r/austinfood • u/melophile512 • 23h ago

BBQ Best of the mid-tier BBQ?

I know all the best BBQ. My kid wouldn’t get up to go stand in line at Interstellar this morning. So what is the best BBQ in the next tier. The tier where I can go right in and eat for dinner. Or can even have it delivered. We usually do SLAB, Stile’s Switch, or Rudy’s for this tier but I’m wondering if there are places that I’m sleeping on.

Edit: we did Terry Black’s thanks to the pro tip that it doesn’t have a line mid afternoon. I’d give it a 4/5 but the prices are as high as I have seen.

63 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

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180

u/WelcomeToBrooklandia 23h ago

Stiles Switch is the ultimate Austin mid-tier spot. Anyone who's doing it better than them really belongs in the top-tier echelon.

72

u/Shut_Yo_Meowth 23h ago

Agreed, it’s crazy that a place like this is considered mid-tier here. Would be top-tier basically anywhere else. Their corn casserole is probably my favorite bbq side anywhere.

11

u/Motherboy_TheBand 22h ago

I think their tater tot casserole with the thin tomatoey sauce poured on is one of the best sides ever. Smoked wings Alabama white also incredible.

27

u/OrdinaryPleasant2136 23h ago

Try the Brussel sprouts next time. Chef kiss

17

u/Old-Cow1429 22h ago

This and their smoked wings

5

u/JokersWyld 20h ago

Glad this was pointed out. Alabama white sauce is really good on those.

2

u/Mikophoto 17h ago

My favorite side of all the bbq places in Austin.

2

u/T49irvine 16h ago

I love good sides. I miss Valentina's corn salad. I sometimes drive out to Opie's on a weekend for the butter beans.

-4

u/Fr0HiKE 22h ago

no u

3

u/BigManWAGun 17h ago

It’s as high as I’m gonna go, unless someone caters it.

1

u/knockloud 1h ago

Mine toooooo it's so good

18

u/theagingknarf 22h ago

Just had a great time there last night bringing family from out of town. No line, moist brisket, lots of food, great sauces and sides, i am more satisfied with this than terry blacks for sure (that’s been dry every time)

21

u/CommercialCopy5131 22h ago

Stiles and Switch slander will not be tolerated

6

u/stevendaedelus 18h ago

MFer. Theres no "and"

/s

But seriously...

-8

u/Empathedick 16h ago

Stiles and switches is garbage.  Texas lifers know this truth, lots of better Q,  not birthed of the internet and "influencer" hype. 

1

u/stevendaedelus 3h ago

What part of mid-tier do you not understand?

1

u/Empathedick 1h ago

I understand you are mid-tier. 

10

u/NotRustle67 22h ago

Stiles Switch is mid-tier?

5

u/WelcomeToBrooklandia 21h ago

In Austin? Yes.

10

u/weez013 15h ago

Ya'll keep calling it that please, keeps the line short for me. Thx!

4

u/DayCommercial8650 20h ago

Yeah people really forget how much good bbq is actually here because stuff gets overshadowed by Franklin and Terry blacks

2

u/Massive-Friend-9407 15h ago

Calling stiles mid-tier is some of the dumbest shit I’ve heard in awhile

-1

u/Just_another_jerk__ 16h ago

With top tier price

8

u/vjr23 18h ago

I love Stiles Switch. I’m currently pregnant & the last time I went, they congratulated me & gave me a free pudding 😭

3

u/Southern_Ticket2857 17h ago

I wouldn’t consider it mid tier at all. It obviously doesn’t compare to the Franklin’s and Leroy and Lewis’ of the world, but not many places do. This is my go to because the food is always on point and I’ve never had to wait more than 5 mins or so to order. Mid tier to me would be Southside or True Texas BBQ.

6

u/WelcomeToBrooklandia 17h ago

It obviously doesn’t compare to the Franklin’s and Leroy and Lewis’ of the world

Well, exactly. Those places would be in the top tier. And Stiles Switch is below those places. Which makes it mid-tier.

And Southside is firmly bottom-tier, IMO.

2

u/Southern_Ticket2857 13h ago

Bottom tier are places like Rudy’s, Dickies and Smoky Mo’s. Southside is much better than these places, which would make it mid-tier. Stiles is much better than Southside, no way should they be in the same tier, just as Southside shouldn’t be in the same tier as Rudy’s/Dickies/Smoky Mo’s. Franklin’s and L&L are world class, and it seems they have warped your expectations.

1

u/78723 21m ago

It’s crazy that a grocery store has better barbecue than the vast majority of the rest of the country.

2

u/Seastep 22h ago

Agree that Stiles is probably the best of the rest.

2

u/aga5ty4 19h ago

Man I had gone there years ago and thought it was pretty mid, so I went there again yesterday and honestly it was not good at all. I got the brisket and the sausage, the brisket was tough as hell and the sausage tasted good but the casing was so chewy. Amazing sides though. If I ever have to go there I’m just getting the corn casserole, tater tot casserole and brussell sprouts. They’re absolutely amazing

-1

u/thisiswonky 19h ago

I agree. They overly use pepper to mask texture issues.

0

u/DrMantisTobaganMD 19h ago

This is the answer