I came here for the beef ribs and they did not disappoint. Are they expensive? Most definitely, 2 ribs cost $54 (they weigh them so prices can vary). Were they 100% worth it? ABSOLUTELY. When I tell you these ribs were a religious experience I am not embellishing. Full disclosure: I do not currently live in the south so I don't consider myself a BBQ connoisseur, but I did spend 4 years in the south and have sampled many BBQ joints in the meantime. Take this review as someone who really enjoys BBQ (and any slow cooked meat for that matter) but who could not list more than 10 BBQ restaurants they have eaten at in the last 5 years. So the beef ribs. Great texture, tender meat but still had a bite to it. Expertly seasoned so they were not wet with sauce but still moist. I would consider 1 beef rib a snack, 2 a small meal. I also tried the chopped brisket (brisket and burnt ends sitting in a soup of BBQ sauce). That was also delicious (and more reasonably priced), but I could have done with slightly less sauce. It really was like a soup and while the sauce was tasty, there was too much of it. I went later in the afternoon (around 2/2:30pm) and got their last two beef ribs so going earlier is better. You order at the open kitchen and then pay at the counter when your food is ready. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, you can take your food and sit at any of their tables of which they have many (this place is pretty big). I cannot comment on how this place stacks up to other BBQ spots in Austin, but I very much enjoyed the beef ribs. read more

I really wanted to like this we wanted to try TX bbq and we could walk here from our hotel in Austin. This place has the country vibes, old school store front with bottled cokes in old ice coolers, walk up order, get food handed to you then head to the register to pay. Prices were high for bbq, side options were Mac n cheese, beans, coleslaw, potato salad. Etc. Our group had pork ribs (2) with sides of beans, potato salad, coleslaw & mac n cheese, and a pulled pork sandwich served with pickle and raw onion on the side. Plates came with a slice of white bread. Unfortunately the food was okay but not amazing for what we paid, We will be searching for a good quality bbq still!!! read more

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Very disappointed in this place. The prices are through the roof and the beef ribs, for which they are famous for, were tough and I did not care for the flavor. Bland and not enjoyable. Very large though and the Jr portion was more than enough. The beans needed more seasoning but the potato salad was good as was the peach cobbler. We were recently in Memphis and had ribs at Rendezvous which were absolutely amazing. This place didn't even come close. We won't be back. read more

A perfect stop for lunch: no wait for delicious, tender beef brisket, some fixings, and a choice of two sides with the platter. I really like the coleslaw and thought it was good to cut through some grease, and liked the way the meat complements the beans. Even the bread and pickles were good. read more

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Not sure why this place only has 3.7 overall rating. It was really good!! The brisket was tender with a wonderful smoke flavor. The sausage had a nice pop with the casing but also a deep, rich flavor with just the right amount of grease. The Mac n cheese was nice and creamy. The beans were also full of flavor. Had a large group (10+) but the food is served immediately, you pay, and then sit. We were able to enjoy our meals together. Vibe is great. Super chill and casual with that TX BBQ flare. Highly recommend! read more

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If my earlier visit to Waco taught me anything, it is that brisket is a must during trips to the Lone Star State. I knew I wanted a place that was tried-and-true but also didn't have a line out the door, and Iron Works fit the bill nicely. It's a historical site with still-running wood-burning stoves and lots of old photos on the walls, so the pedigree was there. The menu boasted plates, sandwiches, desserts, and meats by the pound. While sausage or smoked turkey may have tempted me on another occasion, I zeroed in on a sliced beef sandwich, which was prepared almost immediately. All told, it was good but not quite great. The brisket was very tender but didn't quite deliver the smokiness I had hoped for. At $12.95, the sandwich came sans sides, but it was at least decently sized. Even if it didn't blow me away, I'm glad I gave Iron Works a try. read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Sliced beef sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

I came for the beef ribs but they were out. Got the pork ribs and sausage and my goodness....:the rib probably rivals the best seasoned, moistest pork ribs I've ever had. read more

Iron Works Barbecue - This place is historic - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

The place was cool. All the signed photos along the walls and being in the old mill was neat. The service however was a bit rough. The staff was rather rude and was tryin to push us through the line with us being the only ones in line. For the food, the pulled pork was extremely sweet. The sides were solid but for coming for the meat it was a bit disappointing read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Pulled pork plate - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Iron works is right around the corner from my apartment, amazing amazing bbq chicken, literally came two days in a row for it. Not only is the chicken so good, but the service is amazing. Irene is so friendly and fun. She's got me coming back! read more

1 turkey sandwich, small Mac, and a beer was $27. Turkey was not tasty, Mac was bland AF and needed me to douse it in black pepper for any flavor to exist. It's been a while since I've been here and it's going to be another while before I even think about coming back. My last review said this is the most average bbq in town, this place may have just dropped to below average. Food isn't good, that's it. read more

Wanted texas BBQ. We got 2 plates one sampler with beef rib,sausage,brisket, and the other was pork ribs. The beef rib is really good, the pork ribs are decent, the brisket was ok ,I have had better and the sausage was flavorless, You can get better ones at Costco. The Corn cob , beans, and Mac n cheese are good. Potato salad was bland. read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Our plates - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Solid, I got the sampler plate. I think the brisket was the best. The sides are fine but aren't amazing. Over all the service was fast , ton of seating. Great for big parties. read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Drove by and stopped! So glad we did. We shared the brisket plate since we weren't that hungry and it was the best creamed corn we've ever had!! read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Brisket plate - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Disappointed! I was looking forward to having some Texas barbecue when I got to Austin. I only had a certain number of days here, so I'm disappointed that one of those meals was wasted here. The brisket sandwich wasn't really that good. The atmosphere is authentic, but that's about it. read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Brisket Sandwich with a side of Green Beans - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Solid bbq! The staff was nice and got us served quickly and the food was out promptly. The location is pretty decent, and getting better with the construction of the river walk going in behind the restaurant. The food was good, I enjoyed the beef rib the best. The brisket left me wanting a little more. Nice selection of beers and non alcoholic drinks. read more

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Food is not priced accordingly!!! Not sure what happened to this place but it has changed for the worse! The Beef Rib Plate WAS my go to plate- until I saw $60!! SIXTY DOLLARS!! And then two SMALL servings - of sides. FOR THAT AMOUNT - you should be serving the sides in a small bowl! Tea seemed to have been sitting there for some time- had that old taste. I really can't say how good the sides were because there was barely any for me to enjoy. Ribs- not enough meat on them to charge me $60! The taste was decent. I paid more for the rib bone to give my dog than actually meat! Employees don't seem to be too excited about working there either! Does this mean they hate their job or employer? Idk. Won't be going back. It's been around awhile but with food prices, service like this- it won't last read more

Great brisket, and super fast service! Loved the ambiance of Texas dive and famous signed autographs everywhere. I walked there from my hotel by the convention center. I had the brisket plate with two sides, Cole slaw and beans for me, and also came with pickles, bread and onion. With an iced tea, was about $28. read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Brisket plate - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Irene is the best. She was very informative about the food, history, and culture of this restaurant. Great food, both the main courses and sides were great! read more

Delicious! We had the sampler plate and it was phenomenal. Aesthetics were perfect Texas bbq vibes and we had a wonderful dinner. read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Atmosphere - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Highly recommend the Iron Works experience. Rustic, quick service and tasty BBQ. We had the brisket and half chicken, Coleslaw and chunky potato salad. All yummy. Wish we had a larger party as I wanted to try the beef and pork ribs. read more

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The best pulled pork BBQ sandwich we ever had. Brisket was amazing. We had coleslaw, mac&cheese, and potato salad, too. The potato salad had big chunks of potato, without an overdose of mayo. Country music on the radio, the river running by the outdoor seating. Only complaint was no Diet Coke in the fridge on the day we visited. read more

Not gonna lie, looking from the outside I was a bit skeptical. With my hotel being across the street, I'd pass by several times and didn't notice much activity. I'm so glad I decided to check the Yelp reviews because it was worth stopping by. The meats were well seasoned (not overly or bland). While the ribs weren't falling off the bone, they were tender and had some bite. I should've gone up for another order. The bristket was tasty, with the tiniest bit of fat (yum for flavor). The potato salad was also delicious. The mac and cheese could have used a bit more cheese but was still fine. I also tried their sweet tea, which I really liked. This may sound weird, but something about it (maybe the mouthfeel) reminded me of coconut water. Overall, really good experience! read more

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My briquet sandwich was delicious. staff was friendly. Casual spot with take out and dine in easy options. fast service.

Try: Sampler Plate Why: Tons of meat, which I ended up sharing with a friend! I thought the ribs, brisket, and sausage was good. Ribs were my fav. Also came with Mac & Cheese, Potato Salad, Onions and Pickles. The sides were nice but the main event was of course the meats. Notes: Conveniently next to convention center so friends and I had dinner there after work as we were craving some BBQ. Plenty of tables for a group and napkins to clean your hands! Bathroom was small and hot but I only needed it to wash my hands. Fun TX BBQ experience! We left very full! read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Sampler Plate - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is definitely the Best BBQ I had in Austin. After the show, it's a great place to eat and handout with friends. The staff helped to take the plates out which it was more like a Fast food place. But they still provide great service. I would recommend it for sure. I will be back with my family read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We were visiting Texas for a work trip, and we all wanted BBQ. And we were so disappointed in this place. The pulled pork was so dry- had absolutely no taste. And the Mac & cheese was was the exact same. No flavor . So disappointed read more

I had just arrived in Austin and checked in at my downtown hotel. It was 10:30 am and I was starving, so I went for a walk to find something -- anything -- to put in my belly. Iron Works BBQ was the closest place open in the area, so I went inside. I figured, hey, I'm in Texas and it's BBQ, so what could go wrong. Answer: A LOT. The short of it is: this place sucks. There was a line of sketchy customers and by the time I got to the counter to order, the staff seem to have had enough of everyone's foolishness. They were far from friendly, but I figured I'm not here to make friends so I didn't really care. I ordered a brisket plate with two sides and my friend got a brisket and sausage plate with a side of fries. We paid the nice cashier and took a seat. The food wasn't super pricey, especially for downtown Austin and barbecue, but the quality was utter crap. The brisket was tough and super fatty (like GROSS fatty). The green beans were straight from a can, and the macaroni was an embarrassment. The sausage and ribs were mediocre. At least the fries were hot. The meat quality was absolutely atrocious. I'm still in shock with the awful quality. We also found the portions to be inadequate. We were starving so the food filled our bellies, but I had more gristle and fat on my plate than meat in my stomach. The iced tea was super strong and freshly brewed, so at least that was a plus. The bbq sauces on the table were tasty, too. Neither of these positives are enough to make a good restaurant, however. Iron Works Barbecue is just terrible. It's a true dive that looks legit from the outside, but the food is anything but. Do not waste your time and money here. Spend the dough and hop at Lyft or Uber to one of the far better options a bit further from the city. read more

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Iron Works is an old school bbq place in downtown Austin. Nothing fancy as it's a red barn with styrofoam plates, plastic wear and paper towels, but the brisket is tasty and not too fatty, the creamed corn was good and Mac & cheese is a staple. Sorta wish they had a couple flavors of bbq sauce but they do have a chilli bar. read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Brisket platter!! :) - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Service was fast and friendly. The barbecue was amazing - Great smoke flavor and very pull apart tender. read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Sample platter with half chicken added - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Was really looking forward to some Texas brisket. Took me a minute to decide between just the meat or the meal. Lol. The pecan pie was good. Not overly sweet. The brisket. . . Well. . . it was very dry. Missing that nice fat cap to keep it juicy. Flavors were good. I wanted to buy a T-shirt but the gal didn't charge me said she'd have to go look for the size and it was kinda busy so she didn't have time. Really wanted a shirt. Oh well. . . it was super hot that day and I was sweating up a storm. Luckily my hotel was just across the street. I do want to go back and try the ribs and sweet corn. read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Pecan Pie - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Iron Works BBQ is charming in down home, old school, vintagey fixer-upper kind of way. Which in a way is kiiinda what you want in a bbq place - no muss, no fuss, just good meat and bangin' sides. And Iron Works almost hits the mark! Don't let the tool shed vibes scare you off - it's actually kind of cute inside. And they've got a back patio overlooking a small creek that is awesome. We got Sampler Plates - brisket, sausage, and a beef rib. They're apparently known for their brisket - and for good reason. It is fire! The sausage was less fire and more day old coals. And the rib? Ya, the rib is not it. Rib meat should fall off the bone. I had to battle that rob for the meat - and I think the bone won. If I go back I think id just get the brisket - it's seriously delicious!! read more

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We were in Austin for a day and went here for dinner. The brisket is what you expect in Texas - really good - star of the show The ribs were decent and dessert was nice Overall this joint checked all the boxes read more

We took a quick trip from San Antonio to Austin for some friends before they headed back to California. We needed to find BBQ... Other places were recommended, but were closed.. We were at the stoplight outside of IWB and the smell was good enough to lock us in and wait 30 mins in the parking lot for them to open. Walk in and the place is FREAKING COOL, old school and historic looking, and the smell SMACKS you right in the face! we got the BBQ Sampler, Sausage, brisket and a Dinosaur Rib, 2 sides, another pulled pork sandwich and banana pudding. Ive never had better BBQ In my life, it was so good down to every last bite! What is wild to me is, there are other places that are said to be the best in Austin, but quite honestly, Im not sure I have to try another place. Not only were they OPEN on a Monday and a holiday but the food was so GOOD and the staff so friendly, this will be the go to for bringing others to Austin for BBQ. You just got a customer for life! read more

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The beef rib was cooked perfectly, and the brisket fell apart in my mouth, the beans have an awesome little kick to them too. I left satisfied read more

On visit to Austin, Iron Works was our first BBQ joint. I ordered Jr. Ribs which was 2 ribs and sides. The ribs were incredible. Mac n' Cheese side and French fries were both good. Wife had sampler of 1 rib, brisket and 2 sausages. She loved the rib and the brisket. Not so much the sausage. Gave one to me and I concurred to give it a pass. read more

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Smoked turkey is excellent, so are the beef ribs and brisket. Interesting building and nice place.

A little expensive but definitely delicious Service was polite and knowledgeable. Check out the potbelly stove. read more

I thought the meats were good. Brisket was definitely the best and the ribs were huge! Sides could be better, I got the Mac and cheese and cream corn. The pecan pie was delicious. I do wish they had more / better sauces. The bbq sauce good, and the hot version tasted the same. Overall though, I still enjoyed my meal! read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Sampler platter - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Must try BBQ spot(s) in Austin On my first trip to Austin, I visited a friend and we did a blind Austin BBQ taste test between three different local restaurants. Terry Blacks, Ironworks, and B cooper. Below is a ranking how they fared, with my favorites ranked in each category. My one caveat is that we got the food to go. If I return I will update my review with how the restaurant stacks up. Ironworks - Iron works had stiff competition when it came to its local competitors, but it held its own in a few categories. The one area that I felt that it outshines the competition was in terms of its barbecue sauce. If you'd like barbecue sauce, and you put it all over your barbecue food, then you're going to be happy when it comes to flavor of this sauce. Where it stacked up average against the competitors was its mild sausage and brisket. I thought it was very tasty and it went neck and neck with Terry Black's but I gave Terry Black's the edge here. The areas that it fell a little bit behind was the sides. The beans seem to be cooked well, but maybe because they weren't suspended in a liquid, they tasted a little dry once they got home. Again, nothing pouring a little barbecue sauce over them doesn't fix but wasn't my favorite. The pickles were good, middle of the pack. Overall, in my Texas experience I put ironworks as my second favorite barbecue spot, just behind. Behind Terry Black's. I would love to return and have an in-person visit for my next trip and I will re-review! read more

Iron Works Barbecue - Sampling of Iron Works - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Prices compared to the portions was a little underwhelming. Staff was helpful. Place was clean and empty. BBQ baked beans weren't very good. Mac n cheese was decent just not enough. If it wasn't for their bbq sauce pry would be a lower rating, absolute fire spicy sauce read more