Terry Black's Barbecue

If the Black family name rings a bell, it’s not just your mind playing tricks on you. To summarize it briefly—way back when, there was a feud in the Black family that resulted in two different restaurant lines forming, Black’s BBQ and Terry Black’s BBQ. Both sides claim to be following the traditions they grew up with, with the end results being some very classic (and ultimately similar) barbecue. All of the meat here is smoked on-site, with a sprawling, rustic-styled dining room that feels like it belongs out in the country rather than busy Barton Springs Rd. And they’re one of the few barbecue spots in town that stays open well into dinner hours. Despite that, it’s always packed, with lines generally snaking out of the building into an all-too-small parking lot. They have all of the classics here, but the standouts are the brisket and the beef ribs. In case you need to walk off your meal afterward, this place is right by the hike and bike trail, but do yourself a favor and take a nap at Auditorium Shores instead.

photo credit: Nicolai McCrary