Unearth The Voyage
Austin has become the barbecue capital of Texas, where dedicated fans wake up early and stand in long lines just to taste the best smoked meats in the state. Many of these legendary spots open at 11 a.m. but sell out hours later, which is why smart diners arrive well before noon. Whether you crave perfectly smoked brisket, fall-off-the-bone ribs, or creative twists on classic Texas barbecue, these restaurants are worth the wait.
1. Franklin Barbecue
When you see a line wrapped around the block at 8 a.m., you are probably thinking of Franklin. This East 11th Street legend opens at 11 a.m. and serves until sellout, usually mid-afternoon, but dedicated fans start lining up around 7 or 8 a.m., sometimes even earlier on weekends.
Named the best barbecue joint in Texas multiple times, including four straight years in Southern Living’s awards, Franklin has earned its reputation with prime brisket, ribs, and jalapeno-cheddar sausage. If anyone asks why people wait hours before lunch, Franklin is the perfect answer.
2. la Barbecue
Over on East Cesar Chavez, la Barbecue has grown into a Michelin-starred powerhouse with lines to match its reputation. Opening at 11 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday, long queues start building well before noon, especially on weekends when waits often run an hour or more.
Travel guides and locals agree that la Barbecue ranks among Austin’s essential joints. The payoff for your patience includes deeply smoky brisket, tender pork ribs, and creative specials like La Frito Loco that helped earn that coveted Michelin star.
3. InterStellar BBQ
Up in Northwest Austin, InterStellar is another Michelin-starred spot where the line starts forming before the 11 a.m. opening. This restaurant serves one small batch at a time, Wednesday through Sunday, and closes at 4 p.m. or when the meat is gone, which often happens earlier than expected.
InterStellar also sits in the top tier of Texas Monthly’s 2025 Top 50 list. The combination of national attention plus limited hours means early birds get the best pick of the menu, including brisket, pork ribs, and rotating specialty sides.
4. LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue
LeRoy & Lewis exploded from food truck cult favorite to brick-and-mortar star in South Austin, complete with its own Michelin star and a pile of national accolades. Opening at 11 a.m. most days, the restaurant has seen noticeably longer lines since the Michelin news dropped.
Even the pitmaster has commented that busy times are busier post-star. With creative cuts like beef cheeks and barbacoa-style brisket, this is where hardcore BBQ fans happily queue before lunch to taste some of the most innovative smoked meats in the city.
5. Terry Black’s Barbecue
Terry Black’s, just off Barton Springs Road, is the place many locals send out-of-towners who want great barbecue without camping out all morning. Articles literally ask why Austin lines up for this smokehouse, and the answer is simple: consistently excellent meat at reasonable prices.
Opening for lunch at 11 a.m. and running into the evening, the line can already be snaking across the patio by late morning, especially on weekends, festival days, and game days. The dino beef rib is a showstopper if it fits your budget.
6. Micklethwait Barbecue
A longtime trailer favorite, Micklethwait moved into a renovated East Austin church building, but the crowds followed without hesitation. Southern Living recently ranked it among the South’s top barbecue joints, and local write-ups describe weekend visits with steady lines.
Open roughly 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, this is another place where lunch-only hours make it smart to show up early. Waits tend to be more manageable than at Franklin or la Barbecue, but you will still want to arrive before noon for the best selection.
7. Distant Relatives
Parked at Meanwhile Brewing in Southeast Austin, Distant Relatives serves barbecue rooted in the African diaspora and has earned both a Michelin Bib Gourmand and a spot on Eater’s essential food truck lists. Recent guides advise arriving early to beat the crowds and ensure the best selection.
Now that the trailer appears on many best BBQ in Austin shortlists, more diners are discovering its unique flavors. Smoked chicken, black-eyed peas, and barbecue-jumbled rice offer a refreshing departure from standard Texas fare while maintaining world-class smoke and technique.
8. KG BBQ
KG BBQ is the Egyptian-meets-Texas barbecue truck at Oddwood Brewing that always seems to have a line. The Michelin Guide explicitly notes that there is always a line for pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh’s Middle Eastern-inspired smoked meats, and for good reason.
Open from 11 a.m. until sellout on most days, KG BBQ has picked up national TV coverage, including an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Pomegranate-glazed ribs, brisket with turmeric-tahini, and cardamom-pistachio rice pudding are just a few of the creative offerings.
9. Mum Foods Smokehouse & Delicatessen
Mum Foods on Manor Road is part Jewish-style deli, part Texas smokehouse, and all about lunch. The deli opens at 11 a.m. and runs only until about 3 p.m. or sellout, Wednesday through Sunday, making timing crucial for fans.
Appearing in both the Texas Michelin Guide and Texas Monthly’s 2025 Top 50 BBQ Joints coverage, Mum Foods boasts 4.7-star crowdsourced ratings. With that kind of buzz and such tight lunch hours, getting there close to opening is the safest way to avoid missing out on fan-favorite pastrami and brisket.
10. Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew
Stiles Switch is an old-school counter-service joint on North Lamar that has earned national press and a slot in Texas Monthly’s 2025 Top 50 list. Because it opens at 11 a.m. and keeps longer hours than many of the more cult spots, Stiles Switch is often recommended as an easier-to-access alternative.
Lunchtime still sees a healthy line, especially on weekends and before big games. Brisket, St. Louis pork ribs, and the cult-favorite corn casserole or tater-tot casserole make this a reliable choice for quality barbecue without extreme waits.
11. Parish Barbecue
One of Austin’s newest stars, Parish Barbecue is a food truck parked behind Batch Craft Beer & Kolaches on Manor Road, blending Central Texas barbecue with Louisiana flavors. Launching in spring 2025, it quickly earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand and shout-outs from Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor.
Running Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Parish often closes early when they sell out. Given the rapid hype, showing up before noon is the best way to sample dishes like twice-smoked ham or crawfish cornbread dressing.
12. Moreno Barbecue
Moreno Barbecue has grown from a trailer into one of Austin’s most talked-about brick-and-mortars. In 2025, it relocated from Menchaca Road to a larger Southpark Meadows space on I-35 to keep up with demand, and the move has only increased its popularity.
Texas Monthly called its brisket tender and juicy beyond belief, and recent reviews show 4.6 to 4.7 star ratings across platforms. With weekend hours starting at 11 a.m. and Sunday mornings kicking off at 8 a.m. for breakfast tacos, regulars swing by before lunch.
13. Brown’s Bar-B-Que
Brown’s Bar-B-Que is a trailer parked outside Corner Bar on South Lamar and has quietly become one of South Austin’s most beloved under-the-radar pits. Local tourism sites and review aggregators highlight its award-winning fall-off-the-bone ribs and tender brisket, with 4.8-star averages that speak volumes.
Because Brown’s is a trailer with a finite amount of smoked meat and mostly daytime hours, the lunch rush can go from zero to long line quickly, especially on pleasant weather days and weekends. Showing up around opening gives you first pick.
14. The Green Mesquite BBQ & More
Green Mesquite on Barton Springs Road is a piece of Old Austin barbecue history that almost disappeared in 2025. Facing closure over unpaid rent, the 37-year-old restaurant was rescued when longtime staff pooled their savings to keep it alive, and the community came flooding back in support.
With renewed media attention and a big dose of nostalgia, Green Mesquite now sees a steady stream of regulars and curious newcomers, especially around lunch. If you want a table on a sunny day near Zilker Park, arriving before the peak noon rush is smart.
15. Lamberts Downtown Barbecue
Lamberts sits in a restored 19th-century building in the heart of downtown and blends slow-smoked barbecue with a full bar and live-music vibes. Unlike some of the trailer operations, Lamberts leans more toward reservations than camp-chair lines, giving it a more upscale feel.
Peak lunch hours still see crowds of office workers and visitors vying for seats. If you want upscale brisket, crispy boar ribs, and cocktails without a long wait, an early lunch or late morning reservation is the way to go for this downtown gem.
