Second Helpings: Austin Barbecue
Where to find fine barbecue in Austin.
Fri., March 10, 2000
Sam's BBQ
2000 E. 12th, 478-0378
Sun-Thu, 7am-3am; Fri-Sat, 7am-4am
This East Austin institution has long been an obligatory stop for hungry music fans after the clubs close. Sam's serves up wonderful slow-smoked brisket, chicken, mutton, and hot sausage (made on the premises) topped with a spicy, tomato-based barbecue sauce that makes the meat sing. Snackers can order a sandwich, but the real eaters will opt for a combination plate or meat by the pound.
Ruby's Barbeque
512 W. 29, 477-1651
Daily, 11am-midnight
Nowhere will you find a better combination of Austin's latent hippiedom and Texas' lust for beef. Ruby's serves a perfectly smoked hormone-free brisket that goes quite nicely with their earthy greens and barbecue beans, hot enough to make you shed tears. Non-beef people can enjoy smoked turkey or chicken and vegetarians can sate themselves on Ruby's generous (and inexpensive) black bean tacos.
County Line
5204 RR 2222, 346-3664
Mon-Sat, 11:30am-2:30pm, 5-10:30pm; Sun, 11:30am-3pm, 5-9pm
6500 Bee Caves Rd., 327-1742
Sun-Thu, 5-9pm; Fri-Sat, 5-10pm
If you've got the appetite, the all-you-can-eat platter service is the way to go at County Line. They will bring you a big platter of sweetly sauced beef ribs, tender brisket, and peppery sausage along with bowls of potato salad, coleslaw and beans until you tell them to please stop. Lighter eaters (relatively speaking, of course) may opt for a rack of County Line's tasty baby back ribs or a half-pound prime rib sandwich.
Iron Works
100 Red River, 478-4855
Mon-Fri, 11am-9pm; Sat, 11am-3pm
Iron Works' historic building on the banks of Waller Creek is about as tranquil as our bustling central business district gets these days. Their huge beef ribs and super-tender brisket have both won accolades nationwide. Other to-go menu items include smoked chicken and spicy sausage. Perhaps the best testament to the goodness of Iron Works' barbecue is the number of diners in three-piece suits willing to risk making a mess of themselves during the lunch hour.
BBQ World Headquarters
6701 Burnet (in the Travis County Farmer's Market), 323-9112, Mon-Sat, 11am-4pm
1519 W. Anderson Ln., 407-9893
Mon-Fri, 11am-7pm
BBQ World Headquarters is the only certified Angus beef smokehouse in Austin. They serve a tasty sliced brisket sandwich with equal parts lean and marbled meat as well as sausage, smoked chicken, baby back ribs, and pork roast. Save some room for banana pudding and homemade brownies. If you can't get away to Lockhart, Taylor, or Llano, this is a worthy substitute.
Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q
11570 Research, 418-9898
Sun-Thu, 10:30am-9pm; Fri-Sat, 10:30am-10:30pm
2451 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 329-5554
Sun-Thu, 10:30am-9pm; Fri-Sat, 10:30am-10pm
Don't let the gas station exterior and suburban sprawl fool you. A quarter-pound of Rudy's brisket (make sure to specify the moist variety) with a side of above-average beans makes a good quick lunch for Edge City dwellers. Rudy's biting barbecue sauce comes in liquor bottles; you'll see why once you get a taste.