Green Mesquite BBQ is an Austin institution that feels frozen in time. My friend and I popped into the BBQ spot before a Zach Scott theatre performance. Located on Barton Springs Road since 1988, it made headlines in 2025 when its own staff got together to save the restaurant from closure...a true test of how much Green Mesquite BBQ means to the Austin community. This BBQ spot is old school Austin...casual, affordable, and unassuming...feels like a neighborhood diner. The walls are plastered with everything...pictures, posters, signage. The name is derived from their use of green mesquite wood, which provides a distinct, slightly sweeter smoke profile. Green Mesquite hosts happy hour 3-6 pm, which we got to experience. We ordered chili-cheese fries and a glass of wine from the happy hour menu, which were $5 and $4, respectively. We also ordered the rib plate along cole slaw (my choice) and fried okra (my friend's choice.) We also shared peach cobbler with ice cream. I was not very hungry as I had a large late lunch. The standouts for our meal were the ribs and the peach cobbler. Green Mesquite is one of few BBQ places in Austin where you can buy a BBQ plate under $15. In addition, there is a small stage with an outdoor courtyard. Green Mesquite offers live music, hosts open mic and acoustic jamborees. Green Mesquite epitomizes local! Happy to support this great, longstanding Austin business. read more

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2.5/5 I ordered the 3 Meat Plate (brisket, sausage, wings, and 2 sides Cajun rice and pinto beans) and the 2 piece catfish plate with 2 sides of fries and green beans. Brisket - it wasn't bad, but I expected more. I've had better at other places in Austin. Wings - poor decision on my part to order wings from here. They were less than desirable. Sausage - this was the highlight meat. I wish I'd ordered just sausage. It was flavorful. Cajun rice - this rice had NO FLAVOR. I could smell that they'd used some seasonings but they need to go back to the drawing board. Eating it with the beans helped, but whew I was disappointed Pinto beans - mid at best. I wouldn't be disappointed to eat them again, but they weren't anything special. Catfish - above mid but not amazing. I wasn't thrilled about the size of the pieces but they tasted good. Green beans- miss. I can't put my finger on why, but I wish I'd gotten a different side. Fries - nothing special but I wasn't upset that I got them. Overall, I wouldn't say to my friends, "hey let's go to green mesquite" but if someone wanted to go, I'd be ok with going. read more

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Monday night treasures: great food, friendly and nice service AND live music in the backyard uncovered venue. I have been coming here 20+ years and never know the backyard was so awesome. Employees have skin in the company, they deserve to be treated and appreciated. Thank you ! read more

I walked in and was told by a friendly Asian waitress to sit wherever I like so I did. She then arrived to my table and took my order for a sweet tea and a 4 meat combo where I ordered ribs, lean brisket, sausage and chicken with jambalaya and green beans. The brisket, ribs and sausage were good. Jambalaya was ok and green beans were good. The chicken was a bit dry. The sweet tea was good and I was given a to go cup when I left. I didn't leave before getting dessert which was a slice of blueberry pie with a couple of big scoops of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream and that was good too. Green Mesquite is one of the oldest BBQ joints in Austin along with Sam's on E.12th and Iron Works in downtown Austin at Cesar Chavez. read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

The vibe is fun and local. The food is tasty and reasonably priced. Outdoor dining with good live music. read more

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If you guys need you some delicious, filling, warm, well priced food, get your orders in to Green Mesquite! I have ordered several times now from my job at the hospital a day this place is awesome! The value is great. I recommend their food and will order from them over and over. read more

The okra was so good. I haven't had good fried okra in awhile, maybe because I don't see it often in Pittsburgh. Service was awesome. We were there for lunch after a walk in Zilker Park. Luckily we snagged one of the few parking spots. Chicken was tender but I can't forget that okra. read more

My husband and I are trying more bbq now that we're doing keto together for a month before vacation. Green Mesquite was charming, but the meats are a little dry and plain. We were glad to find we could order meat by the pound, without sides, even though it's not listed on the menu. The serving of sausage was bigger than expected. The good news was the whole meal wasn't very expensive so we may have gotten our money's worth. read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Smoked Sausage, Brisket, 1/4 Chicken, Smoked Turkey - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Visited this place with my dog after our walk around Zilker. They have a pet friendly outdoor area which made it easy to sit with the dog. Overall the food was solid. I heard really good things about the wings and they lived up to the hype. I wish they had more sauce on them but I would definitely come back for them. The rest of the meal fell short in comparison. To me the brisket was a little too dry. The fried okra and coleslaw were okay sides. I did think the cheesesteak was tasty and would recommend. read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - 2 Meat BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

The turkeys good. The turkeys not dry. Jambalaya in portionable sizes. Fast service. Attentive. Red light. Live music. Shia labeoufs house. Yeah man read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Last of turkey sandwich and half 1/2 Jambalaya (Texas Style) - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Don't believe the negative reviews. This is outstanding, down-home barbecue that isn't overpriced, unlike so many places in Austin. As soon as you walk in you are greeted with a big warm, Texas welcome and a reassuring handshake from the owner Rick. He loves this business and it shows. The staff are friendly, and you can tell they genuinely enjoy taking care of their customers. It's a real family-run operation that radiates lots of love for good food and pride in sharing that passion with others. I found the portions to be a good size, and everything came out fresh without too long of a wait. We had the Frito pie, four meat platter of smoked chicken, brisket, sausage, and ribs. with Mac and cheese, green beans, and an extra side of coleslaw. I especially liked the tender smoked chicken with a nice crust on it, and the sausage with had that sharp snap when you cut into it, always a good sign. Brisket was delicous, it does have a slight pull (so not completely so soft and tender that it melts in your mouth), which is personal preference but I really enjoyed it. Green beans, hush puppies, and Frito pie were all excellent. Craving something sweet to chase all that savory? Their homemade pies are AMAZING. We got a slice of blueberry pie to go for a late-night snack and it was superb. read more

Food was pretty good. Ribs and chicken were very good. Brisket was for tender and lean as requested. Peach cobbler was a nice topper. The jam outside was a very nice surprise! Was expecting live music much less such a tight jam. Service was marginal to good. Owner came around and greeted everyone and truly seemed grateful to have us there read more

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Been in Austin since 1980 and have never visited this place. Wtf??? There's a ton of places that have blown up in Austin for BBQ but you should look up this story. Employees bought the place to save it! Got the wings and hands down...fantastic. Finger licking good. I understand the happy hour wings are a Buck! Go here. Support local. read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Wings - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Best old school BBQ joint. 2 meat plate with Brisket and Chicken more than enough for me! So tasty. Straight up no sauce smothering the meat. Still beats all the new -vibe places. Austin at its best! BBQ at its best. Great BBQ doesn't need sauce. Peach cobbler has plenty of fruit. Great coffee too. read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Half Chicken! - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This was a DoorDash order so I can't comment on service or ambiance. I've ordered 3 different times. The first two were catfish, the second chicken & ribs, both orders with great potato salad; it was all very good. Tonight was...off. The barbecue was tender but just didn't have that smoked taste you expect. It's like it was baked in an oven and thrown on a grill just long enough to char the outside. But the chocolate pie was great! And portion sizes are commendable. I hope they were just too busy and I hit them on an off day. read more

I came in with some friends and the owner slapped his dick on the table and sang "Hey Macarena." It was some funny shit bro. Then we had some killer wings and caught some music on the patio. It was a beautiful night. Staff was great. Food was awesome. Ambiance and family vibe was what we were looking for. Hell yeah! read more

I was in the mood for wings. And they did not disappoint saw the chicken and bbq all of it looked great the staff was super nice and speedy. I was going to go next door but after standing at the order sign for a while and being ignored I decided to go here. Glad i did read more

Clean and Good service. Catfish and sides tasty and hot. Slaw fresh. Nostalgia theme with old school counter, booths and tables. Prices reasonable. In town visiting and would come back for sure. read more

The best bbq with friendly Texas service. Skip the line and enjoy local Texas BBQ at this adorable location. I love the catfish and hush puppies. read more

We stopped by right before they were about to close and all of the workers were so friendly and welcoming. They offered for us to be able to sit and eat although they were closing. The atmosphere gives a very cozy feel and we really enjoyed how relaxed it is. We got the chopped beef sandwich and chopped beef chili cheese fries and both were good! Would definitely visit again. Parking seems like it might be hard if it's busy but there is street parking and spots around the restaurant. read more

Food was amazing! We tried the Loaded potato, the wings, the three meat plate with sides and a blueberry pie with ice cream. Everything came out fast. Everything turned out super great. Our server was very nice and friendly as well! Will definitely be coming back read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Asked for check 30 mins ago. Had to hunt the waitress down. Still ignored. Please do better on service.

The wait staff were all nice, the service was quick, and the ambience was very good, BUT, I'm never coming back here. I have not been so disappointed in a meal from a restaurant in years. I expected much better from this place, given what I heard about it. I decided to get the chicken fried steak, as I'm a fanatic for a good one. I can't believe they have the audacity to charge S16.00 for a decidedly small portion of meat, less than a quarter cup of over cooked fries, bland gravy, no Texas Toast, barely passable Cole slaw, the portions were ridiculous for the price. ​ read more

Cosy bbq places in mid Austin. They serve bbq plates, baked potatoes, sandwiches and more. The bbq is good. This is a sit down order place so no asking for moist lean or bark etc. The food is quite good and the 2 meat plate with 2 sides is really good. Recommend brisket and smoked wings with 2 sides. Potatoe salad is tastey as is the jambalaya. Nice place. read more

Came because my wife heard a terrific chicken fried steak could be procured at The Green Mesquite. We only get to treat ourselves once a month to something nice so we like it to be special. She did not read that incorrectly. We both got the chicken fried steak, and we both were delighted. You can cut it with your fork, no sawing required. Hell, no teeth even. Just beautiful. She didn't care for her green beans, however, because of all the onions. That's a personal thing so I won't ding them too much for her not liking onions. If they were described as onion green beans, there wouldn't be any ding, though, tbh, because then it would have been on her for not reading. I know if she knew they'd be swimming in onions she would have chosen another side option. Live and learn. Overall - wonderful comfort food country classic in a convenient location that will leave your tummy feeling happy and you feeling great for supporting our local Old Austin institutions. read more

We always enjoy this place. They have friendly staff, great live music, always a great meal. A lot to like!

This place has amazing bbq sauce. Mac and cheese and string beans weren't touched much. Brisket is great with the sauce. read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Brisket with 2 sides 1 Meat BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Really good food at a reasonable price, and no crazy waits - not many places serving BBQ in Austin can lay claim to that. Where they really shine is the fried items - the catfish, okra and French fries were all incredibly crispy. The sausage beats out Black's BBQ and Stiles Switch for me - nice and moist. Some reviews have mentioned that Green Mesquite is not shiny and new, and that's exactly why I like it. Green Mesquite looks like exactly what it is - an old school casual BBQ joint. No need to change. read more

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Very friendly. Had the cheeseburger and fries. The fries were like you get at grocery and not a lo( good thing). Burger was not big, not much taste. Tomato and onions were the best part. No napkin. Cute place ..... about 30 years ago. Looked like it could use a good cleaning. Prices cheap, but seemed the food quality was too. The server was nice but this place misses on all fronts. Went to Franklin BBQ yesterday and not getting BBQ here for sure. If you're on a budget and don't care about food quality and want diner type food in an old place this might be for you. How is this place still in business? read more

Customer service was nice. Frito pie was good & tasty. We had the HH wings- they tasted eh. They had like a reheated flavor like taste to them/ not fresh. But then what do you expect for $1 wings on HH menu. The mac n chz NEEDS some major help- for starters -pls use actual cheese! Instead of water and powder cheese. If you want to make it - you have to compete with some decent food & you're going to have to put a little more effort. It also had like a fabuloso cleaning taste to it. Pinto beans - were not fresh- needs some help too. Potato salad eh- wasn't good- wasn't bad- better than mac. Sausage- no flavor & very dry. Brisket- eh it was better than the sausage & mac n chz. But pls- at least take some pride in the basics of the your food. Prob won't be backs this was my 2nd time giving you a try. read more

Smallest pieces of catfish I've ever been served. Terrible Terrible Terrible. Honestly I want my money back read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Not even a full filet. Very disappointing - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is not the best barbecue in Austin. But it's pretty darn close and would be the best in a lot of cities. Plus prices are reasonable and portions are large. Throw in the great patio, live music, and friendly staff and this place is worth a visit. read more

Came for Sunday lunch, food was absolutely wonderful. Service was great. Prices are very reasonable. Super cute Halloween decorations that went well with the traditional BB-Q Texan decor. Very traditional down-home Texas diner BB-Q place with a retro vibe. We will definitely be coming back, and will add Green Mesquite to our list of favorites. read more

Iconic old school BBQ spot Austin with service and a smile. I dream of the BBQ, fried okra, a cold beer, and their ranch....Oh their ranch dressing! Great atmosphere, vibe and nice people -- and with an outside patio to boot. Easy place to find and ample parking. What is not to love! read more

This was a gem of a find in our quest for BBQ without the long wait times. We were greeted immediately and waited briefly while they set up our patio table for five on a rustic picnic table in the store's backyard. It was nice to find a patio away from the street! The menu here is huge! All types of smoked meats and accompanied by a vinegar-forward spicy sauce to use or not. I used it on the ribs but not the chicken; those juicy flavors were best unadorned. I ordered the two meat platter with ribs and 1/4 smoked chicken, fried okra bites and a little side salad. Others at my table got the tender, flavorful brisket, the pulled beef, ribs, or chicken in two- or three-meat combos. Mike (the owner) stopped by frequently to see how we were enjoying it and we gave him happy, enthusiastic feedback. Service was excellent, the restaurant was bustling, and everyone was smiling. Servers were masked as well as patrons except while eating. Texas loves its BBQ and being from Tennessee we do as well! This place fits the bill with juicy, tender, meaty smoked meats and perfect southern sides. Try it! read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Two meat combo platter, ribs & chicken yum! - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

!!!!Wednesday Special @ Green Mesquite BBQ !!! 3 meat Plate @ 14.99 you cannot beat this Great BBQ & Value ! Excellent Service & Conversation read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Ordered a brisket sandwich that lacked flavor and color. My partner ordered ribs and brisket and the ribs were dry and hard. Would not recommend. read more

Five-star barbecue! A long-time Austin favorite does not disappoint. With the rise of food costs, labor force, and cost to do business, this iconic restaurant has not compromised quality or customer service. We were pleasantly impressed with the service, portions, price and quality. The meats were cooked perfectly and were very lean. The pork ribs are thick cut. The brisket has the most amazing smoked flavor. The pork and chicken were juicy and not dry. The bbq sauce was tangy and flavorful. The max and cheese is super creamy and the cole slaw was freshly chopped. Our mouths were watering and we couldn't stop talking about how satisfied we were and happy we chose this restaurant. So good. We will definitely order again. We also ordered the loaded baked potatoes and French fries on the side - delicious and fresh. Jo's Pro Tips: available on DoorDash for quick and convenient delivery. read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - 2 Meat BBQ Plate, Cole Slaw, Green Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Not sure if it was the actual manager but a lady came out the facility to smoke and rudely told me I cant park there not knowing that I was walking down the street to meet my friend in which we planned on eating there... Next time I suggest you ask if the customer plans on eating there instead of telling them that you're the manager and they can't park there. Highly don't recommend and will not come back. read more

I desperately needed a protein fix tonight so I got the 3 Smoked Meats BBQ plate with wings, turkey, and chopped brisket and sides of jambalaya and pinto beans. I got it through UberEats (I can't leave a review there so I'm doing it here) for 30% off. So it was less than $15 (fee & tip not included) and the service was fast! And OMG I haven't had some good BBQ in a good MINUTE, so this fed my soul lemme tell ya. It came with 3 wings, way too much turkey and a good almost 3 oz (pls don't double check my math there) of chopped brisket. Each of them were a whole serving alone- then there was still the jambalaya and beans. Absolutely scrumptious. I devoured this like I didn't eat both breakfast and lunch (see photo for proof). I ordered delivery because I had to stay home tonight but you will definitely be seeing me pull up in person to this joint, trust. Thank y'all for my first good Texas BBQ meal in way too long! read more

The Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Utterly devoured Smoked Meats 3 Meat BBQ plate (After) - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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