True Texas BBQ — Restaurant in Austin

I was skeptical about eating bbq in a restaurant located in the basement of a grocery store, but several locals kept mentioning it so we decided to give it a go.

Color me surprised!

This is one of the best deals in all of Austin. After eating at Terry Black's, Cooper's, and Saltlick, I had hit all of the main touristy (and pricey) barbecue joints. True Texas BBQ is a joy because it's affordable! The portions are huge and the prices are low! My jaw almost dropped when we got two large iced teas, a turkey plate (with ¼ pound of meat, pickles, bread, and TWO sides), a two meat brisket plate (with two sides and the accompaniments) and a banana pudding for half the price we paid for far less food at the other joints in town.

All of this with tax was just $34.00!

THIRTY FOUR DOLLARS!

The service was friendly and fast, and our food came out piping hot in less than 10 minutes after ordering. I was very pleased with the portions, which were large enough to share (especially the sides).

My husband loved his chopped brisket, but said the burnt ends were just okay. We'd like to try this place on a different day, because all bbq aficionados will tell you that the food can vary wildly depending on when you visit.

The coleslaw was crunchy with a nice bite, and the mustard-based potato salad was a highlight for both of us (no eggs!). My macaroni and cheese was super creamy and al dente, and was quite good and would be a hit with picky kids.

My favorite side by far had to be the collard greens, they were absolute vinegary, tangy perfection! This proved to be the best part of my meal, and it is a veggie side you rarely see at restaurants.

I thought the turkey was fine, not the best but nice and smoky and juicy with a beautiful crust. The texture was nice, too.

The pickles were a hit as well, as was the freshly brewed iced tea (free refills and several sweetened flavors available - but only plain that's unsweet, unfortunately). They provided Splenda and sweetener, which I really appreciated!

Neither of us cared for either of the house sauces, one sweet and one spicy (that had zero heat to it). I would prefer to bring my own sauce in next time. You lose a lot by not having a tasty bbq sauce.

The banana pudding tasted more like a thick custard, so it was obviously cooked pudding and not instant stuff. We gobbled it down and at a reasonable $3.49 price tag, the portion was just enough for two of us to share after stuffing in all that other food!

The restaurant is casual and comfortable, and it was super busy when we were there. Lots of customers were taking out dinner, and the kitchen had run out of sliced brisket. The nice lady at the register warned us before we ordered, which I appreciated, but it would be best if they could just put up a sign that says what they are out of to avoid disappointment.

We saw other food coming out of the kitchen and it all looked good, especially the sausage, ribs, and the extra large stuffed sandwiches.

I would absolutely come back to eat here. Parking is free, they run specials, there's nice indoor and outdoor seating, service is friendly and fast, and they serve beer. It's a great value, especially if you are on a budget. BBQ is expensive, but this is good quality food at...

My 2nd time at the True Texas BBQ at Oltorf and Congress has taught me that I'll be sticking to groceries only at this HEB. I used a digital kiosk and ordered lunch: a 2 meat bbq plate with moist brisket, dark chicken quarter, sides of collard greens and sidewinder fries. I selected the on screen options for bread, onions, spicy BBQ sauce, and pickles as free condiments. My order was ready in less than 10 minutes. I carried my food to my table and noticed there were no ketchup dispensers, so returned to the pick up counter and was given 6 packs of ketchup for my fries - would have been better if counter person had offered ketchup for my fries. I returned to my table and noticed there was no BBQ sauce, so back to the counter I went. Upon returning to my table the 2nd time, I realized that the bread, pickles, and onions I'd requested with my electronic order had been omitted, but I just ate my meal without those.

The brisket was tender, fatty (as I'd requested), room temp, and pretty flavorless. The chicken quarter was not tender and the skin was so tough that I had to spit it out after attempting to chew it for 15 seconds. Also, attempting to cut the not tender chicken and plastic-like skin on top of the wax paper on which the food is placed made for a big, greasy mess of food and torn wax paper on my metal serving plate. The fries and collard greens were decent.

My overall impression of the meal: not worth $18. The space is clean, but has the warmth of a sterile operating room. The staff seems nice, but not engaged in connecting dots: fries = probably needs ketchup. I can't recall the last time I spit out food bc I was unable to chew it - c'mon, HEB - I know you...

I literally enjoy many things on the menu here at True Texas BBQ.... the beef ribs, fatty brisket, the chicken tenders I can't get passed these 3 to try the others. And yes all are worth the price. Today I am getting peach cobbler which is an all favorite with that crispy crumb crust. Service is always a pleasure, today I am greeted with pleasant service smile of Desiree. If you ever visit you might get to meet her she makes giving 5 stars easy breezy. Over all just bring the fan to this chilled atmosphere 🙂🔥🔥🔥💯💯💯

Update I finally got the beef ribs and no regrets there, I'm so glad I tried it and today I am getting the cherry cobbler for dessert. Lean is her name yet another service with kindness and a smile. Oh and they are constantly cleaning even when it looks like there is nothing to clean....got to love it !!...