Hey everyone! It’s Andrew with my very first food vlog. For this post, we’re going to find the best places to eat in Austin (shot on July 4th weekend of 2022). We will be checking out all the amazing BBQ, Tex-Mex and other fun foods that the city has to offer. If you’re thinking about visiting Austin in 2022, then you don’t want to miss this video. I’ll show you some of my favorite spots to eat as well as some hidden gems that most tourists don’t know about. So without further ado, let’s get started!
Best Places to Eat in Austin: Texas BBQ
When it comes to BBQ in Austin, there are a few places that you absolutely have to check out. Some of my favorites include Terry Black’s and Franklin’s BBQ. Both of these places serve up an amazing variety of meats and sides. Each one has its pros and cons.
Terry Black’s BBQ (Yelp reviews)
If you’re looking for one of the best BBQ joints in Austin, you have to try Terry Black’s. They have such a wide variety of options including brisket, ribs, sausages, chicken, and more. And the best part is that they’re all reasonably priced and there’s rarely any wait time to be seated. I especially loved their sides the most, which included items like fresh Mexican rice, potato salad and cole slaw. Don’t underestimate their pickles and onions either. They are absolutely delicious – sweet, crunchy and tangy. Plus, they’re free!
This was my first time having Texas BBQ so I had no expectations nor any previous experiences to base my review off of. Overall, the meats were cooked very well. The sides were especially delicious. However, the brisket and the beef rib were way too salty for us (which was a huge disappointment). But nonetheless, we enjoyed the rest of our meal, which consisted of sausages (original & jalapeño cheddar) and pork ribs. Overall, I’d give Terry Black’s a 6.8 out of 10. Their service was pretty good and I even got to meet one of their pitmasters (Alex) in the barn around the back (which was pretty cool).
Franklin’s Barbecue (Yelp reviews)
Let me start by saying Franklin’s Barbecue is hands down the BEST BBQ in the world! Seriously, it is such an unbelievable honor & privilege to be able to try their food. They are worth every dollar and every second. Man, I can’t stop day dreaming about that brisket and beef rib..absolutely to DIE for.
Let’s start with the only negative. Note that the rumors are true: everyone starts lining up extremely early in the morning (around 4-5AM). My wife and I got there at 6AM sharp and we were almost 10th in line (which is ridiculous!). But it’s so worth it. Not only will you risk not being seated, but also the items, like the beef rib and brisket, sell out extremely fast! You have to get the beef rib, which is only available on the weekends. It was the juiciest and most tender piece of meat I’ve ever tasted in my life.
Just for context, we ordered 1 beef rib, 0.5 lb brisket, 1 jalapeño cheddar sausage, 2 pork ribs, bourbon banana pie, cole slaw, jalapeños & carrots (free), pickles (free) and bread (free). This was way more than enough for two people. I’d do it again though. So worth it.
10/10 service, 10/10 food, and 10/10 location. I would definitely come back again and again and again for the rest of my life if I could. That brisket just melts in your mouth! Franklin’s BBQ for the win. Perfect 10 out of 10 rating from me.
Best Places to Eat in Austin: Granny’s Tacos (Yelp reviews)
This amazing food truck serves up one of the best breakfast tacos in Austin. If you ask me, I think they are #1 in terms of breakfast taco rankings. It’s such a hidden gem that’s located very close to Franklin’s BBQ. The lady at the window is one of the friendliest/sweetest ladies and recommends only the best items on the menu. I had the Machaca (beef, pico de gallo, eggs, cheddar cheese, and avocado). It comes with your choice of salsa (she recommended the roasted chili pepper sauce). Solid 9.0 out of 10.
PRO TIP: Take a quick bike ride at 8AM to Granny’s Tacos (when they open) and grab a quick breakfast taco while you wait on line at Franklin’s.
Best Places to Eat in Austin: Chuy’s (Fine Tex-Mex) 1728 Barton Springs Rd (Yelp Reviews)
Wow. I thought we had some of the best Mexican food here in NY.. until I tried Chuy’s in Austin. My goodness. It’s absolutely incredible! 10/10 food, 10/10 service. The only thing I dinged them for is their interior and their bathrooms, which were a bit dark and messy. Otherwise, I loved it from beginning to end. Rose was one of the best hosts I’ve ever met and Christian was one of the best waiters.
I ordered the “Chuychanga” with Boom-Boom sauce (most popular item on the menu) and my wife had the Baja Shrimp Tacos (which was extremely fresh and flavorful. Their queso was phenomenal. We ordered their homemade chips with guacamole, queso, creamy jalapeño sauce, and fresh salsa. Everything was seriously amazing. Don’t underestimate their frozen Texas Margaritas either! (I had the strawberry and my wife had the mango). Overall, I’d give them a 9.8 out of 10.
Best Places to Eat in Austin: Amy’s Ice Cream (1012 W 6th St B) Yelp Reviews
Amy’s Ice Cream is one of the best ice creams I’ve ever tasted in my life. Everything is homemade and they have a lot of very interesting flavors (over 350 flavors to be exact). For instance, we tried the Sweet Cream Ice cream with roasted blackberries, which tasted amazing.
For the record, we kept going back to Amy’s every single night for 3 nights in a row. That’s how good they were. Amazing flavor and amazing service. Plus it helped with the 90+ degree weather outside so can’t go wrong with that. My overall rating is a 9 out of 10.
Jo’s Coffee (1300 S Congress Ave) Yelp Reviews
One of the best and most iconic cafes in town. We checked out Jo’s Coffee on both Congress Ave and on 2nd Street. The original location on Congress Ave is the iconic one with the famous “I love you so much” mural written by one of the owner’s associates. Try their signature TURBO: which is a sweet, chocolatey flavored coffee. It’s perfect for the hot summer weather in Austin. I had their regular iced coffee which was pretty good as well. My rating is a 9 out of 10.
Veracruz All Natural (Yelp Reviews)
Known for their Migas tacos and Breakfast tacos, Veracruz All Natural ranks as one of the best taco spots in all of Austin. There are so many great reviews and lots of buzz about this place. My experience was unfortunately the exact opposite.
I ordered the Migas taco and the breakfast taco. The girl working the register and the guy calling out the orders for pickup were not too friendly. Moreover, the food was way too salty. It’s as if the cook probably wasn’t sure if they put in any salt so they doubled it up. Overall, I give it a 4.5 out of 10. It’s a shame since so many locals recommended it.
TacoDeli (Yelp Reviews)
This place was right down the street from Veracruz All Natural on Congress Ave. Their tacos tasted way better, in my opinion. We ordered the Otto (popular on Yelp) and the Migas taco (as recommended by the employee). Both were extremely tasty and well balanced. They have a nice selection of housemade salsas on the side as well, ranging from MILD to HOTTEST spice levels. I’d give them a solid 7.5 out of 10.
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken (Yelp Reviews)
This place probably had the most hype (especially because of the popular food tour video on YouTube by the Fung bros). However, both my wife and I thought this was by far the worst meal in Austin. We ordered their most popular menu item (the 2-piece dark combo). The chicken was way too crispy (the color on the skin was noticeably burnt) and the meat on the inside was way too dry. I’m not sure if we just got unlucky with a bad batch or whatnot. But nonetheless, my rating is a 3.5 out of 10 for this place. Their only saving grace was their cole slaw/beans.
Torchy’s Tacos (Yelp Reviews)
Another must-try spot if you’re looking for some bomb chips and queso and some damn good tacos. I ordered their award-winning queso as well as the Trailer Park taco (as recommended by the store manager). It was amazing. Everything tasted so good. The Trailer Park came with fried chicken tender with pico de gallo, salsa, cheese and a creamy cilantro-lime sauce. Overall I’d give them a solid 8.5 out of 10.
Best Places to Eat in Austin: ATX Cocina (110 San Antonio St #170) Yelp Reviews
As always, we save the BEST for last. ATX COCINA! My, oh my. The most exotic and luxurious restaurant in Austin. If you’re looking for a place that serves elevated modern Mexican food, this place is the best. ATX Cocina has such amazing, delicious and innovative food coupled with top notch service and hospitality along with killer ambience and decor.
We ordered everything that our server, Allie, recommended. For “Crudo” (raw) we ordered the Hamachi plate, which was absolutely fresh, delicious and well balanced. For our appetizer, we got the housemade guacamole which came with their homemade tortilla chips. Amazing.
Then, we had their SOPES which was their Marinated Pork Belly masas plate. Such an interesting and perfectly balanced flavor in terms of salt, fat, acid and heat (a must-try).
For our main entree we had the Short Ribs (which are limited availability and people actually get mad when they sell out). This was a massive beef rib that they marinated and served on top of a bed of pickled carrots, onions, and jalapeños topped with cheese and other textured toppings. It also comes with a side of housemade black corn tortillas.
The Brussel Sprouts were amazing as well, served with the leaves separated from the core and topped with this amazing spicy green sauce and a sweet and tangy vinaigrette that really rounded out the meal. We had some cocktails as well (Gloria Trevi for my wife and Margarita De La Casa for me).
ATX Cocina is the ultimate date night spot in all of Austin, as it’s perfectly located in downtown Austin right along the river front. A must-try spot for sure! Hands down 10/10 rating from me.
That’s a wrap! I hope this was somewhat valuable to you and that it helps you in your decision-making process when you plan out your next trip out to Austin. These are some of the best places to eat in Austin in 2022. Of course, there are dozens of other amazing restaurants that you can try. Any of the ones mentioned here would be a good start. Hope you have a good time and enjoy. Yummmy!
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