#1 Parker's BBQ. Wilson, NC

I was reading up on Mueller. This guy seems to be a genius cook but an absolutely horrendous business decision maker (either that or he's hiring some of the worst attorneys known to man).

How this guy manages to lose control of his own restaurant time and time again is mind boggling.

Well, let's just say that John is his own man. And, sometimes that character flaw manifests itself as his own worst enemy and sometimes it manifests itself as a genius pitmaster. When he's on the mark, he's among the best and when he isn't, you don't want to be there to taste the results. Inconsistency is his hallmark, IMHO. I've had BBQ from his shanty that was among the best I've ever eaten and other times when I simply couldn't finish it.

I will be in Austin in May. Is it worth renting a car to investigate the best BBQ places?

Franklin is an easy walk from downtown.

I don't know much about the rest of the in-city Austin BBQ scene, but the other legendary places (Lockhart, Luling, etc.) are a ~45 minute drive out of town. You'll definitely need a car if you're interested in those.

Not to be a shill or anything, but there's one hotel so close one could literally walk 100 yards east over the 11th Street bridge to get there.

Other than Franklin, the downtown choices would probably be limited to the Ironworks, Stubbs, and Lambert's. My pick among those three would be Ironworks. There may even be the occasional food truck that has moved in unnoticed.

Of course, if one is hale and hearty, it might also include La Barbecue and Mickletwait Craft Meats since they are within 3 - 4 miles of the Capitol.

In the end, though, I'm not sure we can decide if it is worthwhile to rent a car to make the rounds. If I was a fan of BBQ (and I am), I certainly would, but that may not be what someone else would do.

Thanks both!

'sOK, I'll shill for ya.

If you stay here, you can get a few more minutes of precious sleep before waking up at 0-dark-thirty to get in line at Franklin: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sherat...ropertyID=3079

(For the cheap budget-conscious, like me, there's also this, about the same distance away: http://www.super8.com/hotels/texas/a...0901:Rio:Local.* )

*I'm not vouching for it, as I've never stayed there myself--I just saw it on Google Maps.

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.

You guys don't need to rent a car to go on a BBQ adventure in Austin. Just take an Uber.

quick strawpoll - i'm having BBQ catered as part of a wedding - what ratio of fatty:lean brisket should i split? It's in Austin, so everyone will be familiar with BBQ.

Would say 30 fatty to 70 lean. I prefer lean myself.

#bestweddingever

If most of the guests are local to Austin, I'd ask the caterer/pitmaster for his recommendation, based on what he's seen at past events. If there will be more non-Texas guests, then I'd err towards more lean; the fat can intimidate the inexperienced.

just order by weight and takes what comes with the "packer" brisket

I would go more 50-50, with an emphasis on how to make sure the brisket stays moist and does not dry out. Moist is good fatty not so much. Will they be slicing the meat and sausage for each guest or using the steam tables?

Daughter got hitched at the Salt Lick. Only time I have eaten there. My expectations were not high and they were met. No. 2 son decided to have a whole pig roast for his wedding. Looked and smelled good, but barely edible.

I want to try Snows in Lexington, but only open Sat 8 til noon and an hour drive from town. Stiles Switch as mentioned earlier is best no wait proposition. Their beef ribs are the best in town. Rudy's also is consistent although they take some hits for being more of a bbq factory and gas station. Locals like House Park, only open for lunch and been around since the 1940's. I will never eat at the Iron Lung or whatever it is called again and will not stand in line for Franklin.

Happy eating all. I have company coming in tonite. May carry them to the County Line. Visitors love that place.