Smoked lamb with Middle Eastern spice from chef Kareem El-Ghayesh, who took his Cairo upbringing into Central Texas barbecue. A MICHELIN Bib Gourmand honoree and a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Texas.
Texas pastrami on house-made rye — called the best pastrami in the state by Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn, at a deli USA Today named to its Restaurants of the Year list. Queens deli technique, Central Texas smoke.
The MICHELIN One Star stop, and the reason the line wraps the building. You walk past it. Sausage ground and stuffed in-house, plus brisket from a joint that has held a place on Texas Monthly's Top 50 Barbecue Joints in Texas.
Start with brisket-stuffed kolaches and house-made sides at a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand smokehouse that Southern Living named a Top 50 barbecue joint and Food Network ranked among America's 25 Best Food Trucks. Owner Tom Micklethwait makes nearly everything by hand, down to the pickles.
Louisiana flavor meets Texas tradition. Pitmaster Holden Fulco cooked at InterStellar Barbecue and Franklin Barbecue before opening his own truck, and the menu shows both lineages.
A secret sweet stop: We don't announce this one. You'll think you're finished eating. You are not finished eating.
Our guide Josh made this tour unmatched. He was incredibly hospitable from the moment we met and clearly knows his stuff. He shared the history behind each spot, explained what makes Austin BBQ different, and answered every question we threw at him. Six tastings is a lot of food, so come hungry, and skipping the lines was a huge perk. Highly recommend, and ask for Josh!
This was an awesome food tour some of the best bbq I’ve ever had.. they also know a lot of knowledge of the city and tell you everything about it and the little history of every barbecue spot you go to
Guide is super friendly and local. All kinds of personal anecdotes and the food was killer!
We had a great experience. The tour is just as described. We had great food. We were seated and served at each location, no wait. Best BBQ and Stories of the pitmasters and Austin in general
It was exactly as described, we had great barbecue at each location, We were seated and served as others waited in line. Great food and great background stories about the pitmasters and Austin in general. Best food tour we ever had.
Perfect way to explore the best Austin has to offer in BBQ, Will is an amazing host, very knowlegable on BBQ and Austin. Highly recommend to anyone who likes BBQ or wants to learn to.
We are locals to Austin, but had friends visiting from out of state. This is a great way to experience some of the best BBQ in Texas without the lines. Our guide Josh was very knowledgeable about the history of the places we visited and shared lots of information with our group.
Really good day and overall loved the food but could have been a little more organised. We loved everything thing but the newly added BBQ taco place as it was really crowded with no reserved seating and the food was too greasy for my taste. Our favourites were KG BBQ, La Barbecue and wicklethwait! Our guide was great fun and really knowledgeable in still recommend doing this tour as its a great way to experience different types of texas BBQ
Wonderful BBQ experience getting to try a variety of places and not wait in line! Best way to get a sampling so we know what to go back to. It does say 6 BBQ spots but it is actually only 5 so that was a little misleading. Come hungry, you will leave full!
Outstanding food and company. Lily rocks! Ask her about “Groove is in my heart.”
Great tastings of 5 BBQ places. Made me wish I lived in Austin so I could go back and sample more from each place.
Josh did an excellent job taking us around to all the best spots in east Austin. Don’t eat breakfast before this tour our you will not survive…. Highly recommended!
If you love great BBQ and want a fun way to experience multiple spots without waiting in lines, this is the tour for you. We tried some fantastic BBQ while getting to hear our amazing tour guide, Codi, share the stories and history behind each stop, making the experience even more memorable. I can't wait to visit Austin again and will definitely sign up for the taco tour. I highly recommend this tour!
What an outstanding experience! You get to try the top dishes at the highest rated BBQ spots in Austin, jumping the line, and enjoying the food while hearing about the chef and the food and back story. We are new residents of Austin and this helped us get through our bucket list of BBQ spots so we know where we’d like to go back to. We were transported between locations in a comfortable van. Most places we sat outside at picnic tables to eat. Would definitely recommend! Note that the tour doesn’t focus on Austin info or history, it is all about the BBQ.
I couldn’t write enough good things about Codi and this tour. Amazing food- each joint a different vibe and meat specialty. Definitely come hungry- personally I got through 4 of the 5 places before I couldn’t put anymore in my mouth. It’s not just food though- Codi is a treasure trove of Austin history and anecdotes about each venue. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour and would do again if we came to town
BOOK THIS TOUR! Stop thinking about it and just do it. We ate from 5.. count that FIVE BBQ joints- each with something different that was each so yummy. Almost all the places included interesting and on theme sides. My husband couldn't stop raving about this tour. Our guide Codi was so friendly and had lots to history and inside stories to share about each of the places. I would do this again if we were in town! Mums- pastrami sandwich KG- the most amazing smoked lamb chop La BBQ- chipotle sausage, brisket Rollin Smoke- Carnitas taco Micklethwaith- pork rib
The bbq is top notch, *so* delish! The true stories about how the top bbq pitmasters made it to where they are (the top of the Texas food chain) are rooted in historical and cultural significance. Our guide, Codi, shared her personal bbq journey and that of the entire Central Texas region. It’s the *best* way to experience Texas BBQ!
This was such an awesome experience and so worth it!!! Codi and Glen were the best tour guides, so fun and sweet and really took the tour to the next level with their warm hospitality! They were very knowledgeable on the background of each location and had tons of interesting insight into each chef/restaurant and we really enjoyed getting to know them. You can tell they love what they do and it made our tour so special. Each meal was very unique, so we were never bored and it was the best way to try 5 incredible spots without having to wait in the very long lines that we would have otherwise have to wait in. This tour is perfect for both locals and visitors and has something for everyone! Very kid friendly too, as we had a toddler with us and they were so sweet to her. This was the perfect way to spend Father’s Day, we’ll definitely be recommending this tour to everyone!
Wonderful experience! We got to try 5 different BBQ joints, most of which are Michelin rated. We had a great day and our guide was super knowledgeable about all aspects of barbecue food and culture in Texas. Skipping the lines was great and we tasted so many things, would definitely do again if we are in Austin again.
Absolutely great barbecue tour! We came from out of state on a business trip and decided to try the Locals Know Barbecue Tour. Codi is awesome. She knows the local food and barbecue scene inside and out and is great to have as a tour guide. She also provides some real insights into the histories and of each place you visit. Well worth the price without a doubt. Highly recommend booking a trip.
Our gal Codi is the best!!!! She did a wonderful job and was insightful, knowledgeable, and a ton of fun! Had a lot of laughs! Great host!
We had a fantastic time on this tour with Codi! We had a great variety of BBQ and what each place had to offer, not just brisket and ribs. Also I loved skipping the line at famous places that had long lines. I would do this again.
What a treat to experience amazing meats Texas style. It was a great variety from pastrami, lamb, duck and more. Cori was very knowledgeable and did a fantastic job of getting us around town even when the marathon had traffic snarled. Our group also got to meet a pit master as well.
Came to Austin to visit my daughter who just moved into town. We wanted to capture as much of the Austin BBQ vibe as possible, and this tour nailed it! Our guide Cody was awesome giving us the backstory on the people and the businesses that rock BBQ and is driving quite a bit of Michelin buzz. Our tour with 7 (great peeps - who wouldn’t be fun on a BBQ romp!) took us to sample the best from 5 different spots, all amazing! Sampled so many treats and never had to stand in a line either. Lamb, beef, pork, sausage and sides galore. I highly recommend this tour!
Cody was our guide. She was friendly and very knowledgeable. We got to eat a lot of different items that we probably wouldn’t have ordered on our own. All the spots were good but the highlights were La Barbeque and Parish!
This was such a FUN experience. I highly recommend this BBQ tour. The spots on the tour are delicious and the amounts they give you are next level. Plenty of food and you are able to take home your leftovers! Codi was our guide and I cannot compliment her enough! She was so fun, knowledgeable, and down to earth..she really made this so much more enjoyable. If you are debating…just book it! I cannot recommend this enough.
We went on this tour today and it completed exceeded all expectations. Every stop was something exciting and delicious. Codi was so much fun to hang out with and very knowledgeable about all locations and East Austin. We had the best time and will be recommending this tour to everyone. Ps… there will be so much food, come hungry!
Codi was a great tour guide and the bbq was amazing! We went with a group for a bachelorette party and I would highly recommend booking the bbq tour!! 10/10
This tour was PERFECT! An easy way to skip the lines at some of Austin’s most popular bbq spots! The selection of the foods that were offered were very diverse and so tasty! We left with so full and with so much food to take home! Our tour guide Codi was SUPER knowledgeable and very very sweet! She really made our group feel so welcome! 🖤
A really excellent , delicious and informative and fun experience! Super fun for a family or group of friends. Highly organized and convenient too.
Tons of good food! Don’t eat breakfast! This will be breakfast lunch and dinner. Cody was really informative and the van was super comfortable and new. There were lines of people at every stop and we just sat down and Cody delivered us our food from the five different places. That was a real plus not having to wait. Would highly recommend this tour. My 86 year old aunt liked it and was able to handle it, but my brother loved it, saying he couldn’t believe how good all the food was here in Texas.
Couldn‘t recommend this tour enough! Codi was an incredible tour guide and all the stops were top notch. As an Austin resident, it was a great way to try some of our top spots in East Austin without dealing with the lines. Or it’s a perfect experience for family and out of town visitors! Don’t let the price discourage you, fully worth it. I will be raving about this for months!
Highly recommend taking the Locals Know Barbecue tour! The guide is wonderful and the food is amazing. Definitely a five star experience!
Must do, Top BBQ Food tour! Codi was our guide and she did an amazing job! She works for the magazine and is super knowledgeable, professional and down to earth. This tour costs more than others, but that’s for a good reason! Other tours didn’t offer the best stops or the portion sizes that this one does. Hands down this worth it! I shared pictures of everything we ate, minus the delicious sour dough chocolate chip cookie at the end! Codi had to go boxes ready for us and a cooler to keep them in. We ended up taking home more food than we could in person. Highly recommend.
Whether you are locals or from out of town, this is a great way to hit some of the great food Austin has to offer without the lines. Thanks to our great host Codi!
Such a fun experience! Codi was super informative and entertaining, the perfect host! At each stop, we got to try what the spot is known for and perhaps something that sets them apart. It was a great experience and worth every penny saving you from waiting in line at all these amazing stops!
I went on this tour on a recent Saturday and had such a great time! I live in the Austin area, and it was very fun to play tourist at home. Austin EastSide Magazine organized a great sampling of varied BBQ from East Side BBQ food trucks and restaurants. Of course, we did the obligatory sampling of the Holy Trinity of BBQ – brisket, ribs, and sausage. What was especially interesting was tasting other BBQ styles, including pastrami (yes, pastrami – it’s brisket), Egyptian lamb chops, and Louisiana pulled duck. Such a great variety, and the right amount of food. It was wonderful to have Codi as a tour guide and driver familiar with the places we visited, as well as skip-the-line access. This tour is a wonderful way to enjoy different styles and influences on Texas BBQ, whether you’re a visitor or a local, and I highly recommend it!!
The tour was a great experience, well planned, and definitely left full and happy. Living here, we don’t actually eat barbecue much, so it’s a great way to try some of the best places without waiting in any lines.
Whether you're visiting or a local, this is THE way to do Austin BBQ. Skip the lines and book the tour. Highly recommended!
My wife and I went on the Locals Know ATX Food Tour yesterday and it was phenomenal!! The food was top-notch at every stop, but what really made it unforgettable was our guide Kareem — the owner and pitmaster of KG BBQ himself. His passion, knowledge, and behind-the-scenes stories brought the whole experience to life. The highlight of the tour was the food at KG BBQ- it was incredibly fresh, light, and unlike any BBQ I’ve had before. It was a refreshing twist that still packed a ton of flavor! Oh, and we got to skip the massive line at La Barbecue and try some of the best brisket known to man which was worth the cost of the tour alone! So if you’re serious about BBQ or just want to taste some of the best of what Austin has to offer without all the hassle, this tour is a must. Highly recommend!
Highlights: - Eat DELICIOUS food - Visit renowned but less talked about barbecue spots - Skip all the (long) lines and be driven around - Learn about East Austin, barbecue history, and the stories behind the pitmasters - Great price! This experience was genuinely so wonderful! I grew up in the suburbs of Austin and have been living in the city itself for several years now. I love barbecue but haven’t really prioritized getting out and trying a lot of the big places because you know, they’re always there. It’s always an option and it’s easy to take that for granted. Plus the long lines the best spots are known for are really discouraging. I’m so glad I got to join for one of the first tours- the food was incredible. There were all the classics I wanted: brisket, ribs, sausage. But I never knew I could get so excited over a pastrami sandwich or barbecued lamb. The whole thing was super seamless, fun, informative, tasty…I’d do it again, and wholeheartedly recommend the tour for local Austinites and visitors. Love that they provided to-go boxes and a cooler for leftovers- it was absolutely needed.
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