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Stiles Switch's beef rib
Stiles Switch's beef rib
Stiles Switch/Official

14 Must-Try Ribs in Austin

Beef and pork goodness

by Frani Chung Updated
View as Map
Stiles Switch's beef rib
| Stiles Switch/Official
by Frani Chung Updated

Carnivorous connoisseurs can attest to the magic of the perfect barbecued bone-in ribs. Brisket might be the favorite child of Austin’s finest barbecue joints, but the city’s beef and pork ribs are often touted as the best in the country.

Here is Eater’s guide to some of the best ribs in Austin from traditional brick and mortars, the trucks, and even off-the-beaten barbecue path. This means ribs galore at Franklin Barbecue, giant beef ones from Stiles Switch BBW & Brew, spicy sweet ones from Freedmen's, Arnold Schwarzenegger-approved ones from Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q, and others.

For more barbecue, check out Eater's picks for city essentials, newcomers, sandwiches, sides, desserts, and much more.

Everything below is listed in an unranked order. If a favorite spot for sweet and smoky ribs is missing from the list, let Eater know on the tipline, in the comments, or over on the forum.

With updates by Nadia Chaudhury.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Micklethwait Craft Meats

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Michelle Obama famously ordered a smorgasbord of barbecue goodness from this trailer which includes a hefty slab of pork spare ribs worth gobbling up. Of course, Micklethwait offers big and sloppy beef ribs as well that are meaty, peppery, and made of meaty dreams.

1309 Rosewood Ave, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 791-5961
(512) 791-5961
Micklethwait Craft Meats/Facebook

Franklin Barbecue

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Austin’s most accoladed barbecue destination is known foremost for world-class brisket, but the seared and smoky pork rib doesn’t disappoint. Aaron Franklin touts the beef rib as his favorite cut of barbecue for its rich and decadent hedonism, so look for his version on the menu and gobble it up.

900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 653-1187
(512) 653-1187
Kevin L./Yelp

Also featured in:

Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew

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Beef short ribs and pork ribs are on the menu, and both prove to be seasoned well. The pork ribs are particularly noteworthy, with a sweetness peeking out of a generally smoky bite.

6610 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78757, Austin, TX 78757
(512) 380-9199
(512) 380-9199
Stiles Switch/Facebook

Also featured in:

La Barbecue

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Arrive early to be on the front-end of the long lines that form for this truck’s fantastic fare before it relocates to Quickie Pickie on East Cesar Chavez —where ribs are definitely on the menu by way of pork by the pound or rack and gargantuan beef weighing about 1.5 pounds each. These puppies get an almost-hard candy consistency of sweet char on the outside with deep smoke on the inside.

2027 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 605-9696
(512) 605-9696
Lainey L./Yelp

Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que

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Right in the heart of downtown for ultimate barbecue convenience, the famed Llano spot brought its infamous smoked meats to Austin, and happens to stay open for late night hankerings. Ribs are offered in beef and pork form and either animal offers a juicy, tender, and salty treat. A rib-induced meat coma can definitely be had.

217 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-4227
(512) 474-4227
Cooper's/Facebook

Also featured in:

Freedmen's

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This campus restaurant is so much more than a college haunt. The pork spare ribs are bathed in a sweet and spicy glaze of cider vinegar and jalapeno syrup that crisps up to a peppery sweet finish.

2402 San Gabriel St, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 220-0953
(512) 220-0953
Chelsea Purghan

Also featured in:

Lambert's Downtown Barbecue

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Lambert’s is lovingly known by insiders for its rich man’s barbecue. Although it might be more upscale than others on the list, the country-style pork ribs are decadent and good, rubbed with fennel and coriander and oak-smoked with a maple glaze. Lambert’s also offers a non-traditional appetizer of crispy wild boar ribs with a sweet honey and buttermilk blue cheese drizzle.

401 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 494-1500
(512) 494-1500
Lamberts/Official

Also featured in:

Kerlin BBQ

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Kerlin’s beef rib is more contained than those of its Austin barbecue brothers, smoked with pecan for a wonderfully nutty flavor. The pork variety are sweet and peppery and fall away from the bone.

1700 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 412-5588
(512) 412-5588
Steve G./Yelp

Also featured in:

County Line on the Lake

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The beef back rib at County Line manages to be full of flavor without all of fattiness that a short rib tends to harbor. The restaurant serves slow-smoked baby back pork and beef ribs from its many locations or place online orders.

5204 Ranch Road 2222, Austin, TX 78731
(512) 346-3664
(512) 346-3664
M.T./Yelp

Also featured in:

Black's BBQ

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Austin’s outpost of this Lockhart favorite serves a dreamy, giant beef rib where the bone is guaranteed to be at least nine inches long, with about two inches of marbled beef goodness piled on top. While there are pork spare ribs are on the menu, the beef rib is something special.

3110 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 524-0801
(512) 524-0801
Black's BBQ/Facebook

Also featured in:

Terry Black's BBQ

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The prodigal sons of Terry Black honor their father with their own take on Texas barbecue, and the ribs come in beef and pork. The convenience and promise of good flavor make Terry Black’s worth a spot on the rib list.

1003 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 394-5899
(512) 394-5899
Nishan P./Yelp

Also featured in:

The Salt Lick

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Salt Lick’s pork and beef ribs are offered at each of its three locations as well as online via nationwide mail order.

18300 Farm to Market Rd 1826, Driftwood, TX 78619
(512) 858-4959
(512) 858-4959
Nick Simonite

Also featured in:

Opie's BBQ

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Although off the beaten path, Opie’s is one of those favorite underrated barbecue locations and the sweet and spicy pork ribs very much contribute to this accolade.The sweet bite is reminiscent of being stung by a bee that was so cute, so it's good anyway.

9504 E State Hwy 71, Spicewood, TX 78669
(830) 693-8660
(830) 693-8660
Chris J./Yelp

Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q

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It doesn’t get more laidback than gas station barbecue, and Rudy’s ribs are of the St. Louis variety made with a dry rub and smoked in oak. Arnold Schwarzenegger approves of 'em.

11570 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78759
(512) 418-9898
(512) 418-9898
Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Que/Facebook

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Micklethwait Craft Meats

1309 Rosewood Ave, Austin, TX 78702

Michelle Obama famously ordered a smorgasbord of barbecue goodness from this trailer which includes a hefty slab of pork spare ribs worth gobbling up. Of course, Micklethwait offers big and sloppy beef ribs as well that are meaty, peppery, and made of meaty dreams.

1309 Rosewood Ave, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 791-5961
(512) 791-5961
Micklethwait Craft Meats/Facebook

Franklin Barbecue

900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702

Austin’s most accoladed barbecue destination is known foremost for world-class brisket, but the seared and smoky pork rib doesn’t disappoint. Aaron Franklin touts the beef rib as his favorite cut of barbecue for its rich and decadent hedonism, so look for his version on the menu and gobble it up.

900 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 653-1187
(512) 653-1187
Kevin L./Yelp

Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew

6610 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78757, Austin, TX 78757

Beef short ribs and pork ribs are on the menu, and both prove to be seasoned well. The pork ribs are particularly noteworthy, with a sweetness peeking out of a generally smoky bite.

6610 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78757, Austin, TX 78757
(512) 380-9199
(512) 380-9199
Stiles Switch/Facebook

La Barbecue

2027 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702

Arrive early to be on the front-end of the long lines that form for this truck’s fantastic fare before it relocates to Quickie Pickie on East Cesar Chavez —where ribs are definitely on the menu by way of pork by the pound or rack and gargantuan beef weighing about 1.5 pounds each. These puppies get an almost-hard candy consistency of sweet char on the outside with deep smoke on the inside.

2027 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 605-9696
(512) 605-9696
Lainey L./Yelp

Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que

217 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701

Right in the heart of downtown for ultimate barbecue convenience, the famed Llano spot brought its infamous smoked meats to Austin, and happens to stay open for late night hankerings. Ribs are offered in beef and pork form and either animal offers a juicy, tender, and salty treat. A rib-induced meat coma can definitely be had.

217 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-4227
(512) 474-4227
Cooper's/Facebook

Freedmen's

2402 San Gabriel St, Austin, TX 78705

This campus restaurant is so much more than a college haunt. The pork spare ribs are bathed in a sweet and spicy glaze of cider vinegar and jalapeno syrup that crisps up to a peppery sweet finish.

2402 San Gabriel St, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 220-0953
(512) 220-0953
Chelsea Purghan

Lambert's Downtown Barbecue

401 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701

Lambert’s is lovingly known by insiders for its rich man’s barbecue. Although it might be more upscale than others on the list, the country-style pork ribs are decadent and good, rubbed with fennel and coriander and oak-smoked with a maple glaze. Lambert’s also offers a non-traditional appetizer of crispy wild boar ribs with a sweet honey and buttermilk blue cheese drizzle.

401 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 494-1500
(512) 494-1500
Lamberts/Official

Kerlin BBQ

1700 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702

Kerlin’s beef rib is more contained than those of its Austin barbecue brothers, smoked with pecan for a wonderfully nutty flavor. The pork variety are sweet and peppery and fall away from the bone.

1700 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 412-5588
(512) 412-5588
Steve G./Yelp

County Line on the Lake

5204 Ranch Road 2222, Austin, TX 78731

The beef back rib at County Line manages to be full of flavor without all of fattiness that a short rib tends to harbor. The restaurant serves slow-smoked baby back pork and beef ribs from its many locations or place online orders.

5204 Ranch Road 2222, Austin, TX 78731
(512) 346-3664
(512) 346-3664
M.T./Yelp

Black's BBQ

3110 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78705

Austin’s outpost of this Lockhart favorite serves a dreamy, giant beef rib where the bone is guaranteed to be at least nine inches long, with about two inches of marbled beef goodness piled on top. While there are pork spare ribs are on the menu, the beef rib is something special.

3110 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 524-0801
(512) 524-0801
Black's BBQ/Facebook

Terry Black's BBQ

1003 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704

The prodigal sons of Terry Black honor their father with their own take on Texas barbecue, and the ribs come in beef and pork. The convenience and promise of good flavor make Terry Black’s worth a spot on the rib list.

1003 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 394-5899
(512) 394-5899
Nishan P./Yelp

The Salt Lick

18300 Farm to Market Rd 1826, Driftwood, TX 78619

Salt Lick’s pork and beef ribs are offered at each of its three locations as well as online via nationwide mail order.

18300 Farm to Market Rd 1826, Driftwood, TX 78619
(512) 858-4959
(512) 858-4959
Nick Simonite

Opie's BBQ

9504 E State Hwy 71, Spicewood, TX 78669

Although off the beaten path, Opie’s is one of those favorite underrated barbecue locations and the sweet and spicy pork ribs very much contribute to this accolade.The sweet bite is reminiscent of being stung by a bee that was so cute, so it's good anyway.

9504 E State Hwy 71, Spicewood, TX 78669
(830) 693-8660
(830) 693-8660
Chris J./Yelp

Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q

11570 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78759

It doesn’t get more laidback than gas station barbecue, and Rudy’s ribs are of the St. Louis variety made with a dry rub and smoked in oak. Arnold Schwarzenegger approves of 'em.

11570 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78759
(512) 418-9898
(512) 418-9898
Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Que/Facebook

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