Sam's Bar-B-Que

East 12th's brick-pit landmark, cooking since 1957

Sam's Bar-B-Que is a barbecue restaurant in Austin, Texas.

Sam's is a historic East Austin institution, open since 1957 and now run by Brian Mays, who tends an indoor brick pit that has outlasted nearly all its contemporaries. It stands as one of the last of East Austin's original Black-owned barbecue joints — a distinction the neighborhood carries with pride as the blocks around it change.

The menu leans old-school, and the mutton is the item that sets Sam's apart, a smoky, richly flavored cut that has all but vanished from Texas boards. Brisket comes with a firm bark from the brick pit, the pork ribs pull clean, and the smoked chicken stays juicy. Cash-friendly and open late, it's a landmark that has fed generations after the marquee spots have closed for the night — the kind of history you can still taste by the plate.

• Style: Central Texas Style
• Price: $
• Neighborhood: East Austin
• Serving since 1957

What to order

• Mutton
• Brisket
• Pork Ribs
• Smoked Chicken

How it scores — 8.0/10 overall

• Smoke: 8.1/10
• Bark: 7.9/10
• Tenderness: 8.0/10
• Consistency: 7.9/10
• Value: 8.3/10
• Atmosphere: 7.6/10

Visiting

• Address: 2000 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78702
• Phone: (512) 478-0378

Hours: Mon 10am–8pm, Wed–Sat 10am–10pm, Sun 10am–8pm

More BBQ in Austin