I'm biased, but I've never had BBQ anywhere else that came close to the quality of meat in Austin.

If you don't want to wait in line at Franklin, La Barbecue is often around an hour wait or so, and is more or less imperceptible from Franklin (though I'd give the slight nod to Franklin).

Micklethwait is right around the corner from Franklin and is also extremely good. Been 3-4 times, and longest wait was about 10 minutes. Well worth it, and it probably tops my "quality for wait" quotient.

John Mueller is as good as anyone, when he's on. If he's not, it's still above average but nothing special. Personally, it's worth the gamble, as arguably the best single piece of BBQ I've ever had (a beef rib from the gods) came off his pit.

For the love of God don't let anyone convince you Salt Lick is worth a trip. It's woefully mediocre, and caters to the tourist who want the Hill Country BBQ experience and go off name alone.

If you want a phenomenal Hill Country BBQ experience, Cooper's in Llano is as authentic as it gets. Definitely a top ten for me.

Other places in and around Austin worth a visit:

Kerlin BBQ - get there early, he has a very limited amount of 'cue, but it's really damn good

Stiles Switch - One of the few places that you'll be able to find open for dinner. Their stuff is solid, and again, is high on the "quality for wait" quotient.

City Market - Luling is a bit of a trek (about an hour from downtown), but the BBQ is really good.

I haven't been super impressed by the offerings in Lockhart lately, but it's still solid.