Micklethwait Craft Meats

Brisket was perfect! Bark was true Central Texas style. And those Jalapeño. Cheese. Grits. Ahhhh. Sausage had great texture and spiced to perfection. Enjoyed the homemade pickles and no line :) great job guys!

Like many other reviewers have already written, one of the best things about MW is that there is a very short wait before you’re chomping on some deliciousness.
And, it is deliciousness.
No doubt about it.
The reason I give MW 4 stars is because, while it is very, very good, my experience wasn’t exceptional. I found the beans so many others raved about to be way too salty. To a point where I was unable to continue eating them without it risking ruining my meal.
That aside, everything else was great. The brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken, and potato salad satisfied nicely. They just didn’t stand out to me, and they probably won’t to you either. But! This quality for little to no wait cannot be beat.
Highly recommended for your weekly bbq fix.

They slow cook their meat for 14 hours. The service was real friendly. The parking was kind of hard but that’s austin for you. We had the pork ribs which were fantastic and brisket with jalapeño cheddar homemade sausage with Mexican cokes. We had a good experience. We will be coming back.

Great bbq. Best brisket that I’ve had actually. Tender ribs. Sausage was a surprise standout. Wanted to try a beef rib but $ 20 for one bone was too expensive an add on. Came on a day they had free beer. Hard to beat.

My husband and I are in Austin exploring the city. We stopped here for lunch and we weren’t disappointed. There was plenty of seating and the staff were friendly. I ordered the brisket, potato salad, and Lemmon poppy coleslaw. My husband got the pulled pork sandwich. The portions were large and the food was tasty!

The bbq here was great! Definitely come here if you are not looking for that 4 – 5 hour wait for food elsewhere. It wasn’t life-​changing food, but it certainly knocked my socks off.
Ribs — pretty good
Brisket — pretty good
This is food that you’re gonna love, but a secret voice inside you will tell you that there is better bbq out there!

Wow. Amazing Ribs and friendly staff.
I have traveled the country for BBQ. Kansas City, Memphis, Saint Louis, NC, SC, Texas, Kansas, and Illinois. My father cooks some of the best BBQ I have had, however these ribs with the rub and smoke flavor is amazing and rival his flavor. I will be coming back.
Now I tell you my BBQ back story to everyone this… Thank God my Dad doesn’t understand Unilocal,because Micklethwait Craft Meats has the best, THE BEST beans I have ever had. I ordered the half pint, and I am sorry that I did because I want more. I judge BBQ places by ribs, brisket, and beans. I tried all three, loved the ribs and the brisket, but the beans have a flavor that’s crazy.
Don’t forget dessert!
The location is tucked away and the fact that they are producing that quality of BBQ in a small food truck and few smokers is why you need to get there early. Parking is limited but the line moves quick, but their neighbors have done a good job letting you know where you can and can’t park!
Give these guys a chance. I will be back!
Regards,
Your New Biggest Fan

My team and I came here today during lunch. I am a big fan of Micklethwait’s BBQ. The cheese grits are to DIE for. I recommend on ordering that as a side dish. The sausage can be a little spicy so just giving you a heads up if you’re sensitive to spices. Everything is fresh! Service was aka-​mazing. I will definitely come back here again.

When I went around 1 – 2 pm on a Saturday afternoon, there was no line but a few groups already eating. I ordered the brisket and pork ribs to go for my husband while he watched college football nearby at the house.
My order came out fast and the the person taking my order was friendly and professional.
The brisket was good but I wasn’t a big fan of their pork ribs. It was flavorful but not fall-​of-​the-​bone tender at all.
The sauces that it came with were good. Prices were reasonable and comparable to other places around Austin.
A good spot to hit up if you prefer no wait and are craving some barbecue.

My story at MCM begins like many other Unilocalers’. I got up early to go to Franklin’s because that’s just what you do when you’re in Austin (this was my belief as a non-​Austonian… Austionite?) I kept hearing about that ridonculous line and spent a couple of days debating whether or not I should partake. Monday rolls around and I decide to go for it, only to discover they’re closed. Okay, tomorrow is the day. I make it over at 9:30 and the line is around the block. A couple of minutes into the journey, an employee comes out telling us the cut-​off point in the line where people will be guaranteed food at 2:30. Say what?!! It’s 9:30 and at 2:30, they may run out of food like 10 people ahead of me?!
«You’re welcome to stick around if you’d like»
No thank you, f$%k off. (I didn’t actually say that).
Unilocal then guides me to La barbecue which is a short über ride away. My driver and I chat about the insane wait times and that he often picks people up in my exact situation. La barbeque seems kind of empty, woohoo! And then I realized they’re closed on Tuesday, and am confused as to the guidlines for operating hours of Austin BBQ establishments, because they make no sense to me. Unilocal then guides me to Micklethwait Craft Meats, and I make sure that they are open. I commiserate about my BBQ travels with a second über driver and as we pull up, this place looks closed. Oh no! But I do see people prepping stuff. AM I THE FIRST ONE HERE?!
They open in 45 minutes which in any other scenario, is way too early to arrive, but I’m learning that in Austin, you only get BBQ if you’re absurdly early to the party. Then I worry that this place can’t be good at all if no one else is here. A few minutes later, others begin to show up and there’s a decent crowd by the time they open.
It’s 11 a.m., not an ideal BBQ time, but I’ve come this far. I shall take full advantage. I get the 3 meat plate in order to sample as much as possible. I believe I decided on brisket, sliced pork, and short ribs. I look at my giant heaping plate of food and take a moment before stepping into BBQ nirvana.
At one point in my life I was vegan and for a moment I felt a slight sense of shame for what I was doing. Once I tasted the food, I actually felt shame for going through serveral years denying myself something this splendid. The meat was so tender and moist and smokey but also black peppery. Even the sides were fantastic. Those Campire beans were so good that I’ve been scouring the interwebs for a recipe (sadly, to no avail). I basically left the entire potato salad because despite being good, I needed the real estate space for the rest. The bread was also perfection. They really make that themselves? Good lawd! I also got a slice of pecan pie which was also absurdly delicious.
My biggest complaint here is that I got full way too early in the meal. It was so good that I REALLY wanted to keep eating. I kind of kept mentally coaching myself. «You can do this. Another bite, it’s totally worth it.» I ended up leaving half of it. I still often think about it from time to time, like an abandoned baby… that I would have liked to eat. (wait, that analogy didn’t pan out the way I had hoped).
MCM, I for real love you guys. Are you single? Can I marry you or just be accepted into the bunch like a cousin who’s not an actual cousin? People seem to think Franklin’s is the end all and be all. I think I stumbled accross perfection without the BS 5 hour wait time. I really can’t imagine it getting any better than this.

We thought on a Thursday we’d be able to stand a fighting chance at getting into Franklin’s – but we were wrong. The waitress quoted a 2 hour wait from the end of the line at 11am and that they were already out of ribs. WAHT?! We bounced immediately, and were happy to find Micklethwait a short jaunt away, and are so glad that we went here instead when we did – beating the crowd at a reasonable hour is the best :) Hype be damned.
Full disclosure: I don’t think this is what most people think of when they plan on eating BBQ, but I thought Micklethwait did a great job on portioning so you’re not suffering from food coma afterwards. Goes a long way when you eat mid-​day and still want to do things right after.
Cheesy grits were great, brisket was very tasty and ribs were delicious. YUM Watch out for the lunchtime rush!

This. Place. Freaking. Rocks.
No, it’s not Franklin’s. It doesn’t HAVE to be. We went on Halloween when they also had some delicious free beer. We expected a huge line (a la Franklin’s, right down the street), and found ourselves 4^th in line about 15 minutes before they opened. While we reviewed the menu and met our neighbors in line (as one does) we enjoyed some delicious FREE Karbach beer and spectacular fall weather (only a little misty).
As first-​timers, we felt we really needed to try pretty much ALL the tasty meat. And they had a pumpkin goat sausage chili frito pie which absolutely had to be tested. So we got a combo plate, a beef rib on the side, and the frito pie. And a moonpie, which everyone raved about.
The beef rib was dinosaur-​sized (over a pound), and absolutely delicious. It had great texture, great flavor, just the right amount of smoke. Truly delightful. The pork ribs were also fantastic.
The barbacoa was pretty much the best I’ve ever had. Like, EVER. And the goat was also among the best I’ve tasted.
The brisket was very good. But of all the meats, it was at the bottom of my list of the things we tried. Brisket varies by day, so I do intend to try it next time as well. Don’t get me wrong, it was very good, but the other meats were spectacular, so it suffered simply by comparison.
The moonpie was good (we took it home and ate it another day). I think they just aren’t my thing. My bf says it was very good, and he likes that sort of thing.
We tried a variety of sides, none of them really stood out to me. As often happens for me, it’s really just all about the meat. However, I liked the coleslaw and potato salad better than the beans and grits. Good, but the meat is what it’s all about. I did really like the sweet barbecue sauce. Mmmmm. Also, the BREAD was WONDERFUL — clearly homemade, no bagged white nonsense. We carefully preserved our bread and brought the leftovers home to make sandwiches.
Also, we met some super nice people, as often happens while consuming barbecue in Texas. It’s just a bonding experience. Our table companions’ pooch was the beneficiary of trimmings and bones from not just us, but several other diners. That dog was seriously spoiled that day.
There were definitely other meats we want to try. And considering the ease of ordering here (you mean I can just decide to go, get in my car, order my food, and eat, rather than planning my whole day around a 4-​hour wait), this is likely to be my go-​to barbecue place from now on. I love you, Aaron Franklin, and your brisket is my muse, but this place is also tops in my book.

Okay, I have to preface this:
1. It’s easier to talk religion with Austinites than who makes the best BBQ.
2. When I see heaps o’ praise for sides, sauces, and desserts at some place, I’m thinking their BBQ might be sketchy.
3. The best BBQ I’ve ever had is the moist brisket at Franklin.
So here’s what I think about Micklethwait Craft Meats — the brisket is meh, the sauce too acidic, and the potato salad & homemade bread okay, but nothing that special. But what’s worth coming back for is the beef rib, which is stupid good and the size of a small child. It’s definitely enough for two to share, or at least borrow a dog.
Here’s what’s weird about Micklethwait: It’s cool you only wait twenty minutes or so in line, but once you order, it takes another half-​hour or so for them to get your order out — what’s up with that? You may wait longer at other BBQ places, but at least you’re walking off with food in your hands. I wonder if waiting twice is a particular trailer thing here. Regardless, it’s the norm, it seems long, and probably explains why there’s a tub of free beer for you to enjoy. Too bad I don’t enjoy beer. Now if I had borrowed a dog, I would’ve gotten him one.

After waiting almost 5 years to eat La Barbecue, I didn’t actually think I would be that impressed with any other BBQ places. However, after eating at La Barbecue, we ended up at Micklethwait on the same day and got their *almost* sold out brisket.
All I can say is … O M GOSH. I actually think their brisket is better than La Barbecue’s! And I got the moist option from La BBQ too! Their brisket was just so full of flavor, just the right amount of fat and completely falling apart at each bite. I have never had such melt in your mouth brisket before, not even from Salt Lick or any of the other popular BBQ places in Austin /​Texas /​Houston.
They also do beef sirloin, which is rare, but good, although I’d come back just for the sausages and brisket. A+++++.

Great barbeque and no crazy lines! But really, the brisket was awesome. I am tried and true with my bbq and I love brisket. They have great brisket and great sides. I brought my midwestern cousin to this location to break her Texas BBQ cherry and she loved it!
Only downside, it’s easy to miss as it’s kind of hidden in a field but once you get there, you’ll have your mind blown. If I am seeking BBQ, this is my default choice.

Had the brisket, jalapeño sausage and pork ribs. Nice manageable line compared the other nearby now «infamous» BBQ location. While I’m sure based on the queues that the food there is amazing, for those of us who aren’t fans of or don’t have the time to spare for a 3 – 4 hour wait I highly recommend that you give this spot a try. Come early, they do sell out of items quickly. All the meats were well seasoned and the provided sauce does provide a bit of flavor contrast but in most cases the meats all are delicious eaten as is to appreciate smoky flavors of the meat.
Of the sides, the cheese grits stood out for me. The beans to me at least needed a bit more sweetness. I’d highly recommend going easy on the sides and just getting more of the awesome meats here instead! (they have goat on Saturdays, I wish I could be around to try that!).
Then there was the Pecan Pie… Typically for me at least, Pecan Pies tend to be too sweet, manageable if you had some whip cream or ice cream. I regret not getting myself a slice of this after tasting a few bites of the slice I picked up for my colleague. It only needs one word to describe — delicious! The crust was awesome and the pecan filling was very generous. Do it justice and taste it by itself instead of dunking a scoop of ice cream over it!
Without a larger sample size, I hesitate to give that last star. Instead I reserve that as an excuse to eat more BBQ for now.

I came here for a business lunch. It was a great recommendation and another one of my favorite bbq places to eat.
The food over all was delicious and the meat was tender. Definitely check this place out for another Texas BBQ to try out.

Oh my why haven’t I written a review on this place? It’s only one of the BEST BBQ joints in Austin. Mark M. had been raving about this and I finally went during July 4^th weekend. My friend from New York was in town and I had to bring her to a BBQ place.
This is a little trailer/​food truck on the east side. There’s plenty of street parking and they have several picnic tables set up so you can eat there. When we walked up there was a line but it moved pretty moderately. While you’re in line you can read the board and decide what to get. Which is what you think everyone would do but unfortunately the little love birds in front of my friend and I did not do that it was so annoying watching and listening to them order. The lesson here read the dang board and know what you’re going to order when you’re standing in a long line.
I ordered the Pork Shoulder sandwich with Jalapeño Cheese Grits. Pork shoulder had a great smokiness, it was tender and moist. I ate it in between the bread but about half way through I got rid of the bread and just enjoyed the pork with the sauce, pickles and onions. But don’t get me wrong the bread was great also. Sometimes you gotta ditch the carbs and just got for the meat. Excellent job Micklethwait on that Pork Shoulder. Superb!
Now lets talk about this side dish — Jalapeño Cheese Grits. Sides at BBQ places are sometimes an after thought. You have the run of the mill coleslaw, beans, potato salad etc and they aren’t that great. It’s to accompany your meal but it’s be real it’s really just a suggestion. No way not here. Those Grits were the JAM! I wanted to lick my plate after I was done. The grits had an amazing flavor of cheese and jalapeño for a little kick. The texture was a little bit on the creamy side but not quite a super cream polenta. They were some good olé fashion grits with a twist. I could have just eaten those grits and pork shoulder all day.
I’m so glad I finally got to come out here but I need to come again. Even if I just get a giant gallon container of grits.

I ordered a beef rib opening time and maybe a half hour of waiting in line. When I got the order I was pretty excited because I had been looking forward to bbq all week. We were originally going to Franklin’s down the street but apparently opening time is too late to get food there :/
Anyway, when I tried the rib the meat itself was pretty good. The sauce they included, however, left something to be desired. I really wish the sauce was better but it had a strange consistency and the taste just didn’t do it for me and I quite like vinegar based bbq sauces. On the other hand, the rib was delicious. My bf tried the goat and pulled pork and again the meat was delicious but the sauces or seasoning on those were just okay.
It was a good alternative to not being able to eat Franklin ’ s though. Maybe next time I’m back in Austin. :(

We came here for lunch and sadly the ribs were sold out. I asked what was a good alternative meat to try and the sirloin was recommended and served medium rare. I did the plate with the grits and cole slaw. My mom and sis got a frito pie and we split it all. I would say the brisket on the frito pie was by far superior to the sirloin but they were both solid and large portions. The sides however didn’t blow me away as much… grits were a bit dry and cole slaw was just alright and kind of bland and uninspired. Seemed like they get lots of repeat business though.
It was also a bit pricey (our two plates and drinks were almost $ 30) and we waited about 20 mins… I guess if you want to compare it to waiting for Franklin’s it’s a better option, however based on the just average experience here after reading such rave reviews, I’m not sure that I would return.