It was my first time in Austin and my first BBQ place in Austin. Safe to say they did not disappoint! Food 5/5: I got the Classic Beef Brisket and it was delicious! It wasn't too salty which I was scared of with many BBQ dishes. I paired it with their waffle fries and it was great. I should've gotten another one! Ambiance & reservations 5/5: We stayed downtown and getting there was a breeze. I'd recommend getting reservations just in case since it was the weekend. Service 3/5: the server was sweet but she took awhile to get back with us. We waited awhile for the BBQ (which happens at most BBQ), waited 30-40 min for her to come pick up the check, and then waited another 30-40 min for her to come back with our checks. Overall I'd recommend for the food but make sure you don't have anything planned right after! read more

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Nice two-level downtown location. There's a little bit of a speakeasy vibe because there's not a big sign outside and it's quite dark inside. Walk-in wait was 45 min but we opted for bar seating on got lucky right away. The bar offers a good selection of beers on tap and they have a separate whiskey/bourbon drink menu. We ordered the BBQ (of course) pork ribs and Texas brisket. The brisket was noticeably dry. Fortunately, they give you cute glass bottles of BBQ sauce, hot sauce and a mustard blend. The country style pork ribs are fantastic - tender to the bone, succulent with flavors, but not a rub that's overwhelming on the palate. There's not much else - the scant amount of coleslaw is lacking, and even though we ordered two entrees, we received only one dinner role. I asked for extra bread and got charged $4 for two more rolls which is annoying and also a poor business practice. It's also confusing how you order two things for two different people and it all ends up on the same plate. And then they asked if we were sharing? The value simply isn't here - total bill ended up being $75 before tax and tip. For three ribs and overdone brisket. I suppose there were some onion rings and pickles in there as well. I'm trying another place next time. That's all. read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Pork ribs plus Texas Prime Brisket - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

While touring in the Austin Tour Double Decker bus, the tour guide mentioned Lambert's Downtown BBQ was a good place to dine. After the tour, my daughter & I decided to dine at Lambert's Downtown BBQ restaurant and it was the very worst lunch we even encountered. The waiter brought us an appetizer of jalapano mini corn muffins made with corn kernals, added cheese and butter for the mini muffins. I ordered baby back ribs with Mac & cheese and my daughter ordered brisket and collard greens. I did not want jalapano BBQ sauce on my ribs, so I requested them with no sauce and they were salty, the Mac & cheese was salty and runny as if too much milk was added and the waiter stated, oil was added to the Mac & cheese. I asked the waiter if the brisket was marble and he said they do not have marble brisket but the brisket is tender. Unfortunately, the brisket was salty and tuff. The collard greens were so salty, inside my mouth was burning. We could not eat any of the meal due to the meal being inedible. After speaking with the manager on duty, he apologized for the meal. I offered to pay for the root beer, but the manager said, no, that's all right, he would take care of the bill. I know my palate is different from everybody else's palate, but I am a great food connoisseur and I can distinguish between a good meal and a bad meal. Maybe the cook was having a bad day, I don't know, but our lunch was horrible. I have no recommendation for this restaurant. read more

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Solid choice for BBQ. Ample portions- perfect for sharing. Our server suggested the brisket (@ $29) and ribeye (@ $65) to share (for our party of 3) - perfect amount but all agreed the brisket was the star (if you're trying to decide between the two). read more

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Ambiance - The building itself and the ambience 10/10. Service - Terrible from start to finish. Our waitress took a little over 10 min to greet us and take our drink order. A drink runner brought the drinks and we didn't see the waitress again for over 30 min. We had to ask other staff members if they could get her to begin placing an order. She showed up 5 or so min later and took our food order - she even wrote it down. 20 min go by and she asked if we were ready to order. We told her we already had and she asked us to remind her what got & walked off in a rush. I had to use the restroom so I went the same direction and saw her feverishly punching in our order because she had completely forgot. We then didn't see her again until well after we were done and looking around for our check. We again had to ask someone to find her. We chalked it all up to an off day and do hope she was ok! Food - Crispy boar ribs were freaking amazing! Our whole table thought those were the highlight of the entire night. Everything else was just ok and the 3 bbq sauce options weren't our preference on taste. Besides those bison ribs - nothing about our meal was gourmet. If cool vibes and ambiance is what you're looking for I say check this place out. If it's killer bbq and service I would definitely not recommend. read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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My friend, my adult child and I came in on a Friday at 6 pm for dinner before seeing a show at ACL Live. We had reservations and we were seated right away. The place was light on customers when we arrived, but filled up steadily over the course of our meal. Our server, Andrew, was enthusiastic and encouraged us to try some of the non barbecue items on the menu. We ordered a variety of items to share, including the steamed bun with fried oyster special, the crudo, fried zucchini, brisket, and mashed potatoes. The steamed bun was very good - spicy and crunchy. The smoked tomatoes served with the crudo were unique and very delicious. Honestly, every dish was good. I really liked the brisket, but my kiddo thought it was a bit too fatty. We had the coconut semifredo for dessert, and this was a standout. A very nice, very filling meal overall. We enjoyed the country band playing live music, and the upscale rustic decor, and we enjoyed friendly, easy-going service from everyone we encountered during our visit. read more

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We arrived around 5:30 on a Saturday and were lucky enough to snag the last two seats at the downstairs bar. We kicked things off with two cocktails, and both were excellent. The bartenders were attentive and friendly without being pushy, which made the experience even more enjoyable. After drinks, we ordered the Spiced Gulf Prawns. WOW, these were a standout. Perfectly spiced and absolutely delicious. If you're dining at Lamberts, these are a must-try. We wrapped up the meal by splitting the Wood Grilled Cheeseburger. It was flavorful, juicy, and more than enough food for the two of us to share. Overall, a fantastic experience from start to finish. Great food, great drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere. Lamberts is definitely worth visiting. Next time we plan to try the upstairs bar with live music. read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Dirty Vodka Martini - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

We had a great time here!!!! Staff is great. Neat 2 story building with bar, music, and food upstairs. Restaurant downstairs. Really great food - queso n chips = wow Skirt / flank steak with chimichurri butter sauce = da best 3 meat sampler = oooofa Smoked ribs = CHA CHING!!!! Super duper good. Drinks n beer / I'm staying. Keep up da great work lamberts!!!! I'll b back read more

good sit down table service restaurant format for bbq. we came on a super quiet night so not that many diners and staff are relatively attentive. I do think the food is very pricey for the quality / not a value destination. Crispy wild boar ribs is a must have!! And I would come back here for that again, but nothing else. The baby back ribs is mehhh at best - the meat is not really holding together, country style ribs are much better. Ok pickles; everything was sort of salty... read more

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Came here for team dinner - can't say enough of good things. The building itself is 150 years old and haven't lost its charm. We ordered a whole bunch of things from the menu - I've lost count, but all I can say is that literally every single meal tasted great. The meats were very soft and melted in your mouth, and all sides were delicious as well. Our server Alexander was also super friendly and quick - he even improvised birthday cake for one of our teammates. Overall, highly recommend and will be back. read more

When the Locals Argue, You Know It's Good. Came to Austin on a work trip and our local guys were in a heated debate - Terry Black's versus Lambert's. (Cooper's was in the mix too, but already knocked that off the list on a previous trip.) Lambert's won the argument, and I'm not complaining. The spot is housed in an old brick building with live music and a serious bar slinging good selection of bourbons and cocktails. But let's be real - we went straight for the meats. Brisket, hot links, lamb, ribs - the whole lineup. Tender, juicy, cooked just right, falling off the bone. They've got a selection of sauces, but honestly, the meat doesn't need much help. The sides are a decent size. Like, each one could be a meal on its own - but then I am a light weight compared to Texas sizes. Great service. We had a friendly bar tender, who pushed some interesting versions of his cocktails on our group. Our server was pretty knowledgable about the meats, and guided us well. Come for the food, and once those belt buckles need to get loosened up after your meal, stay for some music and drinks read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - all the meats in one place - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I was walking my dog here and they came out and gave him free water cause he got overheated! God bless them read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Yummy barbeque meats and the decor is nice! Got the brisket and pork ribs and the mac and cheese and potato salad. Loved everything. Also loved the queso burnt ends! read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Insanely delicious meal, the boar ribs were a must get appetizer! This is a cool casual but elevated vibe for BBQ. Very fun to be right downtown. They have both indoor and outdoor seating options, I encourage getting a reservation to ensure a table quickly on the weekends. However, walkins are accepted. The staff were all extremely nice but it was very slow to get our items/bill on a busy Friday night. read more

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Coworkers and I headed to Lambert's for lunch during a conference week after it was recommended to us by hotel staff where we were staying. We were looking for a non-touristy bbq place in downtown Austin after a disappointing first meal somewhere else the day before. Lambert's did NOT disappoint. Their bourbon and whisky list alone is worth the visit - everything from American bourbons to rare/unusual Japanese and Agave offerings. The food was incredible, so was the staff! Their house-made hot sauces were so good. I think we nearly finished the small bottle of the original. read more

Really like this place, their Chopped brisket sandwich is amazing. Pretty good service and vibe. Definitely recommend. read more

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Went here before ACL show. Great choice over all the chain restaurants in the area. Cool historic building and the food was awesome. They first sat us downstairs, which is fine, but we asked to move upstairs to where a band was playing and they accommodated us with no problem. Band was not loud, still easy to have conversation at the table. My spare rib was so good and waiter was attentive and professional. A great experience read more

Came to Lamberts during happy hour and it was amazing! We sat at the bar, which I believe is the only spot you can order happy, and there were about 8/10 places to sit. (upstairs was close for a private event but might be more sitting up there) Drinks were okay. A little sweet for me BUT the food was incredible. We got the following: - queso with burnt ends - red snapper ceviche - chopped beef sandwich - crispy green beans All of them were soooo yummy and they were very big portions. Also the price is amazing! Would definitely recommended their happy hour! read more

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Probably one of best bbq place I ever been to. Fast and excellent service. I would come to this place when I visit here again. read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Non-alcoholic honey buzz drink - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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TLDR: Lamberts offers stylish vibes, but the BBQ falls flat. Small portions, bland brisket and ribs, tough sausage, and underwhelming sides make it hard to justify the high prices. Overview: Lamberts is not your typical Texas BBQ joint. Housed in a historic building with exposed brick and a full bar, it functions as a sit-down restaurant rather than a traditional BBQ spot with counter service. The vibe is fun and polished with friendly service. Since it's downtown, you will need to find parking on your own. Food: I came for lunch and ordered the three-meat plate with two sides ($26): brisket, ribs, and the Texas hot link, with slaw and mac & cheese. Portions are small: two thin brisket slices and a singular rib. The brisket arrived moist (without being asked lean vs. moist), with a solid texture, but it was relatively bland. I was expecting a pronounced smoky flavor, a peppery bark, and beefy depth, none of which really showed up here. The rib was tender but lacked flavor in the same way as the brisket. The hot link was juicy, but its casing was so tough it became difficult to eat. Unfortunately, the sides didn't redeem the meal either. The slaw was serviceable but bland; the cashews add a soft crunch but little flavor. The mac & cheese looked great with its browned breadcrumb cap, yet the sauce underneath was watery and too salty. I finished with the Texas gold cake. It was texturally pleasant, with a nice cream cheese custard and a bright lemon cream, but the raspberry jam on the side was mostly sweet without adding anything to the dish. At $14 for a small slice, it's hard to recommend. Final Thoughts: As a destination for cocktails in a stylish room, Lamberts may hit the mark. As a BBQ stop, especially in a city where by-the-pound counters set a high bar, the flavors and portions don't even remotely justify the price. If you're seeking a leisurely sit-down experience with a full bar, this fits. If you're chasing standout Texas BBQ, you'll likely leave disappointed. read more

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This is a fun fine/casual dining restaurant with lots of options to choose from. Dress up or down. Great place for a date or bring the whole family. The service was fantastic and the atmosphere was pleasant. Kids were there and they also enjoyed the music. I really enjoyed the beet salad, salmon and while the ceviche had vinegar in it instead of citrus, it was still good. My friend Ms enjoyed their food too and the macaroni and cheese was pure heaven. We're definitely coming back. The prices are bit steep but I guess everything has gone up these days. They have a different lunch menu than the dinner menu. Keep that in mind if you're looking at the menu online to make sure you're viewing the correct menu. Bon appétit! read more

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I visit this restaurant every time I'm in austin. Love this place. Chef is a cool dude and will talk to you. Food is always amazing. And the atmosphere is chill...laid back unless they have live music.. read more

Ambiance- 5 my boyfriend and I sat upstairs on live music night and had a wonderful time!! The music was not obnoxiously loud like some live music nights in restaurants can be. We could appreciate the band and still talk to each other! Everything feels rustic but upscale. Food- oh my GOSH. I'm not a huge steak person, but I do enjoy a good steak on special occasions. The prime ribeye is maybe the most decadent thing I've ever eaten in my whole life. The brown sugar crust, the roasted garlic bulb, the perfect medium rare... I think I'll be dreaming about this steak for the rest of my life. We also got the beans, cider braised collard greens (to die for!) and my boyfriend got the brisket which you simply can't go wrong with. Our server, Stacey, was so kind and patient with our dietary restrictions (bf has a dairy allergy- lactose intolerant be wary much more dairy in a BBQ place than you'd expect!). Very attentive, great recommendations and adjustments. Give her a raise! read more

Essentially an upscale barbecue spot. We were given complimentary mini-cornbreads that were pretty good. We had the sausage, brisket, and ribs. No complaints on the food as it was all pretty good with the brisket being my favorite. The service here is pretty good and everyone is helpful and friendly. read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Soooo landed not too long ago and found this place. Didn't even remember to take a picture before digging in lol. The bbq is much better than what Hawaii has to offer, reasonable proce and great tasty sides. Since we went at 3pm ish, the restaurant was slow and quiet. Servers were just chilling caz they only have to take care of us at the restaurant. read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great ambience with live music. I recommend this especially Angus steak. Old fashion and beer are great quality

Not bad , this is just not quality Texas bbq in my humble opinion, more of a tourist experience.

Always a great experience the place has that strong smell of smokers working overtime. The ambiance is busy but calm. I haven't had a bad meal here. Their smoked meats are amazing as are their steaks. read more

Great food! A bit loud but good videos, bartenders were great at funny. There was live music the night we went which was nice and we sat at the bar. read more

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Shoutout to our server Andrew today! Thank you for being patient with our food requests/needs! We appreciate you. Lamberts has good food and we like the live music vibe. read more

I haven't been to Lambert's so when I was downtown for a weekend a conference and we saw they were open for brunch on Saturday, I jumped on the opportunity. Since it's still spring, definitely took full advantage of sitting outside. The outdoor area was packed and bustling as it should be. The drinks are great. I had a bourbon based drink that was pretty tasty and well balanced. They also have an extensive menu for whiskey, scotches, and bourbons too. I got 1/2 rack of baby rack ribs. Wow! This wasn't four ribs like allot of places it was truly a 1/2 rack of ribs so a good 6 ribs that were all meat and no fat or grizzle or that weird layer that exists in the back of the rib. The ribs are prime quality too. It also came with a little slaw and pickles. I liked the pickles since they still made the cucumber still fresh without being overly pickled. There aren't many dine in, table service bbq places - so if you are looking for more full service bbq this is your place. read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Best ribs I've ever had. Only downside was sitting next to the kitchen and leaving the restaurant smelling like grease and BBQ. I did appreciate the dim lighting and great service though. read more

We had great food. We had great service. The food came out fast and fresh. Friendly staff. Reasonable prices. I would go back. read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Combo - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

Fantastic! On a work trip and a pescatarian so I can only judge what others said and what I experienced. We were a party of 8 and our server was the best. We had an early dinner time and took our time: got drinks (lots of beers, margs and a NA drink for me-fantastic vibes). The lil cornbread muffins were perfect to get us thinking about dinner. We got three apps: the tuna ceviche (tangy, fresh, flavorful) burnt ends queso (I mean, cheese, house made chips and delightful toppings like avocado= perfection) and crispy green beans that were tempura fried almost on top of a creamy horseradish puree. For dinner we had everything from half chicken, ribs, a big ol bone in beef thing, hanger steak, sides like Mac and cheese (good), mashed potatoes (better) and fries (fine) and I had the red snapper. This was a Star. All my coworkers ate and loved their food, but I felt like I won with a delicious salty skinned, succulent fish on a briny bed of perfection: fresh, delicious and a hint of spice. Absolutely recommend full force: such a great night! read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - I am sad just one photo, but I don't want to post my coworkers without consent! - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

So the ambiance was gorgeous! I loved the colors and the decor and our server was alright, but the food was really not great. Especially for being at a price point that high, the brisket was 30$ and it came with a roll that was stale and hard and flavorless, and the brisket itself was dry. We respectfully told our server that there was a problem with the food specifically the brisket and got one comped which was kind, but the other brisket entree wasn't touched at all when we both had issues with it, which I found to be unclassy. I never ever talk about the food with the waiter if it was bad, but this dining experience changed my mind on that. Too much money to be so low quality. read more

One of our friends told us this was one of the best places to come. While it was good food and ambience- it was not exactly value friendly. We've been visiting for 5 days and I would say that prices in Austin are higher than other places in the country. With that being said, it was good food, the service was good..it was a little loud downstairs from the music being played upstairs. Would I do it again, no. The portions are small for what you are paying. I'd say this is BBQ on a corporate card account versus on my own personal account. read more

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Loved the food and the customer service here. A very lovely restaurant in downtown Austin serving delicious food and drinks. Our waiter recommended the daily special salad and we loved it. Grilled bell peppers with I don't remember what but it was heavenly. The wedge salad was amazing so was the Mac and cheese. The brisket was perfectly cooked and the ribs were out of this world delicious. The restaurant is beautiful, has two stories and is located in a very historic building among the new huge builds. I love the charm of this place and the food. If you are ever in Austin don't hesitate to try this place out. read more

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This place was recommended to me by a local and turned out to be a great experience. I was there in the afternoon so ordered from the lunch menu. The BBQ brisket was amazing, not just cut it with a fork tender, this almost required a spoon. As this is apparently a high profile spot I was amazed at how low the prices were. I ordered the 2 meat combo as the prices made me think the single item would be too small. Wrong - 2 items + 2 sides was more than I could eat. My friend ordered a beer and it was a real pint, not a dinky glass. Highly recommended service and feel of the place were also on point. read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - 2 Meat combo. Brisket + jalapeno and cheddar sausage. Cross cut fries, collard greens sauces and a pint of beer. - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas

I dined at Lamberts on April 16th. Had the beet salad, brisket, and oil cake. Drank water. It was all delicious. HOWEVER, I woke up in my hotel room (Thompson) that night with pain in my stomach and rushed to the toilet with diarrhea. I thought that would be it. But a couple of hours later I woke up again with MORE diarrhea. It was not pleasant, to put it mildly. I called the restaurant about all this. They took down my info but never called me back. The service was excellent (Ryder). It was loud for my taste but I'm a senior citizen. Bottom line? I wouldn't was what happened to be to happen to others. read more

Food was pretty delicious - would highly recommend the queso appetizer (serves 3-4 easily) and the ribs. The jalapeño link was as spicy as expected, but we were surprised at how spicy the broccoli and coleslaw sides both were. I'd choose different sides next time. The service was quick and friendly. We had a reservation for 2, on a Thursday evening in January. It was busy, and we were seated upstairs close to the stage with live musicians playing. It was almost too loud to enjoy, but the band and singer were good. The lighting is dim (see photo) so bring your readers! read more

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue - Three BBQ Meats Jicama and Carrot Slaw, Jalapeo & Garlic Roasted Broccoli - Barbeque Near Me - Austin, Texas