Top BBQ spots in Austin for Saturday’s Georgia-Texas top 5 college football matchup

Are you traveling to the Lone Star State this weekend for the big game, No. 1 Texas vs. No. 4 Georgia? Are you looking to get your bulldog paws on some good ole Texan barbecue?

Well look no further. The Athens Banner-Herald has found several places that locals frequent and have rated with love just for you. Go get your grub on (and bring some back for me, please).

The Salt Lick BBQ

Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. & Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Address: 18300 Ranch to Market Rd 1826, Driftwood, Texas

Phone number: 512-858-4959

Located in Driftwood, a roughly 40-minute scenic drive from Darrell K Royal—Texas Memorial Stadium and downtown Austin, The Salt Lick BBQ was founded in 1967 and has been smoking meat ever since.

The 4.6-star rated restaurant offers a plethora of smoked meats and delicious sides for everybody. Whether you want family-style, all you can eat, a plate or a sandwich, or even a half pound of meat, The Salt Lick has it. Diners can pick from a dozen sides and three cobblers (blackberry, peach or half & half) or chocolate pecan pie for dessert.

They even have their own trademarked BBQ sauce, which they sell in restaurant, in store and online. The sauce is a “Southeastern style that has been Texa-fied,” according to the website.

If you want meat for a tailgate, you can actually mail-order it and the Salt Lick website provides instructions on how to reheat different ways (outdoors, oven, etc.). Their meats are vacuum-sealed and sent via FedEx to the lower 48. Though, same-day delivery is not available, so start placing now!

Terry Black’s BBQ

Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. & Friday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

Address: 1003 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, Texas

Phone number: 512-394-5899

Located just outside downtown Austin, just a 15-minute drive from the UT football stadium and on the outskirts of Butler Metro Park, Terry Black’s BBQ is a family-owned pitstop brought to the city from Lockhart, run by Terry’s three children: Christina, Michael and Mark Black.

This 4.5-star rated restaurant is a gluten- and dairy-free friendly atmosphere, with brisket, ribs, sausages, turkey and beef. You can get them in family packs with several pounds or on sandwiches, and even chilled, and they have a plethora of yummy sides, from mac and cheese to beans, Mexican rice, cream corn, coleslaw or potato salad. Feel free to pick up a little banana pudding or peach cobbler to curb any sweet tooth sufferers.

Lucky for you, they also have pre-orders for pickup, and they’re a lot closer. Pickup orders must be placed 50 minutes in advance and a $75 minimum purchase, while delivery needs to be placed two days (48 hours) in advance and a $140 minimum purchase. They offer different size options depending on the group you plan to feed at your tailgate.

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la Barbecue

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Address: 2401 E Cesar Chavez, Austin, Texas

Phone number: 512-605-9696

Located in east Austin, just a 15-minute drive from the University of Texas and a couple blocks from Lady Bird Lake, la Barbecue is run by LeAnn Mueller and her wife Ali Clem.

This 4.5-star rated restaurant swears by its locally sourced beef, which comes from a grass-fed, completely hormone-free ranch. It was ranked in the top 50 in Texas Monthly in a 2024 edition and Yelp reviewers have called this the best BBQ in Texas.

They offer meats by the pound, regular sandwiches and specialty sandwiches, and several house-made sausages and pickling options as sides, in pints or quarts (pickles, kimchi, onions, jalapeños). They also have a page-long menu featuring cocktails, beers, champagnes and wines as refreshments.

You can order online, and they even offer tailgate packages specialty for parties of 10 or 20, which include brisket, pulled pork, sausage, potato salad, slaw, beans and shells in cheese with bottled sweet and tangy sauce, as well as plates, napkins and cutlery.

Matt Odam: You gotta try this brisket at La Barbecue. It’s a cut above

Other well-rated BBQ places in Austin

• LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue. Located at 5621 Emerald Forest Dr, Austin, Texas. Hours are Sunday-Monday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Tuesday closed; Wednesday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Matt Odam: Reviewing LeRoy and Lewis, Austin’s most original barbecue restaurant and one of its best

• Brown’s Bar-B-Que. Located at 1901 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, Texas. Hours are Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
• InterStellar BBQ. Located at 12233 Ranch Rd 620 N, Unit 105, Austin, Texas. Hours are Wednesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Micklethwait Craft Meats. Located at 1309 Rosewood Ave, Austin, Texas. Hours are Thursday-Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Lamberts. Located at 401 W 2nd St, Austin, Texas. Hours are Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Saturday 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; and Sunday 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Iron Works BBQ. Located at 100 Red River St, Austin, Texas. Hours are Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9p.m.
• Barbs-B-Q. Located at 102 E Market St, Lockhart, Texas. Hours are Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and closed Monday-Friday.