I'm fortunate to be coming to Austin in a few weeks for the Formula 1 race at COTA. We are staying in the downtown area and wont have access to a car. Are there any must eat spots in the downtown area for dinner? We're mainly looking for barbecue destinations but open to anything.

Torchy's on S Congress
Frank & Angie's (pizza) just South of downtown

Really bummed we aren't going to make it this year, unless I get lucky and win tickets.

Been a long time since I lived in Austin, but we used to go to the Hoffbrau Steakhouse, maybe 6 blocks west of downtown on 6th. Very reasonable prices.

Maybe you can rent some electric scooters or something, if you don’t want to walk.

I’d guess there are a bunch of more trendy joints downtown, now.


https://www.hoffbrausteakhouseaustin.com/

Franklin Barbecue

900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 653-1187

https://g.co/kgs/gvU5h1

Not sure where you're staying but this was awesome.

You cant throw a cat and not hit a bbq joint here.
Try the Texas Chili Parlor 1409 Lavaca.

You mentioned you won't have access to a car, but there's always Uber or Lyft if you find someplace farther out from where you're staying.

Personally I'd rent a car and get the hell outta that Libtarded bastion and drive to Houston...

quote:

Originally posted by joatmonv:
Franklin Barbecue

900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 653-1187

https://g.co/kgs/gvU5h1

Not sure where you're staying but this was awesome.

Go ahead and mark this off your list unless you want to burn half a day. In order to insure you get to eat at lunch you need to be in line around 7:00 AM....yes, seriously.

Austin is an eclectic food town, there is no dominate influence as far as type or style of food. Everything from street food from a truck (often owned and run by top chefs trying out new menus and concepts) to high end cuisine from any culture. The list of must eats is endless. My recommendation is to ask your hotel staff based on your mood du juor.

quote:

Originally posted by TXJIM:

quote:

Originally posted by joatmonv:
Franklin Barbecue

900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 653-1187

https://g.co/kgs/gvU5h1

Not sure where you're staying but this was awesome.

Go ahead and mark this off your list unless you want to burn half a day. In order to insure you get to eat at lunch you need to be in line around 7:00 AM....yes, seriously.

True.
My cousin lives outside of Austin and he got me out of bed to go stand in line one morning.
I had time and it was well worth it. YMMV.

Congress Street Cafe is excellent for brunch if you can stand the hipster vibe.

Salt Lick BBQ just south of town.

Thank me later.

quote:

Originally posted by x0225095:
Salt Lick BBQ just south of town.

Thank me later.

This is typically what I recommend to out of state visitors both for the food and the atmosphere/building. In the OP's case though it would probably be a $100+ round trip via uber on a COTA weekend.

If you decide to go, take cash as they don't accept any other form of payment.

I did this twice when I was out there. Great stuff. Don't only get the brisket. The kielbasa and turkey were also surprisingly spectacular.

quote:

Originally posted by x0225095:
Salt Lick BBQ just south of town.

Thank me later.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Been a long time since I lived in Austin, but we used to go to the Hoffbrau Steakhouse, maybe 6 blocks west of downtown on 6th. Very reasonable prices.

We're going to have to check this place out. I wish we could make it to Franklin's, if we had half a day to burn we would definitely do it.

Is Terry Blacks BBQ worth a trip?

quote:

Originally posted by hlb14:

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Been a long time since I lived in Austin, but we used to go to the Hoffbrau Steakhouse, maybe 6 blocks west of downtown on 6th. Very reasonable prices.

We're going to have to check this place out. I wish we could make it to Franklin's, if we had half a day to burn we would definitely do it.

Is Terry Blacks BBQ worth a trip?

Never been. I don’t remember it from when I lived there.
You might check out the Ironworks BBQ. They’ve been around a long time, they’re not too far from downtown. It doesn’t look much like the neighborhood I remember it in. They city built an immense convention center next door. On Red River close to I-35.

https://ironworksbbq.com/

House Park BBQ is another we used to frequent in the 1970s.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Torchy's on S Congress
Frank & Angie's (pizza) just South of downtown

Really bummed we aren't going to make it this year, unless I get lucky and win tickets.

Frank & Angie's closed last year. Its owners also own Hut's Hamburgers directly next door, and Hut's is closing permanently tomorrow after having been an Austin staple for 60 years.

Hut's is closing permanently tomorrow after having been an Austin staple for 60 years.

quote:

Originally posted by hlb14:

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Been a long time since I lived in Austin, but we used to go to the Hoffbrau Steakhouse, maybe 6 blocks west of downtown on 6th. Very reasonable prices.

We're going to have to check this place out. I wish we could make it to Franklin's, if we had half a day to burn we would definitely do it.

Is Terry Blacks BBQ worth a trip?

Terry Black's is well reviewed by locals, some prefer it to Franklin's. Certainly worth a try while in town.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Hut's is closing permanently tomorrow after having been an Austin staple for 60 years.

To make it worse, the Hut's in the airport sucks. I ate there Monday and was disappointed to get a prefrozen flavorless patty, definitely not the fresh and delicious grease bomb I was expecting.

As far as the Austin BBQ scene, the BBQ joints on Texas Monthly's Top 50 list are:

Franklin BBQ (#2 in all of Texas) - never eaten here as I'm too impatient for 4 or 5 hour waits. It's actually 1 or 2 hours quicker and you see more sights by driving to Lockhart, standing in the short line and eating at one of their legendary BBQ joints, and driving back to Austin.

Micklethwait Craft Meats (#8 in all of Texas) - I haven't eaten here

Stiles Switch (TM doesn't order 11 thru 50) - I ate here once after seeing the Franklin and LaBarbeque lines. It was excellent and 5 to 10 minute wait.

Freedman's (TM doesn't order 11 thru 50) - I haven't eaten here

LaBarbeque (TM doesn't order 11 thru 50) - I haven't eaten here. I saw the line and headed to Stiles Switch.

Terry Black's (TM doesn't order 11 thru 50) - I haven't eaten here. See paragraph later in post on the Black's.

Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ (TM doesn't order 11 thru 50) - I haven't eaten here.

Kerlin BBQ (TM honorable mention) - I haven't eaten here.

Brown's BBQ (TM honorable mention) - I haven't eaten here.

It's not on the list, but I enjoyed the beef ribs at Iron Works BBQ (Arfmel's post reminded me about this place). I'm friends with the grandson of the man who ran the iron shop that used to be here. We were all in town for a wedding and he was wanting to try the BBQ at his grandfather's old shop. It's an actual restaurant and by that I mean it's open for both dinner and lunch. Many BBQ joints cook a certain amount of meat timed to be done for lunch, and they close when they run out (if they don't run out it's 5 or 6 hours past its prime). Other restaurants put on meat twice and time it to have meat peak at both lunch and dinner. Iron Works and Stiles Switch are the latter.

Just because it's in Austin doesn't mean it's automatically good BBQ. It's not in business any more (found website saying Ruby's closed in Feb '18), but about a decade ago I had a continuing education week long course at University of Texas. The secretary who coordinated the class recommended a place to my coworker and I that was near campus and actually talked us out of driving out to Driftwood for Salt Lick. The order takers were too stoned to run our credit card and I had to help. In hindsight, that should've been the clue to leave and the verdict on the BBQ was that I've had better BBQ at the cafeteria at work.

Black's BBQ in Lockhart is one of the legendary BBQ joints in Texas. It's the best BBQ I've ever had in my life. It looks like there has been some family drama so:

Black's BBQ now has added to their logo the word "original" and they have expanded to 3 additional cities (Lockhart + Austin, New Braunfels, and San Marcos)

Terry Blacks is in Austin. It's run by the twin nephews of the manager of the original Black's BBQ in Lockhart.

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Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.