True Texas BBQ — Restaurant in Austin

Went with low expectations bec of the spotty reviews and was pleasantly surprised. They were out of several items later in the day, but the brisket was fatty and delicious, collard greens were tangy and yum, and while jalapeño cornbread was a tad dry and could’ve used a smidge more butter, it was good. Beans were also decent. The only disappointment was the bbq sauces which were prepackaged - they weren’t awful, but certainly not fresh.

Atmosphere was good for a quick service dining hall and live music performer was good, albeit could’ve turned it down a notch as the hall was quite empty, later in the evening and she reverberated quite a bit in the echo-y hall.

The only thing that ruined the entire experience was the rude bartender. My husband purchased a single beer that was on special and tipped him $3 (ie well over 30%). I just drank water with my meal and as we went to leave, remembered I had meds to take in the car and asked if my husband could just fill my cup with some ice tea to take away the taste of the medication. This was a TINY (maybe 4oz?), clear water cup and as my husband returned to the bar to grab a small straw, the bartender LOUDLY proclaimed, “That’s a water cup, but I’ll let it slide this time!” Now, I don’t know how often patrons steal probably 10 cents worth of a drink, but please… pick your battles when attempting to chastise or embarrass your customers! Should I have gone back, waited in the (at the time) 6-10 person line and bought a full sized soft drink that I didn’t need, or lived without one - probably… But looking at the amount of waste that diners generate for restaurants in terms of food, disposable silverware, condiments, etc - do they get chastised??? And for a tip we gave both the counter service attendant (who was very polite and attentive) AND the one the bartender personally got, it was just a very unpleasant end to an otherwise good meal. While not completely unwarranted, a little goodwill on the part of the establishment should always be present and now should we ever consider a return visit, we’ll no doubt be deterred by the memory of...

June 2023:

It was a perfect time to swing by to see the new H-E-B and its underground parking garage design. Upon going up the escalator I reached the grocery store level but quickly noticed the H-E-B True Texas BBQ eatery.

I decide to shop first and then return to take BBQ with me. After I checked out I rolled in my shopping cart inside but before I was able to order the person scolded me why I brought it in and said must be left outside. I was not aware and used to Whole Foods, so had to take it to the entrance. I did not see a sign until I noticed was blocked. His rudeness was not surprising where even the people working here are impolite. Not sure what is going on with H-E-B human resources but I expect courteous interactions with happy staff.

Back to the BBQ I looked at their menu above and tried to order meat by weight but was again snarled. Unlike normal BBQ restaurants you can’t order special weights but only 1/2, pound, or rack of ribs. So I relinquished by ordering a rack of Natural St Louis Ribs, 1/2 pound chopped brisket, and a small Potato Salad and Brisket Beans. You provide your phone number and I went back to guard my basket until my phone alerted me for pickup. The place was nice where there was inside dining seating and a bar.

When I got home I tasted the bbq and overall it was good. I don’t think it matches the ones listed in Texas Monthly top 50 where I have tried about 20 on a previous BBQ tour. Since I had to order a whole rack I ate BBQ for three days. Even with the bad service I would still return perhaps at the Mueller or South Austin location. H-E-B should follow Whole Foods where have a place in store to quickly grab warm BBQ in containers to take home instead of having to go into a separate...

This review is WAY overdue. Our daughter was getting married on New Years Eve on a ranch out past Dripping Springs and we were taking care of the rehearsal dinner. My wife was calling around and trying to find a good caterer. She ending up getting in touch with Lisa Leyva from the HEB True Texas BBQ and that turned out to be a Godsend. Lisa was super kind and communicated with my wife for months - taking a lot of the burden off of my wife to make this rehearsal dinner with 35+ guests extra special. When the big day came, Lisa drove out to the venue with another employee to drop off the BBQ and ended up surprising us by setting it all up before they left. Brisket, sausage, beans, Mac & cheese, and banana pudding with all of the trimmings. (I’m kind of a Banana Pudding freak so unfortunately the only picture I took to share is of the Banana Pudding.) The guests couldn’t believe the BBQ was from HEB (we were like “duh.”) It was amazing and the prices were beyond reasonable, especially compared to the other BBQ caterers in the area. If you are having an event and want True Texas BBQ, look no further than the Town Lake HEB. Make sure you ask for Lisa Leyva. My wife truly felt like she made...