was in Austin I think I remember driving about 30-45 minutes outside of downtown to the middle of nowhere to get barbecue.  It was at a giant barn looking place with like school cafeteria tables, school lunch trays with no utensils or sauces, bought meat by the half or full pound, and they threw a stack of Wonderbread on your tray as a side.  Does anybody have a clue what I'm talking about?

[T-Bone]

Easy
https://saltlickbbq.com/

Seconded.
If in the mood for beer and a long afternoon, check out Jester King.  Great pizza too.

[T-Bone]

That looks fantastic.

The last time I was in Austin I think I remember driving about 30-45 minutes outside of downtown to the middle of nowhere to get barbecue.  It was at a giant barn looking place with like school cafeteria tables, school lunch trays with no utensils or sauces, bought meat by the half or full pound, and they threw a stack of Wonderbread on your tray as a side.  Does anybody have a clue what I'm talking about?

Sounds like Salt Lick.
https://saltlickbbq.com/private-dining-room/
Navigate the image map out of the private room, and that's the main room.

[Holy hell all time]

Sounds like Salt Lick.
https://saltlickbbq.com/private-dining-room/
Navigate the image map out of the private room, and that's the main room.

Ahh awesome. Thanks much!

Seconded.
If in the mood for beer and a long afternoon, check out Jester King.  Great pizza too.

Will definitely look into that. Thank you.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Seconded.
If in the mood for beer and a long afternoon, check out Jester King.  Great pizza too.

Jester King is cool.  They have some really funky beers.

IIRC, they actually teamed up with Saltlick on a beer.  They took some of Saltlick's pecan wood and used it to smoke the malt for one of their beers.

On edit:  Here it is:

Salt Lick


Pecan Wood Smoked Saison



Salt LickSalt Lick is made in the once commonplace Old World tradition of bière de coupage. Young dry-hopped ale is blended with old barrel-aged sour beer fermented with naturally occurring wild yeast. A portion of the pilsner malt was smoked over pecan wood at The Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, Texas. Unfiltered, unpasteurized, and 100% naturally conditioned.

Packages: 750ml bottles
Category: Bière de Coupage
ABV: 6.7%  FG: 1.002  pH: 3.8
Water: Hill Country Well Water
Grains: Pilsner Malt, Pecan Wood Smoked Pilsner Malt,
Wheat Malt, Munich Malt, Flaked Oats
Hops: Fuggle, Czech Saaz, U.S. Golding, and/or other varieties depending on availability
Fermentation: Farmhouse Yeast, Wild Yeast from the Texas Hill Country, Brettanomyces Yeast, Souring Bacteria
Last Release: Batch 1, bottled 1/16/2013, 1/17/2013, & 1/18/2013

[forgetful]

Easy
https://saltlickbbq.com/

Saltlick is over-rated.  More of the touristy destination place. 

Better BBQ at:

Micklethwait Craft Meats
https://craftmeatsaustin.com

or
Franklin's
https://franklinbbq.com

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Saltlick is over-rated.  More of the touristy destination place. 

Opinions may vary.  However, yours is WRONG! 

[forgetful]

Opinions may vary.  However, yours is WRONG! 

Don't get me wrong, Saltlicks is great bbq, Austin just has so many phenomenal options. 

And my wife tells me I'm wrong all the time, so this wouldn't be the first time.

[WarriorDad]

I visit Austin probably 8 to 10 times a year.  Franklin's or La Barbecue


Also good is Freedmen's.  Some people like Black's and Mickelthwait

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Franklin's is overrated. Not worththe wait. I prefer salt lick of the two

[CreightonWarrior]

I co-sign Salt Lick

[speri]

Take a drive down to Lockhart and go to Kreuz Market.

If you stay in town go to Terry Blacks' BBQ.

I like salt lick, but it is more about the vinegar based BBQ sauce than the meat. Also, if you go its cash only and BYOB.

Franklin's is trendy, but not worth the time commitment with all the other available options.

[tower912]

I visit Austin probably 8 to 10 times a year.  Franklin's or La Barbecue


Also good is Freedmen's.  Some people like Black's and Mickelthwait

Family there.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

I've only gone to Black's once but I was disappointed.  I went late in the evening, however, and the meat was pretty dried out.

[real chili 83]

If you are up for a road trip, some dude tipped me off to Fargos bbq in Bryant   Good recommendation... dude was kinda shady though.

[forgetful]

Usually the best bbq is found at the places not on any list.  I keep trying to remember the name of the place, but my favorite bbq I had was some hole in the wall place in a small town somewhere between Temple TX and Austin. 

You could actually talk to the pit master as he pulled your meat out of the pit and cut it up for you.  Unbelievably good.

[Herman Cain]

There are so many good places, it is almost better to identify the few that suck so you can avoid those. I am a big fan of the no name hole in the wall types.

[T-Bone]

Wait! Who are we??
There's gotta be an Arby's nearby.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

If you are up for a road trip, some dude tipped me off to Fargos bbq in Bryant   Good recommendation... dude was kinda shady though.

Ha! Fargo's is the best in Aggieland for sure. But if he's going to commit to that long of a drive, might as well head out to Blue Moon BBQ. It's about 40 minutes from me but is so worth it that I make the drive almost once month. Now THAT is a shady place. Looks like half a trailer that got abandoned in a field but it's the best bbq in my neck of Texas.

[forgetful]

If you are interested in a drive. 

Snow's bbq.  Hole in the wall.  Middle of nowhere.  Fabulous bbq.

Pretty sure this is the place I remember.

Looks to have gotten quite popular since I went there a decade + ago. 

[TSmith34, Inc.]

With this many options you have no choice but to extend your trip to visit them all

[GooooMarquette]

Wait! Who are we??
There's gotta be an Arby's nearby.

NM...or MN.