The quick answer
Austin is the center of Central Texas barbecue: brisket rubbed with salt and pepper, smoked for most of a day and sold by the pound on butcher paper. Two Austin joints, LeRoy and Lewis and InterStellar BBQ, hold Michelin stars in the October 2026 Texas guide.
For the best brisket, go to LeRoy and Lewis, InterStellar or Franklin Barbecue, and expect $42–46 a pound. For no queue and late hours, Terry Black's on Barton Springs Road is open every day until 9:30 pm or later.
With a car, drive 30 miles south to Lockhart for Kreuz Market, or northeast to Taylor for Louie Mueller, open since 1949.
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Get FeedMii for iPhone6 things to order at an Austin barbecue joint
What each cut is, what it costs by the pound in 2026, and how to order it.
Brisket
A whole beef brisket seasoned mostly with salt and black pepper and smoked low for many hours until it has a dark bark and a pink smoke ring. It is the cut every Austin joint is judged on.
How to order it: Ask for it from the fatty end (also called moist) for the richest slices, or lean if you prefer. A quarter pound per person is a fair start when you are sharing several meats.
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Beef Rib
A single bone with a slab of smoked short-rib meat on top, often weighing more than a pound. It is richer than brisket and one rib can feed two people.
How to order it: Ask early: many joints cook only a few and some sell them only on certain days. At la Barbecue they are Friday to Sunday only.
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Sausage
Coarse beef or beef-and-pork links, smoked until the casing snaps. Jalapeño-cheddar is the most common variation in Austin.
How to order it: Order one link to share alongside brisket. Lockhart's old markets sell their sausage by the piece.
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Pork Ribs
Pork spare ribs with a peppery or lightly sweet glaze, smoked until the meat pulls from the bone with a gentle tug but doesn't fall off.
How to order it: Order by the bone rather than the pound: two or three bones per person next to brisket is plenty.
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Smoked Turkey
Thick slices of smoked turkey breast. Good joints keep it juicy, and it is the lighter choice on a heavy tray.
How to order it: Add a quarter pound if someone at the table doesn't eat red meat or pork.
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The Tray and Sides
Meat is weighed and laid on butcher paper on a metal tray, often with white bread, pickles and onion. Sides such as potato salad, pinto beans, slaw and mac and cheese are extra.
How to order it: Order the meats first at the cutting counter, then the sides. Sauce is optional at most places and not served at all at Kreuz Market.
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9 best barbecue joints in and around Austin
Ranked by how good the brisket is first, then how easy the visit is. All were open on Google as of October 31, 2026.
LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue
South Austin, Emerald Forest DrOur top pick: a Michelin star in October 2026 and No. 2 in Texas Monthly's 2025 ranking of the state's best barbecue, cooked from locally sourced beef, with unusual cuts and seasonal sides.
- Order
- Brisket, beef cheeks, the Frito pie, cauliflower and kale slaw
- Price
- Brisket $46 a pound (Houston Chronicle, Sep 2026)
- Tip
- Open until 9 pm (10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays), much later than most top joints; closed Tuesdays.
InterStellar BBQ
Northwest Austin, Ranch Rd 620 NMichelin-starred and No. 6 in Texas Monthly's 2025 ranking, known for its brisket and smoked pork belly.
- Order
- Brisket, pork belly, scalloped potatoes, jalapeño slaw
- Price
- Brisket $42 a pound (Houston Chronicle, Sep 2026)
- Tip
- Lunch only, 11 am–4 pm Wednesday to Sunday, in northwest Austin about 20 miles from downtown.
Franklin Barbecue
East 11th St, just east of downtownThe best-known name in Austin barbecue, with a Michelin Bib Gourmand and a queue to match.
- Order
- Fatty brisket, pork ribs, potato salad
- Price
- Brisket $42 a pound (Houston Chronicle, Sep 2026)
- Tip
- Open 11 am–3 pm Tuesday to Sunday, or until the meat runs out. Weekend waits run to hours, so join the line early or order ahead for pickup.
Micklethwait Barbecue
East Austin, Tanney StA Michelin Bib Gourmand joint that moved from its trailer to a permanent home in 2025, with pulled lamb alongside the brisket.
- Order
- Brisket, pulled lamb, ribs, mac and cheese
- Price
- About $30–40 a pound for most meats (estimate)
- Tip
- Open Thursday to Sunday only, with outdoor seating.
la Barbecue
East Cesar Chavez StReliable East Austin brisket with a Michelin recommendation and some of the lowest prices among the big names.
- Order
- Brisket, pork ribs, a jalapeño sausage link; beef ribs on weekends
- Price
- Brisket $36 a pound, pork ribs $31, sausage $5.25 a link (la Barbecue menu, Oct 2026)
- Tip
- Open 11 am–6 pm Wednesday to Sunday; beef ribs are only on Friday to Sunday.
KG BBQ
East Austin, Manor RdTexas barbecue cooked with Egyptian spices and sides, and a Michelin Bib Gourmand for it.
- Order
- Lamb chops, brisket rice bowl, baladi salad
- Price
- About $20–35 per person (estimate)
- Tip
- Closed Monday and Tuesday; open until 8 pm Thursday to Saturday.
Terry Black's Barbecue
Barton Springs Rd, south of downtownThe easy option: a big restaurant run by a fourth generation of pitmasters, open every day until 9:30 pm or later, and by far the most-reviewed joint on this list.
- Order
- Brisket, beef rib, creamed corn, mac and cheese
- Price
- Brisket $39.99 a pound, beef ribs $40.99, pork ribs $32.99, turkey $32.99 (Terry Black's menu, Oct 2026)
- Tip
- Open every day from 10:30 am, so it is the one to choose on a Monday or for dinner.
Kreuz Market (Lockhart)
Lockhart, about 30 miles south of AustinA Texas landmark that still serves its meat without sauce or forks, seasoned only with salt and pepper.
- Order
- Pork chop, shoulder clod, prime rib, sausage
- Price
- Brisket about $33 a pound, prime rib $39.90, pork chop $22.90, sausage $3.70 each (Kreuz Market menu, Oct 2026)
- Tip
- Open daily from 10:30 am. Pair it with a walk around Lockhart's courthouse square.
Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor)
Taylor, about 35 miles northeast of AustinOpen since 1949 and a James Beard America's Classics winner, in a smoke-blackened old building famous for its beef ribs.
- Order
- Beef rib, brisket, jalapeño sausage
- Price
- About $30–45 a pound (estimate)
- Tip
- Open Wednesday to Saturday only (Saturday until 4 pm).
Prices are per pound unless noted and come from each joint's menu or the dated report shown. Places checked as of October 2026; hours change, so check before you go.
Tips
- Go at lunch. Many top joints open at 11 am and close when the meat runs out, often by mid-afternoon.
- Order brisket, then one more meat and one side per person. Most places weigh meat to order, so you can ask for exactly a quarter or half pound.
- Pay attention to the days: Franklin is closed Mondays, InterStellar and la Barbecue on Mondays and Tuesdays, LeRoy and Lewis on Tuesdays, and Micklethwait Monday to Wednesday.
- Lockhart is an easy half-day trip from Austin: Kreuz Market and Black's Barbecue are a few minutes apart, and Barbs B Q there holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
- Brisket has passed $40 a pound at several famous joints in 2026, so budget roughly $60–90 for a tray for two with sides.
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Download free for iPhoneFrequently asked questions
What is the best BBQ in Austin?
LeRoy and Lewis and InterStellar BBQ are the two Austin barbecue joints with Michelin stars (October 2026) and ranked No. 2 and No. 6 in Texas Monthly's 2025 list. Franklin Barbecue, the most famous, holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
How much does brisket cost in Austin in 2026?
Between about $33 and $46 a pound. LeRoy and Lewis charges $46, Franklin and InterStellar $42, Terry Black's $39.99, la Barbecue $36, and Kreuz Market in Lockhart about $33.
How long is the line at Franklin Barbecue?
On weekends waits often run to a couple of hours or more, and the line forms before the 11 am opening. Franklin opens Tuesday to Sunday until 3 pm or sell-out, and pre-orders for pickup let you skip it.
Which Austin barbecue restaurants have Michelin stars?
In the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Texas, released October 13, 2026, InterStellar BBQ and LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue hold one star. Franklin Barbecue, Micklethwait, KG BBQ, Parish Barbecue and Distant Relatives have a Bib Gourmand.
What should I order at a Texas barbecue joint?
Start with fatty brisket, add a pork rib or a sausage link, and one side such as potato salad or pinto beans. White bread, pickles and onions are usually free on the tray.