Franklin BBQ Reviews

By far the best brisket I've ever tasted. Hands down! So worth the wait!

As long as you enjoy tailgating the wait is definitely worth it. Just make sure you're prepared and bring chairs, drinks, music, etc to make the wait enjoyable. It really is an experience. The food was exceptional, especially the brisket and sausage links.

As if Franklin's BBQ needs another review... the wait is worth it YA'LL!

It's really good bbq. Is it worth the wait and hype? There are lots of great options almost as good depending on the day with little to no wait time so you be the judge.

Totally worth the 5 hour wait! Best barbecue I've ever tasted and growing up in Texas I've eaten A LOT of barbecue. Bring a chair, a cooler and some friends and the wait goes by in no time, It's actually part of the full experience, I almost enjoy the wait outside as much as the bbq. We usually get there around 7 am on a Sunday and are able to get covered seating. Restaurant opens at 11 am but they open the restrooms and offer water much earlier.

The most amazing brisket I have ever had the fortune of sinking my teeth into!! The queue might put you off, but you had better get there early, since they sell out really quickly. The BBQ is amazing. It doesn't matter if you are a BBQ connoisseur or will-eat-any-BBQ, you will still be licking your fingers off.

This is how brisket tastes in Heaven. 3hr drive 3hr wait in line. WORTH IT!!!

Pork ribs and brisket were my absolute favorite. Everything I ate was phenomenal, but those 2 items took it to another level.

Sorry guys, y'all aren't worth the hype. I've tasted way better than this.

Never had Franklin before but I'm glad I did. Simply wonderful southern BBQ.

Went to Franklyn but was turns around because they sold out so get there early I can't rate the food but it sure smelled great

Best brisket on the PLANET period! And probably the second best thing I've ever eaten in my life! Going to Franklin bbq is like waking up in the Matrix...everything you ever thought you knew about bbq just went out the window! Thanks Aaron Franklin for ruining bbq for me for the rest of my life! Any other bbq place I go to now will never be as good! For the rest of my life, I will never have another piece of brisket as good as that little piece of sweet delicious heaven they let me sample before ordering! Btw I bought his book and it is a great read...surprised to learn he only cooked a hand full of briskets in his life before opening his first trailer in 09

Must arrive early, make a line to enter the premises this opens at 11!

I am not alone in stating this is the best BBQ place out there. However be prepared to wait 2-3 hours to taste this heavenly food.

Amazing, the brisket lives up to the hype (and so does the queue). To be honest it's their ribs that blew me away.

Long waits, best brisket I've ever had in my life. Show up early, treat it like a tailgate. We made lifelong friends with the couples we stood in line next too.

The legacy speaks for itself!
Whats more to say!

This place is crazy awesome! It gives you authentic world famous texan bbq briskets!

Mouthwatering & delicious! The wait in the long queue is totally worth it!

There were people in the queue who claimed to be in there for 16th time because they couldn t get in for the last 15 times!

Hush! We made it in the first attempt!

Now about the food!
Ordered their signature dish Tipsy Texan Burger!
The brisket was juicy and deliciously slow cooked in the sauces! I had pork ribs since I do no eat beef and I was blown!

This place is like a shrine for all the foodies out there and must visit location if in Austin! And if your foing a rod trip in Texas add this to you stops!

PS: I have seen people pack parcels of whatever they can! Portion sizes are awesomely texan large!
Because when in Texas everything is Grand!

Our family loves the bbq sauce in here so much. We usually sit outside and have some beer. We love this place.

Incredible food and definitely worth the wait! I had a bit of everything and it the food was incredible.

Likely would never have stood in line but friends were here from NM and were set on it and it was amazing!!

Worth the wait for sure, brisket is tender and flavorful just done really well. Pork Ribs are amazing, I thought the espresso bbq sauce was to die for. I'll come back again by planning ahead and order online now that I have the waiting in line experience done.

It's really worth the wait. I spent 2.5 hours in rain for the queue. But it's totally worth it. I cam from Indonesia for this

Best bbq ever! Period! One thing I would change, heating lamps outside for the winter.

Our first experience at Franklin s was...okay. The online ordering sounds efficient and people praise it in their reviews, since you re given a 30 minute pickup window. However, we arrived 20 minutes before our time slot and the line for pickup was down the street. The line hardly moved the entire time, and we ended up waiting about an hour and 30 minutes total, not getting our food until a half hour after our pickup window ended.

That part isn t a huge deal, since they don t have your food ready to go until you check in. But I think that also adds to the inefficiency. Beside this, it seemed a lot of cars didn t understand the process and were trying to cut into the line because they were late (or just not sure if this long line of cars was actually for Franklin s).

No big deal in the end if the food is worth the wait. The brisket was decent, tender but a little too salty. The sausages were a little bland compared to some other local joints. The ribs were probably the best part we had for the day, and pulled easily off the bone.

Overall, it was fine, but I expected more after finally making it to the legendary BBQ joint. In my opinion, there are just better places in Austin, and the shorter wait only makes them more tempting. It s very likely we got it on a bad weekend, but it s tough to say.

Be sure to get there early and bring a chair to sit in. Be prepared to wait but you will not be disappointed. I tried everything except the turkey. The ribs were fall off the bone and the brisket, yum (I especially like the well done end pieces). The pulled pork is good but very different than NC bbq so I will definitely have to try it again in the future. If I had to describe it in one word -Flavorfull.

This is the place that everyone was talking to me about! Did not disappoint at all, try the brisket and you wont regret it!

The overall experience was fantastic, the brisket is transcendent, the ribs other-worldly and the beer is cold. This place is a don't-misser.

This place is an experience. A lot of people may say oh it s all hype but honestly it s not. The brisket is definitely on a different level from any other briskets I ve tried so far. It s tender, moist and super juicy. The pulled pork is so flavourful and soft. The sausage was delicious. It s definitely worth the wait and the experience itself of lining up for hours is fun. You get to make new friends! Also sweet tea is free!

Pre-ordered 5+ pounds of BBQ for our office. We had to wait a little when picking up the food, but was warned in the confirmation email so we were prepared.

As for the food, its as good as you they say it is. We have tried A LOT of bbq and yes, there is a reason this place is always at the top of any charts that rate BBQ.

It's all hype for okay BBQ. Not favorful at all and we tasted everything. One pound of everything on the menu was a waste of money for it to be all dry.

The food is fantastic but nothing is worth a 3 hour wait or longer except for 'the experience' of saying you have been there once. There are many places in Austin that have BBQ that is maybe 95% as good and you wait 30 minutes instead of 4 hours. If that 5% is worth it to you then by all means...

The best BBQ I had in Austin and the staff was very helpful and friendly.

We got to Franklin's after 1:00 on a weekend. We were told there was only chopped beef left and it would be an hour wait. The guy told us about Micklethwait Craft Meats just down the road so we went there. We had the best bbq we've ever had! Nothing is worth waiting hours in line for. We will go back to Micklethwait Craft Meats. Sorry Franklins.

Had a wonderful time yesterday at Franklin. Spent three hours plus waiting in line with friends for a birthday party. A lot of people complain about the wait, which is silly. Plan for it, and use it as time to build friendships which will be capped off by a feast that will not be forgotten-ever.

Thanks Aaron. Keep up the amazing work and the amazing customer service.

If you could imagine what it would be like for angels to BBQ brisket. Then this is better. Great atmosphere, great people, great times. We drive in from Louisiana for this BBQ!

WORTH THE WAIT! Arrive early though. We got there at 10:45am and were in the last batch of people they could guarantee food for. We ended up eating around 2:00pm, which was pretty spot on from their estimate. We got lucky and got a selection of more than they predicted having which was awesome. They have beach chairs to use while you wait, hand out free snacks, and you can drink beer in line. Overall, the waiting experience wasn t bad at all and so so worth it.

Amazing brisket, pork and sausages! be prepared to stay in line for at least 1,5hrs on a weekend (spoiler alert, its worth it!)

They didn't have enough ribs for everybody and all though their brisket taste incredible it is super greasy.

Definitely amongst the best bbq places with delicious brisket in particular. However you cannot look past the 3+ hour wait which has become a 'thing' in itself. The likes of La Barbecue and Mickelthwaite locally arent far enough behind to justify the wait. Stiles is also good bbq.

The best thing there is actually the typsy texan sandwich!

Every bite is better than the last and leaves you wanting more.

I arrived at around 9:30am on a Wednesday and was sitting at 12:30pm, which would likely be a slower day. It was totally worth the wait, although I think once would be enough. I thought the wait would feel worse but everyone on line was excited and chatty, which made the time pass quicker. The brisket has to be the the best brisket I can recall eating, and the buttery pork rib meat slid off the bones. The staff is super friendly as well, so beyond the delicious food, the experience was pleasant.

I expected the food to be phenomenal, but the service - it exceeded the food. The staff was went far above and beyond be call of duty to be helpful and friendly. Kudos to the staff and more importantly, to the owner, for fostering this atmosphere. All of the accolades are certainly well deserved.

Totally deserves the hype surrounding the place. Best BBQ I've ever had.

OMG the LINE!! We did a holiday pre-order for a take home/reheat meal. So it took us about 20 minutes from arrival to departure (including the obligatory Franklin sign selfies). But there were people who had been waiting in line for hours (we arrived about 20 minutes prior to opening). I'd guess a hundred people were waiting in line when we arrived, and more just kept on coming.

So if you're interested in eating at this establishment as a 'dine in' guest, arrive several hours before opening, bring your camp chair and something to occupy your time while you wait.

If you, like us, prefer to enjoy food rather than waiting in line, order well in advance, pick it up and take it home. The brisket was AMAZING and the heating instructions were very simple. It didn't diminish the flavor, texture or quality of the meat at all.

Hidden gem! I have mixed feelings of mentioning this place since Austin seems to blow the doors off when a new BBQ place is found. Delicious brisket, the owner is a delight to talk to and rarely a line. If he happens to have peach cobbler, definitely get it! I thought I died and went to heaven!

Best brisket I've ever had. A must try if you're within 20 miles of Austin. Gotta get in line by 9 am or you may not get any food.

got here @ 6:00 am on friday , about # 20 people or so n line n front of me, already. franklin has chairs for about the first 30 people or so, if u dont get one of there chairs u have 2 bring your own chair. about 10:45 they will come out and tell everyone to put your chairs up. about 8:00am they will open side door to bathrooms that was good. doors open at 11:00 . we got to counter around 11:35 .they let us sample Moist Brisket and the Lean Brisket both were great. Lean Brisket was moist on this day but not with all the fat the moist brisket had on it the day we were here. we got the lean brisket and the pork ribs with potato salad. I have always said there is good brisket and better no bad and i have been to most the top 50 bbq restaurants n texas , u name it i have probably been there and i have been here 2 times before and did not get any food , the line was 2 long one time, the other time they sold out . this time i got here early and i'm glad i did. IT IS HARD TO SAY THIS but there Brisket is THE BEST WOW and there RIBS were some of the best out there, great. and i would wait 5 hours again. i had some left over and put n my YETI Cooler on ice for later, but when u buy bbq here eat it here it is best right after they cut it. i eat leftover brisket and ribs later that night but it was not the same as eating it at franklin's when it's warm and they first cut it. So get here early it will take a few hours but it will be worth it. if u get there early u can park right by franklin's but watch 4 no parking signs.WHAT A DAY THANK U LORD

Best brisket ever! Friendly staff. Be prepared for a 2 hour wait - even on a Tuesday! Arrive early to get the full selection of meats - or any meat as they often run out by 2pm!

The brisket is definitely worth it! However if you are traveling from out of town and don't have the time to wait in line, I would definitely recommend ordering ahead. Minimum order is 5lbs which is enough for around 6 hungry people

As good as advertised. Best brisket in had.

A bit pricey.

Fanf***ingtastic BBQ. It's true - you really don't need sauce for the brisket. It's so moist and tender on its own. It's a pain that the wait is so long, and they're booked so far in advance, but when you serve some of the best BBQ in the country, it's to be expected.

I don't give 5 star reviews often. This was a perfect BBQ experience. God bless Texas and Aaron Franklin's team.

Just give me the brisket and I'm happy. Beer and a lawn chair make the hours-long better.

This is the best bbq you can get. Right now it's drive up only and you have to open your trunk and they will put the food in for you, and then you get to close your own trunk. From what I hear the lines can be really long here, but for me I only had to wait about 45 minutes. I noticed the line was a little bit longer as I was leaving, but the lines are nowhere near as long as what I've heard they can be. This is the best barbecue you will ever have. Try the tri-tip and ribs. It's the best ever.

Yes it is worth the wait. They have a pre-order option if you want to plan a trip to Austin, definitely worth the trip.

I got into an uber on Saturday morning with my destination set to Franklins bbq. The driver told me to prepare for a extremely long wait. Lucky for me, I preordered my lunch 4 weeks in advance, a feature that even him, a Texas local had not known about.

I ordered:
2.5 lb brisket
2 lb pork ribs
3 link sausages
1 pint cole slaw
1 pint potato salad

This was more than enough to feed 6 girls with leftovers remaining. It also comes with a pint of onion, slices of bread and bbq sauce packed nicely together. The highlight of my order would be the brisket, which was moist and tender. The pork ribs were delicious as well. Overall, all of the food was pretty good. Everything was seasoned well and nothing was dry. The pre-order process was very organized and quick. They also wait to slice all of the meat when you arrive for pick up. Franklin's Barbecue is definitely worth trying if you can pre-order it. 5 stars for the food and efficient pre-order process. Otherwise, I don't think the BBQ itself is enough to justify a 5 hour wait.

This is the best brisket in the country. I waited an hour and a half and I would do it again any time.

I don't mind waiting 5 hours while the people behind me (who came from wimberly) complained about Austin Libtards and how much pot did they smoke today.

Never mind the guy handing out tickets was a place Nazi and even though my friend went to the bathroom and the people vouched for him. Mr Nazi place holder still kicked him out despite waiting 4 1/2 hours. (Plus he took a picture of him, kinda creepy)

Also the food was a little burnt. I love Franlkins!

Very delicious meal, was worth the waiting time. We went there around 8:15 and were at the beginning of the line - at 9:00 were already much more people there, do get up early ;)

No need to write a review. Just look at the pictures!

Had a great time at Franklin. Great BBQ! Had a chance to visit with Aaron, he's extremely friendly and fun to talk. The ribs and the brisket were our favs... but you won't go wrong ordering anything on his menu! Tip, get there by 8:30 am. We got there at 8, sat under his awning and despite it being mid August, it was pleasurable. Every one of his staff that we meet were very nice. Truly a great place to visit!

2 hour wait & most of the food was sold out. This was an 1.5 hrs after opening. There was no to go line...that wouldn't be available for a few wks.
Don't bother.

The hype surrounding Franklin is unfathomable. I arrived at 6:30 AM on a Saturday and got served at 12:30. The meat was truly amazing. Was it worth the 6-hour wait? Once for the story, but next time, I'll go back on a weekday.

The best BBQ, bar none!!! Second visit this year and a third planned in Sept! It's all melt in your mouth awesome brisket, ribs, and sausage! Yum! Check their web site, you can pre-order.

i have to give it to Franklin BBQ. They have my awards for the longest wait time to get food (5 hours). I got there at 6AM, luckly enough it was the weekday and I was first. When it opened, I definately ordered a whole brisket, since I wanted my own burnt ends and a medley of other meats. I was able to take the brisket back to LA and heat it up in the oven and it was still great.

Amazing! Everything we had was fantastic but the ribs were maybe made by angels!

Coming to the BBQ brisket mecca that is Austin, I sometimes forget how truly awesome Franklin's BBQ can be. If you haven't had the chance, give em a go. You will have a religious experience.

The Tipsy Texan was awesome! We had to come since President Obama ate here yesterday.

I really liked the BBQ but the owner was really Rude! !!!

Legendary BBQ from the wunderkind Aaron Franklin. Solid across the board, as one would expect. Great service model in these trying times.

Very good brisket. Mild in flavour and very well cooked.

Nice pork ribs. Not the best in town (Terry Black s) but nice.

Great potato slaw and beans.

Highly Recommended

The pork ribs must come from pigs raised near Chernobyl. They are huge! Huger than huge. One's all I can eat.

Did not disappoint. Lived up to the hype. I would wait in line 4 hours again. Come prepared though

Excellent as always. Curbside pickup was smooth and very timely. Total wait was about 15 minutes.

Best brisket I ve ever had; soft, flavorful, and great staff to make the experience excellent.