My "On Wednesdays, We Kayak" trips never disappoint, and this weeks route might've been my favorite. We launched from Emma Long Metropolitan Park and paddled about 7 miles along the Colorado River, passing stunning waterfront mansions and even a hidden, slightly eerie, dilapidated mock Renaissance village near the Pennybacker (360) Bridge. It was the epitome of Keeping Austin Weird! The adventure had a wild moment when we paddled down Bull Creek and encountered a very territorial swan guarding its nest. It charged several of us, we paddled faster than we planned. It was thrilling and hilarious. We paddled up to the The County Line on the Lake, where 16 of us exited our kayaks, ready to eat. They knew we were coming so our table set up ahead of time, which made a huge difference for a group our size. Service was quick, organized, and friendly. I ordered the ribs with a baked potato, coleslaw, and their fresh made bread, everything was spot on. The portions are generous, even ordering from the lunch menu, and I ended up taking leftovers home. This paddle has become a yearly tradition for us, rain or shine, and ending it here is part of what makes it so memorable. If you're kayaking in the area, stopping at The County Line on the Lake is an easy yes for good food, cold drinks, and a great place to relax. They even have outside seating so you can enjoy the river on milder days. They also have ample parking for cars. read more

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I revisited this place a few days ago, and ONE rib a la carte is now priced at $16. It wasn't that long ago that the three rib platter with sides was...$16. Not worth it! I'm leaving it two stars instead of one for old times' sake. read more

Great, flavor BBQ. Nice patio area on the creek with a lot of "Texas" vibe. Staff were super friendly and did a great job. read more

County Line On The Lake - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I've enjoyed many meals at the county line in both Austin and San Antonio over the past 30+ years. Still great food and reasonable pricing. Service has always been good. read more

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Came here on a Saturday and got food from the lunch menu. Which is nice, not a lot of restaurants serve their lunch menu price on weekends nowadays. There is plenty of parking. The weather was nice, so we decided to sit outside in the patio, and you can see the water from where you sit. Good thing too because the inside smelled a bit weird. Service was okay. It seemed like only one waiter was working the area, so she was kind of busy. Sadly, there was hair twice in the mac and cheese, but the waitress handled it just fine, and lucky on the third attempt, there was no hair. The sausage had a nice little kick to it, which was nice. The mac and cheese was creamy, and the warm homemade bread with the honey butter was great; a touch of sweet definitely helps it. Not a bad place for lunch as they do give a decent amount of food. The homemade bread was an additional cost, and the sub for mac and cheese as well. read more

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I first visited County Line on the Lake 29years ago with my nephew and niece who were visiting from Chile. My nephew now lives in Dallas and yesterday he brought his daughter and her fiancé, who are visiting from Chile, to Austin, and I decided to have our lite afternoon snack at the County Line for old times' sake. Although it was cold and gloomy day, we were able to sit on the spacious enclosed deck that was heated. Our server Brooklyn was excellent, very attentive. We ordered the "All You Can Stand" which was the following, Starter: Chips and House-made Salsa 6 Smoked Meats: Brisket, Sausage, Chicken, Peppered Turkey Breast, Pork Ribs and Beef Ribs. Sides: Potato Salad, Coleslaw, Beans, and Homemade Bread Dessert: Warm Homemade Peach Cobbler topped with Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream We thoroughly enjoyed the smoked meats except for the Beef Ribs that needed some attention, like a little seasoning and the meat didn't fall off of the bone. The sides were a bit mundane. The Homemade Peach Cobbler was served warm topped with Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream was the highlight of the meal. I love the location and atmosphere of the County Line and it's a great place to bring out of town guests for a unique experience. read more

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County Line was great! We picked this spot based on reviews and the waterfront seating. You can walk down to the docks and feed the ducks and turtles - so fun! Our service was excellent, we got our food incredibly fast and everything was hot and fresh. I rate the BBQ a 3.5/5. We like a little more bark and char. But it really was yummy and moist. Sides were all excellent as well. You can get complimentary bread upon request. The inside is really neat. We spent a few minutes taking pictures of antique signage and neon on the way out. No wait at all during the week at lunch! read more

County Line On The Lake - BBQ Chicken - Half - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Went to County line BBQ on the lake this Labor Day 9/7/26. Looking out the window it was so peaceful. I started off with Tea and complimentary bread along with free sausage appetizer with app download. Ordered Senior brisket plate with coleslaw, potato salad and beans for only $12.99 My server Debra was so welcoming and sweet. Great food and great service. read more

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Uber eats delivery of a full rack of beef ribs and a half rack of pork ribs. I must say, although I enjoy the beef ribs and feel like they are incredibly good value, they certainly don't compete well with some of the best beef ribs in town, but they're good nonetheless. On the other hand, I haven't had the pork ribs in a pretty good while, and they were absolutely perfect, perfectly seasoned, the sauce was great, they were tender and good size, and really, really good! read more

County Line On The Lake - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This is an old-school Texas BBQ house that knows exactly what it is. No gimmicks, no fusion - just straight execution. In the key places, it still delivers. The beef rib is the reason to come. Heavy bark, deep smoke, fat rendered to a clean gloss. When you can pull the rib bone and strip the silver membrane clean, that's not luck - that's a pitmaster who understands time, temperature, and restraint. I've had beef ribs all over Houston, Austin, San Antonio and beyond; this one still holds its ground without apology. The spicy BBQ sauce was the surprise. I expected a generic "hot version" and instead got a focused, layered heat that cuts through the fat and lifts the smoke instead of masking it. It doesn't decorate the meat - it works with it. Supporting cast: * Hot link - proper snap, smoke, and clean fat. * Baby back ribs - classic, slightly sweet, exactly what they should be. * Fatty brisket - above average and honest about its role: not the star, but not coasting. * Bread basket - that old-school, slightly sweet soft bread that hasn't changed in decades. It shouldn't pair this well with BBQ, but it does. Then there was the iced tea moment. The server asked, "Sweet, unsweet, or half-and-half?" - a perfectly normal question. For someone who learned BBQ culture in Texas, it was just a reminder that time moves on. Back then, with a plate like this, it was beer or half-and-half by default. Places evolve. The ribs, fortunately, still speak the same language. County Line sits comfortably above standard, and the beef rib with spicy sauce is still worth planning around. I've eaten a lot of ribs in a lot of cities; this one still reminds me where my taste was trained. - Dr C Only writing for what truly earns the stars. read more

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This is a relaxing location to eat BBQ. It does get busy and you should avoid those times. When it isn't so busy, the service is great as was so this past Sunday. The meat is good but maybe not the best in Austin. I do like the value of your meal. There is a lot of food on your platter with all the sides. read more

County Line On The Lake - 2 meat platter (turkey/brisket) - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I come here because this is the ONLY restaurant in the whole continental US that has a whole rack of beef ribs!! Oh yes... I love it! And I love the coleslaw!! The staff & service is great! Watching the turtles from the window swimming around in the lake is serene. There is both indoor and outdoor seating!! I'm always coming back for those ribs!! Usually gotta come with a friend to share that rack of ribs!! read more

Sometimes we can get so fussy about identifying the best of the best of the best Texas BBQ That we lose all of our common sense about good food and good times. Benjamin Franklin once wrote that fussy eaters never have a good meal. That can apply to Texas foodies who are always trying to find the one restaurant or the one food truck that has created the ultimate perfection in Texas Barbecue. Texas BBQ is so sufficiently good that the restaurant that comes in 178th place can still serve you a perfectly wonderful meal. And you know .... If you are not worrying about the subtleties of the pure brisket or the subtleties of the pure sausage, You can actually order something else to eat and have a perfectly lovely meal. * * * Which brings us to the question of County Line on the Lake. There is a general consensus that the barbecue at County Line on the Lake is a) not as good as what Aaron Franklin makes b) not as good as what you get in the traditional temples of great Texas barbecue such as any institution run by the Mueller family. c) not as good as the newest greatest recent additions to the barbecue scene such as the Egyptian style BBQ at KG's. Big Forking Deal. This is like saying sex with your steady partner is not as good as sex with Adonis or sex with Helen of Troy. Sex with your boyfriend or your girlfriend is still amazing. * * * What they have at County Line on the Lake is just peachy. And if you are not agonizing about assessing the purity of the smoke in your brisket, You can cut loose and have a sandwich or sliders or a stuffed potato or queso or wings or something wimpy like barbecued turkey. All of that stuff tastes super good. You can do this in a spectacularly beautiful place on the edge of Bull Creek with a view of the West Austin Hills to die for. Or you can do this in a room that is as comfy as the best bar and grill in town, and just have a beer or three and watch the game. Drinking at the County Line has the downside of possibly having to drive home under the influence. Driving under the influence in this case means negotiating the weavings and windings of FM 2222. FM 2222 runs along the edge of a cliff. BUT If you can get someone else to serve as designated driver, The County Line is one of the nicest places to drink that I can possibly think of. * * * My last outing to County Line had me with a pulled pork sandwich (Horror of horrors! The bread will mask the taste of the meat!) A ton of pickles and raw onion in that sandwich (Horror of horrors etc etc). and the house beans with extra BBQ sauce dumped in to keep things interesting. Pork and pickles and onions with beans and barbecue sauce. A sunny 78 degree day with the river flowing by slowly. Golden light on the wooded cliffs with the mansions on top. Alabama was beating Kentucky in basketball. Except for that, life was perfect. * * * I did not have to wait in line for four hours to get my BBQ. I did not have to try to remember what all the other BBQs I had last year tasted like so I could place things in perfect numerical order. The Official Chant of County Line on the Lake is WE'RE NUMBER 178 ! WE'RE NUMBER 178 ! 178 is a fine number. I am willing to eat here any time. read more

Great location on Bull Creek, turtles in the creek to feed and keep kids busy while waiting for the food to arrive. Nice TX atmosphere inside. Service was good, once our server came, and food came out quickly, and was very good. Not the best BBQ in TX but combined with the atmosphere, location and price, it ranks highly. A great place to take out of town guests who desire the TX BBQ experience. read more

My husband and I met up with some friends at the County Line on the Lake. We drove up, parked, and walked in. Luckily our friend got us on the list. We requested seating with a view and we waited for about 10 minutes.The restaurant is pretty cool with a rustic, laid back atmosphere. Not long after sitting we were greeted by an a waiter that did a good job taking care of us. We placed our drink orders and looked at the menu. Our waiter came back with our drinks and then took our order. We all decided to share a half loaf of the house made bread. It's really good. It's warm and addicting. I added some honey butter to my bread and it was delicious. For my main dish I ordered the Brisket Sandwich with Lean meat and it came with one side so I ordered the potato salad. My husband and I decided to share an order of beans. The brisket sandwich was good. It was nice and filling. The meat was lean which I prefer because it has less fat. The BBQ sauce, pickles, and onions added flavor. The potato salad was good with the potato chunks and and other ingredients. It's my favorite side from County Line. The beans were good. They were very hot in terms of temperature and had some flavor from the seasoning. Overall it was a good place to go and have some BBQ. The service was good, the atmosphere was cool and the view of the lake was awesome. read more

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Fast seating for a family of 6 in a Sunday. Homemade bread was delicious! Food itself was average but reasonable price. Cute like lake and turtles and fishes you can feed. Service was good and efficient. I would go back even with a big group. read more

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Got this recommendation from the front desk at our hotel. We wanted Texan bbq but also wanted a full bar. This fit the bill! Right on a lake. And they sat us right next to the lake. Service was excellent: prompt and friendly. Website a plate of beef ribs and pork ribs, along with a giant baked potato. Couldn't finish! Loved it all. We will be back to this place. read more

Decent bbq and good service. Large portions come hungry. The smoked wings are some of the best around. read more

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It's a kinda of a cliché Texas bbq place but the food didn't meet my expectations. I think the food was comparable to a fast food restaurant (e.g. Chilis or Applebees), but the service and ambience is what you would expect from a Texas bbq restaurant . The service was very hospitable. Every server or hostess was very attentive and doubled checked on us. The decoration was authentic. But the food came out after 10 minutes we ordered, which tells me it was simply heated up. Maybe sitting there for a while. The meat was chewy almost rubbery. But hey, I'd be back since this was the only place close to our hotel ... the service was great and happy hour runs between 4-7pm! read more

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I've hosted several large corporate dinners at The County Line on the Lake. While I wouldn't call it the best BBQ I've had, it's a great spot for tourists looking to dive headfirst into Texas culture. It's situated right next to Bull Creek and offers a beautiful country view. Inside the restaurant, you'll find cowboy hats, cowhide decor, ropes, longhorns, stars, and all things Texan. Each time I've been, they've done an amazing job accommodating our large groups. If you have a large party of 40+, you can choose between three of their party rooms and pricing tiers. For the cost efficient tier ($27.99), you'll be able to choose 3 of 4 meats (brisket being an add-on per person). The pricing feels steep, considering not everyone will eat the same quantity of food. Note: If you have a large party, expect a 22% auto-gratuity fee. read more

County Line On The Lake - Private room - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

I'm awarding an extra star in the interest of fairness. As a vegetarian, I was unable to partake in their specialty offerings. Nonetheless, I've always appreciated the ambiance and overall experience. The vegetarian options were limited. The service was adequate. Due to the long wait despite numerous empty tables, I inferred that they might have been understaffed though many staff members were just standing. I opted to sit at the bar and missed out on the view. Given my experience, I don't anticipate returning in the near future. read more

Nothing compares to sitting outside in Texas with smoky brisket, oak fire smell, cold sweet tea, and a true Southern barbecue atmosphere near the lake at sunset. read more

County Line is one of those Austin mainstays and my recent trip there reminded me as to why. The menu itself is more varied than many BBQ spots, which made it a good choice for a group dinner I was planning for my work team. I wanted everyone to be able to have options and not feel locked into a family-style BBQ experience (which is an option here should that be the direction you want to go). I also wanted the option to sit outside and feel like we were in a casual, beautiful location (check and check with the patio at this location!). Our server - Timothy - was outstanding. The food was plentiful and flavorful. We had quite the variety of options at our table and everyone left happy and full. We started with the queso, which tasted great and there were plenty of chips to go around. I had the BBQ stuffed baked potato with the pulled pork. It was flavorful and well prepared - from the potato to the pork. There is a large parking lot with free parking. read more

County Line On The Lake - Pulled pork stuffed baked potato - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

When the weather is nice, a table on their covered patio overlooking the water teeming with turtles mere feet from the table is arguably one of the best dining sites in town. The inside however is dark and rather uninviting. The service was friendly enough and not intrusive. Plenty of parking. No complaints here. But no matter how great the view, parking, and service, a restaurant is ultimately only as good as its food. We ordered beef brisket and pulled pork sandwiches. The pulled pork was actually finely chopped and was served in a puddle of sauce that somewhat resembled bottled French salad dressing. But what left 95% of the pulled pork sandwich remaining uneaten on the plate was its extreme saltiness. It was simply inedible. It might have been a nice gesture if someone had asked why almost all of the pork sandwich was left uneaten, but perhaps this is a common enough occurrence that no one thought it worthy of asking. The beef brisket was flavorful not very tender. It was served with a classic-looking tomato-based BBQ sauce, but, here again, all you could taste was the salt. We managed to wipe most of the sauce from the beef with a napkin. If you go there, I suggest that you order any sauces he side or better still sneak in a bottle from home. On a more positive note, the mac and cheese was excellent, and they have sweet tea. A BBQ joint without sweet tea is not to be trusted. And you are going to need a lot of if you eat the salty food. read more

Delicious ribs, like the sauce which has a little citrus flavor. Brisket is good too. I have the app and it only seems to acquire the points half the time which frustrates me. Manager has made good on it previously but I hate to keep going back and complaining. Service is consistently good. read more

Jeremy Hood, General Manager, went above and beyond to help this Texan in Virginia get the 'Talkin Cowboy' cd mailed to me so that I can teach my boys Texas slang. I appreciate greatly his fabulous customer service and can do attitude and such a pleasure to speak with. Good job County Line hiring phenomenal employees. read more

We are visiting from California and because hubby just loves barbecue, he wanted some down home authentic Texas barbecue. This place was pretty good, the standard sides of potato salad, coleslaw and beans were excellent! I particularly liked the chopped crunchies (celery and onions) in the potato salad. I could tell the coleslaw was made in house. They were kind enough to let me have dark meat chicken which I prefer instead of the white meat chicken breast. I thought the barbecue chicken was pretty good, not stellar, but good. Same with the brisket. In fact, although the flavor of the brisket was great, I was disappointed that the brisket was pretty dry, but that may have been my fault because I asked for the lean cut which is not as fatty. I had to slurp a lot of barbecue sauce on it to keep it moist, but it was still kind of dry. Hubby was very impressed by the beef ribs in the flavor and tenderness of the meat. The beef ribs were also humongous! The portions are very large there and none of us could finish our food but took home the leftovers. The service was excellent, we had a very friendly and attentive server named Gabe (?) who was such a sweetie and very much on top of things. The setting on the river/lake was just gorgeous and it was very relaxing and pretty to watch turtles swim by and even a couple of swans. This is a nice place to go. read more

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Basic, but sufficient. Is it the best bbq in the world? No. Will it get you full? Yes.

Food is mediocre bbq but the view on the lake is the reason we keep coming back. Perfect for larger groups or families to get a good meal and beautiful view. Usually not very busy so no reservations needed for party of 4 or less read more

County Line On The Lake - Beef Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great location, right on the rivers...stunning view. They do have turtles (a lot of babies) that you can feed. From the outside you wouldn't know what to expect. But once you inside, you feel like you're in the old country Texas salons, then a little view of the river...once you walk outside, the breath taken view. You just have to take several mins to soak it in. I came here with my family and then with a friend the following day. Great services, great drinks (the bartenders know how to make drinks for sure), good foods (not the best in Austin but with everything combined). Perfect place to be at. read more

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Follow up to last review. Great service and even without the manager there, gave me a coupon for a free meal read more

No hate on the servers or staff they were very nice and accommodating! The only reason this is getting 3 stars and not 2 is the honey butter and bread. The main food is the definition of mid. Very dry, unflavorful, and not worth the price whatsoever. I don't know if ambience makes up for the food quality but I wish it didn't have to be a question. I would not be very stoked on eating here again. read more

The Specialty blended sausages are made with jalapeños and cheese and their ribs are amazing. Be sure to grab a loaf of their house made bread to go with the meat. read more

3.5 Stars Pros: Huge Portions. Great presentation. Great value. Rustic, Homey interior. Pretty river view. We got the 3 meat combo ($22.99) with lean brisket, smoked chicken, and sausage. Also a half loaf of the home made bread. Cons: I didn't think the food itself was that amazing. It was solid, just not incredible (I may be biased, because I prefer fatty BBQ and sweeter beans. I loved how chunky the coleslaw was though. The best thing about the meal was the fluffy homemade bread. read more

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I haven't been here in quite some time. I was meeting a friend here for dinner. The views were perfect and our server, Elizabeth, was as nice as could be. I even shared my work email with her. She wants to be a kindergarten teacher and since that's what I do...I might as well mentor and share my knowledge right? The sautéed mushrooms were delicious. We forgot to ask for bread but after you see the size of our plates...you can agree that we didn't need any bread. Everything was great! read more

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We came out here for lunch on a summer Saturday and the place wasn't packed and had plenty of seating out by the water. As a matter fact, this place has tons of seating both inside and outside along with plenty of parking. Outdoor seating consists of fully covered seating and half a deck of umbrellas. While outside, you can get some food pellets to feed the turtles and fish from the dock where people pull their boats up to. Since there was a lot of cloud cover, we decided to sit on the outside covered deck. Service moved at a pretty relaxed pace, giving us plenty of time to look over the menu and get our drinks. The food arrived just minutes after we placed the order and so did a couple of flies which can be expected. The portions were very generous to say the least (we took a third of it home). The sides are fairly good, but the meat is the star of the show. The beans lack a little flavor, the coleslaw is heavy on the mayo and they serve a non-mustard potato salad. The St. Louis style ribs are coated in a sweet sauce and a rub. The beef ribs are smoked in their house rub. They also will bring you sides of their tangy barbecue sauce (don't forget to ask for bread). Be sure to save room for their cobbler, which has a pie crust, not bready character. When it's time to settle up, they'll bring a handheld device to your table with predetermined recommended tip amounts. I've been here several times before and I'm sure I'll be back again. Check out the bill and the photos below. read more

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First stop on my austin trip and was given the "this is the middle of the road" bbq speil. While I agree with the sentiment, lots of things made this experience so much better. We stopped for lunch shortly after they opened and got a beautiful spot on the outdoor patio. The patio was right next to the river and it was a nice little slice of nature. It was a bit hot already aka upper 90s... but it was bearable for the view. Service was quick and super nice, shout out to Alec who just started and came down from Cleveland. We got lunch platters of 2nd cut brisket, lean brisket, and beef ribs. All were great and good value for lunch. The ribs were almost too much for lunch, which meant i had leftovers. Great smokey bbq and nothing was dry. They had a good, not overly sweet bbq sauce as well. The slaw and potato salad were also great to go with the bbq, helping to cut some of the richness of beef fat. That homemade bread... that was soooo good. Very fluffy and soft and such a great vessel for butter. Overall, food's good and a good value for lunch. The service and view was def top notch though! read more

County Line On The Lake - Beef rib platter - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Was visiting from Chicago and my aunt booked this place because it accepted reservations. Located about a 15 minute drive from downtown Austin, though it has a distinctly rural feel, which was in alignment with the bbq menu. The menu was relatively straightforward, with 9 different meat options. There was an all you can eat option, as well as 1, 2, or 3 meat individual portions. I had the lean beef brisket and white-meat chicken. It came with 3 sides (mashed potato salad, cole slaw, and beans), of which the beans were my favorite. I wish there was a mac&cheese option. We also had THE bread (the one that costs extra "dough" and it was worth it); thick and sweet. I had Stubbs BBQ the night before and County Line's brisket was significantly less smoky, which I preferred. Our server COLLIN rocked!!!!!!!! He was having a busy night but treated all guests like they were his main priority. He was so kind to all patrons and exhibited patience and commitment and made sure all requests were taken care of. They also have a happy hour, which I missed out on, but I would want to try it another time! After dinner, we hung out by the river and watched the turtles swim (there were tons) while we waited for an uber back to the city. read more

What I like about this place is the location. It's located on the water right off 360/2222. It is very kitschy and has a very Texas vibe, as well as a wonderful smell of smoke. The food is mediocre, but the drinks are good and so is the service. There is so much better BBQ in this town but it has its place. I get the pork ribs with beef based sauce and the potato salad. Deviled eggs had shell in them (Uggh) and little flavor. I asked the bartender to make my Plum Sour a bit less sweet and it was delicious. I wish the food was better but I'll come back for the atmosphere. read more

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Absolutely loved everything about this place, especially that it sits by the lake. We had the beef ribs off the lunch menu. It comes with beans, cole slaw and potato salad. Now let me tell you I HATE coleslaw.......but here this place is THE BEST coleslaw I have personally ever had! The ribs were so delicious with the barbecue sauce that comes on the side....OMG. The service was also fast from the moment we sat down to getting our food. We sat outside on the patio and even though you deal with a few flies it really is not bad enjoying the nice weather out. It was a perfect lunch date. After you are done eating you can go feed the turtles and catfish. They have some machines and for 25 cents you can buy food for them. Or you can also toss them some bread (torn up of course). Overall I highly recommend this place, it will not disappoint! read more

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