It’s a familiar Austin plan: a free weekend means barbecue. Visiting friends? Barbecue. Cooling off after a swim? Barbecue.
With no shortage of acclaimed smokehouses, Austin has once again earned national recognition, landing at No. 1 on Yelp’s latest ranking of the best barbecue cities in the United States. San Antonio followed closely behind at No. 2, giving Texas the top two spots on the list.
To determine the rankings, Yelp analyzed cities using a blended metric that factored in consumer interest in barbecue, the number of barbecue businesses and the average ratings those businesses received from users.
According to Yelp, Austin’s barbecue scene stands out for its expertly smoked brisket and other meats prepared with distinctive rubs and smoking techniques.
Yelp reviewers frequently praised the city’s restrained approach to seasoning, allowing the quality of the meat to take center stage, while highlighting tender brisket, ribs and pulled pork sandwiches among their menu favorites.
Other frequently mentioned destinations included InterStellar BBQ and The Salt Lick BBQ, where reviewers praised the tenderness and consistency of the smoked meats.
San Antonio comes in at No. 2
Just south of Austin, San Antonio secured the second spot on Yelp’s ranking thanks to a mix of longtime barbecue staples and newer, chef-driven concepts.
Yelp highlighted restaurants including Curry Boys BBQ, Smoke Shack and Garcia Barbecue, while also noting the city’s growing fusion barbecue scene led by spots such as Reese Bros Barbecue.
Dining and Cooking