House Park Bar-B-Que — Restaurant in Austin

House Park Bar-B-Que is one of the hardest places to get barbecue from for me. They are open only for lunch Monday through Friday. I have only been here once just because of that reason. Their sign on the outside reads "No need teef to eat my beef." This slogan is similar to another Austin barbecue institution. House Park is located in a shopping center and is within a stone's throw of an Austin classic, The Tavern. When I got there at 11 AM, there were a few people eating inside.

I ordered a two-meat plate with moist brisket and pork ribs with a half link of sausage. The plate also came with bean, potato salad, and coleslaw. The brisket had two stories. So the long piece on the bottom of a typical brisket is the flat (lean). The top piece that covers half of it is the point (moist). The flat was chewy, and the point was super fatty. They must have cooked it too high and fast. It had a smoke ring, but without, I would have guessed the brisket was done in an oven. There were no flavors, and it was bland. The ribs were slightly better. They were dry, but the rub had a nice spice. You had to work a little to get the meat off of the bone. The sausage is made by the Texas Sausage Company which is the same people who make the sausage for Franklin Barbecue. It is sad if that was the best thing I ate. The sausage was a beef and pork house blend. The peppercorn gave it good kick. The sides were boring but did look homemade. More seasoning please?

Bland was the story here. I am not sure how House Park House Park Bar-B-Que is in business with the limited hours. Sure, some places in town are only open for lunch, but their line snakes around the building. A lot of the places I eat at, the smoked meats are cut in front of you. Sometimes when you watch them cut the meat, you know it is not going to be a good experience. This was...

Other BBQ restaurants take note - THIS is what true Texas BBQ is all about. There's no gimmicks, no Michelin stars, no fusions. The only fusion here is the brisket and the oak smoke.

To say this place is a hidden gem is a true understatement. The guys behind the counter were super nice, and sliced up what I can only call an early-2000s portion (before the Great Brisket Wars and the rise of the 3-slice 'sliced brisket sandwich'), especially for the price. I don't think there's anywhere else in Austin that will give you that much high-quality brisket on a good bun for less than $11.

And speaking of the brisket, it's as perfect as I think I've had in a long time. These guys clearly care about the quality of the product that they make, and they're proud of it. The brisket isn't hiding its sins behind an overpowering pepper bark or gallon of sauce - it's pure smoke and quality meat. The fat was perfectly rendered, the brisket was juicy without being too fatty, and the smoke rings were beautiful.

Frankly, I think these guys deserve more attention for the absolute brick-pit masterclass they're putting on. If you want pure, Austin BBQ, this is the place to come. And trust me, I don't say that lightly. The question isn't IF I'll be back,...

House Park Bar-B-Que is a holdout from the era of when Austin was a smaller city, more closely related to its small town counterparts. Stepping through the door you're immediately reminded that this is a no-frills BBQ joint, that smokes their food on-site. The walls are covered with clippings and posters of days past The person at the counter greeted us with a friendly, "Hello, what will you have today?"

I ordered the half chicken plate with sides of potato salad and beans. I was glad to see the chicken wasn't of the now-too-common ginormous, tough and stringy variety, but rather of the size I would smoke at home (young medium-sized and tender). They use oak for their smoking and the chicken was lightly seasoned with the smoke providing the majority of the delicious flavor. The mustard potato salad was decent as were the beans. Onions and sliced bread were self-service, the sauce was thin and not overpowering.

The pricing is fair, about $12.50 including a fountain drink or iced tea. They offer RC on the fountain and related drinks.

If you go, spend the time to read the items on the walls and soak in the history while...