Good BBQ?

Discussion in 'Around Austin' started by ls20, Jan 14, 2004.

  1. ls20

    ls20 < 25 Posts

    been to salt lick...thought the food really sucked

    County Line - really good stuff. awesome ribs. the 2222FM location is better than Bee Caves
     
  2. jimmyjazz

    jimmyjazz 2,500+ Posts

    Baby back pork ribs at Artz Rib House. No better within 30 miles.
     
  3. twid

    twid 25+ Posts

    brisket at john mueller's on manor road, hands down best brisket in austin.

    i love a t-man at bert's. brisket. sausage, beans and sauce all mixed together. none of them by themselves would be all that great, but together they make a respectable meal.

    lastly bar-b-q world headquarters on burnet north of 2222 has pretty decent cue.

    i generally will head to lockhart or luling if i'm in the mood for cue personally.
     
  4. cbs

    cbs 500+ Posts

    I second John Mueller's. And you can't beat Kreuz. It's not that far.
     
  5. orngbld

    orngbld 100+ Posts

    Twid is right on. As you can see from my sig, this is a subject near and dear to my heart.

    Meuller's is the best bbq in the city limits. The brisket is beautiful, and if they have beef short ribs the day you go, do yourself a favor and get one (they're huge).

    Sam's -- used to be one of my favorites, and still has excellent sausage, but last time I went, the brisket was tough. Still on my list, though.

    BBQ world HQ -- good stuff. Solid, but not that outstanding.

    The BEST BBQ anywhere, in my opinion (and this is a hotly debated subject) is at Cooper's in Llano or Mason. Cooked over mesquite coals instead of indirect heat from oak. My order, every time, is brisket, a big chop, and (if they have it that day), some goat. Add a couple of bowls of their perfect pinto beans, and you've got the perfect meal.

    The rest of the other possible champs are not to be overlooked:

    Kreuz's -- used to be my favorite, and the only reason they're not still is just that I have grown to like Cooper's more. Get the brisket, a chop, and a link of sausage.

    Smitty's -- similar to Kreuz's. Get the same order, and be impressed.

    Louie Meuller's in Taylor -- where John Meuller learned his stuff. The brisket is almost as good (I actually think John does his better), but their sausage (esp. the jalapeno) is better than John's.

    There are plenty of others:

    Salt Lick -- fine for the social aspect, mediocre for the cue. The only thing I really eat there is the pork ribs.

    County Line -- fine if you need a sit-down, white napkin cue place (which, occasionally, often with women involved, you do). I stick with their beef ribs -- everything else is average to below average.

    There are also plenty of small, neighborhood type places -- The Pit on Burnet, some barn place on 183 at Ohlen that I tried recently -- that do a good job of the basics. Won't be in the hall of fame, but if you just want a mixed plate at lunch, they'll do you right.

    T-man at Bert's is a beautiful thing -- esp. the turbo -- got me through college.

    And, finally, for a chopped sammich (one of my wife's favorite lunches), it's hard to beat Pok E Joe's. I know, it's a sanitized chain, but **** -- it's a good sammich. No shame in admitting that. Sometimes, you wanna chop'd, and that's a good place to get it.
     
  6. texasboy34

    texasboy34 25+ Posts

    The City Market in Luling is awesome. It is my fav BBQ place hands down. Southside/Meyers in Elgin are also very good. Something to be noted about Kruez is that they have no BBQ sauce. Very disappointing if you are expecting sauce. The meat is great, but doesn't seem the same without ANY sauce.
     
  7. jimmyjazz

    jimmyjazz 2,500+ Posts

    orngbld, have you ever tried the baby backs at Artz? You are missing something special if you haven't. The rest of their 'cue is merely decent, but those baby back ribs are out of this world.
     
  8. orngbld

    orngbld 100+ Posts

    I've had other stuff at Artz, but not the babybacks. I'll give 'em a shot.

    Speaking of stuff down Lamar, I haven't had Green Mesquite in at least 10 years. I recall that it was solid, but not outstanding. Any new reviews?

    Luling is indeed a thing of beauty, but for some reason, I never get down there.

    Southside in Elgin is also a good reliable choice -- good sausage, decent brisket, and they have mutton (hey, I like it). Sometimes, my folks pick up a family pack on their way into town on 290, and we have it for lunch.

    As for Kreuz's not having sauce, that's part of the charm. And, when they're on with the meat, you don't need any sauce.
     
  9. jimmyjazz

    jimmyjazz 2,500+ Posts

    Green Mesquite is good for two things -- location and clientele. Pretty average BBQ, in my opinion. I'd put them at about Pok-E-Jo's level. (By the way, Pok-E-Jo's chopped chicken sandwich is good.)
     
  10. clevername

    clevername 25+ Posts

    I'll second Coopers in Llano. Amazing pork chops, great brisket. I liked Kreuz fine, but I just can't get over the fact that they don't have bbq sauce. Maybe that's why I like the Salt Lick so much -great sauce in my opinion. Black's is right down the street from Kreuz's and I thought that was pretty good. I think Luling City Market in Houston is some of the best BBQ anywhere, followed by Hickory Hollow and that other place I can't think of right now -one on Katy frwy and one on Kirby? If you want something quick in Austin, though, the brisket tacos from Bongo's on San Felipe are awesome.
     
  11. EE Horn

    EE Horn < 25 Posts

    Rudy's is solid. Their sauce is spicy and tangy, and they have a cutter cam. You can eat there for around $5-6.
     
  12. EE Horn

    EE Horn < 25 Posts

    Salt Lick 360 was a bad experience. Trying to have an upscale BBQ joint is a dumb idea.
     
  13. ls20

    ls20 < 25 Posts

    ive been to the Green Mesquite... the outdoors seating with live music is fine... bbq is nothing to be worked up over, tho. good for socializing..not much for the eatin'[​IMG]
     
  14. TxStHorn

    TxStHorn 1,000+ Posts

    For chopped beef, Smoky-J's at 620 & 2222 wins my vote hands down.
    County Line 2222 does a good job on most stuff.
    Kruetz's is my fav all-round...
     
  15. Horn_2004

    Horn_2004 25+ Posts

    Went to Cooper's Tuesday for my first time. It was definitely what everyone says it is. I had the pork chop and was very impressed!! The potato salad was awesome, I meant to get the beans but didn't. Also the blackberry cobbler was awesome. Had John Mueller's and thought it was good but didn't try the brisket as everyone tells me. Should try it next time for sure! Salt Lick sucks ***, but thought County Line ribs are very good. Need to try Art'z.
     
  16. twid

    twid 25+ Posts

    luling is my favorite place for cue in texas, their sausage is sublime.

    as per pok-e-jo'sm if you go there and don;t get the baked potato casserole, you are seriously missing out.

    personal anecdote: when i took my dad to kreuz, he put a bunch of sauce in an old medicine bottle and brought his own fork and knife. psycho.
     
  17. Sangre Naranjada

    Sangre Naranjada 10,000+ Posts

    Speaking as a guy who lives in Lockhart and works in Luling, I'll tell all of you to come on down to Caldwell County for the best que anywhere.

    One guy mentioned Blacks in Lockhart, they are still pretty good, but they've fallen off since losing their pit master about 15 years ago. He opened his own place in Lockhart, Chisholm Trail BBQ. Chisholm Trail is probably the number ons spot for the locals, because you get great food, but the price is significantly lower than Black's, Smitty's, or Kreuz. I highly recommend their pork chop, beef or pork ribs, and the sausage. The brisket is pretty good, but not in a league with Kreuz or Smitty's. Now that's no sin, since very, very few places could make that claim, but just keep it in mind if brisket is what you're after.
     
  18. swTXSU

    swTXSU 100+ Posts

    On Mondays at Green Mesquite the blue plate is Bubba Tacos, two flour tortillas filled with brisket, chopped beef, or chicken, with salsa, lettuce and tomato and two sides for $4.99.

    Pretty good stuff, usually napping by 1:30.
     
  19. twid

    twid 25+ Posts

    i agree on chisolm trail, it's vastly underrated in my book.
     
  20. PabTexas

    PabTexas 250+ Posts

    Rudy's is delicious...
     
  21. conVINCEd

    conVINCEd 25+ Posts

    Artz kicks much ***. The most underrated Q in the greater Austin area. I have never had anything but the ribs, so I cannot grade any of their other offerings, but the ribs are tremendous. It has been several years since I lived in Austin, but they used to have lunch specials, and on the day the ribs were the special, it was absurdly cheap.

    orngbld mentioned Sam's, if that is that joint on the East side, for some reason I want to say 11th or 12th St., it was damn good the last time I was there.

    Rudy's is perfectly acceptable for lunch, as is Iron Works (beef ribs are great here).

    I have no use for County Line or Salt Lick, but those are always the two places out of towners want to go for some reason. I can only think of 2 reasons to go to Salt Lick: 1) You have a group of 20+ or 2) You have a bunch of yankee relatives in town who won't know the difference between good and bad Q and you just want to give them a genuine Texas experience.

    I will kill anyone who speaks ill of the greatness that is the T-Man from Bert's.

    If you are in Austin, you should really appreciate all the wonderful choices you have, up in Dallas good Q is hard to find. What I consider the best up here would be middle of the road in Austin.

    I must make a note to hit John Mueller's next time I am in town.
     
  22. jbusch

    jbusch 25+ Posts

    I went to Cooper's when I was in town during christmas. The pork ribs were tasty, but the brisket was terrible. It was really undercooked and rubbery.

    I also went to Kreuz's a few days later. It was amazing. I've never had better brisket or pork ribs. The sausage was quite good but it didn't stand out as much as the brisket or pork ribs.

    Also, I've been to John Mueller's twice and both times, he's been out of brisket [​IMG].
     
  23. orngbld

    orngbld 100+ Posts

    Jbusch, you went to both Cooper's and Kreuz's without getting a pork chop. In other words, you are a moron. [​IMG]

    The big chop at Cooper's is a thing of beauty. So is the chop at Kreuz's.

    As for Cooper's, I've heard of some folks having that experience with the brisket, and it raises a question -- what time of day did you go? They cook their brisket over mesquite coals, then wrap it. If you go around 11:00, it's only been cooking a few hours, and has just been wrapped. I go after 1:00 -- that way, all the briskets have had some time in the foil to get tender, and I've never had a problem.

    I have not had the ribs at Kreuz's (they didn't used to have them, and I am cautious about anything "new"), and the ribs at Cooper's are okay. Tasty, but not very tender.

    The best ribs around are the ones I make -- haven't had a bbq joint rib that is better.

    But you gotta get the chop in both Llano and Lockhart.
     
  24. twid

    twid 25+ Posts

    i just got back from a trip to louie mueller's, and was disappointed. the moist brisket i got was chewy, and overall not good.

    also, pork chops should not be considered bbq in my book.
     
  25. capitan

    capitan 25+ Posts

    my vote goes to bbq world headquarters
     
  26. orngbld

    orngbld 100+ Posts

    Well, you need a new book.

    I'm a Texan, and indeed I believe that brisket is the benchmark bbq. But when you do a chop like Cooper's and Kreuz's -- well ****, that is damned important.

    The serving line at Cooper's (the chops are in the second tray from the bottom, on the right):

    [​IMG]

    And the beauty that is the big chop (in the front of this pic):

    [​IMG]

    And of course, my sig, the mesquite coal smoked brisket:
     
  27. twid

    twid 25+ Posts

    my main problem is that if you go to a place that has a great chop, but puts out a ****** brisket or sausage, then i will have a much lower opinion of that place than one that has a ****** chop (or none at all) and primo brisket. Also i feel that the fact that some cue places omit to offer a chop helps me to conclude that the chop is not cue. just because it's smoked meat doesn't make it a piece bbq.

    i am also a Texan
     
  28. orngbld

    orngbld 100+ Posts

    Agreed that if all a place has is a good chop, it fails as a bbq joint. However, both places referenced have FIRST CLASS brisket. Plus, Kreuz's has perfect sausage, and Cooper's has unreal goat (their sausage leaves much to be desired, however).

    I am left with the incogruity that while chops are not cue, they are also fantastic cue at the right place.

    You can't go to Kreuz's or Cooper's without getting a chop. You just can't. It's like ordering cobbler without ice cream.
     
  29. twid

    twid 25+ Posts

    well next time i'm in lockhart i'll have to try a chop at kreuz. i can use it to replace the ribs and sausage that i think are overrated. the sausage is grond way too finely, it's all mushy.
     
  30. jbusch

    jbusch 25+ Posts

    Like others mentioned, I don't consider a chop to be bbq. I'll try one next time, though.

    BTW, I showed up at Cooper's at maybe 7pm.
     

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