InterStellar BBQ

Peach tea pork belly is a must, we didn’t know. We ordered it, somehow they missed to put it on the serving tray. We told one of the staffs, she went back and checked receipt- couldn’t find it in the receipt. The Pitmaster John Bates brought the pork belly to our table by himself- I don’t know how he knew, the gesture of him bringing it to the table made my day!! I’m glad we had a taste of it- it was the best. This is something I think is rare to find in any other restaurants or bbq places- every one of the staffs were super nice and attentive. After you sit down the pit master came in to check how everything is tasting. I think that shows how he truly believes people should feel valued in the dining room. There’s nothing left to say about the food- I’m sure the word got out already. We ordered bbq duck leg, pulled lamb shoulder, lamb sausage, Polish, brisket, pork ribs, mac and cheese, pork hash. Everything was so flavoured and perfectly prepared- phenomenal.

Exceptional BBQ. Best we've ever had, with only the brisket ever-so-slightly bested out by Franklin. Everything is unique, perfectly cooked and season, and expertly crafted. Highly recommend everything, especially the BBQ duck and pulled lamb shoulder. Service was friendly and attentive. Got there at 10:15am on a Thursday and we were third in line. Highly recommend coming ~10:15-10:20am to limit your wait when they open. The line will move relatively slowly as they are not rushing people and can handle big orders at times. A must try whether to experience exceptional BBQ, add a rare Michelin star BBQ place to your places visited, and generally to expand your horizons as to what's possible for BBQ.

Rainy day so the line wasn’t too long. We got there at 10:30 and just made it under the roof. Can see where we were in the photo. After the door opened, we waited about 30 mins to order - only one meat cutter setup, so each person’s order takes 3-5 mins. Pretty inefficient - they don’t really respect your time. We tried the brisket, the special pork collar, tea glazed pork belly, beef short rib and both the kielbasa and Polish sausage. For sides we tried the scalloped potatoes and jalapeño slaw. The beef rib was the best by far, and the one dish I would go back for. Nicely smoked and nice bark, and the chimichurri complemented it well. Maybe a touch salty. Everything else was quit disappointing, especially the brisket which was very dry. We both commented we’ve had better at Rudy’s and other random places. Honestly a 2/5 brisket. The pork collar didn’t taste anything like described (no pepper, lemon or oregano flavors) and was also a bit dry. The sauce it came with was interesting and the only thing that made it passable. The pork belly - I get why people like it. But it was way too sweet for us. Pork belly candy. Both sausages were decent, but sausage is sausage, and not what you really come for. The sides were both decent. Better than Rudy’s ‘grocery store’ sides for sure, but nothing too special. The best part of the meal, outside of the short rib, was the pickles and pickled onions. Very nice, and just like I remember my grandfather used to make. Oh, their bbq sauces are decent - both pretty tart, but I like that and I generally use them sparingly anyway. If it’s good brisket, you don’t even need the sauce. Unfortunately, our brisket it needed it bad. So, not sure if it was an off day, or some bad pieces, but we didn’t really enjoy this meal, and regretted buying extra for leftovers - which was truly disappointing given the reputation.

After trying some of the best BBQ spots in Texas, InterStellar BBQ is at the top of my list so far. The brisket was outstanding, the peach tea glazed pork belly lived up to the hype, and even the sides were next level. Definitely worth the wait. If you're anywhere near Austin, this place is a must-visit. 🤠🔥🥩