Southside Market & BBQ - Austin at Arbor Walk — Restaurant in Austin

I took my family here for lunch today. I had brisket and pork ribs with Mac and cheese and a salad for sides. My wife had the brisket sandwich. My youngest daughter had a sausage sandwich with a side of Mac and cheese. My oldest daughter had a brisket sandwich. We had cobbler and banana pudding for dessert.

I want to emphasize that the staff was absolutely amazing. I was very impressed at the mask discipline and how friendly and courteous everyone was. I really enjoyed my interaction while ordering, and then when the server brought the food to the table. The staff are wonderful. Big win there.

Everything was solid, but nothing really jumped out as being absolutely amazing except for the banana pudding. The brisket was plenty moist, which is quite an accomplishment, but to me it tasted too smoky. The smoke flavor overwhelmed the flavor of the meat, so it tasted like I was eating a campfire. My pork ribs were good, solid, but, again, nothing that jumped out as absolutely fantastic.

The mac and cheese was decent, but I probably wouldn't order it again. It was just sort of "meh." Again, not bad at all, just not notable. All three of us who had it agreed that it needed something. Maybe smoked paprika and maybe some salt.

Both of the folks who ordered the brisket sandwich agreed that the brisket was a little dry and a little bland. I've always been of the opinion that if your brisket needs sauce, you're doing it wrong. Both sandwiches wound up with sauce on them.

The sausage sandwich was good, but unremarkable. The sausage tastes fine, it's not bad at all. It's just not terribly remarkable.

My oldest daughter (17) ordered the banana pudding, and she said that it was one of the best banana puddings she has ever had. So, this place definitely has banana pudding in the win column.

I would absolutely eat there again, but probably only if I were already close by. Other barbecue places like Rudy's are closer to the house, and offer slightly better...

Good lord this location needs SERIOUS help. I’ve been going to the Elgin location since I was a child, but it’s about an hour away from home. When this new location (only 25 mins from home) opened my boyfriend and I were so excited. Last night was our 2nd visit and I wont ever return. First visit, I was thrown off by the presentation of everything. I hate how they serve it on metal trays and paper boats that look like a school lunch. They had the fans full blast (in December, when it was 40° that night) which made our food cold, fast. But I know every place has their days, so we tried it again last night. We got there at 7:15pm, and waited in line for 15 mins. In that 15 mins they served 1 couple. I couldnt believe how slow they were. When the next group walked to the counter, a man finally shouted to everyone in line that they were out of sliced brisket for the night. Out of brisket. At a bbq place. 1.5 hours before closing. The 1 couple they served only got ribs and sausage, so they must've been out before then. Maybe putting a sign on the door instead of wasting our time for no reason would’ve been better. I’m so done with this place. It only took 1 visit, and 15 mins in line to know that we’ll never return here. Would definitely rather drive an hour to Elgin than to deal with these people again. I guess nothing can compare to the...

I was over the moon when I heard Southside was opening an Austin location! In north Austin! I travel to the Southside in Elgin at least twice a month to get their amazing sausage. An hour travel at least but worth it every time! After coming to this Austin location several times at nonrush times like 2pm in the afternoon or 8pm at night, I've decided that going to Elgin and back would be faster and more satisfying!

This location has an absolutely abysmal setup as far as the process of taking and processing orders. My order has needed correcting each of the four times I have visited. Luckily you can see the process otherwise I would have left each time having been overcharged or with the completely wrong items. It doesn't help that the employees working the register are always confused and out of sorts. Further they are often out of a meat for 20min because they got a "rush". When does a rush become a predictable pattern and just a normal amount of business? Maybe a little forethought? Additionally YOU SHOULD NEVER RUN OUT OF SAUSAGE! It is your signature item and it can be held at temperature for quite a while and be just fine. So in conclusion, fix your broken systems. All of them! Welcome to the big leagues of Austin restaurant brick and mortars. You're not in Elgin anymore Dorothy.

Love, a Southside fan...