Best BBQ in Austin?

[atxcio]

I try to remember Rudy's is still a Texas-based chain (San Antonio). And as mentioned, they wood smoke their meat slow and in pits just like any small BBQ joints. The employees may not be the "seasoned characters" that make the iconic joints so appealing, but the end result, at least last time I tried it, was good.

I wouldn't go for the sausage there, it tastes pretty much store bought. The sauce isn't to my liking, either. But the brisket was good...

Speaking of sausage, has anyone tried Clyde's BBQ/Casino off 71? Very tasty beef sausage. Interesting place with some antiques and a bunch of slot machines upstairs mothballed () until gambling becomes legal in TX .

Final tip -

Never take BBQ advice from someone who can't even remember the name of places he's gone.

[austinnerd]

Originally Posted by achtungpv

Exactly, once a chain gets so large that food is parcooked at a central facility that's the point I refuse to go there. I'm pretty good at reheating food at home. No need to pay a restaurant to do it.

There's a reason Chili's, TGIF, Olive Garden, etc. have so much sodium in their food...it's a preservative for transport.

Of the barbeque joints, Bill Miller is one of these. the food is cooked at their facility in downtown San Antonio. When I worked down there, you could smell the putrid BM smell from miles away.

I think Rudy's smokes everything at each restaurant though. The problem with it is that it's just blah. Nothing bad or exceptional about it. It's serviceable. Part of the joy of BBQ is knowing that some dude sweated over that beef for 12+ hours and nailed it that day. Sure, you're gonna hit some bad days and if you miss the prime window of 11am-1pm, then it won't be as good the rest of the day but that's part of the experience. The fact that Rudy's is super consistent at every location kinda creeps me out a bit. If you love the fact that Chili's tastes like Chili's in Austin, New York, Sao Paulo and Beijing then you will love Rudy's.

Yeah but that's my point. If someone were to say that the _reason_ that Rudy's isn't very good is because they used to do it a certain way and because they "went chain" they now do it cheaper/faster but with less flavor, then fine, I totally get that. But the statement had no qualitative basis, simply that the person didn't want to like it simply because there happens to be multiple stores. And no, the issue isn't whether or not Rudy's in Austin tastes like Rudy's in San Antonio or Chili's in San Fran tastes like Chili's in Bejing, the question is does the food taste good in each of those locations. If it's good consistent, or good varied, in the end good food is good food. For me personally, if I want "variation" I simply go to another restaurant. And someone slaving over BBQ that in the end doesn't taste that great does nothing for me. Just like I'm not going to dock someone for producing great tasting BBQ because they followed someone else's (as in the "chains formula") recipe and procedures. In the end I'm still enjoying some great moist brisket.

[lukeag3103]

Southside Market in Elgin has the best BBQ in the area. It's about a short 15-20 minute drive on US 290 east. It's always worth the short trip.

Rudy's is good...but certainly not the best. County Line is also good.

[Melissa78703]

BBQ is really a personal preference, IMHO. I'm an Ironworks fan, but Uncle Billy's has really grown on me lately, especially their brisket. Ironworks ... love that sauce! For me, that's what makes the Q.

Don't like: Green Mesquite and County Line.