Black's BBQ on Guadalupe is a great spot for classic Texas barbecue and an easy place to take friends who want the Austin BBQ experience. The brisket is the highlight, tender, smoky, with great bark and flavor. Ribs are meaty, sausage has a nice snap, and even the turkey stays juicy. Sides like mac and cheese round out the plate well, and portions are generous, you will leave full. Casual atmosphere, steady line, and staff keeps things moving. Overall, a strong four star BBQ stop in Austin, flavorful, reliable, and definitely worth going back to. Parking is one of the downsides, just an FYI! read more

Pro-tip: A small side serving is enough for a good tasting. I've been living in Austin for close to a decade now and I'm not sure why I hadn't yet made it to Black's. I'm sorry y'all, this visit just didn't do it for me. Overall, a quick and accessible option for barbecue, but not Austin's best. The staff taking our order is great! Very welcoming and happy to help. Honestly the best part of the experience. Ambiance also offers amble indoor and outdoor seating for a smaller barbecue establishment. While waiting for our order to be prepared, I went to use the bathroom and I kind of wish I never went. Pretty untidy. Shame on customers who use the bathroom and either don't flush, or don't say anything about potential flushing issues. The food, ugh. It was just okay. I appreciate that the lean brisket was indeed lean, but I must say Terry Black's preferred over Black's. The ribs were dry, and tough. No joke, as if they were dog treats. The cole slaw seemed store-bought, perhaps with too much sugar in it. Perhaps I'll try the Lockhart in the future... read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Pork ribs, lean brisket, coleslaw, and mac and cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Came into town to visit and was told this was a must go..... I can confirm this is a must go! Everything was so flavorful and the staff so friendly! Portions are large so be sure to go hungry or share some sides! Pro tip! We went after a night out and it definitely hit the spot for brunch read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Food was sooo delicious! The beef brisket and potato salad side were my favorite items. The brisket was tender and perfectly bbq-ed. Great ambience, we sat on the patio and got to enjoy the nice weather and good food. read more

See all

A great BBQ spot! The food was incredibly flavorful and everything was pretty well priced too! Notes about the meats and sides: - Brisket: tender and really good bark - Ribs: one of the best ribs I've had, very tender and big flavor - Turkey: my second favorite cut of the meal. Tender and juicy, holds the smoke flavor extremely well! - Sausage: the flavors here were good but the texture was more grainy than I liked. - Coleslaw: standard side, no notes here - Mexican corn: the star of the show. An insane side dish that I've never seen done like they did here. A must get! Overall, Black's was impressive from a food perspective. Would definitely come back for another round! read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Bro - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Maybe it was because I came in 30 minutes before closing but damn this place was a disappointment. I thought the meats were okay. I got the brisket and the ribs. But the sides weren't that great. I got the Mac and cheese and green beans. The sauces weren't that great either. I didn't think they were that flavorful and was quite thin. I was hoping for something heavier and more flavorful. Everything is per pound more or less. So it's about 25 bucks per pound for smoked turkey breast. About 32 for chopped beef brisket. 25 for pork spare ribs etc. they also have smoked chicken, sausage, and pulled pork. If you haven't had a frito pie. It's a must for the city. Sides include the two I mentioned plus potato salad, Cole slaw, beans, elote, and chips. And of course what is a BBQ spot without banana pudding, peach cobbler, ice cream and candied brisket. It's a pretty chill spot. You come. You fest. You leave. Try and clean up as much as possible because there's decent amount of seating but during busy times it can get packed according to the servers. You order up front. They cut and weigh the meal for you and then you pay before sitting down. There's no table service. If I do come back, it would be during the middle or beginning of the day so they have more meats available and not the end of day stock I got. read more

See all

Hands down! Absolutely the best brisket I've had my entire life. I will be drooling in my dreams until I make it back someday. read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Parking is a bit tough. Ribs and brisket are great. I'm not a fan of the sausage. Bbq sauce has good flavor. Mac and cheese is solid and green beans are great. Staff is effective but not friendly. Inside had a good vibe with 7 tables. There is also a decent amount of outside seating. Overall I think I like Terry Blacks more. But I wanted to try blacks without driving to Lockhart. I'm not disappointed. read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Inside. - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

There are certain criteria that absolutely define what Central Texas BBQ tastes and looks like. Black's for the most part fits the criteria perfectly with perfectly smoked brisket and sausage. I am sure there ribs are on that level but did not try them. What I did like about Black's was that it wasn't as excessively expensive as some of the other legends in town on their brisket and sausage price per pound. We went with a pound and a half of fatty brisket, don't do yourself a disservice by getting lean that is not central Texas style smoked bbq. Also got 2 sausage rings, jalapeno cheddar and regular, this was some of the best sausage anywhere with that unique crisp upon biting into it. And completed the bbq trinity with a 1/4 smoked chicken. Our side dishes consisted of macaroni/cheese, potato salad, and garlic green beans. They do not give you bread you have to ask for it. All condiments are on the side counter along with the bbq sauce. I enjoyed everything except the potato salad it was a bit undercooked and lacked mustard. In other words it was too sweet not by Hozier's standards though lol. To complete the experience went ahead and got their housemade vanilla ice cream, banana pudding, and peach cobbler to go. The desserts were portioned well at 6 ounces however I felt they probably could have given at least a pint of ice cream for the $2.99 price point. They won a little grace by making an extra by accident and giving it to us free! I really enjoyed Black's and will always stop in for a meal while visiting Austin after all it is one of the OG BBQ stands in the Austin/Lockhart area. read more

See all

My parents were in town visiting and wanted BBQ, but it was Tuesday so most of the usual spots were closed. We ended up at Black's, although I had only ever been to their location down south. We found free parking in the lot out back, although a tree had fallen recently and was blocking a few spots. This was a little strange to see, given that it had not been cleared, but we went inside anyway. There were a few people ahead of us in line, but it moved quickly and we were able to order within a few minutes. We got brisket and ribs, and then beans, Mac and cheese, and potato salad as sides. We also got some bread and pickles (available for free by the condiments). Everything was yummy, but not the best bbq in town. It was also barely warm, which was weird - we sat down to eat it within seconds of ordering, so you would think it would still be warm! Either way, the bbq was still tasty, and I appreciated not having to wait in such a long line, which is always common at other bbq places. I'm not sure the next time I will be back, but an ok experience overall! read more

See all

In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated bbq spots in Austin. I've never waited in a long line (who wants to do that?) and it's always been good. The staff is friendly and helpful. There is seating indoors and outdoors. Pretty standard Texas feel with the benches etc. First of all, if you don't get the beef rib... you made a mistake! It was so juicy and tender. Here's a tip: ordering lean brisket anywhere is always a bad move. Go for the fatty brisket, that's where all the flavor is. Honestly, the beef rib was so good that it makes me not want to order any of the other proteins. Their BBQ sauce is good, but like any good BBQ, you don't need it. The sides are pretty good. I will say we got the last bit of the corn, so it was soupy, but it had a lot of flavor. The Mac and cheese is decent. Also, all the beer is from local breweries. Give this place a shot and skip the hour-long waits at other places. read more

See all

Its pretty decent for BBQ, if youre coming from out of state but if you have tried a lot of barbecue in Austin - Black's might not be the top choice. They have nice seating, both inside and outside. Service was quick, no wait during Tuesday night. We were able to bring our dogs and sit outside which was nice. I tried the lean and fatty brisket (good), partner liked the pulled pork. I actually like their sides a lot - potato salad and coleslaw are better imo than Terry Black's. The bread they give you I didnt try but look kinda bland. Overall good experience. read more

In Austin there are bigger places and definitely some places with more notoriety but I feel like Black's is an often overlooked classic. From the looks of it it seems like they get their meats from the mothership and brought here. I got the mac and cheese and the potato salad then made the short sidestep to get the meats. A place this small I'm unsure why I couldn't just do the entire order at the counter. Anyways, for the meats I went with the fatty brisket, the chicken and their sausages which are sold as rolls and not by weight. So, I'll say that right away I'm surprised by the chicken. I usually stay away from poultry but it was not moist and tasty. The brisket though was just ok, not super flavorful. The sausages-particularly the jalapeno sausage was amazing: flavorful, moist, gone too soon. I can see why they do it by the rounds and not by cut so that they can maintain the integrity of the meat; almost makes me want to make the trek out to the mothership. read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Barbecue doesn't get much better than this! It is not cheap and it is not a high brow establishment. You walk up to the counter you tell him what you want and the car of everything in front of you. Prepare yourself for the goodness! The brisket is fantastic. The beef ribs were perfect. The sides. The sweet tea like your grandmother makes. Plan on getting the meat sweats later in the evening after enjoying Black's. You will enjoy it. The food is not cheap. It is 100% worth the price. The beer is cold. The bathrooms are clean. The dining is done at picnic tables so make friends and bond over the shared barbecue experience. read more

See all

This is the original Black's BBQ, one of the oldest BBQ joints in Texas not to be confused with Terry Black's. The first thing you'll notice is that it's smaller inside than Terry Black's is and the parking situation isn't the best, which can make visiting during busy times a bit challenging. That said, if you can get past the logistics, you're in for some good BBQ. My go-to is the brisket, which pairs perfectly with the sausages, mac & cheese, and green beans. Pro tip: opt for the fattier brisket to avoid a dry piece. If beef isn't your thing, they've got the full lineup of traditional BBQ meats, including turkey, chicken, pulled pork, and ribs. Is it my favorite BBQ spot in Austin? No, but it's definitely in my top 10, and I'll usually stop by if I'm in the area. read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Brisket & Sausage plate - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Simple lean brisket sandwich was amazingly juicy and well worth the price which wasn't bad at all.

Good value. Great portion sizes for the price. Friendly and helpful service. Cool atmosphere. Can't say it's the best BBQ in town (we did LOVE the BBQ sauce though) but it's pretty dang good- would recommend! read more

Chicken wasn't cooked properly. Brisket looked like it had fish scales w/colors that shouldn't be associated with meat. $40 and not edible. I request a refund. Tried to call them but the phone rang and rang... no answer. read more

They forgot to give me my chopped brisket despite me asking for it more than once :(. I waited over an hour. The spare pork ribs were good. The Mac was good. The pickles, onion and bread were good. They did give me the end of the loaf though. Won't come back unless they make it right I think. It's not cheap food! read more

Sad to say this was my into Texas BBQ. Not to be confused with Terry Blacks. Black's is apparently family rivals with the infamous Terry Blacks BBQ. It's hardly a competition though. I would definitely choose Terry Black's over Black's. The pork ribs were dry and mostly bone. The BBQ sauce helped but was nothing special. I have tried lots of BBQ in lots of different states and this was probably one of my least favorite. The potato salad was less traditional than normal and personally not my favorite. Long lines but they moved fast. Sweet tea was good. Indoor and outdoor seating. Small parking lot. read more

See all

GET THE FATTY BRISKET. I'm so happy I got that and the beef bone. Oh and the surprise crowd favorite?.. the candied brisket icecream It was a rainy day on the patio and we all stayed dry. The dudes at the front were funny and had great recommendations. read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Terry Black's Barbecue and Black's Barbecue are both barbecue restaurants owned by the Black family in Texas, but they are involved in a long-running family feud. I've had both. I think both are very similar. If you'd asked me, I couldn't tell them apart. What I can tell you is that terry has a long wait line and this one is much easier to get in. read more

When in Texas you must try their BBQ. This place was not very big with picnic style tables. Brisket & Ribs can be ordered by weight & chicken by 1/2 chicken or full. Sides had 3 different sizes. We ordered about $90 worth of food with brisket, ribs, chicken, brisket sandwich, large side, medium size and 2 beers. This filled all 5 of us up. The only thing was that the lean brisket was a bit overcooked so it was not as moist as we would have liked. The ribs came off the bone real easy and the chicken was full of flavor. The mac and cheese was amazing but the green beans was even better. Definitely a place worth trying. read more

From the patient staff to the patient person smoking the meat, this place does everything right!! Just like you can't rush a good smoke, you shouldn't rush a customer and the guys behind the counter helped each customer with patience, laughter and knowledge. We got it all!! First time in Austin and first BBQ in Texas so we wanted a baseline to compare all other to! At this time, it's gonna be rough for anybody to compare, everything we ate was solid!! The Beef Rib is melt in your mouth, fall off the bone, perfect meat fat ratio, smokey delicious goodness and completely stole the show! The other meats are great with that tender smoked goodness but the beef rib is where it's at! We tried three sides as well and the Mexican Corn is off the chain delicious! Smokey, spicey, creamy and addicting! Black's has been doing this for 90 years and it shows, everything was the best! We'll be back and highly recommend you skip the lines at the other places and head over to The Original Blacks! read more

See all

I had the lean brisket, pork spare ribs, Mac & cheese, and garlic butter green beans. The brisket was pretty fatty despite being labeled as lean. The ribs were good but not as tender as I prefer. The ribs had a nice smoky flavor. I really enjoyed the green beans. The Mac and cheese was just okay in my opinion. Overall, I had a good dining experience and would recommend. read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Our first BBQ meal of the trip. We were going to go to Terry Black's, multiple people had told us it's great. Our Uber driver said TB's is tourist central, and we should try "the original" instead, which is pretty much locals only and wouldn't have a wait. He said something about them being feuding cousins, I don't know about all that, but we went with his rec and tried Black's instead. We got there after 7:30 PM and there were only 2 people ahead of us in line. Order your sides first, then your meat. Loved that they do everything right in front of you, they aren't going into the back to get your meat, they slice off hot, fresh portions for you. We went with mac & cheese, smoked turkey, brisket, and one of each of their sausages - original and jalapeno cheddar. There is a condiment bar with different sauces, pickles & onions. Inside was full (this place is really small) so we went out to the deck to eat. The food was great! Brisket was super tender and had great flavor, turkey was sooooo moist and I preferred it to the brisket! I had also never had smoked turkey before, so I was really digging it. The sausages were tasty, but my favorite was the jalapeno cheddar. Their links are quite small and I would have been happy getting another one! Juicy, cheesy, and spicy, but not too hot. I was shocked that it was so cheap too, less than $40 for lots of meat and a HUGE side of delicious, rich, cheesy mac, we should have gone with the small side. Glad we came here, it definitely seemed like a locals only place, lots of cops here! Terry Black's is probably really good, but don't skip Black's if you come to Austin! read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Turkey, Brisket, Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage, Original Sausage, Mac & Cheese - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place is almost pushing past 1000 reviews from this one. Before coming here, I decided to read many of the recent reviews. As a result I'll incorporate some of the things other yelpers have said or left out along with my experience. If you plan on visiting this place, parking can be a little tricky. They do have a small lot you can use behind another lot which you can't use. There is also about seven spots behind the restaurant. Otherwise, you'll have to find a spot somewhere in the neighborhood, but you will encounter a plethora of no parking/tow away signs. We got here on a Friday right when they opened at 11 am and there was no line. Not sure if that's a good sign or not. Once inside you'll notice there is no smoky aroma since apparently, as other reviewers have mentioned, all the meaty goods are delivered from the Lockhart location. No onsite smokers here. This would also explain why the meat served to you is almost at room temperature and not hot since it is not pulled from a smoke pit when you order it. That means everything here is smoked hours before it is served to you instead of fresh out of the hot pit. I can understand why they do this, but it does compromise to some degree the quality of their overall product. There's 6 large tables inside the small dining area and another 10 outside. If it's your first time here, the menu is confusingly split apart in separate sections above the counter. I think they need to dial in that format for better clarity. Most establishments these days have flat screen menus which are more concise and easier to comprehend. Everything here is ala-carte which means there is no 2 or 3 meat plate option, everything is sold separately. I've never been a fan of this option since it usually means you'll be paying even more in the end. You start by ordering the sides first. Their mac & cheese and garliky green beans are quite good, the pinto beans, potato salad and corn are good, but the coleslaw is fairly average. They do have some alcoholic and soft drink choices to choose from along with sweet tea. When you run your card, that tip screen pops up starting at 10% for placing your own order and busing your own table. Where the rubber meets the road is the brisket itself. I got both the lean and moist briskets. There was little in the way of a rub and the smoke ring was barely there, although it was more pronounced in the tiny end pieces we got to go. The lean brisket unfortunately was pretty dry and desperately cried out for barbecue sauce. Usually not a good sign. I got a link of their pepper jack sausage which did have a little heat, but not something I'd get again. My friend got the sliced turkey and chicken, which I have to admit were both moist and smoky. Those two items I would definitely order again. We forgot to get pork ribs and I forgot to ask if they had a beef rib. I wish the folks behind the counter could've been more forthcoming with what they had on hand, they could've sold us more. A missed opportunity that could have pushed this to 4*. Upselling is something they need to work on. Sadly, the brisket just couldn't stand on its own, it needed help. They do some things well here, but I've definitely had better brisket elsewhere. During the hour we were here, this place cycled through more than a dozen or so customers. Many yelpers highly recommend the pecan dessert, but we did not get it. In the future, I'll stick to their Barton Springs location which I think does a better job. plenty of informative photos below. read more

See all

Visited the Austin area and this was recommended, but disappointed. We got chicken, brisket, the jalapeño link, and ribs. I had the ribs, and they were super dry and over cooked. One of the pieces legit was 90% bone. We got the "lean brisket" but 30% was pure gristle/fat. The link was good. I didn't try the chicken. We also got the Mac and cheese and pecan cobbler. Mac and cheese I would give it a 7/10, pecan cobbler a 10/10 and must have. Service was good and quick, and ambiance was that of your typical bbq restaurant. Just sad to say I had better bbq in Chicago where I lived for a few years. read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

One of the things I noticed right off the bat was at Black's barbecue, which has been around since 1932 was full of people all the time I was there. And I think that's a tradition with great barbecue is they always have lines of people waiting for the food. Walking in through the door my mouth watered at that beautiful smoke smell. I couldn't wait to see the smoke ring around the meat when they were cutting it and so on. Since all the items that you order are by the pound or ounces, you are able to order the exact amount of anything that you would like to have so we did a combo platter of sausage, ribs, and brisket. We also got our sides of beans and slaw. Magic wonderful delicious five star experience. Your surroundings are not five star, but this is a smokehouse and a barbecue house. It's not a hangout bar or anything like that so the place is clean and well situated and all the tables are ready for customers and the food arrives in a timely manner and it is Unbelievably delicious. The staff was friendly from the moment you walk in they don't act like any question as too many or too weird it was so nice to be treated that way. They answered all my questions made suggestions. Explained how the process worked. It was wonderful. We loved it. We always order a little bit more than we can eat so we have a little takeout with us when we go back to our room and something to nibble on while we relax. I highly recommend this place. It's great. read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Ya baby. Feed me. - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I was gonna go to another place, but they were out of beef ribs. Someone mentioned Black's and I am SOOOO glad they did! I was with a group from Fort Sam Houston, and I was not leaving Texas until I had some beef ribs. I have never had more tender beef ribs in my life!!!! Those things were huge! I had so much food that I had to take some home with me. Thank you, Austin, Texas!!! read more

See all

When coming to Texas a must eat is a delicious authentic barbecue dish and Blacks did not disappoint! A local recommended this spot and the flavors were out of this world! The ambiance was farm and cowboy style super cute and inviting! The food was sooo good we order a big platter to share between 4 people and we were able to finish with leftovers. We order the brisket, sausages and pork ribs. Sides were a pint of macaroni and cheese with elote corn. Nothing disassociated! The service was amazing as well definitely a must go to in Austin! read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Pork ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I really wanted this to be an amazing experience... and the shredded pork and awesome coleslaw and good Mac n cheese totally lived up to the hype. The brisket, both fatty and lean, did not. But love you can order meat by any weight you want, window ordering is easy, picnic tables to share inside were great (cold day outside) and parking available, just wait a moment for it. read more

Great BBQ! Pulled pork, Frito pie & Beef Brisket were fantastic! Generous portions too!!!

I order on the 19 of feb server Defauilt . I order a pork rib combo plate for $19.49. THE plate was supposed to be 1/2 lb. of ribs I got TWO ribs and a bone (it had no meat just a bone). That 10.00 a rib. also, no mac and cheese and no silverware. I am retired and I have been in the restaurant business for over 50 years and without a doubt this was the worst meal that was supposed to be great. Well, if you order from them and get this kind food don't call as they don't want to hear it read more

Been waiting for almost six months for this. Last time I had Black's BBQ was for Thanksgiving. And it was the best thanksgiving meal I can remember. So, back in Austin, and it's father's day. Wife asked what I wanted, and I said BEEF! She laughed and then we looked at some restaurants near by, since we were walking. After looking, I said, "Why don't we just load up on Black's BBQ for take out and enjoy hot spicy Texas original BBQ in our nice comforts of AC?" She agreed, I headed over dreading what they could be out of. As you can see from one of the photos, they were out of Chicken. I did want some of that, since their chicken is unbelievable, and usually what runs out first. No big deal, just ordered more BBQ Got a pound of the Brisket which was cut from a nice charred part of the meat with plenty of fat dripping. Also got some of the pork sausages. Figured that was enough. Came with all the fixings. I ordered a side of the Mexican street corn, which the wife loves, and two of their famous sauces... Habanero and Ghost Chile, these are the BEST! The meat was smoked to perfection and perfect tasting. Feel so lucky to have this place just down the street. read more

See all

I've visited Austin yesterday for my boyfriend's birthday. We decided to visit Black's BBQ since I saw that most of the reviews are good. I ended up getting Sliced Beef Brisket (fatty and lean), pork ribs, and sausage with a side of street corn and mac and cheese. The Beef Brisket was good, not the best but good. It was tender, and it had a smokey taste to it, which we like, and so did our son. The pork ribs, to me, are not that good, not enough seasoning, and very dry. The BBQ sauce tasted amazing. It helped the ribs as far as flavor. The sausage and the Mac and Cheese were a big no. The sausage had no flavor what so ever and the Mac and Cheese was drier than a Sahara desert with very little flavor. The street corn was just ok. Don't know if we caught them on a bad day, then again, it's a weekday. We'll give them another chance, on a weekend, and see if things change. The service was great, though. read more

The beef rib was delish and HUGE! The sides were great. My favs were the Mac. & Cheese, corn and green beans. Great service and environment. read more

See all

Hard to decipher menu! Food choice was pricy on sides. Like bbq smoked,but seemed way over the top on grease. I smoke foods at home never seem to be this way, maybe the cuts I buy better quality ! read more

This is still one of my favourite barbeque places in Austin, you don't have to wait in line because it's not in the heart of the city, and the people are fantastic. Would highly recommend this over the other locations. read more

Black's Barbecue Austin - Brisket, pulled pork, and sausage - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

I visited here one Sunday just before driving back to Houston. I've only been to their original location before I visited here, but that was many years ago. On this visit, I was probably the 3rd customer, so there were plenty of seating options. The ordering and menu were simple, and they cut all the meat on a center wood block next to the serving line. We chose moist brisket, 2 links of sausage (1 original, 1 jalapeño), half rack pork ribs, Mac n cheese, and corn. The food was all delicious as I expected, and I much preferred the original sausage, as opposed to jalapeño, but their sausage links are small with a small diameter as well... sadly. The service is nearly non-existent after you receive your food. Their to-go boxes are near where you pick up your food, so in most instances, there would be little additional interaction required from customers to the staff. Overall, I enjoyed my visit. I still feel they don't have a well-oiled machine like some other places in town, but they have a lot of potential. read more