Sam's BBQ — Restaurant in Austin

Sam's is a gem. Located on E. 12th street, in a neighborhood that's not nearly as bad as some people think it is, it's one of the premier barbecue joints in the country and has been for years. Only with the arrival of Franklin's epic brisket has Sam's been toppled off the top of the heap, and even then Sam's beats Franklin in every other category. For one there isn't a massively long wait. You can walk in, talk to the owner, order up a mountain of food, and sit back and enjoy it. Sam's doesn't sweat the arrival of a place like Franklin. They were here a long time before and they'll be there long after all those hipsters have moved to Cedar Park to put their kids into school.

Sam's offers up so many things, all of which are fantastic. The ribs are the best in Austin for sure - chewy but not tough, with a ton of flavor. The brisket is great as well, and the sausage is probably the best around. As sausage is such an underappreciated part of TX BBQ, it's good to see it featured prominently here. Sam's also has a trump card, an item no one else has - smoked mutton. It's weird, to be sure, and I wouldn't order it as the only thing I'm eating, but if you're a first-timer it's worth a try just to say you tried it. It's smoky and lamb-y and has a lot of rendered fatty goodness that makes it unique and tasty.

My favorite thing about Sam's is the owner and his attitude. You won't meet a friendlier guy than the guy serving you at Sam's. I took my LA-visiting friend here for lunch and the owner sat with us, talking shop about barbecue, happy to divulge secrets (post oak wood for smoking, for instance), and displaying such a laid back "ain't no thing" confidence that made us feel instantly comfortable. This isn't a high strung nerdy barbecue competitor, this is a guy who happens to be great at what he does without trying all that hard, a guy filled with quiet confidence and pride. He just wants people to enjoy their food when they walk into his establishment. I know I do.

UPDATE: Since the "stolen meat" scandal I've been wary to go back to Sam's. I don't know if they'll reopen, but it just makes me sad that that happened since Sam's is such an institution. Just being there was...

I have been to Sam's BBQ a few years ago when I first started to work for Progressive Insurance. I remembered that was everything I got was just okay. This was before the barbecue scene exploded in Austin. A couple of summers ago, Sam's was involved in a scandal where they were caught buying stolen meat. They were shut down for a little bit of time because of the scandal. If they are trying cut corners with their main products, where else could they be cutting corners from?

Sharing barbecue is the best way to try more items on the menu. Duh. We each ordered two meat plates and a half of a chicken. We got moist brisket, sausage, pork ribs, and mutton with sides of potato salad and beans. The brisket was mushy and bland. It was obviously cooked high and fast for a little too long. The ribs were falling off the bone and dry. They were boring with no flavor. The sausage was a commercial type made for them down the street. It was tasty but really fatty. What is mutton? I had to look it up before our visit. Mutton is sheep. The cut we got looked like a pork rib. It tasted very gamey. It was dry and just not good. Good thing we got the chicken based on a recommendation because it was the winner. It was tender and juicy actually had some flavor. Apparently the chicken is cooked differently every time. Strange huh? We did not eat all of the meat and had a lot of leftovers. I ate all of the beans and potato salad if it means anything. The sides were just okay.

I did not have a whole lot of expectations in this visit to Sam's BBQ. Good thing I did not. I really wanted to get some good barbecue, but after leaving Sam's, my hankering was even stronger. There are better choices on the eastside. It seems like Sam's does not put any effort into their barbecue. If they do not care, why should I care to visit? They are open late though. Sam's slogan is shared by another BBQ joint in Austin. I am not so sure that "You don't need no teeth to eat my beef!" is...

They say don't judge a book by its cover. This is the best BBQ in Austin hands down. You won't find better ribs, sausage or brisket in the city. Perfectly tender, but with an irresistible juicy bite that will rock your world. Eat slowly and you may just trigger the most euphoric BBQ experience of your life or I'd question your humanity. I liked Iron Works but this stuff lights my taste buds up like the forth of July Everytime so any other BBQ just tastes bland in comparison.

The sauce is so tangy and flavorful even their Mac and cheese and potato salad is the best I've had (and I've had alot of Mac & Cheese and Potato Salad in my day.)

It's not the best looking building but I ordered delivery from here anyway. Still it's worth it if you wanna drive over here to see the famous "You don't need no teef to eat my beef" painted on the side of the establishment. Hopefully I'll never have to quantify that claim but I'm pretty sure it's not false advertising because that meat is more tender than the lovin' care you'd get at a spa treatment. It's an edible massage for your mouth, so the dentally impaired can enjoy just as much as the chompiest of chompers.

The Mac and Cheese Is so good they're usually always out of it, but their baked beans and green beans actually are just as good. These people know what they are doing in the kitchen and I'd trust them cooking anything. Bill Miller and Rudy's can take a hike, fall and bite the dirt for all I care. Keep...